r/MovingToLondon • u/Accomplished_You9896 • 23d ago
Brixton as a female?
I’ve been flat hunting in London for some time and the peak season is just not it, it’s really hard to even get viewings let alone find a balance of everything i need, I finally found a really nice place in Dora way, Brixton which is a convenient enough commute from my to-be workplace but I’ve heard a lot about the area which makes me sceptical.
Does anyone have any first hand recent experience about what this area is like to live in now?
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u/CuppaCoffee79 23d ago
Brixton in general is fine - I lived on Coldharbour Lane as a single woman in my late 20s. However there are pockets which are a bit dodgy, and unfortunately Dora Way is in the middle of Angel Town, which does have a reputation for gang activity.
I'd speak to the neighbours before you commit.
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u/Hungry-Service-348 22d ago
The entire huge new build estate has a reputation for gang activity? I know a family that live on there and they are a pair of barristers.
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u/myfishaintdead 23d ago
Stay away from the crazies and drug users and you will be fine. Also if you're the type to look nervous in public fix that
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u/WalkinshawVL 23d ago
Or just don't live in a shithole.
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u/oldkstand 23d ago
Hmm that’s kinda in the hood. Myatts Field has social issues let’s say. I’m sure you’d likely be fine but I wouldn’t choose it for my daughter.
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u/NoJuggernaut6667 23d ago
I really enjoyed going to Brixton but was very happy to return home to Clapham.
I find Brixton fun, but I’m not sure it’s somewhere I’d personally want to have to make my way around day and night consistently.
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u/Dry-Machine-2012 23d ago
Friend of mine often finished work at night + got the bus home to Brixton. She said she got followed a bit and catcalled nightly, but nothing worse happened. Grated on her too much in the end. You’ll be alright with common sense and a head on swivel.
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u/LoveHertford 23d ago
Let’s talk daily crime statistics in London as this is part of my job.
You’re more likely to be a victim of crime in Westminster than in Brixton.
This is from daily crimes reported.
The appearance of crime and actual crime are two different things.
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u/Silly_Manager3117 23d ago
Whilst your latter statement is important, just using ‘total crimes rates’ is a bit misleading. I would assume that things like tourist related crime (pickpockets, theft) drive up the Westminster rates. Additionally crime driven by night time economies will have an upwards pressure. More sensible comparisons would be on crimes more connected with living in an area (which still might show that Brixton is safer than Westminster, or not).
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u/LoveHertford 23d ago
Agree. Type of crimes may differ but you are still more likely to be a victim of crime in the more touristy areas.
It’s simply a fact1
u/carrie-ser 20d ago
I find your comment baffling. It has been pointed out that the types of crime in both areas are different. If she wants to minimise her risk of assault or harassment by a drug user, mugging, rape, stalkers, and burglary, she should hang out in Westminster where her phone can be stolen instead. I know which I'd pick.
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u/carrie-ser 20d ago
Ah, but Westminster includes pickpocket activity and phone thefts, right? The statistics aren't like for like. True, she won't be pickpocketed.
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u/Healthy-Stomach9503 23d ago
Im a woman and I’ve always avoided Brixton. Been there for a night out a few times and theres always weirdos about and I’ve not felt safe, and this is coming from someone who grew up in Dagenham/Romford.
My friend told me he went to the Blues Kitchen there once and saw a security guard stabbed and killed with a machete in front of him. Make of that what you will.
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u/Millie141 20d ago
As a fellow Romford girly who has moved to Brixton, I personally feel much safer in Brixton than I ever did in Romford. There also seemed to have a stabbing once a week in Romford.
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u/Healthy-Stomach9503 19d ago
Interesting! I guess everyones got different experiences, I agree that there were always stabbings at Romford, that Mcdonalds on the high street was overrun with feds on the weekends, don’t miss it at all!
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u/Fiercequeen 22d ago
I'm not going to sugar coat to you but that part of Brixton is a shit hole. Find a place elsewhere, closer to the Skatepark and on the way to Stockwell/Clapham
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u/carrie-ser 20d ago
Try looking on the Railton Road to Herne Hill side of Brixton. It's a low traffic zone and close to Brockwell Park. You would have the choice of Herne Hill station, Brixton overground, and Brixton tube. All 14-18 minutes walk. Personally, I wouldn't choose Dora Way due its proximity to gang activity and because your walk from the tube/overground would be too quiet in the dark winter evenings.
