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Original poster

Tennager moving to london

30 replies

Sherwsu · 28/08/2017 10:06

Hi I woul be really grateful for some advice my 19 yeat old daughter is moving to London next wrek to foest gate area of stratford im really worried for her safety. Ive heard that crime is high around the Manbey rd area. We dont know London at all live in Mslvern in Worcs. Ee haveny signed the contract yet so would appreciate advice. My daughter is attending theatre school at the Barbican. Thanks Sue

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Original poster
Sherwsu · 28/08/2017 10:23

Sorry for spelling sent from mobile phone and no specs!!!!

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Ttbb · 28/08/2017 11:06

Don't send her to Stratford! Where is she going to uni?

Original poster
Sherwsu · 28/08/2017 11:25

Shes going to Italia Conti near the Barbican

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Original poster
Sherwsu · 28/08/2017 11:28

We can still back out at this stage the agent is ok and he is willing to find somewhere else for her

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ajandjjmum · 28/08/2017 11:51

Spareroom so that she'll be sharing - if she can find someone to accept a 19 year old. DD moved to London for just over a year at 18, and I did worry. I found a flat close to the DLR station, checked out the walk (over protective DM!) and she found a flatmate.

If she could have found a room on Spareroom it would have been better, as she wouldn't have had the responsibility of the flat.

Are any of the other girls on her course looking for accommodation? Could you speak to the school and ask? Sounds like a great opportunity, and it would be a shame for her not to go for it.

Original poster
Sherwsu · 28/08/2017 12:46

Thx for your message she was trying to find a place with girls at the school but unfotunately one dropped out and the other ended up taking a room in Clapham. Its now at such a late stage we havent even been to see this property, other young professionals live there but 8 - 10 minute walk to station, just very concerned.

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Original poster
Sherwsu · 28/08/2017 12:47

Can you recommend any areas that might be better?

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Original poster
Sherwsu · 28/08/2017 12:49

The room is off spare room

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rabaria · 28/08/2017 13:00

In all likelihood she will be fine. Don't freak about her initial living arrangements - London isn't full of people with knives lurking on every corner. Advise her to live somewhere ( even where she has planned will be ok if she is careful) for six months, then once she herself has got to know the place she can make further plans. Ifs she's not involved with gangs or drugs and is reasonably sensible about being careful whilst out then I seriously doubt she's in any real danger in Stratford. It's just a bit grotty.

rabaria · 28/08/2017 13:03

And that's normal for students first moving to London. Give her a few months and she'll sort it all out herself - and she'll have a great time doing so ( I miss London soooo much) !

Original poster
Sherwsu · 28/08/2017 13:18

Thanks for your message i know im being over anxious but crime figures for that particular area are a bit dire.

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rabaria · 28/08/2017 13:24

I understand. Most of the crime in London , though, ( apart from pickoockets and burglary) is between people already involved with each other.

Have a look at the tube map and see what's commutable, then research those areas

Original poster
Sherwsu · 28/08/2017 13:42

I would be really grateful for advice on safer areas with access to central line tube station.

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HundredMilesAnHour · 28/08/2017 13:44

Can you get the agent to come up with some other options before making a final decision?

Forest Gate is better than it used to be but I wouldn't feel comfortable with my daughter living there 5-10 mins walk from the station unless she was pretty streetwise.

Saying you are from Malvern made me a little concerned as my experience of Malvern is that it is generally quite white, middle class and people are "naice". Has your daughter lived away from home before or travelled etc? How streetwise is she?

I live in east/central London and have lived all over London and usually tell people that London is safe and not to worry. But....Forest Gate is an area that I do have concerns over based on an incident that happened to a friend who lived there. My friend (who was definitely not streetwise by London standards - but she had lived away from home for 3 years) was walking home from Forest Gate station at 11pm and she was grabbed and raped at knifepoint in a churchyard. Beyond horrendous. It went to court and despite this guy being a serial rapist, he got off as his girlfriend gave him an alibi and the only victim who was willing to testify was my friend. It really f*ed my friend up. I'm sorry to write this horrible story and I really agonised over it as it seems like scaremongering and I know it will panic you OP. But I think Forest Gate is not a good place to be for someone like your daughter who sounds like a nice girl. I'm guessing she may also travel late at night if she's going to the theatre etc so I would suggest better safe than sorry.

