Your pulse on the borough. Sign up to Hackney's favourite weekly newsletter to know what's happening!
By entering your email you agree to receive the Hackney Live weekly newsletter. Unsubscribe any time.
What's happening across the borough right now. Local stories that matter, from housing to culture.
Historic election result sees Green party surge from 4 to 42 councillors and take control of council for the first time. Full ward-by-ward results.
Hackney local election results show Greens winning seven wards, Conservatives holding Springfield, and Labour losing key central seats.
Zoë Garbett’s election as Hackney mayor comes alongside a Green gains surge in council wards, reshaping borough politics.
With local polls on 7 May, candidates are criss-crossing the borough and hustings are drawing larger crowds.
200 new genuinely affordable homes to be built on the former industrial site, with 50% at social rent levels. Community groups call it a landmark decision.
Traders and residents rally to protect one of London's last multicultural street markets from redevelopment plans that threaten its character.
A major biodiversity project aims to restore native habitats across 50 acres of marshland, with community planting days open to all residents.
The former warehouse space on Dalston Lane has been transformed into a free creative hub offering music, film and visual arts programmes for under-25s.
With local elections approaching, we break down the key pledges from candidates across the borough — including independent Rafie Faruq's bold plans for housing, nightlife and community wellbeing.
Plans to support nightlife venues while addressing noise concerns divide opinion among residents and business owners in Dalston and Shoreditch.
Hackney Council has refused a planning application for flats overlooking the MOTH Club, but the venue warns a second application still threatens its future.
Hackney Council has proposed raising market stall fees by up to 60% to cover rising waste costs, prompting concern from traders at Broadway Market and Ridley Road.
From yoga teachers to tech CEOs, a new wave of independent candidates is shaking up the local elections with policies that don't fit neatly into party lines.
Hackney has a proud tradition of grassroots activism. These are the issues and campaigns shaping the borough today.
A long-running campaign by traders, residents and activists to protect Ridley Road Market from plans that would price out existing stallholders. The market has served Dalston's diverse communities since the 1880s and is a vital source of affordable food and cultural connection.
Grassroots movement demanding genuinely affordable housing, an end to no-fault evictions, and stronger tenant protections. With average rents exceeding £1,800/month for a one-bed flat, many long-standing residents face displacement from the borough.
Campaign pushing for expanded Low Traffic Neighbourhoods, school street closures and stronger action on illegal pollution levels. Parts of Hackney regularly breach WHO air quality guidelines, disproportionately affecting children and elderly residents.
Coalition of venue owners, musicians and nightlife workers fighting to preserve Hackney's legendary music and club scene against licensing restrictions, noise complaints and rising commercial rents that have already closed iconic venues.
Community-led campaign for greater transparency and accountability in police stop-and-search practices in Hackney, where Black residents are disproportionately stopped. Calls for mandatory body camera footage review and community oversight panels.
Push for all Hackney employers, including council contractors, to pay the real London Living Wage. In a borough where child poverty rates exceed 40% in some wards, fair pay is a frontline issue.
Campaign led by independent candidate Rafie Faruq demanding that no Hackney child spend more than six weeks in B&B accommodation. Proposes a ring-fenced Temporary Accommodation Acquisitions Fund and a public weekly dashboard tracking children in B&Bs.
Community campaign that won a major victory when Hackney Council refused the first Morning Lane planning application in March 2026, with over 30,000 petition signatures. But a second application for an adjoining site is still under consideration — the fight is not over.
Push to make the Agent of Change principle council policy — requiring any new development near an existing venue to include soundproofing at the developer's expense. Championed by Rafie Faruq and backed by venue operators across Dalston and Shoreditch.
Grassroots movement calling for a Hackney Connection Standard that measures council services on their impact on social isolation. Proposals include social prescribers in every GP practice, peppercorn rates for community group hall hire, and School Streets at every school.
Campaign for the council to mandate 10% affordable workspace in all major commercial developments at approximately 50% of market rent, protecting studios, rehearsal spaces and small creative businesses from being priced out of the borough.
Cross-party demand to rebuild youth services to pre-austerity funding levels, including a dedicated youth worker in every ward. Backed by youth charities, schools and council candidates including Rafie Faruq who argues early intervention is the most effective crime prevention.
Hackney's strength has always been its people. Whether you join a campaign, attend a council meeting, or simply stay informed — your voice matters.
Festivals, markets, exhibitions and community gatherings — there's always something happening in Hackney.
Local elections across all Hackney wards took place on 7 May, with results declared on 8 May 2026. The Greens scored gains across the borough while Springfield remained Conservative.
Weekly outdoor yoga and meditation sessions in the heart of London Fields. All levels welcome, mats and instructors provided.
The iconic half marathon winds through Victoria Park, London Fields and the Olympic Park. A celebration of community fitness.
Three days of live music across Dalston's venues. From grime to jazz, afrobeat to indie — showcasing Hackney's legendary music scene.
