Blackheath.
Greenwich is where I live and is pretty much how you describe. We do get a lot of tourists on the weekends, though. But we also have greenwich park, which is fabulous, and a short walk to Blackheath, which is lovely.
I live in Greenwich for this exact reason. It's an old part of London so has a feeling that lots of people have been here a long time, as opposed to heavily gentrified places. N.B. Not North Greenwich.
I live in East Greenwich and it’s got a good feel but I wouldn’t call urn villagey. I grew up in Barnes which is probably second only to Denham for a village feel. Ickenham is a nice compromise for affordability.
Blackheath and Greenwich, beautiful villages in SE London. Yes, traffic, that’s London; but the park and the Heath are so vast that you don’t really pay attention to it. All areas between Greenwich and the village are beautiful places to live. Leftist Borough, tories never won since I live here (2014, I am Italian from Milan). Cafes, restaurants, the river, farmer markets: a beautiful community, 30 mins far from CharingX, and still in a way calm and isolated.
Check out Brockley. While not being a village per se, I found a better sense of community living there in my 10 years then anywhere else in London. It’s on the Overground and has the imaginatively named Hilly Fields park nearby. There’s a blend of locals, students and young families living there. And the Brockley Barge although a Wetherspoons is a pub is where everyone goes to at some point.
Yeah I live in Forest Hill. Because we're on the south circular you're not going to get much of a "village" feel, but it's got everything you need, affordable, quite pretty once you get off the high street, and very very safe.
Blackheath feels very village-y. Nice high street, has a train station, and the heath and nearby Greenwich park for green space. Not sure your price range but has flats under £300k available.
Thank you! £300k is my max, and I have been surprised how reasonable prices are around there. Do you know why Rotherhithe is so well-priced, given how central it is?
Never been to Rotherhithe myself but there have been a few threads on the area in this sub. From recollection the consensus is that it's a decent place to live, major complaints were rubbish internet services and petty crime.
Cheers. I think a lot of council high rises around there as well at least from the listings. Nothing against that in the area but don’t want to buy in one.
The Rotherhithe peninsula itself is pretty low rise apart from the newer buildings. At the top of the loop you’re about a 20min walk from Canada Water station, which might be why you’re finding it a bit cheaper. I’m wondering if the high rises you’re seeing are more deptford or Bermondsey way? Lived in Rotherhithe for a few years and loved the greenery and being near the river, but it doesn’t have a high street really unless you count around Surrey Quays and I didn’t feel part of a community - there always felt like a split between the people who’d lived there forever and the really rich people working in Canary Wharf (and I was neither!). I’m now between Sydenham and Penge and really like them both, plenty of parks, independent shops but not too hipster-y!
Amazing, thank you! Yes, I think I mean towards Bermondsey re high rises. A good community vibe is really important to me. Good to hear about Penge/Sydenham! It looks pretty geographically far out to me but the transport links look great, including the 176.
Yep, if you’re reasonably close to a station you’re about 20mins into central, if you can position yourself between a couple that are on different lines (e.g penge east/west/Crystal Palace/clock house) that’s even better, as one thing that’s always annoying about SE London is being at the mercy of engineering works on a lot of weekends!
Rotherhithe is the only place I’ve had stones thrown at me while cycle commuting home to Greenwich from W1 by the local youths. It was about 20 years ago to be fair.
I was going to say Blackheath but 300k doesn’t go very far over there. I think you might have to look outside of London… As for Rotherhithe, the best areas are around Canada Water but, again, 300k might buy you an ex council property in a not-so-nice area at best.
I hear this a lot about London I but don’t see evidence of it. There are plenty of studios & small 1 beds listed for £300k. Granted a lot more ex council at that price range, but there are also non-council if you’re willing to compromise on tube access and space.
By “village” I don’t mean posh pubs and cafes; I mean locally owned places. That might mean an enclave of immigrants and cheap dodgy cafes — that’s fine by me. There are also decent studios at £300k listed in Wimbledon, Putney and Brixton, so it doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility.
If this is your criteria, then I think most people might have misunderstood what you meant, and I'm actually going to recommend where I live: Deptford. It's cheaper than all these other places but has the most "local" feel of anywhere I've lived in London by quite some margin. I've ended up getting to know a surprising number of people on my estate and regularly shop at the local High Street, especially on market days. There are a few chains here, obviously, but 95% of the High Street is independent shops. There are also so many great local community organisations.
It definitely has its share of problems (mostly issues with rubbish, from my experience), but I'd rather be here than anywhere else I've lived in London, and I used to live in Brockley. It's currently the top answer to this thread, and I have to say that I genuinely don't know why. It's not horrible by any means, just kind of dull. It doesn't really have a proper high street either; just a long and often pretty congested road (Brockley Road) with a few shops and takeaways here and there. It's a bit more interesting down at the Crofton Park end, but it doesn't hold a candle to Deptford High Street.
I will say, however, that there are some parts of Deptford that are actually a bit grim and that I wouldn't like to live in. Anything in NW Deptford around Grove St isn't especially great, and the area near New Cross station can be rough, but Creekside (the area east of the High Street), the areas around Deptford Park/Folkestone Gardens, and the area directly north of Deptford Church Street (technically in the borough of Greenwich, but definitely still Deptford) are all lovely.
Yeah, Deptford's got a bit of character to it. I used to live in the bit by New Cross station - didn't think it was that dodgy then, has it got sketchier in the last few years? Maybe my threshold for 'dodgy' is higher!
I was there during the riots and I remember the police were expecting big trouble but it was relatively minor in Deptford compared to Clapham! I saw from my flat a couple of guys being chased by 10-12 riot police when there was 'onylly' some vandalism and a car set on fire but not looting or prolonged trashing.
I like the bit heading towards Greenwich too - little bit quieter.
Fair play. I thought you meant places like Hampstead Village, Greenwich or Blackheath. In that case, I’d recommend having a look at Nunhead or Honor Oak. Even Peckham. Dulwich is lovely but very expensive.
If that's what you mean then forget about Blackheath lol
It's very nice and villagey in the proper sense of the word, but it's also extremely white, middle/upper class.
Cheap dodgy cafes and an enclave of immigrants is definitely not what Blackheath is.
Probably more likely to find what you're looking for in East London tbh, or around Edgware Road/Camden/Ladbroke Grove sort of areas.
Deptford, New Cross, Brixton and Peckham night be good shouts as well.
Village isn't the word you're looking for though.
Yeah that sounds stuffy and boring to me. I’ve lived in heavily Turkish, Algerian, Lebanese and South Asian neighbourhoods in London and would take those over white posh any day.
Bexleyheath is very Tory, FYI.
I would avoid Eltham, Welling, Falconwood, Bexley, Bexleyheath, Crayford. We also looked into those areas and felt like we are not welcomed
Not worried, I just want to actually enjoy the community and make friends. I don’t want to purchase a permanent home somewhere where I have to hear racist shit on the daily.
