Is Thamesmead, SE London, a rough area?

[Bavon]

I've heard mixed things about this area. One person said "you don't wanna go there" . Is it as bad as people say?

They are trying hard to regenerate the whole lake area! The new library has opened and theres a small gallery/coffee shop. But compared to the regeneration of Royal Arsenal, its miles away from being nice.

I got caught when I met a friend in Greenwich at the top of the park (Blackheath) and I hadn’t driven there - can’t name the areas but one route someone told me not to go there!

I got to the Red Lion in Charlton and got on a bus that took me safely home!

It always used to be and looking at this thread it's only got worse.

Ah, I see it hasn’t changed much then. What a pity!

You’d think from various news articles it’s definitely on the up!

Here are crime rates for the last month (Feb 23):

Thamesmead:

Theft - 40
Violence and sexual offenses - 31
Anti-social behaviour - 17
Criminal damage and arson - 11

source: https://www.police.uk/pu/your-area/metropolitan-police-service/thamesmead-moorings/?yourlocalpolicingteam=about-us

This is actually lower than Plumstead or Peckham and around about the same as Lewisham.

In general. I wouldn't choose to live in Thamesmead.

My late parents used to call it "the place that God forgot"

I've been told it's improved since the 70s but then I doubt if it could get worse. I'd avoid like the plague.

It’s nice and has a good community. I do wonder if any of these posters have actually spent time there. https://instagram.com/lakeside_centre

they’ve just finished the nest there, a library and community centre and there are good affordable classes and things to attend. https://programme.openhouse.org.uk/listings/7534

Lots of young families as people are priced out of Plumstead now, where you can’t get a 3 bed for less than £500k now. Nice green areas and running routes, Gallions Reach park. Most of it comes under Greenwich council Borough so good local services and lots of free stuff for kids to do both babies and pre school, and school kids in the holidays.

Would think twice if didn’t have a car as it’s sort of an island of little TfL service. Big shopping retail parks.

Smell wise, it’s not the entirety of Thamesmead and Plumstead, just make sure you’re not downstream of the Nathan Way skip https://www.royalgreenwich.gov.uk/info/200171/recycling_and_rubbish/285/find_and_visit_the_re-use_and_recycling_centre . Because yes it is unpleasant smell in summer, but there are higher up bits that aren’t affected.

If you’re just commuting in and out to your home, without the community aspect and events, then I guess you would just see the bad parts, but it’s similar to any part of London, like Lewisham, New Cross and Deptford.

I agree to an extent but areas like New Cross etc there is at least the option of better restaurants, pubs, activities. Thamesmead has nothing like that. Not even close.

The new development with The Nest which has only just opened this week, Taco! art space and hopefully more markets in the square over the summer. I took DD to practice her scooter into Cygnet Square on Sunday and it was depressing looking. Perhaps better when they finally fill the retail units but they need to not fill it with tat shops.

It's grim, it's also got fuck all public transport. The nearest stations are not actually that near to Thamesmead

I uber home from AW a lot and that parade of shops is eye opening and terrifying in equal measures.

Abbey Arms doesn't look too bad to me, but DH knows the area better and says never to go in there.

Abbey Arms is ok! They used to do film nights. Pizza is good but their roasts were quite sad.

Wilton Road is just gross and dirty. I always pop my headphones in my bag rather than wear them walking through....

Theres a lovely little cake shop on the other side of the station - I hope she survives.

I'll pop in for a cake next time and maybe a pint and a pizza!

I asked my driving instructor for more roundabout practice and she took me to Thamesmead so it must be good for that.

It's always good to know how to get away from Thamesmead!

One of those places where I would not walk at night. A scary place.

It is rough. But I’ve worked with some lovely people from there. So it’s not all bad, but I wouldn’t walk alone at night time.

MOD Abbey Wood is in Bristol, not London

There's the giant square roundabout in Thamesmead with no road markings which is fun!

Not sure to be Honest but all I do know is that when my Uncle and Aunt moved there, when it was brand new, it was all fine, but that was from 1970ish to 1982 (when Uncle died far too young from Cancer).
I appreciate that was a very long time ago now though.

Don't even think about moving to Thamesmead, it's seriously scary.

It is a complete shithole. I used to work for a local cab firm and there were certain streets they would not pick up from as drivers regularly got threatened for their takings, some were actually knifed for putting up a fight.

Ah, thanks for clarifying!

My colleague who lived in Abbey Wood with either whole or shared custody of his sons (now adults) didn’t really have positives to say about it, but he bought his house there, no idea if he’s moved.

I once went on a works outing to Crayford Dog Track (same as person who lived in Abbey Wood.

To be honest a lot of that area and surroundings I class as NF/UKIP in pockets, eg Welling, Eltham, Bexley etc. I’m sure it’s improved or not over the years but it’s near where Stephen Lawrence lived and was murdered and I find a lot of that area to be racist and violent, not all but pockets of it. I’m a white British person by the way.

This is a bit of a derail but... I have this strange habit that whenever there's a thread about a partiuclar are on MN I always look it up on prime location to see what a house I could afford there would be like. (Some) houses in Thamesmead are not cheap! (I mean I know they are cheap for London but not objectively cheap.) If it is so rough, who is willing to spend £600k ish on a house there?

Never found it particularly scary or dangerous feeling, but it's fucking bleak there in its own unique way, that whole area really, Woolwich, most of Greenwich, bexleyheath, plumstead and Thamesmead. Used to be justifiably cheap there, but feel that's not really the case now

I live in Plumstead in a block of flats behind the station. I agree on the pongy smell by the station

Lived in same area all my life, its ok but if I win the lottery then I be moving lol