The psychotherapist, broadcaster and bestselling author Philippa Perry has lived with her husband, artist Grayson Perry, in the same Clerkenwell house since 1985. “When we first arrived, the area wasn’t as smart as it is now,” she says. “But maybe that's the same with most of London. I love it here and miss it when I’m away – there are shopkeepers I’ve known for decades that I’ll stop and have a chat with. Some years ago we moved a mile away while we had work done on our house, and it may as well have been another planet. I really missed all the locals; they become like touchstones, don’t they? We have a house on the South Downs where we spend a lot of the summer, but there’s something about Clerkenwell, and Exmouth Market in particular, that feels like my true home.”
Cafe Maya
“Maya is run by a Greek gentleman on the crossroads between Farringdon Road and Rosebery Avenue. I usually have something like bacon, spinach and grilled tomato, possibly baked beans. And they do very good freshly squeezed orange juice. You can always rely on the Greeks to make excellent juices.”
Klinic
“Anna [Forsling] has been doing my hair for at least 25 years. She’s fantastic. Once you find your hairdresser, you become completely loyal to them. I’d not go anywhere else.”
Space
“I pretty much buy all my gifts for friends from here. There are very few gift shops that are filled with things you actually want to buy for others or yourself, but this is one of them.”
Mikkeller Brewpub
“Rick Astley – you know, the guy that sang Never Gonna Give You Up – co-owns this pub, but I’ve never actually seen him there, which disappoints me. Having said that, it’s always busy and brilliant and everything you want in a pub.”
Moro and Morito
“I’m always in one of the two restaurants. Recently, the Royal Academy hosted a dinner at Moro, which was very nice – and just a short stroll home.”
Marby & Elm
“This letterpress stationery and design shop is owned by a woman called Eleanor [Tattersfield], who is fantastic. I love to nip in here for funny and clever cards and gifts for people, and although Marby & Elm isn’t in direct competition with Space, I sometimes feel spoilt for choice having them both so close.”
Spa Fields Park
“It’s a dot of a green space in the area and I’m thankful for it. A little place to see some grass or play tennis, and there’s a great children’s playground.”
Farringdon Locksmith & Tool Supplies Co
“If I need an obscure screw, they’ll have it in the storeroom. A bag of soil? Done. Something in need of repair or keys to cut? No problem. It’s like a perfect, tiny B&Q, and everyone there is extremely knowledgeable. This place has been here forever, and I think shops like these are essential to local communities. I’d be bereft if it ever closed.”
Shrink Solves Murder, the debut novel by Philippa Perry, is published by Hutchinson Heinemann (£18.99).
This article originally appeared in issue 4 of the Broadsheet London magazine. Find a copy here.