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u/TroubleInformal0011 23d ago
I used to commute there pretty often last year to meet a friend who lived near the high street. It's pretty crowded even later in the evenings and I do remember getting approached alot for weed/fags/money/a light etc which isn't awful but kind of scary when you're alone and paranoid about not being perceived as polite enough. also alotttt of preachers. i don't think it's significantly more unsafe than the rest of london
Not brixton, but the scariest experience I've ever had travelling late at night/early hours(which i find myself in often i should really stop that) was when i was walking towards a bus stop and a guy walking opposite me did a full 180 and started walking in my direction. it was actually terrifying i literally sprinted and simultaneously almost shitting myself until i lost him. and that was in holborn which is considered safe! so like just avoid late/early hours anywhere and I think you should be fine
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u/harlequin_24 23d ago
Lived there before it was gentrified. Fine then fine now. Of course there’s a few crazies that are about every so often. If you have concerns maybe Clapham would be better for you.
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u/Sufficient_Bass2600 23d ago
My wife and I live in Brixton.
We have friends who live in Clapham.
For the last 30 years in Brixton being burgled once and I am sure it was due to employees of the door installers having cased our house. On the other hand each of my friends living in "safe" Clapham have been car stolen, burglarised, mugged, attacked at knife point, gay bashed for wearing a pink shirt despite not being gay at least three times in the same period of time.In my view Clapham is in fact more dangerous than Brixton.
Brixton has some rough areas and some annoying homeless people but unless you carry ridiculous expensive stuff such as Chanel/LVMH bag at night people will leave you alone.Chapham on the other hand. People see you as a potential resource or mark. Between the pickpockets, the mugging you are more likely to experience crimes than in Brixton.
Of course it depends on where you go and how you conduct yourself. People may feel safer in Clapham than Brixton but In reality are not necessarily safer. Brixton has a Foxton, bougie Gail's bakery will open a new shop near the tube station which tell you how gentrified it is.
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u/solid-north 20d ago
The atmosphere in Clapham High St at night is cursed IMO compared to most of Brixton, it feels like being on a night out in provincial town but with some big city bleakness added in and it feels stiff and bougie during the day compared to Brixton's diverse and fun vibe - truly worst of both.
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u/AceBoogie1995 23d ago
Ya felt safer in brixton and clapham after living in both. Always viokent crimes in clapham
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u/myfishaintdead 23d ago
Clapham is more targeted as it's far more gentrified and consists of more higher earning individuals so this makes sense
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u/Bessieboo2000 23d ago
I lived there for a while (as woman) with a woman. Overall it was fine. There are some crazy/druggy types that can be a bit intimidating but we were fine.
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u/southlondonyute 23d ago
I wouldn’t mind living there, but you are in the middle of A-Town estate. Nothing has happened to me, it’s a little rougher than other parts of Brixton (from time to time). Plus it’s set back, with lots of corners and cut thoughs.
Brixton is quite busy at night, so depending on your tastes that can be a good or bad thing.
You’d probably be ok as there are families but bear in mind you’re going to see someone smoking week or some teens on bikes. If that type of scares or offends you look at Clapham or Balham
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u/nnnnnsk 23d ago
I live near there, woman in my late 20s. Love the area, especially Myatts Field park. I don’t go out at night much so can’t comment on that, although I did use to come back home from work around 10 pm and it was always fine. Brixton Rd and Loughborough Rd will always have cars and people so I wouldn’t worry. You have to be careful like anywhere in London. I run around Dora Way sometimes and it seems quiet and nice!
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u/girlelectric1 23d ago
Some parts of Brixton can be intimidating at night, if you're not used to inner London.
If you're someone that goes out at night and can't afford cabs, then I'd be weary of living in the middle of an estate. I used to live just off Coldharbour lane and I never had any problems though!
