Does anyone know a nice not too expensive area in North London?

[Booklover]

We currently live in Islington and have to move as we need a bigger flat but unfortunately can't buy or rent a 2 bed flat in this area (we are renting at the moment). DS is one and I am not planning to return to work for a while so we would have to live on one salary. Would like to stay in North London and live somewhere that feels safe with a nice high street and is not too pricey.....Does anyone have any ideas?

yes, come to sunny archway. not as pricey as all surrounding areas and admittedly strangled with traffic, but good access to greenery (waterlow park, highgate woods, heath), plus lots of turkish greengrocers selling v cheap aubergines* right on your scuzzy doorstep.
And we're just a brief trot away from highgate, if you fancy overpriced handmade chocolates.
(There are also exciting rumblings about the Archway roundabout being redeveloped -- cinema, new pool, library, pigs may fly)

*3 for a quid! what a bargain!

that sounds like election talk to me, there's not way the expat Irish will ever let the institutional Archway Tavern go, no way at all

10 years off Highgate Hill and I never once went in it mind you

what about Chico's Nite Club, SW?

not since the drive by shooting last Xmas
and you ?

...and we have a rather attractive mosque, recently wrestled from the clutches of extremists and about to be rightfully returned to local muslims . and don't forget the land-that-time-forgot (= Selby's department store on holloway rd, i've never quite worked out what it's "for" but it does have rather a good toy dept)

Where's the mosque, bundle, can't quite place it?

James Selby = Land that Time Forgot

infamous Finsbury Park Mosque, on corner opposite tube on Seven Sisters Road...past training ground for mujahidin, ricin manufacturing etc . it's cost best part of £900,000 to police over the last year

I think us Southsiders need to mount a more concerted campaign to lure House of Bundle across the Thames. It's not that bad over here I'll have you know.
Agree with SD that the Alexandra Park/Bounds Green bit is nicer than you think. Shame my year there was spent subletting from someone who made Single White Female seem like a documentary...

oh that one bundle,

tell me is the Costello Palace Hotel still there, always fancied staying there

oh gawd, on seven sisters? yes but i think it may have had a name change. the dodgy loos just inside the park gates have gone now though, having a multi million £ makeover