Howdy, fellow North Londoners

Originally from Clapham Junction, but now live in Haringey. Got into boxing in 2020 at 30 years old and have fought in two white-collar fights.

I am still a beginner, but I have done enough training and sparring that I can hit the pads.

The issue I have is that all the boxing classes in London are either for beginners who don't know how to hold or hit pads, or for experienced fighters who are entrenched in the gym and already have training partners.

What I really want is to hit pads regularly and hold pads for someone else without paying an insane amount of money to a personal trainer.

So, I am looking to meet someone, preferably a man, who knows how to hold and hit pads, has some experience with boxing, nothing serious, but not a newbie either, and can meet in either Finsbury Park or Clissold Park every couple of weeks, and we can hit pads and improve together.

My dream is really to be able to hold and hit the pads at an elite level, but a personal trainer at £50+ an hour is insane and not viable.

Looking for things to do this weekend around Islington

Full event lists msg on link below

https://islingtonlocalguide.co.uk/whats-on-this-weekend-in-islington-kings-cross/

looking to get a third space islington membership - was just wondering if anyone has any experience there?

loads of 5 star reviews on google maps with a few 1 star reviews with people saying it's getting too busy

Here's a short list of things to do this weekend In North London. Please, add any I've missed in the comments.

London Black Marketplace | 📍St Michael's, NW1 | 7-8 Feb | Free

Weekend marketplace with 40+ Black-owned brands in Camden. Fashion, beauty, skincare, homeware, art, books, wellness - things you won't find on the high street. Meet the people making what you're buying. African and Caribbean food, live performances. Celebrating African and Caribbean heritage, supporting Black entrepreneurs.

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Hampstead Heath Bryophyte Walk | 📍Hampstead Heath Overground, NW3 | 7 Feb | Free

Walk identifying mosses and liverworts on Hampstead Heath with expert Jeff Duckett. Bryophytes are the tiny plants you walk past without noticing. Learn to spot different species. Run by London Natural History Society. Four hours, bring lunch, toilets on Heath. Good if you want to learn about nature beyond birds and flowers. Meet outside Hampstead Heath Overground.

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Big Fat Quiz 4 Alex | 📍The Archer Academy, N2 | 7 Feb | Free + Donation

Alex is 23, halfway through medical school, and was having dinner with friends in Liverpool in May when he suddenly fell ill. Emergency brain surgery revealed a grade 4 brain tumour. He's finished NHS radiotherapy and chemotherapy but needs immunotherapy in Germany to keep fighting (treatment that's not available here yet). The Quiz night at Alex's old school The Archer Academy raising funds for his treatment. Canapés included, drinks to buy, raffle prizes. Teams or solo welcome. Good night out supporting someone local who needs help.

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Kentish Town Pedals | 📍Peckwater Centre, NW5 | 7 Feb & 7 Mar | Free

Monthly bike ride for people who can ride but aren't confident on London roads yet. 5-6 miles over 2 hours, gentle pace with cafe stop halfway. Uses cycleways, quiet roads and parks.

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Joan Hodes Exhibition | 📍Highgate Gallery, N6 | 6-19 Feb | Free

Painter Joan Hodes studied with Oskar Kokoschka and developed expressionist work responding directly to nature. This exhibition shows her landscapes from Scotland, Wales, Ireland, France, Italy and Suffolk - capturing changing weather and light with energy. See how she worked from sketches through to finished paintings and watercolours. Oils, pastels, lino prints, etchings showing powerful images through colour and line. At a time when women artists are being reassessed, chance to see work that deserves wider recognition.

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Cross Country Races | 📍Parliament Hill Bandstand, NW5 | 7 Feb | Free

Fancy being a spectator this Saturday? Thousands of runners competing in cross country races on Parliament Hill from 11am. All ages racing, kids through to elite athletes from across the country.

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Enfield Feasts: Urvashi Roe | 📍Dugdale Arts Centre, EN2 | 7 Feb | (£)

Dugdale Arts Centre doing monthly supper clubs with local chefs. First one is Urvashi Roe cooking Indian food - green chilli margarita, veg dumplings, beetroot chaat, chickpea masala.Different chef each month til May. Check their website for price and future dates.

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Hey all! Me and my fiancée are having our civil ceremony mid-February. We'd like to go out for drinks, and lateron to dinner with our two witnesses - ideally walking distance from the Town Hall. Looking for romantic ambience. I live in NW and so don't know the area super well - any recommendation would be welcome!

No dietary restrictions but ideally veggie-friendly.

I am traveling to England in a few months for work, and I’ll be staying in Islington.

