Back in the 1990s and early 2000s, it was notorious for having one of the worst crime rates in Britain, as ‘yardie’ gangs selling crack cocaine fought brutal turf wars.
But now Harlesden in north-west London has a new and rather more welcome claim to fame – as the setting for the eagerly awaited new BBC comedy Amandaland.
In the series – a spin-off from the ever-popular Motherland – social climber Amanda, played by Lucy Punch, has divorced and moved from the upmarket West London enclave of Chiswick to Harlesden.
Or, more precisely, to what she calls ‘South Harlesden’ or ‘So-Ha’, as she tries to put a glamorous gloss on her reduced circumstances.
‘I’m done with W4 [Chiswick] – I’m all about So-Ha,’ the famously snobbish mother of two gushes of the area, which is to the north of Wormwood Scrubs and is renowned as the centre of British reggae music, as the historic home to a number of record labels. ‘It’s what the property experts call South Harlesden.’
Amanda’s mother, Felicity, deliciously played by Dame Joanna Lumley, makes her own views of the area clear with exquisite sarcasm. ‘Darling, let me in before I get mugged,’ she rasps on arriving for a visit during the first episode, aired this week to five-star ratings all round.
Complaining about the lack of a local Waitrose, she announces that she has brought her daughter and grandchildren a ‘tuck parcel’ as the poor mites have ‘only got a Tesco Metro’.
But were her fears justified? And what’s it really like in ‘So-Ha’ – gritty urban centre or gentrifying soon-to-be yuppy paradise?
Harlesden is the setting for the new spin-off of Motherland, BBC comedy series Amandaland
Lucy Punch (pictured, left) and Joanna Lumley (pictured, right) as Amanda and Felicity in Amandaland
Emily Russell, 36 (pictured), a fan of Motherland and moved to Harlesden with her husband and two boys 18 months ago, says the area is not ‘remotely gentrified’
Some sources report, hilariously, that Amandaland wasn’t actually shot in Harlesden – instead being filmed in the more upmarket Islington, and Muswell Hill, which had to be ‘artfully distressed’.
Meanwhile, when the Mail visited the real Harlesden yesterday, the new sobriquet and show were certainly bringing smiles to the faces of local residents.
‘I’ve heard kids using the abbreviation already,’ revealed Conor Jeeves, 30, a PE teacher at a local school (in fact, the one he attended as a child).
He added: ‘I know Harlesden’s had its difficulties. But you can go down the road and see people you grew up with.
‘It’s a real community. Bits of it can be rough, but so can bits of anywhere. I’ve never suffered it myself. It’s definitely posher than when I went to school. There’s some really nice cafes now and it’s in a great location, sandwiched between Wembley Stadium and Westfield.’
Near Harlesden Tube station, we bumped into Eddie, 39, a burly but friendly bailiff. ‘I’ve been around here for 25 years and have never heard anyone talk about So-Ha,’ he chuckled. What about those fears that you might get mugged if you loiter too long outdoors?
‘If you keep your business to yourself it’s OK, but if you mess about and get on the wrong side it can be very tough,’ Eddie admitted. ‘It has a bit of a reputation for crime among the youngsters but it’s not a bad place to live.’
Just a short walk away in the High Street, James Jooste, 63, sales director at Churchill Mathesons estate agents, was tickled by So-Ha too – but understandably keen to hail the positives of the area. ‘There’s no such thing as South Harlesden,’ he said.
PE teacher Conor Jeeves (pictured) says Harlesden has a ‘real community’ and is in a great location
Harlesden’s high street. The new sobriquet and show were certainly bringing smiles to the faces of local residents when the Mail visited the area
Master’s Supermarket in Harlesden, north west London. While estate agents use the term ‘South Harlesden’ or So-Ha – some residents are sceptical about the term
Blue graffiti on a brick building. Better value homes is among reasons cited by residents as to why they picked the area
Harlesden Library. One property manager at an estate agents admitted the area ‘could feel a bit edgy’ and the ‘opposite of posh’
A map of Harlesden in north west London showing the main raods and the high street
‘No one would ever say they live in So-Ha, and we don’t market it as such.’
He warned: ‘There’s a perception that Harlesden is gritty. I’ve been aware of two shooting incidents in the 18 months I’ve been here, including a drive-by at a pizza place – but no one got shot.’
Mr Jooste, who moved with his wife to London five years ago from South Africa, added: ‘A lot of professional people are coming here because property is great value for money compared to areas like Acton which have already become posher.
‘Harlesden is on the Bakerloo line and has great links to town. With HS2 coming, it will be even better. You can get a nice family home for £700,000 or £800,000, with larger detached properties over £1 million.’
In the high street, the cosmopolitan character of Harlesden is especially apparent.
In days gone by the area was primarily known for its Irish community and Caribbean culture, but now Brazilian grocers and coffee shops rub alongside Jamaican takeaways, as well as a Portuguese deli, halal supermarkets and a Nigerian restaurant.
James Jooste (pictured) moved with his wife to London from South Africa, and says homes are ‘great value for money’ compared to many other areas in the capital
James says that while their are some ‘colourful people’ in the high street, there are ‘nice residential areas too’
The cosmopolitan character of Harlesden is immediately apparent
Harlesden was historically one of the nation’s worst crime spots but is now a melting pot of cultures and classes
A sign for High Street Harlesden in NW10, north west London
Crime remains an issue in the area, with one resident remarking they had phone snatched, while insisting they hadn’t encountered anti-social behaviour
Yesterday, there was a distinct whiff of marijuana in the air. Mr Jooste told us: ‘You do get some, shall we say, colourful people in the high street, where the vibe is quite eclectic. But there are nice residential areas too.’
Another property manager at a different estate agent said: ‘If you’re new to this area it could feel a bit edgy. I’ve known people who are coming for viewings who’ve cancelled after visiting the area for the first time. It’s probably the opposite of posh.’
Emily Russell, 36, a fan of Motherland who was out with her sons aged three and one, moved from Kilburn into a four-bedroom Victorian terraced house in Harlesden with her lawyer husband 18 months ago.
‘We came here because it has properties we could afford,’ she said. ‘I’ll be watching Amandaland. Calling it So-Ha is a parody, but it’s so far from the truth. The area is not remotely gentrified.’
Asked about crime in the area, she said her mobile phone had been stolen at almost the very spot where she was speaking to us, ‘but that could happen anywhere in London’.
She added that as a family they hadn’t encountered anti-social behaviour, but did think litter was a problem.
A variety of shops on Harlesden’s high street, including furniture and phone stores
Homes in Harlesden. It’s not Chelsea or Mayfair, but the neighbourhood is on the way up
A sign pointing to Harlesden Town Garden off St Mary’s Road outside a Brazilian street food restaurant
The Harlesden Methodist Church with adverts for the Little Angels Nursery and hall and office space for hire
A row of shops in a red brick terrace building. The town is full of a vibrant mix of shops
With professionals moving in and HS2 (hopefully) on the way, this may be the next place to snap up a property
A set of homes on a main road. The So-Ha nickname could catch on sooner than anyone thinks
After spending several hours meeting the residents of Harlesden, we were struck by what a melting-pot the area is, bringing every nationality and all social classes together in a lively, vibrant mix.
Yes, it may be a long way from Chelsea or Mayfair – but it’s clear that it’s on the up.
Indeed, with lawyers and other professionals clearly moving in, this may be the next place to snap up a property in a rising market.
Perhaps Amanda has landed on her feet after all – and that So-Ha nickname could catch on sooner than anyone thinks.