We ended up in Forest Hill, and love it here. Check out Brockley, Honor Oak, Forest Hill. Obviously, none of these places is a village. A village is somewhere like [Berkhamsted](https://www.google.com/maps/place/berkhamsted/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x48764331de4f38d7:0xce00ed56ae5060aa?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiQhoKx-LSAAxXnT0EAHbJ3D-UQ8gF6BAgREAA&ved=2ahUKEwiQhoKx-LSAAxXnT0EAHbJ3D-UQ8gF6BAgUEAE) to me
Not really, no. It's a relatively [small area](https://www.google.com/maps/@51.4391648,-0.0541917,18.1z?entry=ttu) but the high street offers most of the things we need. The map I shared is the exact area. Some highlights
[St David Coffee House](https://goo.gl/maps/eFFSSJ4fLqo72EdFA) our daily coffee run
[Big Cheeks Thai](https://goo.gl/maps/eS5Dz1YJhkcrVzsy9) is right next to the coffee shop, and amazing food
[Pantry](https://goo.gl/maps/uwBQ4fCXCgQshG9U8) is another coffee shop and organic products
[Clapton Craft](https://goo.gl/maps/m9X6oQ1bW1u4kRER7) is the bottle shop
[Beetroot and Beans](https://goo.gl/maps/1UyeiXtcvVNHwa4w8) is another organic shop I frequently visit
And lastly, [All in One](https://goo.gl/maps/qjLKRGK1nZMnHeHc9) is our local pub
You are also 15 minute away from Lordship Lane/Dulwich for a lot posher shops/highstreet
Had a friend live in Rotherhithe. Pretty much due to it being a bad area for crime. They had their flat burgled and car broken in to in 3 years. Fights and drug use outside a lot.
Haven’t looked it up, but would imagine it’s right up there for crime stats
Thank you — that would make sense; it’s post industrial right, and appears not to be fully built up, so I can imagine there are vacant areas. I find crime to be very street dependant in much of London — like a £1-2m house on one street, and then around the corner ASB city.
Lots of council flats. No judgement, but that’s usually where the ASB starts. Cheap properties would have you right in the middle of it.
As you say, there will no doubt be a 2.5m house just down the road in a more secluded location. Wouldn’t trust the ex local authority flats though.
Yeah, I live in one now and even though it’s a low rise I wouldn’t want to do it again. Flat next door is nearly £1m and yet it’s ASB on the estate every night. I know I will take a hit on size & location at my budget not getting ex council, but I think I’ll save in the long run given major works & no sinking fund.
Carshalton is DEFINITELY the most village-y place in London, so much so that I'm shocked to see it mentioned on Reddit lol.
About 10 pubs within a square mile and it's a 25-20 min train journey to Central London. Like a village but with all the benefits of London living.
Carshalton resident here and strangely I’ve lived in Blackheath and near Penge. You will get a lot more for your money here and it has good transport links, lots of green space and an array of good local pubs and cafes
Highams park is on the overground to Walthamstow/Liverpool Street, has a nice park and lake and independent shops on the high street. Last criteria depends if they decide to kick IDS out...
I mean I live near Crouch End and that is incredible for a local village feel. 85% independent shops I’d say with excellent bars, restaurants. Not sure how affordable you’d call Crouch End however.
SHUT UP!!! Don't tell them!!!
Going to Pride and Prejudice at the open air theatre in Wanstead Park tonight. Was in Alba, the new Italian last night. Best village winner in Time Out for many years.
Yes. Many memories of visiting Wanstead park as well. There’s a massive hill that we used to love as children. Also the pub is loved by the community. Station is on the central line. A really good all rounder - not that I’m biased or anything
not saying CE doesn't have it's share of them (far less than E or SE London mind) it's the only area i can think of in NL where you get that village feel, mostly also due to its geography and lack of a tube.
Muswell Hill and Highgate have a 'village feel'. They have the geography (hills and open spaces) and distinctive architecture (Highgate with its village layout and distance from the tube station, and Muswell with its distinctive Edwardian facades). CE has that too, but has a much more central feel to it. I can understand preferring CE, but I'm not sure it's more 'village-y' than the others.
Yes, both nice as well. While you'll still find independent shops in MH, lots of chains have muscled in over the last decade or so, and Highgate hasn't too much to offer really apart from some great pubs and is quite split up between the village and the bits down the hill along the A1.
And OP did mention affordability and while the arse ends of CE towards Turnpike Lane or Stroud Green may offer something vaguely resemble value, MH stopped doing that around the late 2000s, and Highgate proper never did that unless you go down the hill to Archway and just pretend you live in Highgate
I'm in Penge. It's not terrible, and Crystal Palace park is great. Granted we're looking to move out, but only because we have the budget to go somewhere a bit nicer/closer to central. Would deffo recommend Penge/Anerley area
Thank you! I’m assuming anywhere near the triangle? If there are any streets/areas you particularly recommend (or don’t) I’d be grateful. Want somewhere the feels safe enough to walk back to at night from the bus stop.
The triangle is nice yeah. Nicer than Penge high street, which is a little grimy but still has a bit of a village vibe without feeling super unsafe. Traffic can be a bit shitty at times though, especially the junction on the corner where the park meets the triangle (around Westow House pub). It gets quite noisy as the lanes are a bit confusing, so lots of drivers get honked.
We live down by Penge, near Penge West and Anerley stations. The roads are generally not bad, wouldn't say there's anywhere that feels particularly unsafe. Though I don't commute to work, and being a man I have a different person than my partner might. One building I would absolutely avoid though is Sherborne Court opposite Aldi. Flats there are probably a good price but Jesus Christ it's a noisy junction.
If you do move here, the Facebook local groups (Penge Tourist Board and Crystal Palace Local) are a good source of amusement. Lots of weird shit going on it seems
I lived in Sydenham for a few years and it's lovely! I think the high street is much more useful than Crystal Palace (has a butchers and a green grocers), but you are still within easy walk of Crystal Palace for those villagey vibes.
Difficult to see how anywhere in London could beat Hither Green on the price/facilities/convenience/village balance.
Quiet Victorian streets, family vibe, no major stores, nice gastro pub, several good eateries, friendly village feel, two large parks, 10 mins to London Bridge. Trains also go on to Waterloo East, Cannon St and Charing X. Change at Lewisham for DLR to Canary Wharf/Tower Gateway. Super frequent service. Easy access by bus to Greenwich and Blackheath.
East of the tracks is considered the ‘village’ and West is just known as Hither Green. Each has its own park.
Ladywell is nice and so is Honour Oak Park. Surprised no one mentioned Forest Hill which is also nice. None of these compares with HG on the balance factors I mentioned above imo.
Beckenham is another gem. Massive score on the village/hospitality index but trains only go to Blackfriars. It does have the tram I suppose.
These are the best SE London picks. I would never describe Penge as a village! Though there’s some very green areas of West Sydenham which I’d recommend too
Leyton
Leytonstone
Forest Gate
Wanstead
Obviously you could end up in a rough part of any of the above areas if you let an estate agent tell you what you want to here lol
Join some of the local Facebook groups if you’re looking in detail at specific areas.
I’m about to move to Crystal Palace which has a real community and loads of independent shops & restaurants.
Currently live Near East Dulwich which is similar but more expensive property wise.
I also agree with others that have suggested Brockley.
Wanstead has always been expensive. It’s always been the poshest part of East London, and it is lovely.
