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 Karen Alexander on
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Just thought I would add my thoughts on Harringay. We have lived here since 1996. We wouldn’t consider living anywhere else. You can get large Victorian houses at an affordable price (for London). If you need to get in to the city there are brilliant transport links, buses, underground and overground, I use Harringay Station to get in to Moorgate which takes about 14 mins – I can be sitting at my desk in the city in just under half an hour.
There are some great restaurants on Green Lanes and its great for fresh bread, veg, fruit and meat (just like an old traditional high street I remember from being a kid), of course you have a pretty good Sainsburys too. If Greek/Turkish food isn’t your thing then there is a pretty good tapas bar on Wightman Road and Jashan on Turnpike Lane is pretty much the best indian I ever had. There are some brilliant pubs on Green Lanes too. Further afield, all within 10-20 minutes - there are good restaurants on Hornsey High Street, Crouch End and Muswell Hill, try the Clissold which is an excellent gastro pub in Fortis Green.
Green Lanes is about to have a significant amount of money spent on it courtesy of TfL and the Outer London Fund which will improve the public realm, roads, pavements, the bridge and some of the building’s frontages. The Outer London Fund is the result of a fantastic group of local traders working together with residents, residents groups and local councillors and it will be a real boost to the area.
Both primary schools on the ladder are good. There are no secondary schools but Park View Academy has increasingly good results and there is a new school , Heartlands, by Alexandra Palace which roads to the northern end of the ladder fall into catchment for. Greig City Academy is another very good school which we fall into the catchment for. The results are improving and it has a good OFSTED. Before the govt got rid of the value added measure, GCA was amongst the best 5% in the country. My daughter is there, extremelyhappy and doing really well – we have been very impressed with the quality of teaching - our son is due to go in September.
We love the diversity of the area, there is a great community spirit and we have the wonderful Alexandra Palace on our doorstep. We have the Green Lanes Food Festival every other year.
I think you should definitely move here – it is a fabulous place to live.
PS. One final word on mice – we have had them from time to time, its not easy to eradicate them from these lovely old Victorian terraces but we have had success (I hope I don’t speak too soon!!) by using plug in devices and more importantly plugging every gap in the house, tedious but it works as apparently mice can get though anything you can poke a pencil through.
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Permalink Reply by Angela on
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Hi Alex
Fairland Park - very near to Effingham Rd - the Friends Group organises community events in the park, and children's tennis lessons are also available.
Ducketts Common - has a children's play area and is being revamped atm. They have a Friends Group too.
Swimming - in addition to Park Rd, there is also Aquaterra at Archway, and lessons for school- aged children at Mattison Rd/South Harringay School
Schools - NHP would be your nearest school. It also has a Parent & Toddler Group, Hornsey RIdge Playgroup as well as an After School/Holiday Club on site.
Great pubs - The Salisbury, and The Garden Ladder
Eating places - too numerous to mention
Stroud Green & Harringay Library - lots of events
Big Green Bookshop - independent bookshop and various events
Local football group, Dads' drinks, Mums' drinks (once in a blue moon, hmmm) at The Salisbury
Loads of stuff on here
etc etc etc.
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My dad and his family moved to Harringay in the late 50's. We lived in Hampden Rd. My dad had a brother in Falkland Rd, a sister in Effingham Rd and another brother in Cavendish rd.
My wife lived in Effingham rd. So my family was scattered around the ladder. Great place, enjoyed every minute of my 30 years living there.
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I think the question you should maybe ask yourself is not whether the Harringay Ladder is a good place to live (it is), but whether you think you'll want to stay in London once you have children.
I moved to Effingham Road, pre-children (but planning to have some), for many of the positive reasons people have set out here (great transport links, cheaper houses than elsewhere). While living there, we enjoyed many other good things about the area - friendly neighbours, good restaurants and the Salisbury on Green Lanes, Finsbury Park, Priory Park (and latterly Fairlands Park), easy to get to Crouch End, Ally Pally etc. Once we had a baby we met lots of other friendly, interesting and entertaining people with young children (many through the local NCT coffee mornings). But we realised we didn't want to bring children up in London, and have moved out (I won't tell you where for fear of getting a cyber-lynching, but suffice to say it's the home counties!). Once we had a baby, it's probably fair to say we were more bothered by the negative aspects of London, but then we're both non-Londoners by birth and upbringing, which I think has an effect on where you feel happy bringing up children. As others have said, Harringay is no different to many other parts of London in terms of crime, mice etc (but there's definitely no lack of "things to do" so don't worry about that), so don't get hung up on it being any "worse" than anywhere else. As an alternative, you could rent until you have kids, then decide if you want to stay or not. Or maybe you're happy to move somewhere for a few years, then move again if it turns out the fit isn't right.
In terms of the Ladder, Effingham Road is a nice road to live on - there is some rat run traffic, as on most of the Ladder roads, but it's not one of the worst. Check out your potential neighbours - things will probably be quieter if the houses next door are lived in as one house, rather than flats (the walls are not thick). You're good and close to Fairlands Park, Hornsey Station and Turnpike Lane, and for walking up to Priory Park and Ally Pally too. Good luck making your decision!
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Good point Kate. To be honest, itll probably be 2-3 years before we have children at least and if we have to move in 4-5 years time it's not the end of the world. We've been renting for a good few years now, so we're pretty keen to have a place to call our own!
As a former Effingham Road resident, I was hoping to ask you a particular specific question but will do it by private message if that's ok...
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Seven whole HOL pages just to think about moving in ???????
A good solicitor would do all your conveyancing in fewer pages and less time.
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Did you read the inital question ? It required a local rather than legal answer.
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Permalink Reply by Oh no: nevermind! on
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Hello,
There is also another swimming pool at Tottenham Green sports centre next to CONEL. Not as nice as Park Rd but similar?
The Ladder is not a typical place to live as it is so near the commercial hub of Green Lanes. Having a car is a pain as parking is not good: and there is traffic everywhere. Being near to Finsbury park adds to the congestion as cars cannot drive across a park!
There is an extreme mix of people which is interesting, all ethnicities, wannabee Crouch Enders etc, all classes etc. In the last ten years it had been through of phase of faint regeneration and middle classness which fortunatley has not been able to exercise its grip on the area as it might have done had it been less diverse.
Good Luck!
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I've just moved, a year ago, to Effingham Rd. I think it's one of the nicer ladder roads, it's gently sloping, open and light.
Nice neighbours in my part of the road too. I don't have school aged children any more so can't comment on the schools. I love living close to Turkish food shops and wonderful restaurants. Jane
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Hi there,
I moved from Finsbury Park to Lausanne Road on the ladder nearly two years ago. Despite not being far I was unsure whether I would like it as much as Finsbury Park. I have to say I love it here. There's a real sense of community reflected here on Hol. Great access to transport. You have the shops and turkish restaurants of Wood Green and Greenlanes with the more chichi resturants and bars of Crouch End and Muswell Hill 15 mins away. Our children go to North Harringay and its a great school we have been really pleased with their progress and a very dedicated team of staff lead by a great Head.
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Re: swimming - if you're on the Ladder, Tottenham Green leisure centre and swimming pool (charmless but functional, and the pool's not over-busy) are 10 minutes away on the route of the 341, and Clissold leisure centre and pool (much nicer but busier, ozone-cleaned pool rather than chlorinated, so no stinging eyes) are 15 minutes on the 341 in the opposite direction. Harringay Green Lanes overground also offers trains to Gospel Oak, which means that in summer you have quick and easy access to the Gospel Oak Lido and the ponds on Hampstead Heath if you like outdoor swimming.
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