Moving to South East London/Bromley

[Medicineandmotherhood]

Good morning,
My family and I are looking to move from north west London to south east London. I just wondered if anyone had any experience living in any of the following areas as a black family, my daughter is 3.5 and due to start reception next September:

Bromley
Beckenham
New Eltham
Bexley
Bexleyheath

These are the areas that seem to have houses within our budget that accomodate my family but I am worried about moving from very diverse NW London to new area

I've lived in Bromley for over 20 years. Moved from Hackney. The area I live in is very white. We haven't had any major problems to be honest. Bit of name calling at school, which was dealt with very quickly. I wouldn't move to Bexley or Eltham though. Had a few unpleasant experiences in those areas.

Thank you for the response, my mum is very against Eltham as well she often brings up Stephen Lawerence and the tense race relations in the area during the 90s.
Is there anywhere particular in Bromley you would recommend or areas to avoid?

Hey op...I live that sort of area...I'm white but we are a mixed family. Beckenham is lovely...Bromley is a massive borough...near the town centre should be fine, not sure about further out...it's so big some parts are almost rural and I'm not sure they'd be as diverse. I'd probably give new eltham and bexley a swerve although I do think they've improved compared to what they were like a while ago.

To jump in- I’m not black but my husband is and our children therefore mixed race. From south east London, Blackheath- the I now live in Bromley.
All are pretty mixed these days, however bromley BR1 / BR2 will probably give you the greatest levels of diversity. Beckenham is just lovely - I’d live there in a heartbeat. Bexley and Bexleyheath are more diverse than they ever have been but I would expect my child to still stand out at school, which I don’t want. And sadly Eltham can’t shake the connection to poor Stephen Lawrence, but I would live there.

Eltham centre is diverse these days, more so than somewhere like Bexley or Bexleyheath which I'd avoid personally. These are old, white, working class areas with some big estates. Bromley is also very diverse too particularly around the centre, Southlands and some parts of Orpington. New Eltham is also fine (it's Greenwich Borough) and the schools are very mixed at primary and secondary in Greenwich and at all of the Grammar schools.

Not black, but Beckenham is so nice! I don't live there anymore but would love to move back! Doesn't answer your question sorry....

There is a very different vibe in all of those areas to NW London though. Quite suburban but close to more chi chi areas like Greenwich. Primary schools are very good in Greenwich, Bromley and Bexley boroughs. Secondaries more mixed but all of the grammars are accessible from, for example New Eltham or Sidcup including the Dartford grammars.

Beckenham is nice. Good transport links, lots of bars coffee shops etc. Great primary schools, but less choice for secondaries. I live in Hayes which is a bit greener, slower, and less diverse.

I have lived and heavily mixed in all the areas you've mentioned. Bexleyheath, Bexley and Bromley are the most white areas by a mile. Bexley bordering racist tbh. My son went to primary in Bexley and there were only 6 black kids out of 400.

Im currently in Eltham and its much more diverse. I feel much more comfortable now he has at a secondary with such a mix of people.

Thank you everyone for your input!
We are starting viewings again next weekend so I think we will kickoff the search with Bromley and take it from there.

Don't do it

To be blunt all those areas are very Brexit, full of hang them all, sink the migrants on boats trash. Sorry, but if any poster is being honest, they are.

All those areas have really ugly overpriced houses. Only two places even worth a look are Beckenham , area around the park is lovely and nice people, and SOME parts of Bromley are lovely, with lovely people.

Move somewhere like Sutton or Carshalton or Wallington, Coulsdon, much more nicer and full of middle classed black people, brilliant grammar and private schools and better transport links.

New Eltham
Bexley
Bexleyheath AVOID THESE THREE LIKE THE PLAGUE.

Thank you very much for your reply, I am definitely going to avoid the areas you have listed. What are the other areas in Bromley would describe as being nice?

Bromley BR1 & BR2 are ok.
I find Orpington a bit rough
& some racist experiences in Beckenham, as nice it looks.
Bexley/Bexleyheath, no thanks. New Eltham near station looks ok although I couldnt bring myself to live there.

