Moving to Orpington

[mimi3737]

Hi everyone

We just visited a house with my boyfriend which we absolutely loved in Orpington. It is in the BR6 postcode just near the north end of the high street. We were thinking about making an offer to buy the house but then I Google the crime rate in Orpington ans it s very big! 8.6 same than London. I don't know what to think anymore, we visited 3 times the hight Street and streets around it and it looked very nice. But then when I see the crime rate I m wondering if all doors need to be locked after 6pm?
Has anyone ever lived near the high street? Is it a place you would not recommend for women? Thanks

[Tralala33]

Crime rates can be misleading. They will be high because you're near the high street. Most high streets have higher crime rates than suburbs (shoplifting, drunk people at the weekend etc) I wouldn't be overly worried about Orpington

[mimi3737]

Thanks tralala33 - do you live in Orpington? If so can you tell me what you know about the area? Thanks

[Tralala33]

No, I'm in BR3 though so not far at all. I don't know a huge amount about it in detail, but I know that it's not considered a bad place to live. My DH is from South London and works in an emergency service so knows his locations and the less than finer aspects of them, and he would happily live in Orpington.

[Ilovenannyplum]

I live not far away from there now and worked in offices behind the high street for a long time.
I would say that Orpington doesn't seems like your typical crime hot spot and you need to worry about locking doors.
I always felt safe there and was never worried being out in the dark on my own.

And the massive Tesco is my favourite supermarket!

[mimi3737]

OK cool thanks both! that makes me feel much better

[Ifailed]

have some good friends that live in Orpington, off Sevenoaks road. They say they were not aware of the high crime rate, been there for years and raised a family there.

[PettsWoodParadise]

I live about a mile away in lovely Petts Wood The area is very safe. There used to be a police station just off Orpington high street and it made the area a crime hot spot as any non geographic specific crime would get the postcode of the police station. I don't know if that still applies today. Most of the crime is anti social behaviour - people moaning about clay pigeon shooting in the park etc. Some of the students who attend the college can be great, others less so. Some parts I would avoid - anywhere near Star Lane in St Mary Cray will have problems. Once you get past Priory Gardens you are getting into the St Mary Cray borders. Most of the Robin Hood estate (roads named like Marion Crescent, Friar Road etc) are nice but some parts like Lockesley Drive ex LA properties suffer from boy racers on their quad bikes. Feel free to PM a road name or link.

[Monkeybunkey]

I lived in BR6 for 5 years (renting, near Orpington station) then bought a house in BR5 (the dreaded Cray!) where I lived for 4 years. I walked home a lot on my own after dark and always felt safe. I moved away three years ago (not because of the area or crime at all - I needed to move back to East Anglia as my mother was terminally ill), but I've been back since to visit friends and it still seems a lovely place to live.

[changeyourdreams]

Hi there!
Sorry to get like this into discussion, but we have actually found a nice home, on BR5, just around St Paul's Cray (close to "Main Road"), and we were wondering if you know a bit about the area, as I noticed you lived around there for a while.
Thanks!

[Monkeybunkey]

Hi @changeyourdreams, I've just posted on your other thread about BR5.

[Rina23]

Apologies to barge in on this discussion, but I have been trying to search posts or discussions on the area in and around Frair Road , Orpington, with no luck . Would anyone be able to help please? Would really appreciate any information on safety . Thank you.