Words and photos by Luminita Roman
Charles Dickens described 19th century Upper Street as “one of the noisiest and most disagreeable thoroughfares in London”. But time has gone by, and today this slice of Islington looks like it has a bright future.
Upper Street today has a large variety of restaurants, which are unrivalled outside of the East End. We can easily find an interesting selection of specialist shops there, notably the antique traders of Camden Passage.
Upper Street is also home to many well-known landmarks, such as Union Chapel, The Screen on the Green, Islington Assembly Hall and the Business Design Centre. Close by is The Little Angel Theatre, and just around the corner sits the famous Almeida Theatre.
“It’s perfect if you want to spend a day in this area. Upper Street has everything: restaurants and cafes, fancy shops, clubs and theatres,” says Clara Neale, a 22-year-old Health and Care student at City of London College,
This multicultural area, with so many distinctive architectural styles, has kept history alive – while developers continue to build a new image.
But for some residents, gentrification comes with less than glowing effects.
“It is a chaos, because of Highbury Corner. It’s noisy, and the biggest issue is the air pollution which make my heart condition worse,” says Cristopher Baba, 90-year-old who moved in the area 20 years ago.
Others are more positive.
“I find very interesting to live in a multicultural area. Also, the transport is well connected,” says Oliver Liam, 52-year-old engineer. He adds: “But it became quite noisy. Bars and pubs continue to open late.”
Upper Street is a place with a unique history. But for anyone who wants to live in such a area, remember that history always comes with a price.
Leave a Reply