Nina Stibbe

INTERVIEWED by Review, author Nina Stibbe shines a not altogether flattering light on Camden – especially when it comes to litter.

Nevertheless, her memoir, Went to London, Took the Dog, is a humorous and fascinating account of a year of her life when she was back in the borough after two decades’ absence.

A diary of her times in London, the book is also a celebration of many of the things she loves about Camden, as well as a mid-life female friendships and resilience.

Stibbe said: “It’s depressing to see the streets of Camden so often strewn with rubbish from overflowing street bins, busted bin bags, as well as dog mess and food waste. Other boroughs aren’t so filthy. What’s going wrong here? Do we have more rubbish, or maybe the refuse collections aren’t frequent enough. Around King’s Cross garbage wardens chase after people who drop a cigarette end and issue on-the-spot fines. That seems harsh, and wouldn’t work here… but it is very clean!”

For Stibbe, a mother of two grown-up children, who now lives outside the borough, coming back to live in the capital after 20 years caused another concern: The smells. “London used to smell of privet hedges, anti-perspirant, furniture polish, overripe melons, coffee and various detergents, but now smells almost over-whelmingly of weed.”

And as someone who presumably always cleans up after her dog, Peggy, Stibbe complains of another problem – dog mess. She described dog pooh as “rude, bad manners and really horrible”.

Ten years ago Stibbe, now 61, published the popular book Love Nina, based on her experiences of being a full-time children’s nanny at Gloucester Crescent. It also became a hit BBC TV series.

At the time, a friend and near neighbour, writer Alan Bennett, said he was “misremembered” in the book, where he was described as a DIY expert. Stibbe suggested later that she wished she’d made him funnier.

Now, in the new memoir, she moved in for a year with her friend Deborah Moggach, famous for her book and now film, Best Exotic Marigold Hotel. They lived in Kentish Town. Stibbe also features other literary friends including author Nick Hornby, Sathnam Sanghera, Meg Mason, Cathy Rentzenbrink and Max Porter.

Stibbe thinks Moggach’s Best Exotic ­hotel book will make a great musical. “For me, by far the best bit is the delightful joyous singing and dancing when they are making an advert for the hotel.”

But Stibbe’s sister Victoria is appalled: “No, Neen, don’t start messing with Debbie’s play. You’re only the lodger.”

Stibbe describes Moggach’s Victorian house as “cram-packed with antique furniture –ornately carved armoire, sideboards, tallboys, and any nook or space filled with dark wood closets or stands.”

Her favourite places include Hampstead Heath with its outdoor swimming pools, Regent’s Park, Primrose Hill, King’s Cross and St Pancras stations.

At times Stibbe feels as though “London doesn’t really want me,” but then cheers up walking with Peggy her dog through Regent’s Park and Primrose Hill on a sunny day. “I’ve never seen a park so full of people and dogs doing great things and having a lovely time.”

It’s not long before she realises she’s spending too much cash. “Looked at banking app. Shocked by how much money I’ve spent in a short time. On nothing apart from a Harriet jumpsuit, bracelet, and admittedly quite a lot of coffee and cake.”

Where’s the noisiest junction in London? The corner of Gaisford Street and Kentish Town Road, according to Stibbe.

For Stibbe, one of the most important experiences is meeting up with Debbie’s neighbour, Kate Muir. Kate is a women’s health and menopause expert.

“Kate manages to enlighten us on the importance of having some HRT and not desperately trying to get along without it.”

Debbie opens a bottle of red wine: “God! It tastes of old harness,” she says. Stibbe replies: “And cigar butts.”

They both get jolly and talk about the ponies of their childhood. Then Debbie says: “I’m going to bloody well put the dishwasher on.”

Stibbe replies: “No, Debbie. We’re both drunk and it’s the middle of the night. If we’re going to cause a flood let’s do it in office hours.”

Another of Stibbe’s favourite places is the Kentish Town indoor pool. But she gets irritated by “super-fast aggressive types who overtake splashily and do dangerous somersault turns that can knock your goggles off”.

The pool, relatively cheap compared with much else in the borough, provides one of Stibbe’s happiest memories when she went swimming with her children Eva and Alf. “I cannot describe the joyful amusement of seeing them ahead of me kicking froggy legs and looking accomplished and fabulous and just completely beautiful. If you need a perk up, go swimming with your kids, or nephew or sister or pal.”

• Went to London, Took the Dog. By Nina Stibbe, Picador, £10.99.