Notting Hill- Case Study

Question 1

Positive changes to Notting Hill:

Answer 1

• attracts flocks of tourists each week
• “everyone suddenly wanted to live in Notting Hill”
• tourist attraction
• the Grant film has been good for business
• it would not be the same without tourists

Question 2

What are some negative changes to Notting Hill?

Answer 2

• gentrification has spoilt a lot, and the film had a lot to do with it bc house prices doubled overnight
  Average house price in 1999 = £311,563… today = £1.5 million
• some residents are unhappy about the dynamics of the area
• “you’ve got one street where there is nothing, then one with £9 million pound houses”
• more than three quarters of all spending by foreign visitors in London is concentrated in the boroughs of Kensington and Chelsea, Westminster and the city of London
• independent businesses have closed down
• “huge impact on the house prices in the area”
• rents went up so no one could afford to live there anymore

Question 3

Give a timeline of Notting Hill over time:

Answer 3

1840s - area became more residential with construction of norland estates
1900s - migrants came from Ireland to work in factories and breweries
1940s - after ww2, many African Caribbean people migrated
1950s - abolished rent control laws, landlords no longer had a maximum price they could charge for properties
1960s - infrastructure improved with the building of the west way read

Question 4

Film/TV impact on Notting Hill:
What does the 1981 - carnival show you about place? And what are the limitations when using this to learn about the place?

Answer 4

Shows its diverse area with a mix of races. Made area look fun and exiting. Looks like area has a sense of community.
- doesn’t show the issues in the area e.g. litter, crime and racism

Question 5

Film/TV impact on Notting Hill:
What does the 1995 - migration video show about the area? What are the limitations when using this to learn about place?

Answer 5

Shows people arriving from Jamaica. Shows houses where they live. Shows over grounded condition. Shows what the mayor thought.
Limitations = language is outdated. Only heard opinions from one migrant, not representative

Question 6

Film/TV impact on Notting Hill:
What does the 1958 - riots and racism film show you about the area, and what limitations are there in using it to learn about the place?

Answer 6

• immigration from Jamaica and Caribbean
• Migrants were attacked
• Showed racism at the time
  Limitations = only shows one persons point of view