| Living in North London 10:29 - Aug 5 with 7930 views | horshamHoop |
Could do with some advice please as my daughter (24 years old) is moving to London as has a job in the city (Old Street) plus the occasional visit to Head office in Hatfield
Her company have advised Finsbury Park or Harringay
I moved away from London a long time ago and am sure some on here will know the area pretty well.
Just wants to steer her clear of any particularly unsafe areas (I know that may be a tall order in London) and maybe give her some suitable ideas? |  | | |  |
| Living in North London on 10:32 - Aug 5 with 5323 views | Northernr |
My office (when that was a thing) is in Old Street. There's a good overground train service out of there, you might get more for your money if you look a couple more stops up there, Palmers Green, New Southgate ish. Train every 15 mins and it's 15 mins into Old Street from there. Same train calls at Hatfield going the other way. |  | | |
| Living in North London on 10:35 - Aug 5 with 5287 views | 80s_Boy |
I would not listen to them about Finsbury Park.
Awful area.
Old Street is well located for living South of the River in places like Canada Water/Rotherhithe/Bermondsey and she can bus/walk it into work from there.
Swanky areas which aren't up and coming but have arrived though still reasonably priced. |  | | |
| Living in North London on 10:36 - Aug 5 with 5301 views | horshamHoop |
| Living in North London on 10:32 - Aug 5 by Northernr |
My office (when that was a thing) is in Old Street. There's a good overground train service out of there, you might get more for your money if you look a couple more stops up there, Palmers Green, New Southgate ish. Train every 15 mins and it's 15 mins into Old Street from there. Same train calls at Hatfield going the other way. |
Thanks - very helpful and yes cost is always a factor as well | | | |
| Living in North London on 10:37 - Aug 5 with 5292 views | Northernr |
| Living in North London on 10:35 - Aug 5 by 80s_Boy |
I would not listen to them about Finsbury Park.
Awful area.
Old Street is well located for living South of the River in places like Canada Water/Rotherhithe/Bermondsey and she can bus/walk it into work from there.
Swanky areas which aren't up and coming but have arrived though still reasonably priced. |
Interesting, I play football and drink round Finsbury Park Monday nights, obviously different to living there, but seems quite an up and coming area. Obviously rank round the train station but so is every place. Why you no like? | | | |
| Living in North London on 10:38 - Aug 5 with 5290 views | lightwaterhoop |
Avoid Finsbury Park and look for somewhere like Bounds Green ,Arnos Grove ,Southgate or Barnet all have very good transport links for central London. | | | |
| Living in North London on 10:39 - Aug 5 with 5283 views | Northernr |
| Living in North London on 10:38 - Aug 5 by lightwaterhoop |
Avoid Finsbury Park and look for somewhere like Bounds Green ,Arnos Grove ,Southgate or Barnet all have very good transport links for central London. |
Yeh I'm Barnet/Oakleigh Park, really like it here, but it's very residential. Couple of half decent pubs, nice restaurants. If you're 24 you might want a bit more life to it than that. | | | |
| Living in North London on 10:47 - Aug 5 with 5247 views | toboboly |
Just moved out of Turnpike Lane/Wood Green and it isn't great - never had much trouble but depends if she is on her own, with a boyfriend etc. Agree that Southgate is nice and Arnos Grove not too bad.
Presume she is renting so Winchmore Hill and Grange Park would be top whack but are good areas. |  |
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| Living in North London on 10:48 - Aug 5 with 5241 views | lightwaterhoop |
| Living in North London on 10:39 - Aug 5 by Northernr |
Yeh I'm Barnet/Oakleigh Park, really like it here, but it's very residential. Couple of half decent pubs, nice restaurants. If you're 24 you might want a bit more life to it than that. |
I guess the issue here is she is a young woman if she's on her own and were my daughter i would be happier if she was in a quieter area.The train links in that part of London are pretty good.She could be in central London in 30 mins no problem. | | | |
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| Living in North London on 10:53 - Aug 5 with 5211 views | robith |
Finsbury Park is vibey man. Loads going on in and around it, Green Lanes nearby for Turkish food, the northern heights abandoned railway is now a great walking area, and Stroud Green Road if full of cool shops, restaurants and pubs |  | | |
| Living in North London on 10:57 - Aug 5 with 5190 views | Northernr |
| Living in North London on 10:48 - Aug 5 by lightwaterhoop |
I guess the issue here is she is a young woman if she's on her own and were my daughter i would be happier if she was in a quieter area.The train links in that part of London are pretty good.She could be in central London in 30 mins no problem. |
Yeh I know mate it's where I live! | | | |
| Living in North London on 11:01 - Aug 5 with 5166 views | Metallica_Hoop |
Caledonian Road is a shithole.
