West wickham

[Vici]

We have finally gone and done it - put our place on the market and looking at houses in west wickham.

But can anyone shed much light on the area? I have looked through multiple posts on here, mumsnet /netmums, 'Lets Move To...' etc and can't find that much which I find surprising as it has:

outstanding secondary and primary schools

great transport links to London Bridge and charring cross (30 mins)

a well served high street with m&s food and Cook

close to M25 and quick jaunts down to Sussex and beyond

20 mins drive to the Horniman etc

Close to Croydon so good bonus transport links.

And all importantly, great value for money properties with big gardens (similar prices to catford)

It's Bromley borough.

Am I missing something? It looks too good to be true.

[Earl Aelfheah]

No, it's amazing, enjoy.

[ratty]

House prices are on the up quickly here, especially since the announcement of the extension to thebakerloo line. It's a wonderful place to live with tons more space than ED. schools are indeed on a different level and it was quite embarrassing how far behind my son was after one year in reception in ED.

Schools tend to be split, infant, juniors here which I think is a good thing as children are more confined to their own age groups.

There is also amazing green space and woods for such things as dog walking, in fact dogs feature quite heavily.

Shops wise, we have independent butchers, Larrats, who started out on Lordship Lane many years ago and rival billy Rose for stock, quality and helpfulness, M&S food hall and 2 Waitrose if you are that way inclined, a new Lidl being built if you are not.

The drawback I have found, and for me it is a big one, is the lack of diversity. West Wickham and Hayes are white!it is quite startling how things can get so white in just 8 miles. At the two last elections the predominant visible political party was UKIP. You can be talking quite happily to a school mum at the gates and they will readily drop in some casual racism such as calling people coloureds or spouting some Britain First nonesense. The other thing is that everyone went to school with each other and have known each other for years. You don become party to the sordid little affairs and hat reds that have festered away since school days. We counter this by clinging on to our ED friends and choosing local friends here carefully (in fact most people we have befriended here are blow ins from Brixton and East Dulwich)

Oh, and the pubs are shit! However, a short journey puts you in Hayes and the excellent George for food and beers, or in Keston / Biggin Hill where there are too many to mention.

It takes longer than you think it would to get used to the move. We have been here over 2 years now and are just settling. People are generally more friendly on the surface than in more urban London (until you discover they are a closet rascist). Oh, and Bromley council are appalling. You virtually have to empty your own bins, or so it feels after being so mollycoddled in Southwark.

Overall, it is an excellent place to live, especially if you are fed up with ED, need more space for a reasonable amount of money or want to feel a bit more suburban with a dog. If you, however are seeking culture, diversity or a decent pub. look elsewhere.

[phobic3000]

I live in East Dulwich and work in West Wickham. It's a nice area, pretty quiet compared to ED obviously. We have a shop on the High Street but as an engineer I drive all over the place. Keston's just down the road and it has a nice pub called the fox. If you like cycling it's just down the road from the countryside.

[Seabag]

My aunt lives in West Wickham

Say 'Hi' to her when you're there

[Louisa]

West Wickham is a nice area, but somewhat suburban and boring. The plus side for me would be that the amenities of Bromley are a short bus ride/brisk walk away and the beautiful green belt countryside surrounding Keston Ponds/Downe/Biggin Hill are all within easy reach. I used to be a big fan of 'The Pickhurst' pub, I believe it's changed hands recently and is now something else?

Totally different experience to around here. I do struggle when people in ED talk about diversity though. Let's face it, in the last 20 years I would argue ED has become noticeably LESS diverse in many ways. The death of certain shops has contributed to that, but so has the rise in property prices. Anyway I won't go there.

Louisa.

[Alan Medic]

It sounded like you did Louisa.

[tfwsoll]

I grew up in Coney Hall and the denizens of West Wickham looked down on us with disdain from the top of the hill. I would say that proximity to the countryside and open green spaces are the big pluses - we used to love playing on Hayes Common as kids. It's a shame that it is still very monocultural but I think Ratty has summed up the pros and cons.

I am not sure why Louisa is so enamoured of Bromley. When I moved there in the late 60's it still had some character but now it's now a soul-less, bland shopping mall. From West Wickham I'd head over to Croydon, which (and I never thought I would say this) seems to be undergoing a renaissance with some decent independent shops and cafes along with all of the larger stores.

[phobic3000]

Yeah Louisa the Piclhurst Pub was a favourite of mine purely for the beer garden which gets the sun in the afternoon. It's now an Argentinian steak, which I find a bit odd for such a huge building. It's bigger than the greyhound in Dulwich village, similar type of building.

