Islington Guide
Must Know Facts About Islington
Today Islington is one of the most fashionable and desired places to live in London. With its local theatres, entertainment centres, shops and great restaurants this area now attracts even more attention from both visitors and residents. We’ve come up with an updated Islington guide so you can enjoy this marvellous area to it’s full extend. But first…
#1. A Short History Lesson
The name Islington is translated as “Gīsla’s hill”. It originally was Gisledone, then Gislandune and it comes from the Old English name Gīsla and the word dun (meaning “hill”, ”down”). As time went the name mutated again to Isledon and that stuck around until the 17th century when its modern form came to be.
Many springs lay in the ground under Islington and they have supplied London with water for a long time. In the 17th century traditional methods (drawing the water through wooden piper) became unable to supply the growing population. So, to supply London with fresh drinking water, in 1613 New River opened as an artificial waterway.
Because of the water supply Islington was a good place to grow vegetables in 17th and 18th centuries. Public houses and ale houses had a lot of visitors too. So if you were a resident of Islington around that time period, your entertainment would probably include music and dancing, along side with billiards and balloon ascents.
In the 1970s many of the wealthy residents left their houses and so the growth of the middle-class houses began. The population was growing quickly and from 10,212 in 1801 it increased to 319,143 (more than 31 times) in 1891. The rapid expansion, large houses and squares impelled even more artisans and clerks to Islington. However, in the middle of 19th century, especially after the bombing in World War II the area fell into a long decline.
The war caused a lot of damage to Islington but in the 1960s many middle-class families rehabilitated the damaged houses. With the redevelopment of Angel tube station, many of the early Victorian and Georgian houses were renovated as well and the area became once again fashionable. Many of the new residents later became important political figures, such as Tony Blair. According to The Guardian, “Islington is widely regarded as the spiritual home of Britain’s left-wing intelligentsia.”
#2. Notable Places
Islington Museum.
Interestingly enough Islington Museum was funded by the Heritage Lottery Fund (with £1 million) and opened in May 2008. The museum accommodates a gallery covering nine themes on local and social history. In 2013 the Museum organised a celebratory exhibition telling the 100-year old story of Arsenal Football Club in Islington (1913–2013).
Some of the interesting memorabilia there included the script of “The Arsenal Stadium Mystery” (1939) and wartime programmes.
If you are interested in some of the new exhibitions at the Islington Museum you can find more here.
Emirates Stadium. The Home of Arsenal FC.
The construction of the stadium began in February 2004. Two years later on 26 October 2006 The Emirates Stadium was officially opened by Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. It was intended that Queen Elizabeth II would open the stadium, but she was unable to attend. Prince Philip joked with the crowd: “Well, you may not have my wife, but you’ve got the second-most experienced plaque unveiler in the world.” Some numbers:
- The overall project cost is £390 million;
- The capacity of 60,272 makes it the largest football stadium is England after Wembley and Old Trafford;
- For music events the number grows to 72,000;
- Coldplay was the first band to sell out the stadium for a concert event. They had three concerts in June 2012 and the first two of them were sold out within 30 minutes after going on sale.
Royal Agricultural Hall
Now known as the Business Design Centre, the building opened in 1862 to hold agricultural shows and the Royal Tournament. It was one of the largest exhibition halls in the world when it was built – 75ft high and the arched glass roof spanned 125ft, holding up to 50,000 people. The Mount Pleasant sorting office requisitioned it throughout World War II and after years of negligence in January 1985, a redevelopment work began. Two years later, in July 1987, the BDC opened for business with Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher doing the honours.
What once was The Royal Agricultural Hall, now is one of the most popular conference and exhibition venues. It’s home to nearly a hundred businesses and hosts over 300 events annually.
Almeida Theatre.
The Almeida Theatre opened in 1980 and it took its name from the street on which it’s located on. It is a 325 seat two-levels studio and it lies in the heart of Islington, just a mile away from the Emirates Stadium. Once a Salvation Army Citadel, now the place has international reputation. The establishment produces a diverse range of theatrical plays and holds an annual summer festival of contemporary opera, music and theatre. After a couple of years of refurbishment the Almeida theatre reopened in 2003. The £7.6 million needed for the essential repairs was procured from Arts Council England and a successful Capital Appeal to which many generous supporters donated.
Union Chapel
Union Chapel is a church, entertainment place and also a charity centre for the homeless in London. The award winning venue was built in 1878 in the Gothic revival style and in 1980 was saved from demolition.
