What are Grove Park/Eltham like?

cashbackproblems

Hi All

I have been seeing some reasonably priced houses in these areas (along with New Eltham) with fast commutes into London. But does anyone have any ideas what the areas are like? I have been looking at Bromley South/Beckenham but don't seem to be able to afford anything there.

Especially If these areas have a all white/black/immigrant population would be of interest?

The addresses: Bloxam Gardens, Eltham SE9, Hainault Street, New Eltham. Hilcrest Road, Grove Park, Bromley


thanks

mpet

I can tell you a bit about Hillcrest Rd, as I lived near there for many years. Hillcrest road is a no through road with a reservoir at the end. It is all privately owned 30's style properties. However it borders a large council estate (Downham). I don't wish to offend anyone (and I did live on this estate when I was a kid), but it is pretty much what you would expect. There are a large number of houses that have been privately bought along with mix of social housing tenants. Some are well kept, some are downright scruffy. As for ethnic mix - its exactly that - a mix with a predominately white/British population - although I have noticed a greater number of Eastern Europeans in recent years (although I think this is a London wide trend).


In my opinion there are worse and better areas to live. If I were driven by a budget, I wouldn't discount that particular area, but we are all different.


I don't know too much about Eltham, but I believe Eltham is preferable to New Eltham (more shops etc)

londonjo88

I've lived in Eltham all my life and although I may be biased, I think it's pretty great.

Ethnic population is pretty similar to surrounding areas - probably less mixed than you expect.

I find Eltham pretty safe (happy to walk alone at night as a woman in my twenties). Plus we have a ridiculous amount of restaurants.

Not much to do here at the minute - but we are getting a cinema next year

Let me know if you have any other questions!

elverson

If you're looking round there, Catford is supposedly 'on the up' and is on two different train lines into central London.

Surprised at how expensive Bromley is for somewhere so far out - anyone know why?

benjus

I live a little further out, but know these areas pretty well and go through New Eltham every day on the way to work.

Eltham is a suburb with a high street containing the likes of Debenhams, M&S and Sainsburys, a few banks etc., various cafes/restaurants etc. The station is half a mile or so away. New Eltham is much smaller - just a small supermarket, a few convenience stores and the like - clustered around the station. Grove Park is similar.

They are all quite popular with commuters and have quite mixed populations.

benjus

elverson wrote: »

If you're looking round there, Catford is supposedly 'on the up' and is on two different train lines into central London.

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/south-london-houses-become-stately-homes-2015032096517

elverson wrote: »

Surprised at how expensive Bromley is for somewhere so far out - anyone know why?

It's regarded as quite a "nice" area, it contains some posh parts (Bickley), it has a proper town centre with lots of local facilities. That's about all I can think of.

londonjo88

My nan also used to live in Grove Park - not such a great area compared to Eltham/New Eltham. We had some problems with burglaries etc. there.

xylophone

Bromley has some highly regarded schools and a lot of green space.

No tube, but public transport is good.

arthurdick

I used to live in Grove Park, Eltham & Lewisham. My brother still lives in New Eltham, out of all those areas, I did like Lewisham the best, New Eltham is a nice area, Etham seems to have got worse over the years, Grove Park is ok-ish, nothing special, Lewisham is changing for the better, a massive hub for commuting, but priced to match this. If you go not too far past New Eltham, you are in Sidcup, which aint too bad. If I had the budget, I would move to Lewisham or Catford.

AdrianC

cashbackproblems wrote: »

Especially If these areas have a all white/black/immigrant population would be of interest?

Umm, why?

Can I make a suggestion...? It's nearly the weekend. GO THERE. Wander around the areas.

arthurdick

AdrianC wrote: »

Umm, why?

Can I make a suggestion...? It's nearly the weekend. GO THERE. Wander around the areas.

A good Idea and you could easy visit all areas on buses.bus from bromely south to Grove Park, have a look around, then a choice of buses to Lewisham, the 36b still runs from there I think, if you go the 261 route(I think that's the number bus, the same one you get from Bromley south), Jump off at Lee green, get a 21 bus(I think it is now a 321) to New Eltham, then get a bus back to Eltham, and the same bus again to Lewisham. easy doable in a day, or a whole weekend.