Quick question - to do with London

[Crea]

A friend of mine's younger sister (this sounds like the set up for a bad joke, but bear with me) is coming over from Australia on a gap year, she wants to work in a pub in or around London and has asked me to suggest places that would be safe but not boring. Meaning (i think) that she wants a nightlife, easy access into London (so tube) and possibly something to do in the daytime. Now I've got a couple of areas in London that I would suggest, but was wondering if anyone here had any thoughts as I have a feeling that mine may be more to her brother's tastes and not quite to hers.

If that makes any sense.

[Mouse_On_Mars]

I've not been out in London a huge amount but the West End and the City have a lot of bars, and due to the cleintelle, are quite safe.
Steer clear of Angel, we went there as a group of five lads and didn't feel all that safe walking down the road, let alone going in one of the rough looking bars.

Nightclubs are also worth considering if she doesn't mind working until the sun comes up. And they're about as safe a working environment as it gets for bar work.

[kandy]

stick to the City/West End area and its usually fine.

[Crea]

She's working through an agency in Australia that sorts out the placements, but she wants to be able to tell them an area i believe.

[Boffykins]

One question you're all missing here.


Is she fit?

[her0n]

She could always go work in a Walkabout or something I guess

[Inferno]

im with Boff

[HalOS]

You make a great couple...

As for going out in Angel, have been doing so regularly for the past 6-7 years.. what kind of trouble have you had? Always been fine for me... ignoring the fact that it's full of Islingtonites!?!

[Elbonio]

Hard Rock Cafe

[Crea]

she doesn't need places to work, but london broughs of interest i believe.

[Mouse_On_Mars]

Originally Posted by HalOS

As for going out in Angel, have been doing so regularly for the past 6-7 years.. what kind of trouble have you had? Always been fine for me... ignoring the fact that it's full of Islingtonites!?!

Maybe it was just an off night. Groups of london chavs hanging around, rowdiness outside that pool hall/club place and the area just felt a bit sombre. Just a feeling of "I don't want to hang around here too long in case I get mugged."

[kandy]

Originally Posted by Mouse_On_Mars

Groups of london chavs hanging around, rowdiness outside that pool hall/club place and the area just felt a bit sombre. Just a feeling of "I don't want to hang around here too long in case I get mugged."

Sounds like you went to a nice part then

[daedalus]

Hackney and Tower Hamlets arn't a good idea...

If she doesn't mind communtin she might be better off just outside central London. Somewhere like Kingston upon Thames or Sutton might be her cup of tea, generally good night life and safer than London itself. Good transport links and quite a lot of work around.

I'd say Kingston is good. Price of living can be quite high, but she might be able to wang something decent.

[Andy^]

Safety is what you make it, if you ask for trouble you'll get it wherever you are!

Kingston upon thames was good but recently there was a murder of a young clubber; got into an arguement and got a knife stuck in him!

Sutton is okay although there is generally a lot of 18-21 lads going out every weekend, getting completely bladdered and fighting! Oh, its also near to where I live, so make of that what you will!

I personally work in a nightclub in Selhurst called Crystals (Its a over 25's only grab a granny club) but the pays' good and there's never any trouble, just its an arse to get to / from at 5am when I get off!

Clapham is quite good for bars but not so good for clubs and some of the areas in / around there are very unsafe (Used to live there so its no doubt improved by me moving out! ) but in the same breath, there are some safe areas around there aswell; Cost of living may be high though, its quite popular with traveller I think!

Epsom is pretty good, quite a few bars & clubs, cost of living isn't too high because its not really popular yet, although that may change soon!

Send me a PM if you want anymore information!

-Andy

[Strych]

Originally Posted by Andy^

Epsom is pretty good, quite a few bars & clubs, cost of living isn't too high because its not really popular yet

Um. Epsom and Ewell have some of the highest property prices in the country...

Apart from that I would agree with what Andy has said here. Although personally I would avoid Sutton at night.

[no friends]

No one mentioned Avenue Q?!

Get to it.

[Afty]

Originally Posted by Boffbowsh

Is she fit?

Did you ever get an answer?

[bvark]

I'd put my tuppence in here but it seems not to have come up. Here are the three I know (and would recommend in any way).

Chiswick/Acton and (closely) surrounding areas are nice, reasonable commute in, reasonably cheap in the right places.

Wimbledon/Merton is (mostly) safe, and has some decent bars, but expensive to live in and quite a long tube into town.

Clapham and Balham both seriously gentrified now, but probably still some cheap flatshares, and an independant social scene plus a good park.

[Crea]

Originally Posted by Boffbowsh

Is she fit?

I have no idea... I've only ever met her older brother.

But thank you everyone for the advice. I've sent her an email with some details, hopefully she's find some of it useful.

[Andy^]

Originally Posted by Strych

Um. Epsom and Ewell have some of the highest property prices in the country...

Apart from that I would agree with what Andy has said here. Although personally I would avoid Sutton at night.

I was more meaning for rental, not purchase. My friend Alex lives 10 minutes walk from Epsom town center, 15 minutes from the trainstation and pays pittence for rent; its a quiet housing estate opposite a sainsburys retail park and is a house in EXCELELNT condition with private parking and a reasonably large back garden!

-Andy