As soon as you step out of Hackney Central station, it’s clear that you have entered one of London’s most bustling and diverse neighbourhoods. Although previously known as a rundown area, Hackney’s proximity to the city and abundance of new creative industries have given this area a new burst of life. Yet for now, it has retained much of the rustic charm which once drew in so many creatives, staving off the massive property development affecting nearby areas like Stratford and Shoreditch. Many of the residential properties are Victorian in character, with a range of flat sizes found in wide terraced streets. The busy through roads of Dalston Lane, Amhurst Road, and Mare Street, all of which lead to the station, offer up a plethora of local cafes, pubs, and boutiques, as well as a few convenient chain stores and world supermarkets. The neighbourhood’s good transport connections, multicultural population and plethora of entertainment and nightlife venues, are making it one of the most desirable places in the capital.

Hackney takes its name from “Haca’sey”, which is roughly translated as high ground in marshland owned by a landowner called Haca, with the first records of an area known as Hackney coming about in 1198. Generally agricultural and rural, during the Tutor period it was known as an aristocratic playground, and later in the 1600s as a “bourgeoise paradise”. The area had remarkable wealth, which previously came from nobles, but by the 18th century was being produced by merchants. The 19th century brought industry and substantial middle class villas, examples of which can still be witnessed along Mare Street, but the standards of building declined with the introduction of the railways, and by the 1870s poor quality tenements were commonplace. Mare Street thrived in the 20th century, but much of the surrounding area declined, and by the 1970s and 80s, had fallen into deprivation. It’s only recently that the area has undergone regeneration.

The Hackney Empire is a beloved music and theatre venue in the area. It was built as a music hall in 1901 and hosted Charlie Chaplin, Stan Laurel, and Marie Lloyd before it fell into disrepair. It was even a Mecca Bingo Hall from 1963-84. After nearly facing demolition, a campaign funded partly by long-time local resident Lord Alan Sugar saved and restored it back to the historical building it is today, resulting in its current grade II* listing.

Nearby London Fields is a great asset for the area, with its lido open in the summer months, residents will not only have access to its markets, but also to East London’s oldest open air swimming facility.

One of the key issues facing the community in Hackney Central as of late is the topic of gentrification. Many long-standing locals and businesses are being put at risk of being priced out of their homes. Sadly, this is an issue that is widespread in many areas of London that were previously stereotyped as dodgy and dubious, and are now receiving interest from investors.

Much of the large-scale regeneration projects that the area underwent were established in the early 2010s due to the 2012 London Olympics. However, there have been other projects more recently, including the Hackney Central Town Centre project, which was completed in 2016 to try and move the area past the infamous riots which took place in 2011. Building work has recently begun on renovating Hackney Central Overground station and the surrounding area, creating safer and greener public spaces.