Important part of the Union Chapel is a one of kind organ built in 1877 by Henry Willis. He also made the organs at Royal Albert Hall and St. Paul’s Cathedral. In 2012 Union Chapel started a donation campaign with the idea to gather money for the restoration of the organ. After more than 130 years of service in the church the musical instrument was finally brought to its glory.
#3. Transportation
Except on your own shiny vehicle, you can count on tube stations and several bus routes for transportation in the area. This is a convenient and environmentally-friendly way to move around the Islington. If you are a fan of even “greener” ways to get from point A to point B and maybe love to feel the wind in your hair, then hire a bike. The formula of the bike-sharing system is simple ‘Hire – Ride – Return’. This is a self-service and you can get your bicycle from any docking station terminal throughout London, and return it to the nearest dock.
As a lot of people of Islington found using the DLR (Docklands Light Railway) might be more convenient way for you to travel. Of course, taxis, mini-cabs, trams and coaches are at your service too.
If you still decide to go with your personal vehicle, note that Red route and residents parking restrictions apply throughout the area. The restrictions depend on who you are and what you drive. You can use the free parking bays for quick trips (up to 20 minutes) to the shops and local facilities. On the other hand, if you plan to be resident of Islington and want to save money from parking charges, you must have a valid permit to use the Resident Roamer Scheme.
Even if this is your first time in Islington, there are various means of transportation and guidance. Now when you know how to travel around, here are a few more places you should check out.
#4. Entertainment & Shopping
Upper Street
In 1885, Upper street became widely known as “The Devil’s Mile” because of the level of crime, prostitution and drunkenness. Before that, fifteen years earlier Charles Dickens said that the district is “amongst the noisiest and most disagreeable thoroughfares in London”.
Nowadays Upper street is extremely fashionable and filled with pubs and dining places. There are more restaurants in Islington than days of the year and a lot of those places you’ll find exactly on Upper Street. Not a while ago the street was nicknamed to Supper Street by one of the Evening Standard’s writers, because of the wide availability of new places to eat. No matter how twisted your food likings might be, without a doubt you’ll able to find your favourite dish here.
Camden Passage
Camden Passage is a pedestrian street. The place was built as an alley back in 1767. Now the passageway is famous with its many antique shops, and host an antique market on Wednesdays and Saturdays. Visitors of Camden Passage have included Emma Watson, Kate Moss, John Galliano, Barbra Streisand and Rod Stewart. Nowadays independent shops and boutiques have added diversity with their fashionable clothing, Japanese art prints and delicacies. And for the fans of organic food every Sunday Camden Passage hosts a farmer’s market selling a range of locally grown foods.
Almeida Restaurant
For those of you who enjoy French cuisine, a good suggestion is Almeida restaurant. With its open kitchen, modern room and bar with its own menu, this might be your ideal special occasion alternative to the many restaurants in Islington.
Almeida Restaurant is located directly opposite Almeida Theatre, it’s five minute walk away from the Business Design Centre and twenty minutes walk away from the Arsenal FC’s Emirates Stadium. If you plan to see a play in the Almeida Theatre and combine it with delicious meal, in a couple of minutes you can book a table online.
Kings Place
If you want fun, music, art and food in one spot, then that must be Kings place. It was built in 2008 and it is also the home of The Guardian and The Observer Newspaper.
Under one roof are gathered a range of facilities. Green & Fortune Cafe and Rotunda Bar & Restaurant can offer you the food, drink and music part of the experience. And in terms of art you can enjoy the exhibitions in two galleries – Pangolin London and Kings Place Gallery.
69 Colebrooke Row
69 Colebrooke Row or ‘The bar with no name’ is one of the most talked about bars in London. It was two times nominated for “World’s Best Bar” at the Tales of the Cocktail Spirited awards. The sophisticated atmosphere, drinks and service will without a doubt win you over. And if you want to perfect your abilities to mix drinks and have £40 spare, 69 Colebrooke Row can offer you a Master Class in cocktails.
The N1 Centre
For the shopaholics around, there’s probably no better place in Islington than the N1 Centre. No more than 5 minutes away from the Angel tube station, the centre offers shopping, dining and entertainment for all ages.
The N1 Centre gathers the latest trends in fashion, tasty food temptations and blockbusters. And if you search for the perfect meeting point with your loved one, the iconic “Angel Wings” sculpture at the entrance of the N1 central piazza is your place.
#5. New resident of Islington?
Education
If you and your family plan to move in Islington, then you probably wonder what are the education opportunities there. Islington district has a wide range of schools and academies that provide great primary and secondary education, as well as three schools for kids with special needs.
If you are way past over Primary school and looking for a good college, the City and Islington College has a lot to offer. At City and Islington you will get modern places to learn in, skilled teachers, individual support, a lot of opportunities and work experience. This is London’s Leading College, and the only one in London judged outstanding on every measure by Ofsted.
