Once, just a major route through East London, Great Eastern Street is now at the heart of Shoreditch, filled with vibrant nightlife, a trendy hotel, quirky pubs, and pricy restaurants. And did I mention the pair of tube carriages mounted on the opposite roof? The road forms one side of the ‘Silicon Triangle’ a hub for internet entrepreneurs which makes the area a desirable spot for many.

Slap bang in the middle of this trendy neighbourhood is the redundant NCP Great Eastern Street car park which is permanently closed and now stands derelict.

So far, now with fewer commuters travelling by car, nothing unusual.

The grandly named American Car Wash Company occupies the ground floor and the forecourt. Although how Americans wash their automobiles differently from us is not explained.

The rest of the tower remains unused and has now been filled with graffiti, and the derelict building looks run down and uncared for in the heart of this trendy part of London.

The Londonist dubbed it as one of the capital’s ‘ugliest’ buildings, surely with all the competition around London, quite an accolade.

Given its prime location, it’s not hard to imagine that the premium spot will be snapped up, ripe for more ‘executive’ apartments.

If this 10-storey edifice was in leafy Kensington, the wrecking ball would already be at work. But here in ‘edgy’ Shoreditch, some are advocating its preservation.

Some time ago the roof was used for a fashion shoot: Romantic Poverty. Rhiannon Jones sent out models in her label Bol$hi.

According to MyLondon.news: one Google review from five years ago said: “Little bit run down looking but is full of the London spirit. Buzzy and lively. Even though it may need a bit of attention from the council, it has its own charm that I find great when visiting London.”

Featured image: Shoreditch: Multi-storey Carp Park on Great Eastern Street in Shoreditch by Peter McDermott (CC BY-SA 2.0).