To wonder why Croydon/Sutton get so much negativity

[Dobdebdop]

Me and dh are looking to move from our current house and our currently house hunting in these two boroughs. We are seeking to be able to go mortgage free so I can start a business.

When we brought this up to family and friends, many sounded absolutely horrified at the idea.

When viewing properties we found most of these areas to be pleasant and absolutely fine. The high streets in both are a bit shabby but Central London is less than 30 mins for shopping so we can just go there.

I dont understand why there is so much negativity to this part of South London, I don't know much about this area but my impression is that it was an absolutely fine place to live.

I don't think Sutton could be considered a deprived town center as much as not a good one. The surrounding areas are generally pretty wealthy compared to the UK averages and the schools are good. Just more of an issue with a lot of people commuting and not spending $ in the local high street or going to bigger high streets like Croydon (which, while grim has a lot of shops) or Kingston. Sutton High Street kind of fell through the cracks in terms of character and selection of shops but I wouldn't go as far as to call it deprived, just boring. It is still a great area to bring up a family, safe, good transport and easy access to a lot of countryside too.

Lived in Croydon my whole life. Used to be more central, these days were getting further out & I think we've found our happy place.

Why the hate on Wallington? Good transport and good schools, three grammar schools a short walk from each other and one was voted the best school in London 2019.

I love the Luddoquist games cafe! often go in with the kids, great place to while away an afternoon.

I really like the Thai place in the Boxpark too and often hop off the train on the way home to get food.

There a great gaming arcade in the Whitgift centre too called Heart of Gaming that the kids love (and lots of adults). Has old school arcade machines as well as PS4s and VR rigs.

Little Bay in S Croydon is an interesting place to go for dinner.

I lived just outside Sutton and worked in Croydon for many years. Couldn't wait to leave. Sorry but both are grim. I never felt safe walking around even during the day never mind at night.

I worked at the Cartoon for a while too before it closed. Had some good nights out there.

Epsom and Kingston are much nicer areas.

Taught at a secondary school in Croydon for 3 years. It was horrendous and I've taught in schools across London. Huge issues with drugs and gangs. Would never contemplate living there or even visiting again!

@Burgerboy all I knew about Wallington for ages was that it had three v good schools but wasn't v pretty (shout out to Wilson's, where lots of the DBs of school friends attended). A friend brought up in the west country & living on the Kent side of London picked a car up from Wally recently & commented about how she locked the doors, found it really rough. Who knew!

Agree that Sutton is under invested in rather than deprived. Also I'm pretty skittish but I've never been that scared in Sutton. I stick to the high st mostly though. I was quite uncomfortable in Carshalton and round St. Helier way the few times I've been there, however.

Oh and do yourself a favour and at least stay away from the Rose Hill roundabout. Grim as hell.

I have lived in Wallington for over 20 years and don't find it rough @DSHathawayGivesMeFannyGallops. Neither do both of my kids who went here to primary and our grammars. I often get back home late from Central London and never felt threatened.
St Hellier is now full of young families renting or buying ( slowly priced out of Merton).
I travel to London Bridge for work from Wallington and trains are 30 min. I am in my office in Southwark in under 50 min, my dd gets to the City in one hour.
We have Ikea and other shops on Purley Way. I can drive to Kingston or Guildford shopping if I don't fancy Sutton or Croydon.
Cinema in Sutton has been refurbished and we go there often.
Most those who commented on this thread don't live in the area and many memories are from decades ago.
@Dobdebdop have look at South Wallington or to towards Wally Girls or on the roads nearer to Beddington Park which is lovely.
Carshalton on the Hill is very peaceful but further from public transport but v.close to Oaks Park and lavender fields. Come and visit them when they are in bloom. For some reason many Japanese tourist come to see them. Nearby is Woodmansterne which is in Surrey (and it is even quieter).

Purley has more choice of bigger houses than Sutton borough I would say.

It all depends what you are after

I live in central Croydon and am very happy. I have lived here for 12 years. Easy to get out of the city. Easy to get in. Everything I need on my doorstep. Lots of people and the problems that come with that. Some crime. But I hear about crime and stabbings all over the city! I think people like to feel superior and like to put Croydon down but have no idea what they are on about. Easy to get around than places closer to zone 1. Transport is amaaaazing. Tons of parks, shopping etc

Taught at a secondary school in Croydon for 3 years. It was horrendous and I've taught in schools across London. Huge issues with drugs and gangs. Would never contemplate living there or even visiting again!

Yeah, every single school in Croydon is like that. 🙄

Blue25, which school if you can say? DS was at a central Church school as the only other option was Harris which I am vehemently opposed to. He loved it there but we moved him out in year 8 due to issues with knives/gangs/drugs etc.

