Any Londonders tell give me some advice on nice areas in London, Willesden?

At the moment living on Edgeware road and im looking for flats at the minute, need to be in zone one or two for transport and going to view a flat in Willesden tonight. Anyone know anything about the place? Im mainly concerned about safety as the flat im living in at the moment has been broken into twice and have recently found out it has been targeted several times before.

Also if anyone can reccommend good areas to look for inzone one or also point out bad areas, im quite new to london so it could turn out you all say, its central london deal with it, everywhere has its good and bad points but any help is appreaciated.

Looks like rooms are around 6-700 a month, which i think it my max budget. Or if anyone knows anyone with somewhere to stay i would be interested possibly.

thanks

I lived in Willesden in 1999-2000 and then Kilburn 2003-2004 and both were fine (may be different now of course but when i parked in my old road last month nothing had changed).

Of the two i’d say i prefered Kilburn as the local facilities were better (plus lots of very late night kebab houses!).

Tube at Willesden station was usually quite easy to get a seat but Kilburn wasn’t all that bad either (although i’d started commuting by bike by then). Jubilee line is pretty good as well.

Where are you working? Plenty of people live in S London and get overland into London bridge for example. Bit more chilled than kilburn or willesden ime.

this is actually for my girlfriend, so when I say I, I mean she.

at the moment work on new oxford street, however currently looking for new job so not really sure where exactly that will be.

thanks mr tall

having never lived in london and being from the north most of my preconceptions of london come from the news and that of south and east london being more dangerous than the north an west, obviously thats a huge generalisation, i would be happy to be told otherwise

anyone else help?

Don’t rule out living outside of zones 1&2.
Travel time might increase a little, but if you’re getting on a tube anyway it doesn’t really matter.
You can get more for your money, and nicer areas too.
Which direction depends on where you work.

My info is 10 years out of date but this is how I saw it then.

I used to live in Willesden Green, which I think is probably what Mr Tall meant, nicish area. Cricklewood is east of it is cheaper and not a huge step down. Kilburn is more happening, Queens Park is expensive but nicer. Dollis Hill is quiet and more a family area, Neasden has nice spots.

Around Willesden Junction is not great, neither is Harlesden.

Always found South London to be pretty peaceful as long as you avoided the hotspots like Lewisham. Honor Oak Park, Forest Hill, Blackheath all places I’ve lived or spent time in and liked. I worked in Harlesden for a year. It never struck me as a low crime area 😆

dress those areas up how you like they are horrid ! 39yrs in London…I feel justified to have a view.

pay a little less in rent and live a bit further out…

nice areas in willesden, that is an oxymoron!

39yrs in London…I feel justified to have a view.

That’s a good point. This view of yours, any chance you could make it a wee bit more specific 😉 After all “a bit further out” is a tough location to give to an estate agent…

I have only driven down the High Street in Willesden. That was enough for me to judge that it was a total dump

willesden is a dump.

have lived in kilburn, west hampstead, belsize park, queens park, islington.

for your budget etc give west hampstead a shot.

Definitely agree with living further out – I did 7 years commuting into Westminster area, now work in Uxbridge – so commute around London. Currently live in Northwood area which is nice and relatively good value. Also a lot quieter than central london.

If working Oxford St, look at Central Line, Bakerloo, Jubilee line. With any of those you can switch to another if your GF gets a new job.

Rents out here are 450 – 600 a month all inclusive (depending on size of room). You are also far nearer green spaces (ie the chilterns, hertfordshire etc) and fresh air! Cheap one bedroom flat is around 700 – 750 around here.

pay a little less in rent and live a bit further out…

A bit further out ? Willesden’s practically in Northern England ffs.

A bit further south more like it.

But not South of the Moat, Ernie, obviously.

😉

Willesden, Kilburn are not all that nice to be honest.

I live in West Hampstead and it is a very nice area, no issues at all. Great transport links via tube, overground & national rail. A short 10 mins walk to Hampstead Heath which is very posh 😆

For a studio I was paying £190pw though… So bed in your kitchen type thing.

Obviously Kilburn & Willesden are cheaper, but I wouldn’t want my GF walking around there at night.

Inbetween my stints in Cricklewood/Kilburn i lived in Gypsy Hill, next to Crystal Palace and it was nicer down there although a but quieter.

Lots of parks around to choose from and more space in general. Travelling in to the centre on the overground train is also much nicer than the tube.

I got married in Willesden Green.

Enough said!

If you work on New Oxford Street you could find a room in Angel for £6-700. Spread your wings.

My experience is only based on staying there for 2 nights, but I was at the Dollis Hill/Neasden end of Willesden in 2006 and it was a shitehole.

All we could hear all night was sirens wailing, arguing and glass breaking.

Walking to Neasden station along a street littered with old couches and microwaves only confirmed the picture we had in our minds after arriving at the night before.