Staying in Southbank London

Old Oct 24th, 2011, 08:22 PM
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Staying in Southbank London

Me and my friend are going to vist London for 10 days, we finally found a flat to stay in that's a reasonable price for us. The only thing i'm nervous about is the neighboorhood that it's in. it's on a street called union street, and it's in southbank. I haven't really heard anything bad in this area, but then again i haven't heard anything great either. if anyone has any information on this area it's really, really appericated .. thanks
sandradee is offline  
Old Oct 24th, 2011, 09:20 PM
  #2  
 
Join Date: Feb 2003
Posts: 211
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'm not familiar with that part of London, so can't offer any insight. You might want to do a google maps on the address and then go to street view to see what the neighborhood looks like--might at least give some insight on the area.
Kaneohe is offline  
Old Oct 24th, 2011, 09:48 PM
  #3  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,916
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Union Street is q
PatrickLondon is offline  
Old Oct 24th, 2011, 09:56 PM
  #4  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,916
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Oops. Union Street is quite long. Part of it is the signposted route from Southwark tube to Tate Modern, and much of the area is rapidly gentrifying. A specific address or postcode would help pinpoint exactly where the flat is, but I don't think you need worry about it being unsafe - plenty of people manage to live reasonably happy lives there, and property values are pretty high thereabouts (otherwise, I might be very interested in living there!).

There may be a reason why this particular flat is reasonably priced: one though that springs to mind is that it might just be an ex-council (public housing) flat bought to rent out. Again, nothing wrong with that necessarily, but the surroundings may be a bit too functional and unattractive for your taste. Or it might not have particularly good transport links, depending on where you want to go, or on whether you're prepared to "commute" for your day's activities, or like to keep popping back during the day and out again in the evening.

But a lot of that depends on exactly where it is.
PatrickLondon is offline  
Old Oct 24th, 2011, 10:11 PM
  #5  
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 72,633
Likes: 0
Received 50 Likes on 7 Posts
yes --give us the post code and we can tell you for sure. But in general that would be a decent location. Near Waterloo station, Tate Modern, the Old Vic, and reasonable tube connections.
janisj is online now  
Old Oct 25th, 2011, 02:27 AM
  #6  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 10,321
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I really like the southbank, one of my fav parts of London! Some great old pubs! Happy to give more feedback once we know the postal code!
jamikins is offline  
Old Oct 25th, 2011, 03:05 AM
  #7  
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,169
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
It is actually an excellent area to stay in, especially if you are young.

As in all big cities . . . .
Ackislander is offline  
Old Oct 25th, 2011, 10:28 AM
  #8  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
i don't have a postal code but i have the address, it's 152 union street.. from the looks of it the apartment looks to be on a quiet street - i don't realy know how to find the postal code. i'm assuming that once i receive the papers from the owner of the flat i'll have it.. hopefully this helps
sandradee is offline  
Old Oct 25th, 2011, 10:37 AM
  #9  
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 168
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Oooh...you're right down the street from Anchor and Hope, which is a fantastic pub. Certainly not budget eating but maybe you can work in one splurge meal. Very close to good transport links and within walking distance of Borough Market and the attractions of Southbank.
LondonYank is offline  
Old Oct 25th, 2011, 10:43 AM
  #10  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
so it's a cool spot to be in? we were going to try to get a flat closer to the city of london but it wasn't in our budget. this flat is just perfect for us, and the description of the place said the tube is like a 5 minute walk from the flat and apparently the London eye is a little ways down.
sandradee is offline  
Old Oct 25th, 2011, 12:13 PM
  #11  
 
Join Date: Jun 2011
Posts: 168
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
There is no 'city of London'. Well, there is the City which is the financial/business district and not particularly lively on the weekends. London is hugely spread out and there's not one place you can stay where you'll be in the middle of everything. You've picked a fine neighborhood with lots of interesting places to eat and drink nearby and good transportation links, which is the most critical thing of all.
LondonYank is offline  
Old Oct 25th, 2011, 12:53 PM
  #12  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
thank you for the information!
sandradee is offline  
Old Oct 25th, 2011, 01:33 PM
  #13  
 
Join Date: Oct 2005
Posts: 72,633
Likes: 0
Received 50 Likes on 7 Posts
The post code is something like SE1 0LH - or something very near that. Where did you find the listing? It is fairly unusual for property owners to provide a street address w/o also giving the post code. Of course, some owners withhold the precise address until one is actually booking. But if they do give the address, then normally they include the code too.

