Bow is an East London area with a lengthy history, including in English, since the initial hamlet was built in the 1100s. Contrary to other neighbourhoods in the East End, here the 2012 Olympics had no transformative effect. But the recent history of the area has shown very progressive improvements, which are now becoming an attractive place to reside.
There are 3 tube stations – Bromley-by-Bow, Bow Road and Mile End – and Bow Church and Devons Road stations on the DLR. Canary Wharf & Town are easily accessible by bike.
The Hammersmith & City and District lines are all subway stations and the central line is located at the Mile End. The Canary Wharf direct trains are available from the Bow Church and Devons Road.
Every station at Zone 2 costs £1,404 per annual transit card for Zone 1.
Bow is central to the so-called City, Canary Wharf and Stratford “Golden Triangles.” It has recently been changed by a multitude of fascinating new initiatives in a young and animated multicultural area.
Properties to sell in or rent in Bow are Victorian houses and industrial buildings in conservation districts, as well as modern building blocks in beautiful positions on the waterside offering wonderful investment prospects for London properties.
Abundant young professionals are now entering new housing complexes and storage facilities, producing a mixed community of working and student families. The affordable housing alternatives are completed by Georgian townhouses and cottages in peaceful, tree-lined streets and renovated municipal estates.
Bow, with its green trees and still in eastern and central London, is a peaceful, safe and beautiful place. It is perfectly situated for the purposes of transport and fits in for any group: couples, families, individuals and students at the University of Queen Mary in London, with a huge Mile End Road campus.
An excellent spot to love around the grass or play friz on a bright day at Victoria Park.
Victoria Park is one of the oldest public parks on the other side of the Hertford Union Canal. It has a cafe and a boat and fishing lake, a rosé garden, a bowling green, a tennis court and children’s water play area and a band stand. It also receives a Green Flag and Green Heritage Award for this award.
Mile End Park is a linear park, featuring a green pedestrian bridge over the Mile End Road, which extends along the Regent Canal in the north from Victoria Park and in the south from Limehouse Basin.
Cemetery Park Tower Hamlets consists of a woodland cemetery and one of the outstanding 7 Victorian cemeteries. The group of pals holds 170 activities annually.
In the grounds of the former asylum, Grave Hall Park off Fairfield Road is hidden away.
The Chisenhale Gallery is located for modern art at Chisenhale Road, whereas Bow Arts at Bow Road at Nunnery Gallery. A Victorian School on Copperfield Road was an interactive museum of the Ragged School Museum. The Mile End Leisure Centre, Burdett Road, has its local council swimming pool.
The Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, the Ragged School Museum, and The Nunnery Art Gallery are some of the places to be in or close outside Bow.
Westfield Stratford City is just a 10-minute drive away from Bow, a shopping centre with a variety of stores, restaurants, movies, and even a casino.
The major thoroughfare in Bow’s shopping is Roman Road, which has been the famed market for 150 years. It covers a quarter of a mile with the fashion of women, food and household goods. Vinarius’ wine dealer and wine bar are also part of Roman Road. Further west along the street there is a larger concentration of independent clothing businesses with Zee & Co.; jakss for children’s fashion clothing; Denningtons is an established florist; gift-snap shops and coffee-houses Mae+Harvey, Hiland; Loafing and Zealand. A few vintage clothes shops are available.
Roman Road is an activity hide, with a market offering clothing, accessories, furniture and cuisine on Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays. On Tuesdays, Thursdays and Saturdays a general market is held. Gladstone Place has also a Saturday market for arts and crafts and Cardigan Street a farmer’s market on the first Saturday of the month. For things that are not purchased at one of Bow’s different markets, the nearby shopping mall Westfield Stratford should have everything you want with more than 300 shops and many restaurants, a movie theatre, the bowling alley and a casino. The Mile End Park Leisure Centre is home to the Local Council swimming pool, while there are two 50-meter pools and a diving pool at the London Aquatics Center, the former Olympics 2012 venue.
In the street you will get to the bakers Greggs and Percy Ingle; Post Office; Poundland; Iceland; Boots; Superdrug Union; Credit Union; Little Tesco; Muxima coffee shop in the Costa, which serves as the local artists and musicians’ community.
Enjoy Bow’s top, United States restaurant featuring Chuckanut Drive, Chuckanut Manor Restaurant and Farm To Market Bakery, Joy’s Bakery, Train Wreck, Breadfarm, Cruisin Coffee, Slough Food.
The Morgan Arms on Morgan Street, the Lord Tredegar on Lichfield Street, and The Crown on the gates of Victoria Park on Grove Road, as well as the Coborn Arms on Coborn Street, all are favourite gas pubs.
Bow Wharf off Grove Road is the East London Liquor Company which manufactures whisky, gin, rum and vodka, and has a cocktail bar and restaurant. Greedy Cow sells burgers and steaks, which come in exotic meats including camels and kangaroo, on the other side of Grove Road.
While there is plenty of advertising here to pint and eat, there’s no buzzing nightlife here, so if that’s what you like outside your doorstep you’ll have to go elsewhere (like Bethnal Green).
For barrio pubs, Bow is a paradise. The Morgan Arms is one of eastern London’s finest gas pubs, which provide top roast on Sundays, while the Lord Tredegar is surrounded by a nice garden and a gourmet food on Lichfield Road, E3 5AL.
A typical corner bar, Palm Tree (127 grove road, E3 5BH) where gossipers are flown in the summer onto the streets, while in the Victoria Park Village there are lovely cafes, fancy restaurants and hip pubs. Plus, there are of the largest and best music festivals in London in the Victoria park and close Olympic park (Lovebox and Hard Rock Calling to name a couple).
Primary
All primary schools of Bow are rated by Ofsted as “good” or better, with one exception. Chisenhale Road and Olga Primary School Lanfranc Road were two of the most popular.
Old Ford’s Primary on Wright’s Road and St Agnes on the Rainhill Way are rated as “outstanding.”
St Paul’s Way Trust School is ranked “exceptionally”.
Comprehensive
Central Foundation Girls’, East London Science School and the Bow School.
Higher learning
The Maltings East London arts and music is the sixth free, ‘extraordinary’ form of school. The Parnell Road Mulberry UTC is a new State Technical University College that was not examined by Ofsted at this time.
Private
Mile End Road is a private Muslim school and is a private school for Mazahirul Uloom, London.
The private London schools are nearby: the children’s school on Queen Victoria Street and the children’s school on St Giles Terrace, Barbican. There is also the school for young people.
Bow falls under the local council of Tower Hamlets.
| Valuation Band | Range of Values | Year 1 April 2021to 31 March 2022 |
| A | Up to and including £40,000 | £984.61 |
| B | £ 40,001 – £ 52,000 | £1,148.72 |
| C | £ 52,001 – £ 68,000 | £1,312.82 |
| D | £ 68,001 – £ 88,000 | £1,476.92 |
| E | £ 88,001 – £120,000 | £1,805.12 |
| F | £120,001 – £160,000 | £2,133.33 |
| G | £160,001 – £320,000 | £2,461.53 |
| H | More than £320,000 | £2,953.84 |
This is the land of Cockney, whose English rhymes are barely understandable to foreigners, so you will probably pick up a few new expressions that your friends and family can try out.