A short walk from the station is the Cultural Quarter with Stratford Circus, a contemporary performing arts venue, and the Picturehouse cinema for latest releases and art-house films.
The glorious Theatre Royal Stratford East is renowned for bold and original productions which have gone on to take London's West End by storm. Its sell-out pantomimes delight audiences by adapting traditional tales to reflect the area's multi-cultural influences and have won the theatre the 2006 Lawrence Olivier Award, with a further nomination for 2007. The Theatre Bar and Restaurant is cosy and welcoming, and serves great Caribbean food and other dishes.
Further down the High Street, the acclaimed Discover Story Making Centre offers an original and creative take on the usual children's play spaces. London's first interactive creativity centre, Discover nurtures imagination and literacy for 0 to 9 year olds. In 2007 it was named as one of the ‘Top Five Days out in London for Children' by the London's premier listings guide, Time Out.
Stratford Shopping Centre has an eclectic mix of shops and stalls, alongside the favourite chain stores. Through the centre, St John's Church with its magnificent 19th century pipe organ is worth a visit. Two Victorian architectural landmarks include the former John Passmore Edwards Library, now part of East London University, and The Old Town Hall where Britain's first Labour MP, Keir Hardie, made his victory speech.
Stratford is on the brink of a major transformation thanks to the blossoming of its cultural quarter, the 2012 Games and the bold plans for the new Stratford City. Come and visit, then return again soon. Hopefully you will also be in Newham for the world's greatest sporting event in 2012, when you can remember you were there at the beginning of the new dawn in East London.
