Which parts of Croydon are safe?

[ILikeEggsAnd]

Hi
Which parts of Croydon are safe/ posh to buy a family home in? Thanks

none lol

South Croydon / Purley

South Croydon and out? Purley, kenley, Sanderstead, Riddlesdown, Selsdon.

Green space, good schools, good transport, nothing like central Croydon (which is a very small part of a massive and populous borough).

That’s bullshit. Do you live there? The areas around Lloyd park/south Croydon/sanderstead/selesdon are lovely, huge houses and good schools. I live right by south Croydon station with my two year old. We regularly get out to huge open green spaces, woods, it is safe and accessible. Our immediate area has great cafes, a good pub, convenient shops, toddler playgroups and classes. Even when I have to venture into east Croydon, while the general untidiness/persistent social problems can be wearing, they don’t make me feel unsafe.

Trouble is a lot of people ignorant of the wider area hear ‘Croydon’ and just automatically think crack and knife crime. It’s a huge area, parts of it wildly different to others.

Agreed! I'm moving back to South Croydon after a 20 year hiatus and I can't wait.

Yes I would say Purley, Riddlesdown and South of there are nice. Avoid West Croydon but I think the rest is OK.

Shirley Hills and the Whitgift Estate

I can see what you’re saying (as someone who lived in Norbury / Croydon for 27 years and still has ties there, and went to school in South Croydon…) but I think it’s all relative. “Nice for Croydon” would be an absolute horror compared to other areas of the U.K.

Not in my case, I grew up rurally and have lived and worked in three different countries, and experienced living in 4 different London boroughs before we moved here. When I say those particular areas of Croydon are nice and I feel safe, it’s because I have the experience of other places to say so. Unless you live in the garden of Eden I doubt somewhere with good schools, great transport links and fantastic local amenities is going to be an ‘absolute horror’ in comparison to other parts of the U.K.

I travel through kenley sometimes and there are some lovely houses there. It definitely seems safe.

What about Sanderstead (for example) is an "absolute horror"?

I also work in what is still technically the Croydon borough, next to where it becomes Bromley, right on the edge of Crystal Palace/South Norwood with a huge lake with a sailing club, cafes, big Victorian pubs and leafy streets. It’s an ‘absolute horror’ I tell you! 😆

My Uncle actually has a very nice, detached house in Sanderstead. And yes as far as Croydon and the surrounding areas go it’s not as bad as some others but - a few years ago my Aunt was home alone upstairs and someone broke into the house by walking across their garden and through their back door, which she’d left open as she was in and out doing washing etc. She was quick thinking enough to lock herself in the upstairs bathroom and ring 999 and shouted out that she’d done so and the person ran off.

And before everyone leaps on me (as they always do on these sorts of threads, everyone is so defensive about where they live, I get it) yes that could happen anywhere; bad stuff happens anywhere. But personally I would not want to live anywhere near Croydon, even Sanderstead or any of the “better” areas. At most you are only a bus ride away from some of the most awful places in Croydon.

That's your choice @Pigeonqueen , but there's no need to be so insulting about an area that a lot of people call home. And who are telling you it's a nice area to live with good facilities and amenities, lovely parks, woodlands and open areas and some great housing stock.

To me It's not where in Croydon you live it's where your children would gravitate to as the main town centre when they start going out solo.

I live a couple of miles away and their school is in the opposite direction again so mine go elsewhere.

The only time I go to Croydon now is getting off the bus if I need to go to east Croydon station. I just think it's so run down.

And yet I've lived in Sanderstead for over 20 years and that isn't my experience at all.

Hardly an "absolute horror" is it? One "break in" a few years ago?

At most you are only a bus ride away from some of the most awful places in Croydon.

I mean, that's just ridiculous isn't it? Many places are just a bus ride away from the "most awful places in Croydon" 😂😂 Bonkers.

It's not about being defensive about where I live. It's about correcting statements that are simply not true.

To me It's not where in Croydon you live it's where your children would gravitate to as the main town centre when they start going out solo.

None of my 3 ever gravitated to the town centre. They went to Bromley or London.

The thing is the nice parts of Croydon get no money from the Council, which is bankrupt. Any spare money goes to the other areas.

I was responding to the op. I am entitled to my opinion, as are you. It’s your choice to be insulted.

My daughter did to live in Croydon. She felt safer going home at night there (worked late) than she did in Ealing.

Agree with Sanderstead, Purley Oaks, Riddlesdown, Selsdon, Hamsey Green. Beautiful houses, loads of greenery and in the case of the first two, < 30 mins to central London!

Avoid West Croydon/Norbury areas, the rest is fine. I live in Purley, although the high street isn’t great (lots of nail bars, charity shops and barbers), the majority of Purley is leafy and spacious with nice houses with huge gardens. If you want proper posh have a look at the Webb Estate (£££). Sanderstead is lovely, though not good transport links. Coulsdon ok as well. It’s a great location for both getting into London and going to Gatwick (20 mins down the road). I’ve felt safer living here than in many other parts of London (I’m London born and bred).

Shirley, some of the bits with the Gower houses.
Shirley Hills
Sandilands and surrounding roads
Addington Village
Purley, Kenley, Riddlesdown, Hamsey Green, Warlingham, Woldingham, Caterham, Old Coulsdon

Shirley Hills, The Webb Estate and Shrublands have a lot of big detached houses. Old Coulsdon, you’re looking out over Farthing Downs and Happy Valley. It’s like a village but on a 24 hour bus route and with a 20 min train to London Bridge.

Haha @BridgetRandomfuck you’re up the road from me 🤣

About 20 miles South 😉