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Original poster

Where would you live - no kids central London?

141 replies

TintyMinty · 27/01/2023 10:20

Where would you live - no kids semi retired (WFH) want to immersed in London cultural life (theatre / galleries / museums / events etc ) not interested in restaurants/shops/bars) would like green space nearby. Thinking Primrose Hill, St John’s Wood, Marylebone anywhere else in zone 1 (don’t want to have a car)?

OP posts:
Geranium1984 · 03/03/2023 19:34

We've just moved out of South Kensington. We absolutely loved it there. We lived on a garden square. 10 mins walk from Hyde Park and just a few stops on the tube from central London.

We had a baby so need a proper house but I'd move back in a heartbeat once we're retired.

iloveburmese3 · 03/03/2023 19:58

Holland Park - my parents live there and I love it. I live abroad now but this is my fav in london

LindorDoubleChoc · 03/03/2023 20:01

Fitzrovia or Bloomsbury. I want really central.

Hartflow · 04/03/2023 08:31

Primrose Hill and SJW are zone 2 so not that central really (walking distance to attractions). For that kind of lifestyle I'd want to be in Marylebone, Bloomsbury or Fitzrovia. PH is not that well connected either - the tube is a bit of a walk. Other areas mentioned are in zone 2 as well - Holland Park, Greenwich, Wapping. Nice enough areas and easy to travel from - but then you could say that about places like Wimbledon or St Albans.
Zone 1 is quite big so if you're living on one side then it's not really walkable to get to places on the other side - we lived near Liverpool St and certainly wouldn't walk or bus it to Kensington, and spent most of our time in the centre of town and further east - it felt like a faff to go across town to e.g. Notting Hill. If you want to be in easy reach of all of zone 1 you need to be more geographically central. So something to bear in mind if you go for somewhere at the edge of zone 1.

daisypond · 04/03/2023 08:38

I lived in Bayswater for years. Lovely period building with communal gardens. Very central. 5 mins to Kensington Gardens or Hyde Park. Loads of transport options.

PaulaPaola · 04/03/2023 08:55

Bloomsbury for me. Proper shops, local restaurants and not too showy.

Bouledeneige · 04/03/2023 09:19

I think budget is the issue. If you had a bit more I'd go for Marylebone,
or Primrose Hill as you have lovely green spaces too. Given your budget I think you might need to be a bit further out so think Belsize Park, Dartmouth Park, Kentish Town, Hampstead and Highgate. They are still expensive but dotted around Hampstead Heath - so you get east access into town plus lovely walks.

daisypond · 04/03/2023 09:23

I wouldn’t call Primrose Hill or Hampstead Heath anywhere near central London.

GarveySister · 04/03/2023 09:28

This is also my dream retirement. I think I’d probably go a bit leafy - Hampstead, West Hampstead (I know slightly further out) or Primrose Hill. I also love Maida Vale. A mansion block flat near the tube.

Otherwise, somewhere right on the river on the south bank or running down east along that way if funds allowed.

GarveySister · 04/03/2023 09:29

daisypond · 04/03/2023 09:23

I wouldn’t call Primrose Hill or Hampstead Heath anywhere near central London.

Primrose Hill is NW1. It’s pretty much Camden Town. North central.

daisypond · 04/03/2023 09:36

GarveySister · 04/03/2023 09:29

Primrose Hill is NW1. It’s pretty much Camden Town. North central.

Show quote history

Yes, and I wouldn’t call Camden central either.

daisypond · 04/03/2023 09:51

Central London is zone 1, maybe even a little smaller. Places like Camden, Battersea are way out of zone. If people are counting zone 2 as central, that’d mean I’m central, and I definitely don’t think I am. Central London has a very different feel.

Orangebadger · 04/03/2023 10:00

I've always liked the idea of living in Little Venice so around Maida Vale.

Tinytigertail · 04/03/2023 10:07

For me, definitely Fitzrovia. Villagey vibe but super central.

beguilingeyes · 04/03/2023 13:58

Pimlico is nice.

RosyDawn · 24/05/2023 08:22

Barbican (but pick your staircase so you have one that has residents not just mid-weekers/occasional users, otherwise could feel a bit barren & empty). Small patches of green around plus easy access to the river.

Pimlico

Highgate. Not so close but nice area with cultural things going on and close to Hampstead Heath.

Vermin · 24/05/2023 08:28

+1 for Bloomsbury but also if you’re after anonymous/ no community, move inwards from Maida Vale / St John’s Wood to Edgware Road / Paddington. No neighbours all winter!

FrenchandSaunders · 24/05/2023 08:37

That flat is gorgeous …. I’m going to do the lottery tonight 😁

innocentfun · 24/05/2023 09:52

cravingtoblerone · 27/01/2023 19:23

Don't think I'd want to be in Zone 1 tbh. Public transport is so good in London getting into Zone 1 is not a problem. Would choose somewhere SW and on the river. Chiswick, Barnes, Kew, Richmond area.

agree totally. plus free transport for over 60s (OP retired/retiring?) - transport so much smoother than it used to be. better to be 30 mins or so out the centre I think on a good link. Also, always seems to me that many practical things aren't as available in glossy centre-land. When I need culture events etc (I go out a lot) no probs to drift to on public transport of an evening and then be whizzed back.
Of course the OP might want to live a life of staggering back sloshed from hotspots at 3am - in which case go for it.

CrotchetyQuaver · 24/05/2023 13:53

If you want green space, then I'd look in walking distance to one of the central London parks, green, St James's, regents, Hyde...

I used to live in Battersea and was very happy there, but whilst it's good for getting into Chelsea, and was easy to get a taxi to take you home late at night, I wouldn't have described it as "central"

Shitfather · 25/05/2023 09:33

@TintyMinty did you decide on a location?

Coffeesnob11 · 31/05/2023 10:35

Sorry I haven't read the whole thread but maida Vale if you can afford it is lovely and close to everything. I work in fitzrovia and I love it and the options on food/drink etc.

TintyMintyy · 10/09/2026 15:15

Hello - I am the OP back again (couldn’t quite get my old user name to work so have adapted it)

It was really great to have all your insights so THANKYOU and it was great to reread the thread. Not moved yet but will be doing so in the next 6 months. I have clicked on so many of the links posted nearly 4 years ago and if you then go into ‘sales history’ it gives current update and many haven’t sold on that time.

Seems the central London flat sales market is stagnant? Would appreciate any insights others have on this situation. Is it in free fall ? Would we be better to rent for a few years?

Have narrowed down the areas - would love Marylebone but don’t have the budget - so Bloomsbury or Fitzrovia fit the bill. Discounting also SJW / Belsize Park. Also looking now at Maida Vale - also maybe some corners or Edgware Rd, Bayswater, Notting Hill but I don’t know this area well. Have decided not to go east or south or as central as Pimlico because want to be able to get out of London by car on the M40.

Now only require 2 beds, has to be share of freehold and have reduced budget to £1m - so can look at some just over (no idea what current offer to asking price is?) Also have to have a service charge under £5000/year.

So if anyone has any ideas or wants to come along on this journey with me feel free to link. Maida Vale is the only place north of the Euston Road so feels less ‘central’ or more ‘neighbourhoody’ which might feel like a compromise - or actually prove to be a benefit? Psychologically the A40 feels like I would be on the wrong side and maybe too far to walk to centre?

lemonts · 10/09/2026 15:34

i would be wary of the sales history as weirdly it doesn't always update on old links. I keep all my old rightmove links and a lot of them don't show the sold prices even though they would if you found them on a new search as it were. I kept thinking the same thing, that loads of places hadn't sold but it is actually a glitch in the RM system.