This week 30 years ago: Islington’s rich/poor divide exposed in poll that showed 30% of people didn’t have a fridge

A council poll found Islington was divided by rich and poor people. Who would have guessed it!

In the Gazette’s words, the image of Islington’s as a “yuppie paradise full of Porsche-driving trendies” took a knock with the 500-page document based on 4,000 interviews with tenants and homeowners.

It found 50 per cent of people hadn’t been on holiday in the past year, 40pc didn’t have an oven or washing machine, 30pc didn’t have a fridge or freezer, 23pc couldn’t afford proper central heating and 7pc struggled to scrape enough cash to feed themselves.

Council leader Margaret Hodge said the survey would help councillors “plan the services that the people of Islington want”.

The survey also produced one amusing result: more than 20pc thought Islington Council ran the police force.

In seperate council news, town hall history was made when Cllr Valda James became Islington’s first black mayor.