Despite its reputation as Islington’s poor relation, Highbury, four miles north-east of central London, is actually rather genteel once you get off its clogged-up main arteries.
Its leafy streets are lined with some lovely looking Victorian townhouses, and it has more of a neighbourhood feel than tourist-trap Islington, plus lots of small enclaves of shops and restaurants to discover.
It is also, of course, home to Arsenal Football Club which depending on your affiliations could be a blessing or a reason to avoid it on match days.
The lowdown
Long-time locals rub shoulders with newer arrivals priced out of neighbouring areas across north and east London. Lots of commuters choose Highbury thanks to its Zone 2 location and good, varied train links. There’s a slightly older crowd than you’d find in Hoxton, and a lot more families in the mix.
Parking, crime, gyms: you will need a permit to park a car in Highbury. Prices range from £22 to £490 per year depending on CO2 emission levels.
Crime rates are marginally lower than the London average at seven reported offences per 1,000 population — across the capital it is eight.
Highbury Leisure Centre, in Highbury Fields, has a pool, gyms and fitness classes. Local gyms include N1 Gym, Orangetheory Fitness, and Energie Fitness Gym.
Average cost of renting in Highbury
| Property size |
Average monthly cost |
| One-bedroom flat |
£1,547 |
| Two-bedroom flat |
£1,961 |
| Two-bedroom house |
£2,172 |
| Three-bedroom house |
£2,949 |
| Four-bedroom house |
£3,518 |
Best Highbury streets to live on
If you want a flat with grand proportions, the Victorian villas of Highbury Crescent and Georgian townhouses of Highbury Place and Highbury Terrace, overlooking Highbury Fields, are the alpha addresses.
For better value, look at the borders of Finsbury Park, where there are smaller Victorian terrace houses. Or seek out a modern flat around the Emirates Stadium.
Highbury travel links and accessibility
The local station is Highbury & Islington, in Zone 2, which has Victoria line services to central London and London Overground trains towards Stratford and Canada Water.
Best schools in Highbury
Gillespie Primary School and St John’s Highbury Vale CofE Primary School are both rated “outstanding” by Ofsted, as is Highbury Fields School, for secondary pupils.
Highbury Grove secondary school was deemed “inadequate” by the education watchdog in 2016. Now renamed City of London Academy Highbury Grove, it’s under new management and standards are improving.
Supermarkets and food markets in Highbury
Stock up on posh cheese at La Fromagerie in Highbury Barn shopping parade, which also has an excellent butcher and fishmonger. Pair that cheese with some of the lovely bread from Euphorium Bakery in Upper Street.
Clustered around Highbury Corner there is a Sainsbury’s Local, Little Waitrose, and Tesco Metro, and a Budgens in Upper Street.
Downsides?
The glories of the Highbury Island gyratory system are not exactly the best welcome to an area, particularly since it is currently thick with roadworks.
Happily, though, those roadworks will restore two-way traffic as part of a project to make Highbury Corner safer for cyclists and pedestrians. There is even going to be a revamp of the desolate green space at its heart
Highbury is only two miles from Hoxton but in many ways it is a different world. “When you first get off the train at Highbury & Islington it looks really horrible,” says Stuart, co-founder of creative agency Shout About.
“But once you get past McDonald’s and KFC it has got all these cute little boutique shops and loads of bars and it is really, really nice — like a village. I just love it.”
Compared with Hoxton, Stuart finds Highbury a more varied experience.
“The Hoxton vibe is very trendy,” he said. “Highbury is more north London, with different types of people, and it just feels a bit more authentic.”
Shopping in Highbury
Credit cards at the ready — Highbury is at the northern tip of Upper Street which means plenty of boutiques and high-end chains on the doorstep.
Gill Wing Cookshop is heaven for foodies, Camden Passage still has charm, and Twentytwentyone has gorgeous homewares.
In the other direction, Holloway Road is a lot shabbier but still has some interesting shops including D & A Binder which sells fabulous vintage shop fittings.
Culture in Highbury
It’s rich. The local theatre is the Almeida and within walking distance are The Hope Theatre above the Hope & Anchor pub and the King’s Head Theatre, both in Upper Street, with the Hen & Chickens fringe venue in St Paul’s Road.
Movie buffs have the Rio Cinema and Everyman Screen on the Green, as well as the Odeon Holloway and Vue at Angel. The Union Chapel, a working church, also has comedy nights and live music.
Eating and drinking in Highbury
A real strong point. St Paul’s Road has Trullo, St Paul Islington coffee shop and wine bar and the award-winning Prawn on the Lawn, which will be taking over neighbouring coffee shop Sawyer and Gray in the evenings as a cocktail and oyster bar.
In Canonbury Road there is Black Axe Mangal for a superior Turkish feast, while in Upper Street you can stop for a sumptuous little cake at Belle Epoque Patisserie and then eat your way all the way down to Angel.
Stuart, whose role at his company includes being “head of vibe”, recommends Slim Jims, an American-style dive bar for a late drink, Meatliquor for a burger, and the Hope & Anchor and the Queen’s Head among the many local pubs.
Green space in Highbury
Highbury Fields, which is Islington’s largest park at 29 acres, has sports pitches and a barbecue area.