Stroud Green Road

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Stroud Green Road is in north London, forming part of the boundary between the London Borough of Islington on its southern side and the London Borough of Haringey on the northern side. (Grid reference: TQ 311 871.) It is not widely known outside its local area, despite its twin roles as a populous thoroughfare linking the area of Crouch Hill with the important station complex of Finsbury Park, and as the main local hub for residents of the ill-defined area of Stroud Green itself both by day and by night.

1 Facilities
2 Feel
3 History
4 Transport
5 External links
6 References

[edit] Facilities

There is an array of shops stretching the length of the road, including two supermarkets (Tesco Metro and the independent Woody's). Most of the shops are independent, and the choice of shops is described as "impressive" by Time Out^[1]. The most unusual feature is perhaps the large cluster of wig shops at the Finsbury Park end of the road.

The wide selection of restaurants on Stroud Green Road range from the standard Indian and Chinese to the more exotic Mauritian and Caribbean. Probably most notably, the street is home to the original branch of Italian-owned North London pizza restaurant chain La Porchetta. There is also a smattering of bars which vary considerably in atmosphere and typical clientele.

At the Finsbury Park end of the road is a bowling alley Rowans, and Finsbury Park Cycle Park (opened in 2006).

[edit] Feel

It has been claimed that the road is surprisingly reminiscent of a Paris street, presumably since it is lined at parts by trees, and fairly wide by London standards. Stroud Green Road can become a considerably noisy and convivial place when the crowds spill out from Arsenal FC's Emirates Stadium or a popular music concert in Finsbury Park, both nearby.

However the Finsbury Park station end of the road, like the rest of the surroundings of the station, is markedly more run-down, blighted environmentally by parallel low railway bridges bringing the mass of overground lines into Finsbury Park station, and an ill-matched assortment of low-rise commercial buildings.

In the summer, despite being in the heart of inner north London, the locals call this strip of road "The Stroud Green Riviera", and even by the standards of London the road is frequented by a striking mix of races, cultures and classes - Time Out comments that "you only need to look at the local shops to sense how international the district is".^[1]

[edit] History

It is reported that Ho Chi Minh lived at the Haringey end of Stroud Green Road while recruiting for his cause and sometimes working as a ship's cook^{[citation needed]}. Bob Hoskins is also reported to have lived in the area during his childhood^{[citation needed]}. Shortly after the destruction of the World Trade Centre it was reported in local newspapers that a police helicopter landed at the crossroads of Hanley Road and Stroud Green road as part of an operation to locate Osama Bin Laden's son.

[edit] Transport

The street runs north from the transport hub of Finsbury Park, and stops just short just 150 yards south of Crouch Hill railway station on the Gospel Oak to Barking line. London bus routes W3, W7, and 210 run the length of Stroud Green Road, terminating at Finsbury Park. The low railway bridge of the Great Northern Electric Railway at Finsbury Park severs the possibility of running bus routes directly from areas north of Finsbury Park such as Stroud Green Road directly into central London.