Favourite road in london

[maximilian ping]

Down near Copenhagen Street? That estate down there is rough. I used to live next to the market estate and there was never any bother, but I would get the fear down there.

yes there. posh bar was called something russian (different name now). it was the first time someone drew knife on me so i decided to retreat back in the taxi

 

[maximilian ping]

A few years ago Stoke Newington Church Street was nice. However I think it's a bit too aware of it's charms these days to really appeal.

Highbury fields deserves a mention too.

yes the Fresh and Wild in SNCS is a den of wank. i lasted 1min in there before rushing out like i had seen a banshee

 

[Dubversion]

To counter the fact it features on an Oasis cover, it features on a panorama by the fab graphic artists/illustrators Kozyndan.

we've got a big print of a similar pic he did for the Tyne. it's ace

 

[Idaho]

yes there. posh bar was called something russian (different name now). it was the first time someone drew knife on me so i decided to retreat back in the taxi

That's right down on the canal. Was it called Babushkas? Never went in there, but considering it was surrounded by wild territory, it did seem a bit out of place.

 

[Dubversion]

That's right down on the canal. Was it called Babushkas? Never went in there, but considering it was surrounded by wild territory, it did seem a bit out of place.

my mate used to run that. Went to the opening night when they had Julie Goodyear behind the bar

 

[Idaho]

Living on mine own planet I was pretty sure I knew who Julie Goodyear was - but had to Google to check

 

[Roadkill]

Nice idea but the M1 and the A1 go to Yorkshire. That's a far better place to be.

I was going to nominate Gray's Inn Road. Firstly because it's quiet and comparatively peacefu. Secondly, it has one or two rather nice pubs. Thirdly, it goes to King's Cross, from which you can get out of London and to Yorkshire and the north east faster than you can by road!

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Lower Robert Street, WC2.

Cos it's a tunnel through/under a building.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

Always liked Chancery Lane and Fleet Street, but that's probably more to do with having worked there for ages

 

[ska invita]

Lower Robert Street, WC2.

Cos it's a tunnel through/under a building.

more info please! - is this the one off totenham court road, past Channel 5? only thing i can think off that fits the description...

 

[ska invita]

Regardless Cally does have a place in my heart. I don't love it but I have a respect for it. The shop keepers especially, on the whole they managed to keep on good terms with the trouble makers in a way that the chains couldn't. It also seemed to have just about everything from a hardware shop to a medicinal marijuana shop to strip bars and brothels, loads of good cafes, fish shops etc etc.

You're talking about Caledonian ROad right?

Im working on Cally road now, so am obliged to add Housmans Bookshop (Biggest selection of radical book and periodicals in London) and the offices of Peace News (Britains longest running anti-war newspape est.1936) to the honourable landmarks of the area. THey've both been based at 5 Cali Road for nearly 60 years now. Also in that building is Camaping Against Climate Change and Iraq protest group Voices in the Widlerness.

Support Housmans- they need your business!

Good etheopian resteraunt down there too - but not as good as Brixtons Asmara!

On which note, no one in love with Coldharbour? Atlantic is a cool road too...

 

[rutabowa]

more info please! - is this the one off totenham court road, past Channel 5? only thing i can think off that fits the description...

think it goes from the end of Savoy Place... that's defnitely under a building anyway. it's not particualrly interesting, it does provide shelter though.

 

[Dr. Furface]

I've always quite liked Queensway, W2 - Hyde Park one end, Westbourne Grove 'tother and a lot in between. Gone a bit 'bureau de change' but where hasn't in central London.

Agreed. It isn't upmarket but it isn't seedy either. It's always busy, but not manic, and the traffic is minimal. Plenty of bars either on the road itself or just off it, and lots of places to eat. I like the indoor market, which sells a lot of tat but it's the nearest thing I know to the old Kensington Market (where some of the evicted stallholders ended up going). There's a good variety of shops, and of course there's Whiteleys, which is the only shopping mall I can bear to enter - beautiful building and a nice size, and a cinema too (even if it is an Odeon). And there's even an ice rink there. And 2 tube stations. And the acupuncturist who helped me quit smoking, god bless her!

