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SW16 Area Guide

A locals' guide to SW16

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Where do SW16 locals go?

Norwood Grove House

Norwood Grove House

Known locally as the "White House", Norwood Grove House and its well-tended formal gardens were opened in 1926 by the future King Edward VIII. It is the centrepiece of Norwood Grove itself; a large expanse of grass from which you can overlook Streatham and its surrounding areas. It is thoroughly underutilised and all the better for it!

Hideaway

Hideaway

The best live music venue in South London.

Cut the Mustard

Cut the Mustard

Friendly! Lovely and good coffee.

The Rookery

The Rookery

A walled garden that would not look out of place in a BBC costume drama. Stunning throughout the year and still relatively undiscovered by the residents of South London. The gardens are beautifully maintained by a justifiably proud set of volunteers.

The Railway Pub

The Railway Pub

Best pub quiz on a Tuesday night!!

La Casita

La Casita

A fantastic choice of Spanish food and drink all at great value!

Streatham Ice and Leisure Centre

Streatham Ice and Leisure Centre

Located in the heart of Streatham it is the hub of the community. This comunity centre is a multi-facility location with London's only Olympic size ice rink.

The Bull

The Bull

This gastropub next to Streatham Common is fantastic! The décor is really cool, there's an impressive outdoor seating area with fires and the food is outstanding.

Cream's

Cream's

Classic hot and cold desserts, milkshakes and gelato served in a low-lit, purple and black setting.

Perfect Blend

Perfect Blend

Lovely place for a coffee in the morning before getting in to the office and amazing cooked breakfasts with thick milkshakes. It turns into a bar at night with an extensive cocktail menu and it's open until 2am!

Le Tour de France

Le Tour de France

The best fresh coffee, croissants and bread. Lovely family-owned independent. Get there early for their bread and croissants - they sell out fast.

Tooting Bec Lido

Tooting Bec Lido

A great place for a swim! Because it's an open air pool, it's ideal in the summer.

Cut the Mustard

Cut the Mustard

This delightful cafe between Tooting and Streatham is a real hidden gem. They have everything you would expect on a brunch menu and the portions are huge!

Brooks and Gao

Brooks and Gao

One of only a few decent coffee shops on Streatham High Road. It's slightly pricier than its competitors, but for the quality of the food and coffee, it's justified.

Tariq Halal Meats

Tariq Halal Meats

An amazing butchers in Streatham that is part of a small franchise of equally great stores.

Why not explore the nearby areas of Streatham, Norbury, West Norwood, Tooting, Streatham Hill, Norwood, Balham, Thornton Heath, Colliers Wood and Mitcham

"The UK's first supermarket was opened in Streatham in 1951."

Streatham Common is the perfect place to hang out when the sun is shining.

Stephanie Kele

A mixture of independent and high street shops line Streatham High Road, which has seen great development over the past few years.

Chris Campbell

You can be at London Victoria or London Bridge in less than half an hour from West Norwood Station.

Stephanie Kele

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What locals say about SW16

  1. The area has a relaxed atmosphere with a good selection of convenience shops and a local bakery. Situated just off from Tooting common there is an abundance of green space to walk and run around. Balham is about a 20 minute walk past the duck pond and swings. Very family friendly and the only place I have lived in London where I actually know my neighbours name. Transport isn't as convenient as other places but the lower prices off set this once you invest in a push bike to cycle the 5 minutes down to the tube. It is well worth the small compromise to enjoy the peace and quiet of this West London community.

  2. Streatham Common is amazingly quiet and perfect for family living. There are loads of lovely old Victorian houses. We are also seeing an influx of young professionals, a bit like Balham a few years ago. Check out the Rookery and the woodlands at the top of the common, you wouldn't believe you were in central London. The transport links are great too. Every 15 minutes to Victoria, every 30mins to London bridge (although changing to the northern line at Balham is quicker). Plus the Thameslink runs through central London. A final comment on the restaurants/bars. A few years back we were lacking but recently we a dramatic improvement. I hear rumours of a tube line extension to the area is also being considered

  3. It features a beautiful park with a hill view of the surrounding areas. Suitable for a modern life style with 24h Tesco, nice local pubs, gyms and well connected to central London. Many areas are also under development by the local council.

