East London Life

Hackney

The borough of Hackney borders Haringey and Waltham Forest. Newham lies to the East and to the South is Tower Hamlets and a tiny border with the City of London. Islington occupies the entire Western border.

Along with Tower Hamlets, it comprises the only parts of east London that are considered part of Inner London, and as such, faces many of the same problems as any other inner-city area, and is known for being one of the poorest and most crime-affected London boroughs.

However, Hackney is also the epicenter of the London art scene, and home to numerous clubs, bars, shops and restaurants, much of which is centered on Hoxton Square. This has brought a rash of gentrification to the borough, and now in areas such as Dalston, large housing estates and private gated communities now face each other across the roads.

The borough was formed in 1965 from the area of the former metropolitan boroughs of Hackney, Shoreditch and Stoke Newington.

Nightlife

Shoreditch and Hoxton have arguably the hippest nightlife in London, with hundreds of nightclubs, bars, restaurants, and art galleries in the immediate vicinity, centered on Hoxton Square.

Sights To See

There are 1,300 listed buildings in Hackney, including the iconic grade II Hackney Empire and the grade I medieval St Augustine’s tower. The Borough contains 25 conservation areas including Clapton Square, and many urban open-spaces including Clapton Common and Clissold Park. Conservation areas also protect large areas of Georgian and Victorian housing, and areas of industrial heritage. The entire borough is dotted with museums and art galleries .

Trivia

Unlike most English districts, its council is led by a directly elected mayor; Jules Pipe.

Hackney is currently the only London borough north of the Thames that has no London Underground stations other than those on its borders with other boroughs.

Disclaimer

I have probably missed quite a few good bits about the borough. If you know of any glaring errors I have made, or would like to speak up for some place or aspect of the borough I have missed, please do!