Is there anywhere in Zone 1 you wouldn't live?

[LaurieFairyCake]

I'm eyeing up the regeneration zone round the Elephant and Castle which looks as if it's on the up. I'm guessing it's the least nice

What about other not-so-nice areas in Zone 1?

lisaloulou, what bus do you get that takes 15mins E&C to ED? It's usually a good 30 (though after 11.30 you might do it in 15!)
SquidgyMummy, I know where that flat is - looks lovely inside, but it's just off the OKR - not a particularly salubrious area although there are lots of students there now.

MyHovercraft - it's getting better! I'd have agreed with you even 5 years ago, but was down there the other day and it's nowhere near as awful. Still a big long nothing road, but not a big long nothing murderous road anymore.

OP - How well do you know London? Because to be honest, you're likely to find that there's one bit you favour, and if you're in Elephant and the bit is Angel then you won't be walking home - or vice versa of course! I suppose you could always sell, because at London rents I'm not sure renting when you can afford to buy is a good idea, but it'd be ideal to have an idea of which is 'your' spot before you settle, if possible. Aside from Soho, most of the more social neighbourhoods are actually in Zone 2.

If it were me I'd go Cally Rd long, long before Elephant, but that's because it's closer to the bits I like, near the canal, and I think undervalued, given that it's completely surrounded by hyper-money. Kings Cross regeneration seems to be coming along nicely which should add a bit of charm to it if they don't bugger it up!

I think that you're the poster that has been looking forward to this move for a long time. Apologies if I'm wrong. Prices have risen massively in the last year, in eighteen months time who knows what will happen.
I think that the reality may not live up to your expectations, but enjoy the journey anyway.

I know someone who is now on her third flat in the Covent Garden/Leicester Sq area and loves it. I love to visit but wouldn't live there - but I can see why she does. One flat was on a pedestrianised street but you do have to get used to dustcarts 3 times a day!

she rents. You'll need deep,deep pockets to buy.

where would I not live in Zone One?
Old Kent Road

My brother lives in a new-build flat at E & C. It works well for him - he walks everywhere (or occasionally cycles). The area is also going to change quite a lot over the next few years if all the regeneration plans go ahead as planned. It takes about 20 mins to walk from there to the South Bank.

Take a look at Angel/ clerkenwell/ farringdon. My fav bit of London (I live in the borough). Easy to get everywhere, cab rides super cheap from Central London after the theatre etc.

Caledonia Road is an entirely different place than it was before, though, especially the Kings X end. When I worked there (a long time ago), a pimp was stabbed to death outside the shop a few doors down, but now it's all Tesco Metro and Guardian arts events!

It is true everywhere is changing rapidly.
I was in London at the weekend and the whole place was a giant building site.
The nicely shabby with fab nightlife area where I used to live has gone all shiny and upmarket.
So areas that might have been rough a few years ago might soon be quite different.

You need to embrace the bus - Z1 and Z2 in London are awesome on the bus. Oyster card, jump on and off, if's it's too slow, get out and walk. Bliss. I have twins in an enormo double buggy and buses are still a joy.

There are great bus maps on the TFL website - www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/bus-route-maps/central-london-bus-map.pdf

www.tfl.gov.uk/cdn/static/cms/documents/bus-route-maps/south-west-london-bus-map.pdf

I think you need to get involved

I don't take buses, I'm a nutter magnet

I'm a walker, a driver and an occasional taxi er if flush

I know that pub - I wouldn't choose to live above it or on the Minories at all. People are out on the street drinking and smoking until closing time, there are two huge late bars on the street too. One across the street and one a couple of doors down. There are regularly rows on the street and a lot of noise at closing time.
Sorry but I wouldn't touch it with a bargepole.

Above budget, busy street but nicer flat if you can get the numbers down

Close enough to hear the station tannoy perhaps

THIS is what I would buy if I could stretch to it. It's had two reductions since it was put on the market in July. I would make a cheeky offer. It's 5 mins on the bus to Tower Bridge.
I know someone who used to live there and it's a fantastic little development - gated with a real community.

Sorry - to go back to your original question. Zone 1 like most of London has very wealthy areas living alongside council estates. I lived in a very upmarket part of Marylebone for a year and my flatmates car was continuously broken into because the only available parking was outside a council estate. It was also right alongside a police station so we figured it was a rite of passage for the local teens to just trash the cars under their noses.
Unfortunately, it's more about not wanting to live on individual streets rather than a specific area. Even Vauxhall is seriously up and coming these days now that the USA Embassy is moving down there.