At the College you can also attend courses that include:
- Computer skills;
- Family learning;
- Business, accounting and retail;
- Career, counselling and guidance;
- Health wellbeing and social care and many more.
Maybe you’re new not only to Islington but to English too? Islington Centre for English has got you covered. The centre offers everything from General English to preparations for IELTS and Cambridge exams. If you want to perfect your English Accent or Business English, the teachers at ICE will help you with that as well.
Housing
Although it has strong heritage of high quality housing from Georgian and Victorian terraces to modern estates (Lubetkin’s Spa Green Estate) nowadays Islington has some challenges in the housing area.
If you still haven’t found the right home for you or you plan to move soon, the Islington council can help you with some points of guidance.
You can download a copy of the application for housing, book an appointment to see a Housing Options Officer or visit the site of Islington district for more information. Note that there is a shortage of council homes and it’s difficult to meet the needs of all of the applicants.
As a new home owner in Islington you have the responsibility to pay an annual service charge for services such as caretaking and day-to-day repairs. Of course, living in the 21st century has its perks – you can pay most of your service charges online or by phone. For any repairs that you might need, you can turn to the Tenant Management Organisation but only if your home is part of that organisation.
If you prefer to have your own home in Islington instead of renting, this will probably burn a big hole in your pocket. Property prices has doubled over the past twelve years. Currently the average price of house in the borough is £580,000 and over £1 million for family home with terrace. Islington wasn’t always a pricey place to live but in the 1990s a transformation started. Following that transformation Islington is now on its way to become a place where “only the very rich and very poor can live”.
Rubbish Removal & Domestic Services
Islington council gives numerous tips regarding rubbish and recycling – rubbish collection day, disposing of bulky and hazardous waste or reducing your garbage. Useful thing to know is that the North London Waste Authority (NWLA) will not provide you with rubbish containers, yet they are widely available in DIY store or online. On the other hand, if you decide to help with recycling, you can order a free of charge recycling container via My eAccount.
For people in Islington is a general must to have a tidy home and cosy bed. But since modern life is so busy and hectic who has time and who do you call for help with the household? Good thing there is an answer for everything you can face, all you need is a quick google search and you can not only get the most reasonable quote but also set the appointment in motion over the phone. Notable companies, who gained most of their success via quality of service, are the wise choice for a homeowner or tenant. You can easily check what the locals offer regarding domestic cleaning. According to your needs you can get someone to do all the dirty work for you daily, weekly or monthly. If you are interested in services like gardening, gutter cleaning and even yacht cleaning, you will find proper assistance and professional help.
#6. Upcoming Events
If you plan to visit Islington or maybe move in there in the next couple of months, here are some events that you might enjoy attending.
Totem by Eleanor Pearce.
If you happen to be in Islington over the Halloween weekend, visit the spooky art show of Eleanor Pearce. The exhibition will take place in the famous 150 year old Cally Park clock tower for four consecutive nights from 30 to November 2. The name of the exhibition is Totem and it will use all of the seven floors of the historic building. It will include spine-tingling walk around mysterious surroundings and live exhibits by Eleanor Pearce herself.
The art show is part of a month long arts festival (Islington Exhibits) that reveals the hidden venues of Islington creating a scene for local artist and crafters.
Halloween at Union Chapel.
Another spooky event in Islington is Halloween at Union Chapel. The mystery will take place from 7.30pm on Friday 31 October. The first part will be a film screening of one of the most iconic thrillers of all time – Alfred Hitchcock’s Psycho. For some extra chills the movie will be accompanied by a live orchestra playing the score. The second part will be a mysterious ball with DJ and Halloween inspired cocktails for all.
Our Town by Thornton Wilder.
“David Cromer’s rethinking of Thornton Wilder’s masterpiece is a landmark” Wall Street Journal.
If the Almeida Theatre caught your eye, we offer you to attend the three-act play Our Town. The award-winning US actor-director David Cromer directs this version of Wilder’s American play. The storyline exposes the truth of human existence as two people fall in love and live out their lives as a small American town becomes an allegory for everyday life.
New Year in Islington
If you are going to spend New Year’s Eve in Islington and wonder where you can celebrate, Lucky Voice private karaoke bars present you a fun way to sing goodbye to 2014. Lucky Voice first opened in 2005 in London’s Soho with a great list of songs, latest technology and amazing cocktails. The karaoke bar in Islington already offers you to book your private karaoke room. Lucky Voice Islington will be opened until 3am with DJs and glasses of bubbly to keep the party mood going.
