Bob Marley
- 1981-05-31
The Bengali community around Brick Lane suffers from unemployment as a slump puts small clothing workshops out of business.
1980, and15,000 Bengalis live in London's East End, the majority involved in the semi-skilled end of the manufacture and retail of clothing. A mild winter, an increase in VAT, "bad fashion decisions", and the recession have caused hardship in the industry.
In this edition of London Weekend Television's multicultural series, Skin, Michael Chaplin reports on the impact on the Bengali community of the industry's crisis, and examines the rag trade's long history and its bleak future. Long-term declines in employment in the docks, the breweries and the rag trade leave few prospects for alternative jobs in Tower Hamlets for Bengali Londoners.
15,000 Bengalis live in London's East End, the majority involved in the
manufacture and retail of clothing. A mild winter, an increase in VAT, "bad
fashion decisions" [sic], and the recession have casued hardship in the
industry. Chaplin reports on the effect to the Bengali community, especially
the many women who work on the basic machining.