Sophie Nielsen on how she hopes her first documentary could help preserve some of the capital’s beloved launderettes

Sophie Coller-Nielsen behind the scenes of 'Washing Away' — Sophie Nielsen behind the scenes of *Washing Away*

Launderettes are much more than just places to do your washing. They are a sanctuary for connection, community, and symbols of an ever-changing high street.

But, with rising rents and bills and gentrification rife, there is dwindling hope for the future of the launderette. When I heard some recent stats about them fading from our high streets, with around 450 left (almost half than there was five years ago) I knew I needed to make it my mission to document these spaces before they are washed away forever.

Washing Away was born from my love for the British high street and what it brought to local communities. As a child, my Sunday mornings were filled with the sound of whirring tumble dryers as I sat with my mum waiting for our washing to dry at the local launderette. There was always pleasant chatter, a listening ear, and a sort of ‘everyone’s equal’ feeling in there. Normal people were doing normal things, and people would look out for each other.

In June 2023, I got to the final of the Netflix Documentary Talent Fund, but after a close call, I sadly walked away from Netflix HQ without the £30,000 prize money. With my passion still burning high and a group of eager filmmaker friends by my side, I began visiting my local launderettes.

I spent hours just sitting there watching people and feeling the ebbs and flows of time passing. Some people seemed as though they were experiencing the only conversation they’d had all week, and others looked relieved at the chance for a moment’s peace with their backs pressed against the warmth of the machines.

The first contributor I met was 26-year-old Dimitri, a friendly and confident young man who owns the laundrette on Fonthill Road in Finsbury Park. But the launderette wasn’t his out of choice. In the pandemic, his mother passed away from a battle with Covid-19. She had run the launderette since he was a child when they first came to the UK from Bulgaria.

At the time of his mum’s passing, Dimitri was finishing his final year of university and would prop-up an ironing board while he learned to fold from YouTube tutorials, doing his dissertation between balling up socks. Since then, he’s used his business degree to implement clever ideas to keep the laundrette up and running.

It was clear to me that there were stories to be told from the inside of our London launderettes, so I carried on researching and found a plethora of interesting people and places dotted around the capital.

Filmmaker Sophie Coller-Nielsen (holding the clapperboard) with her cast outside Fonthill Road Launderette — Filmmaker Sophie Nielsen (holding the clapperboard) with the *Washing Away* crew outside Jamaica Road Launderette in Bermondsey

With no funding in place to make the film, I started entering competitions. VMI, a local North London kit hire company, ran one called ‘She’s Got This’ which aims to get more women in film behind the camera by offering them free shooting equipment to make their film. I won first place and suddenly my idea was becoming reachable. It was time to crew up and ask my friends if they would work for free – not an easy feat in the current industry climate.

My director of photography, Jack Harrison, is a close friend of over ten years and so was all in for supporting me in making my first documentary – something I have been wanting to do since our university days. I feel very lucky that I have such a strong, passionate and talented team working with me to produce this film.

We started lining up shoot days, finalising contributors and planning routes on the ‘Tour De Launderette’. So far we have filmed with a launderette come coffee shop in Brentwood, run by two single mums, the Boundary Estate Community Launderette just off Brick Lane, who got shut down without notice back in March because of the rent increasing, and Dirty Laundry in Wandsworth run by wives Lauren and Dolly, who set up their launderette after Lauren had a breakdown and couldn’t leave the house, but found a form of peace in doing laundry.

In documenting the stories and experiences within launderettes, Washing Away aims not only to capture the essence of these unique spaces, but also to shed light on the vital role they play in fostering community bonds and preserving a piece of our cultural heritage amidst the rapid changes of modern life.

As we’re increasingly immersed in an online world, I believe this film serves as a reminder to reconnect with our physical communities, say hello, and cherish the significance of these disappearing high street sanctuaries before they vanish forever.

We are making Washing Away with no funding, so if are able to, you can donate to the film production via our Crowdfunder page here at crowdfunder.co.uk/p/washingawaydoc.

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