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Highbury is the righteous part of Islington. It's as simple as that. And that must be Boris's own belief.
Because at the moment he lives about as near to Highbury as it is possible to get - only just on the wrong side of Holloway Road - without actually being in the blessed postcode of N5. Yet it seems he means to go to the enormous expense and trouble of moving a couple of hundred yards from N7, actually to live on Highbury Fields proper. Respect!
In the Islington Gazette, Boris recently chose the Fields as the wonder of Islington, the jewel of the borough, and disclosed that not only is it where he went to find restorative solitude after the birth of his first child but "it will be where I make good my New Year's resolution to lose a stone". As a spectator sport, that will surely become a top Highbury attraction in itself.
But Highbury has always had plenty of others. Most importantly, it isn't Upper Street, or anything like it. As you cross over Highbury Corner and into the park, you can actually feel the heart lift and the lungs expand as a result.
Highbury doesn't have any little boutiques, mimsy clothes outlets and fancy restaurants, nor even, truth to tell, a gastropub worthy of the name. There are some great shops on Highbury Barn - La Fromagerie, the butchers Frank Godfrey, the friendly Italian deli Da Mario - but there's just none of the nonsense that now rules up and down N1.
So Highbury is where nice, intelligent, unpretentious people choose to live - people who don't care for shopping and strutting but appreciate the open spaces of the Fields, with its superb plane trees, and the nobility of the Hill, so wide and sweeping, with such fine houses.
Highbury's residents, though less glitzy than those dandling around Islington proper, are quite a brainy lot, just like Boris himself. They include Clive Anderson, the irritating barrister-presenter; the flamboyant telly-historian David Starkey; and the food-writer with the best taste in the business, Nigel Slater (not to mention, the one with the worst, Ainsley Harriott) - and, of course, Nick Hornby, made the indisputable laureate not just of Arsenal but of Highbury altogether by Fever Pitch.
There are comedians, such as Jimmy Carr, Simon Amstell and Alan Davies, often to be seen ambling about in a genial sort of way, and musicians, including Ed O'Brien of Radiohead, and actors, including Jonny Lee Miller.
But really Highbury is the opposite of flash. What it has most of is clever journalists, such as David Goodhart, the editor of Prospect, and Lucy Kellaway; Ian Jack, former editor of Granta; Nick Robinson, the political editor of the BBC; Richard Dowden, director of the Royal African Society; and political journalist Peter Oborne.
And where do Highbury people go out? The thing is - they don't, much. They're sensible. Mostly, they stay in, it's so nice. Talkative supper parties are the way to go in Highbury. Humble people and conservative, don't you know? Where you can catch Highbury people, all modest and friendly, is buying each other extraordinarily expensive treats at the much prized cheese shop. Not that, planning to shed that stone on the Fields, Boris will be indulging just yet in superb crottins and Bries, I'm sure. Still, we'll be looking forward to seeing him there, lithe as an antelope, in due course.
Reader views (17)
Use to go stakeboarding in Highbury Fields with my Brazilian friend Marcelo when we first came to London. After we lost touch, the stake boarding stopped and I started cross country running instead. I do miss those days. N5 Rocks!
- Steve, Blackheath, London, 23/01/2009 13:16
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Seems like James, Tall Rob and Derek are talking about my kind of night ! can I invite my friend Barry
- Matt, Yorkshire, England, 23/01/2009 12:57
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Derek / Tall Rob - Can I pop along as well ?
- James, Saddleworth, Yorkshire, 23/01/2009 12:08
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Tall Rob hit the nail on the head! I agree with his comments on the romantic strolls. I haven’t found love yet either. Contact me if you’re still looking! I’ll be in Highbury fields about 10.30pm this Saturday night, near the 4th bench on the circumference, lower field. We can talk about what could be.
- Derek, Hackney, 23/01/2009 11:44
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Squirrels!!!! I’ve just read these comments and there seems to be a lot of mention of wildlife and especially squirrels. I live in Canonbury and am about 5’7. I find squirrels can be intimidating at times, especially when they stare at you and don’t move for a few seconds. I won’t go into an incident I had in West Kensington a few years ago, but generally the squirrels seem less threatening in Highury. Peace up!
