Where is suitable for us? Local area guides (London Borough of Bromley).

arthurdick

hazyjo said:

Perhaps wait until a bit of normality and head to Eltham for a walk/ shop. Treat it like you live there, not just a wander. Do a shop in Sainsbury's maybe. Have lunch/dinner out. Can recommend Eltham Grill for a lovely old fashioned fish and chip/ burger lunch! 

Bloody hell Hazy, i completely forgot about the Eltham Gril, aint been there for 2 yrs, We have, off and on been using that place for over 40yrs, I absolutely love it.  We used to have a few pints in the Yorkshire Grey, and when the afternoon closing time was 3pm, we used to jump on the 21, go up the Eltham Grill and have a lovely meal until the Greyhound opened at 5:30pm.

To the O.P , I would favour Eltham over Bromley, and definitely over Croydon all day long.

hazyjo

arthurdick said:

hazyjo said:

Perhaps wait until a bit of normality and head to Eltham for a walk/ shop. Treat it like you live there, not just a wander. Do a shop in Sainsbury's maybe. Have lunch/dinner out. Can recommend Eltham Grill for a lovely old fashioned fish and chip/ burger lunch! 

Bloody hell Hazy, i completely forgot about the Eltham Gril, aint been there for 2 yrs, We have, off and on been using that place for over 40yrs, I absolutely love it.  We used to have a few pints in the Yorkshire Grey, and when the afternoon closing time was 3pm, we used to jump on the 21, go up the Eltham Grill and have a lovely meal until the Greyhound opened at 5:30pm.

To the O.P , I would favour Eltham over Bromley, and definitely over Croydon all day long.

It's like stepping back in time! Somewhere I felt happy going in on my own. You'd get all the old dears in with their glass of wine and roast or fish and chips. Everyone just fitted. So friendly, and the food just lovely! I've not been there in around 15 years! It seems to still be there. Was worried it had gone!

I like the 'honesty' of Eltham. It was unapologetic for what it was (does that make any sense lol). Bromley just felt a bit too much of too many things. Eltham felt more 'local'. I liked it. I felt more of a sense of belonging despite never really knowing many people there. My friends were elsewhere.

arthurdick

hazyjo said:

arthurdick said:

hazyjo said:

Perhaps wait until a bit of normality and head to Eltham for a walk/ shop. Treat it like you live there, not just a wander. Do a shop in Sainsbury's maybe. Have lunch/dinner out. Can recommend Eltham Grill for a lovely old fashioned fish and chip/ burger lunch! 

Bloody hell Hazy, i completely forgot about the Eltham Gril, aint been there for 2 yrs, We have, off and on been using that place for over 40yrs, I absolutely love it.  We used to have a few pints in the Yorkshire Grey, and when the afternoon closing time was 3pm, we used to jump on the 21, go up the Eltham Grill and have a lovely meal until the Greyhound opened at 5:30pm.

To the O.P , I would favour Eltham over Bromley, and definitely over Croydon all day long.

It's like stepping back in time! Somewhere I felt happy going in on my own. You'd get all the old dears in with their glass of wine and roast or fish and chips. Everyone just fitted. So friendly, and the food just lovely! I've not been there in around 15 years! It seems to still be there. Was worried it had gone!

I like the 'honesty' of Eltham. It was unapologetic for what it was (does that make any sense lol). Bromley just felt a bit too much of too many things. Eltham felt more 'local'. I liked it. I felt more of a sense of belonging despite never really knowing many people there. My friends were elsewhere.

Yep, completely agree with what you say there, it really sums it up. O.P take note, you do get that much more of a friendly  feeling and community in Eltham, Bromley is ok, but very soulless, tried the Richmal Crompton a few times and there didn't seem to be much atmosphere.  I am not a total lover of Eltham, but if the choice of Bromley or Eltham, Eltham wins.

And I do think you would get more for your money in Eltham.

YRazor

Thanks @arthurdick

really appreciate the input, I can confirm there is no atmosphere in the Richmal Crompton, if I am to go to a spoons then I much prefer the Greyhound in Bromley North or The Sovereign of the seas in Petts Wood.