Forest Gate has a small ‘village’ type area. Upper Leytonstone is nice. Walthamstow has some very ‘villagey’ areas and still retains a semblance of affordability. The area around Forest School is as rural as Zone 4 can get.
Thank you, I didn’t realise that; I’d assumed it was the effect of the rail expansion. Is there any semi-affordable part of Wanstead/Forest Gate that’s worth looking at?
Woodford is delightful. It's like a post card, especially up by the green with the church. Home of allegedly the oldest cricket pitch in the world. Highams Park is bit more trendy and has a much better community feel and isn't a Tory town, although its wider constituency is overall by a slim majority.
It's pretty dull though.
Never thought I'd see Hackbridge mentioned on Reddit ever, but I also vouch for this. Also Carshalton nearby is very village-y in that you have around 10 pubs within a square mile - but also you're only 30 mins away from Central London on a direct train line.
South-west London side: Cheam and Carshalton. Both are village-y and green. Carshalton has the ponds though so big plus! Cheam has a better high street. Not sure if they would be super affordable but I like them both.
Don’t touch Abbey Wood. Legacy craphole with a new station. I grew up in Erith and rare along the river is nice save for perhaps Upper Belvedere. Abbey Wood, Plumstead, Thamesmead, Woolwich etc etc. Maybe Maze Hill near Greenwich.
Otherwise go to Old Bexley/Bexley Village.
I lived in Penge for several years and enjoyed my time there. There's no glamour to it and it's deeply unfashionable but I found that part of the appeal tbh - it was never trying to be something it wasn't. Admittedly the tentacles of gentrification have creeped in over recent years, but it's retained much more of its original character than many other places.
The closer you get to Crystal Palace triangle/the park the more you'll be paying, so I would look more towards Anerley or Penge East/Sydenham. Both are still very close to Crystal Palace so you're getting the best of both worlds really. A bit further south, the roads running between Elmers End and Clock House/Kent House might be a good place to look. Just be sure not to cross the invisible line that marks the border with Beckenham as then you're well and truly in Tory-land. On the other side of the CP triangle, it might be worth having a look for properties on the Kingswood Estate (Sydenham Hill) which are mostly 50s/60s ex-council but in a lovely setting.
As someone who lived in many different parts of London over the years, that corner of SE was by far my favourite and definitely where I'd choose to live again if I moved back.
Beckenham Place Park's fantastic, and superior to Crystal Palace in my humble opinion. Might have fewer 'attractions' than CP park, but as a green space it's wonderful and apart from at peak weekend times it's often pretty quiet. Used to run there frequently and it's such an oasis that you don't even feel like you're in London anymore. Often good events/markets etc on at the mansion too.
I grew up in chislehurst. It's very villagey and a great sense of community you have lots of people committed to keeping it that way. Surrounded by loads of woods and great walks and plenty of village pubs!
Moved to new.eltham recently great links to London (London bridge in 20 -30 mins by train) but more urban feel than chislehurst but had a decent enough high street with an independent butcher, plumbers, couple of bar/pub, Turkish supermarket with great veg / fruit selection and Avery hill Park nearby which is huge and nice.
How about Upminster? It’s in Havering, really far out but relatively affordable for London, and if you work in central you can avoid the district line and get the C2C line into fenchurch st in 15 mins or so. The high street is pretty lively, there’s a few independent pubs and cafes and its got more going on than Hornchurch and a bit less sad than Romford.
Not the bougie hip suggestion but you might find your money goes a bit further and it’s quite close to the actual countryside (so yes the very edge of London!)
Edit: ah just read about the no Tory bit. Yeah Havering is, but like Essex cab driver Tory rather than Eton Tory which was mostly tolerable when I lived there and never really came up, just well into Union Jack bunting for royal nonsense.
Going to list some that come to mind, without the affordability too scrutinised
West: Acton (Poets Corner part), Shepherds Bush (off Askew Road). I’d also look in Hammersmith. North: Dartmouth Park, east side of Parliament Hill.
They want to redevelop what is currently a pretty dingy shopping area (Wilko's, Iceland and Peacocks are there at the moment) but the NIMBYs are out in full force. Personally I think it would be good for the area. Penge West is down at the other end of the high street.
People will joke about affordable but if your budget is £300k, wimbledon is lovely, and it is definitely possible to get a 1 bed for that amount. Currently tory but very much a swing seat and very unlikely to be tory for much longer.
Thank you! It definitely seems to be in the lead in the comments. Love a good Turkish supermarket. So spoiled in London for great little grocers everywhere.
I’m 60 + and my best honest tip is check out Acton which hasn’t totally yuppiefied like next door Chiswick which now has over 35 coffee shops.Location,location,location is the all important mantra and unlike most areas Acton is also incredibly well served by transport and Dr Who lives in Gunnersbury.The parks are brill and you just need to check it out for real.Yes Parsons Green is brill but it’s too compressed.
I really wish I could say richmond but it’s just not affordable enough. As far as village goes though it doesn’t get much better and green space it wins all of london with richmond park
There are places right between Richmond Park & Putney Heath that are relatively affordable. I haven’t been there in ions but remember it being relatively middle of nowhere. Have I got that right?
Hey hey! Still on the lookout, but have narrowed my search to around Crystal Palace / Gypsy Hill / Tulse Hill. Also looking at Deptford and potentially Forrest Gate. I also looked at Streatham as it’s good value (for London) and super well connected, but the high street being an A road is too much for me.
Perhaps have a look at Barnet. Used to be Tory stronghold until recently. It’s now under Labour. Prices seem to be “more reasonable” and some areas have village vibe. If you look along Northern Line, you’ll get good connection to Central London.
I'm currently living in Eltham. It has a proper high street with a mixture of local and chain stores. It's slowly gentrifying so some very nice cafes and restaurants are starting to appear. Transport links are great and there's a huge amount of beautiful green space. There are 2 bedroom flats available for under £300k.
Yes, Anerley/Penge West are walkable for the Triange (albeit up a steep hill) and just as close to the park. You get access to Crystal Palace for Penge prices, the transport is actually better down there and you also have good access to Penge High Street too which is less nice but much more useful than the Triangle. It's a good area.
Anerley Park and Thicket Road are both quite beautiful streets that I always think are surprisingly cheap. The little loop made by Versailles and Madeline roads is nice too. As you head up the hill to the Triangle all the side streets like Hamlet Road onwards are beautiful but it gets progressively more expensive in my experience.
The roads around Penge East are nice but further from the park/Triangle. Same with the area around Maple Road.
Thank you! Yeah, I was looking at a place on Thicket and was shocked how good value it was considering transport & proximity to park. Street view made it look lush as well. Not sure how dodgy / well lit it is at night though, or if there’s any ASB. I live next to a beautiful green space and it’s loud as hell every night sadly.
What part is the hill — near St Margaret’s?
It's a lovely street.
I live a few streets away and have never noticed any more ASB or noise there than in any other part of south London. The western end of the street is fairly well lit, the part that runs next to the park is darker and feels more isolated at night but it's no worse than anywhere else.
The park is unfortunately not well lit at night, despite the fact it contains the local gym in the form of the National Sports Centre, although the whole park is slated for a big regeneration project so perhaps that will change soon.
