Why I live in Finsbury Park: Jeremy Corbyn on the ever-changing north London area he’s lived in for 40 years

Jeremy Corbyn first moved to Finsbury Park in 1970 and marked his 40th anniversary as MP for Islington North this year. He tells Emma Magnus why the area grows on you
Jeremy Corbyn at The Blue Owl Café on Stroud Green Road
Matt Writtle
Emma Magnus6 September 2023

I’ve lived in and represented the area for a very long time. I’d hitchhiked to London and the lorry driver dropped me off on Holloway Road, so I stayed on. Finsbury Park and Holloway grow on you.

I lived in Harringay when I represented South Hornsey ward and moved back to Finsbury Park in 1984, after I was elected for Islington North in 1983.

Walking around with me is very slow — someone will always stop me in the street to follow up on or raise new issues, so I never leave home without my notebook.

The fascinating part of it is watching families grow up and people moving in and out. People from all over the world make their home here, so there’s a lovely atmosphere. It’s a great place. It’s home.

Eating and drinking

Eglal Gomaa, the owner of Girasole
Matt Writtle

Arsenal is a big feature of the area. The Blackstock, on the corner of Seven Sisters and Blackstock Road, is the best pub for watching football.

The Bedford Tavern, also on Seven Sisters Road, is run by a good friend of mine. I’m not a drinker, but I enjoy his apple juice. He does live music, which is welcome because there’s been a loss of venues.

Girasole on Seven Sisters Road is a nice Italian café for breakfast. I’m a regular at the Blue Owl Café, a wonderful, friendly café for snacks and socialising with the Kurdish hosts.

Gadz, on Clifton Terrace, does a mean falafel wrap and roll which is kindly named after me: The Jeremy Special. And I can’t leave out my son’s place, The National Hemp Service, on Stroud Green Road. He serves coffee as well as CBD products.

Jeremy and his son, Tommy Corbyn, at National Hemp Service
Matt Writtle

There’s a nice Uyghur restaurant called Dilara on Blackstock Road, where there are also a number of Algerian restaurants. Pizza Pappagone, on Stroud Green Road, is always full. When England lost the Euros final they rushed out and let off fireworks — people were initially annoyed, but then they joined the party.

Where I work out

The best place to run is Finsbury Park. The only problem is that people stop me, wanting to talk. I use the gym at the Sobell Centre on Hornsey Road.

The pools at Highbury Fields and Archway aren’t far, and there’s an ice rink at Alexandra Palace. The W7 and W3 buses go straight up to it.

To commune with nature

As well as Finsbury Park, I go to Wray Crescent Open Space. I’ve got an aerial photo taken in the early Seventies that shows it as housing, before it was bought by the council and demolished to make space for a park.

Wray Crescent Open Space was housing before it became a park
Matt Writtle

I like to walk along the Parkland Walk. Haringey had aspirations to build housing on it, but planning permission was refused. I was chair of planning at that time and we turned it into the Parkland Walk. It’s lovely.

Grocery shopping

I prefer to support local, independent stores if I can. I shop at Finsbury Food Market on Seven Sisters Road.

There’s an excellent hardware store a couple of doors down called QHP — Quality House Products— which is run by a lovely guy, a refugee, who stocks just about everything.

For a culture fix

Park Theatre on Clifton Terrace, where owner Jez Bond does his best to involve the local community and schools
Matt Writtle

We’ve got Park Theatre on Clifton Terrace, which Jez Bond had the inspiration to open. He does his best to keep prices very low, and to involve the local community and schools. We’ve also got a new Picturehouse cinema in the new development around the station.

New Beacon Books is an Afro-Caribbean bookshop and publisher on Stroud Green Road which was opened in 1966 by John La Rose, a Trinidadian poet. His son is still running the bookshop, which is collectively owned by the community.

New Beacon Books opened in 1966 and is collectively owned by the community
Matt Writtle

The BookBar on Blackstock Road is a bookshop and café. Further up, at Highbury Park, there’s also Ink@84. FC Designer Workspace on Fonthill Road is a co-operative workplace.

Getting around

I’m no more than 20 minutes away from any part of my constituency by bike, so I cycle or walk. TfL are making cycle routes on Seven Sisters Road and Isledon Road. Car ownership is less than 25 per cent in Finsbury Park, partly because of the excellent public transport.

Finsbury Park is a very busy station with two Tube lines, the Thameslink and services to King’s Cross, Stevenage and Peterborough. There’s a phenomenal number of buses too.

Dream street

I like the one I’m on. It’s very friendly and very mixed.

Something you only see in Finsbury Park

The combination of cultural diversity, superb public transport links and the feeling that you are very much a part of the rest of the world as well as your own community. That’s very valuable to me.

Hussein Jaber and Lounis Yakoubi of Gadz Cafe, where Jeremy has a wrap named after him
Matt Writtle

What’s the catch?

The traffic can be heavy, particularly on Seven Sisters Road.

In three words.

Centre of (the) universe.

Schools

Finsbury Park boasts six outstanding primaries, including Ambler, Gillespie and Grazebook. There are a further 12 schools rated as good.

For secondaries, Highbury Fields School is the top choice nearby, with Skinners’ Academy, Stoke Newington School and Sixth Form and Arts and Media School Islington all popular options.

What it costs

Buying in Finsbury Park

Average flat price: £540,320

Average house price: £1,149,980

Renting in Finsbury Park

Average flat: £2,080 pcm

Average house: £3,540 pcm

Source: Hamptons & Land Registry

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