Owning a car in central London
Discussion
C70R said:
WTF? Farringdon station is less than 10min walk from Chancery Lane, which is on the Central Line... How lazy are you?
WFT is your problem with all your s
tty abusive responses to anything I post. Have you got 'PH talk to people like a fk wit child mode' constantly programmed into your head?I don't get the central line, I am no where near it. If I was, I would get it and walk. Jesus f
king christ alive. Good luck with the move OP, I am out.
Edited by coldel on Friday 18th January 10:05
Edited by coldel on Friday 18th January 10:19
coldel said:
C70R said:
WTF? Farringdon station is less than 10min walk from Chancery Lane, which is on the Central Line... How lazy are you?
WFT is your problem with all your stty abusive responses to anything I post. Have you got 'PH talk to people like a fk wit child mode' constantly programmed into your head?I don't get the central line, I am no where near it. If I was, I would get it and walk. Jesus f
king christ alive. Good luck with the move OP, I am out.
You said it was really difficult to get to from "West London". If you're coming across town from "West London", then you'll undoubtedly come across the Central Line at some point, where trains run every 2-3min. Then Farringdon is an 8min walk from Chancery Lane.
It's barely more difficult than anywhere else in town, and would take the same amount of time as sitting on the Central Line to Liverpool St. If you think that's "really difficult", I can't imagine what your "easy" must look like.
C70R said:
coldel said:
C70R said:
WTF? Farringdon station is less than 10min walk from Chancery Lane, which is on the Central Line... How lazy are you?
WFT is your problem with all your stty abusive responses to anything I post. Have you got 'PH talk to people like a fk wit child mode' constantly programmed into your head?I don't get the central line, I am no where near it. If I was, I would get it and walk. Jesus f
king christ alive. Good luck with the move OP, I am out.
You said it was really difficult to get to from "West London". If you're coming across town from "West London", then you'll undoubtedly come across the Central Line at some point, where trains run every 2-3min. Then Farringdon is an 8min walk from Chancery Lane.
It's barely more difficult than anywhere else in town, and would take the same amount of time as sitting on the Central Line to Liverpool St. If you think that's "really difficult", I can't imagine what your "easy" must look like.
RJG46 said:
C70R said:
coldel said:
C70R said:
WTF? Farringdon station is less than 10min walk from Chancery Lane, which is on the Central Line... How lazy are you?
WFT is your problem with all your stty abusive responses to anything I post. Have you got 'PH talk to people like a fk wit child mode' constantly programmed into your head?I don't get the central line, I am no where near it. If I was, I would get it and walk. Jesus f
king christ alive. Good luck with the move OP, I am out.
You said it was really difficult to get to from "West London". If you're coming across town from "West London", then you'll undoubtedly come across the Central Line at some point, where trains run every 2-3min. Then Farringdon is an 8min walk from Chancery Lane.
It's barely more difficult than anywhere else in town, and would take the same amount of time as sitting on the Central Line to Liverpool St. If you think that's "really difficult", I can't imagine what your "easy" must look like.
I own two cars in islington. One’s the family workhorse and stays out on the street (keyed once in three years) and the other’s my weekend toy, kept in an underground car park nearby. The street parking costs around £250 a year and the private parking costs me £2100 pa. I don’t use either car much but I’m a PH and couldn’t stand the thought of being without a car at all. If I had to give up one I’d get rid of the family car and hire one as and when.
Integroo said:
No, lawyer, couple of years qualified, so hours will be bad, but not as bad as an investment banker ... probably.
That rather depends on where you'll be working and in what practice area!If you're young-ish and want any life outside work have a good look around pretty much anywhere in Hackney and much of Tower Hamlets. Moving north from the Wharf (which is a terribly boring and isolated place to live IMV), I suggest:
Mile End - lots of nice housing stock, lots of young people, but some areas still a little sketchy and limited quality nightlife r and food. Good transport links.
Bow/Globe Town - as Mile End but nicer still, and close to Victoria Park (see below).
