Peckham Rye - how dodgy is it?

[sallyfran]

I'm not sure that anything is going to change anybody's mind on this thread, but my sense is that a lot of feeling comfortable is based on familiarity. The longer you spend somewhere without anything happening to you then the more relaxed and at home you feel. Those people on this thread who are speaking up for Peckham seem to be the ones who have spent a lot of time there, have had reasonable experiences and tend to appreciate the many things it has to offer. Anecdotal experience can only offer so much (and I have a horrible unease about tempting fate) but I have worked in Peckham for almost six years. For the first three years I was based in Camberwell and walked through North Peckham daily (to get to different schools in the area). Currently I work in the centre of Peckham. I also use the station a lot, sometimes coming back in the evening. My 20-something niece lived with us for a few months and often used to come home very late via Peckham Rye station. For what it's worth, it has always been fine. I think it helps too that through work, I know a lot of children and young people who live in Peckham and generally, I like them a lot.

[alieh]

Well being pregnant myself, I don't tend to seek out e-coli ridden foods, no! But I'm as happy eating a green pepper or cucumber from a Rye Lane stall as I am from Somerfields or anywhere else. Now the pile of whole skinned lambs or goats I saw this week in a trolley outside one of the butcher shops on Rye Lane, not so much my thing...pregnant or not!

[Keef]

I do have to kind of go with Louisa RE Rye Lane, in that it was once a really really nice shopping street, and now I do find it a horrid smelly place to be!

That is not to say that I find it dangerous or scary, but I'd never go there to shop unless I needed Smith's or Argos *shudders*.

This shouldn't reflect on the Bellenden area though, it is just Rye Lane itself which stinks.

[chuff]

The drug dealing thing is a hard one, I've seen loads of it, but not just in Peckham, it happens all over (I must be looking for it).

I have always felt that the Ondine Road side of SE15 was never like Peckham at all, always East Dulwich and I have been here for 40 years. I do think Peckham has two faces and the bellenden road area seems to be the dividing line.

Personally I wouldn't live in Peckham now, but if I was younger I would happily consider the bellenden/ondine side.

[snorky]

hahaha

[Louisa]

I used to spend a lot of time in Peckham too, I have been driven away from shopping in the area and socialising in the area because it no longer provides me with anything that I need and also because I have had some very horrible mugging experiences locally. Peckham is my home, I was born around here and my family have lived here for further back than I or anyone in my family can remember, I have watched the area change over the years and tried my best to adapt to such changes, but the violent crime has reached levels I cannot cope with any longer and so as much as it pains me to do so, I find myself shopping in Lewisham and Bromley more often nowadays, not to say they are perfect places, far from it in fact, but probably because they still have a few shops worth visiting. Peckham isnt this vibrant edgy place so many like to make it out to be, compared with the Peckham I remember from old, it's a s*ithole (not to beat about the bush too much), and to be honest the transformation of ED (which has equally disheartened me) has left me no option than to travel elsewhere for my needs.

Louisa.

[clive3300]

I have lived in south of Peckham Rye train station for 8-9 months and have had no problems (baring our doormat being stolen once). We have cars in the street and nothing has happened to them (one was keyed in ED).

I commute to Blackfriars and for this PR trainstation is very convenient - far better than from ED however you try it. And easy accessiblity to London Bridge and Victoria is great. Myself and the Mrs regularly use it late in the evening and it always seems busy and safe. I seriously doubt it is more dangerous than the London average.

Rye Lane is kind of fun to walk up occasionally, but there isnt too much Id want to buy there, but again, I have never felt unsafe. The people are overwelmingly decent working class black people going about their business. In our street in SE15 I hear far less yelling (actually only once heard people) that I heard in Crystal Palace Road SE22, where there were often scummo (white) chavs screaming for hours at each other. No foxes screetching all night either.

The station itself could certainly do with a spruce up (though ED is nothing to look at either) and the shops around it are messy, but essentially within 1 minute of leaving the station property the area is very pretty (nicer than most of ED) with early/mid Victorians on lovely tree-lined streets, virtually no ugly buildings at all. On my morning commute I have not noticed anyone loitering around / causing problems.

Facilities - Peckham Rye park is great; there are a couple of really good pubs, cafes and restaurants in the Bellingdon road area which means you dont necessarily have to do a 10-15min walk to Lordship lane for good pizza, pastries, coffee, curry. There isnt much beyond that and there is nothing special about Bell. Rd really.

