Swiss Cottage
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Swiss Cottage is a landmark of North-west London in the London Borough of Camden. The vicinity is commonly referred to after a Swiss Cottage which in the mid-20th Century was a restaurant called the Cottage Grill. It was originally the dairy of a farmhouse when the area was countryside but was demolished in mid-1960s. Today the name is associated with a Public House built between 1803 and 1804. This opened as "The Swiss Tavern" and is now called "Ye Olde Swiss Cottage" (a pub). However, the pub may have been named after a contemporary opera. The building was reconstructed in 1965 in the style of a Swiss chalet or cottage. The road to Finchley in Barnet is north of here and the area is usually referred to as Finchley Road and has also given that name to the nearby tube station, about a mile north of 'Swiss Cottage'.
Local amenities include an Odeon Cinema, Swiss Cottage Central Library, The Hampstead Theatre and assorted shops the length of the Finchley Road. The large Swiss Cottage Leisure Centre reopened in early 2006; after complete redevelopment; and now houses 2 swimming pools, a gym and a climbing wall.
As far as properties in the vicinity are concerned, Swiss Cottage would be deemed incorrect as an address: it is more a road junction. Properties would be addressed mostly either Hampstead, or St. John's Wood. It is common for properties west of the Finchley Road to be addressed West Hampstead, and those east of the Finchley Road, but west of Merton Rise, and south of Eaton Avenue as St. John's Wood. Properties between Haverstock Hiil, Eaton Avenue and Prince Albert Road are technically in Primrose Hill (which again is not an area that is proper when writing an address, as far as postal addresses are concerned, this is Belsize Park). South of Adelaide Road is South Hampstead (which is used interchangeably with St. John's Wood) until Queens Grove, and St. John's Wood (as a certainty) after that.
St. John's Wood, Belsize Park, South Hampstead, West Hampstead, Swiss Cottage, Hampstead Village, Hampstead Garden Suburb. Child's Hill, Church End, Highgate West, and Fortune Green are all considered Greater Hampstead.
Adjoining neighbourhoods include Hampstead Village to the North East, Chalk Farm and Camden Town to the South East, Belsize Park to the East, St John's Wood to the South and West Hampstead and Kilburn to the West. Regent's Park is within walking distance (1.7 miles). Local Major Hotels include a Marriot and Holiday Inn Express. There are many smaller hotels in the area. Notable restaurants include Globe (European) and Benihana (Oriental griddle). Swiss Cottage is also the location of the Central School of Speech and Drama, performing in the Embassy Theatre.
Swiss Cottage is in the Hampstead and Highgate constituency for which the MP is Glenda Jackson, as of 2006.
Nearest tube stations:
- Swiss Cottage tube station (Jubilee Line)
- Finchley Road tube station (Jubilee Line and Metropolitan Line)
Nearest railway stations:
- South Hampstead railway station (Silverlink)
- Finchley Road & Frognal railway station (Silverlink North London Line)