- George John, Canonbury, 23/01/2009 11:35
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As most of my friends live in Highbury, it seems like the Ideal place to move to. Nice area for romanitic walks, fine shops and great dinner parties. All I now need is a girlfriend.
- Tall Rob, Hackney, London, 23/01/2009 11:25
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The wildlife is amazing, for such an urban area. Squirrels can be quite playful (be careful not to have any exposed nuts or they might grab them and run off!). We have a local fox we nick-named ‘Kip’ and he’s usually shy, but loves stale crisps. I’ve also seen a herd of muntjack!. Everyone looks out for each other, even the animals.
- Sinjun, London, 23/01/2009 11:06
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Gentrification is totally inappropriate in these troubled times. Personally I preferred Highbury in the 1960s and early 1970s, when it had a bit of character.
- Mark Wright, Milan, Italy, 22/01/2009 17:31
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You say that Highbury people "...don't care for shopping and strutting but appreciate the open spaces of the Fields...".
Well, Highbury people go shopping on Upper Street, and people from round Upper Street also appreciate the open spaces of the Fields - which start at the end of that road.
You make it sound like Highbury is miles from Islington, when it's right inside the borough.
You are correct about the lack of decent restaurants and pubs, of which there are none - in comparison to nearby Barnsbury and Canonbury, which have many. I presume this is to do with the rather large football stadium in Highbury.
- Simon, London, 22/01/2009 13:36
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Great pic: it's like a shot from a MiniBoden catalogue!
- Roz, Chamonix, France, 22/01/2009 13:20
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Highbury has some of the best transport links in London. Tube and rail services from Highbury & Islington Station to the West End or City in 10/15 minutes. Getting to Docklands is also reasonably straightforward and access will be improved once the upgraded East London Line opens in a couple of years. Plenty of buses too. No need to run a car.
- Trevor Harvey, Highbury, 22/01/2009 13:09
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Highbury is such a wonderful place to live, made all the better by the close sense of community and wonderful friends all willing to look after each other in times of need. The wildlife in Highbury fields with all the Squirrels and rabbits make for a wonderful Sunday walk...
- Paul, Highbury, London, 22/01/2009 10:22
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There's a close sense of community in N5 and friends prepared to look after each other.
- Paul, London, 22/01/2009 10:12
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In the 70s there were 13 of us living at No 9 Highbury Fields, a huge house now split into separate properties, in what was rather like a hippy commune, thanks to the then wonders of rent control.
Oh, and we also had a tramp, Sidney, who lived in the garage.
Each of us had a room but there were house meetings. kitties and vegetarian cooking, long summers in the back garden, and every now and again a party.
We would go swimming in the old open air lido pool, and on November 5 there was a huge bonfire with dancing red and golden flames reflected in the windows of Highbury Place.
In those days nobody thought of north London as desirable, or even in terms of property at all – at least we didn't, we were all too busy being community or labour activists when we weren't listening to rock music. Our horizons seemed to reach no further than reading the Islington Gutter Press, but they were happy times.
- John, Stoke Newington, 21/01/2009 22:31
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Makes me homesick for my old place in N7. Could someone please ask Amici's to open a Sydney outlet?
- Mike, Sydney, Australia, 21/01/2009 22:30
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The happiest years of my life were spent in a rented apartment on Highbury Fields. I will never forget those magical years.
- Nelly, Islington, Canonbury, 21/01/2009 17:17
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Well I used to live in N5, but I don't think Boris or Nick or Jonny would think much of my bit. Next to The Lord Nelson, then (and probably now) the roughest old drinker in North London. Mind you we did go and see The Feelgoods, The Kilburns and Roogalator there, usually for free. There used to be a swimming pool on Highbury Fields. Is it still there or has it long gone because of "elf 'n safety"?
- Steve, London, 21/01/2009 16:54
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