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
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Permalink Reply by Rachella on
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I live in Noel Park, Wood Green and like it a lot.
We found it to be the last affordable place in London we could by a whole house. It's a conservation area of terraced houses built by the Artizans in the late 19th century. We've got our own park -- Russell park, the streets are generally quiet and everyone has a front and back garden -- unfortunately some residents have a tendency to pile mattresses in front gardens.
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Permalink Reply by Alex on
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Hi there MrsBaldwin - I've just been following up on some of your suggestions. Really helpful, thank you. Do you (or does anyone else) happen to know whether the catchment area for NH School includes Effingham Road? My wife and I don't have children yet, so we're a few years away from it being relevant, but still useful to know...
Railway Fields looks lovely as well!
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Permalink Reply by Hugh on
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Alex, I've added a tag beneath your original post that'll link you to posts where similar questions to yours have been asked. Intrigued to know where you info was coming from. Was it here on HoL?
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Heh - don't worry it's not a partiular person/website with a vendetta! I was just doing some general research and there were some recurring themes that worried me.
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Permalink Reply by Chris brock on
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Alex if it's any use I will be leaving the area soon (my work has taken me to Sunny Scotland) and I will be extremely sorry to go. I've never lived among such a generally friendly bunch of people (and I spent 5 years on the "right" side of the tracks in Crouch End) and there really is stacks to do for young and old alike.
(But if you do move in and the crime and the rats all gets too much, I would definitely take up another poster's suggestion and make a few trips to the Salisbury...)
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Permalink Reply by ElleCarumba on
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I was born in Hammersmith and raised in and around the surrounding area.
I've tried to draw some comparisons.
Wood Green high street/shopping city: Really, very very much like King Street. There is a big Primark and TK Maxx in both, plus a M&S which in both areas have seen better days. Both are a bit scruffy and beset by rather ugly 1960s concrete buildings. But on the plus side, you don't have to go far to get almost anything you might need, even if it is lacking a touch of finesse in the shopping experience. From both Harringay and Hammersmith, you can get to a Westfield very quickly if you are that way inclined.
Streets: I would say Harringay was pretty similar to the less glamorous parts of Hammersmith, particularly some of the bit up towards Goldhawk Road. Perfectly reasonably Victorian houses, some of which are illegally converted into HMOs in both areas and many of which are very servicable family homes. Check out the neighbouring houses if you buy in either area.
If you live in the St Peters' Square area of Hammersmith then you probably need to move to Islington for Georgian squares. But if you currently live in St Peter's Square, I doubt you would be moving to Harringay bar some sort of financial disaster ;)
Brook Green: You can be in Crouch End in 10 minutes if you need some yummy mummy faciltiies similar to Brook Green.
The River: OK, Hammersmith wins here. The Thames is much better than the New River. Harringay does have the Parkland walk though, which is along an old railway line.
Restaurants: Turnpike Lane can't quite match the western end of King Street for the number of restaurants (particularly Indian) but does have some fine examples of Indian dining particularly Dashan and Jai Shri Krshni. You'll have to take the bus to Hackney for Vietnamese but they will all be cheaper than Saigon Saigon. Autograf on West Green Road can give all the W6 Polish restaurants a run for their money.
Theatre: OK, the Lyric Hammersmith is pretty good and we can't claim to have that here. But the Finsbury Park theatre will be finished later this year. There is also the Jacksons Lane theatre space. There is also the Haringey Shed for youth theatre/music groups and the Chocolate Factory artists collective has events on too.
Cinema: Hammersmith cinema is quite rubbish. Wood green cinema is not much nicer but servicable for mainstream flicks. So evenly rubbish then. You can take the bus to Islington and go to Screen on the Green or the Vue Angel easily enough.
Rats: I did have rats in my garden in west London and don't here. Not sure that says anything about the area and more about my immediate surroundings.
Transport: Both have the piccadilly line. You can use Manor House if you are south ladder and Turnpike lane if you are north ladder. Bit of a pain if you are mid-ladder though as involves a bit of walk, but then imagine if you lived between Goldhawk Road and Hammersmith station. Same distance probably.
Harringay also has the first capital connect line into Moorgate and the Harringay Green Lanes overground service (with its brand new trains). Both are better than the slow and ancient district line.
Buses: Hammersmith is a major bus station so wins for sheer number of buses. But the Green Lanes services are pretty good and the 29 and 341 run all night.
Crime: I have no idea what the statistics show but I don't find living here any more or less scary than Hammersmith. I got mugged in Chiswick once and that is well posh, innit.
Parks: Finsbury Park is bigger than Ravenscourt Park. Similarly a bit scruffy in places but good children's playgrounds in both. RP has a fireworks display though, which FP does not. We also have Alexandra Palace which is nicer than both of them.
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Permalink Reply by L F T Snowflake on
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Elle, Like this. I worked in Acton, Chiswick Hammersmith for many years and did youth work in that area for 30 years, so I understand all of this.
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Elle - thanks for taking the time to share this. That's a really useful way of thinking about things. Houses are cheaper than Hammersmith as well!
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Thanks Chris. If the friendly reception on this forum is anything to go by, it bodes well!
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Lucky you don't live here then, eh.
I don't really get the overpriced bit myself. One of the reasons people live here is becasue of the great value compared to the adjacent Crouch End & Stroud Green.
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