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Original poster

Eltham for a mixed race family today?

16 replies

speckledpig · 15/07/2012 09:54

Hi, we are looking around to buy a property and have seen a few in Eltham we both like. I am worried about the stigma attached to Eltham,husband is not. (I am white British,he is black and we have two little girls coming up to school age) He works in central so would be commuting into London.
He says the times he has walked around Eltham he has not felt threatened or any racist presence but I have done quite a bit of research online and have found that many people still think it is still a fairly racist area. I am really not sure after reading things about it online.

Obviously our two girls will be going to school soon so that brings into the question how they would be accepted too.
Would really appreciate your honest opinions of the place.
Many thanks

OP posts:

gateacre1 · 15/07/2012 12:09

Hi we are in a similar position
My dh refused to move to Eltham. We are moving from Greenwich to Sidcup.
It's less multi cultural but than where we are now, but the schools do have children from lots of different backgrounds.
Why don't you look at new Eltham, Dulverton school is very good .
Good luck with what you choose, I was really worried that dd would be the only non white kid, but thankfully she isn't.

erlendur · 15/07/2012 16:43

I've lived in all three of the areas mentioned: Eltham, Greenwich and Sidcup.

I actually thought Eltham was the least racist of all of them - could that be because the impact of events? - maybe it's made change happen for the better. I didn't live there pre-Lawrence so I can only say that it seemed very non-racist when I was there.
Of course, location is probably a factor - I was in the Victorian/Edwardian 'Corbett' area surrounding the train station so in estate agent terms - the desirable part. Couldn't speak for the big estates - I'd probably feel wary on those, the same as I would anywhere.
A neighbour was Indian/husband white - they never had problems, shop was Sri Lankan I think - no race trouble there.
Found Sidcup and Greenwich very bigoted by comparison.
Would definitely live in Eltham again - not in Sidcup or Greenwich.

maresedotes · 15/07/2012 16:55

I've lived in Greenwich and went to school in Eltham. Plenty of black, mixed race and Asian girls at my school so your dds should be fine. I know it's ironic to say ignore online comments about it being a racist area but I don't think, from personal experience, that it can be called a racist area. Good luck with your decision.

emsyj · 15/07/2012 17:04

A good friend of mine has just moved after spending 10 years living in Eltham (10 mins' walk from the station on the Progress Estate) - she and her husband (who's from Nigeria) were very happy there. He lived with her for the last 3 years of that time (prior to that she lived alone). He's usually quite forthright about his views on the ethnic mix in particular areas (he commented that he was the only black person he saw the entire time they were last here visiting, for example) and has never made any negative comment about Eltham. They have a little girl too and as far as I know have not had any issues at all. They had very lovely & friendly neighbours. They only moved (out towards Welling) because they wanted more space and couldn't afford a larger place in the same area.

Gigondas · 15/07/2012 17:12

Used to live there and still have family there- there are lots of different families (pakistani, italian and indian just in houses round me). It felt a lot more diverse and neighbourly than "naice" area I live in now.

Also haveIndian friends who lived and grew up there and never heard them say anything about living there (particularly the one who has just bought bigger house there).

Aboutlastnight · 15/07/2012 17:14

I think you will be fine. Eltham much more multicultural than 20 years ago.

Original poster

speckledpig · 15/07/2012 18:48

Thanks so much for all your replies. We walked about there again today. The house would be on the progress estate. I wasn't that keen, it didn't seem as vibrant or friendly as other places I thought but it was sunday. DH didn't feel anything. It's a tough one really.
I did stop to talk to a couple of black lads (much to DH's embarrassment!) and asked them what they thought of the place. One said he thought it seemed ok, the other said there was still a racist sentiment around he felt.
We really like the house though....it's either Eltham or going down to Beckenham/Bromley but I don't think our money would stretch very far down there by comparaison.

OP posts:

Aboutlastnight · 15/07/2012 20:55

I grew up on The Progress Estate. I'd say the positives are that your kids will be able to play out without much problem, it's a quiet area and with the redevelopment of the cinema, you might be see it start to smarten up. You will have your own garden, the houses are quirky and you can make them lovely, and on the whole we got on well with out neighbours. As a child I would cycle round the streets and take the dog for walks in the nearby woods.

I'd agree with the boys you spoke to in that there are some entrenched racist views still around, there are some unsavoury characters on these estates but they tend to kept their business away from their doorstep. But on the Eltham is changing, whenever I go back I see it is more ethnically diverse.

Original poster

speckledpig · 15/07/2012 22:02

Thanks about. What sort of area are the 'not so nice' estates. I read brooke estate is one of them. Would they be near the progress estate or further out?
Would you say that those entrenched racists views can be found on the progress estate also?

OP posts:

Aboutlastnight · 15/07/2012 23:35

I think in any large estate there is going to be 95% of the population decent people and that 5% who are dodgy - but that's Londpn, you'll get that everywhere.
Yes The Brook and The Page estates are there - I had friends who lived on both with no trouble but this was ( gulp) 20 years ago.

Aboutlastnight · 15/07/2012 23:40

As for racist views - no more than you will find elsewhere. But I am a white woman so do not feel very qualified to say much more

swanley · 05/01/2013 00:40

i live on the progress most of the houses are private the page and brook est are more council houses i have seen a odd few black people but everyone seems to get on ok with eash other i dont think your have any problems on here or the cobett houses nearby that are also private since the stephen lawence case i dont think it so much a racisits area maybe like it use to be.

Bumblequeen · 05/01/2013 17:13

This reply has been deleted

Withdrawn at poster's request.

ajs9 · 27/05/2013 19:26

This reply has been deleted

Message withdrawn at poster's request.

ajs9 · 28/05/2013 21:59

Hi did u move to the progess estate? Im considering moving there with my mixed race little one. Would love to hear yr thoughts if you did move...

amandara · 23/07/2013 13:29

Hi.
My family is also mixed and I was considering moving to Eltham. I heard that schools there are good
But I am bit afraid of racism in the area. I have two little girls and the older one will start primary school next year. I am been in the area few times visiting the Eltham Leisure Centre with my kids and I had a good impression. But I found many bad comments online about the area.
I wonder if ?speckledpig? finaly bought a house there.

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