Centre stage

The majority of us only pass through the heart of London, more commonly known as Zone 1, for work or play, but, for some people, it’s home. Emma Love meets the residents with Trafalgar Square on the doorstep 

- Emma Love

WE all grew up thinking of central London as Topshop at Oxford Circus,’ quips Charlotte Alexander-Stace, communications director at the Maybourne Hotel Group, who might not reside right in the heart of the West End, but is still closer than most. She and her husband, Jon Stace, a DJ and owner of The Talbot pub in De Beauvoir, bought their Hoxton flat four years ago, but have lived in the area for far longer. ‘Our whole relationship has been in this patch of London; we’re massive foodies and love the bars and culture. There’s Columbia Road flower market, which I go to at the crack of dawn to avoid the crowds; the Barbican is a nice walk away; and we took over our favourite restaurant, Bistrotheque, for our wedding,’ she continues. ‘You can tell I’m quite devoted to it.’

Hoxton, of course, is within Zone 1, the capital’s inner sanctum, which, although primarily known as an eating, shopping and entertainment Mecca, also offers its population a unique perspective on city life. ‘After graduating from university, I spent four years in a flat share on Ludgate Hill, a three-minute walk from St Paul’s Cathedral, and whenever I told people where home was, the response was that they didn’t think anyone actually lived there,’ recalls photographer Hannah Dace, who cites convenience for work as the initial reason for choosing the location. ‘I remember my friends and I thinking that, although we might pay slightly more for rent, we wouldn’t be shelling out any money for the commute.’