|
|
Post by thesquirrels on May 13, 2022 21:36:57 GMT
Catford and Lewisham are scary, especially at night. I do a lot of night cycling, and I literally don’t feel safe with all the gangs hanging about. Woolwich and Plumstead as well, and Croydon obviously. Bexleyheath is getting very rough as well, especially when all the gangs of teenagers are hanging about. There’s always community police at the bus stops by the clock tower in the afternoons. Don't forget that buses didn't serve Bexleyheath clock tower on weekend nights for many years because of the crowds and aggro that occurred there. And this was 20 years ago! But that was more of a booze thing than a gang thing. Romford had similar arrangements. |
|
|
|
Post by thesquirrels on May 13, 2022 21:45:40 GMT
Peckham is gentrified now frankly- after my midnight bus trip (to do the 345 end to end and then get the last 360!) have been there several times late in the evening and is as good as it gets Harlesden was dodgy for sure. Mercifully the 266 was in the day although 18 was at 8pm ish and 260 at 11pm!) The scariest from a desolation perspective was Dagenham dock - proper post apocalyptic area! I find Erith spooky for similar reasons as Dagenham Dock. The whole area feels like what a post nuclear war town would like like. The thames being so wide compared to further west into London gives it a weird vibe for me. I got this sense big time in my early days of crossing the London boundary into Thurrock. 372 around Aveley, buses beyond Lakeside to Grays, Chadwell, Tilbury There are some housing estates in Thurrock where I get the heebie jeebies as a grown adult and I spent my formative years in such exciting places as Broadwater Farm and North Peckham. Seabrooke Rise, Broadway Estate, the Brentwood Road flats. There's a certain bleakness out there, the towers on the latter estate border straight onto ploughed fields. |
|
|
|
Post by LondonNorthern on May 13, 2022 21:46:54 GMT
Strawberry Vale/The Grange in Finchley in Finchley certainly aren’t nice areas to be around at night, likewise Friern Barnet. There seems to be quite a bit of gang activity especially in the first two.
|
|
|
|
Post by LondonNorthern on May 13, 2022 21:48:17 GMT
Catford and Lewisham are scary, especially at night. I do a lot of night cycling, and I literally don’t feel safe with all the gangs hanging about. Woolwich and Plumstead as well, and Croydon obviously. Bexleyheath is getting very rough as well, especially when all the gangs of teenagers are hanging about. There’s always community police at the bus stops by the clock tower in the afternoons. Don't forget that buses didn't serve Bexleyheath clock tower on weekend nights for many years because of the crowds and aggro that occurred there. And this was 20 years ago! But that was more of a booze thing than a gang thing. Romford had similar arrangements. Perhaps someone like ServerKing can answer this but there’s usually police stood at one bus stop in Tottenham on the A10, can’t remember the name but they might’ve been the same enforcement officers from when the 149 was bendy |
|
|
|
Post by vjaska on May 13, 2022 21:54:09 GMT
Erith is definitely an odd area for sure. Bexleyheath has gotten rougher over the years sadly, I definitely don’t feel safe in Woolwich, I remember many a uni night travelling back from there waiting for a 177 or 180 back to my uni digs in Greenwich, needless to say I kept alert and hid all my valuables all the way home Erith feels like it needs knocking down and building all over again! The whole layout of that place is wrong. Bexleyheath is filled with sweary louts during the evenings. Woolwich always feels on edge in the evenings like something is about to kick off, but I’ve never had trouble there even in the pubs. Plumstead isn’t that edgy. The area around the high street is just filthy and full of dog sxxx because locals don’t give a toss. Some areas of Abbey Wood are dodgy…but all in all it feels much safer than parts of Acton and Harlesden in the early 90’s. I recall a lot of the hardcore gang members from South Acton estate and St Raphael’s estate going to jail and those areas improving a little bit. I heard Acton is completely different now, much like Peckham. Kennington was pretty bad too. About 15 years ago I was in a cafe down there with my younger brother. He was from the wrong postcode and someone saw him from outside. About 