Living in Haggerston: transport links, parking, schools, best streets — and the average cost of monthly rent

Drive through Haggerston along the busy and congested Kingsland Road and you’re liable to miss the entire charm of this small neighbourhood, sitting between Dalston and Shoreditch.

Step out of the car, however, and a world of walkable and cycle-friendly back streets and parks opens up to you.

The biggest draw to the area is Regent’s Canal and Kingsland Basin, which offers an entirely car-free route to nearby Broadway Market or to Islington, and an entire social scene of its own, with some great cafés and restaurants lining the towpath.

“The predominant age group of people renting in Haggerston has changed over the past five to 10 years,” says Jake McCreedy-Evans, lettings manager, Savills Hackney.

“A decade ago we were dealing with people straight out of university but now, as rents have got a bit more expensive, it’s more people in their late twenties or thirties.”

He says these renters mostly work in the creative industries, in particular advertising, but there are also a lot of people who work in the financial sector because the area’s an easy bus or train ride into the City.

Homes with a view of Regent's Canal or Kingsland Basin are the most desirable in the area, according to Jake McCreedy-Evans. He namechecks Reliance Wharf for modern flats with some of the best views of the canal in the area, and Quebec Wharf, a converted warehouse overlooking Kingsland Basin.

There are very few bars and there's scarcely anywhere decent to eat out in Haggerston. However, says McCreedy-Evans, there are endless bars and restaurants in Dalston, which is next door.

An annual parking permit costs from £10 for a vehicle with no emissions, up to £214 for the most polluting vehicles. There’s also a £50 diesel supplement.

Crime in the area is slightly above the London average with nine crimes per 1,000 residents. The top reported crimes are theft from a person, miscellaneous theft and violence.

Primary schools Sebright, London Fields, Queensbridge and St Paul’s with St Michael’s CofE are all rated “outstanding” by Ofsted.

There’s a Tesco Express on Kingsland Road and a large Sainsbury’s in Kingsland Shopping Centre. Locals can also venture to Broadway Market for local organic fare, or to Ridley Road Market for a taste of the more exotic.

Suzanne Trotter, head of international research at ITV, used to live in Walthamstow at the northern end of the Victoria line. Her partner, Dennis McDonagh, a business analyst, was living in Tooting in south-west London, on the fringes of Zone 3.

When they moved in together eight years ago, they opted for the far more central area of Haggerston, the canalside neighbourhood on the fringes of Islington and Shoreditch.

The couple, both 43, pay £2,200 a month to rent the two-bedroom warehouse-style flat they have lived in ever since, along with Dennis’s daughter, Eva, 11, who lives with them during school holidays, and now their baby Clara, just four months old.

The family plan to stay put for the foreseeable future.

“Most people do it the other way round and move out when they have a baby. We talk about moving every January but it would take a lot to actually do it. It’s just so convenient and stimulating here, we’d really miss it,” says Suzanne.

“Now we’ve had Clara things are changing a bit. The reason to move would be to have a bigger house and a garden but if you balance that against the area, there are good schools and nurseries, while being near to work is essential because you can get back quicker. I think we will be staying at least for the next couple of years.”

Haggerston is on the London Overground network, linking the area with the Tube at Highbury & Islington. Suzanne either cycles or walks to work in Chancery Lane.

“Burley Fisher Books is a popular independent bookshop with a coffee shop. We also go into the huge Oxfam on Kingsland Road a fair bit for records and second-hand books,” says Suzanne.

The Duke of York has been through various incarnations over the past few years — most recently closed — but it has now reopened as a pub that does food, to the delight of locals.

“It’s become somewhere we really want to go,” says Suzanne. “There’s a Japanese café called Toconoco on the canal, which is kid-friendly with a great play area. I go for coffees with local mums now I have Clara. Mums love cafés that are big enough for our buggies, and owners who don’t mind if your baby is screaming its head off — Bread & Butter coffee shop is really welcoming, too.”

Suzanne and Dennis go to the beloved local independent Rio Cinema and also love gigs at Earth. “We have so many music venues on our doorstep.”

The Glory is a gay pub and disco with a vibrant programme of performances.

Regent’s Canal towpath is a thoroughfare for weekend runners, strollers, cyclists and poseurs reclaiming London’s industrial wasteland. Suzanne walks along it to Victoria Park and also takes Clara to Hackney City Farm in Haggerston Park.

“The canal is our gym,” says Suzanne. She and her partner Dennis both run, cycle and walk along Regent’s Canal, which is just moments from their flat.

Otherwise the closest Better gym is at Britannia Leisure Centre, which is currently being refurbished. It has a swimming pool and squash courts, which Suzanne and Dennis will use when the centre opens.

A two-bedroom mid-floor flat in Hertford Road, a very short walk from Haggerston station, is for rent for £460 a week. Call Dexters (020 7483 6374).

A one-bedroom waterside apartment overlooking Baltic Place, off Kingsland Road, is available for £365 a week. Call Chestertons (020 8012 3890).

For £625 a week, there's a two-bedroom flat with wood floors and a balcony in Lee Street, close to Haggerston station. Call Savills (020 8012 3736).