Could your agent look at other areas which are still cheapish but have more of a studenty vibe and more young people around at night etc? Have a look at Bow, Mile End, Stepney, even Whitechapel (although it will start getting pricey as you are getting more central and closer to Barbican). Queen Mary University London (QMUL) has a huge campus at Mile End so there are a lot of students around the Mile End and Bow area. I think it would be a much better fit for your daughter.

HundredMilesAnHour · 28/08/2017 13:56

What about something like this OP?

www.spareroom.co.uk/flatshare/london/mile_end/8318956

Lots of flatshares here:
www.spareroom.co.uk/flatshare/london/mile_end_road

MajesticWhine · 28/08/2017 14:00

Stratford is not that bad. It's lively and happening. I would be happy with my DDs living there. Have you been to have a look?

HundredMilesAnHour · 28/08/2017 14:04

Stratford is not that bad.

OP said it's Forest Gate so not actually Stratford.

rhodanunn · 28/08/2017 14:04

London is a bit problematic, in that there is not so nice right next to utter affluence in most areas. Look at Brixton, I'm sure you are aware of the associations between that area and gang violence, deprivation and poverty. But like most of London, there have been waves of (problematic) gentrification in more recent years and plenty of professionals buying there, arty visionary young things flocking to the area and young families. I'm from Peckham; again, an area that has historically been associated with crime, but it's always been a diverse place - there's just more people coming here now that have instagram to show off their green smoothies and picnics on the rye. I walked to and from school by myself through areas I'm sure have terrible stats; as a teenager would routinely find myself on a night bus in the early hours - it's part and parcel of growing up in London. I wasn't fearful of stepping outside the front door.

With Forest Gate though, I think the issue is that is a more suburban and isolated place; you get off the tube and you are just faced with secluded terraces. I think it would be a bit boring finding my feet in a new city and feeling quite outside of it. I wouldn't focus so much on housing just being on the central line either, Bow, Camden, Dalston, Hackney, Hoxton, Shoreditch are all very bustling, young places with really good access into the City - though, can really vary in price which then of course dictates the standard.

HundredMilesAnHour · 28/08/2017 14:07

Sorry, just looked Manbey Road up and I wouldn't call it Forest Gate at all. It's nearest to Maryland but easy walk to Stratford centre. A totally different proposition to Forest Gate proper!

rhodanunn · 28/08/2017 14:25

In between Westfield and a Uni campus! Perfect for an 18 year old!

Surely must be the Deliveroo sweet spot in the whole of London.

Original poster
Sherwsu · 28/08/2017 14:25

Sorry i dont know London at all crime figures around the Manbey Rd area are really high its stratford station that she would be travelling from bu 5- 10 minute ealk away. Thought it was in Foest gate area.

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rhodanunn · 28/08/2017 14:31

I don't think they are very high - anti-social behaviour mainly. I've had a look at other areas students/young professionals tend to flock to (Clapham/Angel/Shoreditch) are the rates there are higher.

Original poster
Sherwsu · 28/08/2017 14:47

Manbey rd comes under the forest gate south ward but have looked at crime figures for June and they is a lot of violence sexual assults. Think we might have 2 rethink but not a lot of time to do this.

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rhodanunn · 28/08/2017 15:00

Hackney and Shoreditch - areas where absolute hoards of middle class young people move to from outside of London. Filled to the brim with flat white coffee shops, street food, art, shopping, private members clubs, £15 brunches and other gentrified pursuits. But, if you look at the stats, you would never move there:

www.ukcrimestats.com/Constituency/65752

ajandjjmum · 28/08/2017 15:08

Two other thoughts - some of the uni accommodation is privately owned; I know we looked at a (pretty grubby) one in Greenwich several years ago, but that might be worth looking into.

Another option - DS rented a room for his first year (Masters at a central London uni) - from Capital Living. Arm and a leg, but they dealt with everything, and you knew it was decent accommodation. Might be worth looking at?