20 boys piled into the shop and were just staring at him. I already gave my hotheaded bro advice on what to do before they came in (basically focus on me, talk and act as if everything was normal, deny that you know x, y or z, get ready for drama but don’t be the one to start it) They surrounded us for about 5 minutes, I had a chat with one or two of them and then to our amazement they left. I honestly thought it was going to get ugly as there were a lot of stabbings and shootings around there. If those guys wanted to do something, we would have been toast. Basically Kennington (and most of Lambeth) was like Brixton but unlike Brixton, not on steroids - that incident you recall would of likely been even worse there. Only yesterday, it was shut at the town hall because someone decided they wanted someone dead and was hunting the person with a shotgun |
|
|
|
Post by LondonNorthern on May 13, 2022 22:11:40 GMT
Erith feels like it needs knocking down and building all over again! The whole layout of that place is wrong. Bexleyheath is filled with sweary louts during the evenings. Woolwich always feels on edge in the evenings like something is about to kick off, but I’ve never had trouble there even in the pubs. Plumstead isn’t that edgy. The area around the high street is just filthy and full of dog sxxx because locals don’t give a toss. Some areas of Abbey Wood are dodgy…but all in all it feels much safer than parts of Acton and Harlesden in the early 90’s. I recall a lot of the hardcore gang members from South Acton estate and St Raphael’s estate going to jail and those areas improving a little bit. I heard Acton is completely different now, much like Peckham. Kennington was pretty bad too. About 15 years ago I was in a cafe down there with my younger brother. He was from the wrong postcode and someone saw him from outside. About 20 boys piled into the shop and were just staring at him. I already gave my hotheaded bro advice on what to do before they came in (basically focus on me, talk and act as if everything was normal, deny that you know x, y or z, get ready for drama but don’t be the one to start it) They surrounded us for about 5 minutes, I had a chat with one or two of them and then to our amazement they left. I honestly thought it was going to get ugly as there were a lot of stabbings and shootings around there. If those guys wanted to do something, we would have been toast. Basically Kennington (and most of Lambeth) was like Brixton but unlike Brixton, not on steroids - that incident you recall would of likely been even worse there. Only yesterday, it was shut at the town hall because someone decided they wanted someone dead and was hunting the person with a shotgun Isn’t Stockwell Park Estate pretty bad for crime as well, I remember it featuring in a Reggie Yates documentary |
|
|
|
Post by ronnie on May 13, 2022 22:49:03 GMT
Catford and Lewisham are scary, especially at night. I do a lot of night cycling, and I literally don’t feel safe with all the gangs hanging about. Woolwich and Plumstead as well, and Croydon obviously. Bexleyheath is getting very rough as well, especially when all the gangs of teenagers are hanging about. There’s always community police at the bus stops by the clock tower in the afternoons. I used to find a police car always parked by the junction of Clarendon Rise and Lee High Road in the evening at lewisham. I used to think - oh such a dodgy area, police around all the time Till the time i figured out they were grabbing dinner at Nando’s which is there at the corner!!!! |
|
|
|
Post by vjaska on May 13, 2022 22:57:53 GMT
Basically Kennington (and most of Lambeth) was like Brixton but unlike Brixton, not on steroids - that incident you recall would of likely been even worse there. Only yesterday, it was shut at the town hall because someone decided they wanted someone dead and was hunting the person with a shotgun Isn’t Stockwell Park Estate pretty bad for crime as well, I remember it featuring in a Reggie Yates documentary Probably still is but was much worse back in the day. Angell Town however is still as notorious as ever along with Myatts Field |
|
|
|
Post by ServerKing on May 14, 2022 5:31:06 GMT
