North London/South London divide

[LuckyAmy1986]

I have always lived South of the river and love it, although it's true you do have to cross for a lot of the good stuff! However, colleagues who live North of the river are quite down on the South and how dull it is, how far away from everything etc etc. Do other people have a clear favourite? Is there actually a real divide? Btw, I know this is totally mindless chat, it was just on my mind!

I’ve lived in South London For 33 years and I love it. Great ethnic mix, loads of parks, edgy vibe, cheaper (though not much!) housing - what’s not to like?

It’s North London that is dull!

I lived in East Dulwich and Nunhead. Loved it! Lovely park, not far from Horniman museum, lovely ethnic food, even mum loved the local Chinese and Indian restaurants! True there is no tube but the buses and trains were ok. I used to get the bus to Victoria.

To be honest I haven't lived in North London though! You cannot call Peckham dull!

I lived in North London for years and loved it, but always had the impression Sarf Landahn was more diverse and, well - cooler.

However, colleagues who live North of the river are quite down on the South and how dull it is, how far away from everything etc etc.

Well, yes, only someone who has no clue and doesn’t know South London at all would say that.

But yes, people do get used to one side. I’d say that even on the S side people stick to either SW or SE.

South London is way better for living. I honestly don't understand why people say otherwise. I think people think of central as North of the river so that the good bit?!? I don't know? But loads of north London is bloody awful with huge roads all over. South all the way for me. But unfortunately moved out of London a few years ago as we couldn't afford to buy. So just a frequent visitor. We'll in the before times....

South London has the National Theatre, Royal Festival Hall, Hayward Gallery, Globe Theatre, Bridge Theatre, White Cube Bermondsey, Borough Market, Vauxhall Tea Rooms, Newport Street Gallery, Battersea Park, Maritime Museum, Queen's House, Greenwich Park, Cutty Sark, Greenwich Market, Horniman Museum, Dulwich Picture Gallery, Brockwell Lido, Tate Modern.

I've always lived in and loved North London but you can't call South London dull. It's wonderful.

I'm snobby out East/West London rather than North South. Love East London but find the West too dull once you get past Kensington Gardens.

DH has a good friend who he always used to go meet in central london or at his friend's house. I can't remember the situation - a party maybe, or childcare issues - but on one occasion he really wanted his friend to come to him for a change. Friend said, in all seriousness, "Sorry, I don't do South of the River." DH thought he was joking at first.

On plus side, 10+ years later, he does, very occasionally, come this way!

I live in south London and really like it. The problem with referring to north/south is that the river divide distorts what is north and south, and south looks smaller/less interesting. It’s also the lack of tube that makes south London seem more out in the sticks than it is. There’s a map you can get that inverses north and south London and it’s fascinating how places that would be considered way out in south London would be pretty central if it was north London.

Inverse map:
www.steveprentice.net/tube/TfLSillyMaps/southlondontube.jpg

North London's miles better. Everyone knows that!

North Londoner and proud since 1966!

There's a reason why there's no tubes ''down there''.

PS I see my ''Norf London's better'' stance as a bit of banter. Everyone's different.

@daisypond

I live in south London and really like it. The problem with referring to north/south is that the river divide distorts what is north and south, and south looks smaller/less interesting. It’s also the lack of tube that makes south London seem more out in the sticks than it is. There’s a map you can get that inverses north and south London and it’s fascinating how places that would be considered way out in south London would be pretty central if it was north London.

North of the river is a lot more accessible with transport on the whole. There's tube lines and stations everywhere.

North of the river is a lot more accessible with transport on the whole. There's tube lines and stations everywhere.

Looks like plenty of stations in S London to me. I’m in deep suburbia (zone 5) and have direct links to Victoria, Blackfriars, London Bridge, St Pancras etc.

Also buses exist too!

I've heard that some Hackney cab drivers are reluctant to go south of the River Thames or even refuse outright. I don't know if this is a licensing thing or just an old urban myth.

I've lived in Brixton, Tulse Hill, Dalston, Hackney, Balham and the last 24 years in SE London. I love where I live, mostly, but still get a little thrill crossing the river. Hardly ever go on the tube though (claustrophobia) and life is perfectly doable without it. From my local station it's 11 minutes on the train to London Bridge. What's not to like? If I'm meeting north London friends for lunch we meet in the middle.

@Chicchicchicchiclana same as you, I won't do the tube. It's not an issue, I think buses in London are fantastic.

@SpaceOP oh wow, that's dedication!

People live in north London.
People reside in south London.

It is totally ridiculous to have such artificial divisions.

My first London home was in New Cross and I'm still really protective of that area.

I now live much more centrally but am still sarf!.

I've heard that some Hackney cab drivers are reluctant to go south of the River Thames or even refuse outright. I don't know if this is a licensing thing or just an old urban myth

30 years ago this was true. S. London has changed unrecognisably since though, and with tubes, buses, and stuff all now existing south of the river, so do cabs.

The divide used to be a thing when transport across the river wasn’t easy. But tubes have been extended and built, so the divide doesn’t really exist any more.

Thankyou blueblue.

Agree 30 years ago taxis wouldn't go south of the river, but it wasn't a transport problem so much as a fear of crime and general run-down feeling. Once people who couldn't afford north started moving to Clapham and Dulwich (and then Balham, Crystal Palace etc), and the Jubilee extension and transport CCTV happened, south improved a lot.

Meanwhile north has got increasingly full of expensive developments rented to overseas investors and lots of shopping areas becoming more and more bland (to be fair, that's a curse affecting all of London).

I lived in South London for years. On one occasion I drove to a friends in North London and at the time had a chipped windscreen and he asked if it was a bullet home, genuinely presumed it was

I use to wipe my feet crossing the Millennium bridge before going back home.

No, no divide at all..

It was all in good humour though.

@ShakeaHettyFeather yep I’d never be able to get a taxi from a night out in Central London to SW16

I've lived North and South. Love them both. Also spent a lot of time East but just can't get on with West London. I'd happily live anywhere else. As per pp, there's definitely as much of an East/ West divide as North/ South