Channel 4 are laughing at gypsies in the name of documentary, says Tillie Cox, and their advertising campaign is about as David Attenborough as Big Brother.

A new service at a family centre in Tower Hamlets is improving the contact experience fostered children have with their birth parents.

A Hackney businessman has been fined more than £1,000 for failing to make proper arrangements for the disposal of business waste.

Inspired by the success of previous designer and good cause collaborations, Hackney Council have commissioned some of London’s design talent to create bags for them. The canvas shopping bags will be given to those who collect enough tokens from market stalls and independent shops. Every pound spent gets you one token, and you will need [...]

This week, Gresham Blake became the latest luxury brand to open a shop in Shoreditch. London’s snappy dressers were out in force to celebrate the opening of the designer’s London flagship store, with Ray Winstone and Steve Coogan showing their support.

After a season of goodwill and good wine, where the only five-a-day you managed was turkey sandwiches, it is time to bid a fond farewell to the sofa. For those ignoring that dusty gym timetable, EastLondonLines has found some fun alternatives to get you active in the New Year.

Growing your own food is becoming increasingly popular in Hackney, which has 125 Capital Growth food sites, the highest of any London borough.

A-side/B-side gallery, a studio space in the new Hackney Downs Studios, is looking for new members who want to work and exhibit in there. Alongside using the studio as a workplace, artists can also teach, network, and run or attend workshops. Those who rent areas may also use the 450sqft project space.

Ale enthusiasts have been gathering this week in Hackney to sample a multitude of brews from around the world at the Pigs Ear 2011 beer and cider festival. A fitting location, for Hackney is fast becoming the epicentre of a brewing renaissance, mirroring what it did for independent coffee shops in years gone by.

Earlier this month, David Cameron visited Shoreditch to mark the anniversary of his Tech City initiative, which seeks to turn east London into the digital capital of Europe. The Prime Minister met with several new online companies, amongst which was Luluvise, the new women-only networking site.