Hackney Hardcore

(an interesting house in Hackney)

I’ve nicked the title for this from one of my artistic heroes. Jonny Banger, DJ, Entrepeneur and knock-off king, did a bootleg sweatshirt of the Helly Hansen brand – changing the type to say Hackney Hardcore.

Now, the point of this site, isn’t to get political. It’s about interesting houses. We can argue all day about gentrification and the effect this has on the housing market. What I will say is that 20 years ago, when I worked in London (in commercial property), Hackney was something you heard of but didn’t go to, never mind live. It’s all changed, and with the stirring of creative types all over the borough into big business, with it comes big money, and with it comes expensive homes.

This has been on the market for a few months, but has been reduced twice lately.

It’s the freehold for the whole building – there’s no mention of whether there’s a sitting tenant in the commercial unit, but that’s probably not a bad thing. Commercial units of all shapes and sizes command a decent £psf in this neck of the woods; just make sure you put a sensible break clause in it.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-67966072.html

So, what’s to like?

Potential, and lots of it. Or, you could live here as is, and not get much privacy and use it as some sort of shared space. Chances are though, you’ll want to develop it. You could, with planning, convert the upstairs living accomodation into two self-contained flats. I’m no builder, but either way, you’re going to have to spend money on this, so why not spend it on two flats, and use the sale of one to fund the one you live in?

The area is great too. If you like gentrification, that is. It’s in Hackney Wick, which is the next part of Hackney to be pushed hard on outsiders with a view to making as much buck from the brick as is possible. It is an area rich in culture and diversity – and while I said this place wasn’t for politics, gentrification tends to favour those who already live there the least. But, if you’re a City worker looking for an easy commute and a double-life, or you’re a creative embedded in the heart of Shoreditch, this is somewhere you could see yourself living.

Loads of decent bars, pop-up independent shops and places to get really nice coffee.

What’s not to like?

Hipsters. Everywhere. The sort who spend all day writing and coding rather than grafting.

Let’s have a nosey around the area then.

I’ll streetview so you don’t have to.

It looked like this ten years ago.

Someone has spent a few quid.

Other than that, it’s mostly a mix of 70’s residential, and some modern mid 80’s commercial units that wouldn’t look out of place with Arthur Daley hanging out the back window of Dennis Waterman’s car with a cigar on. Which makes it possibly more authentic than a lot of the Farrow & Ball nonsense in the more Victorian and Georgian parts of town.

Who do I contact if I want to spend £2,400,000 on this interesting house in Hackney?

It’s being marketed by Stirling Ackroyd in Clapton – 020 3858 3265. They don’t know I have written about it here, and I’ve not been given permission to recreate their photos, but as usual, if requested to take them down, I will.