What does everyone have against Streatham???
- Thread starter waverunner
- Start date
Belushi said:
Hnmmmmm..
Goldsmiths alaways did attract a higher level of "chock full of shit" students ( Yes, I know, I will be some abuse for this gross generalisation ), but since fees etc have come in for Uni, it does seem that Students in The area have all embraced ostentatious consumerism with relish.
A few years ago, it was pissy parties, SWP posters & "Young ones" flats thats typified the area, now they all seem to have cars & carry about a grands worth of electronics with them everywhere they go.What These fuckers wear as daily clothing is worth more than my enitre wardrobe cost.
is that typival of students as a whole nowadays?
Actually, I may post this on general threads as a separate question
clandestino
no llevar papel
waverunner said:
i'd say it's exactly this kind of experience that puts people off streatham. the place is fine during the day ime - i was there today at the dentists, and the abbey, and i like it. but on the weekend, the pubs fill with idiot lads and it suddenly doesn't feel like london at all - more like anytown, UK. exactly the kind of place many people came to london to escape from.
all that said, i haven't been out in streatham on the weekend for quite a few years now, so it could have changed. although your experience suggests that it hasn't unfortunately.
waverunner
Be nice or I'll bite
it was an unpleasant experience but not exclusive to streatham... i've had similar problems in canary wharf, camden town, bloomsbury, and muswell hill... hmmm i do attract quite a bit of trouble. anyway. i was hoping there would be more people milling about down my road but it seems they all drop off to sleep around 10ish. i think the boys crawled out of one of the estates down the road. it's funny, when i first saw them i thought nothing of it cos they were young but when you think about it... its the young ones getting arrested for rape and murder nowadays isn't it? anyway, lesson learnt, will get cabs from now on from the high road if v.late!ianw said:
twistedAM
Left Of The Dial
There's a good vegi cafe down the side of the police station...the menu might look pricey but the portions are piled high.
When I was living at the top of Brixton Hill I much preferred it to Brixton for shopping and cafes.
Nowadays I like it cos you can drive through it fast late at night with the only obstacles being the women from Caesars breaking a stiletto in the middle of the road and wailing for their bloke to come and get them but invariably he's walking briskly up the street cos he's only got a T-shirt on and it's a freezing night in January. It's my favourite traffic light in London at that time of night as there's always something happening outside there.
When I was living at the top of Brixton Hill I much preferred it to Brixton for shopping and cafes.
Nowadays I like it cos you can drive through it fast late at night with the only obstacles being the women from Caesars breaking a stiletto in the middle of the road and wailing for their bloke to come and get them but invariably he's walking briskly up the street cos he's only got a T-shirt on and it's a freezing night in January. It's my favourite traffic light in London at that time of night as there's always something happening outside there.
Orang Utan
Maybe I like the misery
I'm moving up there in the late spring - we'll be neighbours.Dubversion said:
<Dub moves back to Stockwell immediately>
Streatham is insufferably suburban, full of spotty white men in bad polo shirts, has 6 lanes of traffic running right through the middle (all backed up because someone has double parked with their flashers on), is being filled up with crap cheap chain stores like Peacocks while the original delis from all countries and cultures go to the wall. The cinema that closed down was deliberately allowed to be squatted so that the listed features were destroyed - and voila - see the new 'development' in it's place. It has a Wimpy Bar. Nowhere with any soul has a Wimpy. It IS the A23 and is full of people herding towards IKEA or Croydon.
Those are the opinions which have ensured I haven't been chosen as the spokesperson for the Streatham Tourist Board, anyway.
Those are the opinions which have ensured I haven't been chosen as the spokesperson for the Streatham Tourist Board, anyway.
clandestino
no llevar papel
OpalFruit said:
i agree with a lot of what you have to say, apart from this. plenty of places with soul have wimpy bars - in fact i like to view them as proof that an area does have some individuality and soul. i'll take their ramshackle version of fast food over mcdonalds and burger king any day. and, of course, brixton had a wimpy. i hardly think it being converted into plan b contributed to the "soul" of the area.
