What to Do in Hackney Wick Before and After Your Tufting Workshop
Every session at Cheeky Studio ends the same way. Someone picks up their finished rug, looks genuinely pleased with themselves, and then asks: "Where should we go after?"
We've answered this question enough times that we decided to write it down properly.
Hackney Wick is not a neighbourhood you pass through. It's one you stay in — longer than you planned, usually. Here's what to expect, and where to go.
Where is Hackney Wick, and how do you get there?
Cheeky Studio is at D009 Tradestars, 415 Wick Lane, Hackney Wick, London E3 2JG. We're two minutes' walk from Hackney Wick Overground station, which connects directly to Stratford and across to the rest of East London. Paid parking is available on-site if you're driving.
The neighbourhood sits alongside the River Lea and the Olympic Park — which means you get canal walks, street art, independent everything, and a surprising amount of green space, all within a few minutes of each other.
What kind of neighbourhood is Hackney Wick?
Hackney Wick is East London's creative quarter. It grew up around former industrial buildings that became studios, then galleries, then bars, then restaurants. The result is a neighbourhood that feels genuinely lived-in — not curated for tourists, not trying too hard.
Artists work here. Designers work here. Makers of all kinds work here. Which is probably why a tufting studio fits right in.
Where to get coffee in Hackney Wick
Hackney Wick's cafés don't try too hard. That's the point. Good coffee, good people, and the kind of place where you sit down for one cup and somehow stay for two hours.
Most are small, independently owned, and full of people who are either between creative projects or deep into one. If you're coming for a morning workshop, arriving 30 minutes early for a coffee first is not a bad plan.
Good to know: Most cafés in the area are cash-friendly but card-accepting. Weekend mornings can be busy — the canal brings a crowd.
Where to eat in Hackney Wick
Comfort food, good drinks, shared plates, quick bites. The kind of places where a short stop turns into a whole evening. You've been warned.
The area has a mix of sit-down restaurants, street food, and spots that work equally well for a quick lunch before a session or a longer dinner after. Most places lean casual — you won't feel out of place carrying a handmade rug in a tote bag. (This happens more than you'd think.)
Best approach: Walk along the canal after your session. You'll find somewhere worth stopping without much effort.
What to do after your workshop: the canal walk
The River Lea towpath runs directly alongside Hackney Wick and is one of the better urban walks in London. Flat, scenic, and lined with narrowboats, street art, and the occasional pop-up. It connects north to Hackney Marshes and south toward the Olympic Park.
If you've just spent three or five hours making a rug and want to decompress, fifteen minutes by the canal is the antidote.
Shops worth browsing
The best shops in Hackney Wick don't look like shops. Bookstores, vintage finds, small objects, random inspiration. You know the type — the kind of places you walk into for a minute and stay way longer.
Independent bookshops, second-hand clothing, print studios, ceramics, plants. If you're the kind of person who booked a tufting workshop, you'll find something worth buying.
Galleries and creative spaces
Proper galleries and open studios. Pop-ups, live events, and walls that do more work than most exhibitions. Hackney Wick has a way of making art feel normal — something you encounter on a Tuesday afternoon rather than a formal occasion.
Several buildings in the area (including Tradestars, where we're based) house working artists alongside commercial studios. If a door is open, you're usually welcome to look.
Check local listings for open studio events — they happen regularly and are free to attend.
How long should I plan for a day in Hackney Wick?
A tufting workshop is 3 hours (Standard Rug) or 5 hours (Grand Rug). Add an hour either side for coffee, food, and a canal walk, and you're looking at a genuinely full afternoon. Most guests who come from outside the area stay for 5–7 hours total.
A half-day from central London — workshop included — is very doable. A full day is better.
Is Hackney Wick easy to reach from central London?
Yes. Hackney Wick Overground takes roughly 20–25 minutes from Liverpool Street (via Stratford) and connects across the Elizabeth line. From Shoreditch or Bethnal Green, it's a short ride or a 20-minute walk. From South London, change at Stratford.
If you're coming by car, paid parking is available at Tradestars on Wick Lane.
A note from us
We know this neighbourhood well. We've been based here since 2023, and we've watched it change and stay the same in equal measure. The best thing about Hackney Wick is that it rewards people who slow down — who walk instead of rushing, who sit down properly for a coffee, who end up in a gallery they didn't plan to visit.
It's a good neighbourhood for making things in. Which is why we're here.
If you're a local café, bar, gallery, or shop and you'd like to send your customers our way — and have us send ours to you — get in touch. We're always looking for good neighbours.
Ready to book your workshop?
Standard Rug: 3 hours · 40×40cm · from £145Grand Rug: 5 hours · 55×55cm · from £195
📍 D009 Tradestars, 415 Wick Lane, Hackney Wick, London E3 2JG🚂 2 minutes from Hackney Wick Overground🕙 Open every day, 10am–5pm