Winterville in Victoria Park brought fairground rides, street food and a little East London attitude to Christmas. For Vlogmas day 23 in 2015, I headed over to see how it compared with Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland—and found a very good burger along the way.
From the Roberts London archive: this film was first published on 23 December 2015. The attractions, traders and observations below describe that visit.
Walking through East London
The evening began in Bethnal Green with a walk towards the park. Before reaching the Christmas lights, I talked about the changing East End: housing, commuting and the way proximity to the City and Canary Wharf was reshaping once cheaper neighbourhoods.
That conversation runs through the film. Winterville offered a seasonal outing, but it also prompted a few thoughts about London’s pop-ups, burger culture and the business of selling something as local and authentic.
Winterville in Victoria Park
I had visited the previous year and returned with good memories. In the film, I describe this as Winterville’s second year: smaller than Winter Wonderland, with a different atmosphere and rather more room to wander on this particular evening.
The organisers’ alternative Christmas identity did not mean abandoning the familiar pleasures. There was a funfair, a market, an ice rink and a circus, alongside festive food and drink. Bright rides and strings of lights reflected across the wet paths. Whatever its styling, it still looked and felt like a Christmas fair.
Crazy golf and a cinema through a wardrobe
Beyond the rides, I spotted crazy golf and the entrance to Backyard Cinema. A wardrobe at the edge of the bar led towards its indoor woodland setting, described in the film as the Winter Night Garden.
I did not stay for a screening. The idea was appealing, though: a Christmas film in an enchanted forest, with food and drinks close at hand. This visit was more of a wander, with dinner taking priority.
A Wild Game Co beef and venison burger
The Wild Game Co was my choice for food. I ordered a burger combining beef and venison, with double cheese, sauce, pickles and French mustard, plus a side of fries.
The camera followed the counter service before I stepped outside to show the finished burger and try it. It earned a clear thumbs-up, with the cheese a particular highlight. The fries were good too. For all my teasing about London’s obsession with burgers, this was an enjoyable example of how much street food had improved.
Hot chocolate before the journey home
After another look around the fairground, I finished with hot chocolate topped with cream and marshmallows, plus a shot of hazelnut liqueur. It was a suitably indulgent way to warm up before leaving the park.
With Christmas so close, the site was fairly quiet when I visited. That made for an easy evening of lights, food and wandering. The journey home supplied one last piece of everyday London: a station announcement and my less enthusiastic verdict on the train service.
Watch the Winterville film
Continue the December archive with the Christmas Eve 2015 montage and Christmas in London with Boris and handmade gifts.
