Deptford is an inner-city area in South-East London. By most standard economic indicators, the area is extremely poor, but it has riches which these indicators are not designed to recognise.

Deptford is rich in history. In the last twenty years or so, industry in the area has declined, but there has been a corresponding growth in the arts.

An important aspect of Deptford is its multiculturalism: about 20% of the local community are of African/Afro-Caribbean descent, and there are also numbers of Chinese, Vietnamese, Indian, Pakistani, Turkish and other ethnic minority groups. About 40 different languages are spoken in the area - and yet, unlike some other inner-city areas in London, ethnic tension is low. Deptford's multi-racial nature is perhaps most obvious at its regular High Street Markets.

Millwall, the local First Division football team, have suffered in the past for their fans' reputation for racism and hooliganism - but the club has made strenuous efforts to tackle the problem. Millwall were the first team in the Football League to be sponsored by their local authority, and the first to provide a crêche at home games.

The A2, the main road link from Central London to the Kent coast and Channel ports, runs through Deptford, and the area is also served by three British Rail stations, two Underground stations, and numerous London Transport bus routes.