Nag’s Head Prospectus of Ideas
Introduction
The Nag’s Head Prospectus of Ideas tells a story of where we have been, where we are now and where we want to get to.
Nag’s Head Town Centre is home to a vibrant and diverse community of people and businesses. It is a place for your daily essentials, a hub for small entrepreneurs and a supporter of emerging creative talents. With this prospectus, we want to celebrate these local assets and strengths as well as look to the future of Nag’s Head town centre.
A Shared Vision
This document presents a shared vision with opportunities for Nag’s Head Town Centre that also recognises its challenges. It builds on key council priorities in the Islington Together 2030 plan and the Islington Local Plan. These priorities include the council’s work towards a fairer, greener and healthier borough promoting community wealth-building, green infrastructure, inclusive economies and thriving communities.
Spark Ideas for a Resilient Future
With this document, we want to spark positive change and help create a more resilient Nag’s Head Town Centre, continuing the support of its local ethnically and culturally mixed population. To support this work, the document aims to increase local stakeholders’ sense of ownership and encourage positive ideas to help guide future change, funding and investment.
Celebrate Existing Initiatives
The document builds on the wealth of initiatives and projects already happening in
Nag’s Head Town Centre, with examples illustrated throughout the document. Celebrating and bolstering what is already here is key to support a more resilient town centre.
To help illustrate what the future of Nag’s Head Town Centre could be, the prospectus outlines opportunities for environmental, social and economic improvements in a set of project ideas. The potential projects presented reflect the aspirations of local people and a wide range of stakeholders, based on engagement undertaken.
The projects have been broken down into stepping stones to show how smaller initiatives could lead to longer term and wider transformations. In this way, any funding that can be obtained, either through existing mechanisms such as contributions from local developments or through funding applications, can help move us towards the overall vision.
Behind the Propspectus
This prospectus was commissioned by Islington Council ‘s Local Economies Service. The document has been created by Office S&M Architects with support from Jamila Saha and additional community engagement carried out by Holloway Neighbourhood Group. A microsite, created by Adam Tarasewicz, has been developed to go with this document and this will be updated as new projects and plans emerge.
The microsite can be accessed by scanning the QR code on this page or by visiting (webpage link to be added).
Chapter 1 Where have we been?
1.0
Past
Celebrating Nag’s Head’s heritage, culture, and diversity
Nag’s Head Town Centre dates back to medieval times when it began taking shape along Holloway Road (the A1). Connecting London to the North, it is an ancient route used since the 1300s. Set in a valley surrounded by countryside and Hackney Brook, the Nag’s Head Town Centre and Holloway Road was transformed by the 1700s into a key coaching route, with houses and tea gardens lining the road.
1800s
1812 Nag’s Head was the birthplace of the artist and poet Edward Lear, born in Holloway in 1812.
1890s Nag’s Head became a major shopping centre, with the Nag’s Head pub and Beale’s Restaurant at its heart.
1890s Culture blossomed with the opening of entertainment venues like the Holloway Empire, Parkhurst Theatre and Marlborough Theatre, today replaced by AXO Islington, Holloway Arcade and the Marlborough Building.
1895 James Selby opens Treharnes on Holloway Road
1900s
1960s Joe Meeks opens the pioneering Triumph Recording Studios at 304 Holloway Road
1970s Nag’s Head town centre faced significant changes. Beale’s was demolished and replaced by Sainsbury’s, 1970s Large-scale council housing redevelopments reshaped the area, with tower blocks and estates such as Harvist Estate and Bennett Court.
1971 Mothers and children of Lorraine Estate campaigned for and created a new playspace for local children, which is today Biddestone Park.
1972 Responding to redevelopment, groups like the Holloway Tenant Co-Operative resisted displacement and preserved affordable housing.
1990s Jones Brothers is closed and replaced by Resource for London.
1990s Holloway became a setting in Nick Hornby’s novels, particularly "Fever Pitch."
2000s
2004 The 2000s saw a revival, with the construction of the New Technology Tower and the Graduate Centre at London Metropolitan University.
2006 The opening of Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium further transformed the area, spurring new residential and mixed-use developments on Hornsey Street and Caledonian Road, marking a new chapter in Nag’s Heads’ evolution.
Top Left
Historic map of Nag’s Head Town Centre (1888-1913)
Top Right
Holloway Road (1900-1910)
Image credit: Rotary Photo, London Transport Museum
Bottom Right
Beale’s Department Store (1960’s)
Image credit: Islington Local History Centre, Archant
1.1 Present
What makes Nag’s Head unique?
Today, Nag’s Head Town Centre is a bustling place where you can find all your essentials and seasonal extras. Along with the Angel, Finsbury Park and Archway it is one of four town centres in Islington. With Holloway Road (the A1) as the spine and at the crossroads with Seven Sisters Road (A503), it is well connected by public transport bringing many visitors daily.
Unique Retail Offer
Nag’s Head Town Centre is home to Islington’s only department store, Selbys, along with national brands, independent businesses, street stalls and markets offering a varied shopping experience and employment opportunities. With its cost-friendly alternatives, it complements Islington’s other town centres and supports local people with low disposable income.
Strong Food and Market Culture
Fresh food is part of the unique offer in Nag’s Head Town Centre with specialist greengrocers and butchers mixed with vibrant cafes and restaurants with a variety of food from different cultures. There is a strong market culture along Seven Sister’s Road, including fruit and veg stalls, The Junction Market, The Upper Place and Nag’s Head Covered Market with 47+ small businesses, where over 50% are female-owned. Every weekend, Grafton Primary School hosts the Nag’s Head Open-Air Market attracting many visitors. This offer is paired with a variety of services supporting local people including dentists, solicitors, bike shops and dressmakers.
Home to Diverse Communities
A diverse mix of communities live in and around Nag’s Head Town Centre, in a broad variety of housing ranging from rooms above shops to council flats and large townhouses. A large student population is also present in Nag’s Head Town Centre, both through the London Metropolitan University and the range of student accommodation that houses students, many from overseas, of various universities.
Variety of Cultural Initiatives
The town centre also hosts cultural institutions like the Odeon Cinema, the National Youth Theatre, Storm Rehearsal Studios and Fourth Monkey. The Emirates Stadium contributes to the cultural offer, being the home to Arsenal FC with large-scale concerts during the off-season.
