crystal palace - what do u know?

[mumwhoruns]

Hello

Interested to know views on crystal palace and what it's like to live there? What the vibe/community feel is like? Any other parks/stuff to do etc?

Like the triangle and the park and know there is a good primary there but that's about it!

Any bad things? Bad roads? Crime issues?

Preferred it to forest hill on visiting as less of a main road feel and felt more like a place.

Used to living in north London but getting priced out (£1.1m budget) so interested to hear more about CP as an option.

Will be commuting to city. Cycling also an option. Need schools.

Thanks CP residents!!

[Peyia]

I love Palace, this is where I grew up and now live in neighbouring Beckenham. Lots to do, excellent connections, leafy(ish) and the beautiful park is big enough to share on a sunny day! Unfortunately I can't comment on schools but there are loads of families there so I reckon they must be ok.

Quick read on Palace:
metro.co.uk/2014/05/23/property-why-residents-of-crystal-palace-south-london-feel-like-royalty-4736939/

Some property within your budget:
m.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/37060196?search_identifier=a803b9a2590146496557b6956c1562e6

m.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/40338716?search_identifier=8c4d0ead70ab155c56a7af30fb8443a1

Surrounding areas of Tulse Hill and Gypsy Hill also have lovely housing stock.

[Peyia]

Tut, selected CP and Zoopla gives me Dulwich although parts of CP are suspiciously labelled Dulwich, when it's not!

[DiggersRest]

You like the triangle? That puts me off CP but then l don't have budget of 1 million +!

[pinkdelight]

Can't do the link on phone but there's a nice 4 bed semi on Woodland Rd for just over 1m that would get you into Paxton Primary (outstanding), have great access to triangle and transport, and good shot at secondaries (Harris CP, Kingsdale etc). I'm not selling it honest! Am at other side of triangle closer to Rockmount school, which is also fantastic and a lovely area with Upper Norwood Rec, but that bit further from CP station. The whole area is great though, highly recommend it. Full of life, fab restaurants, cafes, independent stores, a real sense of community, and a distinct identity - a proper place to come from, as you say. Hope you find your home here. We searched a long time before finding SE19 and would happily stay here forever. Although when schools cease to be a factor I fancy ending up in a house on Fox Hill.

[sats1977]

Crystal Palace is brilliant, very child friendly and lots of good parks and restaurants in the area. The Evening Standard featured the area last week, lots of good information there on schools etc

www.homesandproperty.co.uk/area-guides/bromley-borough/crystal-palace/living-in-crystal-palace-area-guide-to-homes-schools-and-transport-links-a100986.html#gallery

[Ifailed]

Definitely changed over the past few years, but still parts look down-at-heel. The 1 way system can be a nightmare at busy times. However, compared to the likes of west Dulwich (no real heart, boring pubs etc) it's far nicer.

[dontcallmelen]

Hi OP crystal palace has more of a centre than forest hill, it has become very trendy over the last couple of years, some good restaurants/pubs, some of the shops are a little 'we saw you coming' crystal palace park is lovely, can't comment on schools, would also suggest having a look a bit further down into beckenham.
Good stock of Victorian/Edwardian houses with large gardens, some very good schools, transport links are good too.

[mumwhoruns]

Thank you all - sounds promising. would anyone say that cp is 'better' than other bits of se London? Eg forest hill, brockley, nunhead? Think priced out of east dulwich (or small house anyway), in terms of living with children, commute, community feel? Someone else did suggest beckenham - I need to go, does it feel more suburban there?

[pinkdelight]

Beckenham felt too suburban to me, just that bit further out and less 'Londony'. That said, CP is less Londony than Brockley and Nunhead, but in a good way to me, in that it's more open and green, less densely urban, that bit more chilled out whilst still having that buzz of the great view of the city from the Westow Hill side of the triangle. I like Forest Hill a lot too and wouldn't rule it out as an option if you can get a nice house close enough to the good schools. Likewise Honor Oak. Worth investigating that whole run of stops on the orange line from Brockley down to CP and see where suits you best. There's a definite difference to each, but they're all pretty good for children, community and commute so it'll really come down to gut instinct... and the housing market!

[Blu]

I'd have a test run up that hill before committing to a cycle commute to CP! Tho' I see cycling wouldn't necessarily be your work commute.

You could look at West Norwood, too. Or Streatham Hill, In catchment for Julians, Dunraven, Hither Green primaries (all great schools) and Elmgreen or Dunraven secondaries. Tulse Hill had v fast services into London Bridge. W. Norwood has the Feast, is getting a cinema, and is walking distance from Streatham Hill, Tulse Hill.

CP is great, too.

[pinkdelight]

Know what you mean about the cycling, but then CP seems to be a haven for cyclists with Cadence, Blue Door cycles, the meets at the French cafes on CP parade and various cycling events in the park. Guess cyclists must love big hills!

[Peyia]

I mentioned Beckenham, not as a suggestion though! I said I lived there.

Dependent on train station you have quick access to main line stations and beautiful big Victorian houses. You definitely get a lot more for your money with plenty of green and schools with the City on your doorstep. I would say it was worth a look, it's literally down the road from CP.