Victoria Park village - pricey but beautiful. village like. Amazing park with boating lake, all kinds of wild birds, tennis, cricket, football, skate park, 2 playgrounds and a water park (for toddlers, not junior lawyers!), canal with lots of super stuff. Great pubs, a couple of good places to eat, fantastic butcher, fantastic fishmonger, fantastic wine/beer shop, dry cleaner, hairdressers, two organic shops, scandi furniture shop... and near to Well Street which has an even better beer shop. Full of lots of people who have young children though. Also, no tube so one either walks 10/15 mins to Bethnal Green or Mile End or Homerton (East London Line), or buses it in around 5 minutes.
Well street - sketchier but edgier. Lots of young people. No tube but Homerton.
London Fields - self-consciously cool but some great brewery tap rooms and brilliant food on Broadway Market. No tube but direct line into Liverpool Street.
Homerton - Cheaper than some of the other areas and lots of new bars and restaurants. East London Line.
Haggerston - lots of cool stuff and some lovely houses. No tube but East London line.
Hackney Central - quite urban but lots going on. Useful overland connections.
Clapton - Was before what Peckham is now. East of it is Leyton which is slowly shaking off its **hole image. No tube.
Dalston - not as cool as it was but lots of stuff to do. West of it is De Beauvoir which is a posher version. No tube but East London Line and Overground stations..
Stoke Newington - Like Victoria Park village but less accessible and has a worse park. No tube but nearby overground into eg Liverpool Street.
OR, going west from Mile End, Stepney/Whitechapel are ever evolving, well connected for transport, and fun. Very urban in places though in terms of architecture and pollution.
Bethnal Green - Also well connected. A bit harder to get to the Wharf though - you'd need to go down to Whitechapel.
The list goes on really. Use Google Maps or, even better Citymapper (both free apps) to look at transport routes. You'll see that you can drive/cycle/bus/tube from all of the above areas to CW really quickly. And really don't discount the bus for that route. I suggest, also, making sure that you have decent links into the City and westward, which is one reason I'm not a fan of Stoke Newington.
Edited to add: Describing Homerton as on the East London Line is a bit misleading - that line (at least as the term is typically used) runs roughly north/south (Haggerston and Dalston have stations on this line), whereas the Homerton line is East/West, but has useful connections)
Edited by ab8 on Friday 18th January 16:14
And on topic... I've parked cars of all types of value all over North and East London over the last 20 years. Yes, one does occasionally get bumped but it is not a regular occurrence. I've never experienced anything that wasn't superficial (ie no metalwork required). Also important is that you'd have to park something pretty unusual to get any serious attention and even then in my experience it's likely to be positive not negative - indeed, I've noticed that snotters seem at least as likely to be keyed as nice cars (although conceivably that appears to be the case because they're less likely to be repaired). I've happily parked proper (and brand new) sports/supercars on the road and never bothered with renting a garage. st does happen, but the areas you'll be looking at are full of money and London's a pretty safe place these days (I've lived there for almost 4 decades so have a frame of reference).
t does happen, but the areas you'll be looking at are full of money and London's a pretty safe place these days (I've lived there for almost 4 decades so have a frame of reference).Edited by ab8 on Friday 18th January 14:20
Example this morning of traveling from one part of London to another on public transport.
Leave girlfriend's in Acton to walk about a mile to Acton Central. Wait 10 minutes for overground to Richmond. Immediately catch a delayed SWR train at Richmond that is supposed to stop at Wandsworth Town. Get turfed off at Barnes because train is now going fast to Waterloo.
Wait 15 minutes at Barnes for next train. Get off at Wandsworth Town for a 1 mile walk home.
Fair enough there were delays. It took 1.5 hours when it can be done in 1 hour at the fastest.
But this is a 6 mile trip by road. I've walked it in 1.5 hours and even in the Rush Hour it only takes 35 to 40 minutes by car.
Leave girlfriend's in Acton to walk about a mile to Acton Central. Wait 10 minutes for overground to Richmond. Immediately catch a delayed SWR train at Richmond that is supposed to stop at Wandsworth Town. Get turfed off at Barnes because train is now going fast to Waterloo.
Wait 15 minutes at Barnes for next train. Get off at Wandsworth Town for a 1 mile walk home.
Fair enough there were delays. It took 1.5 hours when it can be done in 1 hour at the fastest.
But this is a 6 mile trip by road. I've walked it in 1.5 hours and even in the Rush Hour it only takes 35 to 40 minutes by car.
croyde said:
Example this morning of traveling from one part of London to another on public transport.