Islington ward boundaries
Nag’s Head Town Centre
Green spaces
Major roads (TFL owned)
Tollington Ward Finsbury Park Ward
Tufnell Park Ward
HollowayRoad
Arsenal Ward
Holloway Ward
CamdenRoad Parkhurst Road
TollingtonRoad SevenSistersRoad
1.2 Future
Site allocations, tall buildings and council policies
The future of Nag’s Head Town Centre will bolster existing retail uses, build more homes and create spaces for employment opportunities. In the next 15 years, the Islington Local Plan expects 1,530 homes and 22,000sqm of office space to be delivered in the town centre.
Key Development Sites
As part of the Local Plan, a series of site allocations have been identified. A key development site is the Morrison's supermarket and its car park. It has been identified for mixed-use development, including residential, retail and office space with Nag’s Head Covered Market being retained and enhanced. This site, along with 5 others in the Nag’s Head area, have been highlighted by the Islington Tall Buildings Study as potential sites for buildings above 30 meters. Another key site just outside the Nag’s Head Town Centre is the redevelopment of Holloway Prison. This is a residential-led development with community uses including a Women’s Building and open space.
In addition to the Local Plan’s site allocations, planning applications are being considered for other sites including the Marlborough Building and 356 Holloway Road. The London Metropolitan University also intend to improve their Holloway Road campus, making it more welcoming and visible in the streetscape. Alongside this are ongoing projects funded by the Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) and Section 106 (S106) ensuring developments support community needs and improvements. You can find more information on these projects on Islington Council’s Interactive Map.
Sustainability and Climate Action Initiatives
Islington Council is working on several initiatives to improve the lives of residents in and around the town centre. An example of this is the Annette Road Liveable Neighbourhood initiative which combines improvements to local streets, greening and low-traffic measures to reduce road danger and create greener and healthier spaces. This initiative also links up with Transport For London (TfL) cycle route C50, connecting Finsbury Park, Nag’s Head and York Way.
Islington Council is working in partnership with LMU and the Emirates Stadium to promote the proposal for an Arsenal Net Zero Neighbourhood. This would see the building of a district heating network supplying lowcarbon heating to homes and local businesses, improving energy efficiency, and installing solarpanels and electric vehicle charging points.
45 Hornsey Road, 252 Holloway Road and Railway Arches
Resolution to grant planning permission (subject to legal agreement) for student accommodation at 45 Hornsey Road and refurbishment of the railway arches for commercial use and a new pedestrian route. enhancements.
Holloway Park
Planning permission has been granted for 985 homes, open space and a Women’s Building and work has commenced on site.
Islington ward boundaries
Nag’s Head Town Centre
Green spaces
Site Allocations
Annette Road Liveable Neighbourhood
Site which may be appropriate for tall building over 30 meters
Local Plan Policy SP5 spatial strategy area
CIL or S106 Projects Completed Live Draft Potential
London Metropolitan University
Planning applications are under consideration for internal layout enhancements.
Morrison’s Supermarket and car park
Site allocated for significant mixed use development, including residential, retail and office space with Nag’s Head Covered Market being retained and enhanced.
383 Holloway Road (The Marlborough Building)
A planning application for extension and conversion to residential and other uses is being considered.
356 Holloway Road
The site has been sold and an application for the proposed change of use of the site is being considered.
Holloway Ward
Arsenal Ward
Tufnell Park Ward
Finsbury Park Ward
Tollington Ward
Chapter 2 Where are we now?
2.0 Engagingwiththecommunity
We understand the importance of listening to and making local voices heard as local people are experts on the local area. As part of the Nag’s Head Prospectus of Ideas, we set out to find what local businesses, residents and visitors think of the town centre and what would make it better for all, now and in the future.
Listening to the community
We spoke to a wide range of community members including youth groups to ensure local young voices are heard, businesses to capture the diverse range of retail interests in the town centre and nearby Tenants and Residents Associations (TRA) to involve local residents. To ensure the prospectus aligns with the wider council priorities, the stakeholder engagement also involved the Nag’s Head ward councillors along with various key departments of Islington Council, including Planning, Cultural Enrichment and Transport as well as Local Economies.
Varied Engagement Methods
People were invited to share ideas through a range of engagement methods that included walkabouts, workshops, interviews, direct emailing and an online consultation site on Let’s Talk Islington. Holloway Neighbourhood Group captured local voices through a series of engagement sessions that included:
• Stalls in the Nag’s Head Shopping Centre
• Open House and other conversations at the Old Fire Station
• A kitting group at Selbys
• Youth engagement at McDonalds
• Talking to parents at Pakeman Primary School
• Walkabouts around the town centre
“Make it more of a cohesive town centre physically rather than just on paper”
“Encourage people to come to the area and businesses to join in and make the town centre thrive”
“Make it more pleasant for pedestrians and prioritise independent shops”
2.1 Engagementresponses
The aim of the engagement was to capture existing challenges, ideas for future improvements and pinpoint what makes the Nag’s Head Town Centre unique. Some of the key takeaways from these conversations are noted below and in the project ideas.
Environment
• Make the pavements in the town centre better for walking and wheeling.
• Improve public realm including greening, seating and public amenities.
• Strengthen the sense of place as many people are unaware of Nag’s Head as a town centre.
• Improve the sense of safety when using the town centre.
• Introduce more social areas or events that bring the local community together and allows people to connect.
Social
• Create social spaces for all ages that invites people to dwell and socialise.
• Introduce more events that bring the local community together and allows people to connect like food parties, festivals or workshops.
• Offer more support for people in need.
• Celebrate the unique local culture in Nag’s Head Town Centre.
Economic
• Support small businesses with marketing to make them more visible and attract visitors.
• Introduce events that support the evening economy to activate the town centre at night.
• Promote alternative uses to the existing offer that would allow free or more costfriendly programming.
This prospectus weaves these voices into the vision and the Project Ideas for the future of Nag’s Head Town Centre.
“By making the area traffic calmer and providing green spaces it could have positive mental health benefits”
“I think by increasing safety and cleanliness the area would become more social and friendly”
2.2 Whatarethechallengesthat Nag’sHeadTownCentreisfacing?
Being at the crossroads of Holloway Road (the A1) and Seven Sisters Road (A503), Nag’s Head Town Centre suffers from heavy road traffic that separates the area. This has created a disconnected and low sense of place among businesses, visitors and local people.
