Anyone live in or know Greenford/Perivale/nearby? Need honest opinions on the area.

[moonshine]

We've had an offer we can't refuse on our flat in W12. Would dearly love to buy a house here but there is no way we can afford it . Greenford/Perivale seems to be in our price range for a 3-bedroomed house. I know about the sites with all the official figures on areas but would really like first-hand opinions on what it's really like to live in these areas. Is it a good mix of people? Does it feel safe? Lots to do with kids? Are the primary schools good? If so, which ones? I have so many questions!

TIA.

[Thomcat]

I work here and tbh I wouldn't live here.

It's a little bit run down, but not terribly.
Mix of people - ??? I'd say it was mainly asian.
No idea about the schools, sorry.
Things to do with kids - err well there's a few parks,a wacky warehouse and bunny park in Hanwell isn't far away.
Safe - well, i don't feel scared on a day to day basis, however tbh NO, not it isn't safe, there has been a few murders, muggings, assults. Horseendon Hill has had a few bodies discovered on it, there was a sign asking for witnesses to a serious sexual assult there the other day. A few years ago a school boy was stabbed on Bilton Rd.
On Bilton Rd, the little local shops, there is often 1 or 2 drunks on the bench.

However this is all centered round Horsendon Hill and then Bilton Road.

There are other parts to Greenford and to Perivale and I can't talk about them, I'm sure they are all fine.

Have you looked at South Ruislip, not a million miles from Greenford and may be the same price range, and that has nice schools ands I would say is a nicer area.

Or maybe look at Eastcote, Ruislip Manor, Rayners lane, South Harrow?

I'll come back later to see if you have any questions.

TC x

[WideWebWitch]

Ooh Thomcat, you don't work for a company whose name begins with T on H H in P do you? I know the building well if so! Ignore me if I'm totally wrong!

[Thomcat]

I work in serviced offices - R.H.
Main doord on F.Rd but back doors on B.Rd

[WideWebWitch]

Oh ok, no, not where I was thinking then! Ignore me, sorry for hijack!

[moonshine]

Well Thomcat, that's what I'm looking for, someone who's at the 'coalface', so thanks! That's rather disappointing, if your feel for the area is not good (well I guess there must be a reason why the houses are so cheap!). Not that I've been stalking you or anything, but don't you live somewhere in NW London?? Near Harrow or something - what's that like? I will go and have a butchers at house prices around Ruislip though. Anyone live there?

Will look forward to any other opinions on Greenford/Perivale still.

[Thomcat]

Listen don't rule Greenford out altogheter, i'm talking more perivale and a small radius.

I live in Pinner, which I have to say is lovley. However it is expensive. We moved there a long time ago and I bought a flat as part of a property deal that ivolved my property developing family at the time. We made a great profit and moved on. Will find it hard to go biger and better tbh. I do LOVE Pinner though.

If you're looking at Greenford then the following areas aren't far and I think are okay and would say safer - South Ruislip, Ruislip, Ruislip Manor, Eastcote, Rayners Lane, North Harrow, West Harrow, South Harrow.

[moonshine]

Ah Pinner - have had my eye on there before as it does look lovely - lucky you.

Yes will wait to see if anyone else lives in Greenford or near. I know you must be out there somewhere!

[jinglybits]

i grew up in ruislip, am 26 now, its a great place, woods/parks/greenery etc, good commute to town, quick drive to country. the periverals are cheaper property prices, west ruislip, south ruislip, ruislip gardens etc. ickenhams nice, they're all little village type places!

[moonshine]

Thanks Jinglybits - am beginning to like the sound of Ruislip and I think we will have to go for a drive on Sunday. Which is the best area (west/north)?

Also TC - have seen houses for sale in Pinner for c £300K which sounds quite cheap for the area - does that mean they will be awful/in the bad areas?

Anyone else? Does no-one know Greenford?

[jinglybits]

can't stop! ...but south ruislip is more industrial, more flats, also ruislip gardens, less shop availability etc if you don't have a car. west ruislip is right inbetween villages of ruislip and ickenham. imo ruislip town is the prettiest..still got old barn/church etc but its more expensive. i can fill you in more later if you like, ds crying! got to go!

[moonshine]

Yes please jinglybits! Are the schools good? What is the mix of people like? Do you feel you are not in London then? Thanks so much.

Still wondering if anyone else knows Greenford? Or Hanwell??

[Thomcat]

i think hanwell is quite nice, as far as I know, nothing wrong with the bits I've seen.

Pinner for £300k - errrm, yeah you can get something nice in pinner for that.

[Blackduck]

Depends what you define as Greenford - my parents live in Sudbury Town (not far from the infamous Horsenden Hill TC mentioned...). Its the 'burbs.....nearest (decent) shopping is Harrow (and only just...). Okay for commuting into London (45 mins). No idea about schools etc. as haven't lived there myself in years and brother lives in Stanmore so whole other area. Can't say I'd be gagging to move there...

