Croydon: Is it really that bad?

[xenon]

They are getting the tube stations - Norwood Junction and Crystal Palace - but I hope they never get City status!

Ah didn't know that. Yeah city status does seem a dafrly pompus thing to go after.

 

[gaijingirl]

Yeah, but Tulse Hill is, presumably, a Hill, whereas City Thameslink is a station in a place called "City", named after the rail company which used to run the service!

It was a tongue-in -cheek joke about places named "city" rather than a serious point about actual cities...

 

[London_Calling]

So what is 'London' then if not a city as a whole? (excluding Westminster and the City)

That’s an interesting question for me because when I moved out to Penge/Beckenham I was totally confused that Beckenham was a town and Penge was part of London.

After a while I reckoned I could pin point the two-three streets where London ended and ‘town’ began, at least as far as the locals were concerned (the Post Office codes, the Borough boundaries and the district names all overlap).

I think that twilight thing between what people think of as London and not London happens all around the boundary; Catford is/Bromley isn’t, Thornton Heath is/Croydon isn’t . . . somehow city changes to town in a few streets . . .

 

[gaijingirl]

I could pin point the two-three streets where London ended and ‘town’ began, at least as far as the locals were concerned .

I reckon this is the point - it's so subjective. I grew up on the Bromley/Lewisham borders and it never felt like "London".. although where I grew up now seems quite "london" to me. however, my parents-in-common law who started in Islington - (pre-posh) and then moved to Notting Hill (pre-posh).. when they wanted to move closer to us in Brixton, found Brixton Hill and Herne Hill, to be too "suburban" and moved to the Old Kent Road. So, given their past experiences, anyone wanting to make money should probably move to north Peckham!!

 

[London_Calling]

You a Downham or Bellingham bird, then ?

 

[gaijingirl]

You a Downham or Bellingham bird, then ?

Please.. Downham...

Bellingham..

Actually Mum is minutes from Grove Park (although I used to enjoy the swimming pool behind the Somerfield's - or whatever it is now- before it got closed) and Dad is in Lee.

Last time I lived in Bromley was 17 years ago and on an estate near Bromley Common.

 

[London_Calling]

That's exactly the thing, Lewisham/Lee/Grove Park where on earth does London end and town start . . .

 

[Guineveretoo]

That’s an interesting question for me because when I moved out to Penge/Beckenham I was totally confused that Beckenham was a town and Penge was part of London.

After a while I reckoned I could pin point the two-three streets where London ended and ‘town’ began, at least as far as the locals were concerned (the Post Office codes, the Borough boundaries and the district names all overlap).

I think that twilight thing between what people think of as London and not London happens all around the boundary; Catford is/Bromley isn’t, Thornton Heath is/Croydon isn’t . . . somehow city changes to town in a few streets . . .

But Beckenham is part of London, too!

Both Beckenham and Penge are towns, though, I reckon.

Crazy place, this London.

Innit.

 

[upsidedownwalrus]

Is it so bad that nice 3 bedroom period properties, with massive rooms and a large garden, next to a park, and less than half a mile from East Croydon station for £209k doesn't represent great value?

Christ, that is fucking cheap for anywhere in London.

 

[BEARBOT]

yes can you post a link for that property please?
what area of croydon has similiar places/prices?
i'd like to pass this info on to a close freind..thanks!

i dont know croydon well but it seems to vary a hell of a lot,as far as feel of the area/roughness...purley seems to be a very pleasant area, a few folks have told me thorton heath isnt nice..but its all relative to what you are used to..

what people are universally slagging off is the town centre/shopping area..sure the town centre of croyden isnt pleasant but "hackney central" and "bethnal green rd" and "dalston/kingsland rd"(my nearest shopping areas)arent beautiful either..but i guess there is the art/music scene in "inner london"to compensate for grime/roughness etc..to be fair there used to be a good live music venue in croyden (the cartoon)dont know about any alternative night life/galleries/lefty gathering places now..as im not local..dont know the OP so i dont know what he is looking for..i think some suburbs have MORE left field stuff than others..this may/may not be important for the OP

when i lived in honor oak i used to get so MIFFED on a regular basis
that the last train home(from london bridge) was sooooooooooo much earlier for me(zone 3)but the croyden trains (zone 5!)ran all night...at those moments i was pretty jealous of the croyden dwellers

 

[Dan U]

Is Big Apple records still there? Remembered from my breif dallience into hardcore.

no it isn't.

but some of the Big Apple crew are quite big in the Dubstep scene now.

Benga etc

 

[ChrisFilter]

Croydon is a huge borough, and, like all boroughs, it has good bits and bad bits.

If you can get a 3 bedroomed property with a garden for that price, there has got to be something wrong with the property! Prices really are not that cheap. My daughter and her boyfriend tried to find somewhere within walking distance of East Croydon station and gave up because it was all too expensive.

The bit of Croydon I live in is fine, by the way

I don't think there's anything wrong with it, because there were several houses in that price bracket. Have a look on findaproperty.com for 3 bedrooms houses between £200k and £240k... loads!

