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Original poster

Elephant and Castle as a place to buy?

91 replies

matildawaltz · 15/03/2014 15:15

On a name change here as I think someone has recognized me in real life.
We're relocating to London, work for me based near Regent's Park and husband around Holburn. We are really only familiar with London as tourists and wondering what the Elephant is like to live in? Apparently there is a major redevelopment programme by Southwark council. Initial rental sorted out so we've got a bit of breathing space to look around different areas but an acquaintance has suggested here as a good location for us - professional couple, no kids (nor plans for any), budget 700K, 1 bed (if big enough) or 2 bed flat. Any thoughts or other suggestions?

OP posts:
SheherazadeSchadenfreude · 15/03/2014 22:49

Sutherland Square is nice, but Walworth Road is grim.

Brugmansia · 15/03/2014 23:10

I'm in kennington but e&c side. E&c itself I'd be reluctant to go for. I'd recommend the wider area of central but South of the river, so vauxhall, oval, kennington, waterloo, Borough, bankside. The parts of e&c North and West run into kennington and Borough.

In those areas you could probably get a good flat in your budget. There's also a mix of period and interesting new. A good size period near vauxhall is this one www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-44938178.html

Listed as 3 bed but probably better as 2 bed and covering 3rd bedroom to bigger kitchen.

Quinteszilla · 15/03/2014 23:17

Cleaver square, yes that's it. It's been a while! Bug there are also some modern flats built nearer the river, vauxhall way that looks nice!

Amethyst24 · 15/03/2014 23:27

Agree area around Kennington/Vauxhall/Stockwell/Oval is lovely, and you could get somewhere (small but) amazing for your budget. Would far rather live there than Crouch End. Belsize Park is stunning but NOTR premium on price.

pancakesfortea · 15/03/2014 23:34

Kennington! All the advantages of Elephant but nice!

aroomofherown · 15/03/2014 23:42

I work in Bermondsey and have lived South London for years. I would never consider E&C as an option. sorry, and especially not on your budget. I also dated a detective based in that are and his stories probably didn't help.

I would be more inclined towards Kennington/Oval, or even NW London like West Hampstead/Finchley Road etc. Or even Hampstead if you can afford it.

I'd much rather live nicely and travel a little than live in E&C. Really.

beaglesaresweet · 16/03/2014 00:04

er, Shep Bush is not at all horrible unless you are talking about actual 'high street' but you can easily pass that buy and get towards Westfield or the other way, Chiswick HIgh road - or Hammersmith. The side streets are very nice, and lots of young profs aer now there, also used to be lots of people from BBC. Whoever saying it's 'horrible' either have been there long ago or just walked along the high streets. Stamford Brrok/Ravescourt park areas blend with Shep Bush and are very, very nice. Obviously OP can choose to go to near those stations as well. I sort of group all three together when taling of Sh Bush - plus there is Blackenbury village within it, nearer Hammersmith - nice also. It's worth going and looking at specific places.
No way Sh Bush is comparable with E&C Shock

beaglesaresweet · 16/03/2014 00:09

I thought it's been already established by OP that E&C is not great for travelling to work for her! why go there or Kennington if she can buy in Belsize park or other nice/nice-ish areas and have a very short commute to work?

I agree that Belsize is nicest of all areas mentioned, but it depends on what OP wants, maybe she likes a more buzzy or boho area.

roslet · 16/03/2014 07:58

If your work is near Regent's Park then I'd definitely get flat near there! Primrose Hill and St John's Wood are within your budget for a flat and then you can walk across the park to Oxford Street for shopping etc. Crouch End,Muswell Hill and Belsize Park are nice too, but aren't nearly so well connected by public transport.

K8Middleton · 16/03/2014 09:48

Whoever saying it's [Shepherds Bush] 'horrible' either have been there long ago or just walked along the high streets. Not true :)

Quinteszilla · 16/03/2014 09:51

"No way Sh Bush is comparable with E&C"

You cant have visited Elephant & Castle lately! Wink

Original poster
matildawaltz · 16/03/2014 10:11

In terms of lifestyle, we both work long hours and are inclined to slob if things are not easily accessible which is why we wanted to be central. We like eating out and going to the pub. Access to green space would be good with tennis or squash courts. We like setting off on foot and seeing where we end up, stopping off for a drink or a coffee, finding odd little shops/galleries or museums but that might be the tourist side of us coming out rather than actually living in an area. Having activity round about is good but we're a bit old and vanilla now for boho to have much appeal.

OP posts:
SheherazadeSchadenfreude · 16/03/2014 10:14

Brug - we are neighbours!

