Moving to London

[IC3D]

Agreed, apart from Highgate and Kentish Town, due to travel. I'd add Whitechapel, too - on the district line, easy for Victoria and lots of other places.

I'm from the norf(London), and would recommend Finsbury Parkas its good for tube and rail, nice houses, open spaces and pubs, bear in mind it gets overrun with arsenal fans on matchdays..COYS

 

[chico enrico]

Brixton is popular 'cos of it's personality and atmosphere. Based on your posts I'm not surprised you're not a fan.

Aaah, like Camden, 'cos of its personality and atmosphere.

 

[chico enrico]

I'm from the norf(London), and would recommend Finsbury Parkas its good for tube and rail, nice houses, open spaces and pubs, bear in mind it gets overrun with arsenal fans on matchdays..COYS

i really dislike finsbury park. it's bleak and depressing. but maybe more places will end up like that if the depression continues and i suppose it's a place that can't get any worse, so maybe a reasonable option after all.

 

[marty21]

i like finsbury park, been there a lot over the years, and stroud green, and crouch end (that's a bit pricy though)

 

[scifisam]

yea, the aldgate end of whitechapel is sound, though it gets worse the further down you go.

bethnal green's alright too up the top.

I live at the top of Bethnal Green I wouldn't recommend it for Victoria, though - compared to other places, it's a real arse getting there.

 

[teuchter]

Stockwell is fine. Close to the entertainments of Brixton, still walking distance to Brockwell park, an excellent three-pronged tube attack on central London thanks to the Victoria Line and both the Northern Line Branches (most of Zone 1 is reachable in less than half an hour), and good night bus options. Several decent pubs and loads of Portuguese cafes. Skate park to watch people breaking their limbs in. Many of the streets are much posher and more pleasant than it might appear from the main drag.

I lived there for five years so respectfully suggest that my opinion is worth more than someone who mixes up Clapham and Clapton, and seems to have been to South London about once.

 

[marty21]

I lived there for five years so respectfully suggest that my opinion is worth more than someone who mixes up Clapham and Clapton, and seems to have been to South London about once.

that's quite a mistake to make!

wasn't me was it ?

when i've got cabs home from kings cross I have had to make sure the cabbie hears clapton rather than clapham, as they sound similar - and make sure they do go in the right direction, otherwise falling asleep in the cab could prove costly

can't have been me - i lived in the south for 2 years

 

[chico enrico]

I lived there for five years so respectfully suggest that my opinion is worth more than someone who mixes up Clapham and Clapton, and seems to have been to South London about once.

Twice.

 

[ChrisFilter]

Stockwell is fine. Close to the entertainments of Brixton, still walking distance to Brockwell park, an excellent three-pronged tube attack on central London thanks to the Victoria Line and both the Northern Line Branches (most of Zone 1 is reachable in less than half an hour), and good night bus options. Several decent pubs and loads of Portuguese cafes. Skate park to watch people breaking their limbs in. Many of the streets are much posher and more pleasant than it might appear from the main drag.

My only problem with Stockwell is the almost total lack of green in the main areas. It feels far too built up to me.

I lived there for five years so respectfully suggest that my opinion is worth more than someone who mixes up Clapham and Clapton, and seems to have been to South London about once.

 

[ChrisFilter]

Twice.

 

[marty21]

sorry, maybe i'm getting confused between clapton and clapham. It's the place which is near hackney i think that i was meaning is a total dump. Went there once and in the space of a matter of hours some nutter tried to rip the bag off the girl i was with and then we walked by a children's primary school thing to get to her flat and there were all these junkies who kinda emerged from inside dustbins and out of holes in the ground, grasping at us with witchy crooked hands for money, like a scene out of day of the dead.

.

just seen this - i've lived in clapton since 1997, i wouldn't dream of saying it's not without it's issues - but i've never had any real problems living there - transport wise - buses and trains really, but they seem to work ok (apart from weekends when they always seem to close the line from liverpool st)

i live in a tree-lined street of victorian houses, that leads down towards the river lea and the walthamstow/hackney marshes, so plenty of greenery within a short walk, in fact there are plenty of such streets in clapton, upper and lower, and down the road in homerton and towards Leyton. It has a few problem estates, and was known in the late 90s /early 2000s as "murder mile" as there were a series of mostly drug related murders - you still sometimes hear it described as such in the standard or mail, although the observer has used the phrase as well

I have managed housing association properties in the area as well.

