Shall we just say avoid the East & South?
Or can I add the North to that as well?

basically just avoid anywhere inside the M25... and outside...

There are some nice places in North Yorkshire!

West London & Surrey have some fine areas to live

Surrey's full of 'tards though, especially in the Guildford area.

</Boris Johnson moment>

Guildford is outside the M25 though.

Which means the BBC is unaware of its existence .

We're getting off topic now, so I'll be quiet.

No, no I didn't - I like the place, but would only wish it on friends I knew well,

You could, if you fancy inner-London surburbia, it - and it's surrounding areas (Crouch End and the like) are all fairly nice places to live, with fairly nice big houses and so-so rent hikes (it's been gentrified by the ageing design/media class) - but it's too remote and "plain" for me.


Steer clear of Tower Hamlets sure - but not Hackney; it's an awesome area, it's council might suck, and yes - within Hackney you will find some of the worse areas of all London - but at the same time you've got great night life (Shoreditch) great communities (Ridley Road, Brick Lane, etc) and a growing employment sector with the City expansion growing out beyond it's (and it's neighbouring Tower Hamlets) borders.

Ilford, Seven Sisters, Forest Hill... etc - they shouldn't be classed as London - they are just plain manky, dull sink towns sharing more with Essex (the rank varient) than they do with London

Er no - I've lived where you live dude - and I wouldn't ever go back.

See above comments relating to Wood Green & Crouch End.

You couldn't pay me enough to live in either.

Oi! You're talkin' 'bout my home town.

(You're quite correct, though. It's why I moved to Kent and never went back!)

Wow, thanks for all the comments guys- If anything is clear it is that some of you have some strong impressions about some areas in London! Where ever I look on the internet in columns etc. this type of discussion always seems to trigger some strong loyalty to a persons local area- and why shouldn't it?

I think what I'll take from the comments (and what I previously assumed) is that most areas have some nice and not so nice areas.

I've been doing a lot of searching today and I think I've come to the conclusion that somewhere in Greenwich is the most likely option. I've done some travel planning on the TFL website and it looks like I'll be in for a 20 mins commute, which is fine by me, I don't want anything longer than about 45 mins though

Snowy- I know what you mean about me placing safety so high up on my list of criteria. I guess I should consider other things, so what are you guys impressions about the social life and culture in the Greenwich area?

I've got a couple of friends working in the banks who live in Whitechapel.


I'm only down here temporarily! And I'm not actually in Surrey - it's Hampshire you want to avoid for the year (8-p)

Those are all in London boroughs. Nothing to do with Essex. London can have them, as well as Dagenham and Southend.

If you are OK for a train journey, then you could try Brentwood - just under the M25. It’s a short rail journey to Stratford which will get you on the DLR or Jubilee line for Lego Land (sorry) Docklands.

There is also Epping at the end of the Central line. Again, links to Stratford.

My wife used to live in Dalston/Kingsland Road area. She wouldn't wish it on her worst enemy.

One of my mates lives in Upminster. Short walk to the train, over ground it's really fast into London. Nice area too. Technically, Essex, but the rent's cheap and the flat's a good size too, with it's own garage.

Sorry, just my experience of the place. I vowed after that to try and stay in the South West, though I quite fancy a trip to the Garden of England.