How the East End lost out to AirBnB invasion: Locals who have lived on estate for decades say community atmosphere is disappearing as landlords buy up flats and put them up for short-term rents

• Rise of booking company is damaging relationships in an estate in Shoreditch

Locals living on an East End estate have said the community atmosphere in the area is disappearing as landlords are buying up flats and putting them up for short-term rents. 

The rise of AirBnB is part of the problem and is encouraging a trend that is now damaging relationships between local residents in and around the Boundary Estate in Shoreditch. 

When construction of the estate was finished towards the end of the 1800s there were 1,069 tenements made to house over 5,500 people. 

But some these flats have now been purchased by landlords and are being used for AirBnBs, with some being rented out as full apartments or contained rooms which are available as part of a larger space.

Local residents told MyLondon that they have noticed a rise in the number of AirBnB flats on and around the estate and this is contributing to the loss of a sense of community. 

Locals living on the Boundary Estate in Shoreditch (pictured) have said the community atmosphere in the area is disappearing as landlords are buying up flats and putting them up for short-term rents

Daniel Jefferson (pictured), 51, lives just next to the Boundary Estate and his block of flats also used to be ex-council.

Josh Brind, 32, who has lived on the estate for the last six years, said: ‘Loads of people have bought their flats so they have rent them out.

‘There’s still loads of people here, people have always rented their flats out that way and that’s not really what’s changed, it’s just Airbnb has become more popular.’

He added: ‘It still holds a sense of community [the area], it does, it’s still a nice area to live and there are nice people around here. It’s just a prime location and a bit nutty on the weekend around here..’

Aimee McWilliams, 42, who has lived around the Boundary Estate for two decades, said: ‘I love living around here, on a Sunday it feels like being at Glastonbury from a festival vibe of people and crowds.’

She said that Airbnbs ‘taking over’ the community was only a small part of the problem, adding: ‘I think these problems are there but there are still a lot of original East End people and a lot of people who are long termers like me.

‘I think you do get a load of pockets of it [Airbnb] and I definitely agree that it is happening. I just don’t think it’s happening everywhere, I don’t think it’s a mass takeover.

‘If you want to dip into those things it depends on your attitude to life. If you want to go away over the summer, maybe you would Airbnb your house. 

‘I think it’s a nicer way to see modern life to incorporate that flexibility so you can depart and go somewhere else. 

‘So especially now with zoom and everything like that you could be on the beach in Thailand while renting your place.’

When construction of the estate was finished towards the end of the 1800s there were 1,069 tenements made to house over 5,500 people

The Arnold Circus Bandstand is at the centre of the estate

Aimee feels that there is a great community feel to the area and that comes from being a mum and bringing up children around there. 

She said: ‘I feel like I live in a tiny village in the centre of London. I know all my shopkeepers, I know everyone who goes to the pub, I have a lot of kids so I know everybody on the school run.’

She continued: ‘I love it in terms of being a parent around here. I had two decades as an adult round here without kids and now it’s particularly great having kids round here because the schools are amazing and a lot of the parents do really progressive things and are willing to collaborate and communicate with each other to create a sense of community around here.’

Daniel Jefferson, 51, lives just next to the Boundary Estate and his block of flats also used to be ex-council. 

When he was asked about the community feel and Airbnb he agreed with Aimee and said that there were some Airbnbs but it would only be a small factor in damaging community relationships.

He said: ‘There are people in my block who have been there for 40 years, I’ve been there for six years and even then the people in my block I don’t know that well – which is probably more my fault – but that community thing, it’s probably not as strong as it could be but I don’t think that’s Airbnb.’

He continued: ‘I wouldn’t say there’s a strong sense of community but maybe that’s just the lifestyles that people live now. You’re working, and you just go to your job and want to come home.

‘I imagine Airbnb does have some effect on lowering the sense of community but I imagine it’s not just that. 

‘I think the way people lives are now, there’s a lot of professionals moving in now and it’s just they have busy lives.’

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