London area recommendation?

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bouicca21 said:

Anyone who likes living in Catford would hate Eltham or Ruislip.  I’ve lived in all three places and I’d take Catford over Eltham and Ruislip any day.

i think maybe OP should get on the 54 and pay a visit to Beckenham High Street.  Totally get that it might feel a bit too suburban round BPP, but at the moment property in Beckenham is cheaper than Catford and the High Street is only a few minutes from the park and has a different feel.   

Beckenham is lovely, lots of boutique/ independent cafe, restaurants, shops, it has a nice little bustling community feel, you can google map Beckenham high street and see for yourself.

Only 25 mins into Kings cross

If you do want to stay further in South London then have a look at Bermondsey/ surrey quays, its walking distance to London bridge as well as having really good transport links, and has lots of street food markets and stalls during lunch/ weekend

GibbsRule_No3.

https://www.rightmove.co.uk/properties/97032098

Try Feltham. Good train link.

NameUnavailable

Beckenham can be quite rough/rowdy at the weekends. Wait unitl the pubs reopen and visit.

Croydon is great for getting to/from London or Gatwick (trains 24/7) but the town centre is a complete mess. Westfield have been due to redevelop the main shopping centre/high street for about the last 15 years but its not happened yet and with latest economic developments I doubt it's going to happen at all. The town centre is almost empty as lots of retailers didn't renew their leases (expecting to be turfed out asap due to the redevelopment). However your money would buy a nice terraced house in East or South Croydon and you just travel into London if you want decent shops or good nightlife.

eskimalita7

I think you have dismissed Beckenham too quickly. I was born in Catford (Bellingham Rd) and moved to Beckenham in 1981 when I was 2. I moved away a few times (New Zealand, Latin America). It is absolutely fantastic for travel links into lots of London terminals.
I have lived here through my teenage years, then back to live with my parents after university whilst I worked in London. I spent a lot of time socialising both in town and in Beckenham through my 20s.
Then again I moved back here when I had my first baby aged 29.
Its not particularly suburban and it has the yoga studio you mention. If you do have kids, I am fairly sure you'll realise you wished you'd moved to Beckenham. When babies are toddlers you need lots of green space, and lots of playgroups otherwise you will go loopy. I am not sure why NameUnavailable says Beckenham is rough at night and then suggests you move to East/South Croydon!!!!!  eeeeek! East Croydon has gradually become quite rough, unfortunately. As a teenager we would regularly go out there, but it has changed, which is sad.
Beckenham nightlife is a bit rowdy but its not rough. I live around the corner from O'Neills and it doesn't bother me at all. If you want some more mature nightlife then the Chancery is fantastic. The Mansion put on some great nights with DJs for people like me who are over 40. You need to look a little past the High St from 9pm onwards (as its full of 19 year olds who have had a few too many alcopops), but good mature evenings are possible, as are fantastic restaurants.

housebuyerlondon

Thanks @eskimalita7, that's all really useful. I've actually just had an offer accepted in Catford, the Bellingham end - around 10 mins walk from the station! I love that Beckenham Palace Park is about half an hour walk away but that I also get the buzz of Catford so I'm hoping best of both worlds...

housebuyerlondon

@bouicca21agreed, I really don't like Ruislip! Haven't been to Eltham. Have had an offer accepted in Catford tho  

eskimalita7

housebuyerlondon said:

Thanks @eskimalita7, that's all really useful. I've actually just had an offer accepted in Catford, the Bellingham end - around 10 mins walk from the station! I love that Beckenham Palace Park is about half an hour walk away but that I also get the buzz of Catford so I'm hoping best of both worlds...

Congratulations