In which bit of London would you choose to live?

[spacemonkey]

I moved to Islington in the summer. As I expected, it's a very mixed area - some posh bits, some rough bits. I know the whole of London is like this, pretty much, but this area seems particularly polarised. Anyway, to get to the point, I am thinking about moving again in the new year, in fact I'm going to look at a flat in Bayswater this weekend, and from the minimal investigations I've done it seems to me that Bayswater will suit me much better.

I'm loving living in London, and ideally I want to be somewhere central, buzzing (i.e. not quiet residential but lots of shops/restaurants etc), not too posh, not too rough and preferably further west.

Any recommendations for me? Where would you choose and why?

What about Hackney? Not west of you, but much less polarized.

I quite like being evil, actually. Makes a change from being woolly liberal.

I don't want to go any further east, dp lives in earl's court and it takes an hour to get there as it is! Are you in Hackney now JJ? How are you finding it?

hackney? not polarised??? splutter!

In the US, you can be all three, MI.

I didn't want to utter the phrase "Murder Mile" but I might have to ...

well you do want it up West don't you madame? What about Paddington or Shepherd's Bush?

Mr Wong says you would like Ealing or Chiswick

I meant, not as much as Islington where SM lives...

are you in Hackney now JJ? Bet you don't get egg sheds round the Balls Pond Road

I've heard nice things about Chiswick, too.

I really should be doing something productive... sigh.

Aren't Ealing and Chiswick vair suburban?

Shepherds Bush would be ok, I don't like Hammersmith much though, or Fulham.

well, yes, but also cafes, restaurants, open spaces and quite buzzy despite being suburban.

well yes they can be in parts, but you have sampled the alternative have you not?

Am in Hackney, sw. Last week I got cilantro grown organically in Hackney in my veggie bag, though. :O And my neighbours behind me don't manure the fields every time it threatens to rain.

thanks sq, I'll put Chiswick and Ealing on my possibles list then

Well, my son just pooped in the chair, so he's been doing something productive and I must go.

I had a chance of a flat in Covent Garden but I think it's fallen through, I would love that

Erm, thanks to Mr Wong too, young lady

Oh JJ was it a sudden move? Where abouts are you?

Sorry, thank sq and sw and tone, I'll put Chiswick and Ealing on my possibles list

chiswick is nice sm

If I could afford a decent enough property there, I would move back to Kensington like a shot - preferably between Kensington High Street and Notting Hill. The convenience of the shops on Kensington High Street plus the buzz of Notting Hill (and the Central line). Not forgetting the Kensington & Chelsea parking permit, which enables you to park anywhere in the borough. Sigh.

I'll have to go and have one of my ambles around Chiswick then

so it's

-Chiswick
-Ealing
-Shepherds Bush
-Clapham
-Battersea
-Bayswater
-Marylebone

i live in ealing and like everywhere it is still quite polarised. Chiswick is nice but quite posh although there are lovely shops etc. Transport is good in both areas. I am thinking of moving to northfields which is still in ealing but a tad quieter! Due to hubby's job can't leave west london really although am dying to return n london!!!

you wouldn't like ealing sm

Yes, Bayswater's great for being really near Notting Hill but outside RBKC so no gold dust parking permit. But I haven't got a car at the moment so never mind!