| Camden Town Hall (London) | |
 | |
Location  | |
| State | UK |
|---|---|
| Website | https://www.camden.gov.uk/ccm/navigation/ |
The Camden Town Hall is a district of the city of London.
To know
Camden is an inner borough in North London. Its nerve center is in Camden Town, a neighborhood known for its market and nightlife. In this town hall there are three of the most important train stations in the city: King's Cross, St. Pancras and Euston.
For half a century Camden Town it was the heart of London's alternative culture, going from Punk, going from Goth to Hippie and Emo. In this area there is a huge market that sells everything through independent vendors' stalls. Thanks to the great variety of restaurants and food stalls, great live music and a free mindset, Camden is one of the most interesting districts in the city.
The area was born in the early nineteenth century as a sub-urban town on the road leading to north London. Later it developed as a service center around the railway, canals and other means of transport. Traditionally this area is proletarian, inside the city with large municipal buildings and very squalid areas. Inevitably, thanks to its convenient location, it has undergone severe gentrification. Despite this the atmosphere remains and famous people like Amy Winehouse and the politician Ed Miliband have lived or are still living here.
How to orient yourself
Camden Town Hall: full screen map.Camden District is larger than Camden Town and smaller than Camden Town Hall. The Camden District is a small historical area which corresponds to the northern area of the Town Hall of St. Pancras which existed until 1965, while the Town Hall of Camden is an administrative unit. However, we should not be surprised by the contradictory uses of the term "Camden".
Three main train stations are located south of the district along Euston Road, part of the inner circular road that encircles the city. King's Cross and St. Pancras International are opposite each other and served by the same tube station, while just to the west is Euston. Several major roads converge in this area.
It is convenient for the traveler to divide this district into four areas: in the center is Camden Town with Camden High Street and Chalk Farm Road as the main roads. The Northern Line metro line runs along this area. South West of Camden Town is located Euston with its station. Beyond this, however, there is little else here. In the south east is the area of King's Cross where the two stations of King's Cross and St. Pancras International are located. This area was once very famous for prostitution, drugs and crime and today it has been redeveloped and is much more interesting. Finally north east of Camden Town lies Kentish Town which connects with Camden via Kentish Town Road which branches off from Camden High Street. This area is very interesting, considered the smaller twin of Camden Town, but quieter even if with the same characteristics.
How to get
By subway
1 Euston (Victoria, Northern Lines and Watford Junction to Euston Overground Line).- 2 King's Cross / St. Pancras (Circle, District, Hammersmith & City, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines).
- 3 Mornington Crescent (Northern line, Charing Cross side).
- 4 Camden Town (Northern Line). Due to the popularity of the area due to the market, on Sundays from 13: 00-17: 30 from this station you can only go out. To leave it is recommended to use Mornington Crescent or Chalk Farm stations.
- 5 Chalk Farm (Northern Line).
- 6 Kentish Town (Northern Line).
7 Camden Road (Richmond to Stratford).- 8 Kentish Town West (Richmond to Stratford).
| Underground lines passing through Bloomsbury |
| Hammersmith and Fulham ← Mayfair and Marylebone ← | OR  IS | → Holborn and Clerkenwell → City of London |
| Hammersmith and Fulham ← Mayfair and Marylebone ← | OR  IS | → Holborn and Clerkenwell → City of London |
| North London ← Mayfair and Marylebone ← | OR  IS | → Holborn and Clerkenwell → City of London |
| North London ← Hampstead ← Edgware side ← | No.  S. | → Edgware side → Bloomsbury → City of London / Leicester Square |
| North London ← Islington Town Hall ← side Mill Hill East and High Barnet ← | No. S. | → Mill Hill East and High Barnet side → Bloomsbury → City of London / Leicester Square |
| Westminster-Mayfair and Marylebone ← Bloomsbury ← | S.  No. | → Islington Town Hall → North London |
| Westminster ← Bloomsbury ← | S.  No. | → Islington Town Hall → North London |
| Richmond and Kew ← Hampstead ← North London Line ← | OR  IS | → North London Line → Islington Town Hall → East London |
By bus
Camden is easily reached by bus from almost anywhere in central and north London.
