View Full Version : Greenwich: is it nice?
I'm going through clearing for universities and one of the unis that have offered me a place is the University of Greenwich. Since it's clearing, I don't really know much about the uni or the place so at the moment it's a bit of a step into the unknown.
Does anyone know the university or the area? a friend thinks its a bit of a dodgy neighbourhood, I honestly have no idea. Is it a good place to live? esp. for a student? is there lots going on, is it a nice place to call your home, etc etc.
any help advice or info would be gratefully recieved.
dunno about the Uni but greenwich is nice and hsitorical... a bit touristy and not exactly cheap from my experience. great views and central london is only 40 min away on the jubilee line! Best of luck.
The website's fairly accurate:
http://www.gre.ac.uk/about/campus/maritime.htm
I lived there for a few months and I wouldn't describe it as a dodgy area. Agree that it is quite pricey and there are lots of tourists about, especially at weekends. Great market. The park is popular and you can walk up through that to Blackheath. Transport-wise there is also the DLR from the Cutty Sark - again, getting to Central London very quick. Not much in the way of night life in Greenwich itself, but there is in places nearby. Not sure what the Uni itself is like. It's a bit odd because the campuses are a long distance apart.
Thanks for the response. Yeah the campus is a bit sprawling, as far as I know i would be on the maritime greenwich campus, which is the biggest one, by the river.
It would be nice to be so close to central London, definitely. If the nightlife is a bit dull in Greenwich itself its good to know there will places nearby to relax at the weekend. and there's always SU.
anyone else have any experience of living in the area?
jannerboyuk
20-08-2005, 16:45
The noodle places are nice with some £5 a enormous plate of grub places. Lots of nice bookshops and market and pubs seem alright although i wasn't down there for long. The main issue may be where you actually live then the maritime campus itself which is lovely and very historical. The DLR serves the area pretty well.
I also seem to remember some BNP activity at the Uni itself a few years back but thats probably changed.
expeler - i used to work there... it's ok, trying hard to be a red brick uni when it really is a glorified poly (i was there when it was thames poly - ahhh them were the days)
anyway, it's changed a lot the last few years and especially the SU.
the maritime campus is ok and much better than the other campuses and sites they did have - woolwich, bad shithole with nothing there, shame as we had an old victorian swimming pool converted into a 1000 capacity venue, dartford, avery hill and medway being worse.
greenwich is a nice enough area, depending on which bit but again, not as rough as woolwich where the main campus used to be. the su is relatively small these days as they laid off load of us and it sorta died :(
greenwich has shitloads of pubs being a maritime town and new cross/deptford is about 5mins on the bus for more studenty places and goldsmiths union, places that open later in new x etc. although a lot of these have been gentrified etc
greenwich royal park is decent and the place to take family and visiting mates - woooo, stand in both halves of the earth etc
anything you want to know about the area (down to streets if you have to decide to move there) and college ask away or pm. i worked and lived round there for years so i know stuff :)
good luck and try and get some jungle back on the agenda :mad:
You're near to Blackheath which is lovely. Not much nightlife nearby that I know of. It's not all posh and touristy the Maze Hill part is much more down to earth.
The noodle places are nice with some £5 a enormous plate of grub places. Lots of nice bookshops and market and pubs seem alright although i wasn't down there for long. The main issue may be where you actually live then the maritime campus itself which is lovely and very historical. The DLR serves the area pretty well.
I also seem to remember some BNP activity at the Uni itself a few years back but thats probably changed.
what bnp activity at the uni and when mate?
i know there was some in the area and a 'problematic' student from middlesex who nearly caused a shitload of shit... but i'd like to know if the union is slacking in the fight, ta
Techno303
20-08-2005, 17:05
new cross/deptford is about 5mins on the bus for more studenty places and goldsmiths union, places that open later in new x etc. although a lot of these have been gentrified etc
Yea, it’s a real shame about Goldsmith's Tavern…
<sighs>
jannerboyuk
20-08-2005, 18:15
what bnp activity at the uni and when mate?
i know there was some in the area and a 'problematic' student from middlesex who nearly caused a shitload of shit... but i'd like to know if the union is slacking in the fight, ta
I didn't attend the uni itself just remember some vague stuff about student members of the BNP and maybe an attempt at a meeting, maybe in the uni. Sorry for being so vague but i was only in the area for about a month (and the odd re-visit after). This was about three - four years ago
Streathamite
21-08-2005, 14:09
It should be pointed out that Greenwich Uni has several campuses - Avery Hill, woolwich, Putney, Greenwich and Dartford; which one will you be studying at?
