The Diggers Guide To... LONDON, Part 1: Central London (Page Four)

The Diggers' Guide To London, Part 1: Central London

Northern Line tube map for Central London digging route

STOP 4: Angel, Islington

Islington has been an expensive and fashionable part of London for quite a while, but parts of this area retain their old-school East End-style roots if you move away from trendy Upper Street and towards Hackney, where the best vinyl spots can be found. There are plenty of great bars and restaurants on Upper Street if you fancy some grub or a pint - be warned though, they're generally expensive.

Turn right out of Angel tube station and head up Upper Street, through the antiques stalls and shops of Camden Passage. After a quarter mile, you'll see the main road fork, with a small park (Islington Green) in the middle. Cross over the main road to the far side of the Green.

Reckless Records, 9 Upper St, London N1 0NU. 020 7359 0501

Probably the best Reckless branch in London, this shop is reasonably large and contains a great selection of all sorts of vinyl with some CDs. Expect Reckless prices on many items - this branch used to be more competitively priced than the West End branches but not any more. Fast stock turnover, some serious rarities on the walls, a good selection of 45s behind the counter (ask to see), and an excellent dance basement containing many great funk, soul, disco and dance records on LP and 12" make this an essential stop despite indifferent staff and high prices.

Street map

Cross back over the main road and take the right-hand fork instead, up Essex Road. Stay on the right-hand side of the road. Carry on up Essex Road for about a quarter of a mile

Flashback, 50 Essex Rd, London N1 8LR. 020 7354 9356

Go down into the basement for a reasonable selection of mainly rock-focused vinyl. Good selection of 45s as well as LPs and 12"s. Pretty poor on black music but usually has some useful soundtracks or library albums. Reasonable prices as it's just out of the main tourist areas.

Street map

Keep walking up Essex Road for another three hundred yards. Follow the road round a right-hand slow bend and down a slight hill.

Haggle Vinyl, 114 Essex Rd, London N1 8LX. 020 7704 3101

The owner, Leigh, is an eccentric. Generally friendly, sometimes he's in a foul mood and swears at the customers so be prepared for a funny experience. One of the few places with two - yes, two - listening decks, generally very accommodating unless you're a 'time-waster' in which case you won't get the time of day. Fantastic selection of seriously obscure and rare records in all sorts of conditions and at all sorts of prices - a real gem of an old-school record shop. Plenty of vinyl on all formats, with boxes of 45s too (ask to see). It's important to take a stack of cash as you will find something you want, and you can always get a substantial discount if you pay cash - don't be afraid to, well, haggle.

Street map

If you've had enough of digging at this point, do what Londoners do. Walk back the way you've come, down to Angel tube station, but then take a number 19 or 38 bus from there back to Tottenham Court Road instead of taking the tube. Your one-day travelcard allows you to travel by bus as well as tube. It'll take ten minutes by bus instead of about three quarters of an hour on the underground. Job done!

Alternatively, to see the final couple of spots on our tour, get back on the tube and take the Northern Line (Bank Branch) Southbound. Get off at the next tube stop, Old Street.