Three senior ladies going to London for four days. Looking at an apartment in Farringdon Road, Islington, London I am needing to know how safe the area is. I found opposing comments. One says crime rate is 100crimes per 1,000. Yet another says it is a lovely quite area.
Please if anyone is familiar with this area reply to my question so I can make the right safe decision.
Appreciate any info, Elizabeth
I think Islington is quite safe. London has cameras everywhere which keeps street crime quite low compared to the U.S.
As for the statistics- the highest crime rate in London which is double the rate of Islington— is actually in Westminster where the attractions of The Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey and Buckingham Palace- Queen Elizabeth’s house— are all located! Go figure- maybe it’s because all the politicians are there-
Have a great Trip!
I would describe Farringdon Road as Clerkenwell, not Islington, although it probably lies in the Borough of Islington. Farringdon Road is a very busy thoroughfare rather than a quiet back street, so there will be traffic noise. It’s a mix of offices, residential blocks and the main Royal Mail Sorting Office for London (good museum there). It’s a bit more functional than pretty and as far as central London goes, it’s a bit further from a tube station than some areas, but it is on a bus route. Chancery Lane tube is somewhere between a 5-15 minute walk depending on which end of Farringdon Road the flat is located.
There are a number of cafes and restaurants locally.
You should be safe there.
Please consider filtering the levels of "crime" to define your actual risk. Pickpockets are a village industry within all areas of tourism which is the main reason Westminster is ranked #1 for crime (40% of crime in this area is theft). You are not going to escape being in a pickpocket environment, but read RS suggestions on how to take actions to reduce being a target.
That area couldn’t be safer, and your risk is mostly limited to remembering which way traffic flows when you’re crossing the street.
My own area of the USA might be considered high crime but it’s mostly kids getting caught with a fake ID trying to get into bars under the age of 21.
I’ve PM’d you. Check your email and spam. Title references RS Forum..
Thanks to each of you for replying. It is tremendously helpful.
I and my companions are relieved and happy to begin our trip .
Much appreciated, Elizabeth.
It would be good to know which end of Farringdon Road you'll be at. They are somewhat different.
I'd agree that it is generally considered Clerkenwell. As Jennifer accurately mentioned, transport is less than perfect. There is Farringdon tube/train station, and there is a sprinkling of buses - Farringdon Road isn't well served by buses. Just the 63 (Kings Cross to Blackfriars and onwards to Elephant and Castle) and the 341 (from the Angel and beyond to Waterloo via Fleet Street and Waterloo Bridge). The spider map of the area is at https://content.tfl.gov.uk/bus-route-maps/clerkenwell-a4-170421.pdf
The road can reflect variously, Kings Cross, the Mount Pleasant and Rosebury area, then into what was the Italian quarter, an area of reconstruction, then the Smithfield Meat Market, and then the southern end is in The City, the financial centre.
