Documentary

The Tower: A Tale of Two Cities

The Tower: A Tale of Two Cities is a British television documentary series based on the Pepys estate in Deptford, south-east London. The eight-part series premiered on 25 June 2007, on BBC One.

In 2004, Lewisham council sold one of three adjacent public housing tower blocks on the economically deprived Pepys Estate to a private property developer. The tower was converted into luxury apartments and sold to people who, for the most part, did not grow up in the local area. The documentary was filmed over three years and chronicled the difficulties faced by some of the local residents in adapting to the changes sweeping the neighbourhood. Notable characters included heroin-addicted Leol and his alcoholic best friend Nicky, and the landlord of the local pub who is struggling with the challenges of satisfying his conservative 'old guard' and tempting the new arrivals - mostly young and relatively wealthy - into his traditional boozer.

The Tower: A Tale of Two Cities won the best factual series BAFTA award in 2008.

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Created By

Status

Ended

Original Name

The Tower: A Tale of Two Cities

First Air Date

June 25, 2007

Last Air Date

August 13, 2007

Seasons

1

Episodes

8

Language

English

Production Companies

Networks

BBC One

S01E08

Episode 8

The Tower is now fully occupied. For the residents this is a new beginning, but it is the end of an era for Deptford. The most expensive penthouse has been bought by 27-year-old millionaire property developer Guy Bullerwell whose company buys up, on average, a house a day in south east London. The ex-council houses are rented out to young professionals who work across the river in Canary Wharf. Retired gangster Harry Hayward and his band of Deptford pensioners don't recognise their part of town now, so with his best friend fighting for his life in hospital and his funding drying up the future is not bright for the reformed villain. For Lol Gilbert the prospect of a life of lonely drug abuse without his friend Nicky is finally sinking in. But Nicky has one last surprise for his friend.

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