With few open or green spaces and dominant road traffic, there is little space for walking, wheeling and other public uses in the town centre. A general lack of pleasant spaces for people to dwell combined with a low sense of safety due to challenges with crime and antisocial behaviour, many visits to Nag’s Head Town Centre tend to be brief. As retail is at the heart of its offer with few free activities, spending time often requires spending money in shops or on services.
Nag’s Head Town Centre is the meeting point of five Islington ward boundaries, meaning there is no single political oversight. With Holloway Road and Seven Sisters Road being red routes, Transport for London (TfL) manages and maintains the roads and their public pavements. This means the council has little control over the development of these roads. As Islington Council do not own any of the town centre’s commercial properties this makes it difficult to unlock spaces for alternative and meanwhile uses.
The town centre also faces economic challenges with business rates and rents being high and many of the local people not having much disposable income. Despite being bustling during the day, it also lacks a strong evening economy making it inactive at night which contributes to the low sense of safety.
“To have community we need spaces to socialise and come together”
“By making the area traffic calmer and providing green spaces it could have positive mental health benefits”
2.3 Opportunitiesforenvironmental, socialandeconomicimprovement
Through community engagement, conversations with stakeholders, policy research, and on-the-ground interactions, we've uncovered a range of environmental, social and economic opportunities to improve all aspects of life in Nag’s Head town centre.
Nag’s Head Town Centre has a wealth of existing initiatives, from bustling markets to spaces for culture, that should be celebrated and supported in order to bolster local businesses and communities and to help create a more resilient town centre. Additionally, existing Islington based initiatives could be replicated to address challenges.
As a hub for small businesses, the town centre creates opportunities for entrepreneurs and employment. To strengthen this, businesses could better help each other by keeping money circulating locally, buying goods and services from each other and recruiting locally. By better presenting themselves, traders could also make the current offer more appealing and visible to shoppers. The wealth of knowledge among businesses could also be shared to help emerging entrepreneurs.
Nag’s Head Town Centre’s range of community centres and rich culture of food, theatre and music heritage create a unique place. There is an opportunity to celebrate local culture, highlight local assets and unlock community spaces for outreach programmes and events. This would help unify the town centre both with physical and non-physical improvements.
Key Opportunities
Social
• Celebrate the unique identity and diverse communities to help create a greater sense of unity
• Create employment opportunities for young people in local trades
Environmental
• Creatively unlock public space to to encourage people to dwell and socialise
• Encourage walking, wheeling and cycling by improving roads and pavements
• Strengthen the sense of place to create a more joined-up town centre
Economic
• Bolster small and local businesses through initiatives that encourage people to shop locally
• Encourage collaboration between stakeholders to create a more resilient town centre
“We need to create a stronger sense of community. I would like the people around to be really proud of our area!”
“Nag’s Head has a world of people and culture and I want to keep that”
Chapter 3
Where are we going?
3.0 TheNag’sHeadTownCentreQuilt
This vision weaves together people, places and stakeholders into the Nag’s Head Town Centre Quilt to create a more connected, sustainable and resilient area. Like a quilt, it celebrates the unique character of each part of the town centre and its communities, stitching them together into a cohesive, welcoming, and vibrant whole that helps foster local pride and cares for its people and places.
Nag's Head Town Centre is a vibrant place where you can find everything you need for your daily life, with much of what is already here and happening being appreciated by local people. This vision looks for ways to improve the town centre without making drastic changes, focusing on three key areas:
• Environment by improving the sense of place and introducing greening, wayfinding and public realm improvements.
• Social by celebrating culture and community through creating social spaces and events.
• Economy by strengthening the support for and between small businesses to bolster community wealth-building and support the evening economy.
Environmental Improvements
With heavy road traffic and few spaces for greening, the vision uses placemaking initiatives to create a more welcoming, greener, and accessible Nag’s Head Town Centre. Aligned with council goals for sustainability, it encourages walking, wheeling, and cycling to benefit both the community and the environment.
Social Improvements
Nag’s Head Town Centre has a rich culture, from food hubs like The Junction to performance venues like the National Youth Theatre, and a wealth of community initiatives. This vision looks to celebrate and make this unique offer more accessible to local people. It responds to the community's call for stronger connections by proposing social spaces in public areas with events that highlight local culture.
Economic Improvements
The town centre is home to a range of traders, especially independent businesses. The vision fosters community-wealth building through opportunities and networks for small businesses to grow and test new ideas while promoting initiatives for young entrepreneurs. In line with council aims, it also encourages initiatives that boost the evening economy in Nag’s Head Town Centre.
Project Ideas
To support the Nag’s Head Town Centre Quilt, the ProjectIdeas presents a set of clear and costed ideas that address the opportunities and challenges of the town centre. These ideas are a guide for future projects that could happen in Nag’s Head Town Centre, making the area a cohesive and thriving place over time. Each project comes with a set of potential stepping stones which suggest how these ideas could be introduced in Nag’s Head Town Centre in the short, medium and long term.
Local Initiatives
TheBoulevard Case Studies
“By making the area traffic calmer and providing green spaces it could have positive mental health benefits”
Why? Holloway Road and Seven Sisters Road cut through the town centre, with heavy traffic and limited space for walking, wheeling, or resting. Through engagement, the community have asked for a greener, more inviting and accessible town centre.
What? The Boulevard transforms Holloway Road and Seven Sisters Road into a boulevard that help improve the environment and wellbeing of people living, working and visiting Nag’s Head Town Centre.
With reorganised road traffic and more accessible pavements, The Boulevard would encourage walking and wheeling by decluttering the streets along with levelling and upgrading the paving. By removing some parking spaces and widening the pavement, this would help make more public space available to populate the streets with places to rest and socialise. Public realm improvements like benches and planters could be introduced to support this. This proposal would also help create better connections across the town centre through safer crossings along Holloway Road and Seven Sisters Road.
De-clutter existing street furniture to make pavements more accessible. Benches to create spots for people to rest and socialise.
Install planters and pocket parks on wider pavements and parking spaces.
