Turncoats: North vs South London debate

Of all the 272 Tube stations, fewer than 9% are south of the Thames while 39 out of 41 Elizabeth Line stations are in the North. Yet ironically North London’s transport generosity seems to create a culture that is anything but.

While southern Londoners obligingly drag themselves North at the behest of friends in Clapton or Chalk Farm without complaint, persuading a Northerner to cross the river in the other direction is like drawing blood from a stone. There are at least 59 ways to cross the river in the capital by foot, boat, road, rail or cable car, yet many North Londoners still insist the south of their city is “difficult to get to”.

What is it about North London that breeds a pampered psyche too timid to venture beyond Hackney or try the Thameslink? Why would so many North Londoners rather queue round the block for a cramped seat at an over-hyped small plates restaurant in Soho when for half the price they could have a vat of Ecuadorian fish soup or a mountain of Nigerian suya on The Old Kent Road? Who would choose the Maseratis of Knightsbridge, the banker-wankers of the City and the insufferably smug postcard families of Stoke Newington over Burgess Park barbecues, the Blackheath Kite Day and that sauna in the Finnish church?

In these hyper-polarised times, Turncoats returns to SET Social to tackle the biggest schism of our divided nation. Buckingham Palace vs Crystal Palace. The Ivy members club vs The Ivy House community pub. Fancy buildings and high air pollution vs sprawling parks and modernist council estates.

The ultimate grudge match: North vs South London.

Speakers

North London
Kasia Tomasiewicz
Pater Bloxham

South London
Hidigo Dulane
Owen Hatherley

Chair
Aydin Dikerdem

Additional performers to be announced.

Event details

Date: Thursday 5 March
Time: 7-10pm
Tickets: From £8

Book tickets

Turncoats is presented in partnership with FA Front and Architecture Foundation.