Leave girlfriend's in Acton to walk about a mile to Acton Central. Wait 10 minutes for overground to Richmond. Immediately catch a delayed SWR train at Richmond that is supposed to stop at Wandsworth Town. Get turfed off at Barnes because train is now going fast to Waterloo.
Wait 15 minutes at Barnes for next train. Get off at Wandsworth Town for a 1 mile walk home.
Fair enough there were delays. It took 1.5 hours when it can be done in 1 hour at the fastest.
But this is a 6 mile trip by road. I've walked it in 1.5 hours and even in the Rush Hour it only takes 35 to 40 minutes by car.
Yep, it seems that once you get outside zone 2 of the tube, London public transport becomes very 'hub and spoke', so if you need to get from one spoke to another it's a pain in the arse.Leave girlfriend's in Acton to walk about a mile to Acton Central. Wait 10 minutes for overground to Richmond. Immediately catch a delayed SWR train at Richmond that is supposed to stop at Wandsworth Town. Get turfed off at Barnes because train is now going fast to Waterloo.
Wait 15 minutes at Barnes for next train. Get off at Wandsworth Town for a 1 mile walk home.
Fair enough there were delays. It took 1.5 hours when it can be done in 1 hour at the fastest.
But this is a 6 mile trip by road. I've walked it in 1.5 hours and even in the Rush Hour it only takes 35 to 40 minutes by car.
NickCQ said:
Yep, it seems that once you get outside zone 2 of the tube, London public transport becomes very 'hub and spoke', so if you need to get from one spoke to another it's a pain in the arse.
Absolutely, and exacerbated in this example by not being on the Tube to benefit from regular trains. I've often moved to accommodate jobs in specific areas, to avoid exactly that.Edited by C70R on Friday 18th January 16:08
I have a car in C.London, it gets used once or twice a week, mostly for short journeys, lugging either shopping or nipping to screwfix etc. Sometimes for out of town visits to friends or family. For reference I do about 3-4k miles per year.
Transport in London is typically like spokes out of the centre. And most busses run North - South or East - West. If you want to travel 'against the grain' it can result in quite long journey times.
For example, where I live in North East London, to get to North West London to visit friends would take around 90mins on public transport, or 45mins in the car. A cab would be a reasonable £20-30.
The other consideration is some of the places I visit relatively frequently are about 15-20mins walk from the nearest bus or public transport route (e.g. the post collection office is in the arse end of an industrial site) which can make simple errands much longer than the 10min car journey.
I've never subscribed to a car sharing scheme and always figured it would be cheaper and more practical than car ownership, but a car is freedom and zipcar never really seemed that convenient. It's an expense I'm happy to put up with.
Transport in London is typically like spokes out of the centre. And most busses run North - South or East - West. If you want to travel 'against the grain' it can result in quite long journey times.
For example, where I live in North East London, to get to North West London to visit friends would take around 90mins on public transport, or 45mins in the car. A cab would be a reasonable £20-30.
The other consideration is some of the places I visit relatively frequently are about 15-20mins walk from the nearest bus or public transport route (e.g. the post collection office is in the arse end of an industrial site) which can make simple errands much longer than the 10min car journey.
I've never subscribed to a car sharing scheme and always figured it would be cheaper and more practical than car ownership, but a car is freedom and zipcar never really seemed that convenient. It's an expense I'm happy to put up with.
Esotericstuff said:
I've never subscribed to a car sharing scheme and always figured it would be cheaper and more practical than car ownership, but a car is freedom and zipcar never really seemed that convenient. It's an expense I'm happy to put up with.
I'd reconsider, in light of their recent scheme where you can pick up and drop the car off anywhere in a massive area covering Z1-3. It's very convenient.I've lived in London for 20 years now and only owned cars for maybe 5 years combined in that time.
There is a massive convenience to just get in a drive to where you're going, but unless you're leaving London, or it's an odd time at a weekend, it is highly likely to be faster to get public transport or ride a bike (or a motorbike).
