Trendy East London flatshares and converted warehouses full of Macs and bicycles: it must be Hackney Wick!
Background
Sandwiched between the Olympic Village and London’s coolest park (Victoria, of course), Hackney Wick is the northwest point of the much larger borough of Hackney.
The area has a strong industrial past: the canals of the Lea Navigation allowing silk and synthetics to be produced in the late 19th Century. Over the last ten years, the redevelopment of the area for the 2012 Olympics has really given the area what it needs to thrive, and is now a desirable place to live.
Life in Hackney Wick
Hackney Wick is a great place for music and art lovers to embed themselves in a creative and energetic community of likeminded people. But unlike other areas where this isn’t achievable (looking at you, Southwark), you’ll be able to live in a newly built house and be in North London.
There’s a distinctly village feel about Hackney Wick, but a village of the 21st Century. It is centred around a train station, but not in a horrid Metroland way, and the new Olympic Park development has ensured lots of investment into good homes and redevelopment of old industrial buildings.
Hackney Wick now has more artists and studio spaces per square foot than anywhere in the UK!
Food and Drink
For the definitive Hackney experience, head straight to Number 90. With sweet potato fries, pork rib and craft beers, the menu is filled with on trend delights. With strong ties to Rough Trade and Phonica records, this is the ultimate London destination for EP launches from tomorrow’s coolest forgotten bands.
The London prophet Ghostpoet spake “This you and I | wear things like pork pies | and eat things like pork pies”. Well, at Hackney’s Counter Café, you can see both hat and pastry in equal measure. Serving a killer vege breakfast and roasting their own coffee makes them pretty cool. So does their “we love dogs” policy. I mean, why doesn’t everywhere have a pro-dog policy?
Nightlife
If it’s clubs you’re after, Hackney Wick isn’t renowned as a nightlife destination. But it has more than its fair share of great pubs and bars where you can happily spend the evening. And of course, Hackney is just a Victoria Park away.
You know how in Camden Brewery, they don’t let you forget your at a brewery? You know with the rough woodwork and those giant silos of beer? Well CRATE Brewery is… exactly the same.
Customised kegs, exposed brick, benches made out of pallets – a roughshod necessity or a trendy way to sit? Who knows any more. It’s Hackney Wick, baby. Needless to say the beer is top, as is the canal side location. Impossible not to love, especially on sunny London evenings. They also have a boat and sell delicious pizza!
Two stops on the overground, or six on the 30 bus will have you at Hackney Central and all the nightlife delights of Mare Street. Stay near the station to visit Oslo, that new music venue that opened last year with a string of impressive bookings including Sky Ferreira, Klaxons and The Temper Trap.
Alternatively, head down towards London Fields Brewery to hit up The Laundry. This cavernous basement space is constantly booking great events.
It recently held Visions Festival, but it always putting on club nights with some of London’s best promoters, such as Black Atlantic, XOYO Loves and Eat Your Own Ears.
If Hackney Wick sounds up your street, look for rooms on Easyroomate’s free flatshare search!