Both King's Cross and Euston are major stops, with buses arriving from all over the city.- Camden High Street and Chalk farm form an important passageway that travels buses throughout the Camden area. Many converge for Mornington Crescent, Camden Town and Chalk Farm tube stations.
- Kentish Town connects with Camden's main street, as well as the eastern suburbs of the city.
- The night bus N5 travel between Nothern Line tube stations serving Camden through the night.
Both King's Cross and Euston are major stops, with buses arriving from all over the city.On the train
The three major train stations to the north, Euston, St. Pancras and King's Cross, are all located in this town hall, with easy connections to the rest of the city and suburbs to the north.
- 9 Euston. Terminal of the West Coast Main Line company serving the cities of Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow. Easy to walk to from Camden Town or using the Northern Line tube.
- 10 St. Pancras International. Midland Main Line terminal with services to the cities of Leicester, Derby, Nottingham and Sheffield. Here you also take the Eurostar to reach Europe.
- 11 King's Cross. Terminal of the East Coast Main Line company and serves the cities of Cambridge, Leeds, York, Newcastle and Edinburgh. Other commuter services for the northern areas around the city also depart from here.
How to get around
What see
- 1 British Library, 96 Euston Road, NW1 2DB (Tube station: King's Cross, St. Pancras), ☎ 44 20 7412 7332, @[email protected].
Mon, Wed-Fri 09: 30-18: 00, Thu 09: 30-18: 00, Sat 09: 30-17: 00, Sun 11: 00-17: 00. The UK's official book repository that collects a copy of every book ever printed and a large selection of periodicals. Over 150 million books are cataloged, kept on more than 625Km of shelves. Visitors wishing to rent or view books must sign up with proof of identity, home address, and proof that they really need that specific book. Here is also the exhibit "Treasures of the British Library", a chronicle of the written and printed word, with some of the library's best items on display, including two original Magna Carta manuscripts and Leonardo's notes. da Vinci. In addition to all this there are temporary paid exhibitions on history and literature which can get very busy on weekends. In the central atrium is the King's Library (the library of King George III) surrounded by a glass wall through which the librarians could be seen taking books for the readers. Guided tours are on Mon, Wed, Fri-Sat and cost £ 6. You have to call to book. Large suitcases are not allowed inside the building and cannot be left in the cloakroom. 
- 2 Camley Street Urban Wildlife Park (Camley Street Natural Park), 12 Camley Street, N1C 4PW (Tube station: King's Cross St. Pancras), ☎ 44 20 7833 2311, @[email protected]. Mon-Sun 10 am-5pm. A 2 acre nature reserve enclosed within the industrial area north of King's Cross. This small park offers visitors interested in nature the opportunity to learn about the activities of the London Wildlife Trust, which manages 26 reserves in the city. The only reserve in central London.
- 3 Canal Museum (Canal Museum), 12/13 New Wharf Road, N1 9RT (Tube station: King's Cross), ☎ 44 20 7713 0836.
£ 4, children £ 2. Tue-Sun 10: 00-16: 30. It is located inside an old ice warehouse on the Regent's Canal. Contains an exhibition on the history of London's canals. - 4 Jewish Museum (Jewish Museum), 129-131 Albert Street, NW1 7NB (Tube station: Camden Town), ☎ 44 20 7284 1997, @[email protected]. £7.50. Sun-Thu 10: 00-17: 00, Fri 10: 00-14: 00. Recently refurbished with the addition of an extension, it shows the long history of the Jewish community in London.