Streathamite
21-08-2005, 14:11
I didn't attend the uni itself just remember some vague stuff about student members of the BNP and maybe an attempt at a meeting, maybe in the uni. Sorry for being so vague but i was only in the area for about a month (and the odd re-visit after). This was about three - four years ago
you mean Lawrence Rustem (http://www.guardian.co.uk/racism/Story/0,2763,648084,00.html)
For Red Jezza:
Thanks for the response. Yeah the campus is a bit sprawling, as far as I know i would be on the maritime greenwich campus, which is the biggest one, by the river.
Greenwich is a huge London borough, so it depends which part of it you end up living in. There is the touristy part, the streets arouind the Park where the rich piggies live, then there are some dire, socially deprived bits towards Deptford and the other way towards Woolwich.
For student frollicks get yourself up townm to the clubs around Shoreditch for a night out or, more locally, go to the basement of the Venue in NewCross which is full of Goldsmiths students or the Montague Arms which has indie bands.
There are some nice pubs on Royal Hill which off the beaten track in the touristy bit of Greenwich. The Sunday market is always worth an browse and the Park is glorious. You could do a lot worse than Greenwich.
Briefly: the part I've seen is in Woolwich, and it's utterly, utterly soul-less. Like a small town but a few miles out of London.
Long answer: will come when I get hold of my mate who's just going into her third year there.
:)
sam/phallocrat
22-08-2005, 14:08
Woolwich ain't that bad - some glorious 30s cinemas converted into (respectively) a black-led pentecostal church and a bingo hall; a market, a train station, excellent shops if you like to buy cheap clothes and frozen whole goats, a delightful selection of pubs (the Pullman and the Earl of Chatham being fine examples), the wonderful foot tunnel, the Arsenal (with it's wonderful 'Firepower' museum) and easy bus links to Bexleyheath, Eltham, Orpington, Abbey Wood and Thamesmead, amongst other places.
And for a northerner to describe it as soulless is a tad rich.
As for the uni; my mum did her degree there in the early 90s when it was starting its transition from poly to uni and had a good time there. It's now become desperately expansionist with certian subjects having very good teaching/research records but there's a load of dross there as well.
i did a pgce at greenwich (avery hill in eltham) this was in 94/95 and eltham was a bit dodgy then tbh, might have improved in the years since
java1200
27-08-2005, 00:10
And for a northerner to describe it as soulless is a tad rich.
Of course, because everywhere up north is soulless. :rolleyes:
Let's be honest: Woolwich is an absolute shithole, and no amount of 30's cinemas is going to change that.
and easy bus links Bexleyheath, Eltham, Orpington, Abbey Wood and Thamesmead, amongst other places.
You really think that's an advantage? bus links to Eltham and Thamesmead! :D
I'm going through clearing for universities and one of the unis that have offered me a place is the University of Greenwich. Since it's clearing, I don't really know much about the uni or the place so at the moment it's a bit of a step into the unknown.
Does anyone know the university or the area? a friend thinks its a bit of a dodgy neighbourhood, I honestly have no idea. Is it a good place to live? esp. for a student? is there lots going on, is it a nice place to call your home, etc etc.
any help advice or info would be gratefully recieved.
I live in the next borough to Greenwich so I go there quite a lot as it is nicer (in parts) than Lewisham, where I live. Where your campus is is lovley but I reckon you may find it a bit pricey to live round there. I have to agree with people who have suggested maybe living in New Cross or Lewisham as these are close and have a bit more life. Depending on where you have lived you may find Woolwich, Depford, Kidbrooke and parts of Charlton a bit....err....different to what your used to. I would personally live in the Brockley end of New Cross if I was a student going to Greenwich.
Welcome to South East London.....you'll love it (honest).
And for a northerner to describe it as soulless is a tad rich. :D
(and yet :mad: natch)
Streathamite
28-08-2005, 00:57
East greenwich is very much UN-touristy, and quite cheap, whilst still not too far from all the good pubs (i.e. gypsy Moth, Spanish galleon) and the fabbo market.
Charlton is cheap but has zero soul
frestonia
28-08-2005, 17:47
.
dynamicbaddog
28-08-2005, 20:37
Charlton is cheap but has zero soul
dunno about that, I go up there quite a bit, I like it it's sort of villagey - in fact today I spent most of the afternoon there, it's got some nice parks (http://www.greenwich-guide.org.uk/charlton.htm) and scenic stuff like that :)
EatMoreChips
29-08-2005, 20:59
I went there... a fair while back though before they had the nice Greenwich campus. On balance, I'd probably recommend it. The university's OK, and Greenwich itself is lovely.
gaijingirl
29-08-2005, 21:13
Woolwich ain't that bad - and easy bus links to Bexleyheath, Eltham, Orpington, Abbey Wood and Thamesmead, amongst other places.
