This neighbourhood area is centred around Goswell Road, which connects the A1 in Clerkenwell to Angel. Featuring two well-sized green spaces with Owen’s Field and King Square Gardens, this area is ideal for those looking to retreat from the buzz of the inner city during a lunch break. Restaurants with food to go line St John Street to the north, and Lever Street in the south. Famous amongst these is Kennedy’s, a traditional British restaurant serving fish and hand-cut chips. A large section of City University of London resides in the centre of this neighbourhood area, a beautiful crimson-bricked Victorian building which draws in thousands of students every year. As a result of this, a large portion of the southern section of this neighbourhood is student accommodation, whereas the northern part is filled with many longer-term residents. A number of non-governmental organisations are also based in this neighbourhood, such as the British Lung Foundation and the UN Global Compact Network UK.

The Berger, Jenson and Nicholson Group operated along Goswell Road in the 1870s, where they produced varnishes, lacquers, and wood finishes. They made adhesives for fixing cork tips to cigarettes, and in the Second World War a number of products to be used in warfare such as a varnish used in burn treatment, camouflage paints, and a surface treatment used in barrage balloons. Some sources also suggest that Goswell Road was the starting point for the first successful four-minute mile run, accomplished by James Parrot in May 1770. This is the act of running a mile in under four minutes, which is now the standard for all professional male middle-distance runners. Most sources, however, seem to agree that it was first recorded by Roger Bannister in Oxford in 1953.

Edmund Halley, the English astronomer, geophysicist, mathematician, meteorologist and physicist who discovered Halley’s Comet, lived in Islington from 1665, although the exact location is not known. He was also responsible for the invention of the diving bell, which he developed in 1690. To prove that his invention worked, Halley and five of his assistants dived 60 feet deep into the River Thames, and remained there for over 90 minutes. The same stunt would be ill-advised today.

The area of Angel originated from the Angel Inn pub. It opened in the 17th century before becoming the Angel Hotel in 1903. By 1900 the area was incorporated into the London borough of Islington. ‘The Angel, Islington’ on the British Monopoly board was permitted for inclusion due to a number of licensees of the board game meeting up at the Angel Inn. It is now known as the Lyon’s Corner House.

This neighbourhood area is expensive, and not so good for families, as there are few schools nearby and the ones that are close are private. What draws people to this area is rather its quiet character, which is especially unusual given its central location.

A number of improvements are planned for Goswell Road in order to cut down on congestion and create an environment that is better catered towards pedestrians and cyclists. Employment-led development will also be concentrated on this area to promote creative industries and small/medium enterprises which have made a significant contribution both to the area and the City’s economy. The Technique development between 132-140 Goswell Road is a prime example, creating over 70,000 square feet of new office and retail space.