Don't forget that buses didn't serve Bexleyheath clock tower on weekend nights for many years because of the crowds and aggro that occurred there. And this was 20 years ago! But that was more of a booze thing than a gang thing. Romford had similar arrangements. Perhaps someone like ServerKing can answer this but there’s usually police stood at one bus stop in Tottenham on the A10, can’t remember the name but they might’ve been the same enforcement officers from when the 149 was bendy Ever since the creation of the "free bus" on the 149 with the first bendy buses (very poor enforcement of fares with "surprises" of Revenue teams and police at key stops like Seven Sisters, Stoke Newington and Edmonton Green) the route has been used by some gangstas and Road Men coming up from the South to settle scores with the likes of NPK and Edmonton Mandem. Some have travelled up on the Overground from Liverpool Street (ticket gates not always in operation at Edmonton Green) so they like to catch the fare dodgers there too. Factor in rowdy schoolkids and things kicking off (police are always out in Wood Green stopping the coming together of at least 4 high schools in the area) Tottenham has always been associated with the notorious Broadwater Farm Estate, and the OFB (Original Farm Boys) are still around, though most of the wrong'uns have been moved to Cheshunt (Cheshunt is Haringey's Rwanda) and the estate is getting a minor refresh. Though I fear this is like the 318s refresh in 2019, meaning the majority of it is still knackered  some tower blocks are being pulled down, new homes being built, and like Spurs under Antonio Conte, is getting slightly better  Gentrification has drawn the sandal-wearing, free trade loving Chiswick types into Downhills Park and West Green, Little Russia (from the Enfield border down to White Hart Lane) is seeing a similar renaissance as property prices continue to escalate (I think this a way to push more riff-raff out through higher rents to the Shires and Essex), Spurs owner Daniel Levy wants to build a cinema for some reason and transform the area with a hub called the Filmworks, as we try to ape Ealing Broadway  Harold Hill is a place that has really changed, like some parts of Dagenham, with new homes and a nicer feel to the place. Harlesden and Park Royal are still grotty, but seems to be under curfew with not much drama as back in the day. I still go out that way to work near Acton Lane. 224 bus drivers still don't know how to alight at bus stops and park with the back of the bus pointing out into traffic, a cheeky way to make cars give way for when they want to move off again. Always on the road from the Swaminarayan Temple down to the junction with Acton Lane  I haven't been down to Norbury and Thornton Heath for years, and West Croydon as I used to back in the day... sometimes I go down to Gold Coast on Portland Road in South Norwood where there good Ghanaian restaurant  I think that horrible 20 zone on Beulah Hill deters me...  |
|
|
|
Post by ServerKing on May 14, 2022 6:09:19 GMT
Strawberry Vale/The Grange in Finchley in Finchley certainly aren’t nice areas to be around at night, likewise Friern Barnet. There seems to be quite a bit of gang activity especially in the first two. Much like Finchley Gare du Nord (North Finchley bus station), I imagine it is not appealing to hang around waiting for a bus at night. The bus station seems a little gloomy and threatening, like David Moyes when his team is losing I notice a lot of the North Circular Road from Henleys Corner heading towards Colney Hatch has been plagued by graffiti, "Fatzoo" seems to be a popular tagger, like "Nekah Teach" and "Jet97" there's a new apartment block built at the intersection (good luck getting buyers for those in the worst area for parking and hard to access) which is plagued by said graffiti on its advertising hoardings... so it seems new ghettos are being built to replace the old ones... I assume this will either be social housing or rented out by investors overseas who don't really care for the property. Finchley used to be held in high esteem by me, but what do I know, I'm from Kingsmead Estate in Hackney |
|
|
|
Post by rift on May 14, 2022 21:53:43 GMT
Isn’t Stockwell Park Estate pretty bad for crime as well, I remember it featuring in a Reggie Yates documentary Probably still is but was much worse back in the day. Angell Town however is still as notorious as ever along with Myatts Field Most of Brixton, even the Hill, isn’t that bad these days. As someone on Twitter said once, nowadays it’s Peckham vs Peckham, while Brixton have went about their business. Most of Croydon I absolutely cannot stand, with Norwood, Crystal Palace, Norbury and East Croydon being the exceptions |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 14, 2022 22:35:18 GMT
