We moved here in 2011,
what drew us here was good housing stock at (then) affordable prices and the proximity to my other half's job as well as the Overground.
I'd lived in West London my entire life (the clue is in my name) but we could'nt afford to purchase a home there.
Here's my admission..I actually never really LIKED living here until 2020 during the first lockdown.
My dentist was still in Notting Hill, my Chiropodist,my hairdresser.
I missed having everything on my doorstep and being able to get a bus to work and indeed to everywhere I wanted or needed to be.
During lockdown I went on long walks, I grew to love and appreciate having all this greenery on my doorstep, I grew to appreciate hearing birds singing rather than the beeping of traffic lights changing and rumble of traffic.
I grew to appreciate the local shops.
I now really like living here, and it has much friendlier neighbours and locals than where I lived before (Where it was a very transitory community.)
The only thing I still find hard to get my head round is being so dependent on the one train line and two train routes to get anywhere central, Or having to brave very tortourious bus journeys (often full and very slow) and then a change to go to anywhere in West London.
I wish we still had a 'proper chemist' less nail bars and estate agents.
I wish The Capitol would reopen as an affordable venue for all,
And Finally I wish there was more interaction on this Forum (Like on the East Dulwich or Sydenham ones).
Its a strange thing how many people have no idea where Forest Hill is...
When people ask me where I live and I tell them they always say "wheres that?"
So I explain its near Peckham or East Dulwich or Crystal Palace and then they seem to grasp its whereabouts.
I think as far as London goes its a nice place to live, especially for those with families.

This post was last modified: 21-03-2024 12:12 AM by nottinghillbilly.