Notting Hill

GentrificationGentrification is the rehabilitation/renewal of a deteriorated neighbourhood by new residents who are wealthier than the long-time residents. This can cause an increase in house prices and lead to the displacement of the long-time residents. It is often small scale and incremental, usually instigated by individual people and is often accompanied by landscape and street furniture improvements.§
An example of Gentrification is that of Notting Hill. Although the place is now a bustling urban area, in the mid-eighteenth century a country hamlet that was known for it's gravel pits and roadside inns had proved to be a magnet in attracting highwaymen. The unpopular tollgate, which gave the main road it's name appeared during this time. The Industrialisation brought many workers in from the countryside (urbanisation), with the landlords building tiny terreced houses to rent to the poor. During the Victorian Times Notting Hill was a rough, working class area and by the 1950's the area had become synonymous with slum landlords and inner-city deprivation. In 1958, it was the scene of many race riots after the tensions arose between the newly arrived afro-caribbean community and the teddy boys of the facist British Unioon, a secound riot then took place during the infamous Notting Hill Carnival in 1976.

The past 30 years have seen a steady northwards swarm of gentrification, with estate agents coining names like 'Hillgate Village' for the previous working-class neighbourhoods which then sent the property prices rocketing, to a point where houses can now cost more than in the ultra-upmarket Mayfair. Notting Hills secluded communal gardens, sandwiched between the rows of houses and scarcely visible from the street, make it today London's most desirable area for families.

Notting Hill: The Movie, helped to popularise the area in households around the world and area, but Gentrification had already being underway a long time before this. This tempted Movie Stars, Rock Singers, Media Types and Fashion Designers to flood into the area which has now acquired a similar atmosphere to that associated with King's Road, Chelsea in the 1960's. The Canal Way branch of Sainsburys near the Ladbroke Grove tube station is now said to be one of the best places in London to spot celebrities.
It has also become one of the best places to eat and drink with such places as Veronica's that is a place that devotes itself to reviving Britains culinary heritage, by serving historical dishes derived from 2,000 year old menu's.§
Portbello Road, is the world's most famous market, although it is really several markets just after one another it is said you can buy just about anything there and people have being doing just that since 1837, the market is known locally as 'thelane' serves up 3 different experiences: antiques to the south, vegetables and fruit in the middle with secound hand clothing, bedding and random bits and bob's to the north. Notting Hill is also home to the biggest street festival outside of Rio de Janiero, their is a large percentage of Caribbean in the area and the 3-day carnival is held over the last Bank Holiday Weekend of August and is attended by over 1million people with the revellers being drawn in by the colour, people, food, large sound systems pumping out Caribbean music, dancing and a riotous all-day street party during the grand parade of floats.

However despite Gentrification being mainly positive as it does such things as: the stabilisation of declining communities, increases property values, reduces vacancy rates and the refurbishment of property. It can cause displacement of local people through the rent/prices increase, it can also cause community resentment and conflict and speculative property price increases along with changes of the local services to higher upper class services.

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