Maybe I should add that we are 31 and 30, I dont mind the quiet life but would also like to be able to get a decent fish and chips and find Plantain or Okra (Ladies fingers) in the market.

bouicca21

Coo, the Eltham Grill!  Had totally forgotten how good it is!    I don’t think the Stephen Lawrence murder was a sign of an area that was any more racist than anywhere else - it’s rather like condemning Lee as a haven for teenage yobs because of the Jimmy Mizen murder.  In my day it was Welling that was the stomping ground of the BNP.

arthurdick

YRazor said:

Thanks @arthurdick

really appreciate the input, I can confirm there is no atmosphere in the Richmal Crompton, if I am to go to a spoons then I much prefer the Greyhound in Bromley North or The Sovereign of the seas in Petts Wood.

Maybe I should add that we are 31 and 30, I dont mind the quiet life but would also like to be able to get a decent fish and chips and find Plantain or Okra (Ladies fingers) in the market.

Hi, YRazor, you are welcome.  Hope that you do give it at least a look around on a day visit to Eltham on houses search , then .

treat yourself to a nice meal in the Eltham Grill( if Boots is still there, it's up the side of it)

I don't know of the Sov at Petts Wood but I do know  the greyhound, yep, it was always a  more lively pub. 

I just thought of an area that I used to live in years and years ago, Ladywell area, it's a short walk to Lewisham shopping but it has a nice village feel these days, not too sure on the prices though. Even up around the Hillyfields area is nice, again, not sure if your budget will stretch to there.

arthurdick

bouicca21 said:

Coo, the Eltham Grill!  Had totally forgotten how good it is!    I don’t think the Stephen Lawrence murder was a sign of an area that was any more racist than anywhere else - it’s rather like condemning Lee as a haven for teenage yobs because of the Jimmy Mizen murder.  In my day it was Welling that was the stomping ground of the BNP.

Hi bouuicca21, it is so easy to forget about the Eltham Grill until you remember that it is unforgettable.  Yep, that makes sense in my head.

Morglin

YRazor said:

My Wife and I are FTB looking to purchase a 3 bed house at around £430K.

We currently live in Bromley, London, (Masons Hill, short walk to Bromley South) we have been here 7+ years and we Love it here.

Our daughter goes to nursery in beckenham (the side close to shortlands) and I really dont want to uproot her so I tend to search for areas within 30 mins.

Wife works in Croydon (says she is happy to find work elsewhere), When I start going to the office I will be in maybe 2 days a week up London (By baker street station).

We have been trying to figure out where is nice and where is an absolute dive, as other than Bromley we dont really know the surrounding areas to well.

My Wife worries about racism in areas (we are both Black), she's also a social worker and says the entire borough of Croydon is a complete no no.

Obviously Beckenham would be ideal but if what we want is unlikely in Bromley then its a pipe dream in Beckenham.

So ive always been advised that St Mary Cray is a sh!thole and to avoid it like the plague and if i see the word 'Ramsden' on the map to run for the hills.

Its the same with Eltham/Mottingham and even Swanley I was advised against.

Its a shame because typically the best looking houses tend to show up in those areas.

I tend to simply search the Bromley borough when i go on Right move and all viewings so far have been in Orpington, West Wickham, Petts Wood, Elmstead Woods, Chislehurst and Sidcup which we recently added to our search.

Actually Sidcup (including bordering New Eltham) has actually thrown up some suprises and proved to be quite easy to get to by car and the areas seem quite nice.

I feel like i've typed a lot and havent asked a particular question so:

Does anyone have any knowledge and advice on the local areas from living there.

Are the blanket statements about areas true (i doubt it) or are you able to name any decent parts of said 'bad areas'.

Any advice from non Locals on how to go about finding out about an area ourselves.

Should I stop being a melt about Nursery and maybe broaden my horizon (Bexleyheath comes to mind)?

Anything else I am missing.

We live in Chislehurst....very nice, but generally expensive to rent or buy.  Parts of Orpington are nice, but all these areas are like anywhere - good  and bad in parts.  Parts of Eltham and Mottingham  are nice.   Bexkeyheath is ok, but it’s gone down a bit in recent years.  Sidcup and New Eltham have some nice roads in.

To be honest, like everywhere in the country, the areas all vary in parts, so I suppose it comes down to trying to find a pleasant road in an affordable (for you) area.

Good luck.