I'm not a fan of 'hats at jaunty angles' (quote Real_Loftus) Islington but anywhere in that direction from Caledonian Road is a big improvement. |  |
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| Living in North London on 11:08 - Aug 5 with 5127 views | Konk |
| Living in North London on 10:35 - Aug 5 by 80s_Boy |
I would not listen to them about Finsbury Park.
Awful area.
Old Street is well located for living South of the River in places like Canada Water/Rotherhithe/Bermondsey and she can bus/walk it into work from there.
Swanky areas which aren't up and coming but have arrived though still reasonably priced. |
I completely disagree with this. I lived around Finsbury Park/Stroud Green/Harringay/Stoke Newington for 20+ years, and there is loads to recommend. You have the same issues with crime that you get anywhere, and the area around the station/top of Blackstock Rd can be a bit moody, but it's somewhere I and everyone I know has been very happy living in, and knocking about in. Several of my mates have near bankrupted themselves to stay in the area and bring their kids up there. Have a look at the property prices and that tells you all you need to know - loads of young professionals and middle class families in the area.
I would look up the Stroud Green end as my first choice, so coming out the station, head up the Stroud Green Road, and any of the streets off there are nice/decent, and Stroud Green is nice and leafy, but obviously a longer walk to the tube. Not sure what it's like now, but the top of Blackstock Rd always had a lot of blokes milling about outside cafes, and I know a lot of women who've found that stretch a bit intimidating. Also, on the Stoke Newington side, Brownswood Rd used to be a Red light district - not sure if that's still the case.
Loads of good pubs/restaurants in the area - especially up/off Stroud Green Rd, and you have Crouch End, Stoke Newington/Newington Green, Highbury, The Angel etc on your doorstep. Harringay is also brilliant for Turkish restaurants. Excellent transport connections with the Victoria and Piccadilly lines, loads of buses, direct trains down to Old Street (10 mins or so) and up to Hatfield (20 mins on a fast train) Good for parks too - Finsbury Park is a biggun, and Clissold Park is one of my favourite parks in London.
I would have thought Finsbury Park was the perfect area for those commutes. If you can't find anything you like/can afford there, then Hornsey or Harringay would be a decent shout - slow train from either to Hatfield takes about 30 mins, and train down to Old Street would be about 15 mins or so. But I would really recommend Finsbury Park - loads going on and brilliantly located - loads on the doorstep and 10-15 minutes into the West End. I thought it was a brilliant place to live in my 20's/30's and I'd still live there now, if we could have afforded it.
EDIT: Winchmore Hill, Palmers Green, Southgate, Arnos Grove, Barnet etc: All pleasant enough, but not a lot going on, and I wouldn't have wanted to live in any of them in my 20-30's. [Post edited 5 Aug 2021 11:12]
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| Living in North London on 11:09 - Aug 5 with 5102 views | 80s_Boy |
| Living in North London on 10:37 - Aug 5 by Northernr |
Interesting, I play football and drink round Finsbury Park Monday nights, obviously different to living there, but seems quite an up and coming area. Obviously rank round the train station but so is every place. Why you no like? |
I'm not going to lie I've only been around the station and that was enough to put me off the area.... | | | |
| Living in North London on 11:11 - Aug 5 with 5104 views | traininvain |
| Living in North London on 10:39 - Aug 5 by Northernr |
Yeh I'm Barnet/Oakleigh Park, really like it here, but it's very residential. Couple of half decent pubs, nice restaurants. If you're 24 you might want a bit more life to it than that. |
I think the last sentence is a key point here and probably why the company have advised Finsbury Park or Harringay.
Clissold Park is quite a nice area and near to more established spots like Stoke Newington and Dalston for the night life. |  | | |
| Living in North London on 11:34 - Aug 5 with 5032 views | Konk |
| Living in North London on 11:09 - Aug 5 by 80s_Boy |
I'm not going to lie I've only been around the station and that was enough to put me off the area.... |
"Finsbury Park: awful area" is a very strong opinion for someone who's never strayed beyond the station! (and I bet that was the Seven Sisters side - the other side is much more pleasant) You could dismiss most major European cities if you just had a mooch around the station!
If I were you, Horsham, I would have a look online at rental prices, figure out what your daughter can afford and then head up there for the weekend with your daughter, and have a look around Finsbury Park (Stroud Green side would be my preference), Crouch End, Hornsey and Harringay. They're all in London, so you are gonna find some crime and moodiness in places, but I have had loads of female friends live in those areas during their 20's and 30's, who absolutely loved it. They'd avoid walking through the park (Finsbury Park) at night, and give the top bit of Blackstock Rd a swerve, but that was it. Whether you think this is a good thing or not, the area's been full of middle-class types for 20-30 years.