Central London is blisteringly hot and stuffy in the Summer. Pollution levels are v v high and it is v unpleasant. I would much rather live in an ex LA spacious flat in a mansion block in E&Castle than a smart des res in Marylebone with no air con personally.

That flat in the old Bacon's school building looks lovely Tread. And that area is definitely changing, bit-by-bit.

well there is all the new kings x developments and that area around granary sq etc is great www.kingscross.co.uk/homes

where are you going to store your stuff? all those flats v tiny.

will you keep a country pad? or need to hire self storage?

will you need storage for your city bicycle or will you use boris bikes?

TreadSoftly I would buy your favourite in a heartbeat! You could stroll up to Druid and Maltby St for St John's donuts and a spin through White Cube on the weekend.

The Tooley St one is nice as well.

Oh God, not the Old Kent rd!! When I lived in zone 2 I remember being so depressed at seeing the security guards in the big Tesco wearing bullet proof vests! In fact we decided to leave London after traveling back from holiday in the Cotswolds and getting stuck in a traffic jam on TOKR and dh just sighed and said 'what a fucking dive, I can't believe we live here!'

Saying that there are certainly aspects of London I miss loads since moving out.

www.mumsnet.com/Talk/property/2219578-Where-to-buy-in-central-London-for-culture-does-it-have-to-be-east

This was the thread that I started last month on the similar lines....

I would start your partying NOW -- that is what we have done! So prioritise spending some cheap weekends, week nights (and all your holidays?) in different locations for the next 18 months to see what you like. Try airb&b.

Diff areas are v different in character...and as one PP said it really gets down to streets and even which end of a street you want to live in. Some of Z1 is dead office space in the evening and weekends - there are no local shops bars etc and not imho easy to live in.

I would ask yourself what specific kind of living it up / fun are you after...is it West End type Theatre/Super-Clubs/Bars (ie where all the week-enders or after-workers go) Or swanky shopping etc Or more creative/arty theatre, galleries, bars restaurants?

I have lived in a few zone one areas (Angel, Fitzrovia, Whitechapel) and as many have said they are changing all the time - many of the nicer areas imho, have at least a local coffee shop, bar or restaurant that you could use. The whole Notting Hill / Pimlico / City type places with braying dull posh boys and boring high end global brand shops and restaurants is a suffocating cultural desert for me - but the whole East End hipster / arty community spirit really does it for me....horses for courses but toooooo expensive to get that property purchase decision wrong...

It's pretty funny really. When I knew the people who lived there they'd bought their flat in that development because E&C was up and coming. [ie the huge council estate at the roundabout/station was earmarked for demolition]. That was in 2000...... it's got to get there eventually.

Trouble is that E&C is such a major traffic artery. It's really close to Bermondsey High St and the river though. I think most of the council estate has been demolished now and replaced with something of equal architectural merit which is a bit sad.

I lived in Highbury N5 near the Highbury fields for a while at the top of Upper St in Islington. Technically just over the border into Zone 2 but that was lovely. Felt a bit of open air with the park, lots going on, on Upper St, but the Victoria line is so short [H&I station] you can go all the way to Brixton in about 15 mins.

Sample leafy area flat here
and here, but a bit close to Arsenal for my taste
and here, but v small. Access to a huge garden though

I worked off Tooley Street for 10 years till we moved over the river last year and it's much nicer on the South side. The city is just so fraught. Until Saturday obviously when it's just shut. What about Borough www.rightmove.co.uk/property-for-sale/property-33000078.html

The other advantage of Highbury is that you can get a train into the City and hop across to Barbican v quickly. You need to be near to Canonbury or Drayton Park for that though; and H&I station gives you lots of options as you cross so many tube lines.
A financial stretch or a v cheeky offer potentially gets you this overlooking a park albeit with a road in the middle, but also share of freehold. It's 3 mins to cafes, one of the best cheese shops and butchers in London and other stuff.

Tread...I also lived on Highbury Corner / Cannonbury and it was by far the nicest place that I lived we never went "up west" there was much better bars/clubs/restaurants/etc happening locally in Islington. Loved the green open space of Highbury Fields and the leafy streets also you can walk/cycle to Barbican or anywhere more central. I am impressed with these prices I think that they compare favourably with property further out.....these are our two local hang outs when we go back to our old stomping ground for weekends:

Highbiury is lovely (lived there before I went to S london) but it's definitely leafy/residential zone 2 rather than in the thick of central london.

Mind you Elephant and Castle and Cally Road aren't in the thick of central london either and nor is Old Kent Road. OP if you want to feel like you're really living in central london those areas aren't going to cut it...