I almost always ride the 5 miles to work (same area for 10 years now) on my bike. Takes me 25 minutes. If I drive, it takes me 35-45 minutes (almost the same as the tube, the bus takes over an hour), and it's only slightly faster by motorbike (average around 20 minutes). The times do not reflect the sheer awfulness of driving through rush-hour traffic in London. I only do it when I have absolutely no choice.
I've always parked on the street. My 205 GTi was written off after someone bent the door back and then destroyed the ignition in a theft attempt (this was after two incidents of vandalism, and another where I found several parts of moped embedded in the bodywork). My Alfa GTV was only damaged once (smashed mirror) in two years, and the Cayman has been free of incident, but I've only had it 6 months. This is all relatively quiet parts of zone 2 and 3.
I don't think I had any real need for a car that I noticed when I didn't have one, but I do think the lack of planning required to make longer trips is the biggest benefit to owning one. And zip car membership or another fast rental access place would have solved that for me, but wouldn't have solved the Porsche itch.
If I hadn't decided I'm too reckless on a motorbike to continue riding, I'd have one of those instead and only hire a car/van when needed.
There is a massive convenience to just get in a drive to where you're going, but unless you're leaving London, or it's an odd time at a weekend, it is highly likely to be faster to get public transport or ride a bike (or a motorbike).
I almost always ride the 5 miles to work (same area for 10 years now) on my bike. Takes me 25 minutes. If I drive, it takes me 35-45 minutes (almost the same as the tube, the bus takes over an hour), and it's only slightly faster by motorbike (average around 20 minutes). The times do not reflect the sheer awfulness of driving through rush-hour traffic in London. I only do it when I have absolutely no choice.
I've always parked on the street. My 205 GTi was written off after someone bent the door back and then destroyed the ignition in a theft attempt (this was after two incidents of vandalism, and another where I found several parts of moped embedded in the bodywork). My Alfa GTV was only damaged once (smashed mirror) in two years, and the Cayman has been free of incident, but I've only had it 6 months. This is all relatively quiet parts of zone 2 and 3.
I don't think I had any real need for a car that I noticed when I didn't have one, but I do think the lack of planning required to make longer trips is the biggest benefit to owning one. And zip car membership or another fast rental access place would have solved that for me, but wouldn't have solved the Porsche itch.
If I hadn't decided I'm too reckless on a motorbike to continue riding, I'd have one of those instead and only hire a car/van when needed.
ab8 said:
That rather depends on where you'll be working and in what practice area!
If you're young-ish and want any life outside work have a good look around pretty much anywhere in Hackney and much of Tower Hamlets. Moving north from the Wharf (which is a terribly boring and isolated place to live IMV), I suggest:
Mile End - lots of nice housing stock, lots of young people, but some areas still a little sketchy and limited quality nightlife r and food. Good transport links.
Bow/Globe Town - as Mile End but nicer still, and close to Victoria Park (see below).
Victoria Park village - pricey but beautiful. village like. Amazing park with boating lake, all kinds of wild birds, tennis, cricket, football, skate park, 2 playgrounds and a water park (for toddlers, not junior lawyers!), canal with lots of super stuff. Great pubs, a couple of good places to eat, fantastic butcher, fantastic fishmonger, fantastic wine/beer shop, dry cleaner, hairdressers, two organic shops, scandi furniture shop... and near to Well Street which has an even better beer shop. Full of lots of people who have young children though. Also, no tube so one either walks 10/15 mins to Bethnal Green or Mile End or Homerton (East London Line), or buses it in around 5 minutes.
Well street - sketchier but edgier. Lots of young people. No tube but Homerton.
London Fields - self-consciously cool but some great brewery tap rooms and brilliant food on Broadway Market. No tube but direct line into Liverpool Street.
Homerton - Cheaper than some of the other areas and lots of new bars and restaurants. East London Line.
Haggerston - lots of cool stuff and some lovely houses. No tube but East London line.
Hackney Central - quite urban but lots going on. Useful overland connections.
Clapton - Was before what Peckham is now. East of it is Leyton which is slowly shaking off its **hole image. No tube.
Dalston - not as cool as it was but lots of stuff to do. West of it is De Beauvoir which is a posher version. No tube but East London Line and Overground stations..
Stoke Newington - Like Victoria Park village but less accessible and has a worse park. No tube but nearby overground into eg Liverpool Street.
