[rob444]

These areas seem to be reasonably priced both for rental and buying.
Are they good areas to live or are they cheaper because they are rough, unsafe etc.
Any comments?

[Cucking Funt]

Avoid Tottenham, Leyton and southern parts of Walthamstow. Upper Walthamstow is nice with good access to Epping Forest.

Have a look at Chingford, the upper part.

[Bluey]

Not familiar with Leyton. Search the forum to see if there are any previous discussions on it.

Tottenham Hale is dulls-ville - nothing there but a B&Q depot.

Walthamstow is on the Victoria tube line - 20 mins to Oxford Street, with another tube line at Blackhorse Road on the outskirts. Has a conservation area. Has a long street market (mainly fruit/veggies, household goods and tat). No cinema though. Has some nice residential pockets.

[alex33]

whats wrong with Tottenham Hale If i might ask ?

[Cut24]

Avoid Walthamstow and Tottenham like the plague.

[rob444]

[Bluey]

I guess you just need to take a stroll around each of the 3 areas and do a bit more research on them.

There is never any consensus on this forum about good/bad places to live in London anyway.

One person's interpretation of 'vibrant' is another person's definition of 'scary'.

Come back to the forum and let us know how you get on.

[noobe]

I have the same question, i need to live in an area with easy access 10 -15 minutes to tottenham hale rail station, Any suggestions please.

[pommy boy]

[Cut24]

[rob444]

[moon_babe]

Walthamstow is hell to get to unless you are right by the train or tube.

Tottenham Hale is mostly horrible but there are some nicer places hidden away.

I wouldn't move to Leyton if you paid me. My best mate got mugged there and it put us right off, same with Seven Sisters cos i got beaten up by a bunch of teenage girls, there were litterally about 10 of them and I'm only small.

[eficky]

Haya,
live close to Leyton and trust me if you are not Polish you better don`t wanna live in this area.....prefer Wansted,is close and very nice!!!!!!!!
Never was in Tottenham but heard that is like one big ghetto...

[rhythmbug]

i've been living in walthamstow for 7 months, I work only 5 minutes walk from my house.

I live near blackhorse road station which is an OK neighbourhood, the further you get into walthamstow central the sketchier it gets. Generally the north and towards chingford or highham hill is actually quite nice though but your travel options to london central start becoming laborious.
Ok by day it is not shocking but I have been attempted pickpocketed (in my backpack) at least 6 times in broad daylight, which I can only presume was kids as if someone wanted to rob me they'd do it fkn properly. So no I haven't been victim to crime here yet...just.

Socio economic bracket here seems generally average to poor, many ethnic sub-communities and seemingly underpriviledged youths and families.

The nightlife in the waltham forest burrow is basically just pub rats, wall flys and trouble makers. If u wanna live here don't expect to enjoy the neighbourhood, but u can find a quite pocket and carry about your ways.

Personally i'm tired of this boring scrappy turd of a burrow and moving in 6 weeks, which gives me something to smile about

[rob444]

Rhytmbug,
Thanks for the useful feedback. It is always good to hear from someone who has actually lived in an area.
If I may ask, what area do you plan to move to?

[rhythmbug]

no problems, of course that's my opinion! and depends what you're looking for. i should point out i am paying 450 pcm inc bills which i only took because i was desperate at the time and location was convenient to work.... but for walthamstow its a ripoff

i'm looking for somewhere around the highbury/islington - finsbury park area. its still very close to walthamstow on the bus or rail but closer to central london and more of a youthful & thriving community (from what i've been led to believe)

rhythmbug

[filthydurtygurl]

[Lucrezia]

Tottenham Hale is undergoing a major facelift. Many established companies like Costa Coffee, Boots and Next are moving to the Tottenham retail park and this is a good sign of the rejeneration the area is enjoying. . Apparently there'll be restaurants, schools and shops. The black cabs outside the station ( because of the Stanstead exress link) definity add to a sense of safety, and whenever I walk there ( I have tried mornings afternoons and evenings) and I've never had any problems. Transport is also fantastic - both for city and West End. I have tried both the Lock dining Bar and the Ferry boat pub and they both do lovely food in a nice athmosphere ( The lock is more up standard, the Ferry Inn boat is a more casual affair with a lovely fire place it feels like someone's home). The Bream Close development is the nicest and best looked after in the area, with its own sense of community. I've recently called to enquiry about the flats they're are constructing on the Ferry Lane, ( they will be calling it Hale Village) and the prices start from 275,000 for a 2 bedroom flat - which in my opinion is expensive, but maybe is reflecting the new amenities on offer + the river nearby is definitely a plus. I would avoid Seven sisters and Bruce grove, as they have a feel of dirtiness and scruff I don't feel comfortable with, however, Tottenham Hale difinitely gets my vote - if you can, buy now before it becomes totally out of reach.

[rogelius77]

[Bellelair]

I've lived in Walthamstow all my life and my opinion is that it's an area with a lot of potential that has yet to be realised.

Actually, the transport links are pretty good: the Victoria line runs from Walthamstow Central through to Brixton, taking in Oxford St and Victoria on the way. There are two overground lines, one Chingford to Liverpool St and the other Barking to Gospel Oak covering parts of Islington en route. There's also the bus station where (being a bus station) a number of buses can be caught to all over London and Essex.
There are also pretty good motorway links, so I'm told.

Yes, shopping in Walthamstow is pretty dire and there's no cinema. If you want cheap fruit and veg then the market's your place. Supermarket deliveries and the good transport links make up for the rest of it.
There are some good restaurants in the Village area and a few on the High St. You don't have to live in the Village to enjoy the restaurants.

In terms of places to live, the Village area is attractive and well, villagey, but you pay for it. The other area mentioned, Upper Walthamstow, is close to the forest but isn't so great in terms of transport links and (I speak from experience) often quite clique. Plus there really is nothing to do there.

There are some areas that are notoriously dodgy but for the most part much of Walthamstow's traditional reputation doesn't illustrate Walthamstow as it is now. The simple fact of London property prices has had quite an impact. I'm fortunate to live in a road where I know many of my neighbours by name and to stop and chat to. Strangely enough the 20-somethings tell me that they love Walthamstow and think it's an excellent place to live.

On the whole my advice to anyone looking to live in Walthamstow is: be close enough to what you need - transport links, basic shopping, the Village but you don't be right on top of them.

[pascal151]

Leyton is just a horrible place to live, very intimating with all theses poor imigrants and arrogant uneducated teenagers living there, do not buy or rent there, people were hoping the Olympic would change that but It is gettting worse year after year, cant sell my property so I am stuck in that awful area. The high road had just Halal meat and food shops, cant find a high street bank, you think we are in a third word country, just unbelievable.

[rob444]

Bellelair said

[pascal151]

Mostly around the high road from the station to Bakers arms, scary

[Penant The Tenant]

Your pocket dictates where you can afford to live.

[pascal151]