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Whats wrong with NW London?

I live in Camden but if I walk over the other side of the A41, I'm in Brent. And like Louloubelle says, it's NW postcodes here.

I've never been hassled by gangs of kids or had trouble from dealers round here and they seem to be quite common problems in Brixton judging by the board.

I don't think it's much worse than down south - I reckon it probably feels more dodgy because you don't know the area. I feel a bit wary in Brixton - I don't think I'm more at risk there than I am in Kilburn but just that I'm less sure of myself.

I live 3 1/2 miles from Marble Arch and 2 miles from Hampstead Heath and it takes me 20 minutes to get to Picadilly Circus door to door. Wouldn't live anywhere else personally :)
 
ive been working at paddington fire station for a while now and cover the harrow rd,edgware rd, paddington, parts of notting hill ( DOES still have problems), kilburn, bayswater, maida vale, marylebone, mayfair areas from the grottiest estates they have to offer to the plushest and have to say that the contrast of life styles is pretty shocking , im lucky enough to be able to enter homes when they are not realy prepared for visitors so get to see the real enviroment at all hours of the day and night.
people with untold wealth living hundreds of yards from tower blocks with human feaces in the lobby you see some pretty shocking things on the deserted rds at 3 am.
as for the racial tensions ? well i cant say ive noticed much.
the estates round the back of edgware rd used to be especially nasty but are now being improved through huge investments. harrow rd and kilburn still have major problems.
i think one of the main reasons people feel threatened is the density and ugliness of the estates and contrast of wealth in the area ....leaving you feeling vulnerable.
i have worked in other cities and cant help feeling that whilst there is terrible and inexusable poverty in london it is not on the same scale as some other cities.......they money seems to trickle on through.
ive seen estates in other cities such as bristol where people dont have carpet or decent heating ...still using parafin lamps for light and heat.

you dont see many barefooted children pushing eachother down the rd in old bath tubs weaving amongst the burnt out cars etc like you do in other city shit hole estates .

i will admit that the pressurised london lifestyle does seem to carry on through to the crims........ aggresion is the norm in some places.
 
Pfft, NW, N, NE.. the problem is they're all N.. could be worse though, could be W.

But yeah, Harlesden is sphincter clenching place.. nasty.
 
Used to live in Kilburn and regularly go up to Harlesden/Willesden/Neasden.

Shit, shit, shit and shit best sums up my experiences. Awful areas.
 
I was in Kilburn the other week.. seemed to be some decent pubs/restaurants, and changed quite alot from what it was..
 
editor said:
Used to live in Kilburn and regularly go up to Harlesden/Willesden/Neasden.

Shit, shit, shit and shit best sums up my experiences. Awful areas.
Click to expand...

When was the last time you went to Kilburn?

I don't think it's any more shit than Brixton. But then I do live there :p
 
it was quite a long time ago i lived in harlsden,perhaps i only thought it was rough but not absoltutely total and utter shit cos i moved there from BIRMINGHAM! :eek:
i still hate brum,no offense to any brummies,the new selfridge building is nice tho..

my partner and i were so happy to be in london at that point that the area didnt really get to us and well we only lived round willesdan junction for 4 months,before moving to PLUMSTEAD(another nice spot)

ps..there is now a great live music venue in kilburn..the luminaire.check it out!
 
trashpony said:
When was the last time you went to Kilburn?
Click to expand...
Not for a while thankfully, but I lived there long enough to know I don't want to go back in a hurry.

And don't get me started about Cricklewood on a Saturday night.

:mad: :mad: :mad:
 
trashpony said:
When was the last time you went to Kilburn?

I don't think it's any more shit than Brixton. But then I do live there :p
Click to expand...


..and Kilburn's got an excellent music venue in the Luminaire..
 
editor said:
Not for a while thankfully, but I lived there long enough to know I don't want to go back in a hurry.

And don't get me started about Cricklewood on a Saturday night.

:mad: :mad: :mad:
Click to expand...

It has changed a lot in the last few years. There's posh bits of Cricklewood now - I got asked for a quote from the Spectator writing an article about up and coming areas of London :eek: :D
 
Used to knock about in Stamore/ Edgeware some time ago - I still get his gripping, sickly empty feeling of dread if I ever begin that long drive towards N/NW London.

I dont know if its psycological, but if you go North West from entral LOndon, you know there is nothning to look forward to - evenm when youve got out of London proper, its still the same dull shihole commuter towns and Chav populated shoping experiences, crowded formulaic country pubs and garden centres.... It never seems to stop until you hit Derbyshire or summit.

GO South and you have to traverse the open sewer of IKea,Croydon, Purley & its environs, but at least you know you are going somewhere- either the beach or an exciting ferry to another country, within about an hour or so.

South is best!
 
Speaking of which, anyone know Derbyshire? Was coming back to St Pancras on the train from Leeds and went through an area somewhere north of Belper and it looked fantastic. People in boats on tranquil rivers on a sunny day etc.
 
Good things in the London Borough of Brent

Tricycle Theatre, Kilburn

libp4698.jpg


Black Lion, Kilburn

pic_home_big.jpg


The Crown, Cricklewood

exterior.jpg


Gladstone Park

GladstonePLogB.jpg


I wouldn't live anywhere else in the city :cool:
 
I live in Cricklewood and really like it. Gladstone Park is fabulous now and they are even going to build a kids' swimming pool. I'm ten minutes drive from Hampstead Heath as well. I can be in central London in 20 minutes and I'm lucky enough to live in a place with a really lovely community feel. Suits me very well but then again I don't really do clubs or pubs so don't care about that. Yes, there's lots of crime in NW London but as others have said a lot of that's in Harlesden and Willesden, where I used to live. However, touch wood, nothing's happened to me in the seven years I've lived around here.

Neasden is still shit though.
 
Willesden has good bits too, there's a conservation area along Willesden Lane which runs to Kilburn. It's far cheaper than West Hampstead or Camden and you're 15, 20 minutes from Marble Arch.
 
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