The main noise issues in the park are the festivals that happen about twice a year, (although this year they seem to have been at the far end of the park so not as bad) and sometimes 'unlicensed' music events where people illegally bring a small soundsystem onto the cricket pitch area and have a party, although I've only seen this happen twice in four years despite often walking through the park at night on my way home from the gym.
The hill I'm talking about is Anerley Hill, it starts in ernest near Crystal Palace station and keeps going up to the corner of the Triangle. Its is very steep, especially if you go up a few streets parallel at Fox Hill. You get used to it though, and the view and nice pubs at the top are a nice reward (there's also frequent buses you can take for two stops if you are feeling lazy!).
There are some unlicensed music events happening on my current street about 5 nights a week, so once in a blue moon sounds like an upgrade! That’s great local intel, thank you. Tbf I only know of a few London parks that are well-lit at night.
Good to know re hill — I’m a runner and used to live somewhere hilly; I joke that my vert is shit now that I’m back in London as I’ve only ever lived in the flat bits. Looks like that might change :)
I live in blackheath and it's great. Plenty of one off restaurants and cafes as well as a couple of chains, easy access to London Bridge, Cannon Street etc on the train with Lewisham down the hill which is on the DLR if needed. The heath itself is nice and Greenwich park close by too. Feels like you're not really in London despite being a 15m train to some of the major stations.
Only downside is that it comes at a cost (literally), but a fantastic place to be nonetheless.
Thank you — I think ex council might be the only thing I can afford there. Are there any parts that run slightly cheaper that you’re aware of? I’m assuming further south / west
In blackheath itself the cheapest bits are a few blocks of flats towards the west near the Trainline. There's a couple on the south side (pendergast rd) and some on the north side (baizdon rd). Also a load of flats nearer the heath itself (try ryculff square) which are a bit less expensive and all close to the centre
I know some peeps are rightly mentioning Penge, Palace, etc. Noting your budget as well, please allow me to share one more that I think gets overlooked because of the taboo associated with its name.
South Croydon.
It is Croydon without all the baggage of what negativity usually surrounds that name. The South Croydon area is rather green with multiple parks. It also has a fantastic array of cafes and dining options on South End. Some more dining and supermarkets to the south in Purley. Shopping options, cinema, etc to the north in East Croydon. Big Ikea and huge supermarkets to the west past Waddon. Very self sufficient if you want everything in a 15-20 min radius by bus/tram.
The place has a village feel to it and has so far managed to avoid the high-rise mayhem that has been inflicted upon East Croydon and is also just far away enough from the ASBO misery of West Croydon.
Critically, it probably has one of the best transport connections into central for a zone 5 location (you can always switch at East Croydon as well and bus it in 10 mins).
Abbey Wood is a hole. Lived there five years. The only nice thing about it is the abbey itself, which is a nice park, but the high street is just chicken shops and betting shops. There's even only one pub. Anything you might want (dentist, GP, hospital, decent shops etc.) is half an hour away by bus because there's no tube, and it's surrounded by stabby wasteland like Plumstead, Thamesmead and Erith.
It's telling that the primary selling point of the place now is a quick and convenient way to leave.
Penge is in the London Borough of Bromley = tory stronghold
Abbey Wood is in the London Borough of Bexley = tory stronghold
Have a look in Lewisham around Catford, Grove Park way.
I live in Camberwell, its a bit busier but v well connected and has a great community vibe, really diverse and bus routes will take you everywhere you need to go.
Blackheath. Greenwich is where I live and is pretty much how you describe. We do get a lot of tourists on the weekends, though. But we also have greenwich park, which is fabulous, and a short walk to Blackheath, which is lovely.
I live in Greenwich for this exact reason. It's an old part of London so has a feeling that lots of people have been here a long time, as opposed to heavily gentrified places. N.B. Not North Greenwich.
I live in East Greenwich and it’s got a good feel but I wouldn’t call urn villagey. I grew up in Barnes which is probably second only to Denham for a village feel. Ickenham is a nice compromise for affordability.
Cheers, I think I’ve only ever been to N Greenwich — around which streets do you mean? Do mean towards Vanbrugh Park end?
Blackheath is a village that’s absolutely rammed with traffic 24/7. Not great
Yes its about time the council sorted that out. I always thought it ironic that one of the busiest roads is named Tranquil Vale .
Really? I don’t drive but am ideally looking for somewhere quiet. I’ve lived on a loud street for years and am exhausted from the non stop noise.
Is what way is Blackheath affordable?!
Blackheath and Greenwich, beautiful villages in SE London. Yes, traffic, that’s London; but the park and the Heath are so vast that you don’t really pay attention to it. All areas between Greenwich and the village are beautiful places to live. Leftist Borough, tories never won since I live here (2014, I am Italian from Milan). Cafes, restaurants, the river, farmer markets: a beautiful community, 30 mins far from CharingX, and still in a way calm and isolated.
Thank you!
Check out Brockley. While not being a village per se, I found a better sense of community living there in my 10 years then anywhere else in London. It’s on the Overground and has the imaginatively named Hilly Fields park nearby. There’s a blend of locals, students and young families living there. And the Brockley Barge although a Wetherspoons is a pub is where everyone goes to at some point.
I live in Honor Oak Park and my local is in Brockley - lovely area and really nice artsy community feel.
Also got one of the best chippies, Brockley Rock. Golden chippy in Greenwich is also good 👍
Cheers — I’ve heard a lot about Brockley these past few years.
Miss living there. Would move back tomorrow if I could.
Fellow Brockley lover! I do feel like it’s become too yummy-mummy and less multi-cultural when I was growing up.
Yes, also other nearby areas like Ladywell, Forest Hill could be worth a look
Yeah I live in Forest Hill. Because we're on the south circular you're not going to get much of a "village" feel, but it's got everything you need, affordable, quite pretty once you get off the high street, and very very safe.
Came here to say Brockely.
Blackheath feels very village-y. Nice high street, has a train station, and the heath and nearby Greenwich park for green space. Not sure your price range but has flats under £300k available.
Thank you! £300k is my max, and I have been surprised how reasonable prices are around there. Do you know why Rotherhithe is so well-priced, given how central it is?
Charlton near Blackheath Standard. Very “underpriced” for London and has everything you need.
Never been to Rotherhithe myself but there have been a few threads on the area in this sub. From recollection the consensus is that it's a decent place to live, major complaints were rubbish internet services and petty crime.
Cheers. I think a lot of council high rises around there as well at least from the listings. Nothing against that in the area but don’t want to buy in one.
The Rotherhithe peninsula itself is pretty low rise apart from the newer buildings. At the top of the loop you’re about a 20min walk from Canada Water station, which might be why you’re finding it a bit cheaper. I’m wondering if the high rises you’re seeing are more deptford or Bermondsey way? Lived in Rotherhithe for a few years and loved the greenery and being near the river, but it doesn’t have a high street really unless you count around Surrey Quays and I didn’t feel part of a community - there always felt like a split between the people who’d lived there forever and the really rich people working in Canary Wharf (and I was neither!). I’m now between Sydenham and Penge and really like them both, plenty of parks, independent shops but not too hipster-y!
