Moving to Clapham Junction?

[sahalb]

Does anyone live near Clapham Junction? Thinking of moving to The Falcons, a gated development off Falcon Road. Although private it borders York Road Estate. I'm not sure about the area - anyone know more?

Many thanks

How old are you and do you have children?

Clapham Junction is great if you're 25, love going drinking with rugger buggers in giant Super Mario costumes and don't mind stepping over puke on your way to the train station in the morning but otherwise I wouldn't.

Great transport links though, and close to some beautiful areas.

If you have kids look into schools. Local state primaries are not good. My DC went to school in Chelsea and loads of the children came over from Battersea and around Clapham Junction as state schools there weren't good. Some good private ones though.

I’ve never seen any of that around CJ. Are you thinking of Clapham High St and the Infernos crowd perhaps? The nearest place to go out of an evening from CJ is probably Northcote Rd and that’s swish nappy valley so the only people I’ve ever seen in Mario costumes there are small kids! Lots of Victorian housing stock, mostly it’s families, especially if on the streets that run down to the northside of the common. That said Falcon Rd is pretty grim and traffic choked. Even the Wetherspoons is closing down. It gets nice again once you cross York Rd as you’re on the river walk, can get the thames clipper into town, there are nice pubs and restaurants down there. But Falcon Rd, Whitstanley estate etc would probably be the one bit I’d personally avoid. You need to go check it out for yourself really.

I used to live up the hill a bit by Battersea arts centre. It's a great place to be, having everything local.
The trains are good but station packed in the morning. Loads of buses. But a trek to the tube.

Honestly, I don't like the area immediately around the station and wouldn't want to live there.

There are some good states around CJ- the Belleville schools, and the one on the Shaftesbury Estate, probably more I can’t think of. I think the ones around where OP is looking aren’t so good though. And if you’re referring to the Chelsea school I’m thinking of then it’s possible to get in on church attendance. Then of course there are lots of great private options. Definitely warrants further research if OP has kids.

No, I lived in Clapham Junction for a couple of years and the drinking culture was definitely noticeable even there. Particularly noticeable during big sports tournaments - in the The Falcon for example, at Revolution over the road (not sure if that's still there though?) and towards the end of the night at Clapham Grand. There were a couple of places up Lavender Hill that attracted that sort of crowd too.

Mind you, there was that big fancy dress shop at the Junction that sadly got burnt out in the riots - maybe that's influencing my memory of the area!

I mentioned stepping over puke but actually my worst memory of living there was seeing a drunk woman doing a poo on the floor inside the station on New Years Eve.

All that said, I did enjoy my time there as I was a young 20-something myself (albeit not a boozy public school one shitting in train stations).

Not a faith school. My DC went to Marlborough Primary school which is slap bang in the middle of Chelsea, off the King's Road. Catchment is fairly wide because people who live around there all go to private schools so Marlborough has children from Fulham, Battersea, Victoria/Pimlico, Clapham Junction.etc. Lovely school.

I lived on the Northcote road and absolutely loved it. Transportation links absolutely amazing. The Northcote road area is lovely and I would move back in a heartbeat the area just passed the junction not so much unfortunately. But I could be close enough to still benefit from the lovely between the commons area. With the amazing Bellevue and Honeywell schools.

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Omg that’s grim AF! I think it’s classed up a little bit 🤣 The fancy dress shop is still there but seems to be mostly frequented by kids (they had an excellent easter bonnet craft section this year) and revolutions is long gone. The old Debenhams is getting a massive regeneration and there’s even a Whole Foods now. The station pubs still get a weird crowd but you don’t need to step foot in them, especially when you can go for a nice meal and a cocktail on Northcote Rd instead. Lavender Hill still has a few places like the Tiki bar but mostly it’s pretty dead.

Still I wouldn’t live right next to the station. But having CJ as your nearest station and being maybe a 10 minute walk away, there are some really nice bits. Don’t think that’s where OP’s looking though.

Thanks for the views, has helped a lot. I'm middle aged with an 18 year old. Seeing the place today but have a feeling would be happier in one of the nicer areas but close to CJ for transport.

What about more towards Wandsworth common station?

I used to own a flat in the Falcons, as a gated estate it was a nice place to live and secure inside. That was a long time ago admittedly as I sold it in 1999. But it's still a gated estate so that should still stand?

I was by Battersea Arts centre before in Theatre Street. Those were in the days when that part of Battersea was still considered a bit "rough"
I have only happy memories of living there. I hope you find something you like.

If you're middle aged with an 18 year old then I'd be looking to live in the streets off Northcote Road rather than Falcon Road side. DO you need CJ for commuting? If so then you could also look at Vauxhall - not the new flats but the VIctorian streets and squares somewhere like Bonnington Sq aera is close to the rail station, has far better tube links than CJ and a nice community feel with an active residents association and one of the best delis in London.