Hackney

lived in Clapton right by murder mile for three years, it was fine, didn't see anything dodgy, after i'd moved on someone from the house down the street got shot out of a top floor window. i always think Islington is far more dodgy.

Yup. I lived in Homerton during the peak of the "murder mile" period, and never had any problems. Being quite a big guy it might not be surprising that I never got beaten up or harassed, but my petite girlf and our housemates never had any problems either. Saw lots of "witness appeal" signs though.

During the same period, my friends in Clapham were getting mugged on a bi-monthly basis. We moved to Kentish Town, and a few months later we were burgled by some crackheads. We've not lived on the ground floor since, and generally have had concierges. Wouldn't go back to Hackney though - maybe I'm a snob, but it's just too grimy and nasty.