October 31st 2024.
Reporters Gethin Hicks and Brooke Davies from the Metro recently took a visit to the Pret A Manger located in Bethnal Green. It seems that no area of the bustling city is free from the spooky tales of ghosts and ghouls, tormenting Londoners with their eerie presence. However, the East End in particular has a reputation for being a hot spot for these supernatural occurrences, enough to send shivers down anyone's spine.
With stories of haunted forests, pubs, and dimly lit streets, it's no wonder that Eastenders think twice before venturing out into the old stomping grounds of Jack the Ripper. But one café, just a short walk from the foggy and late-night streets of Whitechapel where the infamous murderer committed his heinous crimes, seems to be the epicenter of these eerie happenings. The Pret A Manger at 121 Bethnal Green Road has become known for its spooky stories, making it hard to believe that it's all just a coincidence.
Ginger Rivas, the 28-year-old assistant manager at the café, has had her fair share of experiences that have left her feeling fearful and convinced that her workplace is indeed haunted. One particular incident occurred on a dark and gloomy autumn evening in 2022, while Ginger was closing up the café with a colleague. She recalls how the CCTV screens suddenly started flashing, causing her colleague to rush in and ask if she had heard anything. They both went back to the basement where the kitchen is located and could hear what sounded like light footsteps upstairs, as if a woman was tip-toeing around. But upon checking the footage, there was no one to be seen.
If that weren't enough to send chills down their spines, the same thing happened the very next evening. CCTV footage was again moving and blinking, but this time, Ginger refused to go back down to the basement. She stopped working the closing shifts altogether, not wanting to experience the feeling of being watched and followed again. Ginger also mentions that many old buildings in London have the potential to be haunted, and this Pret A Manger is no exception.
The building itself used to be a carpet shop, selling old garments, and Ginger believes that the ghosts may be from that previous shop. And the paranormal activity doesn't stop there. Just last week, while Ginger was working an early morning shift in her basement office, she heard scratching at the back door. It was around 4 am, and she was understandably spooked. The sound was high-pitched and sounded like someone was clawing at the door, making her cringe. Since then, Ginger has refused to enter the building alone and now waits for a colleague to arrive before going inside.
The staff at the Pret A Manger have become so fed up with the constant paranormal activity that they even resorted to bringing in an Ouija board two years ago in the hopes of communicating with the ghosts and finding out what they wanted. However, the results only led to more questions than answers. The board spelled out the words "I feel presence," but the staff remains unsure of what that could mean or why a ghost would say that.
Ginger also reveals that this isn't the first time she has experienced the extraordinary. At her previous workplace, not far from the East End Pret, she also encountered strange occurrences during night shifts. Lights would flicker on and off in the corridor, making her feel as though she was being watched. She admits that these types of incidents seem to happen to her frequently, making her wonder if there's some sort of connection between her and the ghosts.
Could it be the spirits of Jack the Ripper's victims, still haunting the area and tormenting unsuspecting Londoners? Or is it all just a series of coincidences? Whatever the case may be, it's probably best to avoid staying too late at the Bethnal Green Pret A Manger. You never know what might be lurking in the shadows.
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