- 5 Regent Channel (Regent's Canal) (Tube station: King's Cross St. Pancras). Along this canal you can walk or cycle through East London to the Thames (in about 3 hours) starting from the Grand Union Canal near Paddington, west of the city via Regent's Park, Camden, Islington and Mile End to Limehouse where it meets the river. The St. Pancras lock is located just north of the station of the same name. The canal was once very lively and used to trade goods to and from North London. From Camden Lock you can walk upstream to Regent's Park and London Zoo. Beautiful way to get to the London Zoo while avoiding the traffic. Going with the current is a little less beautiful but still very interesting, walking through the Islington Tunnel (one of the longest tunnels in the English canal system) until arriving in East London. Always pay attention to cyclists.
- 6 Old Church of St. Pancras Old Church and cemetery (St. Pancras Old Church and cemetery), Pancras Road, NW1 1UL, ☎ 44 020 7424 0724. Hidden behind St. Pancras station it is thought to be one of the oldest places where the Christian faith is professed in England. Churches have been built on this land since 314 and the current one is a 19th century structure although it contains traces of an older Norman structure. Around the church is a cemetery, now converted into a public park containing a memorial to Mary Wollstonecraft, originally buried here before the remains were later moved to Bournemouth.
- 7 St. Pancras station (St. Pancras International railway station). Neo-Gothic architecture also used in the Harry Potter films.
Mon, Wed-Fri 09: 30-18: 00, Thu 09: 30-18: 00, Sat 09: 30-17: 00, Sun 11: 00-17: 00. The UK's official book repository that collects a copy of every book ever printed and a large selection of periodicals. Over 150 million books are cataloged, kept on more than 625Km of shelves. Visitors wishing to rent or view books must sign up with proof of identity, home address, and proof that they really need that specific book. Here is also the exhibit "Treasures of the British Library", a chronicle of the written and printed word, with some of the library's best items on display, including two original Magna Carta manuscripts and Leonardo's notes. da Vinci. In addition to all this there are temporary paid exhibitions on history and literature which can get very busy on weekends. In the central atrium is the King's Library (the library of King George III) surrounded by a glass wall through which the librarians could be seen taking books for the readers. Guided tours are on Mon, Wed, Fri-Sat and cost £ 6. You have to call to book. Large suitcases are not allowed inside the building and cannot be left in the cloakroom.
£ 4, children £ 2. What to do
There are many beautiful walk along the canal but the main attraction is the shops, restaurants and nightlife.
- 1 Shaw Theater, 100-110 Euston Road, NW1 2AJ (Adjacent to the British Library. Tube station: Euston), ☎ 44 20 7387 6864. A theater that bears the name of George Bernard Shaw and is famous for staging high quality independent productions.
Shopping
Camden Town Markets
Markets are the main reason people come to Camden. Various markets are squeezed in the area between Camden Town and Chalk Farm stations, and on the weekend it may be difficult to tell them apart. Due to tourism they have sadly become more commercial and less unique than they once were although it is still possible to find interesting things to buy: art, books, clothes, music, just go further inside.
- 1 The Lock Market (at Camden Lock). Sat-Sun 09: 00-18: 00. Many stalls specializing in music and clothes. This is the market that everyone is referring to when it comes to the Camden market.
- 2 The Stables Market (next to the railroad bridge on Chalk Farm Road just past the Lock Market). some stalls are there all week, but mostly Sat-Sun 09: 00-18: 00. This is the largest market that is home to hundreds of stalls selling everything from African art to beds, fetish items to antiques. Probably the best place in London for clothes. The Cyberdog shop is an experience in itself and on its lower level they sell adult items. Burleska and Sai Sai products have always been selling here.
- 3 Camden Lock Village. The three-story market that used to be here burned down in 2008. After its reopening, fewer stalls have found space, also because the owners are trying to obtain building permits.
- 4 Inverness Street Market (Across the Chalk Farm Road from Camden tube station). Small market selling fruit and vegetables, clothes and other items. This is the smallest market in Camden even though it is the original one.
