Complete Guide to living in Bow
A Traditional Cockney Residential Area with Major Transformation Plans Underway
With major regeneration plans and steady economic growth over the last decade, Bow in London’s Zone 2 is a one-of-a-kind place to live. Estate Agents Bow is witnessing an increased demand as this vibrant area, rich in history and offering diverse property options, has become popular among young families, professionals, and students, given its proximity to Queen Mary University of London.
Although primarily residential, Bow provides plenty of shopping, dining, and leisure options, featuring a range of local and big-brand shops, eateries, pubs, and a market that runs three times a week. With the District and Hammersmith & City Underground lines, commuting to Canary Wharf and the City Centre is quick and convenient. Additionally, Bow residents enjoy abundant green spaces like Victoria Park and the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, perfect for outdoor activities.
The area’s inclusion in the 2012 Olympic urban development plans, due to its closeness to Queen Elizabeth Park, has positively transformed Bow. Refurbished council housing, converted industrial spaces, and classic Victorian and Georgian homes reflect Bow’s blend of historic charm and modern living, drawing more interest from those seeking quality housing. Estate Agents Bow are in high demand as the area continues to grow as a highly desirable location for city living.
Nestled in East London’s Borough of Tower Hamlets, Bow is only 4.6 miles east of Charing Cross. Known for its rich history and vibrant community, Bow—an abbreviation of Stratford-at-Bow—is home to the iconic 12th-century bowed bridge. Estate Agents Bow have seen rising interest due to recent regeneration efforts, including a £4.5 million grant from the Big Lottery Fund in 2010 and the 2012 Olympics-led urban renewal, which brought refurbishments to council homes and new residential developments.
Bow’s longstanding tradition of supporting artists is evident in Fish Island, a haven for creatives with numerous studios and workshops. Local pride is celebrated each year at the Roman Road Festival, highlighting Bow’s unique blend of business, art, and community spirit—a lively area that Estate Agents Bow find increasingly popular among diverse residents.
DLR stations
TUBE – Hammersmith & City Line and District Line stations
Airport
Shopping is at its best in Bow along Roman Road. There is a 150-year old local market, and there are also big-brand stores like Tesco or independent local stores. Bow has numerous wine bars and its own distillery. The East London Liquor Company in Bow Wharf produces local whisky, gin, rum, and vodka. Open spaces are also widely available with tennis courts, playgrounds, and many cafés and there is also a local council swimming pool at Mile End Leisure Centre. Our Estate Agents Bow recommend these as the most popular attractions in the area:
Bow has a wide range of housing properties. From Victorian and Georgian period homes to regenerated council homes, the tree-lined streets of Bow have it all. For modern property hunters, there are also many former industrial or warehouse buildings converted into contemporary residential units.
Bow residents do not lack options when it comes to spending their time outdoors. Victoria Park, Mile End Park, and Groove Hall Park offer many sporting and leisure time activities, as well as playgrounds and resting areas or wonderful cafes. They feature tennis courts, wall climbing structures, splashing pools, and walking paths for year-round entertainment.
For local produce, homeware, and clothes residents can head over to the Roman Road Market. For more high-street fashion, big brands and local shops offer plenty of options. There are many pubs, restaurants, wine bars, and cafes to enjoy in Bow. For more eclectic shopping, there is also an arts and crafts market in Gladstone Place and a farmers’ market in Cardigan Street.
Bow hosts a multicultural community made up of original Cockney residents together with a newer wave of young families, young professionals, and students. Its population according to the 2011 Census is 27,720 residents in both the Bow East and Bow West wards.
Bow has become very popular with first-time buyers in recent years due to the good value for money it offers. Homes in Bow are fit for every taste and budget and buy-to-let investors are also attracted to the area for its major rental potential. There are many properties available for buying, letting, and also selling at good prices.
Bow properties offer the best of both worlds. The old Bow has a housing stock made up of Georgian or Victorian houses in conservation areas with tree-lined streets. The new Bow is made up of transformed industrial sites converted into modern riverside homes. Here is a shortlist of Bow’s most notable new residential projects:
Bow has a great choice of schools for young families residing in the area. Here is a list of some of the most well-ranked schools in Bow:
There are several good hospitals and medical facilities available around Bow. Here is our shortlist of available medical units:
1 Beaumont Square, Stepney Green, London E14NL, UK +442077802400
78 McCullum Rd, Bow, London E35JB, UK
Bancroft Road, London E14DG, UK
+442073777000
51 Three Colts Ln, London E26FW, UK
+442034871400
Nuttall St, London N15L, UK
+442076834527
Turner St, Whitechapel, London E11DE, UK
+442035946126
Bow benefits from the involvement of the Roman Road Trust in its economic and community development. This trust was set up to serve the needs Bow residents and businesses and focuses its activity on the regeneration of Bow’s high street, Roman Road.
Their mission is to bring back the community spirit and encourage economic growth through rebuilding the existing infrastructure and bringing back the locals’ sense of civic pride through sustainable support structures.
The Roman Road Trust considers Bow’s high street the lifeblood of the community offering vital opportunities for the community’s sense of connection and shared experience. Their projects help bring new jobs to the area and encourage investments in the local economy.
Cockney is a term used to describe the people from the vicinity of Bow Bells, the church of Saint Mary le Bow, Cheapside, in the City of London. It is said that cockneys are those born within hearing distance of the church bells. A study was conducted in 2000 to see how far the Bow Bells could be heard. The estimations of the study were: six miles east, five miles north, three miles south, and four miles west.
This area would cover Bethnal Green, Whitechapel, Spitalfields, Stepney, Wapping, Limehouse, Poplar, Millwall, Hackney, Hoxton, Shoreditch, Bow, and Mile End, as well as Bermondsey.
Cockneys have a special dialect that uses rhyming and words that are reverse-engineered from their recorded spelling. Examples include words like frust (instead of thrust), farding (instead of farthing), anoder (instead of another).
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