Carnival is romanticised by many who do not live here. Transplants from Clapham or Colindale rave about its energy and call it the best weekend of the summer. Residents celebrate too, but many long-standing locals are exhausted by the routine of protecting their homes before the weekend begins. Shops shut, the Tube stations in the area close after certain hours, and you can forget about finding a functioning Lime bike. The reality is that you either stock up and prepare to stay put, or you leave. A lock-in can be fun, but four days of navigating crowds, litter, urine and Nos canisters is not.
#fleeing #Ladbroke #Grove #flat #Carnival