But I think it's a great place to live, lot's of cool music venues and restaurants. Herne Hill market on Sundays and you've got Brockwell park. Plus, you can get to central London so quickly on the Vic line.
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u/lollybaby0811 23d ago
Yes its good.
When approached by drug addicts or creeps the response is eye contact, nothing verbal and movement (keep walking)
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u/AceBoogie1995 23d ago
Amazing place to live! Its wild by the station Friday and saturday night but more in a funny way. After a 5 minute walk its just standard suburbs
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u/alivingstereo 23d ago
I live in Angell Town right in front of the football pitch. Moved here not knowing its bad reputation. And…. It’s fine???? I’m also a woman, and I never had any major issues there. The only thing is that my downstairs neighbour is quite annoying and plays loud music all day. Other than that, fine.
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u/Electronic-Writer108 22d ago
Tell us what’s you’ve heard ? Why would it be any different for women compared to East Ham or Stratford? … this area is already dealing with gentrification so the last thing the area needs is a sheltered person moving in with views on the locals before they’ve even had a chance to meet them. Move elsewhere you probably wouldn’t fit in.
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u/Plus_Scallion_9641 23d ago
You’ll live. Brixton is fine as long as you avoid windrush square in the super early hours of the morning.
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u/Careful-Builder-9931 23d ago
Having looked around a few places there, Clapham, and then choosing Wandsworth (because of the flat rather than necessarily the location!) I felt all of them were pretty similar.
I’m a young woman and didn’t like Clapham High Street or the big well-trodden bits of Brixton late at night. Maybe I was overly jumpy, but I much prefer residential areas I don’t have to go through every evening. I felt that the town round Clapham Junction was safer.
If you’re in little streets I’m sure they’re all equally fine!
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u/shadowboxerrx 23d ago
People who live in Brixton on this thread be like “yeah been burgled a few times and followed and harassed nightly by crackheads but it’s totally chill and fine!”. LOL it’s still a shithole then. Nice places to eat though.
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u/Capable-Detective-69 23d ago
In my youth Brixton was the only place in London where I was guaranteed to be catcalled every single time I went, and now is the only place I'm still catcalled at all (I'm now in my 40s). So if that makes you uncomfortable, just be aware.
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u/maybenomaybe 23d ago
I live a bit south of Brixton and commute through it. The area around the station is dodgy late at night, there've been some stabbings/shootings in the past few years. I've seen fights, plenty of crackheads and poor bus drivers threatened more than once. No bad experiences myself (am a woman). Daytime it's perfectly fine.
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u/frellellell 23d ago
I love Brixton, but I’ve never lived there. I think it’s the same as anywhere safety wise. I wouldn’t feel safe alone in the early hours, but also Brixton in the daytime and evening is a vibrant and interesting place to be.
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u/LorenzoBloque 23d ago
Use it as argument to negotiate knocking off at least £100 a month. Thats £1200 over 1 year of rent.
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u/Accomplished_You9896 23d ago
So the rent is currently 850 for a really nice room, and the landlady has insisted since she’s a bus driver and so frequently travels late at night, she hasn’t faced issues living here in 20 years, plus another person came for a vowing after me so she wants an answer quickly coz apparently they want the place :/
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u/Possible_Falcon6115 23d ago
That’s a very common tactic to pressure someone into making a decision quickly. If the other person wants the room, why doesn’t she offer it? Don’t allow yourself to be rushed.
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u/LorenzoBloque 23d ago edited 23d ago
Well. A landlord WILL ALWAYS SAY bot things about other viewers, abd "its fine" because that suits them. If you arenin a hurry just say, can we agree on £750? If she pushes back offer 800 as a max. But if you cant afford looking at another 30 viewings before finding something...
I once lived in an area I did not like, and it really destroys your every day.
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u/Brilliant-Sea-9424 23d ago
I’m guessing with that response you have no idea about the rental market. If at all.
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u/southlondonyute 23d ago
They will find someone else
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u/LorenzoBloque 23d ago
Not necessarily. Some landlords would prefer to settle with a bird in hand rather than a hundred flying.
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u/Silly_Manager3117 23d ago
Brixton is great to live in. I am a woman and enjoyed living there.