OR, going west from Mile End, Stepney/Whitechapel are ever evolving, well connected for transport, and fun. Very urban in places though in terms of architecture and pollution.
Bethnal Green - Also well connected. A bit harder to get to the Wharf though - you'd need to go down to Whitechapel.
The list goes on really. Use Google Maps or, even better Citymapper (both free apps) to look at transport routes. You'll see that you can drive/cycle/bus/tube from all of the above areas to CW really quickly. And really don't discount the bus for that route. I suggest, also, making sure that you have decent links into the City and westward, which is one reason I'm not a fan of Stoke Newington.
Edited to add: Describing Homerton as on the East London Line is a bit misleading - that line (at least as the term is typically used) runs roughly north/south (Haggerston and Dalston have stations on this line), whereas the Homerton line is East/West, but has useful connections)
Thanks! This is extremely helpful. If you're young-ish and want any life outside work have a good look around pretty much anywhere in Hackney and much of Tower Hamlets. Moving north from the Wharf (which is a terribly boring and isolated place to live IMV), I suggest:
Mile End - lots of nice housing stock, lots of young people, but some areas still a little sketchy and limited quality nightlife r and food. Good transport links.
Bow/Globe Town - as Mile End but nicer still, and close to Victoria Park (see below).
Victoria Park village - pricey but beautiful. village like. Amazing park with boating lake, all kinds of wild birds, tennis, cricket, football, skate park, 2 playgrounds and a water park (for toddlers, not junior lawyers!), canal with lots of super stuff. Great pubs, a couple of good places to eat, fantastic butcher, fantastic fishmonger, fantastic wine/beer shop, dry cleaner, hairdressers, two organic shops, scandi furniture shop... and near to Well Street which has an even better beer shop. Full of lots of people who have young children though. Also, no tube so one either walks 10/15 mins to Bethnal Green or Mile End or Homerton (East London Line), or buses it in around 5 minutes.
Well street - sketchier but edgier. Lots of young people. No tube but Homerton.
London Fields - self-consciously cool but some great brewery tap rooms and brilliant food on Broadway Market. No tube but direct line into Liverpool Street.
Homerton - Cheaper than some of the other areas and lots of new bars and restaurants. East London Line.
Haggerston - lots of cool stuff and some lovely houses. No tube but East London line.
Hackney Central - quite urban but lots going on. Useful overland connections.
Clapton - Was before what Peckham is now. East of it is Leyton which is slowly shaking off its **hole image. No tube.
Dalston - not as cool as it was but lots of stuff to do. West of it is De Beauvoir which is a posher version. No tube but East London Line and Overground stations..
Stoke Newington - Like Victoria Park village but less accessible and has a worse park. No tube but nearby overground into eg Liverpool Street.
OR, going west from Mile End, Stepney/Whitechapel are ever evolving, well connected for transport, and fun. Very urban in places though in terms of architecture and pollution.
Bethnal Green - Also well connected. A bit harder to get to the Wharf though - you'd need to go down to Whitechapel.
The list goes on really. Use Google Maps or, even better Citymapper (both free apps) to look at transport routes. You'll see that you can drive/cycle/bus/tube from all of the above areas to CW really quickly. And really don't discount the bus for that route. I suggest, also, making sure that you have decent links into the City and westward, which is one reason I'm not a fan of Stoke Newington.
Edited to add: Describing Homerton as on the East London Line is a bit misleading - that line (at least as the term is typically used) runs roughly north/south (Haggerston and Dalston have stations on this line), whereas the Homerton line is East/West, but has useful connections)
Edited by ab8 on Friday 18th January 16:14
We have been down for a long weekend and have been looking about. We really liked Greenwich. Canada Water / Docklands / Isle of Dogs were fine but very quiet. Bermondsey / Rotherhithe seemed rough in parts and nice in parts, but possibly a bit central. Bow / Stratford didn't seem nice at all. We haven't been able to check out Limehouse, heard mixed reviews, but convenient as the DLR to Poplar is meant to be quiet. It seems that North of the Wharf is a bit suspect in places but South is generally okay.
