To consider a seating area in my East London front garden

[Skittle22]

Just back from a few days up north, where a bench or small table and chairs seems to be pretty common in the front garden. Think more Edwardian country garden than shameless - most looked lovely.
Not sure if they do it because no back garden or to get the sun, or just because. Also not sure if it’s common in other areas (i was in Lancashire).

Set the trend. I think it's a lovely idea and don't care if it's seen as common. You get to chat to neighbours and passersby, get some evning sun. It's your garden. Why not?

I'm from oop North and it's very commonplace to have seating in the front gardens. Most around here are quite big and set back off the road and a nice bench or small iron patio set is something that is the norm. Do it :)

In East London when I lived there 2years back any nice seating stuff would be gone if I'd nipped inside for 5mins! If it's walled or enclosed though you'd probably be ok, it would look great so do it! . Same now I'm in not v salubrious bit of NE London:but the iron tower/cloche thingy climbing roses grow up has stayed so far touch wood. :-)

In a big, well set back from the road garden, no problem. In a tiny London terrace with just enough room to store the wheels bins - no.
What’s wrong with your back garden?

It's annoying when people do this in built up areas it's likely to really annoy your neighbours and the furniture is likely to be stolen.

I noticed this in Amsterdam, everyone has a little bench directly on the pavement outside those big tall houses. Some had a kind of flip-down bench that wouldn’t get nicked, I thought it was a nice idea!

Whereabouts in the north were you? Where I live a lot of the houses are back to back so there is no back garden! That's why people sit in the front.

it would look lovely but might get stolen/encourage crackheads to sit in your garden. maybe you could cement it to the floor? or buy some folding chairs and just take them outside when required?

That’s a point, you wouldn’t know who’d be in residence when you went out in the morning!

It's annoying when people do this in built up areas it's likely to really annoy your neighbours
why on earth would it annoy the neighbours?

Its lovely and sociable. Good on you. We need more communities and less curtain twitching, disapproving loners.

I have a bench with a grape vine trained over an arbour in my front garden. (`Almost east London) It's a peaceful place to drink my morning coffee. How could it possibly annoy my neighbours?

I don;t have a back garden... but I do also have a bee-hive (also doesn;t annoy the neighbours).

How is it sociable, unless op is preparing to hail every random who happens to walk down the street?

I am not sure, it depends on the size of the garden, a small patch facing the pavement and I think you'd be like animals in the zoo. With people watching you as they walked past. People tend to use back gardens for privacy and sitting out there in the desperate hope random passers by or your neighbours will speak to you seems a bit, well weirdly needy.

We've got a bench in our front garden in another bit of London. It's handy for having a cuppa on whole watching the kids play out. People stop and chat and it's very neighbourly. It's been there a few years without it being stolen, but if it was I wouldn't be too sad as we rescued it from a skip in another v posh but of town.

Only chavs sit out the front imo

If you hoist those judgy pants any higher, you’re going to strangle yourself Analbanana.

Seen seating areas and gazebos out front and I'm in suffolk. We put the swing in the front a few years ago.

Here's my (apparently terribly chavvy) front garden seat. (Before the grape vine took over, we're in for a good crop this year!)

Is that one of those kid’s over bed canopies from Ikea?

It is! It's to keep the vine from growing too low down across the seat, and it stops creep-crawlies from dropping into your G&T.

. Love your roses, btw.

I work in EC1 where there are some estates around the back streets, walked past a lovely front garden yesterday with two little'uns sat around a table having their tea. It really made me smile, it was only a small paved front garden but they had lots of potted plants and I always think these spaces are such a waste when people are too coy to use them. I'll have a nose later on and see whether they have weighted or chained the table and chairs down or something!!

MinaPaws Wed 04-Jul-18 15:34:42
Set the trend. I think it's a lovely idea and don't care if it's seen as common. You get to chat to neighbours and passersby, get some evning sun. It's your garden. Why not?

You also increase your chances of getting shot in a drive-by attack. Or witnessing someone get stabbed.

Iamagreyhoundhearmeroar Wed 04-Jul-18 20:54:11
How is it sociable, unless op is preparing to hail every random who happens to walk down the street?

They will all think she's a crackhead too.