[ratty]

We have greatly missed the Pickhurst this summer. Now a Miller and Carter steak restaurant. Expensive!

[Parkdrive]

West Wickham is the home of my mates record shop "Rollin' records" Steve, is a lovely bloke and selection of vinyl second to none.

[ratty]

Yep - Rollin Records is a damn fine shop!

[adonirum]

Suburb of Shirley

[Parkdrive]

adonirum Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Suburb of Shirley

No it isn't, West Wickham is a suburb as is Shirley.

[TheArtfulDogger]

West wickham is great, I grew up there and spent many a happy day in blakes park, enjoyed going to oak lodge infants and junior school (with the then headmaster Mr Pritchard being very eccentric)

It has changed since I left but the general amenities are good, a nice little shopping parade, a few good pubs and a few good restaurants too. Not as vibrant as lordship lane and not so many curry houses, but still a lovely area to live and I would recommend it to anyone who is bored of ed and has kids too.

Not sure about the suburb of Shirley thing as Shirley is in London borough of Croydon and west wickham is Bromley !!!

A good catchment area for a number of great secondary schools including the recently rebuilt Langley park boys...

It is equal distance to Bromley and Croydon with Croydon town centre set to become the next Westfield development

I think the concept that the whole of west wickham is racist is a bit over the top, it's very middle class unless you end up in shrublands or some smaller pockets of chav and the train service is one every 10 minutes in rush hour but that may change with the introduction oF the bakerloo extension.

Nice thing is it is also close enough to visit friends in ed or have them visit you.

My final comment is go for it and enjoy it...

[ratty]

The rascism thing was a bit tongue in cheek, but a number of people I have met have gone on to mention "colourds" or regurgitated Britain First tripe.

For clarity I am in Hayes but kids go to school in West Wickham. I do actually love it!

[adonirum]

Parkdrive Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> adonirum Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > Suburb of Shirley

>

>

> No it isn't, West Wickham is a suburb as is

> Shirley.

WHOOOOOOSSSSSHHHHHH........................................................

Shirley Arms is good for a few beers and watching the footie.

[Parkdrive]

adonirum Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> Parkdrive Wrote:

> --------------------------------------------------

> -----

> > adonirum Wrote:

> >

> --------------------------------------------------

>

> > -----

> > > Suburb of Shirley

> >

> >

> > No it isn't, West Wickham is a suburb as is

> > Shirley.

>

> WHOOOOOOSSSSSHHHHHH...............................

> .........................

>

> Shirley Arms is good for a few beers and watching

> the footie.

Looks like you've had too many already

[kirstysimone]

Hi Vici,

I appreciate this is an old conversation, but i was wondering if you ended up living n West Wickham. How are you getting on? Husband and i with our 3yr daughter are in the process of selling our flat in West Dulwich, and possibly moving to West Wickham. We are also thinking of Reigate to, but West Wickham is much closer to town, however i do have my own prejudice with the area, and that is it's proximity from Croydon. I am a massive Croydon snob, only because i grew up in and around the area, and i know i shouldn't be. You do seem to get more for your money in West Wickham, than in the likes of Beckenham and Reigate.

[DirtyBox]

We moved to WW in April from Sydenham and so far it's been great!

We got a much bigger house with a much bigger garden for the same money as we sold our Sydenham house for

I get a seat on the train every day and the line isn't run by Southern plus it only takes 10 mins more than my old route

Everyone is friendly - I haven't encountered any racism

It's a short drive to some countryside

The schools are great

[Jeremy]

The way some people talk... you'd think that as soon as you get past Penge, it's all rednecks and BNP voters.

[ratty]

It's getting a hell of a lot better actually!

[Louisa]

Does the BNP still exist Jeremy? Bromley is probably the joint first most blue/purple borough in London, but certainly wouldn't say it was bordering on anything politically sinister.

I stick by my WW comments previously. Green, boring, relatively cheap, near good shopping/transport facilities.

Louisa.

[Bovine Juice]

I live in Bromley borough but in Penge, one of the three Labour wards (the other two are also in its northern London corner - CP and Clock House). Bromley council is awful. The most Thatcherite council in London, it always cuts its costs so every year we see local community assets sold off and services cut. Meanwhile it buys properties outside the borough to earn money off their income which it then uses to buy more assets outside the borough... It has long forgotten what a council is for.

[clockworkorange]

Kirstysimone - Reigate is brilliant - nice place, people, pubs, schools etc. train to London tricky. Redhill much better connections and Moe amenities but not as pretty. Better value in Redhill. Not as *posh * as Reigate.