toti

i was wondering if you knew of places i should avoid in London, thanks

annhig

where did you have in mind? London is a big place.

jent103

The areas tourists typically visit are fine. Use common sense. (If you don't, you could very well be pickpocketed. But it's very highly unlikely you'd be the victim of some violent crime.)

If you are planning to venture outside the typical tourist areas, annhig is right - it's a big place, and yes, there are some areas you may not want to be in. Giving specifics will get you more helpful advice.

avalon

Too bad CW was banned. He knows all the nasty places!

PeaceOut

My London friends advised us against the King's Cross area. This advice is a few years old, so not sure if it is still correct.

We stayed near Hyde Park in Sussex Gardens neighborhood, which we liked.

Try londontown.com for lodging help.

Kate

As a tourist, you are unlikely to visit any place which is unsafe. Violent crime (still rare) tends to be restricted to in gang fighting on suburban estates no visitor would stumble across.

There aren't really any no-go areas - and I live in Hackney in East London, frequently cited as 'gun capital of the UK', I should know!

alihutch

Kings Cross is fine...there's been a lot of regeneration etc. A friend lives just about 10 mins walk from the station with her wee child.

PalenQ

I have literally walked or jogged or biked all over London for years and never felt any undue threats to my security. I am sure there are dicier areas but the average tourist i would think would never come in contact with them.

and i'd wager that most crimes against tourists come right in the heart of tourist London.

I say this with the knowledge that flimflanneur.uk will slam me for being a clueless Yank - i do wonder how many areas of London flimflanneur patronizes other than the swank Mayfair area or similar upscale environs. For someone living in a gated estate in the posh Cotswolds he pretends to know a lot about all areas of London?

and the Kings X area is dicey at night - I have stayed there many times in dumpy B&Bs and though i never there either ever felt threatened i can see why someone may well feel threatened - i wonder if flimflanneur has been there later at night when groups of certain types congregate there?

PalenQ

Too bad CW was banned. He knows all the nasty places!>

And yes he had in the past listed some places to avoid.

Got banned again? A pity but mind-boggling that a alleged London cop don't know how to obey laws. Hopefully he/she/it will re-surface as usual!

Sincerely i have learnt so many nice esoteric tips on London from CW and his various aliases in the past. Tant pis!

ssachida

http://maps.met.police.uk/

go on, scare yourself silly. it did me. and i live in london.

PalenQ

ssachida - thanks

and the only 'high crime' place in London is right in the heart of tourist London - the rest of the whole place is average crime.

But if you put London with the likes of Barcelona, Paris and Rome, etc i would bet it has a lot less crime against tourists than those dicier places.

Actually i read that a lot of the crime in London is something like stealing someone's cell phone, etc. Unlikely to happen to a tourist.

Fidel

"something like stealing someone's cell phone"

Or putting glass in the paper recycle box.

PalenQ

Well yes Fidel they take that seriously my B&B old bag told me in Eltham - separate bins for compostables and other recyclables and right they should IMO

sam86

For everywhere in London, be smart and aware of your surroundings.

lizziea06

Welcome to knife crime island! (kidding...runs, ducks)

Honestly, the only time I've been in a position to feel unsafe is later at night when I've encountered a group of unruly drunk teenagers. Lots of residential London can be quite quiet at night and it can be a bit unnerving to not see other people in the street. During the day, you just need to practice common sense like you would in any big city.

Fidel

Quiet? Bina Gardens area makes Boston Beacon Hill look like Mardi Gras, and that's hard to do. The feeling is of beautifully kept abandoned houses. Kensington & Chelsea has Average Crime.

Westminster has a High Crime designation. Is that where the politicians go?

Thomas

The poster asked if anyone knew of bad neighborhoods. I would imagine there are some but responders either don't know of any or are too chicken to name them.

BigRuss

If the OP is asking about places in London that are not safe for tourists but are within tourist areas, the answer is that there really is no place that fits the description and likely all of zone 1 in the Transport for London map would be fine.

If the OP is asking where to avoid going, I'd say anyplace overrun with council flats like the ones you'd see outside the train while riding from Clapham Junction to Victoria Station. Can't be more specific because as a non-Londoner, I wouldn't go there.

alanRow

<<< and i'd wager that most crimes against tourists come right in the heart of tourist London. >>>

Probably because there aren't many tourists elsewhere

lizziea06

Believe it or not, there are actually some really nice flats within that estate behind CLJ. My friend bought one a few years ago. Not my favorite place to walk through alone at night, but I've never been hassled. Elephant and Castle is one place within Zone 1 that I probably wouldn't venture to alone, at night.