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London - need a place to live!


Baddesigner

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hey,

my girl and me are facing the move to london having just returned from tokyo. being a bit green on all the areas and all, can anyone point out some good areas to look at for flat hunting? have begun to look at shoreditch, whitechapel, tower hill but we are clueless as to where is interesting and most importantly 'nice'. any pointers greatly appreciated.

thanks

matt|baddesigner

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It really depends what you are after.

If you want to go out all the time the east end is the place to live as that is close to where all the decent bars etc are ... but you will pay more and the actual area isn't 'nice' - I lived there for two, two and a half years and moved because I had had enough of bums wanking in my doorway, no supermarkets etc

I now live South, it's cheap and, where I am, quite 'nice', but the bars aren't the best and I end up getting taxis all the time after nights out ...

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I grew up in the North London suburbs. These days it's a stale middle class scene made up of joyless disenfranchised kids, frayed commuters, illegal immigrants and islamic terrorists. No Joke.

I lived in Hackney for a long time. It was very dirty, hip, edgy, drunk, loud, stylish and threatening. Then it got gentrified and nothing really changed but everything cost three times as much, so I left and moved to Japan.

Now I'm back, I'm south-west.

It's very civilized. There's a huge national park full of trees and deer 10 minutes in one direction and Central London twenty minutes in the other.

Gotta be happy.

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For flat hunting there is just one thing you should use - Loot - it is a magazzine that comes out 3 times a week with listings of all kinds of stuff. The accommodation is lsted by area and by price and you are much better off using this than an estate agent - you'll get more for your money and a btter place. Just make sure you are on the phone to anything you like by 8am - seriously, places go fast!

In terms of where to live, you just have to ask yourslef whethr you want to be central or not. If not go with South West London every time - if yu can afford it. Richmond is beautiful, Twickenham, Wimbledon (as in the tennis) - all leafy and middle class. For a bit more trendy try Clapham, Tooting, Wandsworth - all South of the River (and completely out of the action as far as I am concerned - not that that matters) If you are working in town, you will also have to contend with the living hell thatis commuting in london these days. fancy being stuck in a tunnel for 2 hours in an undeground train standing with your face pressed up against some smelly bastards armpit? it happens - and not just in a terrorist attack - just simple breakdowns)

If you want to live central, you can walk much easier and feel like you are in the thick of things. I love Russell Square and Bloomsbury. If you want something a bit more sophisticated try Islington or Hampstead (expensive). For somthing edgy try Shoreditch, Brick Lane - even Camden if you can stomach it.

DO NOT GO FURTHER NORTH THAN THIs - avoid Hackney, Wood Green, Stoke Newington, Finchley, Harringay, Archway euuggh - the most depressing shitholes you can imagine. Unfortunately this is where you may end up if you are tight for cash.

Hope that helps - mail me if you want more info

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Basically, you want decent transport links to wherever you're working. Since you don't say, I'll guess the West End or City.

South London's transport links are worse than North of the river. People in Clapham, Tooting, Balham etc generally rely on the Northern Line, which is the worst on the Tube. They're also furthest away from the best action which is in Soho (central) and Hoxton/Shoreditch (east).

South-West - Chelsea, Fulham, Putney, Wimbledon etc - is attractive but expensive, and, if I had to be prejudiced, full of public-school educated, rugby-playing twats.

The pick of the places in North London - for me - are Islington and West Hampstead. Ok, quite middle class and established, BUT decent tube lines, taxis will take you there after a late night and not too far away from the action. Still decent facilities locally - restuarants, bars - if you don't wanna venture out. You don't want to be wrecked 24/7 do you?

If so, try living in Soho. Right slap-bang in the middle.

Hope that helps.

Edited by Barbie on Nov 29, 2005 at 06:14 PM

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