The state of Camden

[ben_j_davis]

My memories of Camden Town are of buskers by the cash points, drug dealers patrolling the streets, shops packed so full of clothes you had to walk single file down the aisles, people handing out weird and wonderful leaflets, the smell of Chinese food and second hand clothing. Maybe those were some of the bad things, but you could spend hours exploring all the different market stales and roads/paths only to find more. All the stuff there was so varied and different to the things usually found round Oxford street. It was a little haven from large scale commercialism.

Now things have changed, Camden has started to change and not for the best. Loads of new designer coffee and clothes shops have opened up. There is now some huge building where a large section of a market used to be. The market stall themselves have been put into little rooms. Camden is starting to be turned into another Oxford street and i for one am not happy.

 

[Borris]

I take it you're referring to Camden Town, and not the borough (which stretches from Holborn to Hampstead and Kilburn?

My memories of Camden Town are that it's still a hole.

That being said, high street cloning is endemic (and doesn't the ES bang on about it).

 

[Sirrel Squirrel]

Camden Town still has homeless people on the streets, people asking you for money, people walking in your way and drug dealers on every corner, I know this because I have to work there.

 

[dymetrie]

Camden Town still has homeless people on the streets, people asking you for money, people walking in your way and drug dealers on every corner, I know this because I have to work there.

this is true... in fact it has even more now after they were shunted out of Kings Cross

I know this because I work for Camden in Kings Cross

(and am part of the team responsible for shunting them out of Kings Cross \o/)

 

[Sirrel Squirrel]

o just to add before anyond thinks I'm some sort of bum in Camden, I do work for a respectable media company lol

 

[Borris]

respectable media company

That would be an oxymoron.

 

[Supercow]

I love the pit that is Camden Town, shame about all the coffee shops n stuff

 

[Sirrel Squirrel]

That would be an oxymoron.

lol, ok then I work for a large media conglomerate that has no soul and eats up little companies and spits them out

 

[[DOD]Asprilla]

I used to like Camden Town, but I grew out of it.

I doubt the proliferation of drugs and petty criminality is particularly enjoyed by the residents. Fairly sure that most of them would prefer a mocha-frappachino to being mugged or offered class As.

 

[AJUK]

Camden Town still has homeless people on the streets, people asking you for money, people walking in your way and drug dealers on every corner, I know this because I have to work there.

So do a lot of other places around the country.

 

[Jenjey]

Lol, it still has all that stuff!
Was coming back from a fashion show at the electric ballroom with my boyfriend and some trampy looking guy whispers in his ear "want any coke?"

Hmmmph.

 

[Sirrel Squirrel]

Thing with Camden though, this is pretty much the whole town but it's more the main roads I've noticed, wouldn't go near the back roads, you'll probably get mugged and thrown in the lock or something, quite suprising really as the area is getting quite big with tourists.

Just walk down the high street and you keep hearing, 'skunk, weed, skunk', 'yo boss, want some skunk', 'no I don't get the **** out me way', I haven't actually said that yet lol

 

[Von Smallhausen]

Lol, it still has all that stuff!
Was coming back from a fashion show at the electric ballroom with my boyfriend and some trampy looking guy whispers in his ear "want any coke?"

Hmmmph.

He might have been a salesman for Coca Cola ?

 

[Koncordski]

The cureent phrase of choice for the black guys in trench coats by the tube is, "Skunk, Hash anything?".


Always tempted to ask what anything is?

 

[Supercow]

Lol, it still has all that stuff!
Was coming back from a fashion show at the electric ballroom with my boyfriend and some trampy looking guy whispers in his ear "want any coke?"

Hmmmph.

if you came from the Electric Ballroom, you prolly had some already

 

[Sirrel Squirrel]

The cureent phrase of choice for the black guys in trench coats by the tube is, "Skunk, Hash anything?".


Always tempted to ask what anything is?

yep lol, I've just come back from my break and walked past the tube station, got asked that exact same thing twice

 

[_Jimlad_]

i live in Southampton, and i must admit that going to Camden for the day is one of my best days out, i try and do it 4 times a year, i love the retro clothes shops and the atmosphere... also quite funny to be offer drugs on the street all day long, hmmm and the food in the market area is lovely!

I guess it is changing (like everywhere) and small shops and stalls are in a way doomed, sad but true...

Camden still has a bit of life left in her yet!

 

[Rich_L]

Camden's quality

Loooooaaaaaads of foreign fitties...schweeeeeeeet.

Tons of mentalists as well. There was a cool crazy man who offered to shake my hand, I accepted and he started squeezing it really hard. I obviously accepted the challenge and squeezed back, eyes locked in contact, we engaged in a battle of 'Over The Top'-esque strength and mental fortitude. Who would blink or ease off first?

After a few seconds of this epic clash he eased off, grunted 'Hmm, you're a man' and walked off, him presumably satisfied and me strangely elated by apparent approval of a slightly strange, possibly homeless hand-shaking Camden man.

Happy days

 

[Jenjey]

He might have been a salesman for Coca Cola ?

Sure m'love

if you came from the Electric Ballroom, you prolly had some already

I'll have you know it was a charity fashion show I went to see, and I was having nothing but lemonade!

 

[Garrett]

I used to live in Camden Town until recently, it changed a lot in the two years I lived there, but I'd still say its got a long way to go until its gentrified like Islington - not that I'd want it to be.

Some proper pubs in Camden to, and lots of free live music.