The Festival of Britain opened in May 1951
- and so in this year we celebrate it's 75th Anniversary. It was to be a celebration of
Britain’s achievements in Science, Industrial Design and Technology, Arts and
Architecture.
As early as 1948, the London County Council was invited to contribute to an "Exhibition of Live Architecture"
They accepted and decided to use their new development at Poplar, east London. The LCC planned to have part of their neighbourhood
development completed in time for the Festival. Their aim was to demonstrate to the public
the potential of the new town planning methods.
By the opening of the Festival of Britain a quarter of the
Lansbury Estate, named in honour of local socialist politician George Lansbury, was ready.
Residents were able to moved in + the market and shops were open for business. It was a living exhibtion. Visitors came by bus from Aldgate
and a riverboat service connected the South Bank Site to West India Dock Pier thereby
enabling visitors to journey to Poplar to see the LCC's showcase Lansbury Estate.
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The modern market, laid out in the form of
square with continental influences, was not at all popular with local people. They
preferred the old market in Chrisp Street with its stalls on both sides of the road.
However, people did like the new market public house, the "Festival Inn", with
its modern furniture and decor.
Many of the original features of the exhibition can still be seen today.
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