Anyone who knows the Walthamstow area?

[Flutterby63]

I'm considering moving to Walthamstow (to rent for now, newly separated) and have seen a new development on Brunner Road. It's closer to St James St station than Walthamstow Central but both are easily walkable.

Any thoughts on the Brunner Road area, particularly re safety? I will be coming home late on the tube by myself sometimes so more concerned about feeling safe out and about? If not are there other areas that would be better in E17?

Thanks

I used to know this area. St James st is not the best area. Walthamstow village is the best area or somewhere where near the central station or Lloyd park. I'd avoid wood st or st James st areas.

Sorry for dreadful state of message. I have a baby wriggling in my arms!

Thank you.

We are currently moving out of the St James street area as we don't like it as an area for raising a family.

The gentrification around the Village area is slowly spreading outwards but its a bit hit and miss. St James street for instance has had about three or four independent coffee shops pop up in the last couple of years and they are very popular among the locals. As are the chicken shops, barbers and salons. As an area its more ethnically and socially diverse than the Village.

The area around the Village is very nice, quieter, leafier and probably safer. I think it is a conservation area through so there are no new builds. Have you considered upper Walthamstow, around Wood Street? That's also nice.

I think it really depends on what your looking for and what you are used to. The Village is close enough to the James st area so that you can visit all the new restaurants/coffee shops but equally escape back to a more suburban area. And if you are after the whole greener, leafier, quieter way of life, then highams park and chingford are also nice.

I live in Walthamstow. I don’t have children so I don’t know about schools or anything like that, but to me the big plus point are that you can be either in central London, via the Victoria line or the Overground, or out in Epping forest and some wildlife, in 20 minutes. The village is lovely but in general it’s not a wealthy part of London, and there are lots of eg. betting shops and pound shops around, but also lots of good pubs and parks and independent businesses. The William Morris gallery is ace. I was a first time buyer and lots of my friends are starting to buy out here now because you can get a lot more space for your money than in other trendier parts of London, while still having good transport links.

Thanks for the messages. I grew up in a socially and @ethnically diverse area (I'm ethnic minority myself) so that's all fine. @HotChoc10 do you know much about Brunner Road re safety (I don't need to worry about schools by the way)? I think it's nearer the market?

I'll also have a look at the other areas suggested.

www.met.police.uk/a/your-area/met/waltham-forest/markhouse/

These are the official Met Police stats for the ward.

not a very nice part of Walthamstow.

Depending on your budget, if you’re raising a family around there, I’d look at Highams Park or North Chingford. Still a cultural and class mix, same train line, but safer, and surrounded by woodland and large parks. Schools are good too.

Best of luck!

Thank you.

Turns out that ward is way safer than the one I live in now (and I live somewhere pretty gentrified).

Hmmm, the police probably still bother trying to catch scumbags in your area if it’s a leafy aspirational kind of place... take it from someone who grew up nearby and still lives nearby, Markhouse is rough as arseholes 😁