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Where to live in London?

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19:13 / 26.08.02

Just received word that the woman whose flat I've been renting in Willesden Green returns on September 29th - and I very much want to be out by then. The plan is that ZoCher and I will rent somewhere in London for six months while finishing getting our Edinburgh flat ready for sale, hopefully before Christmas. We'll then sell it, make squillions of pounds' profit which we'll stick in a high-interest account until we're ready to buy somewhere in London, possibly next Spring.

Problem at the moment is that I literally have very little idea which areas to consider for the six-month over-the-Winter stay. It's been quite nice living in NW10 (and pretty close for work in W2) but I'd like to experience a different part of the city now.

What we'd like:

- within Zone 2
- near at least one Tube station
- furnished, 1 bedroom (but not flatshare)
- ideally, some access to outdoor space (garden, terrace, balcony)
- an area with some local 'character'; ideally including at least one gay pub/club (where we can get drunk and paw each other lewdly in public)

I think we're both resigned to the fact that almost nowhere will be happy accommodating our cats, and they'll likely have to stay with friends and family for a few months. I suspect being away from them will be more of a wrench than we anticipate.

At present, I'm paying £180 per week - for 2 bedrooms which, on reflection, we haven't really needed.

I'm considering Brixton, as we stayed there for a couple of nights when I came down for the initial job interview. I'm curious as to whether the 'sarf of the river' stuff is justified...

Any advice?

19:37 / 26.08.02

Have you looked in west london? I know some people who have good experiences of Ealing etc.

19:41 / 26.08.02

Haven't we had this conversation before? I have a weird sense of deja vu but maybe it was someone else asking.

Anyway, yes, I used to live in Ealing and it's pretty good. Don't be afraid of zone 3!

20:10 / 26.08.02

Yeah, we've had this conversation at least once before - but I guess I've lived here for a year now, I've got a little more idea how the various bits of London fit together, and we've got more specific plans in terms of renting, buying, etc.

I've heard Ealing's okay - but one of the considerations is the cost of getting a cab back from Central London after clubs, etc. West London (particularly Hammersmith) may well be somewhere we'd want to buy, ultimately, but I thought this six months' enforced renting might be a nice opportunity to experience somewhere we're unlikely to settle.

Is there any kind of gay scene in Ealing?

20:21 / 26.08.02

You could also look at the east end, southish, not Hackney way. You're not too far from central london if you need taxis etc, but it has a local character of its own, and it's on the tube. I don't know that much about the gay scene there but I think there is a bit of one. I don't think it would be that much more expensive than 180 a week (which is quite a bit...)

I lived there for six months or so and I'd have continued if it wasn't for (a) greedy bitch landlady and (b) too far from work.

20:29 / 26.08.02

Good point about taxis - getting home to Ealing would cost about 20 -25 quid. And I really don't know about a local gay scene in Ealing, but I don't imagine there's much.

20:56 / 26.08.02

This is the thread where every londoner says "live near me cos its great!"....

and i will be no exception...

Come to the south bank - waterloo, london bridge- central - walking distance from soho.

22:07 / 26.08.02

The South Bank would be great, Sleaze, if we could afford it. Are we likely to find a non-flatshare, 1-bedroom place for £150-odd per week?

The Return Of Rothkoid

22:48 / 26.08.02

Stoke Newington. Stoatie and SFD will be able to fill you in a little better than I can - I was there for a cruelly short time - but it's a lovely place. On the 73 bus route... gotta love the 73.

And it has a graveyard that features the burial memorial of George Harrison, who "died in great agony". Whose statue has plants growing out of its eyes. What more could you want?

Sigh. I wish I were still there.

00:14 / 27.08.02

Sigh. I wish I were still there.

Australia's not so bad. You just need to get out of Syndey. Melbourne is much nicer, and a bit more like London as well...

The Return Of Rothkoid

00:32 / 27.08.02

[sidetrack]
Yeah, I know. But it's more the people than the location, to be honest. And given that I've just started a new job, I guess moving won't happen any time soon... I dunno. Sigh. We'll see, I guess.
[/sidetrack]

But yeah. I'd definitely give Stokey a big thumbs-up. Quiet, cheap (for London) and just a good place to live. Also, home to the best second-hand bookshop I'd found in my time there. G'wan. And Stoatie needs some fellow lithers there now!

And the kebabs. Ohhhhh. THe kebabs.

Also, you're close to Stoke Newington overland railway station, and you can get to Finsbury Park tube on the bus in about 15 minutes, if that...

06:33 / 27.08.02

Well, Stoke Newington is in zone 2, and you can get a bus to Angel tube - 15 mins on a good day. I haven't lived near a tube station for 9 years, and I don't have any problem with getting a bus. Stokey has lots going on, a lot of indy cafes, a great cinema, and plenty of gay bars - it is quite a queer space.

But be careful if you head this way - avoid Clapton - it has become extremely heavy over the last couple of years.

