York Square Gardens: The Inspiration for Albert Square, Walford

York Square Gardens, the inspiration for Albert Square, Walford.

In the Limehouse area of London's East End, in the London Borough of Tower Hamlets, is York Square Gardens. This square, which is similar to many other residential squares in the East End, has a unique claim to fame.

Back in 1984, following a lot of scouting for suitable locations, York Square Gardens and the surrounding streets were chosen as the inspiration for 'Albert Square', Walford, in a new soap opera that the BBC were going to broadcast.

EastEnders first aired on BBC One 41 years ago today, on February 19, 1985.

The Queen's Head, the inspiration for The Queen Victoria pub in EastEnders.

York Square Gardens is much larger than its television counterpart, but the similarities are quite easy to spot.

Both have terraced houses surrounding a green square, with roads surrounding the open space. While the fictional 'Albert Square' has 'The Queen Victoria' pub, York Square Gardens has two: 'The Old Ship' and 'The Queen's Head', the latter of which is the inspiration for 'The Queen Victoria'.

In EastEnders, Bridge Street has a railway bridge that 'carries' the District and the Hammersmith & City lines on it, as Walford East is situated between Bow Road and West Ham stations. York Square Gardens has two bridges crossing two of its roads: Chaseley Street and Flamborough Street. This line is the Bow Curve, or Limehouse Curve, which is only used when the main lines are closed, which offers rare passenger journeys over it. 

EastEnders.

EastEnders is a long-running, iconic British soap opera launched by the BBC in 1985, created by Julia Smith and Tony Holland, focusing on working-class families in the fictional Albert Square, Walford, East London, known for its gritty realism, tackling controversial social issues, and achieving massive viewership, including record-breaking Christmas episodes. It quickly became a ratings giant by depicting realistic East End life, from pub drama to poverty and multicultural tensions, and has since won numerous awards, becoming a cornerstone of British television drama. 

It was created by Julia Smith, the producer, and Tony Holland, the writer and script editor, as a 'public service soap opera' to reflect contemporary British life.  It contrasted drastically with other soaps by showing diverse characters and real-world issues like racism, teenage pregnancy, and alcoholism from the outset. The two of them drew on their experiences in the East End to build the characters and storylines.

York Square Gardens.

Within months of broadcast, it topped TV ratings, with its 1986 Christmas episode drawing over 30 million viewers, making it one of the UK's most-watched shows ever.

The characters were given back stories, with memorable families and figures, taking on groundbreaking storylines. Some of these included controversial subjects such as HIV/AIDS, domestic violence, drug addiction, euthanasia, and exploring the East End's multicultural fabric.

The Old Ship, Barnes Street.

EastEnders spawned several spin-offs, like Kat & Alfie: Redwater, and documentaries that have explored its history and characters.

They have also broadcast eight 'live' episodes, at the time of writing, over the last 40 years.

The soap has won multiple BAFTA and National Television Awards, is consistently high-rated, and noted for its significant cultural impact on British television.