He is now at an outstanding school as is DD further South in the borough that is like my amazing state growing up in LB Richmond. When we moved out to here we stupidly dusky look at schools but lucked out, they really are v good

@Fere - I don't know much about Wallington, never heard a bad word about it growing up. It seemed quiet & normal and chock-full of grammar schools and other than one person commenting, that's the impression I still have. Another friend has just moved there and likes it, so I was genuinely quite surprised that someone else said that. I suppose everywhere has somewhere, it depends which bit you go to.

The whole just-out-of-London end of Surrey is also good in that as pp have said, it's pretty easy to get up to London or to a really decent high street in Guildford, Wimbledon or Kingston. Probably not a top consideration but still something I appreciate!

And box park which is literally a group of independent restaurants!

Possibly outing, but we lived in Selsdon for a number of years before moving down to Kent. The pluses were that we were on the edge of Selsdon Woods, on a nice little estate. Transport links into central Croydon and beyond are brilliant.

However, central Croydon was getting increasingly unpleasant, lots of gangs hanging around the shopping centre, and anti-social behaviour on the buses etc. We had dispersal orders on Selsdon High Street to try and stop the gangs hanging around in the evening. We always referred to the end of Croydon heading out towards Thornton Heath/Norbury as 'The Badlands' as it was so grotty and intimidating.

I know there are lovely places in and around Croydon, but personally, I wouldn't live back there.

I agree with lots of pp...there are lots of nice bits on the edges (we lived in S.Croydon/Sanderstead) but the town centre is not nice/cab get intimidating.

In our case what finalised our decision to move us that we have a non-white DS and didn't want him hanging around Croydon town centre in the evenings as a teen! DH (East Londoner) had v little freedom as a teenager (because he had sensible parents) and neither of us wanted that for DS. I was able to go out in the evenings and feel safe.

I grew up near Sutton, left and, shock horror, came back! Now in Carshalton. Good schools, decent transport (much better than somewhere like Banstead). I like the high street! Yes it's fairly uninspiring but has useful shops. Previously lived in a smart area of zone 2 and the high street was mostly cafes and overpriced shops. We are settled here, hopefully for good.

Fairylea I can well believe that, I'm out of date by 10 years but unless Croydon has drastically changed it's not somewhere I would even think about living.

I think the problem with London Boroughs is that they are known by one name, and outsiders then think the whole borough is reflective of that one place.

People have come through one of the Croydon stations on the train and think the whole Borough is like that.

I grew up in Carshalton Beeches (LB Sutton) and had a brilliant childhood. My Mum still lives there and it is a lovely area, and Sutton itself isn't bad.

I live in an area of South Croydon, less than 10 minutes from Croydon Town centre, and am very happy with where I live. It was great when the DCs were small - lots of parks and places to go, baby groups and classes, local shops etc.

Now they are older (teens) there are lots of lovely restaurants to go to. Transport links are great for them to go into Croydon or up to town.

How many people criticising either of these places have lived there, or spent any time there themselves in the last 5 years? Of course there are areas that are a bit down at heal, but surely that is true all over London, and also in most other cities across the country?

I live in Purley and would take issue with anyone saying it’s homogenous and not ethnically diverse. In our small development (8 detached houses) we have us (Irish/English) a Chinese family, a mixed French/Pakistani family, a South African couple, a Japanese family, an Indian couple, a family from two Carribean islands and an African couple. Before two of these families moved in the people in the houses before them were from Finland and Tasmania. To add to the diversity one of these families is same sex and had their children through surrogacy.

I’ve lived in and around Croydon/Thornton Heath/Purley all my life and whilst I agree that some areas are pretty undesirable I don’t the ethnic mix of the area has much effect on that.

Sutton is paradise compared to a lot of areas.
Great schools, low crime, close to central London.
Croydon is such a large borough that it’s hard to generalise. Homes in parts of Croydon will set you back near on a million, ( same as Sutton ) so I’d hardly call either area a slum.

Move to the `Webb Estate in Purley and you could be paying nearer to 3 million.

www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-71582821.html

I grew up in Roehampton now that's a shit hole. Had to name change to add that bit as it's so embarrassing

I hate this ‘ Maydie ‘ nickname too. It’s a hospital full of sick people so of course some of them might die.

It’s a term my mum uses thinking she’s being witty and it once really frightened an older neighbour who was being treated there.

SpicyPickle see again that's deceiving, Alton Estate, yes, best friend at Primary lived by Bank of England and her house was worth millions over 30 years ago. There are many shades of Roehampton, just as there are of Croydon/Sutton etc