RelocatorRelocator · 16/03/2014 10:16

Honestly there are some really lovely streets around Shepherd's Bush.

If you look at the area between Shepherd's Bush bordered by Goldhawk Road to the North, Ravenscourt Park to the West, Hammersmith Road to the South and I guess the A3220 to the East, there are some fantastic gastro pubs and very pretty streets.

Crouch End/Muswell Hill is totally different - much more leafy London village kind of feel - but the transport isn't great imho unless you live on the Highgate side of Muswell Hill and can walk to Highgate tube. I think with your budget though OP you could go much more central.

Southeastdweller · 16/03/2014 13:01

Sure there's some nice pockets in Shepherd's Bush but there's too much anti-social behaviour and poverty and not enough to do for my taste. The area is very densely populated too which adds to the pressure cooker feel.

I agree that Belsize Park is a better option. No grumbles at all about that area. Love North London. Bankside/Borough also would tick a lot of boxes for you both.

NigellasDealer · 16/03/2014 13:04

I wouldn't its a dive, tbh, once i went to visit my mate down there and there was blood all over the doorstep to the flats.

eurochick · 16/03/2014 13:09

Greenwich and Blackheath have lots of green space (and tennis courts in Greenwich Park). There are lots of riverside newbuilds around Greenwich, if that's what you want, plus lovely period places inland.

Twilight23 · 16/03/2014 14:44

E & C is quite run down. Lots of drugs and high unemployment. Walworth Road is just as bad.

I agree that Kennington is far nicer.

My friend lived there. She could not wait to move.

eddielizzard · 16/03/2014 14:49

i would look south of the river as you get more for your money generally.

wandsworth, wimbledon, southfields, earlsfield, putney all nice and on district / mainline to waterloo.

£700k should get you something pretty decent.

Amethyst24 · 16/03/2014 15:03

Given what your interests are, I would say Kennington. You've got the Imperial War Museum on the doorstep, you're 20 minutes walk from the West End, there are parks nearby and the river a short walk away. Lots of restaurants and pubs nearby and a bit further afield in Brixton/Stockwell. Kennington Park has tennis courts.

Blu · 16/03/2014 18:06

What about Clapham?

Good tube, with fast links to your work, the common, excellent shopping, cafes, bars, restaurants, a good cinema, pool, safe, trendy..

You could do very well for your £700k and better than the equivalent in N London.

beaglesaresweet · 16/03/2014 19:30

exactly, Relicator - some of the best and charming pubs/gastropubs in london are in Shep Bush and also Hammersmith on the river (easy reach).
Shep Bush is a large area - yes, a couple of roght estates, but if you aer central in london ,you can't avoid them. It's really not anti-social in the majoprity of the leafy and nice side streets, the only rough-ish area is high street late at night but no comparison to E&C or indeed Stockwell!

Shep bush spills out to Ravencourt park, as others mentioned and so did I - really nice, and a park with tennis court as i remember.

There are some little shop and more indep places to ear in Chiswick high road which is close, also Westfield and all that the other way if you are in Shep Bush proper.
Again High st Kensington, Holland park extremely close for more womdering around cafes, Op, but prices are so high - so imo Sh.Bush is still a very good value area on the fringes of these.
I think people confuse Sh.Bush with White city, to the north of westfield - that's really rough but it's self contained.

I'm VERY fussy about safety of areas, and even though it's not the safest of all, it's definitely overall safe, and I know london very well.

Agree it's densely populated but so it all central london. Belsize park less so of course but then it's less central. I'd recommend it too but ime ther is less to do there than o nthe doorstep of Shep Bush. Still an option of course.

OP you need to visit these areas and see for yourself! try to go by the exact addresses/streets taken from rightmove so that you don't wander into a rougher patch and then be put off!

Blu · 16/03/2014 20:25

Oh, for heavens sake, Hackney (like 'S of the river') has many many different areas, some positively hipsterish and gentrified. Gun crime in any borough is confined to particular circumstances - or conversely in a capital city could be a problem anywhere.

The vast majority of families live happily and peacefully in Hackney, on estates, in roads, everywhere.

If I had a good budget, no kids, good job, free to enjoy all that London offers I would concentrate on good pubic transport and an area where there are local nice shops and cafes etc. Vauxhall if brilliant for transport, but doesn't have a great 'local' offer in terms of shopping etc, for clothes, gifts, interior décor, delis etc. It is geared to office workers.

Though S Lambeth Rd is good for Portyguese delis.

PartyFops · 16/03/2014 20:32

How about Canary Wharf, Isle of Dogs, Greenwich area?

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