Probably still is but was much worse back in the day. Angell Town however is still as notorious as ever along with Myatts Field Most of Brixton, even the Hill, isn’t that bad these days. As someone on Twitter said once, nowadays it’s Peckham vs Peckham, while Brixton have went about their business. Most of Croydon I absolutely cannot stand, with Norwood, Crystal Palace, Norbury and East Croydon being the exceptions I can’t be the only one that feels like they are walking through like Compton or Harlem or somewhere like that when they go through West Croydon? |
|
|
|
Post by vjaska on May 14, 2022 23:18:47 GMT
Probably still is but was much worse back in the day. Angell Town however is still as notorious as ever along with Myatts Field Most of Brixton, even the Hill, isn’t that bad these days. As someone on Twitter said once, nowadays it’s Peckham vs Peckham, while Brixton have went about their business. Most of Croydon I absolutely cannot stand, with Norwood, Crystal Palace, Norbury and East Croydon being the exceptions It still has it's moments in Brixton and Brixton Hill - in the space of two days, we have had a usual stabbing and then a shotgun wielding maniac looking for a specific target. The Brixton vs Peckham war has largely ended probably because gang culture grew more wide spread rather than contained within certain postcodes. Thornton Heath & West Croydon are awful whereas south & east of the town centre (bar New Addington, a place which would be lovely if the people were removed), it's still pretty nice. |
|
|
|
Post by ronnie on May 15, 2022 0:02:46 GMT
Most of Brixton, even the Hill, isn’t that bad these days. As someone on Twitter said once, nowadays it’s Peckham vs Peckham, while Brixton have went about their business. Most of Croydon I absolutely cannot stand, with Norwood, Crystal Palace, Norbury and East Croydon being the exceptions It still has it's moments in Brixton and Brixton Hill - in the space of two days, we have had a usual stabbing and then a shotgun wielding maniac looking for a specific target. The Brixton vs Peckham war has largely ended probably because gang culture grew more wide spread rather than contained within certain postcodes. Thornton Heath & West Croydon are awful whereas south & east of the town centre (bar New Addington, a place which would be lovely if the people were removed), it's still pretty nice. I used to live on the Isle of Dogs (crossharbour) till about a year back. I was on a few occasions regaled by taxi drivers who has lived in the area for long, about the hairy days of the 80s when killings were common Funnily nowadays crime has spiked back up - I have walked past the crossharbour acid attack scene 20 min after it happened, lost count of the stabbings around (crossharbour / other areas / Barkantine clinic) - in fact there was a fatal stabbing where I would have literally walked past the scene as it happened if I didn’t decide to go on a longer route as it was a sunny evening … |
|
Deleted
Deleted Member
Posts: 0
|
Post by Deleted on May 15, 2022 0:26:15 GMT
Most of Brixton, even the Hill, isn’t that bad these days. As someone on Twitter said once, nowadays it’s Peckham vs Peckham, while Brixton have went about their business. Most of Croydon I absolutely cannot stand, with Norwood, Crystal Palace, Norbury and East Croydon being the exceptions It still has it's moments in Brixton and Brixton Hill - in the space of two days, we have had a usual stabbing and then a shotgun wielding maniac looking for a specific target. The Brixton vs Peckham war has largely ended probably because gang culture grew more wide spread rather than contained within certain postcodes. Thornton Heath & West Croydon are awful whereas south & east of the town centre (bar New Addington, a place which would be lovely if the people were removed), it's still pretty nice. I think with Croydon the closer you get to Shirley heading east, or Purley heading south, the less rough it is. |
|
some tower blocks are being pulled down, new homes being built, and like Spurs under Antonio Conte, is getting slightly better 
I think that horrible 20 zone on Beulah Hill deters me... 
