Where to buy in central London for culture - does it have to be east???

[Somethingtodo]

Dont need schools or access to transport .... will be for weekends and eventually retirement - so culture based social life - art, theatre etc - would like some green space nearby and a couple of local bistro's- would like to be able to walk to cultural events.....so do I need to be towards the east/centre? -- if so where should we go for???

[dinkystinky]

Barbican

[GinnelsandWhippets]

Depends completely on budget. But for central with artsy stuff in walking distance plus beautiful gardens the Barbican is fantastic. I'd move tgere in a heartbeat if i had a million or so to spare!

[shaska]

In terms of access to everything I'd vote for Borough. Southbank/Tate walkable, all the other major places a short tube ride or longer walk. Right next to Druid Street which has the big White Cube and a bunch of other stuff. Not hard to get east, plus Borough Market for fancy eats, lots of great little restaurants.

[smellycandles]

Somewhere on the central line.

What's your budget? What do you want?

[smellycandles]

Sorry, just read you don't need access to transport.

How do you plan on getting around without transport?

[SantasLittleMonkeyButler]

You want a weekend retreat & future retirement home in fairly central London?

I didn't realise people did it that way round!

Sorry, I can't help with regard to areas as I have no knowledge of London.

[HeeHiles]

Bayswater - Hyde Park on your doorstep, walk down Park Lane and your in Mayfair then down to Piccadilly.

Kings Cross is being transformed, walk down to Holborn and Covent Garden loads of culture and bistros popping up everywhere there at the moment!

From Kings Cross you can walk to Hoxton and Shoreditch if you like a good walk!

[HeeHiles]

You want a weekend retreat & future retirement home in fairly central London?

Its a popular trend at the moment, retired people selling the big suburban family homes to be somewhere more vibrant and close to theaters and restaurants etc.

[LondonGirl83]

What kind of cultural events are you interested in? East London is more cutting edge but the major museums are all over with perhaps a large concentration in West London. Music events again are all over but the Albert Hall again is in West London.

If you want farmers markets and pop-up shops and up and coming artists etc then East and South East London would suit. I mean, those are areas where creative people tend to live.

I get the sense you want to live some place with creative energy more than cultural institutions.

[Somethingtodo]

Yes more contemporary artsy culture - so not west end theatre or big museums necessarily etc - so Borough and Barbican sound spot on....plan is to be pretty central - so can walk or cycle or bus it .....is there enough wide open green space in either though? N & W has more green space I think - but nothing culturally that interests me. Budget £800 with some small outside space.

[MaMaPo]

We just sold a flat for around that price (a little less) in westminster. Close to everything, short hop to St James' park and near the river so you can also use river services. A great place to live.

[LadyWithLapdog]

That's our long term plan too. Sell in suburbia and move in Central London. We haven't thought through kids visiting, let alone coming with their own family.

[WhatKatyDidnt]

Canonbury might fit the bill: leafy and grand, lots of lovely squares, the canal, pubs, restaurants, shops. The Almeida theatre. A short bike/bus ride to Dalston, Shoreditch, Whitechapel etc and of course central London.

[MaMaPo]

Oh yes, Canonbury is lovely.

[Deux]

DH and I are planning retirement this way round too. I'm so over suburbia!

My heart's desire would be a red brick mansion flat . I love Bloomsbury and the Barbican. I definitely wouldn't go North.

What a fantastic plan OP.

[LondonGirl83]

Apparently this is a growing trend. Makes a lot of sense!

What a great way to spend the next chapter.

[shaska]

Canonbury/Barnsbury would be gorgeous if you'd like your home base to be a bit leafier - some good local galleries/theatres and it's super super easy and quick to more options. Also there is a direct link to Hackney/Shoreditch from Highbury & Islington tube which makes life easier if you're going east often. Some of the most beautiful streets in London, in my opinion, and only ten minutes from either soho or Shoreditch. However, I don't personally find Upper Street particularly vibey.

Borough and Barbican are not, to my knowledge, high on green spaces, but Borough, in my opinion, is less 'grey' and has more options for food/stuff to do directly on the doorstep.

If you're more interested in a sort of general cultural vibe than particular events or venues, then Broadway Market and the central Hackney area might be worth a look, as you could get something bigger and better for your £800k, and it has more of a community feel, and more green space.

[Amethyst24]

Borough and Barbican aren't great for green space TBH. How about Battersea? Loads going on at Battersea Arts Centre, you're just across the river from Chelsea, Clapham Junction gets you to Waterloo for the South Bank, Covent Garden etc in under 10 minutes.

[TreadSoftlyOnMyDreams]

Greenwich? Lots of green space plus water. Good transport links into West End/London Bridge for Barbican/City End of town [train, boat, tube, DLR] 800k would buy you a very swanky apt with parking or a v nice 2 bed terrace with onstreet permit.
Area is massively appreciating so a good investment too.
A2 is a hop away for quick trip to Ebbsfleet and Paris.

Otherwise I'd also say South Bank or Barbican area. Open space is the issue there though.

[Somethingtodo]

Lived in Cannonbury as a student on Compton Rd for years in '90's and loved it - I suppose my heart is still there - easy to get to many places from there - and a good community I would imagine....agree Upper St is now ruined! Not worried about children or grandchildren visiting - would imagine they would be living somewhere in London anyway.....and we would prob move again when we got really old....or to support childcare/grandchildren -- looking at a 10 year period when kids have left for uni and before they start reproducing...exciting stuff...need a dream/vision to get me thru the teenage years!!

[Somethingtodo]

Also lived in Bloomsbury as a student - nice to get to Soho for restaurants etc not really the cutting edge art culture I want to soak up East it is then! - but never go to Oxford St/Covent Garden "West End" - etc....might need to look at Hackney/Stokie etc but want to avoid paying YummyMummy/schools/family and transport premiums - so will probably be a street by street search.

[shaska]

So envious of you OP, couldn't resist looking up possibilities....

There's this, in Canonbury. Kitchen alteration needed maybe, but it's under budget... www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/34918913?search_identifier=b91b127619c85ae1f517775b2c7d9fa5#DF5rsRVqZ1okrtG8.97

Or, a new thought, Columbia Road in Bethnal Green. Flower market on Sundays (delightful) and lots of east end access. A minor pain into town but nothing major. And this is quite nice? www.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/34803148?search_identifier=6af20a1121a33d867eeb4cebce0df720#fqCW1wryju4oQSC4.97

[SuperFlyHigh]

Deptford is the new trendy area apparently. see Blackheath and Greenwich Park for green areas.

[5ChildrenAndIt]

I'm gonna retire in a Bloombsbury mansion block flat.