Advice on where to live - West London?
Discussion
Thanks to a new job at Stockley Park, I need to move - and buy, ideally, if I can. I'd rather live on the London side, if possible, rather than outside the M25. I went for a drive around the areas along the central line (Perivale, Northolt, and around) and nothing really grabbed me. I'm loathe to spend too much more time exploring, without advice, as it would just be random luck whether I happened upon anywhere decent.
Criteria:
...and...
I'm very grateful for any advice offered
Criteria:
- a decent area
- hopefully affordable(ish) although I know nowhere's cheap around here
- decent access into London - so fairly close to a tube (ideally) or trainline
...and...
- within 6-7 miles of Stockley Park (as shown) so I can cycle in (which limits things)
- fairly close to the train line that goes to West Drayton station (which opens decent areas up, like Ealing, but closer in to London gets bloody expensive)
I'm very grateful for any advice offered
rough as a
holes within a close proximity of there, aim for Richmond /Twickenham if you can afford it. Cycling is do able form there, but otherwise by Car i'd reckon.
Quite liked living in South Ealing (10 years ago so no idea about now) and Brentford has some good memories, although there is nothing there - fairly good links by bus / train / tube (at a push) though.
Chiswick is nice but expensive as well
holes within a close proximity of there, aim for Richmond /Twickenham if you can afford it. Cycling is do able form there, but otherwise by Car i'd reckon. Quite liked living in South Ealing (10 years ago so no idea about now) and Brentford has some good memories, although there is nothing there - fairly good links by bus / train / tube (at a push) though.
Chiswick is nice but expensive as well
If you want an nice area - think about Ickenham/North Hillingdon - not too expensive easy access to Central Line and close to the A40 for quick run into town. My 'Head Office' (I only go in once a month or so) is also in Stockley. I live a little further away from it than Ruislip and it only takes me about 20 mins in the moring. I would think Ickenham/North Hillingdon would be 10-15 mins. I know you said closer to London, but really unless your happy to spend Ealing/Chiswick money, I would say think about some parts of Perivale/Greenford and bits of Ealing of Argyle Avenue - You may be further from the Tube though. I grew up in Heston and later Ealing, and I don't think Ealing is worth the extra money.
Some parts of Heston are ok, Isleworth and Osterley but again they are usually more expensive because of the Airport.
Investigate these areas: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&a... and I think you will be happy. (good access to some great hooning roads as well)
Some parts of Heston are ok, Isleworth and Osterley but again they are usually more expensive because of the Airport.
Investigate these areas: http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&a... and I think you will be happy. (good access to some great hooning roads as well)
Puggit said:
Southall 
That would be my left-field suggestion.I was born and bred in the area and know it well. Get somewhere off the Broadway and you'll be a stone's throw away from some of the best Indian food you'll ever eat, everything's open virtually 24/7, food and every conceivable household good is incredibly cheap.
It's also a safe area compared with its surroundings. In my view, the immigrant population (the majority in Southall) are hard-working people with a culture which values achievement. Get a new car and they'll say "nice", rather than hate you for it. I can't say that for the 'indigenous' population.
People often ask me "So, MC, do you keep in touch with your friends from school?" expecting this to be somewhere like Benenden or Roedean since due to the fact that my parents both learned English from the BBC, I speak like the Queen.
Erm... I didn't have that many 'white' friends at school, but if I knew which prison they were in, I would.
Edited by Mobile Chicane on Friday 30th April 23:49
Take a drive round and see how comfortable you feel with the ethnic mix. It's not something an Estate agent is going to tell you and even on the net people are too PC to give you the lowdown other than in coded references. You may find some of these places too Black / Brown and or too full of Eastern Europeans for you to feel comfortable.
Before someone jumps down my throat, I'm brown and in the past have rejected areas because they were too Asian, too Black and in several cases because they were too white (Every time I approached someone for a chat they behaved as if I was going to carjack or mug them).
pp
Before someone jumps down my throat, I'm brown and in the past have rejected areas because they were too Asian, too Black and in several cases because they were too white (Every time I approached someone for a chat they behaved as if I was going to carjack or mug them).
pp mft said:
I'd rather live on the London side, if possible, rather than outside the M25.
Having grown up within the "nicer" part of that map (at the very top) I would suggest this is where you are going wrong as the area inside the M25 you have shown would be better described as "st Hole". Unless you have specific reason otherwise I would recommend looking outside the M25.CaptainSlow said:
Having grown up within the "nicer" part of that map (at the very top) I would suggest this is where you are going wrong as the area inside the M25 you have shown would be better described as "st Hole". Unless you have specific reason otherwise I would recommend looking outside the M25.
Thanks t Hole". Unless you have specific reason otherwise I would recommend looking outside the M25.It's all a balance between being able to easily enjoy what London has to offer versus finding a decent area which is also affordable, and offers a decent commute.
I'm currently in a village a few miles from a station offering a quick train into London, and I'm fed up of the compromises necessary to visit friends or spend time in London - horrible driving in/out, or station car parking and not drinking, or unreliable public transport to the station, or expensive taxis to/from the station adding £30 onto a night out, and all whilst having to make the last train available. I'm suspect that I'd have the same frustrations outside the M25, and want to avoid the same mistake a second time.
I'm starting to think renting somewhere much closer in would be a good first step, while I then explore more widely at my leisure.
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