Harringay, Haringey - So Good they Spelt it Twice!
Considering moving to Harringay Ladder - Cold feet!!
Hi there - as above, I'm close to having an offer accepted on a house on the Harringay Ladder (towards the North, Green Lanes end), but getting cold feet! I've never lived in the area so only know it from having wandered around looking at houses. It all looked ok to me, but I'm reading a lot of criticism online so starting to have second thoughts. Main issues seems to be about crime, bad schools, rat infestations, lack of 'things to do', overpriced housing...
I thought I'd made my mind up, but now a bit concerned. I'd really appreciate some views from people who already live there...it can't be that bad surely?!
Tags for Forum Posts: what's harringay like?
Replies to This Discussion
-
Permalink Reply by Cml on
-
Reasons to move to Harringay
1) you can't afford to live anywhere nicer
Reasons not to move to Harringay
You dislike the following...
1) mice
2) cockroaches
3) spitting
4) men urinating in alleyways
5) people who claim that all the above are integral parts of a "vibrant urban environment"
I speak as someone who likes it here.
-
Permalink Reply by Susan on
-
Hi Alex,
I have recently fallen back in love with Haringey - Wood Green specifically, having been brought up in Camden and moved here out of necessity 12 years ago. Haringey is one of those places that can be fabulous at the right time of day. So Shopping in Wood Green is a pleasure between 11 and 3 on a weekday, or hell outside these times. At those times you go to Crouch End or Muswell Hill and bask in the false idyll that it is. The market hall in Shopping City is brilliant, there is a Lidl for the bargains and brilliant grocers from all parts of the world if you need any exotic ingredients.
Haringey is equally schizophrenic depending on which routes you take to walk places (if you never walk don't read on). But there are some fantastic cut-throughs, planned into the streets over a century ago. You can walk for hours through green parkland and disused railway lines and it's only an hour's walk from Wood Green to Kenwood, mostly through parks.
And schools are the same - another division, but social division by choice rather than necessity - and most people make the best of what is on offer, accept each others' differences and get on with it. Some schools are overloaded with very needy children (many looked-after, 'sourced' out from boroughs like Westminster) and there is an unbalanced pressure on those schools. Nightingale has had its recent forced Academisation - perhaps that is what is raising your concerns?
Schools are not the end of a child's experience however, and the extra-curricular activities on offer around the borough are truly endless. So there's something for everyone, and by the time they are 11 they can take themselves there in relative safety. Most of the parks are now much safer because they have cafes and my children have been playing on the street since around 9 years old (Wood Green). Community activities for all ages and interests are springing up everywhere.
Haringey does have an element of transience about it, but also many long-standing resident families and an increasing number of families that are definitely staying for good.
-
Permalink Reply by Matt on
-
Hi All,
We are hopefully moving to the bottom end of Seymour rd soon (touch wood). It would be great to hear some things regarding Seymour rd and if we are lucky chat to some of our potential neighbours : )
Really looking forward to it esp. after all the positive comments,
Matt
-
-
Hey Matt
I moved to Seymour just over a year ago after 4 years further up the Ladder and love it. Aesthetically speaking, it's one of the nicer roads (in my opinion) to live on and is near Harringay overland and only a short hop to either Manor House or Turnpike Lane. At the bottom of the road there's a fantastic selection of food shops, plus the wonderful Salisbury makes for a very short walk home after a glass or two of wine. The selection of Turkish kebab shops is second to none too. Very handy for Finsbury Park, Crouch End and Ally Pally and you can easily reach Highgate and beyond as well. Never had any issue with any of my neighbours - in fact they are a nice, friendly bunch who genuinely look out for one another. I can highly recommend living on Seymour! Hope the move goes smoothly for you.
Becks
-
-
Well, just by way of update, this week we exchanged on the house we were looking at. Thanks everyone for all the advice on here...
-
Permalink Reply by Hugh on
-
Looks like Alex's feet got toasty warm!
-
-
Hi Alex, and all,
Your post made me chuckle as myself and my girlfriend are in exactly the same predicament now as you were back in March! We've had an offer accepted on Falkland Road and now in the final stages but we've got some last minute doubts about the area in terms of safety/crime. I work abroad quite frequently and my girlfriend in a restaurant so our main concerns are regarding the area at night when she could be returning home after a late shift.
I've read through the posts and a lot of great info here that has allayed these concerns considerably, but thought I'd follow up and ask you (in your brief experience):
- How are you finding it now you've moved in - better/worse than expected?
- What would you say are the initial plus points and slight drawbacks in the short time you've been there?
And also to other members who have been in the area a bit longer:
- Would you consider the area safe at night? I know nowhere in London is totally safe but how does this compare to other places people have lived in? We've both lived: near London Fields, Newington Green, Farringdon and more recently renting in Crouch End so any comparisons to these areas would be great.
- Is there a problem on the Ladders with burglaries/on street crime? I know this area used to have a bit of a reputation http://londonist.com/2008/03/haringey_a_hots.php but wanted to get people's honest views on this aspect having lived there for the last 2-3 years. Are there many gangs/ne'er-do-wells to be seen in the area?!
- Infestation - see a lot of stuff written about rats & cockroaches being more prevalent on the ladder than other parts of London due the large network of Victoria terraces. Is this true and an ongoining problem for residents? I always take my kebab wrapper to the wheelie bin first thing on a Sunday morning but...
We're really approaching crunch time so any speedy responses would be most welcome. Will be in the area having a wander and a pint as well tomorrow (Sunday) afternoon before the England game!
Thanks in advance
Kendo
-
-
Come to the Food and Art Fair at North Haringey School on Sunday 11 - 3pm. You'll meet local ladder people.
© 2026 Created by Hugh.
Powered by
