London MNers advice please

[Queenofthesilverdollar]

I may have to work in pt London for 3 years and will come into Paddington - where best to rent a flat

What's the budget?

Yeh, depends on the budget. And also whether you want home to be quiet or lively.
There's the Central line at Lancaster Gate as well as the tubes that pass through Paddington.

Up to 2k - not too dead but not full on

Maida Vale?

Willesden.

You say you'll come into Paddington - do you mean that's where the work will be? Or you are getting a train into Paddington? Where abouts is the job?

Will come into Paddington and jib will be in Stratford

Stratford’s on the other side of town though. I’m not sure I follow…

Paddington and Stratford are opposite sides of the city.

Not sure I follow what you're doing

But which station you use or come into as you say depend on wher eyou get on and therfore where you live. I don't understand what you are asking. Why will you come into Paddington? From where? Do you have another home?

I assume OP has a main home somewhere that is on a train line to Paddington but will be working in London so wants somewhere to crash during the week.

Why wouldn’t you leave near Stratford or on a line that comes into Stratford then?

Paddington is miles away - where are you coming from when you arrive into Paddington?

Can you explain things a bit better?

Won't Paddington and Stratford be connected on Crossrail when it opens? In which case, it won't be a big journey. That said, I'd always want to live nearer work than anything else.

I think OP is saying that they love elsewhere but will work part time in London and therefore need a pad to crash in mid-week. The train from her main home will get her into Paddington but the job will be in Stratford.

Personally, I think having your flat near Paddington rathe defeats the point of having it at all as you'll still be commuting. You'll be able to get a perfectly nice 1 bed flat in or around a Stratford for 2kpm so you may as well start your hunt there.

@StrawberryPi

I think OP is saying that they love elsewhere but will work part time in London and therefore need a pad to crash in mid-week. The train from her main home will get her into Paddington but the job will be in Stratford.

Personally, I think having your flat near Paddington rathe defeats the point of having it at all as you'll still be commuting. You'll be able to get a perfectly nice 1 bed flat in or around a Stratford for 2kpm so you may as well start your hunt there.

Right OK. Though that might be it. I agree having a flat near the station is a bit pointless in my opinion. I'd want one near work. Then when I'm in London I can work longer hours and just crash at home without commuting. Also you will get more for your money in Stratford. Although it's definitely not as cheap as it use to be.

I agree that Stratford is very much on the other fucking side of London and commuting right across the centre during the week seems singularly pointless. Get a flat near your work out East.

I don't know any further east than the Isle of Dogs/Canning Town, neither of which I would necessarily recommend based on my slightly old knowledge of them, but I would bet there are plenty of decent modern developments around Westfield Stratford, and perhaps pp can recommend specifics.

If I was looking for a mid-week crash pad working in Stratford, I’d look at the developments in East Village E20. You’ve got the high speed connection into town if you want to go to eg. west end in the evening, you’ll walk to work, Queen Elizabeth park for a lovely green space for exercise, lots of cafes/restaurants etc. You could probably get something with a fab view in the new apartment blocks.

Where your other home outside of London is doesn’t really matter if you’re on the train I don’t think, that’s not your daily commute and getting to any major train station is pretty much the same.

@LemonViolet yeah I agree on East Village

Thanks everyone and sorry I hadn’t been clear.

My home is a long way from London and the trains from there arrive at Paddington. I will work in Stratford.

I am starting to look for a crash pad

Thanks for advice re East Village etc

I wouldn't live in Stratford. What about Hackney - London Fields or maybe near Columbia Road? You can walk from work to there and it's not dead in the evenings. Or if you're near Victoria Park you can go for a walk there in the evening.

You definitely want a flat on the Jubilee line, I think. Depends if you literally just want to crash by work or if you will be out in town in the week. If there former, agree with what people have said already. If the latter, maybe London Bridge (Borough) or Canada Water.

Personally I wouldn’t live in Hackney 😂 but agree Hackney Wick, Victoria Park, Bethnal Green type areas could work if that’s your vibe.

But good call around London Bridge/Borough/Bermondsey is a great central spot if you are more into nightlife and would be dating, going out etc.

From Paddington to Stratford I'd walk to Lancaster Gate - it looks like a long way in the tube map, but it's only about 10 mins - and go on the central line.

Then live an easy commute to your workplace. I don't know that side of London very well, but was wondering if any of the new developments in the Olympic Park might be worth a look

East Village is what they’ve called the new postcode for the swanky developments post Olympic village btw.