What's it like to live in Brixton / Brixton Borders

I live in Se5, lived here for a year, going to stay for another. I'd recommend camberwell over brixton, better studenty vibe and more open late at night. Even peckham is good. Don't be scared of saaf london, it's no worse than any other part of london.

I live near brixton jam, which means non-bike people have brixton road to get central (easy links to west london via bus/central/east). If you live camberwell way you have camberwell (new) road, links to whole of london via elephant, and ditto with peckham you have peckham rd/old kent rd - easy transport links for the whole of london, because of the carbuncle of transport that is e and c.

I'll check the prices out in Camberwell/Peckham as well then. I'd like a more studenty vibe. I felt comfortable in Hammersmith but did find it a bit boring.

I think initially I was a bit put off the south because the tube map seems to just disappear. Bus links seem to compensate though. I think south will make sense for my flatmates too because Imperial is south west central, which means they won't have to commute across central.

I guess that you're at Imperial so my experience might be helpful. I was at Imperial a few years ago and moved to Brixton when I moved out of halls. Been living here since then (2001) and it's pretty good really. It takes about 35 minutes to get to South Ken at rush hour and the 345 goes all the way (although it takes ages). Like people have said, some bits are scummy, some are pretty middle class and some are in between. It is definitely sketchier than hammersmith/barons court/earls court but that's the same of most places (since that part of west london is fucking dull) *+millions*and there's a lot more interesting stuff going on.

I recommend coming down on a saturday to wander around the market, got to a couple of pubs or something, check out brockwell park or catch a gig at the windmill. That'll give you an idea of the nice sides to the place and then a walk from the tube to your prospective flat in the dark will give you an idea of whether you'll find it too sketchy!

Good to hear from someone who was in the same position not long ago :) 35 minutes is good. South Ken - Hammersmith can easily take 40 min on the bus on a bad evening.

I think I will do as you suggest, I was planning on coming up and exploring... missing London a lot :(

I think Momentum means on the tube, I can pootle to IC in about 15 mins on the whip... Great LBS too!

Yep :) Miles better than the LBSs in/near Hammersmith.

Part of growing up is learning how to handle the rougher parts of London not that Brixton is particularly rough mind.

Definitely. I went to a fairly rough state secondary school where I stuck out like a sore thumb so learnt to deal with tricky situations fast and to spot potential problems quickly.

I've never had any hassle at all in London, but a few friends who went to public/boarding school have. One seems to get started on constantly. I dunno what the fsck he does to aggravate people without even saying anything :s

The Imperial students who live in Beit Hall (next door to the Royal Albert Hall) are going to get such a shock when they move out. They think Hammersmith is some kind of ghetto :s