Londoners could be forgiven these days for believing the map of the city is being rewritten by property developers. Brixton's Granville Arcade is now Brixton Village, Woodberry Downs is becoming Woodberry Park, Staines is now -upon-Thames, and everything now seems to be on a riverside.

So it is with great sympathy to the residents of the relentlessly gentrified borough of Hackney that we reveal the latest area previously-of-no-particular-interest to get a hipster baptism. A stretch of the Regent's Canal that shall henceforth be known as ... drum roll ... the Haggerston Riviera.

Launching (well, re-launching) tonight, the riviera will be kicking off its summer programme with an arts and cocktail crawl down the canal's concrete promenade to a selection of galleries and venues located along it. Among those participating are the Barbican Arts Group Trust, CANAL and Southgate Studios. Also in on the action is the Proud Archivist, which is run by Hector Proud, brother of Alex, who recently ranted in the Telegraph that the "hipsterfication" of run down areas in London must stop.

As the Dalstonist – who first broke news of the rebrand – points out: "the Regent's Canal may lack certain similarities with the Italian coastline but just stick on your tinted sunglasses and imagine a few palm trees …"

Locals have already taken to twitter to voice their disdain. "Haggerston ... putting the canal in riviera", said Hackney resident Jo Harris-Cooksley, while local blog Dalston Din said: "Yep, now the hipsters are renaming places in the area, Dalston Beach next."

We're keeping our weary eyes peeled for Kingsland Boulevard.