 

[han]

My favourite is New Park Road....off Brixton Hill.

It's for the community, rather than the architecture

Honestly, it's like Trumpton. Or Pigeon St. Everyone knows everyone else, it's v friendly, people chat in the shops, the pub lets you take pizza in from the takeaway next door. It's all independent little shops that have been there for many many years. And the Clapham Park Neighbourhood centre, on New Park Rd, runs all kinds of free community classes, like healthy eating, and yoga for grannies.

The greasy spoon, called The Doorstep, is absolute class. It's miniscule - only room for 3 tables. But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in atmosphere (the food is fantastic too!).

It's got everything a street should have - pubs, healthfood shop, organic grocer, school, neighbourhood centre, hardware shop, electrical shop, nice view of the gherkin....but most of all, a good sense of community.

 

[Idaho]

I've never liked west London streets. Paddington, Chelsea, Kensington. None of it appeals for some reason. They are expensive without being impressive. Urban without being vibrant and someother witty word couplet that I can't think of now.

The south has never done much for me either. It's sprawling, characterless suburban gloom. Lots of indentical sounding and looking areas.

For me London is the city and the north east - Islington, Hackney and Camden.

 

[beeboo]

we've got a big print of a similar pic he did for the Tyne. it's ace

with the robots fighting?

We've got the Berwick St panaroma and one based in a Japanese train station (plus another couple of smaller prints). I totally love their stuff.

 

[han]

The south has never done much for me either. It's sprawling, characterless suburban gloom. Lots of indentical sounding and looking areas.

*splutters* !! !

You're entitled to your opinion of course, but......have you seen some of the backstreets in SE1, around Waterloo? They are beautiful

 

[han]

I've never liked west London streets. Paddington, Chelsea, Kensington. None of it appeals for some reason. They are expensive without being impressive. Urban without being vibrant and someother witty word couplet that I can't think of now.

I'm with you on this one though....expensive and characterless, that's what W London is like.....Ravenscourt Park is nice, though....and King St in Hammersmith is quite quirky, in parts.

 

[Minnie_the_Minx]

My favourite is New Park Road....off Brixton Hill.

It's for the community, rather than the architecture

Honestly, it's like Trumpton. Or Pigeon St. Everyone knows everyone else, it's v friendly, people chat in the shops, the pub lets you take pizza in from the takeaway next door. It's all independent little shops that have been there for many many years. And the Clapham Park Neighbourhood centre, on New Park Rd, runs all kinds of free community classes, like healthy eating, and yoga for grannies.

The greasy spoon, called The Doorstep, is absolute class. It's miniscule - only room for 3 tables. But what it lacks in size, it makes up for in atmosphere (the food is fantastic too!).

It's got everything a street should have - pubs, healthfood shop, organic grocer, school, neighbourhood centre, hardware shop, electrical shop, nice view of the gherkin....but most of all, a good sense of community.

But it ain't got a butcher's

 

[beeboo]

*splutters* !! !

You're entitled to your opinion of course, but......have you seen some of the backstreets in SE1, around Waterloo? They are beautiful

If I could have a house anywhere in London, it would be one of those streets round SE1/Borough with the beautiful old terraced housing. Wandering round you do feel that there is a sense of community round there as well - I guess some of the property is owned by wealthy newcomers (property prices must have skyrocketed round there) but there still seems to be longstanding residents as well. Either way, you definitely see a lot of people out on the street talking to each other.

 

[ChrisFilter]

The south has never done much for me either. It's sprawling, characterless suburban gloom. Lots of indentical sounding and looking areas.

I suppose places like Penge are pretty meh, but loads of South London is gorgeous, cut above their Northern counterparts.

I love having a wander round Dulwich Village, or Crystal Palace, or Brixton, or Herne Hill... so many wide, green streets. Incomparable with much of the North.

Highgate by the woods and Hampstead directly on the heath are ok.