Some of my current London-based colleagues are of the view that I should definitely live West / North West London as there is loads more going on. We don't really want to live slap bang in Central London, but somewhere like West Hampstead might suit. It is 35 minutes on the Jubilee line to Canary Wharf. How busy will the Jubilee Line be from West Hampstead to Canary Wharf? I heard it is mental at Canada Water and that you may wait 5/6/7 trains to get on, partly because lots of people get London Overground services to Canada Water before getting the Jubilee Line to Canary Wharf. However, if I get on at West Hampstead, will I generally get on the first train, and will it be rammed the whole way or only the last few stops? Likely travel at around 830am Monday to Friday.
Also, anyone know how busy the DLR is from Greenwich to Canary Wharf? (Again, I expect it to be busy, but will I typically get the first or second train, or will I have to queue?).
This has got a little off topic, but cheers!
DLR from Lewisham to Wharf is busy in rush hour but nine times out of ten you'll get on the first train. Trains about every 3 or 4 minutes in rush hour. The 6 carriage trains used these days carry about as many people as a circle line train.
I live in zone 2, and got rid of the car a few years ago. I enjoy driving on the open road but driving anywhere in London is just painful. However much of a petrolhead you might be, I can't find any enjoyment in it.
I live in zone 2, and got rid of the car a few years ago. I enjoy driving on the open road but driving anywhere in London is just painful. However much of a petrolhead you might be, I can't find any enjoyment in it.
Integroo said:
ab8 said:
That rather depends on where you'll be working and in what practice area!
If you're young-ish and want any life outside work have a good look around pretty much anywhere in Hackney and much of Tower Hamlets. Moving north from the Wharf (which is a terribly boring and isolated place to live IMV), I suggest:
Mile End - lots of nice housing stock, lots of young people, but some areas still a little sketchy and limited quality nightlife r and food. Good transport links.
Bow/Globe Town - as Mile End but nicer still, and close to Victoria Park (see below).
Victoria Park village - pricey but beautiful. village like. Amazing park with boating lake, all kinds of wild birds, tennis, cricket, football, skate park, 2 playgrounds and a water park (for toddlers, not junior lawyers!), canal with lots of super stuff. Great pubs, a couple of good places to eat, fantastic butcher, fantastic fishmonger, fantastic wine/beer shop, dry cleaner, hairdressers, two organic shops, scandi furniture shop... and near to Well Street which has an even better beer shop. Full of lots of people who have young children though. Also, no tube so one either walks 10/15 mins to Bethnal Green or Mile End or Homerton (East London Line), or buses it in around 5 minutes.
Well street - sketchier but edgier. Lots of young people. No tube but Homerton.
London Fields - self-consciously cool but some great brewery tap rooms and brilliant food on Broadway Market. No tube but direct line into Liverpool Street.
Homerton - Cheaper than some of the other areas and lots of new bars and restaurants. East London Line.
Haggerston - lots of cool stuff and some lovely houses. No tube but East London line.
Hackney Central - quite urban but lots going on. Useful overland connections.
Clapton - Was before what Peckham is now. East of it is Leyton which is slowly shaking off its **hole image. No tube.
Dalston - not as cool as it was but lots of stuff to do. West of it is De Beauvoir which is a posher version. No tube but East London Line and Overground stations..
Stoke Newington - Like Victoria Park village but less accessible and has a worse park. No tube but nearby overground into eg Liverpool Street.
OR, going west from Mile End, Stepney/Whitechapel are ever evolving, well connected for transport, and fun. Very urban in places though in terms of architecture and pollution.
Bethnal Green - Also well connected. A bit harder to get to the Wharf though - you'd need to go down to Whitechapel.
The list goes on really. Use Google Maps or, even better Citymapper (both free apps) to look at transport routes. You'll see that you can drive/cycle/bus/tube from all of the above areas to CW really quickly. And really don't discount the bus for that route. I suggest, also, making sure that you have decent links into the City and westward, which is one reason I'm not a fan of Stoke Newington.
Edited to add: Describing Homerton as on the East London Line is a bit misleading - that line (at least as the term is typically used) runs roughly north/south (Haggerston and Dalston have stations on this line), whereas the Homerton line is East/West, but has useful connections)
Thanks! This is extremely helpful. If you're young-ish and want any life outside work have a good look around pretty much anywhere in Hackney and much of Tower Hamlets. Moving north from the Wharf (which is a terribly boring and isolated place to live IMV), I suggest:
Mile End - lots of nice housing stock, lots of young people, but some areas still a little sketchy and limited quality nightlife r and food. Good transport links.
