This area on the border of Hackney is roughly bounded by City Road (A501), Great Eastern Street (A1202), Old Street (A501) and Worship Street. The neighbourhood is perhaps best described as a criss-cross of narrow Victorian streets of what used to be industrial spaces, intermixed with new-builds and old school offices that have been given a makeover. In recent times, the area has received growing attention owing to the Silicon Roundabout (also known as Old Street Roundabout) constituting one of Europe’s largest tech clusters. It is true, though, that this spotlight might have backfired in recent decades – soaring rents are seen as discouraging for start-ups considering the area. Still, the large number of tech and creative businesses in this neighbourhood make it a melting pot of culture and ideas. ‘The magazine Vice’ has its UK offices based here.

Google’s Campus London is a space for entrepreneurs to share ideas and meet investors. A number of art galleries, like 71a or Clifford-Thames, are tucked away in the alleyways, together with cosy bars and restaurants. The Old Kings Head is a simple yet authentic British pub, while Sink Pong hosts beer pong and does not charge extortionate prices for it. The Book Club is a true gem, throwing club nights, workshops, talks, stand-up comedy, exhibitions and everything in between. XOYO, just off Old Street station is a world-renowned night club which has counted Jackmaster, Bicep and Motor City Drum Ensemble as residents. Central Foundation is a comprehensive boys’ secondary school in the area, rated ‘outstanding’ by Ofsted.

A number of interesting landmarks are contained within this area. Curtain Road is named thus probably as a result of the Curtain Theatre standing here in the sixteenth century. Notable for being the earliest host of some of Shakespeare’s plays, its remains are currently in the ground below the Horse and Groom pub. England’s second permanent theatre, appropriately called The Theatre, stood nearby. In 1589, the timbers from this playhouse were dismantled and transported south of the river to create The Globe. Perhaps, the reason for such numbers of artistic endeavours in the area stems from the fact that the borders of certain City jurisdictions were drawn just south of here. These outlawed the building of theatres within City boundaries to prevent large gathering of people at a time when the bubonic plague spread easily. In fact, between the years 1664 and 1666, a mass grave at the intersection of Hollywell Row and Scrutton Street was used for dealing with the casualties during this heavy outbreak.

The area was involved in the textiles industry up until the industrial revolution when competition put many workshops here out of business. This marked a period of destitution for the area until well into the 20th century. The remains of the industrial period have been capitalised on to give Shoreditch its charm today. XOYO, for example, was opened in 2010 by transforming an old printing factory.

The clever, controversial and often outrageous comedian, Russell Brand, has decided to put down roots close to here. Born in Essex, Brand had a tough childhood both at home and at school. Though he was close to his mother, he experienced difficulties with her boyfriend. The young Brand suffered from depression and an eating disorder before being kicked out of boarding school for bad behaviour. Acting was something he took refuge in, although he was kicked out of both Italia Conti and the Camden Drama Centre, as well. His breakthrough came with stand-up comedy, when he landed a job as MTV presenter after making a name for himself at the New Act of the Year Award at Hackney Empire. Brand’s path has since been as unstable as his earlier years. Struggling with various addictions, the comedian manages to stir as many scandals as he attracts laughs.

Compared to the area directly west of here, Old Street and the adjacent cluster of streets and offices are noticeably lacking in greenery. The traffic at the roundabout has also attracted some criticism for being dangerous for cyclists.

A number of exciting developments are projected for the area in the coming years, with some already completed. The Elizabeth Line is already operational and the platform in Liverpool Street station opened in 2022. Trains can now take passengers to Heathrow via Paddington and to Abbey Wood or Shenfield via Whitechapel. A train journey to Canary Wharf has been cut down to six minutes from twelve. The Stage is a commercial and residential development completed in 2022 which brings 412 apartments and 275,000 sq ft of office space to the area. The 37-storey block is built around a plaza incorporating the excavations of the aforementioned Curtain Theatre, which itself will be regenerated into an amphitheatre for public use. Finally, proposals to make Old Street roundabout more cycle-friendly were submitted in July 2018.