- 5 The Buck Street Market. It is best avoided but it is the first market you come across when you turn right just outside the tube station and it has the sign "The Camden Market". It only sells t-shirts, shoes and items that can be found anywhere in the world.
Shops
In addition to the markets there are also many interesting shops. If you walk slowly along Chalk Farm Road you can see the fantastic collections of leather boots and dresses that dominate this street. Noteworthy are:
- 6 Amsterdam of London, 244A Camden High Street, NW1 8QS, ☎ 44 020 7428 9442. Probably London's finest purveyor of curious things. They also sell stuff for smoking weed.
- 7 Dr. Martens Camden Store, 26-27, NW1 8AH (Tube station: Camden Town), ☎ 44 20 3006 8080. Sun-Fri 10: 00-19: 00 - Sat 09: 00-19: 00. It has been selling Doc Martens amphibians since the 1960s. The owner is very happy to tell stories about the strangest requests received from famous people.
- 8 Rokit Camden, 225 Camden High Street, NW1 7BU, ☎ 44 20 7267 3046. Mon-Sun 10 am-7pm. Born as a stall, today it has transformed into a four-story shop.
- 9 The Harry Potter Shop at Platform 9 3/4, King's Cross, Pancras Road, N1 9AP, ☎ 44 20 3196 7375. Mon-Sat: 08: 00-22: 00, Sun: 09: 00-21: 00. Official store of the Harry Potter brand in London. Adjacent to the famoros track where you can take a photo while pushing a trolley with suitcases through a wall. The other store of the same brand is located outside London, at Warner Brothers Studios in Watford.
- 10 Escapade, 45-46 Chalk Farm Road, London, NW1 8AJ., ☎ 44 20 7485 7384. Mon-Fri 10: 00-20: 00; Sat 10: 00-18: 00; Sun 12: 00-17: 00. Party costume shop where you can buy clothes, masks, face paints and various accessories.
How to have fun
Camden has a great nightlife with many bars, pubs, restaurants and clubs.
Pubs, bars and cafes
- 1 Devonshire Arms (The Dev), 33 Kentish Town Road, NW1 8NL, ☎ 44 20 7937 0710. Sun-Wed 12: 00-00: 00; Thu 14: 00-01: 00; Fri-Sat 14: 00-02: 00. Dress code is strictly alternative and the pub is licensed to stay open late on Fridays and Saturdays. Every night there are DJs playing records or there are concerts. The artwork attached to the walls was produced by Robin, the bartender.
- 2 The Dublin Castle, 94 Parkway, NW1 7AN. A little noisy and often overcrowded, this pub and concert hall has played a key role in English music. Famous for producing Madness and helping many other bands on their way to glory. It is worth a visit, if only for the atmosphere.
- 3 The Edinboro Castle, 57 Mornington Terrace, NW1 7RU (just off the end of Parkway on the left), ☎ 44 20 7255 9651. Mon-Fri 12: 00-23: 00; Sat 12: 00-23: 00; Sun 12: 00-22: 30. Located in a more refined area of London, this pub is part of a chain that seeks to have a little more class. Good selection of beer and cider, also from Belgium, both by the bottle and by the glass. The food is always good and the staff are always nice there is a large outdoor seating area, partly covered and with heating.
- 4 The Good Mixer, 30 Inverness Street, NW1 7HJ (off Camden High Street), ☎ 44 20 3076 0002, @[email protected]. Mon-Thu 12: 00-01: 00; Fri-Sat 12: 00-02: 00; Sun 12: 00-00: 30. A good pub where many bnritpop bands like Blur and Pulp drank in the 90s. Reasonable prices, two pool tables and a relaxed atmosphere.
- 5 Hawley Arms, 2 Castlehaven Road, NW1 8QU, ☎ 44 20 7428 5979. Sun-Thu 12: 00-00: 00; Fri-Sat 12: 00-01: 00. Hidden in a side street near the stables market, it is spread over two floors and has a small garden and a roof terrace. Sometimes there are concerts upstairs. One of Amy Winehouse's favorite pubs.