With new trees along Holloway Road, The Boulevard would soften the town centre and transform parking spaces or redundant paving into SuDs plant beds and pocket parks, for example outside the National Youth Theatre. This would help create a more welcoming environment and reduce air pollution, improve biodiversity and wellbeing of local people. In the long term, this proposal would aim to improve the local road network and remove the gyratory.
Plant new trees and greening along the centre of Holloway Road.
Remove parking to widen footpath for public use, greening and SUDs.
Levelling and upgrading pavements.
Safer street crossings to improve connections across the town centre.
Narrowing the road along Holloway Road to reduce motor traffic.
LUF Bid & Create Boulevards
There is widespread support for transforming Nag's Head Town Centre by reducing traffic lanes, enhancing greenery, improving pedestrian connectivity, and upgrading amenities. Proposals like Create Streets’ “Holloway Boulevard” and Islington Council’s Levelling Up Fund bid aim to foster local pride, support small businesses, celebrate heritage, and prioritise safety and inclusivity for the community.
Rewild My Street
Rewild My Street is an award-winning urban-rewilding campaign, founded by Associate Professor of Sustainable Architecture Sian Moxon. It gives design-led guidance for people wishing to adapt their homes, gardens and streets for wildlife with step-by-step activities It enables design research, knowledge exchange and live projects through the London Metropolitan University’s innovative London Met Lab initiative to work with local partners to tackle key environmental challenges in the city.
Ideas from elsewhere
Green Mobility Hub
Sustainable transport hubs for bikes, e-scooters and car clubs in Somers Town
Image credit: Siân Moxon, Rewild My Street
APublicWelcome
"Encourage people to come to the area and encourage businesses to join in and make it thrive"
Why? Nag’s Head Town Centre is split by Holloway Road and Seven Sisters Road and many people and businesses do not see it as a joined-up place. This affects the community feel and work towards a collective future.
What? A Public Welcome would help strengthen the sense of place by making the area more cohesive, welcoming and accessible. To help tell the unique story of Nag’s Head Town Centre, the project would add to the existing set of murals on Holloway Road by working with local artists and schools to celebrate the area’s unique character. Through wayfinding improvements, clear and creative signs could link different parts of the town centre and highlight its cultural attractions, including multisensory maps and audio beacons addressing different needs. A new community bulletinboard could also help local people stay updated on events and projects and make what is already here and happening more visible.
Accessibility would be a key focus, to make sure that the town centre is a welcoming and accessible place for all. A Public Welcome would include an Accessibility Survey along with long term improvements like decluttering and levelling pavements, tactile paving and guide paths making the streets easier to use.
A shopfront guidebook could help businesses improve their shopfronts, making the area more inviting, attracting customers and boosting the local economy. Over time, shopfront upgrades focused on visual identity and accessibility could also be introduced throughout the town centre.
Potential Stepping Stones
Gateway murals to highlight local stories and heritage.
Community bulletin board to promote upcoming events.
Town Centre Accessibility Survey.
Multisensory wayfinding highlighting unique places in the town centre.
A shopfront guidebook to support local businesses.
Upgrading, levelling and de-cluttering pavements.
Shopfront improvements including accessibility into shops.
Case Studies
Holloway Mural
The mural by artist Lionel Stanhope under Holloway Bridge was completed in 2022 to brighten this gateway on Holloway Road. The initiative was funded by a crowdfunding campaign led by local resident Paul Wise, along with funding from the Nag’s Head Town Centre Group and Islington Council funds. The hope with the Holloway mural was to act as a stepping stone for future improvements in Nag’s Head Town Centre.
Nag’s Head Covered Market
Nag’s Head Covered Market on Seven Sisters Road has been transformed by Office S&M Arhictects through upgrades focusing on community needs. The entrances were refreshed to enhance visibility and wayfinding, and a 900m² mezzanine floor now houses a vibrant food hall, The Upper Place. Engaging with traders and shoppers shaped changes like new windows and signage. The revitalised market supports businesses while preserving the market's character.
Fresh Paint
Community initiative inviting young people to design and paint murals
Image credit: Office S&M Architects
Image credit: Jim Stephenson
WalkofFame
Why? Nag’s Head Town Centre is home to many cultural attractions, like a cinema and performing arts schools. Despite this, there is a feeling of disconnection between the cultural institutions and the community which was expressed during the engagement. There is also an aspiration to make people feel proud of their local area.
What? The Walk of Fame would help create a link between Nag’s Head Town Centre’s cultural attractions, inspire local young people and celebrate local talents who have started their careers in one of the area’s many performing art schools. As a starting point, this would include engraved paving stones to honour local talents between the National Youth Theatre and the Odeon Cinema. Over time, a similar approach could be used around the area to link with other cultural institutions and help tell the story of Nag’s Head Town Centre.
"There are cultural organisations but they feel too distant and there is not enough encouragement
Over time, this cultural trail could grow with small scale public art installations celebrating Nag’s Head Town Centre’s cultural and performing arts heritage. To support these venues and the evening economy, artistic street lighting could make the streets around these spaces feel safer and more inviting at night. With each intervention, local young people could be involved in designing these features, encouraging their interest in creative careers.
As a long term goal, the Walk of Fame could include a new theatre pavilion in Biddestone Park, offering free events and performances to bring the performing arts community into public spaces.
Case Studies
Learn to Dream Mural
London Metropolitan University, Lavazza, and Arsenal FC launched the “Learn to Dream” mural near Emirates Stadium to inspire North London’s youth. Painted by Gabriel Pitcher and Wood Street Walls, the mural captures the stories of two young community members, Maria Epam and Lee McEwan, as beacons of ambition and aspiration. The mural symbolises the partnership’s commitment to empowering and supporting the future generation of North London.
Islington Pride Heritage Trail
Islington's Pride has launched a new LGBTQ+ Heritage Trail featuring 50 plaques celebrating the borough's rich LGBTQ+ history. Supported by the National Lottery Heritage Fund, the trail honours key individuals, organisations, and venues. An interactive map links the plaques to histories and archives, accessible on mobile or online. This evolving project highlights Islington’s key role in LGBTQ+ rights and community heritage.
Camden Music Walk of Fame
Paving stones honouring the music heritage
Image
CycleHub
Why? Nag’s Head Town Centre has recently added new cycle lanes, making the roads safer for cycling, walking and wheeling, in line with Islington Council and TfL’s goals for sustainable transport. Despite this, the pavements lack amenities that reflect these improvements, especially safe cycle parking which was highlighted during the engagement.