06:47 / 27.08.02

I'd second the Stoke Newington suggestion - but I'm biased, I live there. You've got Clissold Park with the cute fwuffy deer, the graveyard is lovely, nice atmosphere on Church St., cool shops and cafes, about 20m walk to Finsbury Park/Manor House tubes. It's still the inner city though so it can be a bit hairy - I know that a few of the shops on Church St have been held up. I don't know if yr. musically inclined but there's tons of musicians round here for some reason. I don't know about prices though, but I imagine it'll be the same as anywhere else in London, chepaer if you move away from Church St and down to Dalson.
And there's always somewhere open to get a beer! (not necessarily a good thing)

STOATIE LIEKS CHOCOLATE MILK

06:49 / 27.08.02

Stokey indeed rocks. And there IS always somewhere to get a beer at any time of the day or night. In fact, I'm off to one such emporium in a minute!

Regrettable Juvenilia

15:37 / 27.08.02

Don't know if the prices round Whitechapel/Bethnal Green way have rocketed up beyond all reason now, but that's where I'd recommend. Or even a bit further East - some friends of mine have lived in Bow (selecta!) for a couple of years now and seem to like it a lot...

I wouldn't rule out Hackney either, again people I know who've lived in Dalston for ages seem to love it...

15:42 / 27.08.02

Bow'd be handy for the Block, for sure. Although I did nearly get arrested for peeing against a tree there at four in the morning. Guess that could happen anywhere in the Metropolis though.

13:09 / 28.08.02

East End’s good stuff : Bow, Mile End, Dalston, and even Homerton, if you can find somewhere suitable. I used to rent from Winkworth on Roman Road, who I think have a website…
I’m further east now, but I like the East End generally. Guv, rub-a-dub, etc.
Though it’s not like it is on ‘Stenders. Lived here for years, and still haven’t tried to burn down the Vic.

DBC

15:35 / 28.08.02

Yeah, but when my taxi pulled out of Albert Square that fateful morning, face set and eyes forward, ignoring the jeering, I swore I'd never be back. Not without hair extensions, anyway.

15:44 / 28.08.02

Craaach End's quite nice, and a mere step from Finsbury Park - I prefer it to Muswell Hill, MH is a bit bland (good bookshop though).

18:11 / 28.08.02

Walked back from Upper Clapton Road on my way home this afternoon and had a dilemma - if that bloke who's screaming abuse at a little kid (who's lying on the ground) starts kicking him like he's threatening to, do I dive in and try and stop him? - but luckily the man walked away. Then I turn on the news and see a man reporting, sorry, hiding in my old street (Clarence Road), talking about the mini riot that occured on the Pembury Estate last night and how everyone's geared up for more tonight.

Just in case, you know, you have any thoughts in the direction of E5.

18:26 / 28.08.02

Doesn't sound too bad. Here, the bloke would have pulled out a .45 and plugged the kid ten times.

18:30 / 28.08.02

The same would happen in Johnny O's Detroit, except both bloke and kid would be cops. Bent cops. Hepped up on goofballs too, probably.

18:33 / 28.08.02

The cops here don't know enough to be bent... well, not intentionally bent.

12:09 / 29.08.02

I would write a endearing ode to Stoke Newington, but everyone's sort of beat me to the highlights.

LIVE near Marc Bolan's house!

EAT the best damn chips and curry sauce I've ever had!

DRINK at the pub where Johnny Rotten was attacked with razors!

There's also a train station within Stokie, if that's an alternative to the tube...

14:32 / 29.08.02

Being more positive here - I forgot to add this, but I was in Stokie the other day and looked at a couple of rental agencies - 2 bed flats in the area go for £200 a week if you're lucky. It's more expensive than I thought, but if you wanted to live in this area (and there is a lot to recommend it) then a look around the local newagent's advertising boards and noticeboards in bookstores and cafes might get you something cheaper.

17:44 / 29.08.02

.........''Well, Stoke Newington is in zone 2, and you can get a bus to Angel tube - 15 mins on a good day. I haven't lived near a tube station for 9 years, and I don't have any problem with getting a bus. Stokey has lots going on, a lot of indy cafes, a great cinema, and plenty of gay bars - it is quite a queer space.'' .....

.......''But be careful if you head this way - avoid Clapton - it has become extremely heavy over the last couple of years. ''.......

Have got to say that A)stokey is incredibly overpriced, and frankly its going to go down hill fast lots of people buyng in there and not really knowing what thier buying into - house prices are excessive. (like more excessive than other oarts of london!!!)hackney council is going down the tube and all the services are being cut - stokey festival has already been axed.

B) i've lived in clapton for 4 years and its not any heavier than anywhere else, it is however crap for public transport.

personally i'm off to se16 which is catford, very god value for £. lots of space, close to grenwhich and lewisham, not full of right on oiks with more money than sense (yet) o.k. no tube but good overground conections to waterloo and london bridge.

b

11:19 / 12.05.07

Thought I'd revive this thread as I'm probably moving to London in the next two months, but know next to nothing about the place.

At the moment it looks like I'll be living with two other people somewhere North around Kentish Town/Camden, or with one other person whose much more flexible about location.

