Palmers Green: A melting pot of cultures, communities and heritage

Palmers Green is a lively and multicultural suburb located in the heart of London, with a rich and varied history.

It is a place that never stands still, and is always changing as different groups of people move in, and new developments occur in the area.

The suburb has a real community feel to it and has a number of local groups that are dedicated to preserving its history and character.

It is great for shopping, and most of its retail outlets are located near the Green Lanes area.

This particular spot is home to many restaurants, pubs, clothing shops, independently-owned cafes, beauty salons, and supermarkets.

There are also many places with Palmers Green where music concerts and Sunday markets are held.

For example, Palmers Green railway station car park is home to a regular farmer's market, and live blues music, which takes place at the Waiting Rooms café on Fridays.

That little venue alone has attracted its fair share of famous faces, including  "Mad Dog" Dave Barnes and Graham Hine, guitarist of Brett Marvin and the Thunderbolts. 

History

The area was formerly a hamlet in the parish of Edmonton. It coined its name in the 1600s when it was recorded as a 'village green associated with a family called Palmer'.

As a small village, its population was comprised of no more than a few people, and remained largely undeveloped until the 1900s when large swathes of of land were sold for building and the area began to develop rapidly. 
 
Culture

In Palmers Green you will find a vast array of Greek, Indian, Turkish and Caribbean restaurants, shops and communities.

It is a real melting pot of different cultures and traditions, and the area has been greatly influenced by the contributions of the different societies that live within the locality.

Today it is home to the largest population of Greek and Turkish Cypriots outside of Cyprus, and, as such, is often nicknamed "Little Cyprus" or "Palmers Greek".

Every summer, a festival takes place in the suburb, which is almost entirely down to the will of local volunteers. 

Its usually held in Broomfield Park, Palmers Green and last year, it attracted over 6,000 visitors.

The festival often features Latin dance, stalls and family activities.

Recently, in an interview with the Enfield Independent, the founder of the festival, Phillip Chard, said: "This year we have established the festival as a not-for-profit community interest company.

“Everyone involved is a volunteer and all the funds from the day are invested back into the festival. Aiming to be financially secure will mean that we can keep coming back to Broomfield Park year on year.”

Community

Palmers Green has a network of different community groups who have come together to improve the quality of life in the area and make it a better place to live and work.

Palmers Green Community, for example, is a group of people who share the common goals of the various groups within the area and aims to draw all of the different networks together under one common purpose. 

Property

property in Palmers Green predominantly consists of terraced housing, with a few semi-detached homes and apartments dotted around the area.

A house in Palmers Green would set you back around £250,000 and above for a one-bedroom house, although an apartment can be picked up for considerably less.

Renting a three-bedroom property in the area would cost £400 per week on average.

The rental values in the area are not the cheapest, but they are also far from being the most expensive in the capital.

Published 23rd May, 2014

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