What? The Cycle Hub would encourage cycling as a way of travelling to and from Nag’s Head Town Centre by adding new cycling infrastructure next to the public toilet on the corner of Holloway Road and Camden Road where the pavement is wide. This would link up with the cycleway C50 improvements and include a maintenance station with tools to quickly fix your bike on the go. The Cycle Hub would also include a new water station and an upgrade to the existing public toilet kiosk. This could be paired with installing more cycle stands along Holloway Road and Seven Sisters Road.
"If you want to encourage people to use alternative modes of transport, like cycling, there are no safe spaces to lock up your bike"
Potential Stepping Stones
To further activate this space, another kiosk serving refreshments or offering bike repairs could be installed. Beyond cyclists, these features would benefit local people, creating a spot for rest and services in the centre of the town centre.
In the long term, the Bike Hub could be scaled up to address the need for secure and safe bike storage in the town centre. This could further encourage cycling, attract more visitors and allow for longer visits to the area. Potential locations could include underused spaces in the town centre like vacant shops or unlocking parking spaces in the Morrisons car park.
Case Studies
Cycleway C50
Transport for London (TfL) has introduced a new experimental cycle lane Cycleway 50 to connect Finsbury Park with Nag’s Head and Holloway Road (A1). This project upgrades Nag's Head’s road network with safer and separated cycle lanes. The route aims to promote sustainable transport by improving routes for walking cycling and wheeling. This includes reducing speeds to 20mph and enhancing pedestrian crossings. The Cycleway C50 has been further extended to connect to York Way.
Cargo Bike Hiring
OurBike is a community e-cargo bike share scheme founded by the Peddle My Wheels social enterprise. The cargo bikes are available to rent for local communities across London and aim to encourage alternatives to motor vehicles. OurBike is a community-led initiative that helps support local businesses. In partnership with Islington Council and the local business LC Cycleworx, OurBike supports Nag’s Head town centre with an e-cargo bike as a easily available and affordable transport.
Image
What is here and already happening?
Culture
• Big Red
• Black Cultural Centre
• Fourth Monkey
• Nag’s Head Festive Lights Event
• National Youth Theatre
• ODEON Luxe Holloway
• Tamasha
• Storm Rehearsal Studios
• Islington North Library Community
• Arachne Greek Cypriot Women's Group
• Centre 404
• Eritrean Community in the UK
• Friends of Biddestone
• Holloway Neighbourhood Group
• Islington Food Partnership
• Jubba Youth Community Association
• Lorraine Estate Community Centre
• Octopus Community Plant Nursery
• Solidarity Hub by Streets Kitchen
• St Giles Trust
• The Stress Project
• Manor Gardens Centre
• Whittington Community Centre
• Willow Children’s Center
• Jenius Social • Jamie Oliver Cookery School
Local Initiatives
Islington ward boundaries
Nag’s Head Town Centre Green spaces
The Stress Project Image credit: Holloway Neighbourhood Group
The N7 Studio Image credit: National Youth Theatre
Nag’sHeadSound
Why? There is a rich music heritage in Nag’s Head Town Centre dating back to the Triumph Recording Studio and the old music halls. During the engagement, community members asked for events that celebrate the culture of the area and bring people together. The Imagine Islington Vision and Islington Local Plan also ask for more inspiring spaces for people to experience culture and heritage that support the evening economy.
What? Nag’s Head Sound would transform the town centre into a vibrant hub for music and performance by creating partnerships between businesses and local artists. By pairing a shop, restaurant or cafe with a performer, spaces that would normally be closed during evenings could be opened for one-off or more frequent events. This would create a platform for emerging creative talents to connect with local audiences and help small businesses offset their operational costs by renting out their spaces. The Islington North Library is another potential venue that could look to extend its opening hours for evening events. This proposal would strengthen the evening economy and help improve the sense of safety by making sure the town centre remains lively and welcoming at night. In the long term, similar partnerships could be created with local artists to create opportunities for displaying their artwork in spaces across the town centre.
“Support and promote nighttime economy, somehow play on the rich musical history of the area more”
Potential Stepping Stones
Collaboration between existing businesses and pop-ups to test out ideas supporting evening economy.
Case Studies
Marketing and promotions of existing music and performance venues to highlight and bolster ongoing initiatives.
During the day, Nag’s Head Sound would build on the evening events by activating the existing busking pitches, like the one on Drapery Square. This would unlock opportunities for musicians and create a more vibrant and inviting Nag’s Head Town Centre.
Activating existing busking pitches around the town centre.
Originally at Union Chapel in Islington, Daylight Music is a Saturday afternoon concert series offering diverse live music in welcoming London venues, paired with tea and cake. With a pay-what-you-can ethos, it introduces audiences to new artists, instruments, and sounds. Supporting London’s live music scene for over 15 years, the series prioritises accessibility, diversity, and relaxed atmospheres, fostering connections between performers and audiences.
Daylight Music Libraries at Night
Libraries at Night creatively reclaimed space for music and performance by hosting a live music event at Sidcup Library for emerging talents. In collaboration with ArtsTrain and the London Borough of Bexley, the event re-purposed the library for one night into an intimate venue where local young people were given the opportunity to perform original material. This event aimed to nurture the local music industry and was part of the larger initiative Bexley Libraries at Night.
The Jellied Eel
A pop-up cocktail bar, previously at a pie-and-mash shop in Walthamstow
Image credit: Cath Dupuy, Daylight Music
Image credit: Taking the Pixel, London Borough of Bexley
OpenHouseofFood
Why? The huge range of fresh groceries, cafes and restaurants with a variety of foods from different cultures are part of the unique offer in Nag’s Head Town Centre. When engaging with the community, many asked for events or festivals that celebrated local culture and initiatives that make what is already here and happening more visible to the local community.
What? Open House of Food would invite the community and visitors to explore Nag’s Head Town Centre through taste. A week-long festival or series of events would celebrate its many small food businesses, including The Junction Market, The Upper Place, and the Nag’s Head Covered Market food halls. This could include a food tour around the town centre, connecting local businesses and allowing people to taste their way around the area. This would help raise awareness of the range of food options available as well as encourage residents and visitors to explore the area and discover more of what it has to offer. The festival could also feature cooking classes run in partnership with local community groups or cooking schools. These classes would bring people together, promote healthy eating, and help tackle food poverty.