:D :D Personally... and obviously some people will think differently... the only places, in London, I would hate to live more than Woolwich... actually not more... there's not much between them, would be Eltham, Abbey Wood, Thamesmead and Orpington... in fact I have lived in Orpington before... and can think of no good reason why I would return... :D - Admittedly there are probably worst places, but having been brought up in SE London... these are places I would be unlikely to ever return to...
:D :D Personally... and obviously some people will think differently... the only place I would hate to live more than Woolwich... actually not more... there's not much between them, would be Eltham, Abbey Wood, Thamesmead and Orpington... in fact I have lived in Orpington before... and can think of no good reason why I would return... :D
Oi!!! :mad:
I did 18 months in Abbey Wood. Have been trying to forget. This thread got off to a good start. I'll need therapy now. :(
EatMoreChips
29-08-2005, 21:23
:D :D Personally... and obviously some people will think differently... the only places, in London, I would hate to live more than Woolwich... actually not more... there's not much between them, would be Eltham, Abbey Wood, Thamesmead and Orpington... in fact I have lived in Orpington before... and can think of no good reason why I would return... :D - Admittedly there are probably worst places, but having been brought up in SE London... these are places I would be unlikely to ever return to...
Ooh... I lived in Abbey Wood and commuted to Orpington every day. Do I get any sympathy for that?
lizzieloo
29-08-2005, 21:23
Greenwich is very nice, nice place to live, good transport but not very lively, some nice shops, markets etc.
Thing that would worry me would be rent.
How will you be supporting yourself? bleedin' expensive, Greenwich.
As is Blackheath, maybe more so.
Brockley is OK, stoodenty.
Go to these pages you can click on the different residential areas to see what they're like.
http://www.property-go.co.uk/area_guides/greenwich.asp
http://www.property-go.co.uk/area_guides/lewisham.asp
:D
I lived in Lewisham for a while, It was fine but you had to go into town to go out and I wasn't too comfortable walking about at night.
lizzieloo
29-08-2005, 21:33
IMO Thamesmead and Kidbrooke would be no-nos
sam/phallocrat
30-08-2005, 10:55
Yup, they're fucking shitholes.
Woolwich is a dump (my previous post wasn't entirely serious) - give it a few years tho, what with the new transport links and the Arsenal etc and it will be a nicer (if somewhat more expensive and less diverse) place to live . . .
stupid kid
30-08-2005, 12:17
Yup, they're fucking shitholes.
Woolwich is a dump (my previous post wasn't entirely serious) - give it a few years tho, what with the new transport links and the Arsenal etc and it will be a nicer (if somewhat more expensive and less diverse) place to live . . .
I thought it was a bit funny to list a train station as some sort of godsend. In a few years it'll have DLR too, which is a long awaited leveller because places like Finchley get 3 underground stations and Woolwich doesn't even get one.
Stay out of Woolwich if you can, in the few months I worked there I discovered it has a crack problem and the pubs are rubbish enough to make it worth going to Greenwich, even if you live on the further away from Greenwich.
Looks like Greenwich Cinema will open on 16th September. Palace Pictures, same outfit that runs the Ritzy in Brixton and the Picture House in Clapham. Thank goodness it wasnt a UCI/UGC clone multiplex. This will make Greenwich much more of a destination for a night out. Three bars and an organic cafe. How the merry burghers of Greenwich will rejoice. :)
Looks like Greenwich Cinema will open on 16th September. Palace Pictures, same outfit that runs the Ritzy in Brixton and the Picture House in Clapham. Thank goodness it wasnt a UCI/UGC clone multiplex. This will make Greenwich much more of a destination for a night out. Three bars and an organic cafe. How the merry burghers of Greenwich will rejoice. :)
Wheres this gonna be? I always liked the Greenwich Cinema in the centre.
onenameshelley
31-08-2005, 09:14
Being brought up in Belvedere all my life i can confirm the shiteness of thamesmead. Oddly enough reading all those people cuss it did make me feel a bit protective towards home... then i had a reality check as i am going to be there for the next 2 months :eek: :D
rpasternak
31-08-2005, 09:28
Hi,
I graduated from Greenwich Uni in 2004 in International Marketing. In the year 2000, when I started the Business School was in Woolwich (that was shocking) and I lived in the Uni halls Thomas Spencer, dont know if anyone here knows the place, not very nice there. However, eventually thoughout our second year we moved to Greenwich which I think is very beautiful and such a change compared to Woolwich, Abbey Wood etc etc..