And apparently at some point PR trainstation will be redeveloped and the east London line go through it. So for me - Id much prefer the 40min per day saving on the commute compared with ED.

[clive3300]

Louisa Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I used to spend a lot of time in Peckham too, I

> have been driven away from shopping in the area

> and socialising in the area because it no longer

> provides me with anything that I need and also

> because I have had some very horrible mugging

> experiences locally. Peckham is my home, I was

> born around here and my family have lived here for

> further back than I or anyone in my family can

> remember, I have watched the area change over the

> years and tried my best to adapt to such changes,

> but the violent crime has reached levels I cannot

> cope with any longer and so as much as it pains me

> to do so, I find myself shopping in Lewisham and

> Bromley more often nowadays, not to say they are

> perfect places, far from it in fact, but probably

> because they still have a few shops worth

> visiting. Peckham isnt this vibrant edgy place so

> many like to make it out to be, compared with the

> Peckham I remember from old, it's a s*ithole (not

> to beat about the bush too much), and to be honest

> the transformation of ED (which has equally

> disheartened me) has left me no option than to

> travel elsewhere for my needs.

>

> Louisa.

What do you shop for and where?

You seem to clearly hate both middle class and working class shops, cafes, restaurants. Everything really.

[chuff]

oi snorky, you laughing at me? :)

[pepperkinski]

I love Morrisons in Peckham - it's cheap(ish) and has a wide range of products. I love Primark occasionally and Holland and Barret and though the market on Sunday is small I like it too - the veg I buy there is always superb, the bread from the bread stall yummy.

I've lived in or around Peckham since I first moved to London in 1998. It's not perfect but I like it and though I may cause anger by saying this (and it's more an observation of my acquaintances as opposed to people on EDF) I think people are scared of Peckham as it's not a white area - there are loads of different cultures and nationalities and I like that. I've NEVER had any bother in Peckham and I feel much safer there than I do in Brixton or even Camberwell, where I've witnessed way too many crimes.

[missd]

"No offence Louisa but what a load of ball. "

[AcedOut]

Here's what Foxton's says...

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/money/main.jhtml?xml=/money/2008/06/15/ccestates115.xml

Or to quote, "Among the usual aspirational articles, the estate agent's magazine exhorts readers to consider Peckham - once home to gun gangs and wheeler-dealer 'Del Boy' Trotter - but, according to Foxtons, "now equally renowned for peaceful Peckham Rye Park, handsome Georgian houses and the forthcoming East London rail line extension as it ever was for tower blocks"."

[macroban]

Don't trust Foxtons. Try this impartial web-site.

[cdonline]

What's not to love about Peckham?

I could happily wile away the hours in my local internet caf/ laminating/ printing/ hair styling and grooming/ everything for a ?/ mini cab/ money transfer/ travel agent/ estate agent/ cd and video and food emporium. And all under one roof.

I agree about the drugs in SE15 and SE22. The only difference may be what kind of drug they're taking, whose dealing and possibly the cost.

[timtim]

I've passed through Peckham Rye twice a day for the last 3 years, on the way to and from home in ED.

I've never had any problems or seen much that dodgy, but what annoys me on a daily basis is how dirty the area is. Chicken bones litter the floor along with remnants of hair extensions - yuck! Plus the meat markets and fishmongers stink. I wish the people of Peckham took a little more pride in their home!

[snorky]

chuff Wrote:

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> oi snorky, you laughing at me? :)

nah - just the whole nature of the ED vs SE15 war of words

[Spangles30]

I agree with you wholeheartedly Louisa. You and I are so obviously right on so many things concerning this area. It is probably why some people at a party I attended last weekend thought I might be you on this forum (which obviously I am not).

Incidentally to the poster who asserted that I 'obviously' didn't know the Bellenden area. I am afraid I do. It is why I felt able to comment on how ludicrous it is to suggest it is 'bohemian' and 'like a little village'.

PURLEASE!

Gimme a break.

I drive, and walk around there almost daily and have yet to see anyone flouncing around adorned with ribbons, ruffles and embroidery, combined with floaty fabrics or garish, gypsy-like prints. Also known as "hippie-chic".

True I have seen many people with dark skin and hair , but they were not speaking Romany and nor were they fortunetelling.

