Where I Write in London #5 Belsize Park

Welcome to Where I Write in London, a blog where I take my laptop somewhere new and report back. The coffee (or wine), the atmosphere, the distractions—I'll cover it all. Come along and grab a seat.

#5 Belsize Park

This is my home. I moved to Belsize Park recently and it's where I write more than anywhere.

The name comes from the French "bel assis" which means beautifully situated. It's leafy, calm, and pretty in that understated North London way. No crowds, just tree-lined streets, good coffee, and bakeries that make mornings worth getting up for.

The Café Scene

Belsize Park has a large Jewish community, which means the bagels and pastries here are exceptional. There's no shortage of places to sit and write. I rotate between a few spots in the village and along Haverstock Hill, and the thing I love is that nobody's ever in a rush. People amble along with dogs, prams, or newspapers. I’m actually one of the few carrying a laptop around.

The Celebrity Brit

Quite a few famous people live here and the neighbourhood has been home to everyone from Jude Law to Kate Winslet to Noel Gallagher. And the reason they live here is exactly the reason it's a great place to write: nobody bothers them. There are very few tourists here, which is rare for London.

Things Overheard

"They started walking their own dog. I think they might be in financial trouble."

"The new neighbours have a piano. I don't want to be that person, but... yeah."

"We need to talk about the recycling situation because I can't keep doing this alone and it’s making me anxious."

"He's not really an actor anymore, he just does the voiceovers now. For the pension."

"She's training to be a breathwork facilitator. I didn't know breathing needed a facilitator, but here we are."

The Supermarket Situation

I also have to mention Kavanagh's, which is technically a supermarket but feels more like a food hall. Sushi bar, juice bar, patisserie, a wet fish counter, a freshly cooked food section, and about 150 artisan suppliers. I go in for milk and come out twenty minutes later with things I don’t need and don’t know how to prepare.

The Writing Part

Writing here is very calming. There's no people-watching spectacle and no chaos to feed off. It's just quiet and familiar, and sometimes that's exactly what you need. I know where to sit, I know what to order, and I know nobody's going to interrupt me.

Today I worked on a new manuscript I’m not supposed to be working on because I’m dodging admin work. It’s a semi-erotic novel and it’s getting very hot!!! More on that soon.

Practical Notes

If you're a writer looking for somewhere calm and low-key, Belsize Park is great. Any day of the week works — it never gets overwhelmingly busy. Bring a book for the gaps between writing sprints or buy one at Daunt Books, and leave time to wander around.

Next time, I’ll take you somewhere different.