Haringey: Short Guide
The London borough of Haringey is located in North London, covering an area of 11 miles, including Portis Green (in part), Muswell Hill, Highgate (in part), Crouch End, Bowes Park (in part), Hornsey, Wood Green, Harringay, West Green, and Tottenham. It’s home to some top London landmarks, such as Alexandra Palace, Bruce Castle and Tottenham Hotspur Football Club.
The History of Haringey
Haringey once sat at the edge of a large glacial mass that reached as far south as Muswell Hill, and there is strong evidence of Stone Age and Bronze Age activity in the area. The name ‘Haringey’ originates from the medieval place name ‘Haringeie’ or ‘Haringesheye’, which translates to ‘Enclosure in the Gray Wood’.
It remained mostly rural up until the 18th century when large country houses close to London grew in popularity. From the 19th century, the arrival of railway and tram systems led to rapid urbanisation, eventually resulting in the official London borough of Haringey being created in 1965. This combined the previous municipalities of Hornsey, Wood Green and Tottenham.
A bustling borough
Boasting a huge population of over 280,000 people, Haringey is incredibly young and diverse — 38% of residents are from BAME groups and over 180 languages are spoken. It’s largely a residential area with many popular green spaces, such as Finsbury Park, Highgate Wood and Queen’s Wood.
More than 13,000 businesses were registered in Haringey in 2018. From light engineering and metal goods manufacturing, to furniture, clothing and footwear, the borough houses many industries. The public sector is the biggest employer in Haringey, though there are also plenty of small businesses, with 93% of companies hiring fewer than nine people.
Landmarks and culture
Alexandra Palace (also called Ally Pally), an arts and entertainment complex, is located within the borough and has seen the likes of Queen, The Stone Roses, and Blur perform at the venue. It has a rich and fascinating history, having burned down in a fire back in 1873 before being rebuilt to feature a concert hall, theatre, circus and even a boating lake.
Visitors can discover the history of Haringey at the Bruce Castle Museum, which is a Grade I listed manor house. There’s also the Arthouse Cinema in Crouch End — a cultural hub for all ages. Every football season, both local residents and thousands of tourists flock to Tottenham Hotspur Stadium to watch the latest match, and sporting occasions like these typically generate a lot of waste. At Bywaters, we can provide the events industry with the right waste management solutions to ensure zero waste goes to landfill.