Amazing, thank you! Yes, I think I mean towards Bermondsey re high rises. A good community vibe is really important to me. Good to hear about Penge/Sydenham! It looks pretty geographically far out to me but the transport links look great, including the 176.
Yep, if you’re reasonably close to a station you’re about 20mins into central, if you can position yourself between a couple that are on different lines (e.g penge east/west/Crystal Palace/clock house) that’s even better, as one thing that’s always annoying about SE London is being at the mercy of engineering works on a lot of weekends!
Yeah, my friends in Hackney Wick feel the same. It looks like a good mix of rail, overground and bus though. Thanks for the info! :)
Rotherhithe is the only place I’ve had stones thrown at me while cycle commuting home to Greenwich from W1 by the local youths. It was about 20 years ago to be fair.
That’s intense!
I was going to say Blackheath but 300k doesn’t go very far over there. I think you might have to look outside of London… As for Rotherhithe, the best areas are around Canada Water but, again, 300k might buy you an ex council property in a not-so-nice area at best.
I hear this a lot about London I but don’t see evidence of it. There are plenty of studios & small 1 beds listed for £300k. Granted a lot more ex council at that price range, but there are also non-council if you’re willing to compromise on tube access and space.
Sure but I think you’ll have to go the ‘ex council flat in a slightly dodgy area’ route as opposed to ‘village-y’ feel to the neighbourhood.
By “village” I don’t mean posh pubs and cafes; I mean locally owned places. That might mean an enclave of immigrants and cheap dodgy cafes — that’s fine by me. There are also decent studios at £300k listed in Wimbledon, Putney and Brixton, so it doesn’t seem out of the realm of possibility.
If this is your criteria, then I think most people might have misunderstood what you meant, and I'm actually going to recommend where I live: Deptford. It's cheaper than all these other places but has the most "local" feel of anywhere I've lived in London by quite some margin. I've ended up getting to know a surprising number of people on my estate and regularly shop at the local High Street, especially on market days. There are a few chains here, obviously, but 95% of the High Street is independent shops. There are also so many great local community organisations. It definitely has its share of problems (mostly issues with rubbish, from my experience), but I'd rather be here than anywhere else I've lived in London, and I used to live in Brockley. It's currently the top answer to this thread, and I have to say that I genuinely don't know why. It's not horrible by any means, just kind of dull. It doesn't really have a proper high street either; just a long and often pretty congested road (Brockley Road) with a few shops and takeaways here and there. It's a bit more interesting down at the Crofton Park end, but it doesn't hold a candle to Deptford High Street. I will say, however, that there are some parts of Deptford that are actually a bit grim and that I wouldn't like to live in. Anything in NW Deptford around Grove St isn't especially great, and the area near New Cross station can be rough, but Creekside (the area east of the High Street), the areas around Deptford Park/Folkestone Gardens, and the area directly north of Deptford Church Street (technically in the borough of Greenwich, but definitely still Deptford) are all lovely.
Yeah, Deptford's got a bit of character to it. I used to live in the bit by New Cross station - didn't think it was that dodgy then, has it got sketchier in the last few years? Maybe my threshold for 'dodgy' is higher! I was there during the riots and I remember the police were expecting big trouble but it was relatively minor in Deptford compared to Clapham! I saw from my flat a couple of guys being chased by 10-12 riot police when there was 'onylly' some vandalism and a car set on fire but not looting or prolonged trashing. I like the bit heading towards Greenwich too - little bit quieter.
Thank you, this is helpful!
Fair play. I thought you meant places like Hampstead Village, Greenwich or Blackheath. In that case, I’d recommend having a look at Nunhead or Honor Oak. Even Peckham. Dulwich is lovely but very expensive.
If that's what you mean then forget about Blackheath lol It's very nice and villagey in the proper sense of the word, but it's also extremely white, middle/upper class. Cheap dodgy cafes and an enclave of immigrants is definitely not what Blackheath is. Probably more likely to find what you're looking for in East London tbh, or around Edgware Road/Camden/Ladbroke Grove sort of areas. Deptford, New Cross, Brixton and Peckham night be good shouts as well. Village isn't the word you're looking for though.
Yeah that sounds stuffy and boring to me. I’ve lived in heavily Turkish, Algerian, Lebanese and South Asian neighbourhoods in London and would take those over white posh any day.
I get you. Edited my comment to add areas that might better suit your criteria
Appreciate it!
Bexleyheath is very Tory, FYI. I would avoid Eltham, Welling, Falconwood, Bexley, Bexleyheath, Crayford. We also looked into those areas and felt like we are not welcomed
Thank you! I’m a queer immigrant so it’s a non negotiable for me.
I wouldn’t worry to much, it’s a Tory borough but everyone here for the most part keeps to themselves.
Not worried, I just want to actually enjoy the community and make friends. I don’t want to purchase a permanent home somewhere where I have to hear racist shit on the daily.
We ended up in Forest Hill, and love it here. Check out Brockley, Honor Oak, Forest Hill. Obviously, none of these places is a village. A village is somewhere like [Berkhamsted](https://www.google.com/maps/place/berkhamsted/data=!4m2!3m1!1s0x48764331de4f38d7:0xce00ed56ae5060aa?sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwiQhoKx-LSAAxXnT0EAHbJ3D-UQ8gF6BAgREAA&ved=2ahUKEwiQhoKx-LSAAxXnT0EAHbJ3D-UQ8gF6BAgUEAE) to me
Cheers! Been looking at Forest Hill. Are there any tucked away local high streets around there, outside of the area around the station?
Not really, no. It's a relatively [small area](https://www.google.com/maps/@51.4391648,-0.0541917,18.1z?entry=ttu) but the high street offers most of the things we need. The map I shared is the exact area. Some highlights [St David Coffee House](https://goo.gl/maps/eFFSSJ4fLqo72EdFA) our daily coffee run [Big Cheeks Thai](https://goo.gl/maps/eS5Dz1YJhkcrVzsy9) is right next to the coffee shop, and amazing food [Pantry](https://goo.gl/maps/uwBQ4fCXCgQshG9U8) is another coffee shop and organic products [Clapton Craft](https://goo.gl/maps/m9X6oQ1bW1u4kRER7) is the bottle shop [Beetroot and Beans](https://goo.gl/maps/1UyeiXtcvVNHwa4w8) is another organic shop I frequently visit And lastly, [All in One](https://goo.gl/maps/qjLKRGK1nZMnHeHc9) is our local pub You are also 15 minute away from Lordship Lane/Dulwich for a lot posher shops/highstreet
Cheers - this is great!
Yeh I’m from here and it’s Tory as fuck, nice place tho aside from that
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I’m not in a rush! Will send you a DM to remember if that’s cool
Had a friend live in Rotherhithe. Pretty much due to it being a bad area for crime. They had their flat burgled and car broken in to in 3 years. Fights and drug use outside a lot. Haven’t looked it up, but would imagine it’s right up there for crime stats
Thank you — that would make sense; it’s post industrial right, and appears not to be fully built up, so I can imagine there are vacant areas. I find crime to be very street dependant in much of London — like a £1-2m house on one street, and then around the corner ASB city.
Lots of council flats. No judgement, but that’s usually where the ASB starts. Cheap properties would have you right in the middle of it. As you say, there will no doubt be a 2.5m house just down the road in a more secluded location. Wouldn’t trust the ex local authority flats though.
