Is Barnes area safe to live in?

[melko]

Hi All

I am thinking of moving into a flat, in Arabella drive, near Barnes. I am not sure on the area, its surrounded by council flats (low and high rise). Don't get me wrong, got nothing wrong with council flats (I currently live in one), I am just asking if anyone knows if that neighborhood is safe to live in? I'm a single female living alone so hope one can understand my concerns.

I have checked crime stats, and yes they do help but would really like first hand experience in what its like living there than numbers

Thanks

I think that is probably technically Roehampton. Not sure about the specific roads/estate but Barnes is lovely and there are loads of green spaces all around there. Barnes Common & Putney Lower Common merge together and run all the way down to the river then you have the very lovely Richmond Common the other side (driving through it last year with my two urban kids when they saw some deer and started screaming excitedly about being in the countryside).

I know that Roehampton is home to one of the UK's biggest estates - the Alton- which, having been at a few meetings of the Council's Children and Education Committee, I understand is one of the most deprived in the borough.

That said, I have no idea how close it is to where you mentioned and of course, being deprived, doesn't necessarily mean its not safe.

Hopefully someone with better knowledge will come along and answer you!

Hi there
Thanks for the info. The area I'm referring is just past the junction of upper and lower Richmond road, there's a bunch of flats just off upper Richmond, you can walk from the flat to upper Richmond in a minute but it's not Alton estate or roehampton ( I know where that is ). There's a secondary school just by the estate as well on the side street from upper richmond. Hope that helps. I'd like to hear from those that's either lived around there or know someone, the post code is SW15 by the way.

I've lived in Barnes, however in SW13 and closer to the pond. I can't speak for the road you're talking about exactly but the surrounding area is certainly safe and close to lots of lovely Village-like cafes, activities, neighbourhoods etc. I know the junction you are talking about and I would be very happy moving there.

It's SW15 and the Roehampton side of the road... it's north Roehampton, really, not Barnes (but I can understand agents describing it as Barnes because that's a more desirable area).

I know the area a bit (live around a mile away) but have never lived there so I don't know what it's like at night -- and Arabella Drive is a long road so I can imagine it has a different feel at the Priory Lane end from the far end of the loop.

[helpfully] The South African shop on Rockingham Close just round the corner is ace, though. I had a SA friend who lived in Harrow but would drive down here specially to visit it.