“The flat has been largely preserved in keeping with the estate’s mid-century charm”
This beautifully bright two-bedroom flat unfolds across the first and second floors of McBride House, a mid-century estate in Bow. The apartment has been largely preserved in keeping with the estate’s original aesthetic, with a selection of contemporary interventions that have been sensitively introduced. At the rear of the apartment is an immaculately landscaped communal garden, said by the current owners to have a wonderful sense of community, while the larger expanse of Victoria Park is just a short walk away via the lively Roman Road.
The Building
Built in the 1960s, McBride House forms part of the Ranwell East Estate in Bow, which comprises six separate apartment blocks. The estate itself is configured around stepped manicured lawns, mature trees and a children’s play area. The street-facing façade is punctuated by panels of bright blue, providing welcome accents of colour against the raw palette of materials including traditional red brick and aggregate.
The Tour
Entrance to the apartment is through to an enclosed cloakroom with plenty of storage space, which seamlessly leads to a wonderfully bright open-plan living area. The current owners have introduced reclaimed parquet flooring underfoot to chime with the building’s original design. Light pours in through glazing at the rear of the space, where a glazed timber door opens to a Juliet balcony with views over the communal gardens beyond.
The adjacent kitchen has recently been subject to a complete renovation, which introduced stainless steel cabinetry, warm timber worksurfaces and cork flooring. There is plenty of shelving and integrated storage space in this room, which is illuminated by light that streams in through large windows at the front of the plan.
Upstairs there are two double bedrooms, both with new carpets and large windows. The main bedroom is positioned at the rear of the plan and has far-reaching views over the communal gardens and the city beyond. This floor retains many mid-century features, such as the original cupboard doors and fixtures, as well as frosted glass panes positioned over the doorways. A colourful family bathroom lies on this floor, replete with pink tiling and a maroon bathroom suite. There is also a separate WC.
Outdoor Space
McBride House lies within manicured communal gardens that are immaculately landscaped, views of which can be seen from the rear of the apartment. It is a short walk from the larger green swathes of Victoria Park.
The Area
This part of Bow has a wonderful sense of community and history. Established in 1888, the nearby Roman Road Market survived the influx of covered shopping centres in the 1970s and continues to thrive as an east London tradition. It is one of London’s oldest roads and is historically the main entryway to the city from the east, reputedly running along ancient ley lines. New additions such as Mae + Harvey and Whole Fresh sit alongside the traditional street market, which runs thrice weekly.
Victoria Park, home to the Pavilion Café and Chisenhale Gallery, is a short walk away. Just the other side of the much-loved green space, Victoria Park Village has a great food and drink scene, featuring the Ginger Pig butchers, Bottle Apostle and Jonathan Norris Fishmongers. This part of town has some excellent pubs, and there are many lovely parks. The Regent’s Canal connects Victoria Park to Mile End Park, and further east is the Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park.
Liveable Streets Bow is a £5million project being delivered by Tower Hamlets Council and TfL in consultation with The Roman Road Trust. Now in the final phase of consultation, they propose various measures to reduce traffic in Bow, including pedestrianising Roman Road from 10am to 4.30pm every day, while also widening pavements, planting trees and creating more public space.
Mile End and Bow Road stations (Central, District and Hammersmith & City Lines) are a short walk to the south. There are also excellent bus routes in the area.
Tenure: Leasehold
Lease Length: approx. 90 years remaining
Service Charge: approx. £800
Ground Rent: approx. £10
Council Tax Band: C
Please note that all areas, measurements and distances given in these particulars are approximate and rounded. The text, photographs and floor plans are for general guidance only. The Modern House has not tested any services, appliances or specific fittings — prospective purchasers are advised to inspect the property themselves. All fixtures, fittings and furniture not specifically itemised within these particulars are deemed removable by the vendor.
