anyone living in a Norwood? Upper West South or Junction- I'm not fussy!

[SpringHeeledJack]

...please tell me about it- warts n'all

we're in south east London already and are looking at Penge Forest Hill and Sydenham which we know pretty well

but we might try and cast the net a bit further because there's not too much available atm

any help gratefully rec'd!

I lived in Streatham for five years but never really went out that way so absolutely no help except a small bump.

(Assuming it is anything like Streatham, I liked it a lot while I lived there - rail network was very good, could walk to decentish shops, liked the mix of ages/cultures rather than just being white and middle class like Clapham/Balham/Dulwich etc. Have never lived there whilst a parent though so can't advise re local facilities. Also since moving out of London two years ago I notice the dirt and ugliness far far more now when we do go back. Hope some of that was vaguely useful ).

thanks for that bumpette Dita

I am trying to get dp to have a look in Streatham as it seems a bit better connected but he's being unaccountably sniffy about it

as for dirt- where we live now (zone 2) is sooooo damn mucky (think dog shit/chicken bones) that Streatham Penge and Crystal Palace etc look like rolling countryside in comparison

I lived most of my life in Upper Norwood, and I think it's got a lot to recommend it. It was a bit of a shitheap when I was growing up there, but it's come up in the world since then. Still not posh, but that typical London gentrified-in-patches. The top of the hill, the Crystal Palace triangle, is great because you have all the buses as well as two rail stations, direct links in to Victoria, London Bridge, and now East London. There are also loads of shops, restaurants, the big park etc. Housing stock is good, with lots of flats plus some beautiful big houses. A good mix of people.

Tbh, Upper Norwood is a bit mixed and rough but I think it is far, far nicer than Streatham, West Norwood, South Norwood etc.

I do also like Forest Hill.

thanks Hester

I think all that makes UN worth a look

Say hello to my mum while you're there

I lived in UN many years ago, was a nice place to
live though the lack of a tube station is a downside. It felt relatively safe though can vary a bit I think. Schools can be problamatic as it is at the junction of several boroughs...

will do Hester

and thanks Decorhate- it looks like the Norwoods are pretty much uncharted territory for mumsnetters dunnit

I know it a wee bit. ds goes to school there. Upper Norwood is the nicest bit as far as I can gather.

There was a thread a couple of months back along these same lines. I'll see if I can find it.

You were on it! :)

Oh yes Monty I remember you!

how's your move going? we're still here- doing desperate last minute cosmetic stuff with a view to putting ours on the market in Sept

we still looooove Penge but the schools really look like a bit of a stumbling block so we're looking a bit further afield...

SHJ - I bottled! My EA put a house on my street on the market for 20k more than they had valued mine lol. I know it'll sound pathetic, but it's prob worth 20k less (no garage etc). So, I threw the towel in. And now more decorating needs doing. grrr

So what's happening out there? Nothing about?

oh shame! -mind you I have been doing an exhaustive survey on EA valuations (from the comfort of my own home via the wonders of rightmove etc) and there seems to be absolutely no rhyme or reason to it- so don't be downhearted...the buggers make it up as they go along

as for more decorating to be done- I painted the living room and dining room in Fashionable Neutrals- with moving in mind- in the spring. Now the Fashionable Neutrals are convered in filthy handprints

SHJ I've had ds flood the bathroom twice, it came down to the kitchen and the plaster on the outside of the bathroom wall has disintegrated. Oh lordie. I'm never gonna get out of here.

Have you tried just wiping the hand marks??

I keep a tin and patch up paintwork sometimes.

lord knows what my dcs get on their hands but soapy water sure won't shift it...will have to get the brush out soon for a bit of a splosh

poor you with the flooding. We were planning to put a load of our crap valued possessions into storage when we finally put the place ont' market to give the illusion of space

...am coming round to thinking it may be a better idea to put the kids in storage for the time being instead

Lol. Good idea!

The longer it goes on the scruffier everything seems to get. grr

I spend a lot time keeping the garden tidy too.

I live in South Norwood, 10 mins from Norwood Junction station, off Portland road and next to Country Park. I bought a house here almost a year ago. My pros were that it is very convenient place to live with affordable housing prices and East London Line prospective. Commuting to London Bridge is excellent - 11 mins! We live next to Tramlink; Croydon for shopping, and Beckenham and Crystal Palace for outing is almost around the corner. Quite a few parks around. There seems to be several good primaries judging by Ofsted reports and pass rates. Where I live, is quiet and peaceful residential road. Big Sainsbury?s and Tesco around for shopping. There is nice organisation called People of Portland Road, who take initiative to organise a yearly South Norwood Arts Festival.

Now on cons side? I am a bit bias because I am pregnant and hormonal, and I am unhappy with my house choice. The main cons can be: South Norwood high street is a disaster ? noisy, dirty, all sorts of people hanging there. Portland road (which is like 2nd high street) ? much quieter, but a lot of closed down shops, it does not make it look ?up and coming?. There are quite a few Jamaicans and Africans here, and I would guess many of them live off benefits, which then increased crime level - I have never had any problem personally, but the statistics can be quite unfavourable.

So the area is OK, as everywhere it has good and bad bits. Some streets are nicer than others. If I could afford I would probably buy somewhere else, but I cannot, so I stay here ? quite happily at the moment due to extreme convenience of commuting.

Toja - South Norwood High St is abysmal. Chicken shops and nail bars mostly from what I can see when I rarely drive through it.

I couldn't bear to have to look at that every day. (Sarf Londoner here too).

Oh and the traffic is chronic when Palace are playing at home .

Why would you guess that the "Jamaicans and Africans live off benefits? Muppet.

Vonny - rofl at Muppet.

A bit of an outlandish comment I agree.

Ahem... I know someone who's mixed race Jamaican/Nigerian who has some cousins who live around Woodside Green. He's quite well-spoken, educated and solvent so I imagine they are too!!

Ok, you pay a bit more for house/contents insurance in SE25 than in CR2 for example, but hey its old victorian/edwardian houses in South London - what do you expect?

"There are quite a few Jamaicans and Africans here, and I would guess many of them live off benefits, which then increased crime level."

Oh dear, oh dear. Any Brownie points you may have previously held have just flushed down the sewer.

You do realise that a yummy Mummy is only ever one divorce away from being on benefits herself, don't you?

God help you if you ever need to steal a can of ackee to survive.

I grew up in Sydenham and now live further out in zone 5 of South London due to housing costs. South Norwood is rougher and is a bit mental when Palace play (last time I got caught out at NJ station when they were playing a derby match - police dogs, horses and kettling fans - the works!).

Upper Norwood close to CP is the 'nicest.' W Norwood always feels like a bit of a non-place to me. Avoid Thornton Heath!

Transport links are decent in all places. Croydon is crap for shopping - such a shame as it was brilliant. Me and mum always used to go there and so did she with her mum when it first opened! But its really run down, not a great selection of shops or places to eat. We eagerly await the Westfields take over...