Case+Study+-+Notting+Hill+-+Darren

__Location__ Notting Hill is in an area in West London, in the Royal Borough of Chelsea and Kensington. The area is most well known for Portabello Market on Portabello Road which runs everyday except Sundays. Also the Notting Hill Carnival which runs annually in the last month of August. __History__ Although the place is now a bustling urban area, in the mid-eighteenth century it was a country hamlet, known for its gravel pits and roadside inns, which proved a magnet for highwaymen. The unpopular tollgate, which gave the main road its name, appeared at this time. Industrialisation brought workers in from the countryside, with landlords building tiny terraced houses to rent to the poor. In Victorian times, Notting Hill was a rough, working-class area and by the 1950s the area had become synonymous with slum landlords and inner-city deprivation. In 1958, it was the scene of race riots after tensions arose between the newly arrived Afro-Caribbean community and the teddy boys of the fascist British Union. A second riot took place during the infamous Notting Hill Carnival of 1976 __Change in the last 30 years__ The past 30 years have seen a steady northwards swarm of gentrification, with estate agents coining names like ‘Hillgate Village’ for previously working-class neighbourhoods, sending property prices rocketing. Houses can cost more here than in ultra-upmarket Mayfair. Notting Hill’s secluded communal gardens, sandwiched between the rows of houses and scarcely visible from the street, make it London’s most desirable area for families. __Process Of Change__ Unsurprisingly, the regeneration of many parts of Notting Hill in the last decade or so has seen property prices spiral rapidly. What with the mixture of vibrant main streets and peaceful residential areas, and the plethora of shops, restaurants, bars and other sources of entertainment, this part of London is a very popular place to live. Notting Hill is also extremely sought after because of the different types of properties - from modern new-build apartments, to flats in converted Victorian buildings, to grand large houses. __Notting Hill Today__ § //Notting Hill//, the movie, helped popularise the area, but gentrification was underway long beforehand. Movie stars, rock singers, media types and fashion designers (such as Stella McCartney) are flooding into the area, which has acquired the sort of atmosphere associated with King’s Road, Chelsea, in the 1960s. The Canal Way branch of Sainsbury’s near the Ladbroke Grove tube station is now said to be one of the best places in London to spot celebrities. Veronica’s — this place devotes itself to reviving Britain’s culinary heritage, serving historical dishes derived from 2,000-year-old menus. The Westbourne Pub — with its trendy crowds. Lazy Daisy Café — famous for its delicious puddings and cakes. The Golbourne Road area — well known for its Portuguese and Moroccan eateries and the infamous Trellick Tower.

__Quotes From People Living In The Area__ ‘No — the truth is, it’s extremely expensive and those who are not rich are very poor.’ ‘The average standard of living is still low, the streets are filled with litter and the buildings are covered with graffiti.’ ‘Some parts are just an overpriced and overcrowded bedsit land.’ ‘Very over-rated as a living area…that film…if I ever meet Hugh Grant, I'm going to punch him!'