Potential Stepping Stones
Introduce a new food tour through Nag's Head Town Centre.
Allow for marketing and promotion of local businesses during the Open House of Food.
Case Studies
The Angel Central Food Fest
The Angel Central Food Fest was a two-week-long festival that celebrated local food culture and businesses in Angel and Islington. Organised by Angel Central, the festival brought together the community through events with a focus on food, this included sampling sessions, talks, a sustainable market and workshops for children. To encourage people to eat locally, the festival also marketed exclusive offers from food businesses.
Islington Food Week
To help promote businesses, Open House of Food could include a pop-up sampling stall at Drapery Square or Nag’s Head Shopping Centre. Businesses could take over the stall for a day, paired with promotions and marketing of the event. Overall, Open House of Food would celebrate local food, attract more visitors, and contribute to community wealth building.
Install a pop-up sampling stall on Drapery Square or Nag's Head shopping centre for the duration of the festival.
Islington Food Week by Islington Food Partnership celebrated local food initiatives and promoted sustainability. In 2023, it launched the Islington Food Strategy (2023–28), which focuses on affordable healthy food, sustainable local economies, addressing climate emergencies, and fostering community-driven change. Events included workshops, community meals, and food drives, encouraging residents to engage with ethical food systems, reduce waste, and support local projects.
Ideas from elsewhere
inIlford Food Fair
A food fair promoting local food businesses in Ilford.
Image credit: Office S&M Architects
SocialSquare
Why? Nag’s Head Town Centre is busy and vibrant but many visits to the town centre are brief as there are few spaces to socialise and dwell. Through engagement, the community asked for more public spaces to socialise and events that could bring people together.
What? Social Square would create a space for socialising, seasonal events and community outreach by transforming the square in Nag’s Head Shopping Centre into a flexible social space. The square is already a space used for community events like the annual Festive Lights Switch On, and has hosted stalls about a wide range of issues from health, food waste prevention and alcohol awareness to World Book Night and charity campaigns. Social Square would build on this ongoing events programme and provide community organisations with stalls for outreach events or workshops to strengthen connections with local people and help create a space for community and culture.
“The Town Centre should be a social hub, a meeting place”
Potential Stepping Stones
To help create a more vibrant space and invite people to dwell for longer, Social Square could involve a local artist and schools in creating a paving mural. This would make sure that the community, in particular children and young people, and local talents would be involved in the making of the public spaces in the town centre. To address the community’s request for more seating, the proposal could also include new benches codesigned with local people. By bolstering and activating an existing space, this proposal would help embed the need for a social public space or square in the heart of Nag's Head Town Centre ahead of any future developments in the area.
Case Studies
Nag’s Head Festive Lights Switch On
Nag’s Head Festive Light Switch On is part of a wider series of yearly festive events organised by Islington Council. The event lights up the town centre and marks the start of the festive season. Hosted in the square in Nag’s Head Shopping Centre, it includes activities like face painting and offers free mince pies and refreshments to visitors. It also featured a performance by Grafton Primary School and Holloway Seventh Day Adventist Church choirs.
Navigator Square
Navigator Square in Archway, replaces the gyratory system to prioritise walking and cycling while reducing air pollution. The square, named by public vote, hosts events like markets, festivals, and cinema screenings, creating a vibrant community space. Green initiatives include new trees, improved pavements, and planting to enhance air quality. The transformation promotes a healthier, greener, and more welcoming environment.
Mark-It Stall
Community art event bySaturday Socials Art Group, artist Lucy Steggals and Cubitt on Chapel Market.
Image credit: London Borough of Islington
Image credit: Stephanie Smith, Archant
CommunityLink
Why? There is a range of community centres and organisations in Nag’s Head Town Centre that offer support and activities for residents. When engaging with the local community, stakeholders asked for better connections between these organisations and the council.
What? Community Link would strengthen relationships between community centres, grassroots groups and the council to help support residents in and around Nag’s Head Town Centre. This proposal would set up a network between these stakeholders, like Age UK Islington, Holloway Neighbourhood Group or Streets Kitchen, to improve communication, support and collaboration between organisations. It would build on ongoing work supported by the council, like the Local Wellbeing Networks and Social Prescribing in Islington. The network would help organisations address gaps in the services or programming that are offered and make sure that support is available for different ages and needs.
"Work closely with Islington council to support residents and bring together local organisations”
Case Studies
Local Wellbeing Networks
Local Wellbeing Networks (LWN) is a collaborative initiative in Islington, bringing together services, charities, community groups, and residents to address social issues and promote positive change. The network focuses on improving community safety, tackling inequality, promoting health and wellbeing, and fostering sustainable environments. Through shared resources and collective action, LWN empowers residents to contribute to solving local challenges and enhancing their neighbourhoods.
By creating even stronger connections, the network would also support organisations to source joint funding and make sure that community support continues to be available in Nag’s Head Town Centre. To further support local community centres, the network would help advertise spaces for hire that are already available for events. This would help boost the community centres financially and highlight spaces for community gatherings.
Streets Fest
Streets Fest in Finsbury Park, London, is a unique festival for homeless people, blending live music, food, art, and clothing giveaways with essential services like health checks, housing advice, and vaccinations. Now in its fifth year, it raises awareness about homelessness while celebrating resilience, fostering community, and offering practical support to empower vulnerable individuals through care, visibility, and shared experiences.
Ideas from elsewhere
Platform Places
Social enterprise connecting stakeholders to unlock spaces for local benefit.
What is here and already happening?
Small Business
• Nag’s Head Covered Market
• Nag’s Head Open Air Market
• The Junction Market
• The Upper Place
• The Creative Hub (National Youth Theatre)
• 38 Mayton Street
• Regent Studies Business Support
• Nag’s Head Town Centre Group
• Business Crime Reduction Partnership
• Islington Adult Community Learning Centre
• Islington Council’s Local Economies Team
• Islington Council’s Adult and Community Learning Team
Local Initiatives
Islington ward boundaries Nag’s Head Town Centre Green spaces
Nag’s Head Market Image credit: Jim Stephenson
The Creative Hub Image credit: National Youth Theatre
Nag’sHeadTraders Association
Why? Nag’s Head Town Centre is a hub for small businesses that together create a unique offer of services and retail in the town centre. During the engagement, local stakeholders and Islington Council asked for stronger connections between businesses to continue the work on community wealth building.
