A guided walking tour of around Roman Road with Paul Talling based around the 'Dennis Waterman in the East End' book from 1989

Actor Dennis Waterman sitting at a cafe table eating a meal from the Dennis Waterman in the East End book by Terry Green
Dennis Waterman at G Kelly, the traditional pie & mash cafe on Roman Road (Pic: Terry Green)
During the late 1980s, actor Dennis Waterman was introduced to the Bethnal Green and Bow area by his friend and colleague, The Sweeney/Minder director, Terry Green. They published a book of Terry's photographs of its local sites and characters. Paul Talling has retraced their steps and on this walk we revisit these places and see what they are today with Paul reading from the book and adding his own historical anecdotes, tangents and the odd bit of dereliction.

There will be a pub break along the way. The walk starts at Bethnal Green tube and finishes at Mile End tube. The duration of this tour is approximately 5 hours.  After the walk, we go for drinks  at the Wentworth Arms, one of Paul's favourite traditional East London pubs (see flyer below).
Derelict factory building with broken windows of the Chisenhale Works in Bow taken on Paul Talling's walk along the Hertford Union Canal and Roman Road
The Chisenhale Works, Bow (Paul Talling 2021)
From the dust jack inner flap of Dennis Waterman in the East End (1989):
"Welcome to the real East End.
Dennis Waterman is our best-loved Londoner. It has to be said that Dennis is not an East-Ender - but he has been introduced to it by his friend and colleague, Minder director, Terry Green. Focussing on 'The Roman' (The Roman Road to you and me) which runs from Bethnal Green to Bow, Dennis and Terry together take us on a tour of one of the liveliest parts of London.

Whether it's having a drink at The Young Prince or checking out the bargains of The Globe Market, meeting Happy Jack in his bakery or George, the landlord of The Bull or discovering the unexpected pleasures of The Regent's Canal, Dennis and Terry share the East End with the rest of us. The Real East End won't be with us forever. The invasion of Yuppies and the much-loathed demolitions and new tower-blocks have done their best to infiltrate this area of character. So far, they haven't won. So join Dennis Waterman on his very personal tour of the East End and discover the people and places that make up London's most vital area." 
Dilapidated Bishop Bonner pub on Bonner St, Bow now converted into flats on Paul Talling's Roman Road walk
The Bishop Bonner (Paul Talling 2021). The boxing themed pub featured in Melvyn Braggs 1975 documentary "Word of Mouth" about the Cockney language. Chas and Dave played here too.
​​Dennis Waterman in the East End was published by Queen Anne Press in 1989. Words were by Dennis and the photographs and paintings were by Terry Green. Terry directed various episodes of the Chinese Detective, Bergerac, Minder, The Bill, The Sweeney, Special Branch and Brookside. Pics below by Paul Talling 2021:

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​Dennis Waterman in the East End was published by Queen Anne Press in 1989. Words were by Dennis and the photographs and watercolours were by Terry Green. Terry directed various episodes of the Chinese Detective, Bergerac, Minder, The Bill, The Sweeney, Special Branch and Brookside.
Flyer for the Wentworth Arms in Eric St, Mile End, London, E3 advertising plenty of characters, a classic jukebox and a fully stocked bar
Where the walk ends: The Wentworth Arms in Mile End.
Flyer for the Wentworth Arms, an old school boozer in Mile End advertising bingo, karaoke and cheap drinks
The Wentworth Arms is a friendly local boozer with drinks at decent prices