North Woolich?

[FrightenedFTB]

I found a property in North Woolich and after several months and close to exchanging, I saw on the news that someone was recently stabbed and sadly died in North Woolich.
The property I'm buying is relatively big and affordable and given the proximity to Canary Wharf, it really works out for me. But this news of violence is really making me worried. Has anyone lived in North Woolich? Is it reasonable to pull out of a transaction at this late stage just because of this news?

People are stabbed in all kinds of neighbourhoods. Almost without exception, most are gang or other crime related. The likelihood of the average person who isn’t involved in that sort of lifestyle being the victim of a stabbing is really very small. It’s sad, yes; but you are literally more likely to die in a road accident.

I think North Woolwich is completely devoid of any redeeming characteristics (and I lived the other side of the river in Woolwich for almost a decade) but I wouldn’t disrupt a house purchase because of fear of violent crime there.

Woolwich is up and coming-there's loads of regeneration going on and the area round the royal arsenal is great

Stabbings and violence goes with the territory of any inner city not just London 🤷🏻‍♀️

The murder is of a 15 year old boy and a 17 year old has been arrested.

Unless you are teenage boy involved in gang crime, it's highly unlikely you will be murdered in North Woolwich or anywhere else in London.

@ComtesseDeSpair

People are stabbed in all kinds of neighbourhoods. Almost without exception, most are gang or other crime related. The likelihood of the average person who isn’t involved in that sort of lifestyle being the victim of a stabbing is really very small. It’s sad, yes; but you are literally more likely to die in a road accident.

I think North Woolwich is completely devoid of any redeeming characteristics (and I lived the other side of the river in Woolwich for almost a decade) but I wouldn’t disrupt a house purchase because of fear of violent crime there.

Thanks, would you consider North Woolich an area that is prone to gang fights and such or do you reckon this might be a one of incident? I have lived in Poplar for several years and although I have seen and read about stabbings on news, I never actually envisaged living in a neighborhood where that is a "way of life" so to say.

Thanks all, I guess I am just a little paranoid

It's Woolwich, not Woolich

Unless you are teenage boy involved in gang crime, it's highly unlikely you will be murdered in North Woolwich or anywhere else in London.

Pls don't perpetuate the stereotype that if a black child gets murdered it's because they were in a gang.

I think if you’ve lived in Poplar then you won’t find North Woolwich any more menacing. If anything it’s a bit sleepier. I’ve cycled through it at all times of day and night (also work at Canary Wharf) and never felt threatened or seen anything dicey. There are active gang territories in all parts of London, and gangs are largely uninterested in the average person wandering around minding their own business.

@bombymobey

Unless you are teenage boy involved in gang crime, it's highly unlikely you will be murdered in North Woolwich or anywhere else in London.

Pls don't perpetuate the stereotype that if a black child gets murdered it's because they were in a gang.

In fairness, bomb didn't make the correlation between a black victims and gang crime.

Quite a lot of violence in London is gang/drug related. I was told several times by police officers (no less) that Brixton was largely safe so long as I wasn't dealing/part of a gang. They weren't wrong.

Back on topic, North Woolwich isn't somewhere I would consider living. It's been going through regeneration for as long as I can remember, and it certainly doesn't feel the safest to me whenever I've visited.

Quite a lot of violence in London is gang/drug related. I was told several times by police officers (no less) that Brixton was largely safe so long as I wasn't dealing/part of a gang. They weren't wrong.

I was born & raised near Brixton so I'm fully aware of the reality.

@bombymobey

Quite a lot of violence in London is gang/drug related. I was told several times by police officers (no less) that Brixton was largely safe so long as I wasn't dealing/part of a gang. They weren't wrong.

I was born & raised near Brixton so I'm fully aware of the reality.

Unless you are teenage boy involved in gang crime, it's highly unlikely you will be murdered in North Woolwich or anywhere else in London.

So you don't disagree with the above then? Good to know.

Ermm, who wants to live in an area where gangs are stabbing each other over turf wars?! There will inevitably be lots of other crime hand in hand with that. I think you're right to be concerned OP - a small commute isn't worth the cost of living amongst degenerates, afraid of being attacked at night & having your stuff stolen.

Check the crime stats on police.uk, streetcheck.co.uk etc.

So you don't disagree with the above then? Good to know.

If you are in a gang then yes your chances of being a victim of a stabbing are higher however that doesn't mean that all young people who get stabbed are in a gang.

There is a narrative whether you want to accept it or not that a number of stabbing victims are assumed to be involved in crime & the victims are disproportionately black.

Woolwich really isn't a nice area, it reminds me a lot of northern towns like Huddersfield and Wakefield plus I find the whole place has a creepy unsettling air about it and feels like you're at the edge of the world

There was a body found in the Thames in Woolwich Arsenal the other day. I've recently moved to Woolwich (also work in Canary Wharf) and there is a lot of regeneration going on, especially around arts and culture. However, it does have problems with crime.

@bombymobey

So you don't disagree with the above then? Good to know.

If you are in a gang then yes your chances of being a victim of a stabbing are higher however that doesn't mean that all young people who get stabbed are in a gang.

There is a narrative whether you want to accept it or not that a number of stabbing victims are assumed to be involved in crime & the victims are disproportionately black.

You brought that narrative into this, nobody else did. There was no mention of race until you raised it. Regardless, gang crime exists in London. It's also highly likely that stabbings are a direct result of gang/drug related disputes.

Woolwich is a pretty rough area and not one I'd choose to reside in.

Not the best association to make, but I instantly think of Lee Rigby whenever I think of Woolwich.