So - can anyone sell Beckenham to me?

[LittlePickleHead]

Just that really. Trying to upsize within our (very lovely) SE London enclave. NOTHING on the market to buy within our price range at the moment (things have been very slow all summer). Our EA mentioned Beckenham and said that most people selling flats in our current area are relocating to Beckenham to buy houses, and for the schools.

I've been there once to the cinema, can't say it massively left an impression. Is there anyone who has relocated there who can tell me anything about it? Which primary schools should we be looking close to? Where are the lovely open spaces to look out for? anything else we should know? My wish list is period 3 bed near good primary, close to shops and also open space/parkland for the children. All for a budget of £400k. Is this possible??

A friend of mine lives there - she likes it a lot, nice neighbours, handy for town, she has a lovely house with a big garden.

I rented in Beckenham for five or six years during the noughties - couldn't tell you about schools I'm afraid, was single and childless at the time, but I loved it.

Villagey feel but 18 mins from London by train. Giant Tesco, big Waitrose, ok-sized Lidl and Sainsbury. Kelsey Park is good for watching ducks, Croydon Road rec is massive and has a playground. They're both close to the high street, and a bit further up there's Beckenham Place Park which is lovely and has a lot of trees. Oh, and the country park next to the crematorium is even bigger and has a lake and lots of wild area to wander through. There seem to be a lot of kids around. Public transport is pretty good too, four different train lines to London and a decent bus service.
Penge is right next to Beckenham and the two high streets put together will cover most bases for you.

HTH! Sorry I can't answer most of your specific questions but if you do have any other questions happy to try to answer.

Happy to talk over PM if you want.

But agree wholeheartedly with previous poster!

DHs cousin lives in Beckenham and it seems lovely and much nicer than most parts of SE London (including where we live).
As others have said it has a villagey feel and isn't too much of a clone town with plenty of independent shops and eateries.
Some of the local state secondary schools are among the best in the country but I don't know about primarys.

My BIL and SIL just moved there. Not the most beautiful house I ever saw but size you'd like and 1930s (does that count as period?), with massive garden - needs a bit of work but totally liveable in immediately, 220k approx. (astounded me).
Vg secondary schools which I don't know the names of but am sure someone else will. SIL is a primary teacher and moved there specifically because of the schools - even though they have no children yet.
Kelsey Gardens a lovely large Victorian park, lots of additional small playspaces between the houses.
The nicest thing is the parakeets screeching around the place - that combined with the tropical microclimate that seems to exist around Bromley made it feel quite holidayish

I lived there 20 years ago when I had a live in job. House ws fab, high street and amenities not so much. That was a long time ago though.

I remember the tennis used to be on and someone would put covers all the way around so you couldn't watch without paying.

There is a Waitrose there.

Thanks all, my interest has definitely been piqued. It seems to cover quite a large area - any pointers on which section we should focus out search? Think we'll have to try and get a reccie in over the weekend

I used to live at the Penge end near Birkbeck station - I suspect it's the cheaper side but it was cheerful, friendly and about 15mins walk from Penge high street, 25 from Beckenham. Country park very close, regular buses into central Beckenham and to Bromley, big Tesco an easy walk.. Depends what you're after really.

Worth a reccie just to pay a visit to Fee and Brown

Balgowan school is probably the most sought after for primaries, but you have to live very close to get a place.

We're very happy here. It's very suburban, and the high street isn't nearly as good as crystal palace, but the commute is good, houses are good, and there's plenty going on for kids.

I heard from a colleague who recently moved there that there were quite a few shops closing on the high street and it was getting more undesirable at night. Schools declining also. I can't comment really as I don't live there so as for all areas I'd recommend you check it out yourself. Good luck in finding a new house.

Moved here last year from islington.

Kelsey park and Beckenham place park are amazing. Kelsey park is part nature reserve. Beckenham place park has 200 acres of woodland to walk in.

High st is great. There is the lovely old fashioned butchers called Village Sausages. Costa cafe Nero and Fee and Brown which someone else mentioned. M&S food. Waitrose. A couple of decent restaurants.

Schools are good. Balgowan, Clare House (bad write up by OFStED but has some of the best 11+ results in the whole of Kent) plus 3 prep schools which are good. And Marian Vian primary which is a grade 1.