No idea what the crime rates are, probably typical of hackney as a whole, but the only crime i've been a victim of was an attempted burglary (i disturbed the wrong un and he scarpered) and my wheel trims got nicked from my car - her indoors was mugged, but that was in stoke newington

it isn't that great for shops tbf, although there are a few decent ones, in lower clapton and chatsworth road

for a newcomer, the lack of a tube would be a problem imo, for those new to london, it is probably preferable to live near the tube network until you get to know the place...

 

[ChrisFilter]

i like finsbury park, been there a lot over the years, and stroud green, and crouch end (that's a bit pricy though)

Stroud Green Rd is ok. Not a fan of the rest of Finsbury Park, but you could do a lot worse.

Crouch End is wanky and dull, but nice and green and relaxed.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

My only problem with Stockwell is the almost total lack of green in the main areas.

Note to O/P: this isn't coded shady sarf landahn speak about a lack of psychedelic combustibles, but rather a comment on the lack of park spaces. Just for clarity.

As for the suggestion to move to Finsbury Park, i would urge caution - i lived there for a couple of years and its a lively area, if you want to describe it that way. We had to move cos the bloke downstairs thru a hammer thru our back window one night, cos we asked him to turn his radio down.....

 

[tarannau]

Aaah, like Camden, 'cos of its personality and atmosphere.

That's a bit unfair. Camden has next to no decent pubs and shit clubs ime, and I say that as someone who worked there for over 5 years. And at weekends it becomes some kind of Disneyfied 'rebellious' theme park zone for middle class kids to come and spend their mum's money on the same old goth tat from the usual suspects.

Brixton's got a real community and heart at least. And not a spanking Starbucks and generous Gap store in sight.

 

[d.a.s.h]

Brixton is definitely more interesting than Camden. Wouldn't want to live in either mind, too much aggravation. Old gits like me don't want to get queue-jumped in the local offy.

 

[5t3IIa]

I live at the top of Bethnal Green I wouldn't recommend it for Victoria, though - compared to other places, it's a real arse getting there.

Where's the top of Bethnal Green? I'm off Cephas St

 

[ChrisFilter]

for a newcomer, the lack of a tube would be a problem imo, for those new to london, it is probably preferable to live near the tube network until you get to know the place...

I'm not so sure I'd agree with that. I think it's harder to learn tube then adjust to overland than vice versa. If you live on a tube line you can end up believing that London is just the tube map and that's a real shame. I remember first getting the overland in London, it was from Victoria to Sydenham Hill and thinking "fuck me, it's beautiful out here and 15 mins from Victoria. Actual fields and woodland. who knew all this existed in London?!"

 

[scifisam]

Where's the top of Bethnal Green? I'm off Cephas St

Cephas St is the South of Bethnal Green, almost Whitechapel. I'm off Hackney Rd.

 

[marty21]

I'm not so sure I'd agree with that. I think it's harder to learn tube then adjust to overland than vice versa. If you live on a tube line you can end up believing that London is just the tube map and that's a real shame. I remember first getting the overland in London, it was from Victoria to Sydenham Hill and thinking "fuck me, it's beautiful out here and 15 mins from Victoria. Actual fields and woodland. who knew all this existed in London?!"

i know what you mean, but the city is so big, and for a newcomer confusing, the tube makes it easier to get around initially, i stopped living close to a tube in 1993 after 4 years living in london

 

[5t3IIa]

Cephas St is the South of Bethnal Green, almost Whitechapel. I'm off Hackney Rd.

So am I Bethanal Green or Whitechapel? The flat was punted as B.Green but it's in E1 and strictly speaking in Globe Town, but no-one's heard of that. I'd prefer Whitechapel - mo' cittee innit

 

[IC3D]

Note to O/P: this isn't coded shady sarf landahn speak about a lack of psychedelic combustibles, but rather a comment on the lack of park spaces. Just for clarity.

As for the suggestion to move to Finsbury Park, i would urge caution - i lived there for a couple of years and its a lively area, if you want to describe it that way. We had to move cos the bloke downstairs thru a hammer thru our back window one night, cos we asked him to turn his radio down.....

