familiar w/ stoke newington? new to london

[lynn1]

Hi all, I'm searching for a flat and I'm new to London, soon to be a new mum, and everyone's recommended Stoke Newington as a great place to live. Could anyone give me specific streets/ areas that are good places to look/ convenient and accessible to busses & places a mom might want to hang out? I'd love input- also if there are areas that aren't so good, I'd like to know that too.
The obvious best idea is for me to go walk around & explore myself, which I plan to do, but I'm due in 4 weeks and have been flat-searching non-stop in other areas. So at this point, if I can narrow my search and minimize my legwork that would be so nice!

Hello Lynn and welcome to London

I live just up the road (Finsbury Park) and go to Stoke Newington Church Street and Clissold Park quite a bit. Clissold Park is great for mothers and babies- in fact, the whole area is full of mothers and prams. It is not a large area so if I were you I would go and walk (slowly if you are due in 4 weeks!) up and down Stoke Newington Church Street and see what you think of it. It is an area which has strongly resisted chain stores and so has quite a "villagey feel". The eastern end will be cheaper, I think, as it gets less smart as you head out.

The one thing I would say is that Stoke Newinbton is not on the tube, so you'll be relying on buses (and rail), unless (for example) you find yourself edging out of Stoke Newington up towards Manor House or Finsbury Park tube.

Have you thought about posting in the local MN listings? I think Stoke Newington would count as Islington. You might get more answers then.

Hope that helps.

Thanks, wobbegong. That's helpful. And I'll post on the local listings- hadn't really thought of that!

Stokey is in hackney. it's a nice area, full of mums & babies & nice shops. there's also the clissold leisure centre which is newly re-opened & really good. i live a couple of miles further south, so although i know stoke newington pretty well couldn't give you names of streets. stamford hill to the north is the same postcode (n16) so check locations of flats on a map (nothing wrong with s. hill btw). are you looking to rent or buy?

Hi, hoxtonchick, we're looking to rent a 2 BR.

cool. do you have any potential ones you've seen? do you want my opinion on them?!

You're right hoxtonchick. I am so sad, I woke up this morning at about 4am thinking: "Of course Stokey isn't Islington, it's Hackney!". Hmmm, since I had a baby my memory has gone!

LOL