Camden Town

Camden Town

Camden Town is a place in the London Borough of Camden. It is an inner-city district located 2.3 miles (3.7 km) north north-west of Charing Cross, famous for its crowded market and as a centre for alternative lifestyles. The area is popular with students, including those from overseas. The area has a reputation for readily available drugs.

Attractions
The Regent's Canal runs through the north end of Camden Town and is a popular walk in summer. Close by is Regent's Park with the London Zoo sited in the north side. The Roundhouse is a music venue located in a converted railway roundhouse, which is currently (May 2003) being refurbished. It was originally an engine shed for the London and Birmingham Railway. Apart from the eponymous market, there is a selection of shops, bars and cafes, which are more mainstream on the High St. south of the tube station. The area has several language schools, such as Camden College of English, located at the Chalk Farm side of the market.

Camden market

Camden is well-known for Camden Market which is made up of Buck Street Market, Stables Market, Inverness Street Market, Camden Canal Market, and Camden Lock Market, and an indoor market located in the Electric Ballroom. The markets are a major tourist attraction, particularly busy at weekends, selling variety of fashion, lifestyle and bizarre goods; they (and the surrounding shops) are popular with young people, in particular those searching for "alternative" clothing. Stables Market also has growing antique and furniture trade.
Due to the high popularity of the Camden Market with visitors and tourists, some more mainstream businesses such as a Virgin Megastore and a Holiday Inn have moved into the area in recent years, diluting the "alternative" character that made the market popular. Food outlets in particular have thrived, and represent an extensive range of world cuisine.

Transport

Because of the popularity of the market it is necessary to close Camden Town tube station to outbound passengers on Sunday afternoon. To resolve the inadequacy of the station, London Underground sought to replace it with a much larger one. The proposal involved the compulsory purchase of the whole block on which the station is situated and would have required demolition of the Electric Ballroom and the reallocation of Buck Street Market. Larger shop units, office space and some flats were proposed for the new building. The radical changes gathered significant opposition from people who felt they would damage the character of the area, and they were rejected in 2004. Transport for London still wishes to enhance the station, but it is unclear when they will announce a new proposal or what it will involve.

In music

There is a song by Morrissey from his recent album You Are the Quarry called "Come Back To Camden", which was written about Camden Town; Camden Town, from Uffington Horse's debut album Enchantment, is also about the area. Camden Town is also mentioned in the Pulp song "Sorted for E's and Wizz".

In Film...

The cult film Withnail and I starts and ends in Camden Town, and features Regent's Park as well.

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