Clapham or ED

[kford]

The Bishop beats any pub in Clapham simply beacuse you can get a seat, the barman knows you and it has a dog.

[Peckhamgatecrasher]

Haven't been for yonks but I recall the Nightingale was good and the Windmill is ok for hot days.

[downsouth]

I think Clapham is great. It is so big and diverse that it is hard to stereotype it. Nortcote Road end is much quieter and was my favourite bit - I haven't been there for about 12 months. The Commons are great and so too is the high street. Other highlights are some the bars like Artesian Well etc... and nice boozers to boot. Bierorome and Microbar are other highlights of the area and the bongo drum man who used to play in All bar One.

White House was great but it has got rougher as time has worn on and I for one won't ever go in there again. Fresh and Wild is great too. Both are good in my book.

[jimbo1964]

I was born in London and love it. However most of it is a dump.. there are a few places which are worth living in and Dulwich and Clapham are two of them. Anywhere you don't have to leave at weekends is good.. others include Barnes and Blackheath which are also islands surrounded by crap (I can't speak for North London but people seem to like Crouch End for the same reason).

One of ED's pros and cons is it's public transport, it's a pain not being on the tube but it does help keep the riff-raff out. Clapham Common is great but horrible in the summer when the great unwashed ship in on the tube.

[BJL]

Brendan Wrote:

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> Clapham Common

>

> Vs

>

> Peckham Rye Park and Common

>

> Dulwich Park

>

> Dulwich Woods

>

> Horniman Gardens

Don't forget (a favourite of mine) One Tree Hill.

[Mark]

and Goose Green

[Maurice]

Having been encouraged to move by many here, I've taken to searching for a placed that meets my needs. I'm keen for lovely period housing stock, all amenties on the doorstep, a lovely feel on the streets, and excellent transport links - close to Central London.

I've spent some time in Clapham just recently. To me, it feels like the its own suburban city well outside of central London. It's a bit of a dull high street too.

Dulwich is too far outside of London with poor transport links in, same for Blackheath. For me, I would shy from going into Central London of a weekend because it's an investment of hours (few trains an hour, wait wait wait, then coming back the same). Clapham is bit better on that score, but still a while out.

Right now, top of the list is Kennington. Some lovely stock (Georgian!) and terribly close to Central London by tube or by many buses. Amentities are very good and while there isn't a booming bar/club/restaurant scene, there is just enough should you stay home and heading into town can be a quick trip without losing a huge chunk of the day.

And you can easily walk to Vauxhall where I club quite often and partake in all sorts of substances. Okay, that's a lie. But my mind is opening to legalisation so who knows, maybe I'll rediscover my (long gone) youth.

[capt_birdseye]

???? Wrote:

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> I remember when Clapham was a downmarket toilet

> rather than the upmarket toilet it is nowadays

I remember when they discovered an IRA bomb factory on Northcote Road. Happened the same day as Lockerbie, so didn't make the headlines obviously.

[*Bob*]

We browsed in Kennington before plumping for ED. It wasn't the wrong decision.

Kennington has some 'great stock' as you say - Georgian squares and the like - and affordable (for you). But the reason they're affordable is because they're in Kennington. In your case it might be out of the frying pan into the fire.

We found it a little desolate (and suffering from all the usual problems that you have in Camberwell) with pleasant pockets - but, despite really wanting that flat-fronted Georgian dreamboat, pleasant pockets weren't enough.

[Keef]

Since this thread is here, I'm going to chuck in a plug for my mate Nathan. He's the friendly Aussie guy who used to run the CPT (his sister still does).

Nathan runs The George which is on the main road between Clapham South and Balham. If you're in the area, it's a nice pub, and very good for watching sport.

[Mellors]

I moved from one of the Georgian squares in Kennington to ED. I loved living there but wanted more green space and a house with garden rather than a flat for the same money (drug riddled Kennington Park doesnt count).

I agree re the transport though - I used to walk to work in the City in 45 mins, the tube is great, and it saves a fortune on taxis. The pubs and restaurants are great (big up to the Dog House), and you can walk to Borough for decent food on Saturdays.

Horses for courses - it was great for me as a girl about town with no family, but ED is nicer now I'm a pram pusher.

If you can afford it and dont have those worries, I would go for it.

