Going from East London to South London should be a lot easier so when MyLondon reporter Ayo saw this borough ranked as top three best places to live in London, he had to go see whether it was true
I went to this borough for the first time(Image: Harrison Galliven/ LDRS)
I don’t necessarily consider myself a snob. Yet, when it comes to going South London, it would certainly be fair to classify me as such. I am aware of my disdain for it and I don’t think it will ever change.
Growing up in East London, it was somewhat imposed on me that nothing good happens south of the river. That was a mantra I internalised for a long time. Over the years I have gone to South London but the furthest I’ve reached was usually Clapham or Battersea – apart from the time I went to Croydon a few years ago for the first time in my life.
I’ve travelled to Australia and Asia but there’s something about travelling to South London that feels even more daunting. Imagine my horror then when I had to hop on a train from Hackney all the way to Clapham Junction; an hour journey on its own. If I thought that was bad enough, I then had to do jump on a Southern train, which took 25 minutes to get to my final destination of Sutton. You would think I’d be ashamed to say this is my first time going to Sutton – I’m not. However, am I happy that I did? Very much so.
Manor Park is a beautiful sight a short walk from Sutton Station(Image: Ayo Oluwalana/MyLondon)
I went to Sutton as it came number three as one of the best places to live in London. Stepping out of the train station on a sunny day (how rare), Sutton felt like a breath of fresh air. Maybe it was the first time in a while I’ve seen blue skies and the sun in London but it felt right. Black cabs, local cafes, people laughing and smiling, it was a nice change of scenery.
Speaking to locals about the area and what they enjoyed, it was clear to see this is an area that people stay in for a long time. People I spoke to had lived there for 40 years plus. That is a rarity nowadays when it comes to London. I heard from teachers who waxed passionately about how great the schools are as well as the parks. The same teachers also said that too many developments and not enough people staying around for long may be ruining the community aspect. Empty flats were noted by them as causes for concern as more and more developments are popping up; they were concerned about how the local infrastructure would cope with more people requiring its services.
More and more developments seem to being built in Sutton which could take away from its uniqueness (Image: Ayo Oluwalana/MyLondon)
The high street was bustling at 12pm on a Wednesday afternoon. Buskers were singing, people were chatting and the sun was shining. I was alarmed at how many people seemed to be outside at this time but could I blame them? The sun was out for the first time in months, you have to strike while the irons hot. It did appear to me that the demographic make up of the area seemed to be a lot older but as it was 12pm on a Wednesday, the younger people could have been working.
I walked around and laid eyes upon Manor Park and its glorious fountain. It was stunning and I could have sat there for hours if I didn’t need to head back. Dogs were plenty and the smiles on faces were never-ending.
Closed shops on the high street did make me feel sad. It showed that the cost of living was impacting businesses all over London and Sutton was no different. The people I spoke to all mentioned how they wished their high street was livelier and had a mix of different shops. That is something I agree with.
The Manor Park fountain was a relaxing sight to look at (Image: Ayo Oluwalana/MyLondon)
Walking through Sutton certainly gave me a feel of a community feel where everybody knows everybody. I remember when I went to Higham’s Park and I can see similarities in certain aspects.
A lot of inner London boroughs have been overcome by gentrification with many areas now looking the same; Sutton however has an air of individuality and uniqueness that seems even rarer these days. I know I only scratched the surface of my experience in Sutton but I definitely enjoyed it. I know if I got out to the likes of Cheam and Banstead, I may have encountered that village feel.
Overall though, I can understand why people stay here for a long time.. From the friendly residents, the diversity of people and the relaxing vibe, I could see why it ranked top three. However, the three round trip back to Homerton is not something I’d like to do again. So Sutton, you can be the third best place to live but I’ll stick to the East side of London for now.
Do you think Sutton deserves to be a top three London borough to live in? Let us know in the comments