Regarding Finsbury Park, Stroud Green road area is the nicest bit, Crotch end is the place to have your shins taken out by a yummymummies pushchair and then get hot latte chucked in your eyes whilst you on the floor as they run away in the direction of the shoe shops

 

[scifisam]

So am I Bethanal Green or Whitechapel? The flat was punted as B.Green but it's in E1 and strictly speaking in Globe Town, but no-one's heard of that. I'd prefer Whitechapel - mo' cittee innit

I'm really not sure. I've seen flats right at the end of Cambridge Heath Rd advertised as being in Bethnal Green and ten minutes from Old St. Ah, the optimism of the estate agent! Cephas St I'd have to refer to as between Whitechapel and Bethnal Green - I've got a couple of friends who live there, too.

 

[chico enrico]

i know what you mean, but the city is so big, and for a newcomer confusing, the tube makes it easier to get around initially, i stopped living close to a tube in 1993 after 4 years living in london

yea, i'd say that is a major factor in where you want to live.

a few years back a mate of mine bought a flat in muswell hill and invited me to be his flatmate. lovely flat tho it was i could only stick it for six months as there's no tube in muswell hill i fucking detest having to get busses everywhere.

i think it's like cats and dogs. either you're a tube person (dogs; sociable,gregarious,have lots of friends you want to get about to see before alzheimers affects their conversational faculties,like a bit of pace and excitement to your life) or you're a bus person (cats; weird, creepy, withdrawn, likely to stick pins in your genitals and make gloating phone calls to the parents of murder victims etc)

 

[chico enrico]

I'm really not sure. I've seen flats right at the end of Cambridge Heath Rd advertised as being in Bethnal Green and ten minutes from Old St. Ah, the optimism of the estate agent! Cephas St I'd have to refer to as between Whitechapel and Bethnal Green - I've got a couple of friends who live there, too.

haha, believe it or not you will get flats in fuckin SHADWELL described by estate agents as being 10 minutes from old st.

though i expect you would run so fact out of shadwell if you ever had the misfortune to end up there you probably could reach old st in that time!

 

[ChrisFilter]

yea, i'd say that is a major factor in where you want to live.

a few years back a mate of mine bought a flat in muswell hill and invited me to be his flatmate. lovely flat tho it was i could only stick it for six months as there's no tube in muswell hill i fucking detest having to get busses everywhere.

i think it's like cats and dogs. either you're a tube person (dogs; sociable,gregarious,have lots of friends you want to get about to see before alzheimers affects their conversational faculties,like a bit of pace and excitement to your life) or you're a bus person (cats; weird, creepy, withdrawn, likely to stick pins in your genitals and make gloating phone calls to the parents of murder victims etc)

I'm neither. I hate buses and I hate the tube.

I'm an overland man

 

[ethel]

what about overland train people? i think they are best of all

 

[marty21]

yea, i'd say that is a major factor in where you want to live.

a few years back a mate of mine bought a flat in muswell hill and invited me to be his flatmate. lovely flat tho it was i could only stick it for six months as there's no tube in muswell hill i fucking detest having to get busses everywhere.

i think it's like cats and dogs. either you're a tube person (dogs; sociable,gregarious,have lots of friends you want to get about to see before alzheimers affects their conversational faculties,like a bit of pace and excitement to your life) or you're a bus person (cats; weird, creepy, withdrawn, likely to stick pins in your genitals and make gloating phone calls to the parents of murder victims etc)

i agree that muswell hill is a bugger to get via public transport, I've had a couple of mates over the years who have lived there, but as others have said - overland and tbh I don't mind buses, they get me around hackney very nicely, and to other places too

i don't miss the tube, I've not lived within walking distance of a tube station since 93

 

[teuchter]

what about overland train people? i think they are best of all

It all depends on the frequency though innit.

 

[Paulie Tandoori]

It all depends on the frequency though innit.

well, that and the routes/destinations.

the north london line is a cracker if you're needing to get from east to west for eg, altho its now called london overground. connects stratford and richmond and many points of interest in between. just watch your back and your bag when you get out to the wick area.

 

[marty21]

well, that and the routes/destinations.

the north london line is a cracker if you're needing to get from east to west for eg, altho its now called london overground. connects stratford and richmond and many points of interest in between. just watch your back and your bag when you get out to the wick area.

not many reasons to visit hackney wick really is there? unless you live there or are visiting friends