London's Alleys: Leverton Place, NW5

"Structurally, Leverton Place doesn't seem to have changed much since this part of the countryside was first developed into housing in the 1860s. A map from 1870 shows it as a short passage with running between the back gardens of the houses on the eastern side, and a bit of a cluster of buildings on the western side."

"For a while, the old station was used as a light industrial site, but in the mid-1920s, the backyard was built over, and the police station building was converted into residential flats with two shops on the ground floor. The first shop to open was in February 1926, as a stewed eel and meat pie restaurant owned by Proto & Son. It was said to be a very modern restaurant with the "latest scientific cooking plant" in the kitchen."

"The ground floor has been a bar or restaurant ever since, although there has been a fairly rapid turnover in recent years. Since 2008, it has been home to various establishments, including Red (a deli cafe), Kentish Canteen, Joe's Southern Kitchen, the wine bar Kitchen, Neighbour's beer and burger, The Rabbit Hole, and currently a generic Italian sourdough pizza parlour."

Leverton Place is a short cobblestone passage next to busy Kentish Town that retains a quaint, refined character. The layout dates from 1860s housing development; an 1870 map shows a narrow passage between back gardens and a small cluster of buildings. The corner building served as a Metropolitan Police Y Division station (established 1865) and remained until the opening of a larger Holmes Road station. The building later housed light industry before mid-1920s conversion into residential flats with two shops; the first opened in February 1926. The ground floor has housed bars and restaurants since, with frequent turnover and varied tenants since 2008.

Read at ianVisits