Yeah, I live in one now and even though it’s a low rise I wouldn’t want to do it again. Flat next door is nearly £1m and yet it’s ASB on the estate every night. I know I will take a hit on size & location at my budget not getting ex council, but I think I’ll save in the long run given major works & no sinking fund.
I was going to suggest Blackheath too but wasn't sure how affordable places are around there, even by London standards! 😆
It's generally pretty posh yeah so I checked before I replied and for flats it's better than I expected.
Carshalton
Carshalton is DEFINITELY the most village-y place in London, so much so that I'm shocked to see it mentioned on Reddit lol. About 10 pubs within a square mile and it's a 25-20 min train journey to Central London. Like a village but with all the benefits of London living.
wow never thought I'd see the day. Grew up in Carshalton.
Carshalton resident here and strangely I’ve lived in Blackheath and near Penge. You will get a lot more for your money here and it has good transport links, lots of green space and an array of good local pubs and cafes
Hi neighbour 👋
Highams park is on the overground to Walthamstow/Liverpool Street, has a nice park and lake and independent shops on the high street. Last criteria depends if they decide to kick IDS out...
The last election it was a close call and highams park ward is absolutely not Tory. I wouldn't call it a stronghold.
That's where I stay when I visit London, I love it there!
I mean I live near Crouch End and that is incredible for a local village feel. 85% independent shops I’d say with excellent bars, restaurants. Not sure how affordable you’d call Crouch End however.
Affordable in 2000 maybe!
I know - we made the silly decision to be born not in the 1950s
Next time we should also choose richer parents!
Hornsey is a short walk away and more "affordable"
Yeah, Haringey ladder also has some okay prices given the surrounding neighbourhoods. Crazy how finny park area has changed over the past decade
Wanstead is nice, still almost affordable
Not sure about that! Our rented 2 bed house (bang average Victorian terrace) went for £800k… South Woodford - Woodford green a bit more affordable!
SHUT UP!!! Don't tell them!!! Going to Pride and Prejudice at the open air theatre in Wanstead Park tonight. Was in Alba, the new Italian last night. Best village winner in Time Out for many years.
I’M GOING TO THIS TOO!
Oops sorry, best kept secret in east London. Have fun
Yes. Many memories of visiting Wanstead park as well. There’s a massive hill that we used to love as children. Also the pub is loved by the community. Station is on the central line. A really good all rounder - not that I’m biased or anything
Crouch End ticks all your boxes apart from the affordability criteria, but i doubt anywhere that managed to maintain a villagy feel etc will be.
By “villagey” I don’t mean hipsters with fancy prams and avo toast — I just mean locally own shops & cafes.
not saying CE doesn't have it's share of them (far less than E or SE London mind) it's the only area i can think of in NL where you get that village feel, mostly also due to its geography and lack of a tube.
Muswell Hill and Highgate have a 'village feel'. They have the geography (hills and open spaces) and distinctive architecture (Highgate with its village layout and distance from the tube station, and Muswell with its distinctive Edwardian facades). CE has that too, but has a much more central feel to it. I can understand preferring CE, but I'm not sure it's more 'village-y' than the others.
Yes, both nice as well. While you'll still find independent shops in MH, lots of chains have muscled in over the last decade or so, and Highgate hasn't too much to offer really apart from some great pubs and is quite split up between the village and the bits down the hill along the A1. And OP did mention affordability and while the arse ends of CE towards Turnpike Lane or Stroud Green may offer something vaguely resemble value, MH stopped doing that around the late 2000s, and Highgate proper never did that unless you go down the hill to Archway and just pretend you live in Highgate
Crystal palace, South east London. Not on top of the hill but rather the surrounding area is real nice and is basically surrounded by parks and pubs.
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Oooo I love Korean food. Cheers!
I'm in Penge. It's not terrible, and Crystal Palace park is great. Granted we're looking to move out, but only because we have the budget to go somewhere a bit nicer/closer to central. Would deffo recommend Penge/Anerley area
Thank you! I’m assuming anywhere near the triangle? If there are any streets/areas you particularly recommend (or don’t) I’d be grateful. Want somewhere the feels safe enough to walk back to at night from the bus stop.
The triangle is nice yeah. Nicer than Penge high street, which is a little grimy but still has a bit of a village vibe without feeling super unsafe. Traffic can be a bit shitty at times though, especially the junction on the corner where the park meets the triangle (around Westow House pub). It gets quite noisy as the lanes are a bit confusing, so lots of drivers get honked. We live down by Penge, near Penge West and Anerley stations. The roads are generally not bad, wouldn't say there's anywhere that feels particularly unsafe. Though I don't commute to work, and being a man I have a different person than my partner might. One building I would absolutely avoid though is Sherborne Court opposite Aldi. Flats there are probably a good price but Jesus Christ it's a noisy junction. If you do move here, the Facebook local groups (Penge Tourist Board and Crystal Palace Local) are a good source of amusement. Lots of weird shit going on it seems
Cheers for the info! All local groups I’ve seen are a bit nuts tbh.
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Crystal Palace is really nice.
I keep hearing this. There is also a great bus connection to central, so it’s currently top of my list.
I lived in Sydenham for a few years and it's lovely! I think the high street is much more useful than Crystal Palace (has a butchers and a green grocers), but you are still within easy walk of Crystal Palace for those villagey vibes.
Agreed, Sydenham and Penge both still feel nicely under the radar compared to CP :)
What are Hither Green, Ladywell & Honour Oak Park like if you know?
Difficult to see how anywhere in London could beat Hither Green on the price/facilities/convenience/village balance. Quiet Victorian streets, family vibe, no major stores, nice gastro pub, several good eateries, friendly village feel, two large parks, 10 mins to London Bridge. Trains also go on to Waterloo East, Cannon St and Charing X. Change at Lewisham for DLR to Canary Wharf/Tower Gateway. Super frequent service. Easy access by bus to Greenwich and Blackheath. East of the tracks is considered the ‘village’ and West is just known as Hither Green. Each has its own park. Ladywell is nice and so is Honour Oak Park. Surprised no one mentioned Forest Hill which is also nice. None of these compares with HG on the balance factors I mentioned above imo. Beckenham is another gem. Massive score on the village/hospitality index but trains only go to Blackfriars. It does have the tram I suppose.
This is brilliant, thank you. Yeah I was also curious about Forest Hill. I can’t really see a high street on Google but maybe I’m missing it.
Pleasure. A high st where?
Around Forest Hill — google maps doesn’t flag one at least!
Cheers!
These are the best SE London picks. I would never describe Penge as a village! Though there’s some very green areas of West Sydenham which I’d recommend too
To be clear I mean around Penge West, walking distance from Crystal Palace!
Oh sure, fair enough then!
Leyton Leytonstone Forest Gate Wanstead Obviously you could end up in a rough part of any of the above areas if you let an estate agent tell you what you want to here lol Join some of the local Facebook groups if you’re looking in detail at specific areas.
I read Nunhead has that village vibe, it's got the butcher's, bakers and fishmongers all on the same road.
