7 days in Sarf London
Mar 17th 2012, 8:46 pm
#31
Perth WA
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 116
Re: 7 days in Sarf London
Ahh Dulwich... the best lamb I ever tasted was had in Dulwich - I know my post was pretty skewed to the negative but even the rare delights of south of the river and they are few and far between, can't make it alright for me and mine I'm afraid. Mind you, I'm focusing mainly on south east london, that lawless pocket of hell that makes Dulwich and Clapham look good. Enjoy your roast
Mar 17th 2012, 9:38 pm
#32
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: Other side of the Westgate
Posts: 654
Re: 7 days in Sarf London
South london is a toilet - I lived there for 23 years, the wife was born and bred there. We moved to suffolk five years ago as we were utterly tired of the crime, filth, traffic, antisocial behaviour etc etc. what did it for me was trying to park outside the flat in Lewisham - 5 school age teenagers on bikes in the way, I politely asked them to move and was fronted up and told to f**k off, I was going to get out of the car until my wife said "think about it, they know our faces, we're sat in a soft-top, they know where we live and you'll end up in an ambulance" she was right, getting out of the car would have been a stupid thing to do - that was the last straw for me, that and my eldest being mugged at gunpoint for his mobile phone, my wife being punched in the stomach and mugged in broad daylight while walking through Catford. My best mate, a consultant, the kindest man in the world, beaten up and mugged for his bike - jeez I could go on and on.... I felt more nervous in south east london than I ever did in Kabul, seriously. Been down there a couple of times in the last month to do the goodbye thing before we fly out to Perth 
and was reminded just how awful things are there. Anyone that has lived there has either been a victim of crime or knows someone who has. People don't live in south london, they survive it. Don't care if I never go back to south london in my entire life. I realised I couldn't bring my kids up there and send them to school and look at myself in the mirror every morning, just get a bus in Lewisham at four in the afternoon if you don't know what I mean. Sunny days in Greenwich park or a posh coffee in Blackheath (if you can find a parking space and flog a kidney to pay for it) don't make up for the fact it's a crap place to live.Don't get me wrong, not knocking the UK - of course there are still lovely places to live and visit but south london ?... you couldn't pay me enough.
and was reminded just how awful things are there. Anyone that has lived there has either been a victim of crime or knows someone who has. People don't live in south london, they survive it. Don't care if I never go back to south london in my entire life. I realised I couldn't bring my kids up there and send them to school and look at myself in the mirror every morning, just get a bus in Lewisham at four in the afternoon if you don't know what I mean. Sunny days in Greenwich park or a posh coffee in Blackheath (if you can find a parking space and flog a kidney to pay for it) don't make up for the fact it's a crap place to live.Don't get me wrong, not knocking the UK - of course there are still lovely places to live and visit but south london ?... you couldn't pay me enough.
Mar 17th 2012, 9:41 pm
#33
Frequent Flyer Member
Joined: Jun 2007
Location: Melbourne
Posts: 10,994
Re: 7 days in Sarf London
Can someone clarify what constitutes South London cos I'm confused now!?
Mar 17th 2012, 10:00 pm
#34
Possum. Amiculum. Latrina
Thread Starter
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: Footloose
Posts: 3,427
Mar 17th 2012, 10:11 pm
#36
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: 7 days in Sarf London
S London is due S for me. The colorful bit.
Only thing I would add is that parts of the former rough S London have been cool, vibrant, if grainy for some time.
I know lots of people who live quite cool lives in the environs of Lewiscum.
Mar 17th 2012, 10:13 pm
#37
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Oct 2005
Location: Hill overlooking the SE Melbourne suburbs
Posts: 16,622
Re: 7 days in Sarf London
But as I've said, I wager there has been improvement in areas.
There are also ordinary parts of S London that are not bad, nor are nice. You can turn a corner and find an area which is...just nothing..
Mar 17th 2012, 10:24 pm
#38
Joined: Jun 2006
Posts: 4,555
Re: 7 days in Sarf London
Lots of nothing is spot on. A bit like Melbourne
Aha! That's the trendy part of S London. Clapham almost doesn't count as S London now - well not the gritty bit anyhow, and has been for years.
But as I've said, I wager there has been improvement in areas.
There are also ordinary parts of S London that are not bad, nor are nice. You can turn a corner and find an area which is...just nothing..
But as I've said, I wager there has been improvement in areas.
There are also ordinary parts of S London that are not bad, nor are nice. You can turn a corner and find an area which is...just nothing..
Mar 17th 2012, 10:29 pm
#39
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 15,526
Re: 7 days in Sarf London
It's anywhere South of the River and a London Borough as far as I'm concerned.... Which includes South West London.