Bow/Globe Town - as Mile End but nicer still, and close to Victoria Park (see below).
Victoria Park village - pricey but beautiful. village like. Amazing park with boating lake, all kinds of wild birds, tennis, cricket, football, skate park, 2 playgrounds and a water park (for toddlers, not junior lawyers!), canal with lots of super stuff. Great pubs, a couple of good places to eat, fantastic butcher, fantastic fishmonger, fantastic wine/beer shop, dry cleaner, hairdressers, two organic shops, scandi furniture shop... and near to Well Street which has an even better beer shop. Full of lots of people who have young children though. Also, no tube so one either walks 10/15 mins to Bethnal Green or Mile End or Homerton (East London Line), or buses it in around 5 minutes.
Well street - sketchier but edgier. Lots of young people. No tube but Homerton.
London Fields - self-consciously cool but some great brewery tap rooms and brilliant food on Broadway Market. No tube but direct line into Liverpool Street.
Homerton - Cheaper than some of the other areas and lots of new bars and restaurants. East London Line.
Haggerston - lots of cool stuff and some lovely houses. No tube but East London line.
Hackney Central - quite urban but lots going on. Useful overland connections.
Clapton - Was before what Peckham is now. East of it is Leyton which is slowly shaking off its **hole image. No tube.
Dalston - not as cool as it was but lots of stuff to do. West of it is De Beauvoir which is a posher version. No tube but East London Line and Overground stations..
Stoke Newington - Like Victoria Park village but less accessible and has a worse park. No tube but nearby overground into eg Liverpool Street.
OR, going west from Mile End, Stepney/Whitechapel are ever evolving, well connected for transport, and fun. Very urban in places though in terms of architecture and pollution.
Bethnal Green - Also well connected. A bit harder to get to the Wharf though - you'd need to go down to Whitechapel.
The list goes on really. Use Google Maps or, even better Citymapper (both free apps) to look at transport routes. You'll see that you can drive/cycle/bus/tube from all of the above areas to CW really quickly. And really don't discount the bus for that route. I suggest, also, making sure that you have decent links into the City and westward, which is one reason I'm not a fan of Stoke Newington.
Edited to add: Describing Homerton as on the East London Line is a bit misleading - that line (at least as the term is typically used) runs roughly north/south (Haggerston and Dalston have stations on this line), whereas the Homerton line is East/West, but has useful connections)
Edited by ab8 on Friday 18th January 16:14
We have been down for a long weekend and have been looking about. We really liked Greenwich. Canada Water / Docklands / Isle of Dogs were fine but very quiet. Bermondsey / Rotherhithe seemed rough in parts and nice in parts, but possibly a bit central. Bow / Stratford didn't seem nice at all. We haven't been able to check out Limehouse, heard mixed reviews, but convenient as the DLR to Poplar is meant to be quiet. It seems that North of the Wharf is a bit suspect in places but South is generally okay.
Some of my current London-based colleagues are of the view that I should definitely live West / North West London as there is loads more going on. We don't really want to live slap bang in Central London, but somewhere like West Hampstead might suit. It is 35 minutes on the Jubilee line to Canary Wharf. How busy will the Jubilee Line be from West Hampstead to Canary Wharf? I heard it is mental at Canada Water and that you may wait 5/6/7 trains to get on, partly because lots of people get London Overground services to Canada Water before getting the Jubilee Line to Canary Wharf. However, if I get on at West Hampstead, will I generally get on the first train, and will it be rammed the whole way or only the last few stops? Likely travel at around 830am Monday to Friday.
Also, anyone know how busy the DLR is from Greenwich to Canary Wharf? (Again, I expect it to be busy, but will I typically get the first or second train, or will I have to queue?).
This has got a little off topic, but cheers!
If you're relatively settled, and like quiet pubs and walks in parks, you'd probably be well served somewhere like West Hampstead. If you're still pretty gregarious, like raucous craft taprooms and eating street food out of your hand, then East would be better. It's all about tradeoffs.
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