Fuck North London

7pm, 5 March, Set Social

When media pundits complain of the capital soaking up all Britain’s public investment they are half right — the north half. Of all the 272 Tube stations, fewer than 9% are south of the Thames while 39 out of 41 Elizabeth Line stations are in the North. Yet ironically North London’s transport generosity seems to create a culture that is anything but. 

While southern Londoners obligingly drag themselves North at the behest of friends in Clapton or Chalk Farm without complaint, persuading a Northerner to cross the river in the other direction is like drawing blood from a stone. There are at least 59 ways to cross the river in the capital by foot, boat, road, rail or cable car, yet many North Londoners still insist the south of their city is “difficult to get to”. 

What is it about North London that breeds a pampered psyche too timid to venture beyond Hackney or try the Thameslink? Why would so many North Londoners rather queue round the block for a cramped seat at an over-hyped small plates restaurant in Soho when for half the price they could have a vat of Ecuadorian fish soup or a mountain of Nigerian suya on The Old Kent Road? Who would choose the Maseratis of Knightsbridge, the banker-wankers of the City and the insufferably smug postcard families of Stoke Newington over Burgess Park barbecues, the Blackheath Kite Day and that sauna in the Finnish church? 

In these hyper-polarised times, Turncoats returns to tackle the biggest schism of our divided nation. Buckingham Palace vs Crystal Palace. The Ivy members club vs The Ivy House community pub. Fancy buildings and high air pollution vs sprawling parks and modernist council estates. The ultimate grudge match: North vs South London.

Speakers:

North London

Kasia Tomasiewicz
Peter Bloxham

South London

Hidigo Dulane
Owen Hatherley

Chair

Aydin Dikerdem

Tickets:

Please note Set have changed their booking fees so we have to charge a little more than 2025 to compensate. The price of tickets just covers costs. All speakers and performers at Turncoats are offered a reasonable fee but organisers are not paid. Here’s the breakdown:

Solidarity - got a mortgage or living with family? get this one and support the subsidised tix for others.

Regular - full time job at London Living Wage or higher? get this one. Includes vodka shots and a sexy Turncoats badge.

Unwaged - London landlords evicting you ahead of the Renters Rights Act coming in? get this one.

Free - Want a free ticket? get in touch and be a volunteer on the night in exchange for a free ringside seat.

No physical tickets, your name will be on the door. The site may show an error message until you enter an address in the checkout. Sold out? Sign up for alerts when new tickets are released.

Event:

7pm (doors 6pm), Thursday 5 March, Set Social, 55a Nigel Rd, London SE15 4NP

Set Social has a (brilliantly affordable) bar serving cocktails and other drinks. Arrive early to avoid long queues for a negroni. Turncoats is a feisty mix of debate and ideas. Come armed with something to say and don’t be afraid to seize the mic.

Partners:

Turncoats is presented in partnership with the Future Architects Front and Architecture Foundation.

Refunds:

100% — up to 10 days before event
50% — up to 5 days before event
30% — up to 48 hours before event