Notting Hill a good place to live?

[ParisToLondonMamon]

Hello all, I'm making a big move from paris to London next month and am looking at properties for me and my 'DD' as people here seem to call it.

We have seen a flat in Belgravia which we absolutely loved, but the area seemed a little bit pricey and soulless, as well as a semi on Clarendon Road in Notting Hill.

Personally I'm swinging towards the luxury of a real garden and my own front door (We never had either in Paris) but reading about NH I see theres the carnival which apparently has gotten a bit raucous these days. I remember going to carnival on my second trip to London back in the 90's and it seemed like a street party, but i'm reading about stabbings and drugs all over the place nowadays...

Don't get me wrong, I come from Paris, there's probably someone in my building selling drugs, but I am concerned by the images I see of boarded up houses and damage to property. The estate agent just said it was like a street parade (does he think i'm thick??) but now i'm just not sure if it's the right place to live... Any locals able to help me out?

Ps. excuse my English, and please don't recommend looking at houses in South Kensington...

[mumandhome]

Hi, Notting Hill is great! It is very central and green (Kensington Gardens and Holland Park) the transport is fantastic, you can stay local if you want to go out for dinner, cinema, shopping, art galleries. My office was few minutes walk from the tube station, and I used to live in Little Venice, north of Notting Hill and I totally loved it. Once a year there is the carnival, I have a friend that lives in a house just where the parade passes, yes at the end of the day people get drunk but there are lots of policemen around and it is only once a year. He has never had any issues.

You could also consider living in Little Venice, Hampstead, Belzise Park, they are more residential, but all very close to underground stations, green areas with lots of things going on.

[SherbrookeFosterer]

Notting Hill is a lovely place. I used to live in Ruston Mews behind the tube station.

Don't worry about the carnival. It is just one weekend per year and although there are crimes, I remember when there were full scale street riots.

It is tremendous fun, an opportunity to have some authentic Caribbean food and dancing in the streets on a summer afternoon is quite liberating!

Clarendon Road is a beautiful street, Julies Restaurant is soon to be reopened, it is a legend of the area.

Portobello Road is of course world famous, but explore Golborne Road. You will find lots of authentic Moroccan restaurants and pop ups with delicious food.

It is a very diverse community, there is a visible divide between rich and poor, but since the tragedy of the Grenfell Tower community there is a new sense of solidarity.

There are lots of bars and restaurants, even some "secret" ones, but it would be wrong for me to disclose so publicly; it would be fun for you to discover them yourself.

If you can get a property with access to a garden square, do so, as Notting Hill garden squares are among the most mature and well established in the Royal Borough.

Oh, it's hilly, so prepare to show off your beautifully toned legs after you have been here a few months!

[bevelino]

Paris you will be given a warm welcome if you move to Notting Hil. The whole area has an edgy cool vibe and you can't go far wrong wherever you live in the borough.

The carnival is one weekend a year and we have had no trouble at all in 20 years of living here. The problems are caused by young males looking for trouble and if you don't look for trouble you will honestly not see it. There are big booming sound systems going on throughout the carnival weekend but everyone puts up with it as it is short lived.

[laurendaisy]

Hi everyone,

I am an A level geography student carrying out an investigation into "What it's like living in Notting Hill" and I was wondering whether any residents of the area would take 5 minutes to fill out my survey please?
This is the link www.surveymonkey.co.uk/r/LWPQHSD
Many thanks