Anita Dobson, celebrated for her role in EastEnders, reflects on the dramatic changes in London's East End, lamenting the loss of its once-strong sense of community. She recalls a time when neighbours knew each other intimately, pubs were the heart of social life, and there was a unique sense of honour even amidst hardship and violence. Today, Dobson finds the area unrecognisable, with familiar landmarks gone, gentrification altering the landscape, and a cosmopolitan population that, she feels, is less connected.

Many long-time residents echo Dobson's sentiments, mourning the disappearance of the close-knit community and the rise of isolation, crime, and the closure of traditional pubs. However, some newer and migrant residents argue that a sense of community still exists, albeit in a different form, shaped by the area's enduring diversity and evolving culture. Dobson, who recently received an OBE for her charity work and starred in a new television drama, acknowledges that change is inevitable, but expresses nostalgia for the warmth and solidarity of her childhood East End.