r/croydon • u/throawaybab3 • 4d ago
Norwood - opinions
Im moving to London soon and I’ve been looking for rooms around the south norwood hill area, if anyone here lives in the area would you recommend it to someone who’s moving to London for the first time? I’m a 25yo female and ideally I’d like to be in an area where there’s quite a few things to do within walking distance like nice cafes, bars, parks etc
Thank you!!
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u/Key-Diamond-5504 3d ago
I live in Norwood Junction! In terms of cafes there are a few nice ones, there’s Brown and Green which is great for brunch. Extraction which is amazing because on Thursday-Saturday evenings it becomes a bar after 5 with very cheap cocktails - though it was under construction this weekend having a refurb and new management. There’s a great green/earth cafe too I can’t remember the name of.
Pubs are okay, sadly the Shelverdine Goathouse which was the nicest one closed down recently, hopefully they’ll find someone new to take over soon. There’s some cute wine bars and craft beer pubs about a minute up the road, and a bar called Cafe Yeha Noha which is cool and has a DJ outside on warm weekends. Portland Arms does a Sunday roast. Crystal Palace has a lot more options but it’s more expensive to live there and honestly a 5-10 minute bus or 1 stop on the train (me and my partner just walk if the weathers nice).
Parks are great, South Norwood country park is so beautiful and saved my life in the heatwave lol. Feels like you’re actually in the countryside and can sit there all day in the summer with a picnic. South Norwood lake and grounds is beautiful, and Ashburton playing fields.
Honestly I moved here 2 years ago and actually love it here, it feels like a nice community and one of the only places in London I’ve lived where I actually know my neighbours. Of course it’s still London and close to Croydon so it has its “characters” but I’ve never had a problem so far and find it a really nice place to live.
Also you can get to London Bridge in 12 mins on the train!
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u/Either-Dot-9645 3d ago
Yes to all of this! If OP is looking at South Norwood Hill in particular then they'll have a really easy walk to Crystal Palace, I especially like taking the route via the Lakes and backstreet of CP.
There's also Stanley Arts, which gets a real variety of stuff. A lot of it is family focused, but they also get proper A-list stand-up comedians and sometimes run adult art classes and a vintage market.
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u/fotfddtodairsizr 3d ago
Wow really? I heard some bad things about Norwood Junction as an area/neighbourhood.
Are the streets clean and free from litter? (Asking as I need to walk my dog multiple times a day).
Are there nice parks around?
Is it safe or are there kids loitering all the time?
Sorry for the many questions, I had localised my search to just Purley but if Norwood Junction is a pleasant area I’d love to move there as the transport links are great.
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u/Key-Diamond-5504 3d ago
The streets of the main high street are not that clean I’ll admit, but not completely barren either. It’s gotten a lot better in the time I’ve lived here though and seems to be improving slowly! The main reason it can get bad is the Selhurst park stadium matches, because NJ is one of the main stations people use.
As for kids, the usual 3:30-5 school kid rush is inevitable everywhere in a suburban area, but after that they’re gone.
There’s a load of places to walk the dog, South Norwood recreation ground is a nice one, or like I mentioned the country park is perfect.
It’s definitely not a perfect area, I just like it. If you’re thinking to move down I’d recommend spending a day/afternoon and see what you think :)
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u/lulukeab 4d ago
I moved "out" to South Norwood after several years renting in more central London areas such as Clapham, Battersea, etc. In my 30s and as a homeowner it's great, crystal palace on the weekend has plenty of a buzz and Croydon has all the practical things you may need. However as a 25 year old moving freshly to the capital, I would be bored senseless.
Recommend looking at Crystal Palace, or even other nearby south London areas like herne Hill, forrest Hill, and Streatham.
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u/throawaybab3 3d ago
Thanks for this! I’d actually love Herne Hill due to its proximity to Brixton, I need to check out the prices
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u/LavenderCrack 3d ago
Tulse Hill would be much, much cheaper than Herne Hill. Quick hop by bus into Brixton.
