This is part of the Boundary Road estate, the first council estate built by the old London County Council.Leave the Circus at its western exit, Calvert Avenue. On the right is the early Georgian St Leonard’s Church, immortalised in ‘when I grow rich, say the bells of Shoreditch’ It is open Mon-Fri between noon and 2pm When closed thewell-tended garden is worth a walk around. A set of ancient stocks can be found in the north-west corner.Pass the front of the church and cross the road at the lights by Syd’s Original Coffee Stall, celebrating its 75th anniversary this year Head west alongRivington Street. On the left is the Tramshed, which was once just that but is now an exhibition space. Until Sunday you can see the extraordinary surrealist sculptures of Malcolm Poynter (noon -7.30pm daily).Keep straight ahead andfollow Great Eastern Street to Old Street Station. Cross by the subway, leaving at exit 6, and walk down Old Street, turning left at the lights down Bunhill Row.Turn left opposite the Artillery Arms into Bunhill Fields, the old non-Conformist burial ground. When you getto the brick hut, the tombs of Daniel Defoe and William Blake are on your left, while to your right rests John Bunyan.This is non-Conformist territory.
As you leave the cemetery, the Methodist John Wesley’s house and chapel are immediately in front of you. Turn right here and cross the road into Finsbury Square, passing the bowling green and flower beds.Leave the square from the opposite corner and turn east down Sun Street. At its end turn right into the Broadgate Centre, one of London’s best new office developments. Go across or around the arena and turn left into Liverpool Street, crossing the first floor gallery of the renovated station.When you get to Bishopsgate turn left, then right up Brushfield Street to Spitalfields Market, now containing tennis and badminton courts, and a small weekday market, surrounded by interesting eating places. Walk back to Liverpool Street for the tube.(Photograph omitted). I am a small-scale sheep producer in Nottinghamshire and your decisions to ban the carriage of sheep, cattle and pigs for slaughter on sea routes to Europe will hit my business hard But at least I have other farming interests.
Many of my farmer colleagues elsewhere in Britain are totally dependent on livestock for their livelihoods. I keep 350 ewes and this part of my business gives me great satisfaction. Lambing is a cold and monotonous chore, especially in the middle of a January night, but nothing can beat the feeling when the new-born is pronounced fit and healthy and takes its place out in the field.
Farmers care about animals. We, too, get distressed when we see television pictures of animals being abused.