What? The work of the Nag's Head Town Centre Management Group (NHTCMG) would be supported by setting up Traders’ Associations focused on localised issues and representing the interests of small businesses in different parts of the town centre. It would help create stronger connections between independent businesses and build on the range of support offered by Islington Council that is promoted through its Business Support Bulletins. This would help strengthen businesses to make sure that Nag’s Head Town Centre continues to be a hub for small businesses. The Traders' Associations would also help with enhancing the voices of small businesses when decisions are made for the future of the town centre.
“The Nag’s Head Town Centre is not yet a united business community operating as a whole”
Case Studies
Caledonian Traders Association
The Caledonian Traders Association (CTA) is a group of independent businesses in the Cally that was set up in 2021. As a group, they represent the voices of traders on Caledonian Road. The CTA work to support local businesses and help develop a community of independent traders as well as bolster a sustainable and inclusive local economy. Alongside this, they also help improve and market the area as a place for people to both shop and socialise.
Islington Sustainability Network
Building on Islington Council’s Together Greener initiative, this proposal could also encourage a more inclusive and sustainable economy in the area by offering businesses support on sustainable trading like reducing carbon emissions and energy consumption. Many businesses in the area already support each other by buying goods and services locally. To support community wealth building, the Traders' Associations could include a business-to-business network bolsters the local economy by encouraging more traders to buy goods and services from each other.
The Islington Sustainability Network (ISN) connects businesses, nonprofits and community groups to promote sustainable practices and support the transition to Net Zero Carbon. By sharing resources and best practices, ISN helps local organisations reduce their environmental impact. The network provides access to guidance, events, and mentoring to assist members with energy efficiency, carbon tracking, and sustainability efforts.
Ideas from elsewhere
East End Trades Guild
An alliance of 400 small businesses in the East End.
Start-UpStall
Why? There is a strong culture of market trading in Nag’s Head Town Centre, in particular along Seven Sisters Road with Nag’s Head Covered and Open-Air Markets. Along with being a retail hub, the town centre has also been identified by Islington Council as a key employment area.
What? Start-Up Stall would celebrate the culture of market trading and make sure that Nag’s Head Town Centre continues to offer employment opportunities to local people, in particular young people. This proposal would include a new market stall at the underused pitch at Drapery Square along Seven Sisters Road. The stall would be part of a market trading training programme offered to local young people who would be given the opportunity to run a stall. This would be combined with the Islington Councils’ Adult Community Learning course “Introduction to Market Trading and Events Planning” which gives an insight into how to set up a business and sell products.
“Improvement of the market place was very good for the communities and will create job opportunities for locals”
Case Studies
Young Traders Market at Chapel Market
Young Traders Market by Islington Council and National Trader’s Federation was held at Chapel Market to give opportunities for young people to promote their products, meet new customers and improve business skills. The event builds on Chapel Market’s long history of supporting new businesses. The market was part of a competition arranged by the National Trader’s Federation to encourage young people to try out market trading.
In the medium and long term, The Start-Up Stall can also be an opportunity for growth for small businesses by offering opportunities for local people to test new business ideas. This could include business support and a pop-up shop in a vacant unit that can be offered to start-up businesses to further develop their ideas and scale up.
Nag’s Head Open-Air Weekend Market
Nag’s Head Open-Air Weekend
Market is a market hosted at the Grafton Primary School’s playground that attracts many visitors during the weekend. Dating back to the 1990s, the market offers a wide range of goods from everyday staples to second-hand finds. The traditional market is held on Saturdays with a car boot sale on Sundays that is free to enter and offers discounts for students.
Our Little Market
A community interest company giving young people opportunities to develop entrepeneurial skills.
Image credit: Islington Council
Image credit: Michael Calderbank
LocalLoyaltyCard
Why? Nag’s Head Town Centre has a varied retail offer with many people visiting the town centre daily. Through engagement, the community asked for initiatives that keep the town centre and its retail offer cost-friendly for all as many local people have low disposable income.
What? Local Loyalty Card would introduce a new loyalty card for Nag’s Head Town Centre that supports local businesses and encourages people to shop locally. The card could offer discounts from independent shops in the town centre with special reductions for example for local students, local workers, NHS staff or older people etc. This would encourage a wider range of people to contribute to the local economy who are currently not shopping in Nag’s Head Town Centre.
You said
“There are still many shops that offer excellent value and there is a very wide variety on offer”
The loyalty card would build on the work of the microsite that has been created as part of Nag’s Head Prospectus of Ideas and a page could be added to the webite promoting ongoing discounts or offers. This would be paired with a marketing campaign including stickers that businesses who are part of the Local Loyalty scheme could display in their shops. This proposal would strengthen the local economy by highlighting the current offer of traders and helping money stay locally.
Case Studies
Local Buyers Club Islington
The Love LoCally Card forms part of the wider work of the Caledonian Trader’s Association and aims to support independent businesses and encourage people to shop locally. Shoppers can use their cards to unlock discounts and offers at independent businesses. This initiative contributes to community wealth-building by creating an incentive for boosting the local economy and supports sustainable trading by highlighting opportunities for local trade.
The Local Buyers Club promotes independent businesses, offering memberships with discounts at shops, cafes, and restaurants. The Local Buyers Club also supports local initiative, including the Trick or Eat campaign with food collections for people expriencing hardship and the Winter Toy Appeal for children in poverty. Cards can be used online or in-store, fostering community connections and championing sustainable, local shopping.
Ideas from elsewhere
Brixton Pound Local Currency
A local currency to encourage local trade in Brixton Love LoCally Card
Image credit: Caledonian Traders Association
TestKitchen
Why? Nag’s Head Town Centre is a hub for fresh food and small businesses creating employment opportunities and bringing people together through food. During the engagement, the community asked for events and spaces that celebrate local culture, improve wellbeing and connect local people.