- 6 Jazz Café, 5 Parkway, NW1 7PG, ☎ 44 20 7485 6834. 19:00-03:00. Food, drinks and music (jazz, soul, blues). Every Saturday here it turns into an 80s nightclub.
- 7 The Prince Arthur, 80-82 Eversholt Street, NW1 1BX, ☎ 44 207 387 2165, @[email protected]. Good pub near Euston station.
- 8 The World's End, 174 Camden High Street, NW1 0NE (Tube station: Camden Town), ☎ 44 20 7482 1932, @[email protected]. Mon-Thu 11: 00-23: 00; Fri-Sat 11: 00-01: 00; Sun 12: 00-10: 30. Reference point of the area and good meeting point. Large, with two separate bars and plenty of seating. They serve food during the week.
Discos and concert halls
- 9 The Blues Kitchen, 111-113 Camden High Street, NW1 7JN, ☎ 44 20 7387 5277. Mon-Mar 12: 00-00: 00; Wed-Thu and Sun 12: 00-01: 00; Fri 12: 00-02: 30; Sat 12: 00-03: 00.
- 10 Ladder, 275 Pentonville Road, King's Cross, ☎ 44 20 7833 2022. Place for alternative music.
- 11 Egg, 200 York Way, N7 9AX, ☎ 44 20 7871 7111, @[email protected].
- 12 Electric Ballroom, 184 Camden High Street, NW1 8QP, ☎ 44 20 7485 9007, @[email protected]. Fri-Sat 22: 30-03: 00. Here are various and different dance nights. It's a big place with two separate tracks and four bars. One track specializes in rock, while the other specializes in industrial / goth / rock / techno.
- 13 The Underworld, 174 Camden High Street, NW1 0NE, ☎ 44 20 7482 1932, fax: 44 20 7482 1955, @[email protected]. Sun-Thu 07: 00-23: 00; Fri-Sat 06: 00-03: 00. Great place to go to see bands playing live goth, metal, electronica, rock, punk and more. Friday nights are also very popular with the "alternative".
- 14 The Camden Assembly Pub, 49 Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AN, ☎ 44 20 7424 0800. Mon-Wed 17: 00-01: 00; Thu 17: 00-02: 00; Fri 17: 00-03: 00; Sat 12: 00-03: 00; Sun 12: 00-00: 00. One of the best places in North London to see a variety of concerts, especially rock and pop.
Where to eat
Camden offers a very varied cuisine. A key part of the culinary chain are the many stalls in the markets offering food from around the world; the quality varies but is generally good and cheap. These stalls are typically found around the lock and the stalls market even though they are everywhere. The stall selling donuts and cakes near the bridge has always been successful, as well as the many Chinese and Thai stalls. There are also many more formal restaurants, most of them at fair prices that open after the stalls close.
- 1 Chop Chop Noodle Bar, 1 Euston Road, NW1 2SA (opposite the main entrance to King's Cross Station), ☎ 44 20 7833 1773. £3.50. Mon-Sun 12: 00-22: 30. Selection of Chinese and oriental dishes both to eat seated and to take away. Rich portions for the hungry even if the quality is not the best, it reflects what you pay for.
- 2 Marine Ices, Old Dairy Mews, 61 Chalk Farm Road, ☎ 44 20 7482 9003. £10. Mon-Sun 13: 00-21: 00. Family-run Italian café and ice cream parlor, with very friendly staff. Perfect for families or those attending Roundhouse concerts. Although today it is no longer in its original location, it has been open since the 1930s.
- 3 Little Bay Kilburn, 228 Belsize Road, NW6 4BT (just off Kilburn High Road, around the corner from Kilburn High Road station), ☎ 44 20 7372 4699, @[email protected]. £9.95. Sun-Thu 12: 00-23: 00; Fri-Sat 12: 00-00: 00. European restaurant serving quality food at a good price. They also have offers for groups of more than 12 people.
