East Greenwich vs Leytonstone (Bushwood)

[twinbin]

Hi everyone,

We're thinking of moving this year and would like your advice. We currently live in Leytonstone (the Bushwood bit) with Q year old twins. We like it but we've had a few concerns about safety during the pandemic. There's a good community around Bushwood but there are there's also the occasional iffy moment, particularly near the tube and overground stations.

We've been looking at East Greenwich, particularly around the Pleasurance park. Does anyone have anyone have any experience or thoughts about this area?

We're also a bit unsure about the noise etc from the Blackwall tunnel road.

Do you think it's better the devil you know (stay in Bushwood) or time to explore somewhere new? Thanks in advance!

Presume you’re talking about the area around Westcombe Park? I like the general area, and it’s got a nice little community particularly in the streets around the Vanbrugh gastropub. I’d ideally want to live to the west or south west of Pleasaunce simply to minimise potential noise and pollution from the Tunnel approach. The high street is slowly gentrifying with some nice independent cafes and so on - which is good, because really your only other option for going out is the awful crowded tourist trap of Greenwich main. Don’t know Leytonstone or your personal definition of “safe” well enough to be able to say it’s better, but it’s known as one of overspill areas for people priced out of Greenwich and Blackheath etc so quite family friendly.

Around the pleasaunce is lovely, very family friendly with quite a few activities throughout the year. The area is quiet and feels safe. There are also quite a few nice schools and preschools. Loads of activities for children close by.
The major drawback is traffic and pollution from the Blackwall tunnel more so than noise unless you are very close to the road.

I live in East Greenwich. We love it here... Very friendly and family oriented. Like pp I'd aim for West of pleasaunce or at least west of Kemsing Road to avoid Blackwall tunnel approach. Woolwich Road gets busy esp rush hour but is easy enough to avoid.
Decent greengrocer and butcher on Trafalgar Road and of course not far to either blackheath standard or the charlton retail park.
Where do you need to commute to? I get to the city via maze Hill Station to cannon Street, or run or cycle it.
The pleasaunce is a nice outdoor space, and a short walk to the bottom corner of Greenwich Park too. And you can cut through to the river path easily for good kid friendly bike rides.

@Blue5238

I live in East Greenwich. We love it here... Very friendly and family oriented. Like pp I'd aim for West of pleasaunce or at least west of Kemsing Road to avoid Blackwall tunnel approach. Woolwich Road gets busy esp rush hour but is easy enough to avoid. Decent greengrocer and butcher on Trafalgar Road and of course not far to either blackheath standard or the charlton retail park. Where do you need to commute to? I get to the city via maze Hill Station to cannon Street, or run or cycle it. The pleasaunce is a nice outdoor space, and a short walk to the bottom corner of Greenwich Park too. And you can cut through to the river path easily for good kid friendly bike rides.

This is super useful, thank you! We had seen places online on Combedale and Ormiston Roads. They seemed a bit too close to The Road, so it's useful to have that confirmed.

I commute to Westminster, so was thinking a bus ride to North Greenwich. Is it ok there late at night?

@ComtesseDeSpair

Presume you’re talking about the area around Westcombe Park? I like the general area, and it’s got a nice little community particularly in the streets around the Vanbrugh gastropub. I’d ideally want to live to the west or south west of Pleasaunce simply to minimise potential noise and pollution from the Tunnel approach. The high street is slowly gentrifying with some nice independent cafes and so on - which is good, because really your only other option for going out is the awful crowded tourist trap of Greenwich main. Don’t know Leytonstone or your personal definition of “safe” well enough to be able to say it’s better, but it’s known as one of overspill areas for people priced out of Greenwich and Blackheath etc so quite family friendly.

Yes, I think I mean the area near Westcombe Park station.

You're right that whether an area feels "safe" is a very subjective thing. In Leytonstone there's an occasional issue with being hassled for money near the tube station and a fair bit of drug dealing on street corners. During the pandemic, social distancing has been very patchy. Maybe these are just London things? But I was wondering how East Greenwich shaped up in that regard.

North Greenwich is fine at night, whenever I used it there were generally quite a few people around and frequent buses (I haven’t used it since nice lockdown began last year) I find Combedale too close to the road but you’d be ok on parts of Ormiston Road nearer Halstow. Although one side backs onto the train track. You could also look north of the Pleasaunce although I’m guessing you are looking within a particular catchment.

@Gra18

North Greenwich is fine at night, whenever I used it there were generally quite a few people around and frequent buses (I haven’t used it since nice lockdown began last year) I find Combedale too close to the road but you’d be ok on parts of Ormiston Road nearer Halstow. Although one side backs onto the train track. You could also look north of the Pleasaunce although I’m guessing you are looking within a particular catchment.

Thanks very much, really helpful!

Bus to North Greenwich then jubilee is fine as a way to get to Westminster and no issues at night.
Can also do Maze Hill or Westcombe Park to Cannon Street then district and circle line. Which is quicker depends a bit on morning traffic for bus and how close you are to station v bus route

Also agree with pp on Ormiston Road being fine but combedale feels much closer to a2. Close to train track not so much of an issue as trains stop overnight and not the busiest railway line in any case