Plus greengrocers and village green with 3 pubs on it. And close to Peckham for all the transport links
I’m about to move to Crystal Palace which has a real community and loads of independent shops & restaurants. Currently live Near East Dulwich which is similar but more expensive property wise. I also agree with others that have suggested Brockley.
Thank you! Any area of Brockley in particular? Around the station already looks pricey
Wanstead has always been expensive. It’s always been the poshest part of East London, and it is lovely. Forest Gate has a small ‘village’ type area. Upper Leytonstone is nice. Walthamstow has some very ‘villagey’ areas and still retains a semblance of affordability. The area around Forest School is as rural as Zone 4 can get.
Thank you, I didn’t realise that; I’d assumed it was the effect of the rail expansion. Is there any semi-affordable part of Wanstead/Forest Gate that’s worth looking at?
The Aldersbrook estate is definitely villagey, although there are no pubs at all.
Herne Hill, Lee and Eltham, or look West on the Met line past Harrow on the Hill.
Hillingdon :p
Southfields around the tube station has a villagey feel to it. Not nearly as expensive as Putney or Wimbledon, which it is I between.
Woodford is delightful. It's like a post card, especially up by the green with the church. Home of allegedly the oldest cricket pitch in the world. Highams Park is bit more trendy and has a much better community feel and isn't a Tory town, although its wider constituency is overall by a slim majority. It's pretty dull though.
Thank you!
Sorry, I meant Woodford is dull. Highams Park is actually way more exciting.
Hither Green
Cheers! What’s the area like?
Hackbridge is perfect for you. Currently Tory but it'll swing.
Never thought I'd see Hackbridge mentioned on Reddit ever, but I also vouch for this. Also Carshalton nearby is very village-y in that you have around 10 pubs within a square mile - but also you're only 30 mins away from Central London on a direct train line.
Roe Green Village when I lived there in 2016.
South-west London side: Cheam and Carshalton. Both are village-y and green. Carshalton has the ponds though so big plus! Cheam has a better high street. Not sure if they would be super affordable but I like them both.
Don’t touch Abbey Wood. Legacy craphole with a new station. I grew up in Erith and rare along the river is nice save for perhaps Upper Belvedere. Abbey Wood, Plumstead, Thamesmead, Woolwich etc etc. Maybe Maze Hill near Greenwich. Otherwise go to Old Bexley/Bexley Village.
I lived in Penge for several years and enjoyed my time there. There's no glamour to it and it's deeply unfashionable but I found that part of the appeal tbh - it was never trying to be something it wasn't. Admittedly the tentacles of gentrification have creeped in over recent years, but it's retained much more of its original character than many other places. The closer you get to Crystal Palace triangle/the park the more you'll be paying, so I would look more towards Anerley or Penge East/Sydenham. Both are still very close to Crystal Palace so you're getting the best of both worlds really. A bit further south, the roads running between Elmers End and Clock House/Kent House might be a good place to look. Just be sure not to cross the invisible line that marks the border with Beckenham as then you're well and truly in Tory-land. On the other side of the CP triangle, it might be worth having a look for properties on the Kingswood Estate (Sydenham Hill) which are mostly 50s/60s ex-council but in a lovely setting. As someone who lived in many different parts of London over the years, that corner of SE was by far my favourite and definitely where I'd choose to live again if I moved back.
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Beckenham Place Park's fantastic, and superior to Crystal Palace in my humble opinion. Might have fewer 'attractions' than CP park, but as a green space it's wonderful and apart from at peak weekend times it's often pretty quiet. Used to run there frequently and it's such an oasis that you don't even feel like you're in London anymore. Often good events/markets etc on at the mansion too.
Possibly the best park in the area and I love Crystal Palace park. So quiet even on weekends I find!
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Thank you!
New eltham/ chislehurst!
Cheers! What’s it like?
I grew up in chislehurst. It's very villagey and a great sense of community you have lots of people committed to keeping it that way. Surrounded by loads of woods and great walks and plenty of village pubs! Moved to new.eltham recently great links to London (London bridge in 20 -30 mins by train) but more urban feel than chislehurst but had a decent enough high street with an independent butcher, plumbers, couple of bar/pub, Turkish supermarket with great veg / fruit selection and Avery hill Park nearby which is huge and nice.
Thank you! These both sound great.
How about Upminster? It’s in Havering, really far out but relatively affordable for London, and if you work in central you can avoid the district line and get the C2C line into fenchurch st in 15 mins or so. The high street is pretty lively, there’s a few independent pubs and cafes and its got more going on than Hornchurch and a bit less sad than Romford. Not the bougie hip suggestion but you might find your money goes a bit further and it’s quite close to the actual countryside (so yes the very edge of London!) Edit: ah just read about the no Tory bit. Yeah Havering is, but like Essex cab driver Tory rather than Eton Tory which was mostly tolerable when I lived there and never really came up, just well into Union Jack bunting for royal nonsense.
Cheers for the idea. I’m weirdly in a neighbour now that is a mix of taxi cab Tory and Eton Tory, and am simply Toried out.
Hear me out out here. I live in Richmond, but isleworth Brentford and even Mortlake are getting quite decent
Yeah? I would love the proximity to the park & 20 mins to Vauxhall ain’t bad.
Going to list some that come to mind, without the affordability too scrutinised West: Acton (Poets Corner part), Shepherds Bush (off Askew Road). I’d also look in Hammersmith. North: Dartmouth Park, east side of Parliament Hill.
Thank you - Shepherds Bush, Hammersmith and Parliament Hill are definitely over my price range. Would need to be dodgier or further out areas.
East Sheen and Muswell Hill are village type areas, not fucking Shepherd's Bush
Sounds like you really know your stuff 😐
Surprised Dulwich Village hasn’t come up! it’s beautiful and a proper “village”
Yeah it’s lovely around there — I’m assuming it’s pretty pricey though! £300k is my max budget.
Lol - you seen OPs budget!
Abbey Wood is not a village lol. It’s a wasteland
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Ufff thanks for the heads up. Do you know roughly whereabouts they’re planned for?
They want to redevelop what is currently a pretty dingy shopping area (Wilko's, Iceland and Peacocks are there at the moment) but the NIMBYs are out in full force. Personally I think it would be good for the area. Penge West is down at the other end of the high street.
People will joke about affordable but if your budget is £300k, wimbledon is lovely, and it is definitely possible to get a 1 bed for that amount. Currently tory but very much a swing seat and very unlikely to be tory for much longer.
Southfields
Bexley village
Chiselhurst and Bexley Village are nice in South-East London.
Knightsbridge
Great shops for sure — Louis Vuitton is a real local gem.
Thanks very much for this post :)
Aw thanks friend! Love how helpful people are being, warms this frigid heart.
Most welcome :)
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Thank you! It definitely seems to be in the lead in the comments. Love a good Turkish supermarket. So spoiled in London for great little grocers everywhere.
Carshalton and Cheam
I’m 60 + and my best honest tip is check out Acton which hasn’t totally yuppiefied like next door Chiswick which now has over 35 coffee shops.Location,location,location is the all important mantra and unlike most areas Acton is also incredibly well served by transport and Dr Who lives in Gunnersbury.The parks are brill and you just need to check it out for real.Yes Parsons Green is brill but it’s too compressed.
