Area Info
Finchley Road and Hampstead
Finchley Road is the area between Hampstead Village and West Hampstead. The road itself is at the centre of the area and one of London's main arterial roads, which of course brings fantastic connections, the shops of the O2 centre and the wide-open spaces of the nearby Heath.
The overall character of Finchley Road is obviously determined by the developments on both sides of the road. It is primarily a flourishing shopping area. Three bus routes with frequent services serve the area. Most of the shops are on the non-Suburb side of the road, but those on the east side combine shops and flats in a dramatic way.
https://o2centre.co.uk/
https://www.waitrose.com/bf_home/bf/174.html
Hampstead Village and a beautiful Hampstead Heath is not too far away.
https://www.essentialliving.co.uk/blog/living-in-hampstead-an-idyllic-north-london-village/
https://www.hampsteadheath.net/
https://www.british-history.ac.uk/vch/middx/vol9/pp33-42
https://www.hgstrust.org/documents/area-16-finchley-road.pdf
Ladbroke Grove
Ladbroke Grove sits at the northern end of Portobello Road, north of Notting Hill and south of Kensal Green. It is four miles from central London.
Large mainly Victorian terrace homes and smaller Edwardian properties are plentiful in Ladbroke Grove and the surrounding area.
Ladbroke Grove has become increasingly fashionable and is now seen as a more interesting area than nearby and more expensive Notting Hill. The area is popular with young single professionals and couples.
Ladbroke Grove is close to the A4 and A40 and its two Underground stations, Ladbroke Grove and Westbourne Park, are in Zone 2. Both are on the Hammersmith & City and Circle lines with trains straight into the City.
Royal Borough of Kensington & Chelsea is Conservative-controlled.
A walk down Portobello Road from Notting Hill Gate to Golborne Road on a Saturday provides a full day of browsing and eating. In Ladbroke Grove, the centre of activity is Golborne Road where Warris Vianni sells beautiful Indian textiles; Les Couilles du Chien is an antique shop specialising in the bizarre and unusual; Lisboa is a Portuguese delicatessen and café; John Doe is a wood-fired-only restaurant that specialises in venison and for vintage clothes, there is a branch of Rellik. There are two cycle shops — Halfpipe in Golborne Road, which also sells skateboards and snowboards, and Just Bikes, the electric bike specialist, round the corner in Portobello Road.
There are also shops in Lancaster Road, where furniture and interior store OKA has a branch, and in All Saints Road, Wormwood is a restaurant with North African influences and Wolfe is a neighbourhood restaurant with a small menu — both have both been praised by the Evening Standard’s Fay Maschler. Tin Shed is an artisan baker and café. Oliver Goldsmith, the famous spectacle frame and sunglass-maker, has its only store in the street.
Holland Park and Kensington Gardens aren’t too far away.
The Electric Cinema in Portobello Road has some of the most comfortable (and expensive) cinema seats in London. The Tabernacle — known locally as the Tab — in Powis Square is an arts centre in a converted church with a colourful history. It puts on gigs, events and classes and there is a restaurant serving food with a Caribbean twist.
The nearest council-owned swimming pool, the Kensington Leisure Centre in Silchester Road, was rebuilt and has a spa.
Notting Hill
Notting Hill is one of London's best-known neighbourhoods, thanks in no small part to its starring role in the romantic comedy of the same name. Influenced by Caribbean music and culture, the neighbourhood was famous for being an artistic haven for musicians, painters, sculptors, actors, students, and performers of all kinds. Its bohemian vibe, bright colours, music venues, iconic cinemas, and treasure trove of boutiques make it one of the most unforgettable locations in the city.
Gentrification has made this neighbourhood quieter (and much more expensive) than it used to be and today it's home to celebrities and wealthy families. A lot of these newcomers are international, with a large number coming from from Brazil and Portugal. For housing, you'll find a mix of colourful homes, elegant terraces, and apartments. Many of the terraced properties share private communal gardens.
Notting Hill has a lot of shopping options and you'll find boutiques, bookstores, and independent shops selling unique handmade wares that you won’t find anywhere else. Each weekend the main thoroughfare, Portobello Road, hosts a street market.
Restaurants and bars here are some of the bests in London. Food options range from pub fare to ethnic cuisine to Michelin-starred restaurants. As an added bonus, you won’t find better gelato anywhere else in London.
The Notting Hill Arts Club keeps a nice mixture of movies coming into the area, from arthouse films and foreign pictures to the latest superhero movies. Live theatre is slowly coming to life at the refurbish Coronet Cinema, which was originally established as a theatre in 1898. The Electric Cinema was built in 1910 and has enjoyed new life as a cool spot to catch a movie thanks to a 2001 renovation and the addition of a lounge.
Each August the neighbourhood hosts the Notting Hill Carnival, a raucous two-day party that attracts a million attendees and drives away residents for the weekend. It typically leaves the streets and front yards in disarray.
Finally, on behalf of the owners, don’t go knocking on the door at the house where Hugh Grant’s character lived.
Notting Hill is bordered on the north by North Kensington, on the east by Bayswater, on the south by Holland Park, and on the west by Shepherd's Bush.
Commute:
The City: 6.1 miles / 25-60 minutes by car / 30 minutes by transit
Canary Wharf: 9.3 miles / 35-70 minutes by car / 45 minutes by transit
Southwark: 6.6 miles / 30-60 minutes by car / 35 minutes by transit
Westminster: 5.1 miles / 15-35 minutes by car / 30-40 minutes by transit / 25-30 minutes by bike
Shoreditch: 5.9 miles / 25-55 minutes by car / 40 minutes by transit.