East Dulwich! Forest Hill! Sydenham! Where to live?

[Alan Dale]

'We don't want to be another Clapham' is another good one.

[Spangles30]

Personally, I prefer LONDONER Alan Dale since I am born and bred in this city. It is rather pretentious to call oneself after your London area, is it not? I wasn't remotely offended by your comment! LOL.

[Keef]

Alan, are you a Camber, a cambwelian, a or a camberwell'ard (that would be my choice)?

[Alan Dale]

Keef Wrote:

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> Alan, are you a Camber, a cambwelian, a or a

> camberwell'ard (that would be my choice)?

Like it Keef.

Spangles30 - it was Brad's 'Nunheadian' for people from Nunhead that started the what do you call a person from ED debate. It is useful to have different words for people living in different areas. It happens everywhere.

[downsouth]

On the Crystal palace note I think you'd ind it is a lot nicer than you give credit. It's very green has some great bars and pubs. The housing stock is great and Dulwich/Sydenham is on the door stop.

I thought I'd gone a bit far out when I mved to West Dulwich but then your norms adjust accordingly.

[Alan Dale]

I am a big fan of CP.

Good mix of reliable chains and interesting independent eateries. Some good pubs too.

Soft shell crab rolls at Edo were the clincher- thanks to Jeremy for the tip.

I walked there from Camberwell in 50 minutes. That makes it pretty close.

It is also a very pleasant walk through some lovely parts of Dulwich.

[Spangles30]

Thank you alan dale and downsouth. I agree that CP is nice, however it is a bit too far for me.

I also agree with downsouth that you 'adjust your norms accordingly'. I guess it is natural to get attached to your part of London, and feel terrified at the prospect of moving to another patch (Well, I am like that!).

Anyway, I reckon I will sell up and move to Forest Hill/Sydenham.

[downsouth]

No worries. I know what you mean. A friend of mine just bought in upper Sydenham - very nice. Best of luck!

[Spangles30]

Thank you downsouth. I have just had my offer accepted! Oh my God!

[Alan Dale]

Congratulations Spangles30.

In order to provide anecdotal evidence as to the nature and type of gentrification that is taking place in South East London could you give us a bit of background as to the type of person buying from you and the type of person you are buying from?

If the stereotypes are correct then I'd guess you are being bought out by 28-33 year old City workers who have been renting in Clapham or thereabouts and you are buying off a retiree who is downsizing or moving into care or something.

Is that right?

[Spangles30]

I don't have an offer yet alan.

The person I am buying off is downsizing! I am happy to accept a Claphamite if they pay the asking price! :)

[Billie]

Hi,

I can understand your dilemma. I went through the same process last year. I decided to move to Sydenham from East Dulwich and I'm really happy with the decision. I'd lived in East Dulwich for 10 years and loved it, but I wanted more space and a proper garden. I got the same positive feeling with Sydenham as I did with ED in the 1990s before it became trendy. Forest Hill didn't do it for me - the South Circular dissects it and ruins the chemistry in my view.

For Sydenham:

Bang for your buck: I moved from a 2 bed house with a small yard near Northcross to a 3 bed Edwardian house on the Thorpe Estate with a big garden. The same type of property in ED would have been 100k more.

Community: Everyone knows each other and I'm often given help. My neighbour cut my hedge for me the other day because I was struggling with some old school shears! On my road I know the names of everyone and on a Saturday everyone chats if they are passing. It is a bit middle class I guess but it feels more authentic than ED (I think ED has been invaded by Clapham types in the last couple of years and it feels like you're living in a trendy bubble). I believe the schools are good too. I've noticed that the people waiting for the train in the morning are younger and trendier. There are a lot of creative people - actors etc. I know that the guitarist from the band Air lives near the station.

High street: The shop keepers are really friendly and they remember who you are and what you normally buy. The service from the opticians was unbelievable. Transport for London have awarded a grant to renovate the high street, putting in trees, new lamp posts, railings. The proposals sound great. It's part of their investment in the new tube line. There is also a nice balance of independent traders and chains. There is a Superdrug and a small Boots, but apart from that it's family owned businesses. The book shop is one of the best independents in London and The Blue Mountain caf? is opening next door soon.