Over 100 artists open their studio doors to the public. Explore paintings, sculpture, ceramics and digital art in converted warehouses.
Annual community gathering with food from local restaurants, live performances and activities for children. Bring a blanket!
Join the Hackney Marshes rewilding project for a weekend of planting, wildlife habitat work and outdoor learning for families.
Special evening edition of the beloved market with street food, live DJs and stalls staying open until 10pm.
The Grade II listed theatre launches its summer programme with comedy, drama and musical performances from local and international talent.
Discover local businesses, institutions and community spaces across the borough. Search by name, area or what you're looking for.
Showing 28 places
Grade II listed theatre and one of London's finest variety and music hall venues, hosting comedy, drama and community events since 1901.
One of London's most vibrant and diverse street markets, trading since the 1880s. Fresh produce, fabrics, Caribbean and African goods.
Independent cinema showing new releases, classics and special screenings in the heart of Hackney. Bar and cafe on site.
Artisan bakery under the railway arches producing organic sourdough bread using heritage grains. Baking classes available.
Free community farm with animals, gardens, a pottery studio and a popular Italian cafe. A green oasis in the heart of Hackney.
Public library named after the Trinidadian-British historian and activist. Community hub with events, reading groups and digital access.
Middle Eastern and North African-inspired restaurant celebrating the flavours of Hackney's diverse communities. Brunch favourite.
Heated 50-metre outdoor swimming pool open year-round. One of London's few remaining lidos and a Hackney institution.
Artist-run gallery, studios and cafe on the banks of the Lea Navigation in Hackney Wick. Exhibitions, film screenings and community events.
Community cooking school offering affordable classes in world cuisines, nutrition and food growing. Run by Made In Hackney charity.
Beloved independent bookshop with a carefully curated selection and regular author events. A cornerstone of the local literary scene.
Major NHS hospital serving Hackney and the City of London with A&E, maternity, outpatient clinics and specialist services.
Beloved live music venue in the Old Trades Hall, taken over in 2015 by the team behind the Shacklewell Arms. Grime, indie, afrobeat, punk — 300-capacity heart of Hackney's grassroots scene.
Dalston's legendary not-for-profit jazz venue on Gillett Square. Founded in 1988, now nearly four decades of world-class improvised music at accessible prices.
Japanese-inspired listening bar with a world-renowned sound system. Vinyl-only DJ sets, sake and small plates in a minimal Dalston setting.
Free legal advice, benefits support and debt counselling for Hackney residents. Walk-in sessions available, no appointment needed.
Dalston's experimental music venue and cafe. A globally recognised space for avant-garde, noise, free jazz and sound art. Daytime cafe with great coffee.
Outstanding-rated nursery offering full-time and sessional places for children aged 2-5. Forest school sessions in Clissold Park.
Community sports centre on the edge of the marshes. Gym, changing rooms, multi-use games area and home to dozens of Sunday league football teams.
Artist studios and creative workspace in a 1910 warehouse on the River Lea in Hackney Wick. One of the area's original creative spaces.
Social enterprise bakery in a Dalston car park turning out some of London's best sourdough and sandwiches. Employs and trains young people at risk.
Independent art deco cinema on Kingsland High Street since 1915. New releases, classics, Q&As and community screenings at affordable prices.
Neighbourhood restaurant and wine bar on Well Street serving seasonal British and Mediterranean cooking. Popular weekend brunch.
Charity helping young people develop literacy, confidence and communication skills through creative projects in a pirate ship-themed space.
Modern leisure centre adjacent to Clissold Park with swimming pool, gym, fitness classes and a soft play area for children.
Queer bar, club and cultural space on Kingsland Road. Art exhibitions by day, DJs and drag by night. A Dalston institution since 2009.
The oldest residential building in Hackney, built in 1535 for a courtier of Henry VIII. Now a National Trust museum, cafe and event space.
Weekend market in London Fields with vintage clothing, handmade jewellery, street food and a rooftop bar with views across Hackney.
From medieval manor to creative capital — nearly a thousand years of radical history, community resilience and cultural reinvention.
Hackney is first recorded as 'Hakeneia' in the Domesday Book, a rural manor held by the Bishop of London with woodland, meadows and a small settlement.
Photo: Domesday Book manuscript, Wikimedia Commons
Each neighbourhood has its own personality. From the creative buzz of Hackney Wick to the village calm of Stokey — there's a corner for everyone.
Eclectic nightlife, world food markets, creative energy
The civic heart — town hall, empire, and high street culture
Village feel, indie bookshops, Church Street charm
Warehouse art studios, canal walks, Olympic park views
Lido summers, Broadway Market brunches, green spaces
Street art, tech startups, boundary-pushing bars
Marshes walks, community pubs, quiet resilience
Family neighbourhood, hospital hub, growing scene
“Hackney is not a place you move to. It's a place that moves you.”
— A local sentiment, expressed a thousand different ways