A derelict former corner shop on Charlemont Road in East Ham has become a talking point among locals and passers-by, who have branded it "London's ugliest house" and compared it to Alcatraz due to its rusting steel barricades and razor wire. Long bricked up at the front with no windows, the property has remained untouched inside since the death of its owner a few years ago, preserving it almost as a time capsule. The house has now been bought by Empty Property Hunters, a company that seeks out and restores abandoned homes, which plans to bring it back into use.

The building was converted from a shop into a home with a recording studio in 1979 by its owner, musician Morris Ammar, who lived above it for decades and, according to neighbours, once hosted celebrities arriving by limousine. Founder Simon Taylor, 45, said the firm completed the purchase in summer 2026 and began renovation work within five days, having tracked down Ammar's brother. Inside, the property remains cluttered with boxes, old food packaging, an organ, microphone stands and a decaying kitchen, with neighbour Donna Bull, 46, recalling Ammar as a friendly figure who often waved from an upstairs window.