 

[ChrisFilter]

So all in all, I'm not unconvinced that it's a bad move. I'd never drink locally anyway, 'cos my social life isn't based on where I live (ie. I head into town, or round a mate's). It's a quick route to cycling round Surrey. It's dead quick to several London stations. It's cheap. It's easy to get out of.

Works for me, and it'd only be for a few years in order to 'get onto the property ladder'.

Anyway, any house buying is at least a year off, so expect millions more "Is this place shit?" threads

 

[Callie]

Loads of people say Croydon is shit but very few can actually say why - or they just choose not to. Most reasons include 'grey and souless' which doesnt mean much tbh

If you want advice on specific areas mr filter just ask here and im sure all the current croydonians will have opinions

 

[TopCat]

spot on.
CENTRAL croydon is an utter nightmare, a new spiritual homeland for bleach-blonde types from dagenham called darren

Just cos you got sneered at for being ginger....

 

[TopCat]

Croydon is great BTW. Brilliant parks, great shopping, loads of places to eat and go out, trams, post modern architechture, the wonderful Fairfield Halls, the picturesque Leon House, the amazing Red Lion in Coulsdon, the wonderfully preserved Croydon Airport, the legions of engineering factories on the Purley way, Brighton only half an hour away, tuppence a pint etc...

 

[zenie]

See TopCat you live bang in the middle yet your roads still fairly quiet odd ey?

Croydon isn't Dulwich Chris but then you cant have everything in life ey?

 

[Hellsbells]

which part of croydon do you live in, topcat?

I might be moving to the area soon too, so would be good to know which are the nicer parts, and where to avoid completely.

 

[Dan U]

Croydon is great BTW. Brilliant parks, great shopping, loads of places to eat and go out, trams, post modern architechture, the wonderful Fairfield Halls, the picturesque Leon House, the amazing Red Lion in Coulsdon, the wonderfully preserved Croydon Airport, the legions of engineering factories on the Purley way, Brighton only half an hour away, tuppence a pint etc...

do i detect a hint of sarcasm!

 

[TopCat]

I live in the Old Town, just off the High Street. There are fifty places to eat and at least ten pubs within ten mins walk of my house. I hardly ever see fighting even after the pubs shut, people get on with each other.

It's a well run place, decent civic administration (the council officers tend to ignore the councillors and just get on with running the place).

The only real problem in my view is the hordes of intolerant happy clappy religous fuckwits who plague the town centre. They don't like turning the other cheek much, especially when you loudly explain how deluded and fuckwitted they are but they do get the support from the police and CSO's thus far.

I got rid of the Scientologists though, you won't see those lot about. The last lot are probably still being deprogrammed in their East Grinstead country gulag.

It's true that there seems to be a lot of young ladies who go for the orange skin and five colours of blonde barnet look. I think they all come by bus from Bromley though.

 

[TopCat]

do i detect a hint of sarcasm!

I banged my head hard once upon a time.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Croydon is quite big, there are nice bits and shit bits. It's no worse or better than other areas of London that I have lived in, in fact my quality of life since moving to Croydon has been much better. 3 bedroom for £200,000 is pretty amazing. Mine cost £310,000.

There are places in Croydon I wouldn't live in in a million years but I'm pretty close to the station in a very leafy suburban setting.

 

[London_Calling]

TBF, I've spoken to a few professional orchestral musicians about decent venues and the acoustics at the Fairfield Halls usually get a big thumbs up.

The library is also a wonderous, St Pancras-like creation but otherwise, north of the flyover, I’m struggling . . . is the theatre by East Croydon still there?

 

[Dan U]

The library is also a wonderous, St Pancras-like creation but otherwise, north of the flyover, I’m struggling . . . is the theatre by East Croydon still there?

Yes. By the skin of it's teeth as ever i think.

It's surrounded by a huge redevelopment site - going to build a big sports arena last i heard.

i'm moving back to Croydon for a bit today! joy!

 

[Chz]

Croydon is a lot like Sutton in one way - the town the borough is named after is shit, but the borough has a lot of nice places in it.

 

[davesgcr]

Dont forget the great train service and quick one seat access to a string of seaside places ......

PS - the tube aint coming to Croydon per se - its the East London line turned into an overground "metro" ! .......

 

[Meltingpot]

Christ, that is fucking cheap for anywhere in London.

I'd say that was good too.

 

[I'm Simes]

Is it so bad that nice 3 bedroom period properties, with massive rooms and a large garden, next to a park, and less than half a mile from East Croydon station for £209k doesn't represent great value?

Really,

I've lived in East Croydon/Park Hill for 10 years. We were looking for a house recently to buy and couldn't find 2 bedroom house for that price unless you delve into West Croydon which is a bit shit.
Shirley is ok, I went to school there, and Addiscombe I lived there for 20 years.
Croydon town centre has got worse though, more especially since free bus travel for kids and the tram link uniting New Addington to Croydon in minutes.

Otherwise it has a fantastic but underused concert hall (one of the best acoustic rooms in the UK) apparently several brilliant shopping centres and some nice green spaces. Good transport links too.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

Ah Addiscombe, my new home.

West Croydon? *sudders*

 

[dash_two]

Croydon's not so bad. I'd sooner live there many other places in London.