Sitting within the London borough of Redbridge, the town of Ilford covers the wards of Loxford, Clementswood, Mayfield, and parts of Valentines. While it doesn’t have any underground stations, the Ilford rail station is just a short walk to the west of the area, and has recently become one home amongst many of the much-anticipated Elizabeth line. Locals take pride in this area for its affordable but well-built terraced houses as well as the large number of green spaces, such as South Park, the Cricket Field Stadium, and Valentine’s Park. Ilford is also home to multiple highly rated schools and a shopping center with many chain stores. The area boasts a large immigrant population, predominantly of South Asian origin, which contributes to the vibrancy of the area, helping maintain a large number of independent restaurants and shops on Ilford Lane, the town’s thriving highstreet.

Much of the area of Ilford began as a medieval manor on which the Hospital Chapel of St. Mary the Virgin was founded in 1140. This area was later licensed to the Abbess of Barking in 1319. With the arrival of the Great Eastern Railway in 1839, the population expanded greatly. While the majority of the northern parts of Ilford were initially covered by the Hainault Forest, its clearing in 1851 allowed for further development. Eventually, in the late 19th century, estate housing began to be built through Loxford in order to provide residents with small and cheap houses. By the early 21st century, local governments began investing quite a lot into the local schools, establishing the Loxford Polyclinic, among others. While Ilford sits within the borough of Redbridge today, this was not always the case. Redbridge was not created until 1965, when the borough of Ilford merged with Wanstead and Woodford.

The famous boxer, Nigel Benn, was born in Ilford. He attended the Loxford School of Science and Technology, while studying martial arts as a child. Nigel’s parents settled in Ilford and bought a house after immigrating from Barbados. Although he’s now retired from boxing, Nigel is busy helping underprivileged children in Australia.

The only complete Mammoth skull to be discovered in the UK was found in 1864 on Ilford Lane! The ward of Loxford is also home to the largest Pakistani population of any other ward in London.

Within the Ilford area, unemployment rates are approximately 44%, whereas London’s unemployment rate is only 31%. Additionally, the deprivation levels for the area are over 30% greater than the rest of London. Even so, there has been some economic growth brought to the area following the 2012 Olympic Games, and Redbridge council is beginning to invest in a large regeneration project. While some Londoners view Ilford as dangerous and void of charm, those who live there are quick to tell you how much they love their parks and period homes. Additionally, they are hopeful that Ilford’s identification as one of London’s Opportunity Areas will bring positive changes.

Alongside the arrival of the Elizabeth line at Ilford, Redbridge council, in partnership with the mixed-use developer Countryside, have released plans for a large-scale redevelopment between the Ilford Hill Flyover and Ilford Station, known as the Ilford Western Gateway. The scheme will contribute to the wider regeneration of the outer-London town, bringing with it 1000 new homes, well-planned walking and cycle routes, new and improved green spaces, over 30,000 square foot of non-residential community space including a larger and better provisioned boxing gym, and a wholesale redevelopment of the existing Ilford gyratory. Work is scheduled to begin in Spring 2024 and bring with it almost 1500 jobs, 300 of which are predicted to be permanent.