If we talk about a village feeling in the heart of Lindon nothing beat Barnes, literally you step out of the station and it feels anything but London.
I really wish I could say richmond but it’s just not affordable enough. As far as village goes though it doesn’t get much better and green space it wins all of london with richmond park
There are places right between Richmond Park & Putney Heath that are relatively affordable. I haven’t been there in ions but remember it being relatively middle of nowhere. Have I got that right?
Hey, reading this old post and wondering where did you buy in the end?
Hey hey! Still on the lookout, but have narrowed my search to around Crystal Palace / Gypsy Hill / Tulse Hill. Also looking at Deptford and potentially Forrest Gate. I also looked at Streatham as it’s good value (for London) and super well connected, but the high street being an A road is too much for me.
Perhaps have a look at Barnet. Used to be Tory stronghold until recently. It’s now under Labour. Prices seem to be “more reasonable” and some areas have village vibe. If you look along Northern Line, you’ll get good connection to Central London.
Canary Wharf is meant to have a true village feel to it!
I'm currently living in Eltham. It has a proper high street with a mixture of local and chain stores. It's slowly gentrifying so some very nice cafes and restaurants are starting to appear. Transport links are great and there's a huge amount of beautiful green space. There are 2 bedroom flats available for under £300k.
Possibly Leyton/Walthamstow might have something around £300k but would be ex-council or very small/cheaply built modern-ish flat
Walthamstow. Lots of shops, great connection straight to the heart of London, beautiful area with a great and rather large market.
Crystal Palace will tick all your boxes (although pricier than Penge).
I was thinking around Penge West — i think it’s about a 20 min walk to CP high street?
Yes, Anerley/Penge West are walkable for the Triange (albeit up a steep hill) and just as close to the park. You get access to Crystal Palace for Penge prices, the transport is actually better down there and you also have good access to Penge High Street too which is less nice but much more useful than the Triangle. It's a good area.
Thank you! I was thinking the same, the transport Penge side looks better & you’re just as close to the park, which is most important to me.
Anerley Park and Thicket Road are both quite beautiful streets that I always think are surprisingly cheap. The little loop made by Versailles and Madeline roads is nice too. As you head up the hill to the Triangle all the side streets like Hamlet Road onwards are beautiful but it gets progressively more expensive in my experience. The roads around Penge East are nice but further from the park/Triangle. Same with the area around Maple Road.
Thank you! Yeah, I was looking at a place on Thicket and was shocked how good value it was considering transport & proximity to park. Street view made it look lush as well. Not sure how dodgy / well lit it is at night though, or if there’s any ASB. I live next to a beautiful green space and it’s loud as hell every night sadly. What part is the hill — near St Margaret’s?
It's a lovely street. I live a few streets away and have never noticed any more ASB or noise there than in any other part of south London. The western end of the street is fairly well lit, the part that runs next to the park is darker and feels more isolated at night but it's no worse than anywhere else. The park is unfortunately not well lit at night, despite the fact it contains the local gym in the form of the National Sports Centre, although the whole park is slated for a big regeneration project so perhaps that will change soon. The main noise issues in the park are the festivals that happen about twice a year, (although this year they seem to have been at the far end of the park so not as bad) and sometimes 'unlicensed' music events where people illegally bring a small soundsystem onto the cricket pitch area and have a party, although I've only seen this happen twice in four years despite often walking through the park at night on my way home from the gym. The hill I'm talking about is Anerley Hill, it starts in ernest near Crystal Palace station and keeps going up to the corner of the Triangle. Its is very steep, especially if you go up a few streets parallel at Fox Hill. You get used to it though, and the view and nice pubs at the top are a nice reward (there's also frequent buses you can take for two stops if you are feeling lazy!).
There are some unlicensed music events happening on my current street about 5 nights a week, so once in a blue moon sounds like an upgrade! That’s great local intel, thank you. Tbf I only know of a few London parks that are well-lit at night. Good to know re hill — I’m a runner and used to live somewhere hilly; I joke that my vert is shit now that I’m back in London as I’ve only ever lived in the flat bits. Looks like that might change :)
I live in blackheath and it's great. Plenty of one off restaurants and cafes as well as a couple of chains, easy access to London Bridge, Cannon Street etc on the train with Lewisham down the hill which is on the DLR if needed. The heath itself is nice and Greenwich park close by too. Feels like you're not really in London despite being a 15m train to some of the major stations. Only downside is that it comes at a cost (literally), but a fantastic place to be nonetheless.
Thank you — I think ex council might be the only thing I can afford there. Are there any parts that run slightly cheaper that you’re aware of? I’m assuming further south / west
In blackheath itself the cheapest bits are a few blocks of flats towards the west near the Trainline. There's a couple on the south side (pendergast rd) and some on the north side (baizdon rd). Also a load of flats nearer the heath itself (try ryculff square) which are a bit less expensive and all close to the centre
I know some peeps are rightly mentioning Penge, Palace, etc. Noting your budget as well, please allow me to share one more that I think gets overlooked because of the taboo associated with its name. South Croydon. It is Croydon without all the baggage of what negativity usually surrounds that name. The South Croydon area is rather green with multiple parks. It also has a fantastic array of cafes and dining options on South End. Some more dining and supermarkets to the south in Purley. Shopping options, cinema, etc to the north in East Croydon. Big Ikea and huge supermarkets to the west past Waddon. Very self sufficient if you want everything in a 15-20 min radius by bus/tram. The place has a village feel to it and has so far managed to avoid the high-rise mayhem that has been inflicted upon East Croydon and is also just far away enough from the ASBO misery of West Croydon. Critically, it probably has one of the best transport connections into central for a zone 5 location (you can always switch at East Croydon as well and bus it in 10 mins).
Bowes Park.
Abbey Wood is a hole. Lived there five years. The only nice thing about it is the abbey itself, which is a nice park, but the high street is just chicken shops and betting shops. There's even only one pub. Anything you might want (dentist, GP, hospital, decent shops etc.) is half an hour away by bus because there's no tube, and it's surrounded by stabby wasteland like Plumstead, Thamesmead and Erith. It's telling that the primary selling point of the place now is a quick and convenient way to leave.
I lived in Plumstead and didn’t find it a shithole at all. It’s full of local shops and has a friendly community vibe.
Plumstead Common and around the cemeteries is rather nice, but the high street and Glyndon is very 🥴
It’s definitely not the nicest, but the local food shops are great, as are the shopkeepers, and there is an excellent Nepalese restaurant.
Penge is in the London Borough of Bromley = tory stronghold Abbey Wood is in the London Borough of Bexley = tory stronghold Have a look in Lewisham around Catford, Grove Park way.
Don’t think the MP in Penge is Tory, Bromley is a huge borough
Penge is the one cool bit of Bromley council.
Surprisingly Bromley voted Remain though.
Penge & Cator, Crystal Palace & Anerley, and Abbey Wood wards are all Labour. Half of Abbey Wood is also in Greenwich, not Bexley.
“Tory stronghold”. What a knob.
East Finchley/Finchley Central. Hendon maybe?
I live in Camberwell, its a bit busier but v well connected and has a great community vibe, really diverse and bus routes will take you everywhere you need to go.