When the topic of street art is mentioned, Walthamstow is usually not the first place that comes to mind; however, it is gaining a reputation as a canvas for the works of some of the best-known street artists.

The streets of Walthamstow now wear the works of ‘Phlegm’, Mark McClure, Remi Rough and Louis Masai, amongst others.

Art collective Wood Street Walls are behind many of the murals dotted around the town, with an aim to give it a new image and compete with the street art scenes of Paris and Miami.

The formerly bleak alleys, walls and shop shutters have exploded with vibrancy, colour and creativity, giving the town a new lease of life. Hoe Street, Wood Street and Forest Road have become, in their own right, hotspots for the fascinating works of art, shaking off the associations of graffiti with criminality and hooliganism in the local area. Many local residents are singing their praises, one saying: ‘it’s given our area some much-needed character’.

However, not everyone seems to be as accepting of the new wave of graffiti in Walthamstow- another local expressed concern that ‘this group of people are being praised for something people like me were punished for before when we were young, long before Walthamstow became ‘cool’’. There is on-going debate on whether it is fair to encourage an art form that was previously seen as a nuisance and vandalism - many argue that the criminalised forms of graffiti were just a misunderstood form of artistic expression; others say that its 'reincarnation' is testament to the gentrification of the area.

With murals appearing in the busier streets of Walthamstow, as well as hidden gems in its quiet residential neighbourhoods, the street art epidemic looks set to spread further over the coming years. With debates aside, there is one thing we can all definitely agree on- it looks fantastic!