So, where are good areas to live these days? Where am I likely to find decent and affordable housing? I'm looking to pay about £100p/w - maybe a little more - by myself, so £200p/w in the two-person or £300p/w in the three. I'll probably be working somewhere fairly central - wherever agencies have work basically - so I guess I want to be somewhere in Zone 1 or 2, with good transport links etc. And relatively cheap too, in terms of general cost of living.

I imagine most of the advice in this thread is very out of date now?

Closed for Business Time

11:58 / 12.05.07

Dunno about the general description of various boroughs going out of date, but price-wise this already reads like the early 20th century. Depending on what sorta local environment you're looking for, you could do worse than hang around Camden/ K Town, Tufnell Park, but imo it's often way overpriced even by London standards. The area west of St John's Wood and Swiss Cottage - Maida Vale, Edgware Road, South Kilburn, even some places not too far from Little Venice are surprisingly cheap considering it's very central and semi posh looking. Atm I live a ten minute walk from Waterloo around Kennington, which afaik is the cheapest area in zone 1. The Elephant & Castle area can get a bit grim tho, but is still quite cheap.
But for 100 p/w (in a flatshare?) you at least have a reasonable chance of getting a room somewhere not in the shits. If however you can stretch yer budget to say 250 a week for two persons you have a much broader selection - at least that's my impression from window shopping in letting agencies of late.

13:43 / 13.05.07

Thanks Mos Nolte. I should really sit down with a map and try to piece all these places together, as the names a pretty meaningless to me. I spoke to my friend very briefly yesterday, and he mentioned looking for a place around Bethnal Green or Whitechapel. Am I right in thinking they're either end of Brick Lane? And are they likely to be expensive areas? I was quite keen to live in Brixton, as I know a couple of people living round there, but I think that might be too far out for him...

Happy Dave Has Left

20:36 / 13.05.07

I've lived in and around Brixton for three years - great place, if you know where to look. PM me if you want any more specific advice.

00:06 / 14.05.07

I should really sit down with a map and try to piece all these places together.

Good plan.

I do think it's worth bearing in mind, though, that the baby Jesus cries real tears every time anyone new to London, who isn't a trainee accountant, or solicitor, decides to live south of the river.

If the Devil lives anywhere in this great city, it's in Clapham. Run away to Brixton, Tooting, or other such louche places, if you like; run away to Kennington, but until you've crossed the river, in a real sense, you'll never be free of these malign influences, IMVHO.

My two cents ... but I've battled with the demons that manifest themselves as 'a family' on Clapham Common on too many occasions to mention.

You should do what seems best.

07:11 / 14.05.07

He mentioned looking for a place around Bethnal Green or Whitechapel.

That's where I live. The centrality is great, you can get a bus into town easily (helps keep travel costs down).

Am I right in thinking they're either end of Brick Lane? And are they likely to be expensive areas?

Your geography is correct. As to expense, it depends, I think. There's a fair few students live around here, attracted by Brick Lane/Old Street fashionability so I imagine you can find cheap if you wish, but I think it would be pretty dog eared. Parts of Bethnal Green seem to be very gentrified and aspirational - the City of London isn't too far away, and this will probably have an effect on the price of the nicer rented properties.

16:12 / 15.05.07

Hello... Does anyone know of any half decent bedsits or short term rental places in London, cheaper the better really but I've seen some really bad places in London before (one in Clapham springs to mind where the floor sloped by a huge amount). I'm moving back soon probably the start of next month and I know one place that I can try if I ever find the number. But yeah I'm applying for lots of jobs and hopefully something will turn up before I move back but if not I'll need a base so I can go to interviews etc.

Any ideas?

15:47 / 29.05.07

Thanks for the tips everyone. It looks like I'll be sleeping on a couch in Brixton for at least the next few weeks, while trying to a) find work and b) a place to live. Hopefully everything will become clearer once I start to understand how London fits together, and how the boroughs compare in terms of price and atmosphere.

Closed for Business Time

19:28 / 29.05.07

AHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

But seriously nighthawk, best of luck with that. I might well have shit city-spirit-fu, so after 2'na half years I'm nowhere near sorting out the feel of the different boroughs. So far I've lived in Cricklewood, Southwark/Bermondsey, Swiss Cottage and Kennington, and except for Cricklewood being shit for going to the West End (which is where I work) and pretty anywhere but Kilburn/Brent Cross shopping centre, they all have their charming points and their shit points.

Take Swish Cottage. Great location close to the Heath, Primrose Hill, Camden, Hampstead and Kilburn. Great transport links. Great locals. Also BAD for being close to Camden and upmarket and thus targeted by thiefs and ruffians who wanna mug the posh people. "I ain't posh, I just live here!"

I wouldn't mind the East End, but it's unlikely I'll live there any time soon. I like Stoke Newington, Bethnal Green and parts around Whitechapel, Stepney and Bow. It's a really random place. One minute it's all Shoreditchey tight-jeans hip action, next 75% of the people in the street speak Bangladeshi and there's not a pub for 10 minutes, tho you will get loverly curry and cheap clothes.

Gah. I'm rambling. Good luck tho. One last thing. Fuck Acton. In fact, fuck the west. And, as mentioned upstairs, fuck Clapham.

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