Streathamite
ideological dogmatist
I've just moved back there after all these years absence, and I LOVE IT! I love most of the high st pubs, the underrated restaurants, the common, the greasy caffs, the works. I'd say the above has some truth, but much less than beforeianw said:
waverunner
Be nice or I'll bite
i must be blind as i haven't noticed the white lion yet - where is it?memespring said:
waverunner
Be nice or I'll bite
haha guess what - i haven't noticed the police station either. the only things i notice are furniture shops it would seem. oh, anyone know any shops where i can get a cheap tv-dvd combi that hasn't fallen off the back of a truck?tarannau said:
Streathamite
ideological dogmatist
E2A: @ Tarannau
nope. always been the White Lion.
BUT!!!!
disturbing news.
streatham is being poncified.
In the WL last night.
this was my fave pub way back when. grotty old boozer, great scots 'n' irish crowd, footie on telly, tatty as fuck. terrif, in short.
Now; moody lighting. designer low slung 'occasional' tables. posh leather sofas. 'theme' nights.
STOP IT!!!!
leave my fucking neighbourhood alone.
they've even turned the Park Tavern into the 'samuel taylor'. whoever that is.
jesus. all is lost.
nope. always been the White Lion.
BUT!!!!
disturbing news.
streatham is being poncified.
In the WL last night.
this was my fave pub way back when. grotty old boozer, great scots 'n' irish crowd, footie on telly, tatty as fuck. terrif, in short.
Now; moody lighting. designer low slung 'occasional' tables. posh leather sofas. 'theme' nights.
STOP IT!!!!
leave my fucking neighbourhood alone. they've even turned the Park Tavern into the 'samuel taylor'. whoever that is.
jesus. all is lost.
It used to be a challenge to get a decent pint in a likeable pub anywhere in Streatham. May not be quite as bad now, but I remain sceptical.
When your best pub (for beer) in the area is the Crown and Sceptre (one of Wetherspoons most unSpoonslike pubs -- ie it's pretty reasonable) then the area has to be called a beer desert ...
But I may be out of date.
When your best pub (for beer) in the area is the Crown and Sceptre (one of Wetherspoons most unSpoonslike pubs -- ie it's pretty reasonable) then the area has to be called a beer desert ...
But I may be out of date.
Jezza, whatever your romance about tatty rough pubs, they usually = shite beer. Or always used to, in Streatham's case.
William of Walworth said:
I don't think you're being entirely fair there. There's another Wetherspoons in the the middle of the high st (Holland Tringham) alongside the Crown & Sceptre, which has one of the highest volumes of real ale sales in the Wetherspoons empire.
Then there's perennial CAMRA and ES pub of the year favourite The Pied Bull down by the common. Add the Greyhound, which can occasionally sort out a fantastic cellar, and a variety of other pubs serving reasonable ale in the side streets.
I fully expect to hear that that's not good enough, that you don't lreally like Young's beer, that it should be better, but that seems a reasonable balance for me - it is Streatham after all, hardly the heartblood of gastropubs and the aspirational classes who tend to make up the bulk of real ale drinkers in the South. Please bear in mind that not every mention of a pub has to become a real ale crusade.
The White Lion was horrible before Jezza. I can't blame them for ripping out some of the griminess. At least on the time I went down it still had a good mix of people in there; the same old guys cradling their pint that were there a few years back and a few new faces to help pay the bills.
waverunner
Be nice or I'll bite
oh yeah rings a bell now, seem to vaguely recall a 'white lion' round there. thanks for that tarannautarannau said:
Red Jezza said:E2A: @ Tarannau
nope. always been the White Lion.
BUT!!!!
disturbing news.
streatham is being poncified.
In the WL last night.
this was my fave pub way back when. grotty old boozer, great scots 'n' irish crowd, footie on telly, tatty as fuck. terrif, in short.
Now; moody lighting. designer low slung 'occasional' tables. posh leather sofas. 'theme' nights.
STOP IT!!!!
they've even turned the Park Tavern into the 'samuel taylor'. whoever that is.
jesus. all is lost.
oh behave. the White Lion has been dead ever since i've spent any time in Streatham. I'm against unecessary pub gentrification, but that place was dying on its arse.
