Moving to London... with 1 dc... where would you live...

[NK494380f1X118e0190343]

My son is 3.5 so he will need to be in creche for another year. I want to be in city cenre.. ideally marlebone / st. john's wood/ knightbridge areas... best advice on location?

St Johns wood is nice. I dont live there but ive been there a couple of times. If i had a choice that would be my first. Wimbledon is quite nice too

OP, how on earth do you remember that name each time you log in

All those areas are really nice. Very expensive though, so I spose it depends on what you can afford.

lol K20

its more barcode than nickname, i kinda like it
nk494380

from your choices st johns wood would be more family friendly in terms of child facilities and lots of valuable open space too

i've never fancied marylebone though i worked there nor knightsbridge but thats me

money no object? they are all pricey areas

Ever thought about Pimlico or Belgravia? Very central and safe. Would prefer that to Knightsbridge.

Pimlico is great in terms of location and undervalued price-wise in my opinion. Very villagey.

Belgravia is just superb, excellent nhs practice and great 24/7 care by private doctors, pre-school/creche on Eaton Sq., convenient location in the heart of London, less than 5mins walk to Hyde Park, renting or buying a house often comes with access to private gardens with playground and tennis facilities. It's quiet and esp. in the mews the neighbous look after each other. Can highly recommend it.

The area around St Catherine's Dock near the Tower of London is very nice, and there's a very good nursery close by. Quite a pricey area though...

if money were no object, I would either go for Clerkenwell or on the Barbican.

St John's Wood is beautiful but a bit stuffy. Marylebone High St is great at the moment. Good shops and a nice vibe to it. Knightsbridge is about as posh as it's possible to be but I'm not a West Londoner so it would never be a choice for me however smart.

St John's Wood - for proximity to Regent's Park, Primrose Hill and parental action.

I would choose a little further out and go for (the rather predictable) Hampstead (if my IL's didn't live there ).

st johns wood is fabulous, lots of green spaces, walk it to the west end. the only problem with any of these areas is the competion to get into the best nurserys etc.if you want hampstead its totally ott in competition for schools.i dont think marlebone would be that child friendly, although it is across from regents park.camden and islington are crime ridden.dartmouth park is lovely.

depends on your budget.
Marylebone very urban villagey close to west end
maida vale is nice too.
Holland park VNice.bear ladbroke grove
Primrose hill villagey and central

hey ! everything in London is all about the budget - depends what you can afford

I'm an ex South Londoner so can only offer advice on there, but Clapham Common (Abbeville Road area) is very family friendly and lots of open space. Wimbledon Village also lovely

personally I would choose wandsworth - if you can afford it...

Thanks ladies... do any of you know about best schools in St. John's Wood.. I might look into the American School

If money where no object I'd live in the Richmond, Chiswick, WImbledon type area.

Even thugh I know nothing about them!

Look at The Hall School i had 2 boys go there it's in Belsize Park so just down the road from St.Johns Wood. They did go on school holiday trips with The American school and they always enjoyed that.

Dulwich Village does strike me as very nice. I am a sarf Londoner moved out to the burbs but have recently been driving up to Kings College Hospital through the Village several times a week, and if I was moving back to the inners I'd certainly take a gander.
The main high street is very traditional, and the schools range from privates to CoEs to LEAs. The shops are quite tantalising and there are at least 2 coffee bars I MUST stop at one day. Have noticed when driving through that the school gates seem very friendly, and lots of mum/kid combos cycling around.
Going by the OP's original area preferences, private schooling may be the plan and the schools around Dulwich Village are very good IIRC - James Allens prep, Oakfield, Dul College, Alleyns, etc.
FGS, OK, I wanna move - LB Croydon holds no attraction anymore. I really fancy those coffee bars - all the yummy mummies were sitting outside today and it looked such fun!

LOL Mouselady!

I think Dulwich Village is a bit of yummy-mummy theme park, to be honest! I hanker after the chi-chi shops sometimes, bu, you know, public transort is not espcially good, there isn't a 'proper' shop or a bank machine...Herne hill actually has a better mix of shops, cafes and restaurants, better public transport and Brockwell Park..but it also has traffic.

Sounds like the OP wants somewhere in Central London, really.

Ladies - have a few choices now Maide Vale on Randolf Avenue or Greville Road and then South Kensington off of High St... any feedback would be great.. Also think I'm sending my ds to Paint Pot montessori - also any info would be great! TIA

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