- 4 Shaka Zulu, Stables Market, Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AB, ☎ 44 20 3376 9911. Sun-Thu 12: 00-00: 00; Fri-Sat 12: 00-02: 00. South African restaurant. The interior decor houses 6-meter high statues of warriors, while on the walls and ceilings there are murals carved in wood.
- 5 St. Pancras International Station (St. Pancras International Station), Euston Road, N1C 4QP, ☎ 44 20 7843 7688. Here you will find various cafes for quick meals.
Where stay
Moderate prices
- 1 Smart Camden Inn Hostel, 55-57 Bayham Street, NW1 0AA, ☎ 44 20 7388 8900. Dormitory £ 15-20. Check in: 11:00, check-out: 10:00.
- 2 St. Christopher's Camden, 50 Camden High Street, NW1 0LT, ☎ 44 20 7388 1012, @[email protected]. Dorm from £ 12, breakfast and Wi-Fi included. Check in: 14:00, check-out: 10:00. On the corner of Camden high Street and Plender Street, where there is a small morning market. On the ground floor is the Belushi's bar.
- 3 YHA London St. Pancras, 79-81 Euston Road, ☎ 44 870 770 6044, @[email protected]. Dorm from £ 21.95 including breakfast.
Average prices
- 4 Camden Lock Hotel, 89 Chalk Farm Road, NW1 8AR (Tube station: Chalk Farm), ☎ 44 20 7267 3912, @[email protected]. £79. Family run hotel at a good price and five minutes from the main markets. Without lift.
- 5 Corner House Hotel, 201 Camden Road, NW1 9AA (Tube station: Kentish Town), ☎ 44 20 7424 9509, @[email protected]. £85. Located in a very nice Victorian building about 10 minutes from the main area of Camden Town. They have single, double and family rooms.
- 6 Holiday Inn Camden Lock, 30 Jamestown Road, NW1 7BY (Tube station: Camden Town), ☎ 44 20 7485 4343. From £ 150. Modern hotel with 130 rooms beside the canal near Camden Lock.
- 7 Premier Travel Inn King's Cross, 26-30 York Way, N1 9AA (Tube station: King's Cross), ☎ 44 0871 527 8672. From £ 70. Modern, clean and reasonably priced hotel.
High prices
- 8 London St. Pancras coach (formerly Novotel St. Pancras), 100 - 110 Euston Road (Tube station: King's Cross St. Pancras or Euston), ☎ 44 20 7666 9000, fax: 44 20 7666 9025, @[email protected]. From £ 200. Located at the same distance between the two stations of Euston and St. Pancras. It has spacious rooms and good views from the upper floors. Furnishings and finishes worthy of a hotel of this class.
- 9 St. Pancras Renaissance Hotel (Midland Hotel), Euston Road, London, England, NW1 2AR, United Kingdom, ☎ 44 20 7841 3540. Located inside a neo-gothic building above St. Pancras station. Definitely out of reach for many travelers but for architecture aficionados this is a hotel in which to stay at least one night in a lifetime.
How to keep in touch
Useful information
Safety
Camden is strongly associated with drugs, especially cannabis and mushrooms. Even during the day you can receive offers from drug dealers on the street. Keep in mind that drugs are illegal, street vendors are not trustworthy and often steal money. Also, there are many plainclothes policemen who set traps.
Walking at night in this area is generally safe even if you have to watch out for gangs of kids and it is advisable to avoid them if you are alone. It is recommended to walk in well-lit streets, such as Camden High Street and if you are feeling insecure it is a good idea to take a taxi.
Fake goods are easy to find in Camden. Most of the time it is pretty obvious but you always have to be very careful also because it is difficult for them to return money. Pirated DVDs are of very bad quality.
Other projects
Wikipedia contains an entry concerning Camden Town Hall
Commons contains images or other files on Camden Town Hall
