Lordship Lane, although busy, isn't as busy as London Road which has all the South Circular traffic on it.

It's also more pedestrian friendly with zebra crossings and because it's narrower, it's easier to cross at almost any point along it. Trying to cross London Road can feel like an exercise in patience (waiting for the pelican outside Sainsburys) or playing chicken with the cars if you don't.

Add to that the number of streets with lots of terraced houses coming straight off Lordship Lane and it's a very compact centre which encourages people to walk and therefore more shops.

The better transport links of Forest Hill also makes it more likely to be commuterville with many people simply transitting through en route to the station.