Restarting at 35 - live in Battersea or Maida Vale?

[astrobutnought]

Name change for this as I have friends on MN. (hi Eric fans! 🖐)

DP and I are finally separating. It’s been a long time coming, to be fair. Not married, no kids.

I’m about to be 35 this December. I’m thinking where to live where I am going to still meet someone new and make some friends. Looking for an area with a bit going on / some green / close to the centre. Not full on kids partying 24/7 as in Hackney, but not too yummy mummy, iyswim.

We currently live outside London but I come into Waterloo for work, so I’m familiar with transport links around there. Looking at Battersea and Wandsworth. Work in Bond St so colleagues suggested Maida Vale or Queens Park.

Where should I go?

Which part of Battersea are you thinking of? I find the bit between Clapham Junction & the river to be quite dull, never seems like there's much going on - Battersea Square has a couple of decent cafes, but not as much as other areas of London.

South of Clapham Junction moving towards Balham is much more buzzy. St John's Hill is great, you're very close to Wandsworth Common. The streets immediately off Northcote Road are very expensive, but it gets much more affordable if you head slightly west (towards the prison) or south (towards Balham). There's quite a large yummy mummy contingent, but still plenty going on for those who are single - lots of sport clubs/training groups based around the Common for example which are good for meeting people, plenty of laid back pubs as well as the bars on Battersea Rise. If you are around Clapham Junction you always have 2 options for your commute as well - SWR into Waterloo & the Jubilee Line, or Southern into Victoria and Victoria line to Oxford Circus/Green Park.

What’s your budget? Are you looking to buy a flat - how many bedrooms?

I was thinking from Clapham Junction towards Wandsworth Bridge. Away from Clapham Common which always seems too busy for my tastes

Maide Vale is quite expensive and I always found it very dull.

I had a friend who had a flat there and she seemed happy enough but there did not seem to be much going on...but of course very convenient if you work in Bond St.

Agreed, I didn't like it much myself. I'm assured if you walk down and along the canal there's a lot of cute spaces.