Areas around Bromley

[LadyBoy]

Hi, I'm currently living in a small Victorian terrace in an expensive area of SE London and am thinking of moving to the Bromley area as you get so much more for your money.

Which areas of Bromley would you recommend? I really want to avoid places that are similar to Sidcup and Eltham.

What is Shortlands like? And West Wickham?

[NotAnotherNewNappy]

West Wickham is lovely, great high street and quite gentile for SE London. Higher prices though, obviously.

Shortlands has a fantastic chinese restaurant, great tram link and woodlands.

Out of interest, why are you avoiding Sidcup and Eltham?

[LadyBoy]

I just dislike the feel of Sidcup and Eltham. They lack charm.

Which do you prefer out of Shortlands and West Wickham? Which has more of a community feel and more communal spaces? Which has the nicest shops?

[vonnyh]

Hayes is lovely.

[Gastonladybird]

re eltham lacking charm (corbett houses?) but hayes prob best. Also what about chislehurst or bickley?

[HelenofSparta]

Chistlehurst v nice but pricey and if you commute, the centre is not near the station. Bickley is good too (where we are), walkable to Bromley town centre and both stations. Good schools across most areas - eg west wickham, shortlands, elmstead woods, chislehurst, Bickley.
What kind of thing are you after? (Bromley gal who moved away for uni and then came back)!

[HelenofSparta]

Ps no tram link in shortlands - it is at Beckenham junction! Beckenham v popular too now. Lots of new restaurants

[LadyBoy]

My parents are in Bickley which I quite like. Chislehurst is OK but I'm not that keen.

Beckenham I do not like; too many yobs in the pubs in the evenings and I just don't like the feel of the place.

Sorry to offend you about Eltham but I strongly dislike it and it's not what I'm after.

I will look into Hayes, Shortlands and West Wickham (although not keen on how close this is to Croydon).

My budget is around 500k but we need 4 beds.

[nancy75]

I think you will be able to get more for your money in Hayes. i was going to suggest Park Langley and the area around highfield School, but i'm not sure if you would get 4 beds there.

[Lexilicious]

I have family selling their house in Beckenham just now. Linky here but I have just noticed your budget is lower.

I know what you mean about the clientele of the pubs (I worked in the O'Neills by the station one summer) but do you actually frequent town centres in the evening yourself and have to experience it? They don't. Their contact with Beckenham town is limited to M&S and Caffe Nero on a Saturday, Waitrose on a Sunday and Munch the bakers on weekday mornings. All accessed by car, paying very little for short-ish term parking. And there are a couple of nice restaurants which are not direct neighbours of the pubs.

When they worked, they commuted to London from New Beckenham station which is (again from experience) SOoooooooo much better than going in to Victoria from B Junction. Is commuting a factor at all?

[vonnyh]

I work in Croydon and get the bus (119) into work. Takes about 35 mins.

[NorkyButNice]

I live in West Wickham - we moved here from Greenwich 18 months ago.

We looked in Beckenham and Hayes as well whilst house-hunting and are happy we ended up here in WW. DH commutes into London - we are a 6 minute walk to the station then there are 4 trains an hour into London Bridge/Charing Cross/Cannon St.

All the school here are great (rated good or outstanding). Our closest is 0.2 miles but there are another 2 within a half mile walk.

Shops are OK - there's an M&s Food and 2 Sainsburys. a couple of independent clothes boutiques, a baby shop, an old-fashioned sweet shop, an independent DIY place, along with the usual high St shops (boots, whsmith, Clarks etc). No chain clothes shops, but you're only a 10 minute drive into Bromley. There are quite a few restaurants and coffee shops too.

If I can help anymore let me know!