Transport: Trains are excellent - more options than ED. The train from Sydenham to Clapham Juntion via Balham is really great. In the evenings you can get direct trains to Sydenham from Charing Cross, Waterloo East, London Bridge & Victoria. It'll get even better when the East London Line arrives in a few years. There is a rumour that this will increase house prices massively as the line will pass through the City, Hoxton and up to Highbury Corner. Great for going out in Shoreditch.

Against Sydenham:

Transport: It's hard to get to Brixton/Clapham High Street - I did love the 37 bus in ED. Buses into town take ages as you're a bit further out.

Shopping: It's down to earth. You can get everything you need, but it's not a destination for indulgent shopping. It was very much like that in ED 10 years ago. It might change here, but if it doesn't it won't be too bad as there are great places on the doorstep like ED.

Night life: Apart from The Dolphin, it's a bit rough. There are some great independent restaurants, but it's all substance over style. No trendy d?cor. It reminds me of ED in the 90s to be honest. There was only the EDT then really and even that was a bit grubby!

Safety: I always get a cab from the station after 9pm and lots of other women getting off later trains get a car rather than walk. It's not unsafe, but it's edgier than ED. In the daytime/early evening it's fine though. Nice vibe.

Just as an aside, to show that I'm impartial, I still own the house in East Dulwich, so I could move back there if I wanted - but I never will!

[Alan Dale]

Interesting and informative.

Sounds like the trendy bubble you fled is expanding your way. Where will you run to next?

Seems that if you continue to surf the wave of gentrification you'll end up living in Kent with a string of invesment properties under your belt.

[Billie]

I'm here to stay now - gentrification or not! I don't ever want to pick up a paint brush again and life in Kent doesn't appeal!

[James]

I think Nunhead is awful! The primary schools are diabolical, the housing stock is scruffy, that bit by the railway bridge is soooo ugly and the ststion just got slated as one of London's worst! Yes, the cemetery is fantastic but you can't hang out there and the fishmongers' all day!

Let's be honest, the only reason to live there is cos it's affordable. It's no East Dulwich.

[Keef]

Get off the fence James.

[Alan Dale]

I don't get why someone would be so keen to slate another man's endz.

[Jeremy]

We're discussing places to live in... the observation that Nunhead is not very nice seems perfectly valid to me!

[Keef]

I'm not a masive fan, but I can think of worse places not too far away. I think it's going to get better around there too.

[zephyr]

I think Eat Dulwich Station is awful but it does not make east Dulwich bad. I like Nunhead - it is an up and coming area. There are a couple of rows of shops that are crummy but ED had those too. There is nothing wrong with the housing stock as far as I am aware.

[Ganapati]

For all you Nunhead bashers you need to look at the area SOUTH of the cemetery--especially the roads between Cheltenham, Ivydale, and the cemetery. I think you'd change your tune as tons of other young families/ professionals have. Quiet wide streets and very good Victorian housing stock.

[darcy]

I thought the train links were pretty bad from Nunhead. Correct me if I am wrong but don't they only run half-hourly to Blackfriars Mon-Sat and to Victoria on Sundays? Which would make it seem even more isolated than it already looks!

[zephyr]

Ganapati Wrote:

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> For all you Nunhead bashers you need to look at

> the area SOUTH of the cemetery--especially the

> roads between Cheltenham, Ivydale, and the

> cemetery. I think you'd change your tune as tons

> of other young families/ professionals have. Quiet

> wide streets and very good Victorian housing

> stock.

Absolutely - Limesford Road especially :))

[alm]

Not just south of the cemetery but also the cluster of roads west of the cemetery carden, barforth, waveney, tresco etc have excellent housing stock (and the only 4 bed houses in Nunhead) - are right by the common and park, annde within walking distance of both Nunhead and Peckham Rye plus all the buses. And no, we don't have just two trains an hour - Victoria trains run all week plus much more frequent Blackfriars services at peak hours. For anyone who doesn't work in the city, it is much better connected than ED.

But this Nunhead versus ED argument somewhat misses the point. Nunhead is much smaller and diffuse than ED, its shopping district will always remain more convencience based. Nunhead cannot replace ED - but why would it need to? ED is a short stroll away - in fact it is the same distance for me now to the EDT as when I used to live in the Plough area of ED. Do you guys not have legs?

[Spangles30]

Thank you Billie, for your most eloquent posting on the plus points of moving to Sydenham. I agree with you that the South Circular is awful in Forest Hill.

I also agree with James that Nunhead is not very nice. People who live there seem keen to defend it. We're all different I suppose.