[moonshine]

Thanks TC and Blackduck - I know £300K in other worlds is a helluva lot of money but in W12 it buys you virtually nada (not even a 3-bedroomed house on the lovely A40 near the rundown estates...). And Shepherds Bush is hardly the loveliest of boroughs, although I will be sad to leave.

[bluebear]

I used to live in Hanwell - it's ok - I never felt scared and didn't notice much crime so to speak..I have no idea what the schools are like but it has some really nice areas (nr the station), and it's really easy to get to the big shops at Ealing. It's certainly quieter than Shepard's Bush.

I have wandered through Greenford occasionally, it seems a bit run-down but also not scarey. It reminds me of the little town I grew up in..same shops on the high street (I think Woolworths is the most 'quality' shop there...also no idea on schools

Both Hanwell and Greenford cheaper than some surrounding areas because they are on main-line train rather than tube - the ml train from Hanwell to Paddington was so unreliable I used to take a bus to the tube station because it was quicker overall.

I have only been to the Ruislips a few times but they do seem much nicer - but then further out of town - depends whether you need to get to central london to work.

[jinglybits]

hiya. imo if you've got the money choose pinner or ruislip or something that way. As mentioned greenford is a little run down (imo, not wishing to offend)and from what i have heard southall/greenford/perivale areas do have some inter-racial problems with gangs etc...not majorly! I went to a lovely primary school in ruislip...bishop winnington ingram, i believe it is still quite good, my secondary school pass rates (bishop ramsey) have slipped since i left and when i visit i do see occassional grafitti around ruislip which i do not recall when i was younger but it still is a lovely area,as i said sandwiched on edge of suburbs/country (harefield, denham etc are just short drives away with nice country walks/pubs) with your budget i would personally look around ruislip village and not so much the surrounding ruislips (maybe i am biased having grown up in that area) imo there's more old character and theres also ruislip lido and the surrounding wood. Can't really speak of pinner but its also very nice, thing thats especially nice about ruislip is as mentioned the playing fields/wood/duck pond etc, lots of places for kids to play, ride bikes away from the road. obviously you really need to pay a visit to get your own feel!

[moonshine]

Bluebear and Jinglybits - thanks so much. Not blaming anyone here but I have gone off Greenford/Perivale (it really doesn't get me excited, even if we could afford a house there). This Sunday we are definitely going to have a drive through Hanwell and then onto Ruislip area. Wasn't even going to move last Wednesday but a developer has offered to buy our flat at a good price, with us having to put absolutely no effort into sprucing it up or getting into a chain. So we've got to find somewhere soon!

Thanks again all who have helped.

[saadia]

My mil lives in Hanwell with dh's brother and his family. I think they are pretty happy there. Their youngest son goes to a very nice nursery, and the older to what sounds like a pretty good school. There seems to be a lot of families and a lot of young professional type families have recently moved on to her road - it's looking rather trendy now, although parking is a nightmare.

[saadia]

Forgot to mention there is a slightly rougher end which they try to avoid.

[moonshine]

Oh goodie, more opinions - thanks all. Ruislip has so many different 'bits' I'm in danger of getting confused. But if I've got this right, the best bits to look at are Ruislip Town or Manor, Eastcote & Pinner. Hanwell is still in there (a developer has told me that South Ealing/Hanwell are on the up and a good investment) and getting quite trendy.

Oh and avoid Greenford, Perivale, and the Horsenden Hill area (apologies to all who live there but you haven't 'outed' yourself yet!).

Ha, who needs Kirsty and Phil, when you have the collective MN brains and experience .

[bluebear]

Just south of Hanwell (t'other side of the Uxbridge road) is Boston Manor - houses tend to be larger/gardens bigger than Hanwell, on piccadilly line tube, Fielding primary school is quite good.
Pretty sure you can get something at c£300 there.

Would you like me to send you the property bit of our local paper - covers acton, ealing, boston manor, hanwell, and greenford (can't recall perivale being in it)?

CAT me if you want.

[bluebear]

Oh, and South Ealing would prob be a bit pricey but the stretch south of Popes Lane/Little ealiing lane, and Brentford is cheaper and OK (nicer than Hanwell on my sliding scale) - Those roads are in catchment of Little ealing primary school I think, which has a good reputation.

[Caroline5]

Another vote for Ruislip here - grew up there too, my parents still live there and they feel safe and happy, although my dad complains of traffic noise!! Local schools I think are still good - BWI (Ruislip), Warrender (Ruislip Manor)are good primaries I think. Like Jinglybits, I think central Ruislip is the nicest with most character, but not cheap.

My brother lives in Brentford but parking is a nightmare for him, and is moving anyway as schools not so good apparently. Not very keen on Greenford either - sorry to anyone from there!

[moonshine]

Thnks so much Bluebear and Caroline for all this info. It really really is helping me to eliminate certain possibilities from my mind and make a proper list.

Bluebear - that's a very kind offer re: the property pages. The guy who wants buy our house is so keen he has said he will give us all the property pages we want (! - think we will try to get him to up his offer on our flat methinks if he is so keen) but if he forgets then I may get back to you on that.

I'm actually getting quite excited now (although all things being equal I think I would still stay in the Bush if I had the money, sigh).