Oneika Raymond travels to the heart of Peckham, a bustling neighborhood in South London just a few miles southeast of the Thames River. There, she joins local author Jendella Benson for a walking tour of the district she holds dear. Peckham is where Jendella set her debut novel, Hope and Glory, in order to pay tribute to the town and its Nigerian-British community.

Oneika meets up with Jendella at Peckham Rye station to kick off the tour of Rye Lane, Peckham’s main thoroughfare and the place to shop its local markets, dine on international flavors, and people watch. No matter the day of the week, Rye Lane is buzzing thanks to its numerous markets, food vendors, and beauty salons.  

Then, Jendella takes Oneika to Peckhamplex, a cinema tucked back from Rye Lane. With its £4.99 tickets, it’s a staple for a casual night out. They also view Peckham Portraits, a collection of images of iconic Black British actors changing the face of cinema.

From there, Oneika and Jendella duck into a traditional indoor Peckham market, where they marvel at the textiles, imported peanuts, and shea butter. It’s truly one-stop shopping, and indicative of the entrepreneurial spirit of the neighborhood. 

The last stop on the tour is Peckham Palms, a modern interpretation of Peckham’s indoor markets, and a Black-women led mall that’s supporting local innovation. Peckham is a Black-beauty hub, and the Palms provides affordable rent and fosters community. 

They end the day at The Flygerians, a café-in-residence at the Palms run by local sisters Jess and Jo Edun. While chowing down on Nigerian street food specialties like jollof rice bowls and efo riro, Oneika and Jendella discuss how Peckham inspired Hope and Glory, how reading can be one of the most authentic ways to travel, and Jendella’s best advice to engage with the community when you visit Peckham.

To read full episode transcripts from About the Journey and see photos of each featured destination, head to About the Journey on Marriott Bonvoy Traveler. Starting this season, you can also watch videos from select episodes on our Marriott Bonvoy YouTube channel.

About the Journey is a podcast produced by Marriott Bonvoy Traveler, AT WILL MEDIA, MNTRA, and Oneika Raymond. Listen and follow the show here.

To read full episode transcripts from About the Journey and see photos of each featured destination, head to About the Journey on Marriott Bonvoy Traveler. Starting this season, you can watch full videos of each episode on the Marriott Bonvoy YouTube channel.