Living in Stoke Newington: Georgia Spray in her creative London area

It’s a very creative community, and many of the artists I work with have studios in this area. Cooperative version The studio is only a five-minute drive from my house and is part of an independent business complex, so it has a truly independent, creative hub feel.

where to eat and drink

We are really lucky to have restaurants. It’s now very easy to try and book a restaurant in central London, but here you have to book weeks in advance. There are some great places and they are in high demand.

Jolene/Primeur Group is on our doorstep. On the corner of Green Lanes and Newington Green, Perilla is a great place to eat. Clarence Tavern on Church Street is owned by the same people as Anchor and Hope, with great food and a family atmosphere.

There’s a place called Akdeniz on Stoke Newington High Street that has great bread and pastries and we got takeaway from Devran on Stoke Newington Road.

grocery shopping

Turkish supermarkets don’t look like much from the outside, but they are great. We have a Whole Foods in Stoke Newington and it’s the exact same thing, just Whole Foods presents it in a certain way and charges more.

Most of our shopping is at Albion Food and Wine in Albion Parade. Newington Green Fruit and Vegetables is a very good greengrocer with two good butchers: Meat N16 and a new Stella’s.

where do i exercise

The Clissold Leisure Centre on our doorstep has two large swimming pools which are great for playing with my baby like baby swimming. There is a yoga studio called Yogahome, and you can go to Clissold Park for a run.

communicate with nature

Clissold Park is nice. The New River Walk is the junction from Stoke Newington to Islington, and you can walk between the two along the river, which is full of greenery and wildlife.

For cultural restoration

The concerts at Earth Hackney are great and we’re not far from the Barbican and the Museum of the Home.

move around

I bike to work and short trips and it’s a really nice place for a timid cyclist like me – I don’t drive by any cars to get to work. Otherwise I would take the Overground from Canonbury, you can get to Oxford Circus in 25 minutes and there are plenty of buses from Newington Green to Angel, Highbury and Islington, King’s Cross.

Dream Street

Saying your own street sounds a bit smug, but we spent a long time looking for our house. It’s so good because it’s a long residential street with small houses, not apartments, so it’s mostly families.

Now the whole street is covered with chalk because all the kids are drawing on the road.

It’s famous in Hackney on Halloween because with so many families, people really go overboard with decorating their houses. When we moved in, we were warned that you had to have more candy than you thought on Halloween because you would be invaded by the whole Hackney.

What is the problem?

It’s not particularly good on public transport, but it also means more of a neighborhood feel. Some people start businesses here and live here, so it’s very busy and lively during the day.

What you only see in Stoke Newington

In the summer, the line for handmade ice cream at Romeo & Giulietta on Albion Road can be up to an hour long. They were really good, but the queue was outrageous.

In winter, it’s practical and chic uniforms: Arket oversized down jackets and Ganni boots.

three words

Community, creativity, family.

How much does it cost to live in Stoke Newington

buy in Stoke Newington

Average house price: £1,223,643

Average unit price: £524,003

Rent in Stoke Newington

Average house pcm: £4,047

Average tablet pcm: £1,860

Source: Rightmove

Schools in Stoke Newington

Both William Patten and Grazebrook Primary are rated excellent by Ofsted, and there are many ‘good’ primary schools in the area.

For middle school students, Stoke Newington School has a good rating.