Red Jezza said:E2A: @ Tarannau
nope. always been the White Lion.
Initially I thought that, but is it possible the place was dual-branded or split in some way? I strongly recall the place having some Hobgoblin branding, albeit on the window to the side and with that 'alley/wooden doors' bit.
Just doing a bit of google-based research, it seems both the White Lion and Hobgoblin apparently shared the same address on Streatham High Road (232-236ish)
Anyone remember? I can't say they were my first points of call in Streatham...
PacificOcean
Unhinged User
I hated living in Streatham. Mainly for the crap transport links.
I lived up Leigham Court Road, so it was a wait for the rubbish 417 to the station and then the woeful service at Streatham Hill station from the crap Connex (who were running it at the time) The worst thing being after 8pm there are only 2 trains an hour to/from Streatham Hill.
I lived up Leigham Court Road, so it was a wait for the rubbish 417 to the station and then the woeful service at Streatham Hill station from the crap Connex (who were running it at the time) The worst thing being after 8pm there are only 2 trains an hour to/from Streatham Hill.
There are some good things about Streatham mind, albeit mainly based around some good food places - the fruiterers and Mediterranean superstore both serve excellent produce cheaply and late into the night, helping you avoid supermarkets. Westbury's pharmacy is open all hours too.
And there are some excellent neighbourhood restaurants. Hungs is one of the best chinese places I know outside Chinatown. Mrs Wongs is far from a bad alternative and Da Franco's does unreformed old-school Italian nosh beautifully.
And I've fond memories of La Pergola too - its sister restaurant (next door and sharing an internal door and staff - now sadly departed) called Il Carreto was the first restaurant I ever remember eating at. White Bait followed by steak, complete with all 70s frills and the belief that the this was proper 'continental' food...
And there are some excellent neighbourhood restaurants. Hungs is one of the best chinese places I know outside Chinatown. Mrs Wongs is far from a bad alternative and Da Franco's does unreformed old-school Italian nosh beautifully.
And I've fond memories of La Pergola too - its sister restaurant (next door and sharing an internal door and staff - now sadly departed) called Il Carreto was the first restaurant I ever remember eating at. White Bait followed by steak, complete with all 70s frills and the belief that the this was proper 'continental' food...
Streathamite
ideological dogmatist
GET THEE BEHIND ME SATAN!!!PacificOcean said:
Streatham ROOOLZ!!!!
get thee to..oh ...god...HARROW!
er, yes, i'm moderately happy to be living there again.....
@ dub, WoW, Tarannau, re White Lion. fairy snuff, I just like tatty ol' boozers. on the good side for the PROD thang, there is LOADS of floorspace for groovin'.
as regards that Wetherspoons, it's pretty good for 'proper' beer. There's also a free House half way up the high rd which has an excellent selection.
but is also poncey.
PacificOcean
Unhinged User
Red Jezza said:but is also poncey.
Streatham and poncey? Surely that is an oxymoron
Though if I need a gross of bin liners for a pound I know where to go.
tarannau said:There are some good things about Streatham mind, albeit mainly based around some good food places - the fruiterers and Mediterranean superstore both serve excellent produce cheaply and late into the night, helping you avoid supermarkets. Westbury's pharmacy is open all hours too.
And there are some excellent neighbourhood restaurants. Hungs is one of the best chinese places I know outside Chinatown. Mrs Wongs is far from a bad alternative and Da Franco's does unreformed old-school Italian nosh beautifully.
And I've fond memories of La Pergola too - its sister restaurant (next door and sharing an internal door and staff - now sadly departed) called Il Carreto was the first restaurant I ever remember eating at. White Bait followed by steak, complete with all 70s frills and the belief that the this was proper 'continental' food...
i'm really looking forward to living there now i'm there - Franco at Da Francos is a star and the food's great, we had a lovely Spice Cottage takeway last night, the fruiterer and the Mediterranean deli / bakers is great, as you say.
Red Jezza said:
tatty ol' boozers are fine. but when they're empty, depressing, lifeless and grey?
Streathamite
ideological dogmatist
can't remember it being so when I lived on sunnyhill rd and drank there every night, but I concede it may have deteriorated in the interim....
