SHOREDITCH PARK

Neighbourhood guide: Shoreditch Park

Immediately north of the City of London, Shoreditch represents the best of inner city living and its central location gives it an irresistible lure for those working in the City and the creative industries that thrive on the doorstep. But the area was once outside the City boundaries and beyond the limits of the puritanical lawmakers therein. It was a place where actors, poets, prostitutes and spies lived and made merry. The first playhouse in Britain was built here in 1576, and some of Shakepeare's most famous plays were first shown here. It was an infamous spot for drinking, dancing and ‘play making’, and some would say that things haven't changed – much. Shoreditch High Street has an astounding array of bars and restaurants, still patronised by people in the arts community. Venture into backstreets and Dickensian alleyways however and you’ll find a more sophisticated side to Shoreditch. Designer shops sell everything from speciality coffee to exquisite antiques and hand made shoes, while hip hotels and rooftop bars cram in around the increasingly upmarket galleries. With the arrival of Shoreditch House and the Ace Hotel, Shoreditch has grown up slightly, but it is unlikely to lose its reputation as a pleasure seekers’ paradise, nor would its residents want it to.