For me - loads going on in N4, but also it's so easy to get anywhere in town on public transport - there can't be many better connected spots outside of zone 1. I would love to be your daughter's age and exploring North London. Good luck to her, wherever she ends up. | |
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| Living in North London on 11:44 - Aug 5 with 4977 views | 80s_Boy |
| Living in North London on 11:34 - Aug 5 by Konk |
"Finsbury Park: awful area" is a very strong opinion for someone who's never strayed beyond the station! (and I bet that was the Seven Sisters side - the other side is much more pleasant) You could dismiss most major European cities if you just had a mooch around the station!
If I were you, Horsham, I would have a look online at rental prices, figure out what your daughter can afford and then head up there for the weekend with your daughter, and have a look around Finsbury Park (Stroud Green side would be my preference), Crouch End, Hornsey and Harringay. They're all in London, so you are gonna find some crime and moodiness in places, but I have had loads of female friends live in those areas during their 20's and 30's, who absolutely loved it. They'd avoid walking through the park (Finsbury Park) at night, and give the top bit of Blackstock Rd a swerve, but that was it. Whether you think this is a good thing or not, the area's been full of middle-class types for 20-30 years.
For me - loads going on in N4, but also it's so easy to get anywhere in town on public transport - there can't be many better connected spots outside of zone 1. I would love to be your daughter's age and exploring North London. Good luck to her, wherever she ends up. |
""Finsbury Park: awful area" is a very strong opinion for someone who's never strayed beyond the station!"
Fair point and I should have expanded by refering to the anecdotes of friends who live in Holloway and Camden who know the area to be high risk for muggings and there's a problem with violent and sexual assaults too.....
It's a crap area. [Post edited 5 Aug 2021 11:45]
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| Living in North London on 12:01 - Aug 5 with 4943 views | Konk |
| Living in North London on 11:44 - Aug 5 by 80s_Boy |
""Finsbury Park: awful area" is a very strong opinion for someone who's never strayed beyond the station!"
Fair point and I should have expanded by refering to the anecdotes of friends who live in Holloway and Camden who know the area to be high risk for muggings and there's a problem with violent and sexual assaults too.....
It's a crap area. [Post edited 5 Aug 2021 11:45]
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The park or the area? I'm just going on having lived around there for 20-odd years and having knocked about there since I was a teenager. I have 20+ mates who still live in N4, none of whom seem to want to move out. I think between us we've had a couple of break-ins, a nicked bike and no muggings in all that time.
It's inner-city London - unfortunately, it's going to have crime - but I'm as happy walking round there at night, as I am anywhere in London. I certainly don't find it any moodier than I do Holloway or some spots around Camden Town/Kentish Town where I know a few people who've been robbed. | |
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| Living in North London on 12:08 - Aug 5 with 4906 views | 80s_Boy |
| Living in North London on 12:01 - Aug 5 by Konk |
The park or the area? I'm just going on having lived around there for 20-odd years and having knocked about there since I was a teenager. I have 20+ mates who still live in N4, none of whom seem to want to move out. I think between us we've had a couple of break-ins, a nicked bike and no muggings in all that time.
It's inner-city London - unfortunately, it's going to have crime - but I'm as happy walking round there at night, as I am anywhere in London. I certainly don't find it any moodier than I do Holloway or some spots around Camden Town/Kentish Town where I know a few people who've been robbed. |
Your 20 years easily surpasses 2nd hand anecdotes 👠| | | |
| Living in North London on 12:45 - Aug 5 with 4833 views | Konk |
| Living in North London on 12:08 - Aug 5 by 80s_Boy |
Your 20 years easily surpasses 2nd hand anecdotes 👠|
I knew you were a reasonable bloke! And I obviously bow to your local knowledge when it comes to SE London! | |
| Fulham FC: It's the taking part that counts |
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| Living in North London on 13:03 - Aug 5 with 4780 views | robith |
Plus Finsbury Park has Rowans, so is undefeated | | | |
| Living in North London on 13:07 - Aug 5 with 4753 views | BazzaInTheLoft |
| Living in North London on 10:53 - Aug 5 by robith |
Finsbury Park is vibey man. Loads going on in and around it, Green Lanes nearby for Turkish food, the northern heights abandoned railway is now a great walking area, and Stroud Green Road if full of cool shops, restaurants and pubs |
Another advocate of Finsbury Park here.
Might be a shock if you've lived in Tunbridge Wells or a Scottish Island all your life but I think it's great if not a fcking pricy place to live!