Watch out at the Tesco though - its a bit stabbing central.

[woodie]

i loved clapham. i was like the mayor of clapham. i knew so many people,party places, had a flat right by the railway moved there from peckham rye in 84. all the places like valencia place , wild gallery type events. acid house parties you name it clapham rocked on so many levels. then almost overnight, all those empty buildings were gone, wealthy kids felt safer in brixton as the gentrification began. i remember it was ecco pizza and la rueda brought the new faces in claphamwsise. the flipping dogstar opened the door to brixton.

nother scene killa.

I screamed and punched and kicked to not move away. east dulwich was like torture distance from passport control. but my girl wanted here.

kid was right. clapham is now a cattle market and this place here is king. the people i am meeting now stun me with talent and outlook. my new friends are the greatest and i think my roots are too deep now to want for anywhere else. I mean i get more done here.totally creative from the moment i arrived. In clapham the door bell rang too much. the place seems so desperate now.seems like you have to try to have fun.most people i know are gone from there. I hardly ever even drive through the place.seems weird to say that. I worked in zeitgeist the original gift shop in old town. you dont get more central clapham than that.now, the soul of the place is dead. I remember djing with trapeze artists over my head and street parties we organised bunting and all.the wedding where the bride and groom arrived on the yellow scorpion tank, hanging off the turret with bottles of champagne.

I just dont think that attitude works there anymore. no connection between the occupants of a street.

Last night i was at the godawful beauberry house , standing next to the awesome conga player in the dancing room. made my day. i love that latin style. you dont find that in clapham any more.

Im a few vodkas down.but you got me going on this. Foxtons invasion or not, this place rules.Andreas food stall fri sat northcross, the record store there the bread store, the horniman, (lordship lane meh!) the parks. the big windows, peckham, nothing like it was 82. much better. the herne, rye, bish,edt(meh!), loads of em. sure theres a few 'brigadier mums' about but you wanna hang in clap junction. squillions of em. less here. I got home scorching late last night, walked home from only 2 minutes away. Im very happy to be here. all about me innit. hope you can relate to it.

[Snoopy]

:)

[JesusCappuccino]

.

[woodie]

no

[JesusCappuccino]

...................

[Maurice]

London, particularly south London, is all about pockets. Including East Dulwich.

In fact, having examined crime stats (I know I'm sad), Kennington ranks better than most. Though there is a pocket heading east (surprise surprise toward Camberwell) that's a bit dodgy. But that's about the same geography for East Dulwich heading back to Peckham.

I ate in the new park cafe and was told all about the massive transformation in the last two years with much more to come. It seems to have done an East Dulwich. The houses I'm keen on are more expensive in Kennington than ED, but you are paying for a more central, better connected location.

And if you think it's worse than Camberwell (or better than ED), than you haven't spent much time there. But I'm not sure. Will be looking further. But for now, for housing stock, central, good transport, nice neighbourhoods, good amentities, Kennington appears to be winning out in South London. ED is good for the pram set, but it is suburban, out of town and hard to get to....great if you've kids.

[ratty]

I have lived in both and can only sum it up by saying that I thought I liked Clapham until I moved to ED. Looking back I think I liked the idea of living in Clapham which makes me a sad bastard. (Fitted in in Clapham then).

In summary, ED is miles above Clapham which is, as mentioned somewhere above, an Upmarket toilet! Full of junkies and f-reaks!

[luddite]

can someone tell kyle monroe he might have more fun in clapham .................?

[Asset]

Kennington has no centre, it is fairly souless. I lived there for years before ED. Great for town though.

[JesusCappuccino]

................

[TillieTrotter]

I grew up in and around Kennington and still have a few rellies living there. I like it but agree with asset that there isnt really a nucleus. Some of the garden squares are gorgeous and have quite a little community going on ie, West Square, Walcot Square, St Mary's Gardens etc but these are terribly expensive.

[Mellors]

Clever Square is my old gaff mmmmmm....

If only I was rich enough for a house there!

[TillieTrotter]

Ah, no wonder you used the Dog House. Whats that other pub on the other side of Cleaver Square near the tower blocks?

[Frisco]

"with a huge Sainsbury's AND a Sainsbury's Local"

I never quite understood that, it's almost creating local monopoly, and heaven forbid Sainsburys ever think of doing this in ED.