The ‘real’ Albert Square! Victorian terrace on the road that inspired the Eastenders set is listed for £1.5m
- Four-bed house for sale is in Fassett Square in London’s fashionable Hackney
- Fassett Square was the inspiration behind Albert Square in TV soap Eastenders
- The Victorian terrace is for sale for £1.5m via estate agents Savills
It looks many other Victorian terraces in London, but this home for sale has a television connection and a price tag that would be a stretch for many residents of a popular long-running fictional soap opera.
This four-bedroom house in Fassett Square is located in the hipster hotspot of Hackey, East London.
What is unique about the Square is that it was the inspiration behind Albert Square in Eastenders – in other words, it is the ‘real’ location behind TV’s most recognisable, fictional square.
The Victorian terrace in London’s fashionable Hackney is for sale for £1.5million
The house for sale is on Fassett Square (pictured), which is set around communal gardens
EastEnders’ creator Julia smith was originally going to film on location, but too much traffic, a hospital that has since closed, and people living on Fassett Square meant it was not possible.
Instead, it was decided to use Elstree Studios, with the soap opera set being a fairly faithful recreation of the Hackney original.
There are fewer similarities between the two squares today compared to when the soap’s creators first discovered the Hackney square in 1985.
This is due to the rapid gentrification of large chunks of the capital – including Hackney – since Eastenders was first broadcast 35 years ago.
Back then, in the mid 1980s, the East End was considered to be the perfect spot for soap operas, with Smith highlighting its ‘problems of unemployment, bad housing and so on’.
The Victorian terrace in Fassett Square has an open-plan living area with wooden flooring
The spacious kitchen overlooks the outdoor space at the rear of the property
The kitchen has colourful units and several windows, making it bright and flooded with light
Fashionable Hackney has average house prices that are almost double the national average at £638,836, compared to £319,967, according to property website Zoopla.
And this particular corner of the affluent borough has even higher values, with this four-bedroom property currently for sale with an asking price of £1.5million.
TV SOAP REVEALS NEW £87M SET
Eastenders is getting a brand new set – and it revealed a glimpse of it taking shape amid the coronavirus pandemic.
The extended studio – based mere feet away from the old set – includes a brand new Queen Vic pub, railway line and block of flats to replicate the soap’s original setting, and is thought to have cost an eye-watering £87 million.
EastEnders’ new set was first announced four years ago when it was also revealed that the show’s old 1980s set was in poor condition.
Eastenders reveals a glimpse of its revamped set, based feet away from the old one
The family home expands across three storeys and boasts a host of period features, including bay windows with sash frames.
There is also an off-street parking space, which is highly desirable – and a rarity for the area.
Brad Suter, of Savills’ Hackney office – which is handling the sale – said: ‘Located in a prime part of East London with popular London Fields and Broadway Market nearby, this is a stunning end-terrace house situated in famous Fassett Square, a private garden square with residents-only access.
‘Beautifully designed, this would make the perfect house for any family to grow into.’
The terrace house has some period features such as bay windows with sash frames
A large sliding door in the kitchen leads to a peaceful decked and paved garden
Post lockdown: The garden has space to entertain family and friends outdoors
Fassett Square is a group of 56 Victoria houses set around communal gardens and was built around the 1860s.
While Fassett Square may not have seen any of the drama of its TV counterpart, it still hosts street parties and barbecue for residents.
The family home extends across three storeys and has four bedrooms
There are two family bathrooms, with this one including a mirrored cabinet
The house is on Fassett Square, which is set around communal gardens used by residents