A couple of months ago, when I made it my mission to visit as many rooftop bars as possible, I have to admit I would not have expected my favourite to be on top of the old shopping centre in Stratford.

Recycled pallets and scaffold boards and even recycled decking from the Olympic Park footbridge were used to make planters full of shrubs and saplings at Roof East, and in a innovatively lovely nod to the former car park there is even three cars filled with earth and plants and now trees grow up through their roofs (or lack thereof for the two that are convertibles).

The incredibly large space is surrounded by different bars and food stands, with a large amount deckchairs and table benches scattered across the space.

At the head of the roof you will find hip hop inspired lawns for De La Bowl – that’s right, trendy bowls.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

Having never played before I was a little tentative, would I be any good? Perhaps more importantly, is it actually any fun?

Yes and yes, as it turns out.

A member of staff explained the game which I will now do in laymen’s terms, experts please skip ahead. A small white ball called a jack is placed in the second half of the lawn. Then with balls weighted heavy on one side you are forced consider the direction of your throw and the inevitable curve of the ball as you try to ‘kiss’ the jack and leave your ball as close as possible. This may also require trying to knock your opponents bowl away.

My opponent and I tried to begin but were taken aback at how soft a roll is needed and watched the first few go flying off the back of the lawn. Gradually we perfected our technique and got increasingly competitive during the 40-minute time slot.  I won five to three.

I would definitely recommend trying it out, but if you’re convinced it isn’t for you then there is also Sluggers batting cages with custom-built baseball batting nets, Birdie’s crazy golf and a roller disco.

East London and West Essex Guardian Series:

If that isn’t enough there is a Rooftop Film Club, yoga lessons and The GrowUp Box. It is London’s first urban farm in a shipping container using aquaponics and vertical growing technologies to demonstrate a sustainable model for local food production. Aquaponics is a method that combines hydroponics (growing plants in a water solution without soil) and Aquaculture (fish farming) to make an efficient closed loop system. 

While working through the copious number of rooftop bars in London, I left most with the satisfied feeling of being able to tick it off my list. While still sitting in a deck chair, sipping a delicious grey goose cocktail, I was already planning my next visit.

Roof East, Floors 7 & 8, Stratford Multi Storey Car Park, Great Eastern Way, Stratford, E15 1XE. Details: 07471 757 335