Grotty

i was woken up last week by a foxtons agent (having made the mistake of wandering in there one summer afternoon to see what they could offer me and passing on my details) - only to be warned that if i remained a sheep and followed the rest of the population into waiting until next year to buy that i could end up like those sheep in turkey did i.e. fall off a cliff and die.

"Maybe tell us what roads you're considering ?" Looking at properties on Furley Rd/Marmont Rd - i.e. north of peckham high st If the aim is to be close-ish to Peckham/E.Dulwich (at a push) - affordable places remain Queens Rd peckham/Nunhead. It is proving difficult to weigh up the options; Queens Rd Peckham - bad reputation, not so picturesque, central, close to peckham, exciting vibe, good transport (bus/train) Nunhead - lovely looking, good pubs, nice community feel, but quiet and not so good transport quiet but out-of-the way vs. not quiet but easy to get to - have i got this right? - which wins?

As a first time buyer who finally achieved some kind of deposit after years saving only to be told that 10% meant nothing in this market, i am looking further afield than the peckham rye/east dulwich outskirts i had hoped for....seen some truly lovely, completely affordable and rather generously sized properties in roads set between peckham high st and old kent rd. Said roads are also amidst the high rises/low rises that have brought peckham its infamy. I have been told by acquaintances that this area should be a no-go....noise, fighting, police, helicopters as a daily occurrence with people too scared to come out of their front doors ??!!??. Is it really this bad? I grew up in peckham rye and have never felt unsafe around peckham but am i to be floored by the reputation of the "inner depths of peckhams worst"....please help....

Anyone else fear for their lives today whilst walking past Somerfield LL making breathing very difficult. What was it? This was also about the same time that LL seemed to be infested by a plague of large flying ants....on speaking to hubby who is working in Ealing said plague is also reported present there...eek

If you are going North/North-West, by far the fastest way we have found to get out of London is to back street up to Elephant and Castle, cross over Blackfriars Bridge, keep going straight up to Kings Cross and left onto A40....used to be a nightmare but the last few times we have done this traffic flow was constant and the hellish roadworks around St Pancras seemed a thing of the past. We have got out and back into London faster than any time we have tried coming in on the M4/earls court/vauxhall way...