A lot of these areas hold working class racist South London snobs who think they've arrived because they now have a Kent postcode tbh.

Doubtmyself
Move somewhere like Sutton or Carshalton or Wallington, Coulsdon, much more nicer and full of middle classed black people, brilliant grammar and private schools and better transport links
^^ Agree

What about Catford or Lewisham? They're both very diverse although I'm not sure about schools. Bromley BR1 has very good secondary and primary schools. You really need to just spend some time in these areas and get a feel for them. Definitely avoid Orpington and New Eltham. Chislehurst is also very white. Beckenham is lovely. But you need to be close to the Park Langley schools for secondary.

My relatives and former colleague who live in Catford sent their kids private.

Like PP have said Sutton, Carshalton, Wallington or Coulsdon are much nicer. Just be careful with Coulsdon as it is a small area.

So the places you named are full of brexit scum but you have picked places which you consider decent because the black people are more middle class……interesting

Penge / Kent House and Clockhouse are all part of Bromley (and ok). IMO Langley schools are very overrated.

A lot of these areas hold working class racist South London snobs who think they've arrived because they now have a Kent postcode tbh.

THIS!!! Couldn't agree more!

I agree with all of this. I love Penge. Especially the about the schools.

That was meant to say I especially agree about the Langley schools being overrated.

Its not really that interesting @OnlyFoolsnMothers , just an observation. Black middle class people tend to go to places where local white people are more liberal and less racist, a sensible fact.

The truth is places like Sutton, Carshalton and Wallington tend to have more 'normal' white liberal tolerant middle classed people in them in comparison to New Eltham and Bexley and Bexleyheath , I call it as I see it.

I wouldn't advise anyone black to move to New Eltham and Bexley and Bexleyheath, especially if they have kids.

For the record, lots of working class black folks voted Brexit!

Bexley I would avoid to live OP but when looking at secondary schools don't rule out the Bexley grammars - Townley grammar is v diverse (but you don't need to live in Bexley, the girls come in from Bromley, Greenwich etc).

As black mum/with kids...My vote for Hither Green ( in Lewisham / close to Lewisham and Greenwich schools), diverse and good travel connections - so easy access to the grammar schools and the City. I wouldn't feel comfortable in Eltham and Bexley - but kids have good friends there and are comfortable in both areas. Bromley has good options as well.

I live there and have done for 3 years. I am VERY close to the beautiful Beckenham Place Park (now even lovelier than it was, now that they've got rid of the crappy, annoying golf course and established the heavenly swimming lake, where you can swim with the ducks!).
Sociologically this is a very interesting area: the park, despite the name, is actually owned and managed by Lewisham. To the north and east it is VERY different (being in Lewisham), much more culturally and ethnically mixed. And poorer. Whereas Bromley/Beckenham is still rather noticeably white: with the majority sadly white-chavvy and white-Brexity, if anything.
Gradually things are changing: more non-white people are moving across "the border" into Bromley, and there is a slow but steady trickle of younger middle-class guacamole-eating Labourites (I'd include myself in that category).
One thing to be aware of, and it is something which really brings the area down, is that Bromley Council are still saddled with the thickest and most Tory councillors. Gradually that is also changing but slowly. One of the biggest consequences of that is the abysmal, and dangerous, (lack of) proper traffic management Those councillors even hate mention of the acronym LTN, or the idea of 20 mph for even the most residential roads. And they continue to be voted in: that tells you quite a bit about the sociological realities here.

Truthfully, I'd be wary. Def no for me would be Bexley, Bexleyheath, Eltham and I'd be v wary about parts of Bromley/Kent like Downham and Orpington. My family experienced the most overt racism in Downham (involving monkey chants and a sledge hammer) so I would avoid like the plague.

I have several Nigerian friends living with their families in more central areas of Bromley and they are v happy with schools etc.

Personally, I would always stay more urban than suburban even if that means compromising on space and garden. So I would look at Sydenham, Catford,
Lewisham, Hither Green,Forest Hill rather than Kent.
As a mum of black boys (albeit white myself) I am alot
more comfortable that way.