 

[ska invita]

I suppose places like Penge are pretty meh, but loads of South London is gorgeous, cut above their Northern counterparts.

I love having a wander round Dulwich Village, or Crystal Palace, or Brixton, or Herne Hill... so many wide, green streets. Incomparable with much of the North.

Peckham Rye is definitely up there on my favourites list - the road round the park is magical at anytime of day - at dawn especially as you tend to get little patches of mist hanging around. If money weren't a thing I would buy one of those huge town houses looking over the park.

Whenevr ive been away hitting peckham rye makes me feel glad to be home.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

more info please! - is this the one off totenham court road, past Channel 5? only thing i can think off that fits the description...

Lower Robert St.

Turn off Strand in to Adam Street, first right, second left is Robert Street. Immediate left is Lower Robert Street. It looks like an entrance to a garage, but it's a single lane tunnel going down a hill and round a bend in to Savoy Place. Great fun on a bike.

 

[Idaho]

I suppose places like Penge are pretty meh, but loads of South London is gorgeous, cut above their Northern counterparts.

I love having a wander round Dulwich Village, or Crystal Palace, or Brixton, or Herne Hill... so many wide, green streets. Incomparable with much of the North.

Highgate by the woods and Hampstead directly on the heath are ok.

They just hold no character for me. One area seems to morph into the next. In the north east you have Green Lanes, Holloway Road, Upper Street, Essex Road, Seven Sisters Road, Camden High Street, Cally Road. All these places seem to have quite a different aspect and are buzzing with activity. For me south London seems to be very samey and have a general low level of hubbub.

Danger of derailing.... warning.... arooga.

 

[ChrisFilter]

They just hold no character for me. One area seems to morph into the next. In the north east you have Green Lanes, Holloway Road, Upper Street, Essex Road, Seven Sisters Road, Camden High Street, Cally Road. All these places seem to have quite a different aspect and are buzzing with activity. For me south London seems to be very samey and have a general low level of hubbub.

Danger of derailing.... warning.... arooga.

Ah, gotya.. different tastes. For me, the roads you mentioned are nasty.. live round Cally Road, Holloway Road, and Camden High St and really, really disliked them. Found them aggressive, dirty and with nothing of note.

I like big, leafy, chilled streets. The kind where, when it's sunny, it seems hazy. Little cafes and pubs, lots of parks etc.

Not traffic and shouting. Although Brixton High Road is wicked for traffic and shouting.

 

[Idaho]

Found them aggressive, dirty and with nothing of note.

Definately dirty and aggressive, and often unnoteworthy, but with a character behind them.

I like big, leafy, chilled streets. The kind where, when it's sunny, it seems hazy. Little cafes and pubs, lots of parks etc.

Me too - that's why I left London

 

[ChrisFilter]

Me too - that's why I left London

Fair play.. though I reckon Dulwich does the countryside feel pretty well.. Belair Park is wicked for that. And I like the proximity to town.

 

[PacificOcean]

Ah, gotya.. different tastes. For me, the roads you mentioned are nasty.. live round Cally Road, Holloway Road, and Camden High St and really, really disliked them. Found them aggressive, dirty and with nothing of note.

I like big, leafy, chilled streets. The kind where, when it's sunny, it seems hazy. Little cafes and pubs, lots of parks etc.

Not traffic and shouting. Although Brixton High Road is wicked for traffic and shouting.

As someone born and bred round Clapham and Brixton, I must say living round the Nags Head (Holloway Road) was the best place I have ever lived. I loved it.

And that is nothing to do with the chippy that was open till 4am.

 

[ChrisFilter]

As someone born and bred round Clapham and Brixton, I must say living round the Nags Head (Holloway Road) was the best place I have ever lived. I loved it.

I just felt so far from any green space, or any chilled atmosphere.. felt grubby and polluted.

 

[Idaho]

Finsbury park up the road, a few stops on the tube and you are out in Middlesex, Clissold park not too far either. Hampstead Heath not too far too.

Personally I find all London parks only serve to remind you how hemmed in you are. They offer a scraggly, wilted, manky pigeon version of nature