These types get snapped up quickly throughly:
m.zoopla.co.uk/for-sale/details/39945437?search_identifier=5455d242950048df74e8470b17d0173c

[dontcallmelen]

Hi Op the house Peyia linked to is lovely, great location few minutes from the park.
Shops/restaurants/coffee shops literally five minute walk away, catchment area of a very good primary school, Imo you get more for your money in beckenham & a lot more facilities on your doorstep than crystal palace.

[pinkdelight]

Yeah, gotta say that house is lush, and the CP side of Beckenham is much less suburban than Bromley side. I remember looking around Marian Vian (sp?) primary area and feeling that bit too far out but didn't feel that around Balgowan. Still prefer CP though :)

[RicStar]

I live in tulse hill / herne hill boarders- quite often pop up to crystal palace for park (dinosaurs) / cafes / shops. There is also sports centre. All those are good. Don't like the traffic not sure about the trains feel slow to me vs hh/th lines. Often go to swimming pool / hornimans in forest hill too. For me I think that I would rather live in fh. CP just feels too suburban for me. But then we went as central as possible and accepted less space so probably just a taste thing. I really rate camberwell / loughborough junction /denmark hill too but housing stock & esp gardens might be an issue.

[mumwhoruns]

Oh thank you all. Sorry I thought people had stopped replying. Am going to go for a wander round next week so I'll see how I feel.

[Sprucegoose]

We've lived in CP for a couple of years now, and really like it. It feels like a real community, and people are very friendly here. It's also packed full of young families, with lots of things for kids to do - parks, playgroups, play centres, classes, etc. Yes, the traffic on the triangle is a pain, but there are also great restaurants, coffee houses, independent boutiques, yoga studios..and a fab weekly organic food market. In the short time we've been here things have improved quite a bit and the trend seems to be continuing.

Schools - Paxton and Rockmount are both outstanding. Catchment areas can be tight though!

I agree with a previous poster that some bits look a bit scruffy. I do notice that there's more litter and boarded up shops than where I previously lived in London.

If you need to take the normal train to work then the commute is a bit of a nightmare as can take an age, but the overground (orange) line is pretty reliable. I often cycle to the office (I work near Temple) and it takes me around 50 minutes, but is hard work!

[04jransomp]

Me and my partner moved to Crystal Palace from Chelsea just over two years ago. We looked all across south London (e.g. Sydenham, West Dulwich, Crystal Palace, Forest Hill, Streatham, Honor Oak, Catford, Beckenham etc.) and Crystal Palace/Forest Hill came out on top by a long way. They offered the best range of shops, restaurants, bars, green space and transport links.

We haven't regretted the move to Crystal Palace at all and absolutely love living there. We live a stones throw from the park, which is fantastic (we use the gym at the National Sports Centre), and love the range of independent restaurants/cafes up on the triangle. Our favourites include:

www.thecrystalpalacemarket.com/

www.400rabbits.co.uk/

www.brownandgreencafe.com/

thesparrowhawkpub.co.uk/

If you're happy not to live in the hustle and bustle right by the Triangle, Anerley Park and Thicket Road are undoubtedly the best. The housing stock is great (grand Victorian properties) and they are well located between three stations - Crystal Palace, Anerley and Penge West. These have trains that go to London Bridge (around 20 mins), Victoria (around 25 mins) and Canada Water etc. on the Overground. You can even walk to Penge East if you live half way down which goes into Victoria in around 15 minutes! The nicest road close to the triangle is probably Belvedere Road.

With the range of shops, cafes, green space, schools, bars and sports facilities it is perfect for nearly all types of people. We have a lot of young families, artists and some students living near us.

[LondonWanderer]

Hi All, I'm new to Mumsnet!

I just posted a new post about crystal palace (sorry only seeing this now!)...

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/3028188-Moving-from-Wimbledon-to-Crystal-Palace-Upper-Norwood

Anyone familiar with the sylvan Hill area?

Thanks a lot for the above comments, seems all very positive!

[bruffin]

I used to live in Crystal Palace and really dont get the love for it on MN, way to expensive and the triangle has always been dingy. No way would i bring up children round there.

[LondonWanderer]

Been to the triangle yesterday and I thought it's quite nice! Lots of restaurants and cafes...

Do you think it's unsafe?

Thanks

[04jransomp]

Hi LondenWanderer,

To the untrained eye (Bruffin!) the triangle just looks like a normal High Street. But when you look carefully and go in the shops, the retail offering is far superior to most south London High Streets. In addition to the restaurants/cafes listed in my post above, we like the following independent shops:

• mrsrobinsonshop.co.uk/
  
• www.smashbangwallop.co.uk/
  
• www.planta.co.uk/
  
• crystalpalaceantiques.com/
  

There is also the weekly farmers market on a Saturday and a range of unique antique shops.

Its not unsafe at all!

[bruffin]

O4
"Untrained eye" what that supposed to mean? Ive lived north and south london all my life.

I lived there for 5 years and a further 5 years a couple of miles down the road. I just think it is very overpriced now, there is definitely nothing special about the triangle and it hasnt changed much since i lived there, from walking round google.