Property prices around the school have literally rocketed as agents register and find houses for the influx of French families wanting to be near to where their kids are educated. How many times I've heard the comparison to South Kensington, home to an existing L'ecole Francais, since January I have lost count of. Typical agent talk there, I've been to South Ken, I'm not sure Kentish Town really wants to be like that. However, with stock for sale and to let in short supply across the whole of central London, the new school really has kept prices on the up in KTown. That part isn't just salesperson's bluff.
I saw a house on Lawford Road in need of modernisation go for £1.5m earlier in the year and another in need of complete, and I really mean complete, refurbishment go for £1.3m. Not just because of the houses being close to Camden School for Girls, the previous and perennial prop for prices in the neighbourhood. The buzz about the whole of NW5 was spreading. Where else is there where you can buy a grand detached or semi-detached Victorian home and also bus into the West End, walk to St Pancras or get a simple connection to the City? Take a look at recent sold prices for a mid-19th century town terraced house on Grafton Road. Even the West side of KTown, previously seen as less desirable because of the surrounding social housing estates is showing massive increases in sold (not just asking) prices. Less snobbery and more of a mixed community, my kind of city living.
The obvious result of this is that the high road is changing too, as a resident I hope not too much because it really is a remaining bastion for independent retailers. Then again, isn't it better to have the Sainsbury's Local and the new Costa and Pret a Manger outlets than empty shops? Oxfam's branch moved to a long empty space and Oskar Pink opening means that we truly have a mulitude of choices for haircuts and styles. It is however, a great shame to see ProPerc and the Superdec paint store go. I've painted several different homes and our little coffee bar using paint from Superdec, not all neutral tones either, and though I've never played drums having a music shop is always a bonus for a high road. Farewell to them, I hope something interesting replaces them. At least Ace Sports found a new and bigger home further up on Fortess Road
Here in NW5 it never stagnates, the faces and places change, but it always keeps it's own identity in tact. What a fantastic place to be.