Secondaries. There are the Langley park schools which are some of the top grammars in kent.

Good transport links too.

Close to crystal palace park with a small
City farm. Bromley for more shopping only 5 mins in the car. It takes 40mins to drive to Bluewater and 45 mins to drive to Westfield Stratford through Blackwall tunnel. And less than 40 mins to the west end from Beckenham Junc by train then tube.

Don't know what else I can tell you really.

Where were you looking??

Yy Villagers Sausages. Been there forever, always brilliant and lovely blokes. I work in Beckenham still so see a lot of it.

Yy Villagers Sausages. Been there forever, always brilliant and lovely blokes. I work in Beckenham still so see a lot of it.

With regard to the schools there are some very good ones, Marian Vian Primary is often overlooked but ( it was my school many years ago) my cousins children go there and are very pleased with it. Langley Park Boys and Girls are the favoured secondary schools.

It also may be worth looking in West Wickham and Hayes, I think they have more of a 'villagey' feel. Hayes Primary and Pickhurst School will be worth visiting.

We were looking in the East Dulwich/Forest Hill/Brockley areas but there is so little on the market at the moment that I feel we need to broaden our horizons slightly.

I suppose the thing I am really nervous about is trying to create a new support network from scratch - DD is starting school next September so it may be easier then, but weve got all our NCT and coffee group friends in our old area that it will be such a shame to leave.

Beckenham is sounding very tempting though, I love the idea of a local butcher and the parks sound great. there is a house in budget next to Balgowan school, though I have a feeling it will already be under offer. If not I'll definitely book a viewing to try and get a feel for the area

Have you looked at honor oak park? It's as you know in between brockley and forest hill. Not bad price wise.

Not sure about schools there though.

I lived in honor oak during the 90s and had friends in Beckenham at the time. Beckenham is def more "villagey" with far better shopping and cafes etc. and obviously at lot more parks etc nearby.

It's hard to choose areas once you have children. You def end up making bit compromises on what you would like as a couple over the needs of the children (parks schools etc). As my last post said we moved from islington which I love and I really really miss but we had a tiny 3 bed house there with teeny tiny garden and no off street parking. Schools were terrible too and not that safe or much to do for young children. Here we have for the same money we sold our islington place for, bought a massive 5 bed house which is three times the floor area of our old one with almost an acre of gardens in a quiet secluded spot on a private road. Add that to the excellent schools and decent commute and nice high st 5mins from house with all the parks etc, it's a no brainer. And the DC love it here.

There are cheaper parts around forest hill and brockley but you will have to compromise on the space you can buy.

You could look at the Clock house/Penge area too just north of Beckenham. More for your money and only 15mins walk to Beckenham. Not sure about schools tho.

Haha, I read that as Beckham!

I recently moved out of London but was living near east dulwich and had we not left London we probably would have been priced out of ED for a family home and would have been considering places like crystal palace or beckenham.

If you know ED then I am sure you are familiar with their very popular forum (if not, google it). There was a huge thread on there recently in the Family Room Discussion section about moving out of ED. Loads of people said they moved to Beckenham and love it. I know it is difficult leaving an established social circle but really you would only be a short car/bus ride away from old pals and you will meet new ones. I don't know Beckenham well myself but I have actually only heard positives and to be be honest the thought of a waitrose would probably convince me to move anywhere!! Good luck with your search.

Oh, there's also a library and leisure centre.

I live on boarders of Sydenham, Penge and Beckenham. I find Penge definitely best value property, but, don't like high st. much. Sydenham full of arty and interesting people and high st improving- they just won funding to improve it more. Beckenham is less arty, but very friendly nice people all the same. I think beckennam has the most useful high st. To me somehow beckenham seems a lot more suburban, Penge more often described as traditional working class south London feel, Sydenham has more of a dichotomy between big estates and some v expensive houses. Sydenham and Penge also have benefit of new overground line to Islington which is great, as well as trains to london bridge and vctoria. Can have excellent primary schools in all 3 areas but weany catchment areas so be very careful if you're buying for that reason. All in all great places to have young family. Hope this helps!

Secondaries. There are the Langley park schools which are some of the top grammars in kent.

The Langley Park schools aren't grammer schools.

Apologies Von. They are now academies.