Anybody from Muswell Hill?

Iwantabighouse

Hi,

first poster, long time lurker...

Basically, the situation is the following: I have seen a house I really like in Dukes Avenue, N10.

However, I read in an old article that the traffic is really horrendous and there can be antisocial behaviour from people leaving the pubs around the Broadway, etc...

I have tried to call the Council, but I have had no luck in getting an answer...

Is any of you local to the area and can tell me whether my concerns are real or unfounded?

Thanks a lot in advance for your help.

The house is lovely and Alexandra Park is two minutes walk away, but I am really concerned about those two issues.

Thanks again.

Loanranger

Go to the road at rush hour and again after 11pm, or later, on Friday and Saturday nights. Have a good look around at different times of the day.
No-one from the council will give you an answer because everyone's tolerance level is different.
Are you currently living a long way away and can't do this essential research?

Iwantabighouse

Unfortunately it is really difficult for me to go there in the evening...

I was hoping somebody would be here on the forum to help me.

I will go by today and knock on some neighbours' doors. Hopefully, I find some friendly ones...

Thanks a lot for your reply.

theGrinch

I am from the area. Demand for houses and flats is and has been high from since when I can remember which is almost 30 years. Dukes Avenue is off the broadway so has traffic, but not severe or particularly heavy. I was there last week and it was free flowing. The only thign I would say about the area is its hilly as the name suggests

Peterxxxx

Definitely check it out yourself. But I drive through Muswell Hill quite a lot and late on weekend nights there are loads of v drunk local people hanging outside the pub/nightclub place by the roundabout just at the top of the hill, which is I think the junction with Duke's Avenue - it can be congested, and it wouldn't surprise me if this extends down your street. It may depend how far down the road you are. So worth checking out if this is likely to bother you, particularly given how much you will be paying for a house there! This may be more of a problem in the summer - certainly v noticeable this summer.

Peterxxxx

oh - also worth pointing out that the car park to this pub seems to extend along the back of Duke's Avenue, so if you are near the roundabout on the Alexandra Palace side there could be noise issues. There can be queues to get in and out of the car park holding up traffic on the main road - and this is at 1am...

And I've just googled - the nightclub is called the Hill and is open at weekends until 4am...

Peterxxxx

and - excuse obsessive googling but I was curious - there was a shooting outside it last year.

http://www.haringeyindependent.co.uk/news/topstories/4574535.Muswell_Hill_councillor___It_is_time_to_shut_these_nightclubs_down_/

That said, Dukes Avenue remains VERY desirable, I am sure - just part of being in London, really.

VioletBaudelaire

I have a friend who lived there until fairly recently (in a flat)
She didn't have a car, so don't know about driving issues. She never mentioned anti social behaviour problems though. I think she really liked living in the area.

GDB2222

There's a fair amount of traffic down there, at least it's definitely not a quiet side street. Everywhere has its pluses and minuses, and for me having AP park on your doorstep would be such a big plus that it would cancel out many of the minuses.

Don't know about the drunks. Which end of Dukes Avenue are you looking at? In any case, you need to see for yourself. One person might say there's little rowdiness, but you might find it unbearable, or v.v.

Iwantabighouse

Thank you all so much. I knew I would get some good answers from the MSE community. The house is at the top of the road, towards the Broadway (where I think most of the traffic and noise is). I went by today and there is a fair bit of traffic, but then, this is London I guess.

Any other comments from people local to the area would be greatly appreciated. The other thing is, we are currently sending our children to private schools as the state school in my current area are not good. However, there are some lovely state schools there and this would help.

I went there today, I still like the house and the area. I think traffic is bearable, antisocial behaviour scares me as I have a very low tolerance to noise, unfortunately.

Thanks again!

silvercar

I expect the state schools have a long waiting list to join an existing class.