To put a spin on things – I lived in a flat in Forest Hill during the 1950’s and 1960’s, but acquiring a dog subsequently meant acquiring a garden – and even in those days, FH house prices were “challenging”. So that meant a move to the Ravensbourne Park area of Catford.

Stayed in and around the SE6 area until the early 90’s, when I considered it was no longer for me and then looked around for an area that was like the Forest Hill I used to know. I found it in the town of Sevenoaks in Kent, where I live today.

I still pass through Forest Hill on my commute to London every day (by motorcycle) and occasionally take a detour around the roads I walked in the 50’s and 60’s. Naturally, much has changed, but if I had to come back and live in London, I’d be looking to buy in the Forest Hill area because I still think it is significantly better than most other parts of SE London.

If I could change one thing about it now? Well, I’d like to remove the South Circular and create some sort of Forest Hill bypass – however, if I could wave a wand then I’d like to take Forest Hill back in time to the 50’s, so you could all see what it was like when most of the original houses were still standing and there was a fine selection of shops. Funny that some of you are hankering for a good cinema – because when I lived in FH the Capitol cinema was still going strong – and I could park my motorcycle right outside it in the main road and it would still be there when I came out!

I would just add that Sevenoaks reminds me a lot of Forest Hill – green, leafy, hilly, surrounded by parks and spaces, with a very similar housing stock and good selection of schools – so despite the 50 years between the two – it still feels to me like a home from home.