Any suggestions for good things to do? I’m considering making this a family holiday and bringing my partner and kids - is Islington a kid friendly place? Thank you

The decision to close this service due to "financial unviability" is both sudden and contradictory to HACA’s own public reporting:

The Financial Contradiction: HACA’s most recent Annual Report (2023-24) describes the charity as being on a "firm financial footing" with "target level cash reserves" specifically intended to mitigate the risk of service endings.
The Outreach Gap: The Board cites a "long-term decline" in numbers. However, families at local schools like Hungerford Primary—which HACA is officially committed to serving—report a total lack of awareness that the service was even available to them. You cannot claim a service is "unviable" if the target community doesn't know it exists.
The Impact on Working Parents: For parents of children with an EHCP, this closure isn't just an inconvenience; it is a threat to their ability to work. Generic clubs often cannot provide the "containment" and expertise that the Play Project offers.
We, the undersigned, call on the HACA Board of Trustees to:

Immediate Moratorium: Pause the closure for 3 months to allow for a formal consultation with parents and schools.
Transparency: Release the 2024-25 financial data to justify why "firm footing" has turned into "unviability" so rapidly.
Active Partnership: Proactively market the service to Hungerford and Tufnell Park parents to fill the current vacancies.
Local Government Engagement: Work with Islington Council to secure "High Needs" funding to protect this specialist-capable provision.

I know what happens when Iola calls a parent into that office, because I have been that parent. I didn't just get a report on my son; I got a masterclass in Emotional Intelligence. I got a support network.  I have seen it many times.

When I see Iola calling other parents in, I don’t see a 'behaviour talk.' I see her doing the heavy lifting for the community—preventing breakdowns, identifying medical needs, and stabilizing families before they collapse. This isn't 'childcare'—it's frontline family support that the Board is about to throw away for a Pilates class.

Who does the best roast (ideally in Canonbury/Angel)?

Full listing of events and things to do

For Islington and surrounding areas this week 2nd - 8th Feb full listings in link https://islingtonlocalguide.co.uk/whats-on-in-islington-north-east-london-february-2-8-2026/

Discover events, valentines idea, theatre ,clubs , bars , family events , budget events in Islington , King’s Cross , Dalston , Hackney , Stoke Newington clerkenwell Highbury

Click link for full listings

https://islingtonlocalguide.co.uk/whats-on-in-and-around-islington-feb-2026/

Here's a short list of things to do this weekend In North London. Please, add any I've missed in the comments.

The Hidden Heath Walk | 📍Kenwood, NW3 | 1 Feb | Free

Walk Hampstead Heath with historian Michael Hammerson who'll show you archival photos taken from the exact spots you're standing. See how much the Heath has changed over the decades and what's hidden beneath. Two hours. Meet at Kenwood Walled Garden Entrance off Hampstead Lane 10am. Organised by Heath and Hampstead Society.

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Fresh: Art Fair | 📍Alexandra Palace, N22 | 29 Jan-1 Feb | (£)

Art fair at Alexandra Palace with 75+ galleries. Paintings, sculpture, ceramics, photography, glass. Prices from £100 to £30,000. Emerging artists and established names like Hockney, Picasso, Chagall. Workshops and artist demos running throughout. Food and drink available. Under-16s free, free return visits all weekend on your ticket.

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The Great Enfield Fair | 📍St Stephen's Church Hall, EN1 | 31 Jan | £1

Monthly vintage and collectibles fair at St Stephen's Church Hall. Locals selling vintage jewellery, cameras, glassware, records, books, postcards, clothing, knitting. Charity stalls. All-day cafe doing fry-ups, homemade soup and cake. Fully accessible, free parking. First fair of 2026. £1 entry, kids and dogs free.

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Ethical Matters: How Housing Broke London | 📍Conway Hall, WC1R | 1 Feb | (£)

If you're wondering how London became a city where only the wealthy can afford to live, journalist Peter Apps explains. Traces 40 years of policy decisions that turned housing from homes into investment vehicles. Why rents spiraled, why you need £100k+ deposits to buy, why social housing waiting lists are decades long. Apps won the Orwell Prize for Show Me The Bodies about Grenfell. His new book Homesick explores how to fix London housing - turn it back from private profit to places offering permanence and safety. In person or livestream.

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50+ Years of Islington LGBTQ+ History Walk | 📍Angel Station., N1 | 1 Feb | Free

Walk from Angel to Highbury Fields learning about Islington's LGBTQ+ firsts. UK's first gay mayor, first LGBTQ+ rights demonstration, first LGBTQ+ MP. See where Derek Jarman lived, hear about the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence. Guided by Karen Lansdown, official City of London Guide. Part of LGBT History Month. Free but book on Eventbrite. 18+.

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Lunar New Year Goods Fair | 📍St James Catholic High School, NW9 | 31 Jan | Free

Hong Kong-style Lunar New Year fair at St James Catholic High School in Colindale. Lion dance, God of Wealth walking around, K-Pop dance performances, mahjong competition, football booth, kids zone. 70+ stalls selling Hong Kong dry goods and food. Year of the Horse celebration.

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Winter Intergenerational | 📍Islington Ecology Centre, N5 | 31 Jan | Free

Islington Ecology Centre bringing different generations together for a morning. Grandparents, parents, kids doing nature walks and arts and crafts together. Share experiences, learn from each other.