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u/Adventurous_Yak_3402 3d ago
Transport links are a bit better from East Croydon if you’ll be commuting to work? 15 min direct trains to London Bridge and Victoria (super frequent). 24h buses.
Look at the Addiscombe area - close to so many parks (loyd park, park hill) the tram, box park and the town centre. Sooo many lovely cafes here! You might be quite underwhelmed by South Norwood but East Croydon is much livelier. Quite affordable too.
If money isn’t an issue then definitely look at areas like Crystal Palace, East Dulwich, Denmark Hill.
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u/throawaybab3 3d ago
I wont be commuting to work as I work from home! Hence Id really like to live somewhere where its green and lively so I dont feel kinda stuck. Thanks so much for your input! Will definitely look into those areas
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u/softball_is_fun 3d ago
I'm loving Norwood Junction. I bought here because of affordability and quick trains to...everywhere. But I'm actually enjoying the neighbourhood itself too. There's a cute little wine and cheese shop, a yoga studio, and a couple nice cafes. Plus the revamped Vietnamese restaurant is ace. Now that we're coming into summer the green spaces are making for great walks too.
That said for a first flat for someone looking to go out-out locally I might look elsewhere, but it's been serving me very well as it's so easily accessible from so many other neighbourhoods.
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u/jemcc09 3d ago
I live very close (next postcode) and I don’t think I’d choose it for my first London location (am now late 30s). Go somewhere a bit further in, I’d say, if your budget allows.
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u/theme111 3d ago
Most of South Norwood Hill will find you sort of mid way between South Norwood (Norwood Junction) and Crystal Palace. It's nice enough but also a bit of a no-man's land potentially, and it is a hill so maybe not great for walking and cycling.
Of the two areas, Crystal Palace is definitely more lively (and more expensive). Norwood Junction is a lot better than it used to be and has a better rail service.
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u/throawaybab3 3d ago
Thanks! Might be a silly question but I dont know much about London areas, is Crystal Palace kinda similar to Brixton when it comes to nightlife?
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u/lulukeab 3d ago
Not at all! It has pubs and a couple of nice bars, but you won't find the likes of Brixton jamm, blues kitchen, and Gremio here. I would still go to Brixton for a 'proper' night out.
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u/WitchyPoo49 3d ago
I personally think Crystal Palace is a better choice. Although maybe more expensive.
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u/vstavnaya_chelust 2d ago
i’ve moved to this area after living in kingston upon thames for a year, was my first area to live in as i came to study in uk. i loved kingston, and south norwood is completely different.
i’m not as excited about the area as other people commenting here, i do like just 3 facts about it -
transport links - direct trains to london bridge (takes literally 11-12 mins) and victoria,
you can walk to crystal palace (30 mins by foot up the hill), there’s a big sainsbury’s, couple of nice cafes, cute shops, big park and all, though the park is now partially closed for reconstruction,
my street is just about 10 mins away from the train station, but it’s very quiet and leafy.
what i personally dislike a lot is
there’s absolutely nothing to do - and that comes from a person who never does any clubbing or much drinking, i’m 24 y.o. but i’d prefer having a nice big park for a walk, and south norwood doesn’t have that in close proximity. high street is very unwelcoming, not a single place i’d walk in, i’ve seen just 1 or 2 cafes but these don’t look too good either. maybe i’m just spoilt by kingston. no shops, no galleries, no nothing.
if you try to walk out of the area, the only decent place to go is crystal palace, or you find yourself among tons of trash just by the road (there’s a trash pile sitting for a year already somewhere on your way to selhurst, someone put a toilet bowl and no one has ever picked all of that up, does look very ugly), i’ve also taken a look at a crime rate map, i’d not recommend wandering around too much. you’re basically in the middle of nowhere, if you happen to need something, like an art supplies store, or you need to print some documents, idk just anything slightly specific, you’ll not have it anywhere near, sometimes it’s easier to catch a train and just get to central london.
a lot of my commute inevitably leads me through west/east croydon and i feel extremely unsafe because i always find myself surrounded by odd characters on a bus stop or train. i guess it’s also something you can get used to if you really need.
i understand everyone’s experiences are different, this is mine. it really depends on what you’re used to in terms of the area and what it offers, i personally think it’s not the best place to live, i’ll be moving out in a couple of months, will probably search for something up north. good luck though, i hope you find what you need if you decide to come here!
