Back in the 1970s and 80s, districts to the north-east of London such as Holloway, Hackney and King’s Cross were synonymous with crime, grime and struggle. Things have changed, attitudes moved on, and now they rank among the most fashionable and sought after spots to live in, not only in London, but the entire country, too.
While the broader housing market across the country continues to experience its peaks and troughs, the London market shows no sign of slowing any time soon. So with that in mind, we’ve teamed up with property consultants at Stadium Residential estate agents to bring you the 5 IDEAL London housing hotspots on the rise.
The Shoreditch Effect and Tottenham
Earlier this year, the Daily Telegraph ran a story asking ‘Is Tottenham becoming the new Shoreditch?’ The question is one that has been asked – insert district here – time and again across North London. Whether Tottenham actually has any say in the matter, if it wants to be deemed a second hipster paradise, is another story.
In all actuality, ‘the Shoreditch effect’ is less about hipsters and more about investment in property development and improvements to local infrastructure. These have combined to make north London a desirable place to work and live, not just for those with beards and hoverboards, but for families of all types, sizes and ages.
Camden
Camden Town has long had a reputation as the place to go for a great night out, with its live music, bohemian vibe and numerous street food outlets. While once upon a time there was an edge to the place, with over cautious visitors keeping to well lit roads and hands firmly on wallets, today the nightlife is as better than ever, the vibe safer, and the rougher edges smoothed out. Whether that is to the overall detriment of the soul of the place, well, the debate continues.
Holloway
Take a drive along Holloway Road and you’ll see a bustling and multicultural scene with a busy market and a huge variety of independent shops. Taking pride of place is Selby’s, one of the few remaining department stores in the country that has not been absorbed into one of the major chains; a treasure to the capital, then.
The area is dominated by the Emirates Stadium, to which it owes much of the renaissance it has enjoyed in recent years. When Arsenal’s new home was constructed ten years ago, it was just part of a £400 million project that brought a wealth of new homes and leisure facilities to the area, not to mention the fortnightly (and sometimes more often) matchday spend of football fans.
King’s Cross
Travel a couple of miles south, and you will reach one of the city’s major transport hubs. Yet there is more to King’s Cross than its railway station, and the area has been on the receiving end of some serious investment of late, when the new Eurostar international terminal was constructed. Now, with the likes of Google and Facebook setting up home in the area, the property around King’s Cross is possibly the hottest of all.
Newham
Home to the Olympic Park and Stadium, Newham is an area currently benefiting massively from regeneration projects. Although it’s one of London’s most densely populated areas, it still boasts green spaces to the tune of 10% of its area, making it a surprisingly uncluttered place to live. Newham also has great transport links to the City of London, meaning increasing numbers of professionals are setting up shop here.