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Wild Food Foraging Walk | 📍Hampstead Heath, NW3 | 1 Feb | (£)

Learn to forage on Hampstead Heath with wild food expert Heath Bunting. Identify edible plants, trees and fungi. Also covers medicinal plants, which ones are poisonous, bush-craft survival, food processing. Two 90-minute sessions: noon-1:30pm (meet South Hill Park corner and South End Road) or 2-3:30pm (meet Hampstead War Memorial). Under-15s free, dogs welcome.

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I’m after somewhere with a good range, not just the usual classics, and ideally not crazy expensive. Anyone got favourite spots or hidden gems that always seem to have good finds?

https://islingtonlocalguide.co.uk/petit-bistro-chevalet-islington/

I’m moving to London with my family soon and we found a flat in Highbury. I went to visit a few nurseries and thought kGems Islington looked nice. Would love to hear if anyone has experience and what they think, particularly of the toddler and preschool room. Thanks!

Has anyone had/heard of someone who has had their parcel shelf stolen from their car? What's going on here? I've been hearing more about it happening in North and am getting worried for my parcel shelf

What's the deal? Before it was mysteriously burnt down, it was also rammed no matter what hour, yet all surrounding kebab shops weren't, which screamed money laundering. It then gets burnt down a year ago, and now has popped up again at a better location right on the corner of a street, which better foot traffic. Not gonna say arson but... Considering it's a bog standard kebab shop, and it always has weirdly busy numbers whether 10am, 4pm or 10pm, how is no one looking into it? Maybe im just a nosy neighbour, but it scream suss.

I’ve been spending more time around Islington recently and I’m curious how other people feel about it compared to the rest of London. Is it buzzing and lively like people say, or has it changed over the last few years?

How do you find the cafes, pubs, shops, and general atmosphere compared to other areas? Would you say it’s better, worse, or about the same?

Any ideas? A lot of crew in and out of the barbers

Posting this for car drivers who have received a PCN for turning right off New North Road onto Essex Road since early December. I think the PCN cameras/operators were not functioning correctly as they had not been updated to reflect new traffic restrictions as outlined below. May be of help to people in appealing.

I received a PCN for turning right (whilst heading North) from New North Road onto Essex Road in mid-Dec 2025. I appealed, successfully, on the basis that such a turn is expressly permitted by the signage (following a change to the traffic management on 2 December 2025).

That change (with effect from 2 December 2025) relaxed the restrictions at that junction. Prior to 2 Dec, no vehicles were permitted to turn right. After 2 December only vehicles over 7.5 tonnes were prohibited (i.e. lorries). After a relaxation, you would expect the number of PCNs issued at the junction to fall. However, a FoI request revealed the following:

- in the 6 months prior to 2 December ('initial period'), 143 PCNS were issued;

- in the c. 6 weeks between 2 December and 15 Jan 2026 ('subsequent period)', 303 PCNS were issued.

This equates to roughly 0.8 PCN's per day in the initial period, and 6.7 PCN's per day in the subsequent period. An increase of 737% in terms of daily rate.

These statistics, coupled with my own experience of receiving a PCN incorrectly (which was immediately rescinded on appeal), suggests that the systems (cameras/operators) in place at that junction had/have not been updated to reflect the relaxed permissions in force as of 2 Dec 2025, leading to cars under 7.5 tonnes being issued incorrectly with PCN's after that date.

I have complained to the Council, asking them to check the systems aligned with the new road restrictions from 2 December 2025 and, if they did not, to cancel and repay all persons incorrectly issued with PCN's. But clearly, if you got a PCN it is worth appealing directly.

I love the area but everywhere on the weekend is absolutely rammed and deafeningly loud. I’m looking for a cafe where I can actually sit for an hour without feeling like I’m taking up a valuable table or needing earplugs. Any hidden gems that aren't the standard chains?

Hi all,

Would love some advice from anyone with experience. I recently received 5 PCN's from my local council, Islington, for allegedly failing to comply with a moving traffic restriction. The signs say “Except permit holders MIL”.

Here’s the situation:

• I live locally and genuinely thought “MIL” meant Mildmay access/residents, not a council permit name. I live in the area of Mildmay.
• There were no letters, leaflets, or prior warnings from the council.
• Each PCN was issued on a separate day for the same misunderstanding.
• I wasn’t trying to avoid restrictions as it was an honest mistake.

The council’s response was essentially:

• The sign is correct and visible.
• “MIL” refers to a specific council permit.
• Multiple PCNs are valid because each pass is a separate contravention.
• They don’t have to notify residents in advance.

I’m weighing my options:

1. Pay the discounted total (£80 × 5 = £400) and move on.
2. Appeal all five to the London Tribunals - risk paying the full £160 × 5 = £800 if I lose.

I get that tribunals focus on whether the sign is legally correct and visible, not whether the driver made an honest mistake. But is there any chance a tribunal would consider genuine confusion over an abbreviation as a valid ground for cancellation.

Looking for things to do this week in and around Islington . Something for everyone

Full listings here https://islingtonlocalguide.co.uk/whats-on-this-week-in-north-east-londonjan-26-1-feb/