Some people have tried to claim Chelsea as South London... because of the imaginary Geographical line that runs through London, giving Chelsea a SW post code..... but we aint having it
Some people have tried to claim Chelsea as South London... because of the imaginary Geographical line that runs through London, giving Chelsea a SW post code..... but we aint having it
Mar 17th 2012, 10:35 pm
#40
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 15,526
Re: 7 days in Sarf London
South london is a toilet - I lived there for 23 years, the wife was born and bred there. We moved to suffolk five years ago as we were utterly tired of the crime, filth, traffic, antisocial behaviour etc etc. what did it for me was trying to park outside the flat in Lewisham - 5 school age teenagers on bikes in the way, I politely asked them to move and was fronted up and told to f**k off, I was going to get out of the car until my wife said "think about it, they know our faces, we're sat in a soft-top, they know where we live and you'll end up in an ambulance" she was right, getting out of the car would have been a stupid thing to do - that was the last straw for me, that and my eldest being mugged at gunpoint for his mobile phone, my wife being punched in the stomach and mugged in broad daylight while walking through Catford. My best mate, a consultant, the kindest man in the world, beaten up and mugged for his bike - jeez I could go on and on.... I felt more nervous in south east london than I ever did in Kabul, seriously. Been down there a couple of times in the last month to do the goodbye thing before we fly out to Perth and was reminded just how awful things are there. Anyone that has lived there has either been a victim of crime or knows someone who has. People don't live in south london, they survive it. Don't care if I never go back to south london in my entire life. I realised I couldn't bring my kids up there and send them to school and look at myself in the mirror every morning, just get a bus in Lewisham at four in the afternoon if you don't know what I mean. Sunny days in Greenwich park or a posh coffee in Blackheath (if you can find a parking space and flog a kidney to pay for it) don't make up for the fact it's a crap place to live.Don't get me wrong, not knocking the UK - of course there are still lovely places to live and visit but south london ?... you couldn't pay me enough.
and was reminded just how awful things are there. Anyone that has lived there has either been a victim of crime or knows someone who has. People don't live in south london, they survive it. Don't care if I never go back to south london in my entire life. I realised I couldn't bring my kids up there and send them to school and look at myself in the mirror every morning, just get a bus in Lewisham at four in the afternoon if you don't know what I mean. Sunny days in Greenwich park or a posh coffee in Blackheath (if you can find a parking space and flog a kidney to pay for it) don't make up for the fact it's a crap place to live.Don't get me wrong, not knocking the UK - of course there are still lovely places to live and visit but south london ?... you couldn't pay me enough.They did have a laugh when someone from Manchester came on and tell them how to handle muggers.
At one stage in my life, I never knew one person that hadn't been mugged. Only time I ever managed to get myself in a position where I got street robbed was in North London..... Slightly different situation though... hit over the head with a bottle and had my scarf grabbed, outside Euston Station, on my way back to my parental place in Milton Keynes. The remnants of the group apologised afterwards and claimed they thought I was a Villa rather than Palace fan and fellow Londoner.
.
Last edited by ozzieeagle; Mar 17th 2012 at 10:39 pm.
Mar 17th 2012, 10:39 pm
#41
BE Enthusiast
Joined: Jun 2011
Location: Other side of the Westgate
Posts: 654
Re: 7 days in Sarf London
It occurred to me the other day that in my entire London life I didn't spend a single night north of the Thames. The closest I came was a 4am minicab ride south from Crouch End in April 2006.
The closest I came was a 4am minicab ride south from Crouch End in April 2006.
Mar 17th 2012, 10:40 pm
#42
Daffyd Duck
Joined: Jul 2008
Location: Paradise
Posts: 5,636
Re: 7 days in Sarf London
Croydon, Greenwich, Hackney, Haringey and Southwark were the most affected boroughs during the riots.
Mar 17th 2012, 10:41 pm
#44
Banned
Joined: Jan 2011
Location: The REAL Utopia.
Posts: 9,910
Re: 7 days in Sarf London
Isnt it interesting how different people can see the exact same place so differently? There are places here i dont even like driving through but many seem to love living there.
Mar 17th 2012, 10:45 pm
#45
Lost in BE Cyberspace
Joined: Feb 2005
Posts: 15,526
Re: 7 days in Sarf London
Might as well post this again at this point.... It's damn funny.
Another one.... not so funny that is something not that unusual from whence I came... how she survived all those years there is beyond me though. Typical New Addington.
Last edited by ozzieeagle; Mar 17th 2012 at 10:49 pm.
