It looks as though I'm going to be moving to Eltham in two weeks time. I've just been offered a place in university accommodation there. Problem is, I'm studying at the Maritime Greenwich campus, so when I looked round, I only looked round that area, I assumed I'd get accommodation there. I'd never even heard of Eltham until now, any locals want to give me an idea of what it's like, where the local shops are, what the public transport is like?
I take it you'll be at the student village at Avery Hill? The Uni will have buses runnning from there to the Maritime Greenwich Campus. The student village itself is nice enough, it was only built about 10 years ago. Its a bit cut off from the rest of London I'm afraid, its a bus ride away from Eltham station which is about 25 minutes into town. Eltham itself is a white, working class suburb with a bog standard high street and very little to sttract students.
I taught at the big Comprehensive there a few years back. Fairly leafy in parts, fairly dull. Just down the road from Welling; the Lawrence killers were from there (3 went to forementioned school). Normal high st. Nothing of note. Couple of nice pubs. Regular train service. Avery Hill Campus of your uni is there.
Poor white working-class area where Stephen Lawrence was killed Probably good for cheap food and beer though
i studied at avery hill in 94/5, i didn't live around there, i came from hackney every day fairly good transport, regular trains from london bridge, you can walk from the station (about 15 mins) or get busses up the hill at the time, it was alright, but it was just after the stephen lawrence murder, the pubs on the main high street were ok and the bar on campus was pretty good at the time...
Its not really poor at all, kind of Upper working class - lower middle class neighbourhood. It is very white though and can be quite hostile to outsiders, but it isnt inhabited by racist fanatics as some believe. The atmosphere on a Saturday night is much more like a provincial town center than a part of London.
i agree, it didn't strike me as a poor area when i was there 10 years ago, and i spent many drunken friday nights there, the atmosphere was pretty good...
I vaguely remember a very nice big park, about 20yrs ago, it's at the top of a hill(where friends stayed) No idea what it's called.
It's a better area than it sounds. I lived there for a bit and survived! It is very white though - where the suburbs start and the more cosmopolitan interzone ends... One attraction (for me) is Shooters Hill and the woods at the top of Well Hall Road (Oxleas Wood, Jack wood etc..). Blackheath and Greenwich are a also very short cycle ride away.
That's what I like about it as well, I dont' live there but I often take the dog out there for long rambling walks
yeah really poor area mate with 1 bed flats costing upwards of £140,000 minimum Like most places it has nice bits and not so nice bits and not everyone is a racist wanker. Its ok RR, its not the most exciting place in the world its just a basic South East London town, you can get most things you need from the high street. I will be living about 20 mins away so shout if you need anything ok?
It's not a poor area by any stretch. Eltham & Stephen Lawrence are frequently linked here, but not I think by people in general - there's been BNP activity in Welling but that doesn't make Eltham (or welling for that matter) full of racists. It's a fairly normal surburb ime.
The Palace is well worth mentioning, one of Londons hidden gems. Only the Medieval Hall remains from Henry VIII time but the Art Deco rebuild by the Courtauld family is fantastic.
Eltham isn't too bad, and Avery Hill park is pretty nice, the giant conservatory is pretty mental. However unless things have changed since I lived in the area a decade ago, there's not an awful lot to do and transport into town isn't the greatest - the closest thing apart from buses is the DLR at Lewisham.
Doesn't sound to bad really. I'm a bit disappointed because I wanted to move to london to get away from the very white middle class town I currently live in and I was hoping to be a bit more central (ie the maritime campus) but it could easily be worse Thanks all
yes he did. I was at greenwich - then Thames 1984-1987. Avery Hill hated merging with Thames - Avery Hill had and has a first rate rep as a teacher training place. Nice halls of res. Eltham is dull, but Greenwich and Blackheath are fab. AVOID THE FERRIER ESTATE. Mottingham is nice
eltham is a shithole and a lot of the people around there scumbags, fact! avery hill is shite and quite and the dome is a joke i'm sure that you'll meet some nice people in the same boat and hopefully you can get a house somewhere nicer in your 2nd year good luck
The High Street is average and there used to be a good gym somewhere behind Sainsbury's and a swimming pool on Eltham Hill. I wouldn't recommend any of the pubs. Lots of green space (it's on the Green Chain walk) which is nice. It's not far to go to Greenwich/Lewisham and there are fairly frequent connecting bus services. Avery Hill park has the winter gardens, good for a winter visit and there are quite a few woods (as have been mentioned above). It's not the most exciting place to live but there are much worse places you could have ended up and it's not too far out in the sticks. I lived in New Eltham for several years, that a bit further and there really is nothing there. Eltham will be an okay place, especially as your in halls with lots of other students and will be exploring together. I hope you have a great first year - then find a flat in Greenwich!
