Anyone like to tell me about PENGE or Anerley??

[SpringHeeledJack]

Here's the thing- we live in South East London at the moment- zone 2. Although we like it here, we're thinking about moving out a little way (mostly so we can have a smaller mortgage/get somewhere a little bit bigger)

Is there anyone in Penge who can tell me a bit about living there with kids? we've had a look round and think it looks great but some more info from people on the ground would be handy

...and don't tell me Crystal Palace is nicer. We can't afford it

tia!

oh, Monty, it does sound like a good move- specially re your ex, if dd has friends there and you don't have schools to fret about. You sound a bit like us- we love where we are, but think 11 years is long enough, and we'd like a change too.

I really really want a bigger garden. And a house with a proper roof we can convert into an extra room- if we ever scrape the cash together.

Also I'm not quite ready for the Proper Suburbs yet. We did have a little think about Bromley but then ran around panicking for a bit

• it's like someone said upthread- Penge is between Brixton and Bromley- ie where we were, and where we're heading. It's dead symbolic really

No it is helpful SHJ, I just need to chill about it a bit

Apropros of nothing, whenever dh or I say "Penge" we have to say it in the manner of the way they say "Stone Henge" in This Is Spinal Tap. Ie. very low with a very strong sarf London accent, strong emphasis on the GE sound.

Am amazed Honor Oak is still cheaper than Crystal Palace! I hear good things about Stillness primary school for Honor Oakeys.

In our family we pronounce Penge as if it was French, i.e. with a 'g' that sounds like a soft 'j' and the 'e' like 'or'. As if it rhymed with 'mange' in French. Helps my brother feel better cos then it sounds posh.

Penge is indeed a joke name. That's part of the appeal, I think...

by the same token we like to say "nun- head" in emphatic booming voices, in manner of trailer voiceovers from action fillums

oh tatty I feel your pain. I personally found with School Panic it was easier to do mine when ds was in Y5. I spent hours weeping over the awful unutterable dreadfulness of it all- then by the time it came round I was all annoying jolly and optimistic- in contrast to my friends who were all gloomy doomy/resigned

It does seem to all work out in the end, though...it's like Julie Andrews says in the Sound of Music- "where God closes a door, somewhere he opens a window"

hee hee hee Pahnje

Thanks SHJ

I say Penge in the manner of MissM too .

Thanks everyone for your Penge related input. It has been most interesting

(went for a mooch round there again yesterday, and it's still nice )

...if anyone does manage to move down that way please- if you remember- dig up this thread and let me know?

[nosy]

I had a friend who lived in Penge on an awful estate (even worse than the one I lived on in another Bromley borough)called Queen Adelaide Court. It was opposite a really rough pub where fights broke out on a regular basis. Try to avoid that part if you can.

We are moving to Penge next week with 4 children and I'm very excited.

We're getting a big beautiful victorian house on a lovely road 5 minutes from Crystal Palace Park. I've met some of the neighbours and they seem very nice.

To be honest I can't see what the fuss is about Penge. The transport is great, the high street is run down (but you can always shop elsewhere), you are very close to a beautiful park, and it seems to offer really good value for money. It is urban and mixed, but so is a lot of London.

I've been to the local gastro pub for a quick drink and as long as it doesn't shut down, I'll be there every so often without having to jump in a car.

Bring it on.

to liucya

good luck with your move!

we're a bit closer to putting our house on the market- have been over to Penge a couple of times over the last few weeks and like it more and more- it's a normal sort of place, iykwim

hopefully we'll be moving to a street near you soon!

Glad to hear it. Good luck with your move too!

I didn't think I knew anyone in Penge, but since having our offer accepted, two of my friends/friends of friends have moved there so I'm not heading too much into the unknown.

See you in Lidl/Waitrose in Beckenham...

I used the new East London Line to get from South Norwood to East London last weekend. Only had to change one to tube in Whitechapel. I was amazed by convenience of this newly discovered commuting line. It gives a lot of credit for those on ELL, including Penge/Anerley!

Any more thoughts / updates on Penge?

We've been here just over a year now and have no regrets. Its a really friendly neighbourhood and my kids have all made lots of local friends. I've been impressed with some of the schools too and am in the process of moving them to one near by. Some fabulous properties which are so much more affordable than surrounding areas, as well as all the open spaces. I love the feeling of greenery around. One of my neighbours has seen many of her friends move down here after visiting her house.

Just picked up this thread by googling "moving to Penge" which is what we're about to do. Have no school issues as DCs already settled in secondaries (we are coming from SE21). Very very apprehensive about leaving bucolic bliss of Dulwich but need more space and have found it in big victorian semi in road not far east of CP Park. Please someone tell me Penge is OK and positively verdant with the green shoots of regeneration...or not. SpringHeeledJack - how did it all go?

Hi gottodecidesoon,

Penge is OK. We moved to Penge from North London in Feb. We were very apprehensive as Penge just sounds dodgy doesn't it. However, great transport links, the town is not the greatest but then Beckenham and Palace are just down/up the road. We have a lovely house in a lovely street and I guess you cannot ask for more than that. Let me know how you get on!!

Thank you bakerga12 - you have reassured me. We too have lovely house in a lovely street (well - not yet, but offer has been accepted). I think I've just got to come to terms with there not being fab places within staggering distance, but as you say - nice places just up and down the road and Dulwich (from whence we come) just over the hill. I just had another little poke around and actually the high street seems fully functional and there's a Lidl. We're up the CP end - on a road opposite the almshouses and church. So good to hear you did the big leap and are still here to tell the tale. Now we just need to do a PR job on Penge and get rid of its dodgy image. I used to get laughed at for living in Balham 20 years ago, now it's only bankers who can afford to live there. Maybe bump into you in the pound shop soon....

So gottodecidesoo did you move to Penge and what are your thoughts?

Secondary wise, you're also just within the catchment for Haberdashers' Aske's, don't forget - competitive entry, but free :) also the Langley park schools (Beckenham), Prendergast for girls, and the plethora of Harris academies which have sprung up in the south east.

I grew up in Sydenham and when the DC are secondary aged I suspect we'll be moving back in that direction as there's a lot there, along with GREAT transport links.

Yes - here we are in Penge as of two weeks tomorrow. Early days, but it seems alright. I'm a bit beyond the little one phase as DCs all installed in far flung secondaries so not really plugged into all that infrastructure. Lots of trekking back to SE21 for ballet, cycling, friends etc, but CP Park is nice to go to and there seem to be quite quirky shops on Anerly main road. Transport links to town and Brommers unbeatable.

@gottodecidesoon - 2 years on, how are you finding Penge?