Havering Borough Guide

Lying on the eastern fringes of Greater London, Havering is characterised by it's suburban scenery and includes the main centres of Romford, Hornchurch and Upminster. Despite being just 30 minutes from central London, it is lucky enough to count over half its area as protected countryside, parkland and nature reserves; you're never far from beautiful, countryside scenery. The borough has one of the lowest unemployment and crime rates in Greater London, but enjoys a lower level of cultural diversity with only 5% of the population coming from ethnic minority backgrounds.

If visiting Havering, you're lucky to be based between two culturally rich places; London and Essex, however you will also find plenty in the Borough itself which is worth exploring. Thames Chase Forest Centre is a great place to start with its great scenery, walks and picnic opportunities! It has a visitor centre with interactive exhibition, a cafe and a shop set in 140 acres of community woodland, all of which is fully accessible via footpaths, cycle and horse rides. There is also a vibrant arts scene; look at the latest programme of events on at The Queen's Theatre or Fairkytes Arts Centre, both of which offer a great range of top-quality performances. To experience the real feel of the place, try village life in Havering atte Bower or market day in Romford's 750 year-old market!

The following blog entries from the All In London blogs channel contain references to Havering.

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Collier Row
The area where Collier Row sits today was little other than agricultural land up until the 1930s, when a housing estate was developed to accommodate London’s expansion. Shops and main roads soon follo...More information

Elm Park
Elm Park has earned itself a notorious reputation thanks to reports of football hooliganism and being home to the pub where BNP members meet. The East London area was developed in the late 1930s to ac...More information

Harold Hill
Harold Hill is the name of the one of the post-war housing estates erected in East London to house people living in slums in the city. The area suffers from high crime rates and vandalism, and it is g...More information

Hornchurch
If you’re wondering how this East London neighbourhood got its name, it’s because of the church that has existed here since the 13th century, with an unconventional bull’s horn mounted on one of the o...More information

Rainham
Located in northeast London, in the borough of Havering, Rainham is mostly residential, although several large companies have chosen to have their headquarters here. Throughout the 19th and 20th centu...More information

Redbridge
Lying on the north-easterly edge of Greater London, Redbridge is sometimes known as the "leafy" suburb, and as such enjoys one of the best living environments in the capital. The Borough stretches fro...More information

Barking and Dagenham
The borough of Barking & Dagenham has benefited from significant inward investment over recent years which has improved the standard of the local environment and quality of housing. Housing is still u...More information

Bexley
The borough of Bexley lies on the south-east edge of Greater London in the Thames Gateway, which is still a national priority for urban regeneration. Originally a sparcely populated area with an estim...More information