The location is near Great Suffolk Street and close to Southwark tube station. A short walk to the Globe, Tate Modern and the Millennium Bridge.
janisj is online now  
Old Oct 25th, 2011, 02:45 PM
  #14  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Oct 2011
Posts: 6
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I didn't have the postal code available, because my friend is doing everything.. i'm just going along for the ride. i acutally just typed the address on google maps and i found the postal code. It looks like a quiet neighborhood, i'm just really nervous about the crime rate.. I don't want to get myself into something in a forgein country
sandradee is offline  
Old Oct 25th, 2011, 09:11 PM
  #15  
 
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 17,268
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
! i'm just really nervous about the crime rate..!

For selecting a location to stay in central London, the issue's 101% negligible.

The ONLY way crime might affect a sensible visitor's decision about where to rent a flat in the centre are the (not very common, but real nonetheless) possibilities the flat doesn't exist, or that it's being offered by a con merchant. Since the ONLY way to protect yourself against this is to publish the full postcode and address on the Trip Advisor forum, asking about (or even worrying about) a flat's safety if you don't know the postcode is an exercise in utter futility. And in your case, in wasting other people's time.

The other (non criminal) things worth worrying about are distance from tube stations, the local level of basic services like food shops, the net distance from where you want to be and whether the place offers whatever facilities (like wifi, a separate study or easy access from the street) that you personally might find important. And whether the flat's actually suitable for human habitation. Failure to meet your needs on these criteria is highly likely for any flat, and can only be researched by postcode-based checking: crime, other than outright landlord fraud, is a total non-issue.

That's not to say there's zero likelihood of being pickpocketed or involved in a tussle with a drunk on the tube. But, as long as you avoid the poverty-ridden estates on London's far periphery (where no one rents flats out to tourists anyway), your flat's location has absolutely no affect whatever on your likelihood of being exposed to crime.
flanneruk is offline  
Old Oct 26th, 2011, 12:53 AM
  #16  
 
Join Date: Dec 2005
Posts: 10,169
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
When I wrote above "as in all big cities", I meant you are perfectly safe if you don't get falling down drunk; one of you doesn't go off by herself with some random guy she meets in a pub; you don't leave your bag open on a chair or bus seat or over your back with your phone and wallet in plain sight; and that you have a reasonable amount of street smarts: don't smile at strangers on the street or flash wads of money.

We have stayed south of the river three times, most recently in a raoidly gentrifying area north of Elephant and Castle. We never felt the slightest concern for our safety.
Ackislander is offline  
Old Oct 26th, 2011, 01:13 AM
  #17  
 
Join Date: Jan 2009
Posts: 1,239
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Royal Mail's website has a postcode finder which also brings up a map of the area.

http://www2.royalmail.com/postcode-finder?gear=postcode

You can either put in an address to find a postcode or vice versa.
Lifeman is offline  
Old Oct 26th, 2011, 02:52 AM
  #18  
 
Join Date: Jan 2003
Posts: 20,916
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Your perception of the area is about right. This is the part of Union Street that people are signposted to from Southwark tube to get to Tate Modern, so there will be plenty of people walking about without criminal intent.

The Charles Dickens pub, a few doors down, is pleasant enough.

You might find the rooms inside the flat a bit small, I suspect, and there may be noise from the railway tracks behind it.

The nearest big supermarkets are some way away, but there are smaller mini-supermarkets on Blackfriars Road and Southwark St, where there are also a fair number of restaurants.

As LondonYank says, there are good transportation links: the 100 and RV1 buses particularly:
http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/gettingaro...wark-10324.pdf

I'd be happy to stay there.
PatrickLondon is offline  
Old Oct 26th, 2011, 03:15 AM
  #19  
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,422
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
I'd be happy to stay there too. You are also very close to a lot of fun restaurants and bars and dancing spots in The Cut. The Old Vic is there as well.

http://www.london-se1.co.uk/restaura...street/the+cut

You're also not very far from London's old operating theatre and apothecary

http://www.thegarret.org.uk/oot.htm

and the Clink prison museum, if you've the stomach for either

http://www.clink.co.uk/

London Bridge is there too.

Have a great trip.
zeppole is offline  
Old Oct 26th, 2011, 03:19 AM
  #20  
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Posts: 9,422
Likes: 0
Received 0 Likes on 0 Posts
Here's a Cuban restaurant within walking distance that I like that has quite affordable food and live music

http://www.cubana.co.uk/

And I like Tas too

http://www.viewlondon.co.uk/restaura...view-5092.html
zeppole is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Do Not Sell or Share My Personal Information -