What? The Test Kitchen would create a community training kitchen by unlocking a vacant commercial kitchen in spaces like Nag’s Head Covered Market, The Upper Place or The Junction. This proposal could include an outreach programme with local schools, lowcost cooking classes for the community and a training programme for young people focusing on sustainable and healthy cooking that reduces food waste by using surplus food from local businesses. The cooking classes and training programme for young people would strengthen local skillsets and help create employment opportunities. This proposal would also help improve the wellbeing of local people by building confidence and encouraging social interaction and healthy eating.
“In order to have community we need spaces to socialise and come together”
Case Studies
Cook Together: A Community Cooking Club
Cook Together is an initiative by St. Mary Hornsey Rise that builds onto their committed work during the pandemic in supporting the community through food, a tradition that today continues through the Hive Food Bank. The Cook Together classes were introduced to teach people basic cooking skills. Held every Friday, these classes provide ingredients and teach participants new recipes, promoting cultural exchange and bringing people together.
To help fund the outreach programme, the Test Kitchen could also be rented out for food popups, supper clubs, food content creation and other events. The profits from renting out the space would feed back into the outreach programme to strengthen the support of the community.
As a long-term goal, this proposal would include a local surplus food network to make sure that businesses reduce their food waste and create a more sustainable Nag’s Head Town Centre.
Islington Food Partnership
The Islington Food Partnership brings together local organisations, businesses, and residents to create a sustainable and fair food system for the borough. Focused on improving access to healthy food, reducing food insecurity, and promoting community-led solutions, the initiative works with diverse groups to deliver services, events, and workshops. Through collaboration, it aims to build a food ecosystem that supports the wellbeing of residents.
Ideas from elsewhere
Made in Hackney
A plant-based community cookery school in Hackney
Potential Stepping Stones
Image credit: St Mary Hornsey Rise
Image credit: Candice George, Islington Food Partnership
Chapter 4
How do we get there?
4.0 FundingStreams
The vision and set of environmental, social and economic project ideas act as a guide for future improvements that could happen in the town centre. To help move us towards this, Nag’s Head Prospectus of Ideas aims to support the process of sourcing future funding.
There is a range of resources and other organisations available to help access funding streams for future projects, both from council funds and charities. The list below identifies some key funding streams and reources that can support the future delivery of the prospectus.
Section 106
Section 106 (S106) agreements are legal agreements between developers and local authorities as part of the planning process. They secure funding or contributions from developers to offset the impact of new developments. The funding can be used for affordable housing, schools, parks, transport improvements, and other community infrastructure.
The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL)
The Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) is a funding source from new developments to help local authorities improve a range of infrastructure. CIL funding can for example be used to improve play areas, open spaces, parks and green spaces, cultural and sports facilities, healthcare facilities, academies and free schools, district heating schemes and police stations and other community safety facilities.
GrantFinder
GrantFinder is a UK-based online funding database that helps organisations find grants, funding opportunities, and support for projects across various sectors, including business, community, and public services.
Islington Funding Toolkit
The Islington Funding Toolkit is an online resource that helps individuals, community groups, and organisations in Islington find funding opportunities for local projects and initiatives.
Voluntary Action Islington
Voluntary Action Islington is a charity that supports local community organisations and volunteers in Islington, providing advice, training, and resources to strengthen the voluntary sector.
Islington Giving
Islington Giving is a local charity that works to tackle poverty and inequality in Islington by funding community projects, supporting residents in need, and encouraging volunteering.
Conclusion
Conclusion
This document tells a story of where we have been, where we are now and where we want to get to. In preparation for the Nag’s Head Prospectus of Ideas, we set out to find what local businesses, residents and visitors think of the town centre and what would make it better for all, now and in the future.
To help imagine this future, the wider vision and project ideas set out a series of improvement opportunities for the town centre. Like a quilt, these are aimed at bringing together the different parts of the town centre into a vibrant and connected whole. Using this document as a guide for future development will help unlock these opportunities by building on the ongoing work by the community and other stakeholders that makes Nag’s Head Town Centre unique. Overall, this would help create a more greener, welcoming and resilient town centre that cares for its people and places.
Next steps
A printed summary document of the Nag’s Head Prospectus of Ideas will be handed out to local businesses, councillors and residents groups and at events in the area.
The microsite that has been launced alongside this document will be kept updated with upcoming events and ongoing promitions in the town centre to make what is here and happening more visible. Local businesses and community organisations are welcome to share information that they would like to post on the website.
The Nag’s Head Prospectus of Ideas and the many ideas contributed by local people may
inform the future approach to the development of the town centre, but this is only the start of a process. There is currently no funding in place to implement new projects, but the prospectus will help in the process of sourcing future funding.
About Islington Council
Islington is an inner London borough, serving over 206,000 residents. We are determined to create a more equal Islington, where everyone who lives here has an equal chance to thrive. Our priorities for achieving a more equal Islington are:
• Providing secure, decent, and genuinely affordable housing.
• Investing in local jobs and businesses.
• Working together to create a cleaner, greener, healthier borough.
• Nurturing our children and young people so everyone has the very best start.
• Standing with our communities so they are safe, connected and inclusive.
About Holloway Neighbourhood Group
Holloway Neighbourhood Group is a charity that over the years has worked with many different communities in the Holloway area, including pre-school children, parents, people with mental health problems, elders and unemployed people. Through the Old Fire Station Comuunity Centre and Stress Project Therapy Centre, Holloway Neighbourhood Group provide support and services and build connections to empower people to lead fulfilled lives as part of their community.
About Office S&M Architects
Office S&M deliver happier and healthier places. Our architecture practice works with a 50:50 split of public and private clients on
individual homes, new-build housing, workspace retrofit and public realm projects. We have developed extensive experience in town centre and placemaking projects, gained through involvement in every round of the GLA Outer London Fund, and working with one-third of the London boroughs. Civic work includes 20 high streets, 5 markets and 3 community centres, incorporating the practice’s co-design process to build local capacity
About Adam Tarasewicz
Adam is a graphic designer who focuses on the intersection between architecture, web and graphic design, exploring the impact of visual communication on built environment. Using digital and physical mediums, Adam designs place identities that visually communicate the essence of an area in inclusive and accessible ways.
About Jamila Saha
Jamila is a current resident around Nag’s Head and wrote about the local area for her personal statement at university. She is currently an architecture apprentice at LSBU and Haworth Tompkins, and works on public space and social housing projects in North London. She collaborated closely with the team, in providing a perspective on visions for the prospectus, for the people who use the space.
