Kensal Green: A lively suburb in the heart of North London

Kensal Green is a residential suburb in North London, known for its quaint beauty and abundant amenities.

It is a popular and trendy area to live in and attracts many professionals and young families.

Transportation into Central London is quick and easy, with regular bus services and trains.

If you are a shopaholic, with an eye for the latest fashion accessories and high street chains, then Kensal Green is the perfect location to be in.

Not only does it have plenty of malls and independent stores, but it is also fairly close to other major districts such as the trendy Notting Hill and Ladbroke Grove, which are saturated with their fair share of shopping centres.

Kensal Green was once described as being on the wrong side of Portobello, has undergone many changes over the last few years with significant improvements made to the area.

However, it has still kept its edginess and authenticity, and has not been redeveloped as much as neighbouring areas such as Ladbrook Grove and Notting Hill.

One of the great things about Kensal Green is that it is an area in which you can find almost anything you are looking for.

Whether you are into cinemas, nightclubs, fine dining, theatres or arts, you will find all of that here and more.

It is known for its independent boutiques, cafes and bars and its rich and varied history. The area also benefits from being a fascinating melting pot of a number of different cultures and traditions, that have all helped to contribute to the area significantly.

One of the hottest bars in town is the Paradise. Quite simply, this is where it's at, as the venue is the place where you will find anyone who is anybody.

It is often used for business gatherings and social occasions, and is known as being the central meeting point where most of the locals will gather.

The bar regularly holds live music nights, which also helps some of the aspiring musicians in the area to gain more prominence and recognition.

Property

The real draw of Kensal Green is the affordable property prices. Prices are very low compared to other parts of London. 

Rental accommodation in Kensal Green starts as low as £200-£300 for a one bed house and £425 per week for a two bed.

However, buying a home in the district is a little more expensive. Properties prices range from £395,000-£1,100,000. The average that you can expect to pay is £616,975, for a two bed home.

The vast majority of properties in the area are flats, which make up approximately 75 per cent of the accommodation in the locality.

Some 58 per cent of the homes are two bed, although 25 per cent are three bed properties.

Notable famous people

Kensal Green has its fair share of famous faces with many notable people having lived there through these ages.

These include such figures as the playwright Terrence Rattigan, novelists Wilkie Collins, Anthony Trollope and William Makepeace, and the mathematician Charles Babbage.

It is also home to famous personalities such as actress Thandie Newton, singer Lily Allen, author Zadie Smith, handbag designer Bill Amberg, actress Sienna Miller and Steve Hilton, former director of strategy for David Cameron.

Communities

The area is a medley of different communities and traditions. The suburb has a longstanding Irish community, although nowadays, it has seen its fair share of fairly wealthy families and young professionals.

Recently, it has started to draw in many people from various parts of Europe and Africa, which has helped to boost the cultural appeal of the locality.

Schools

There are a number of good schools in the region, including Malorees, a large primary school in Christchurch Avenue.

It has an infant and a junior section to it, which have been judged as 'good' and 'outstanding' respectively by Ofsted.

Kensal Green also has two secondary schools - namely Queens Park Community School in Aylestone Avenue and Capital City Academy.

Both have been rated as 'good'. There is also the Islamia Girls High - a private school which is rated as 'outstanding' by Ofsted.

Nearby, you have localities such as Hampstead which are noted for their top-of-the-range private schools.

The only drawback of living in an area known for its fantastic schools is the fact they are often oversubscribed - with Malorees being an example.

Published 10th October, 2014

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