London is a city with long-spanning history, iconic places, and a plethora of common tourist attractions. But one slightly more obscure place that is a must to visit, is God’s Own Junkyard in Walthamstow, North East London. Self described as “funky” and “eclectic”, I’m inclined to agree that the neon haven is unique in atmosphere.

 

From the outside, it’s mostly unassuming. But as soon as you enter, you’re hit with a sensory overload of neon everywhere. Nearly every inch of the place is lit up by colourful signs, with a range of aesthetics and meanings. 

This Is Local London:

However, the rise of ‘Instagrammable’ places that exist mostly in the squares of social media has been said to harm not only mental health, but also cause crowds and additional harm to the environment. Not only that, but the constant need to present a certain image on social media, whether it be your source of income or not, is a pressure that many people feel. We are at risk of turning experiences into solely things we can take pictures of.

 

That’s not to say that Tik Tok and Instagram can’t do good things for these destinations. Many people discover their new favourite restaurants or parks through the internet, and that’s not inherently a bad thing. But when these places become overrun by people rushing you away from the pieces so they can take their next photo, the experience becomes unpleasant. Not to mention the lines that can often discourage people from going anywhere in the first place. 

 

Taking photos is also not a bad thing- I took the photos in this article of God’s Own Junkyard because I wanted to document the memories. People, of course, have the right to take photos. When the photo becomes the primary reason for doing something is when experiences lose their heart and meaning. As a society that has become more and more splintered over the past few years, not helped at all by the pandemic, we need to look up sometimes and understand there’s more to life than ‘doomscrolling’ (a phenomenon where people continue to scroll through things that upset them). 

 

Despite some of this harmful culture surrounding them, places like God’s Own Junkyard will live on, for better or for worse. With their own histories, atmospheres, and experiences. What can change is the way we see them; life is fleeting, so let's spend it connected to each other.