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u/i-suck-at-interviews 2d ago
I live close by to South Norwood and I’d echo this poster’s experience. I’d also recommend something in North London, near a tube stop and preferably in zone 2/3 - even if it means stretching the budget a bit, you’ll have much more of a “London experience” and tubes/buses are cheaper than the train anyway, so costs less to get around. West/Southwest can also be nice (again, just stick to the Tube).
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u/doodleonthings 1d ago
There are absolutely things to do in South Norwood, there's a wine bar, some nice pubs, a craft beer place, good pizza, and if you want to do more you can pop to Crystal Palace on the bus, or loads of other places.
Also there are a few big parks nearby, or with the money you save from living there you can get the train and you're in close proximity to the rest of south London (look up Happy Valley for example, or Box Hill, amazing landscapes and lovely to walk in), and even just the rest of the south.
The bottom line is you can't expect the same sort of facilities and entertainment as you'd get in more populous (and more expensive) areas, but there's a few good bits nearby and if you want more you can hop on a train! 🙂
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u/montstar22 3d ago
Definitely an area on the up the high street has a had a lot of new shops and restaurants opening - it’s close to Selhurst park where Crystal Palace play so be aware that may affect access or noise some days
Great transport links to London though
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u/Personal-Meet-4468 3d ago
Lived there for 14 years and loved it. I was more Woodside and highly recommend it. Sidenote: don't register with portland medical center. It's awful!
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u/oldkstand 3d ago
I think Norwood Junction has lots going for it - cheap, great transport, community, green spaces - but for a young person in a house share I’d go somewhere more exciting. Look further up the Windrush line. Crystal Palace, Dulwich, Peckham.
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u/Apprehensive_Jury764 4d ago
Hey, I live in South Norwood!
I’d say if you’re moving here for the first time and want lots of options, go for another area of south east London like Crystal Palace, Forest Hill, New Cross etc.
South Norwood is definitely changing, we have a few good cafes (brown and green, Chicory) but it’s not as buzzy as other parts, which explains why it’s generally cheaper. I moved here due to buying a flat and affordability (and a lot of SE London couples are moving here to buy houses) but if you’re renting you have a few more options!
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u/throawaybab3 3d ago
Im actually moving into a shared house and im going to be in London completely by myself so its a good thing I posted on here cos now I know South Norwood is not the place for me at least for now. Thanks for your input!
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u/Kyber92 4d ago
Oooh, this is my hood (kinda). South Norwood itself is dead as a dodo for some reason, there's Stanley Arts and like 1 decent cafe. South Norwood Lakes is an alright park and Norwood Country Park is good for some wilderness. It's close to Crystal Palace, which has loads of things, as well as Anerley and Penge which have some things.
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u/throawaybab3 4d ago
Thank you so much!! This makes me reconsider it a bit as id preferably enjoy something more lively, might look into Crystal Palace
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u/SeasonSignificant849 4d ago
I live in Crystal Palace. Yes there’s a lot more going on there, but the cost of housing reflects it. There’s some nice places around Norwood Junction including a lovely wine and cheese place, beer cabin and yoga studio and it’s insanely quick into London Bridge. I think it will probably change a lot in the next couple of years. It’s still a v quick bus to the triangle for more stuff but I wouldn’t rule it out completely! Penge and Sydenham also nice with lots going on and Palace adjacent.
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u/Luminal72 3d ago
Proximity to Crystal Palace and Norwood Country Park are highlights.