  4. It is a very exquisite area with a strong sense of a peaceful atmosphere. The friendly community surrounded makes it a very peaceful atmosphere, where all individuals are loving and caring. The nearby shops make it easy for one to have access to a variety of food and clothing. It is very close to a bus stop, and a railway station, allowing one to have easy access to transport. The houses in the area are very big, with a spacious view. The area is very clean, and a damage to something e.g. property within the area is taken very seriously by the local authority. The local park is around 5 minutes walk - with a green atmosphere and exercise machines to help one stay fit and have a healthy lifestyle. Overall, as an individual I am delighted to live in such a fulfilling atmosphere - and I hope people have the same positive view about this location, as it is a remarkable place to live in.

  5. 1. Access to two lovely wild-life-friendly open spaces (Tooting Common and Streatham Common/ Rookery/ Norwood Grove) 2. Good transport links (would be even better if we had the tube) 3. The unique, wonderful (and huge) Tooting Bec Lido

  6. Streatham Common is very family friendly.

  7. It is quiet area, good for new families with mostly 3 bed houses. Outstanding and good schools in the area. A quick walk to both Streatham Common and Norbury station for commuting 20 minutes to Victoria or 30 to London Bridge. Fantastic parks like Norwood Grove, Streatham Common and the Rookery are a short walk away. Norbury has a post office and by Streatham Common is the very family friendly Railway pub and Tea Rooms!

  8. I'm a student and I've lived in Streatham Common for almost a year now and I love it! My road is lovely and quiet, and just down the road from the common and Thornton Heath park which is gorgeous in summer. The Streatham High Road is your typically diverse South London high road, and has everything you need (banks, shops, cinema, restaurants, bars etc.). There are 3 big supermarkets nearby (Sainsbury's, Morrisons and ASDA Clapham Junction) and SRC train station gets you to Victoria in just under 20 mins!

  9. Excellent nursery (Cavendish Lodge in Lewis Road) - has just been ranked best in south London by Mamas & Papas. Lovely community feeling and lots of young families. Schools are getting better too, some really decent primary schools around.

  10. The rookery up the common - lovely place to go for a picnic. Also great are Streatham festival and overground connections.

  11. Streatham Common overground is at the end of my road which means transport links around London are perfect. It takes less than 15minutes to get into Victoria and is 3 mins away from Balham which gives direct access to the Northern Line. Also, at the other end of my road is Streatham Common. Always clean and very family friendly. Great for summer runs or just relaxing in the sunshine.

  12. Tooting Common and Wigmore Lawn Tennis Club.

Activities near SW16

About SW16

SW16 is the postcode district in South West London incorporating the areas of Streatham, Norbury, Thornton Heath, Streatham Park, Furzedown, Streatham Vale, Pollards Hill and is covered by the Lambeth, Croydon, Wandsworth and Merton local authorities.

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Why not explore some other local areas
Streatham area guide
Norbury area guide
West Norwood area guide
Tooting area guide
Streatham Hill area guide
Norwood area guide
Balham area guide
Thornton Heath area guide
Colliers Wood area guide
Mitcham area guide

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Feedback about living in SW16 has been submitted directly by the public and may not neccessarily reflect the views of Foxtons. The description of SW16 was modified from Wikipedia and is available under the Creative Commons licence. Land Registry data is Crown copyright.

All the views and contributions contained within Foxtons Local Life are those of the contributors. All content is assessed before publishing for taste, however free opinion is encouraged. Foxtons accept no payment or sponsorship for content that is posted about SW16.

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