I might be biased but I would say...go for it! :)
red rose
31-08-2005, 09:43
(Only just seen this thread)
I've just got accepted to the university of Greenwich, originally I was going to make it my second choice but after seeing the university and having a look round Greenwich itself I made it my first choice because I really liked it.
Let me know if you've decided to go to Greenwich, maybe we can meet up in freshers week :)
rpasternak
31-08-2005, 09:51
(Only just seen this thread)
I've just got accepted to the university of Greenwich, originally I was going to make it my second choice but after seeing the university and having a look round Greenwich itself I made it my first choice because I really liked it.
Let me know if you've decided to go to Greenwich, maybe we can meet up in freshers week :)
I had a wicked time @greenwich...hope you enjoy it to, and dont forget to check out the students union bar, they got some good events running from time to time!
Have fun and enjoy!
Rob
The new Greenwich cinema is in exactly the same place as the old council run Cinema, in the touristy bit of Greenwich next to the market.
It will be renamed the Greenwich Picturehouse and from the description it looks like the dogs bollocks.
http://www.picturehouses.co.uk/site/cinemas/Greenwich/local.html
I live in Bexleyheath and work in Greenwich.
Bexleyheath and all its surrounding areas are pretty much shit holes.
Greenwich is a pretty fun place, lots of pubs and a comedy club. As places to go to uni in its not bad and 10 mins on the train and your in London Bridge.
spanglechick
01-09-2005, 22:47
:D :D Personally... and obviously some people will think differently... the only places, in London, I would hate to live more than Woolwich... actually not more... there's not much between them, would be Eltham, Abbey Wood, Thamesmead and Orpington... in fact I have lived in Orpington before... and can think of no good reason why I would return... :D - Admittedly there are probably worst places, but having been brought up in SE London... these are places I would be unlikely to ever return to...
Why does Bexleyheath get off so lightly? (with apologies to kitty p) I grew up in Bexleyheath, and lived there as an adult for a few years too. It's the worst kind of small minded suburban hell. Daily Mail-ites meet White Trash A Go-Go. Nasty. But, I might be biased, and in truth it's probably less grotty than the other places mentioned.
As for the point of the thread. Greenwich itself is lovely - try the pie and mash shop (on the way to the Cutty Sark) for incredibly cheap, really home made Mrs-Miggins-Style pie lunches. Pie, mash and gravy. Mmmm.
Of course you could end up at the campus in Dartford. For which you must have been evil in a former life.
Apocalypse21
01-09-2005, 22:52
Greenwich maritime campus is really nice. Lots of grand pieces of architecture. Most of the halls near there were only built in the last couple of years, so are very good compared to some of the shite certain unis expect their students to stay in.
Greenwich itself is pleasant... lovely park, plenty of pubs, cafes and restaurants and well located for a night out up town. The borough is a bit of a weird mixture of 750 grand houses and proper ghetto council estates. So far as south east London goes, Greenwich has a lot more character (i.e. less drab and samey) than the rest of it.
onenameshelley
02-09-2005, 08:15
Why does Bexleyheath get off so lightly? (with apologies to kitty p) I grew up in Bexleyheath, and lived there as an adult for a few years too. It's the worst kind of small minded suburban hell. Daily Mail-ites meet White Trash A Go-Go. Nasty. But, I might be biased, and in truth it's probably less grotty than the other places mentioned.
As for the point of the thread. Greenwich itself is lovely - try the pie and mash shop (on the way to the Cutty Sark) for incredibly cheap, really home made Mrs-Miggins-Style pie lunches. Pie, mash and gravy. Mmmm.
Of course you could end up at the campus in Dartford. For which you must have been evil in a former life.
ahh spanglechick dont forget that Bexleyheath was quite well to do for a few years it was always seen as better than other areas, a bit like sidcup complete crap hole full of eejits but still there are snotty people who look down their nose at you just because your from Belvedere :rolleyes: .
God i move back to Belvedere in less than a week....someone save my soul :(
As for the point of the thread. Greenwich itself is lovely - try the pie and mash shop (on the way to the Cutty Sark) for incredibly cheap, really home made Mrs-Miggins-Style pie lunches. Pie, mash and gravy. Mmmm.
Goddards, absolutely fantastic. I used to have lunch most days when I worked in Greenwich :cool:
a comedy club.
Up The Creek, great comedy club though an expensive night out. I was gutted when Malcolm Hardee died last year.
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