Very young area, and as Rob says, full of pubs and bars and trendy shops. I would have been bored off my nut at 24 if lived in Metroland at that age.
Also you can get direct to Finsbury Park from Horsham by train now!
Feel free to PM if you need any more info. [Post edited 5 Aug 2021 13:19]
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| Living in North London on 13:28 - Aug 5 with 4660 views | Maggsinho |
| Living in North London on 11:08 - Aug 5 by Konk |
I completely disagree with this. I lived around Finsbury Park/Stroud Green/Harringay/Stoke Newington for 20+ years, and there is loads to recommend. You have the same issues with crime that you get anywhere, and the area around the station/top of Blackstock Rd can be a bit moody, but it's somewhere I and everyone I know has been very happy living in, and knocking about in. Several of my mates have near bankrupted themselves to stay in the area and bring their kids up there. Have a look at the property prices and that tells you all you need to know - loads of young professionals and middle class families in the area.
I would look up the Stroud Green end as my first choice, so coming out the station, head up the Stroud Green Road, and any of the streets off there are nice/decent, and Stroud Green is nice and leafy, but obviously a longer walk to the tube. Not sure what it's like now, but the top of Blackstock Rd always had a lot of blokes milling about outside cafes, and I know a lot of women who've found that stretch a bit intimidating. Also, on the Stoke Newington side, Brownswood Rd used to be a Red light district - not sure if that's still the case.
Loads of good pubs/restaurants in the area - especially up/off Stroud Green Rd, and you have Crouch End, Stoke Newington/Newington Green, Highbury, The Angel etc on your doorstep. Harringay is also brilliant for Turkish restaurants. Excellent transport connections with the Victoria and Piccadilly lines, loads of buses, direct trains down to Old Street (10 mins or so) and up to Hatfield (20 mins on a fast train) Good for parks too - Finsbury Park is a biggun, and Clissold Park is one of my favourite parks in London.
I would have thought Finsbury Park was the perfect area for those commutes. If you can't find anything you like/can afford there, then Hornsey or Harringay would be a decent shout - slow train from either to Hatfield takes about 30 mins, and train down to Old Street would be about 15 mins or so. But I would really recommend Finsbury Park - loads going on and brilliantly located - loads on the doorstep and 10-15 minutes into the West End. I thought it was a brilliant place to live in my 20's/30's and I'd still live there now, if we could have afforded it.
EDIT: Winchmore Hill, Palmers Green, Southgate, Arnos Grove, Barnet etc: All pleasant enough, but not a lot going on, and I wouldn't have wanted to live in any of them in my 20-30's. [Post edited 5 Aug 2021 11:12]
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Another vote for Stroud Green here as I live on one of the side roads off Stroud Green Road that Konk refers too. Lots of pubs, cafes, restaurants, nice little shops, coffee bars etc etc opening up plus two cinemas over the hill in Crouch End, and Highgate and Queens Wood a little further afield.
It’s a cracking area and Finsbury Park station and it’s immediate surroundings are being redeveloped at the moment so it’s only going to continue to improve. |  | | |
| Living in North London on 15:49 - Aug 5 with 4467 views | kensalriser |
I know Finsbury Park quite well as I lived on Seven Sisters Rd near Hornsey Rd for a couple of years in the mid 80s and had several friends who lived there before and after. It's fair to say that as well as the rag trade up Fonthill Rd, the area's main industries were drugs and prostitution. Much more recently friends who lived just off Seven Sisters Rd in central Finsbury Park for years sold up because there was so much agg in their road, though I think this might have been specific to a halfway house or similar. But these are issues that affect many inner city areas and sometimes it's just down to the luck of your very immediate locality.
To the OP's question, I would look at the transport links and go from there - the overground line runs quite close to Old St and south of the river Kennington is only 6 stops from Old St. Clerkenwell and Finsbury are very close and cool areas but probably expensive now.
Also prob expensive but perhaps to be avoided is central Shoreditch because of the nightlife. Had a friend there who had to put up with all sorts including open drug use and people having sex literally up against her front door. [Post edited 5 Aug 2021 15:57]
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| Living in North London on 16:01 - Aug 5 with 4418 views | 80s_Boy |
| Living in North London on 15:43 - Aug 5 by eastside_r |
For some people London is a tale of two cities North and South of the river being seen as very different.
So you will probably not get a balance view of North London from any 'southerners'. From the 'lovely' Millwall thread I gather you are from 'Sarf' of the river, therefore I rest my case.
I too am similarly blinkered but in the opposite direction.  |
Ha ha, yep, hands up.!
Would never live North of the River but at least the OP wasn't asking for opinions on East London, I hate that even more! | | | |
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