The area is thus NOT bohemian.

[clive3300]

timtim Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> but what annoys me on a daily basis is how

> dirty the area is. Chicken bones litter the floor

> along with remnants of hair extensions - yuck!

> Plus the meat markets and fishmongers stink. I

> wish the people of Peckham took a little more

> pride in their home!

Agreed. However just meters away from the station and shops of Rye lane / end of Choumert, the streets are clean and gardens well-tended.

[snorky]

timtim Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I've passed through Peckham Rye twice a day for

> the last 3 years, on the way to and from home in

> ED.

>

> I've never had any problems or seen much that

> dodgy, but what annoys me on a daily basis is how

> dirty the area is. Chicken bones litter the floor

> along with remnants of hair extensions - yuck!

> Plus the meat markets and fishmongers stink. I

> wish the people of Peckham took a little more

> pride in their home!

peckam rye lane was slowly dying before the new type of shops and the new arrivals came along and took over - I may not buy the stuff they sell, but would sooner see them used and the area have a bit of life to it

[Louisa]

A good 20 to 30 years ago there would have been no comparison between Rye Lane and Lordship Lane in terms of shopping. Peckham was home to three major department stores, a whole host of high quality food and homeware shops, various tailors and delicatessans. Meanwhile, LL was a a street renound for it's public houses more than anything else, and a few small shops but nothing major. ED was Peckham's poorer relation until the notorious North Peckham Estate turned into a crime haven in the late 1970's, and thus the trend was reversed as Rye Lane slumped into obscurity and has never recovered. I agree some of the terraced lined streets surrounding Rye Lane remain tranquil in appearance, but this is only a mask to the truth. The area is not what it used to be.

Louisa.

[chuff]

jones and higgens I remember it well

[Spangles30]

Louisa, you clearly know the area unlike those who have moved in from yummy mummy lands like Clapham, Barnes and Wandworth.

[Keef]

I remember going to the place opposite where the library is now, what was that called? (I was very young, so probably around 1980-82).

For all those who want an M&S on Lordship Lane, Peckham used to have one!!!! >:D<

[clive3300]

Louisa Wrote:

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> The area is not what it used to be.

>

Sure, but change is normal and this would be true of almost everywhere.

To many outsiders, Rye Lane and much of the housing / industrial areas / council estates of Peckham are fairly indistiguishable from about 1/2 the built up area of London with the exception it is more black and more street-vibrant than most.

London is mostly workingclass, full of small narrow houses, big 60/70s estates, little shops or local restaurants with garage doors, tired victorian pubs, charity shops, chain chicken shops (invariably with some US theme) and a mish mash of light industrial. Rye Lane could be anywhere - virtually the whole east and south east, more than 1/2 of the north and north west and a reasonable chunk of the West /South west. For each middleclassey Fulham or Dulwich there are 10 Catfords.

If and when this is a problem, either outlay high-6 or 7-figures for the nicer pockets, move to the home counties or emigrate. Lousia, I think you have chosen the latter.

Edited for grammer!

[snorky]

Spangles30 Wrote:

-------------------------------------------------------

> I agree with you wholeheartedly Louisa. You and I

> are so obviously right on so many things

> concerning this area. It is probably why some

> people at a party I attended last weekend thought

> I might be you on this forum (which obviously I am

> not).

>

> Incidentally to the poster who asserted that I

> 'obviously' didn't know the Bellenden area. I am

> afraid I do. It is why I felt able to comment on

> how ludicrous it is to suggest it is 'bohemian'

> and 'like a little village'.

> PURLEASE!

> Gimme a break.

>

> I drive, and walk around there almost daily and

> have yet to see anyone flouncing around adorned

> with ribbons, ruffles and embroidery, combined

> with floaty fabrics or garish, gypsy-like prints.

> Also known as "hippie-chic".

>

> True I have seen many people with dark skin and

> hair , but they were not speaking Romany and nor

> were they fortunetelling.

>

> The area is thus NOT bohemian.

um

Bohemia is in Czech Republic ( indeed, the German "bayern" is dervied from the name of the BOhemina tribes that occupied the area a long time ago )

But only this morning I was accosted by a brace of Czech Roma women with babies and a handful of beggin roma kids with thir elder bro in a wheelchair, whilst perusing the Teutonic delights of Lidl