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41 Alpha Road
Hello Surbiton! I need your wisdom and advice!
I'm thinking of buying a new flat in Surbiton. This week I've seen 2- a new build block of flats in Apha Road and also a converted flat in Ewell Road, just opposite the Fishponds Park. Both flats were really nice, so now I just need to think about the area. Today, I had a little wander around to get a feel for the area.
I wan't too sure about Alpha Road to be honest. The new build flat is lovely, but some of the nearby houses looked a little run down and scuffy to me. So that was a it disappointing.
The area around Fishponds Park (Ewel Road) looked ok, I think. Although I did notice a few drunks in the park (older, mid 50s I think) and also hanging around Ewel Road in general . Is Ewel Road (and the park) generally considered a safe place? I noticed a really nice road just behind the new flat that was very nice indeed (Kingsdwone Road I think), so I was a little confused about whether it was a good or bad area!
Any advice would be great!
Thanks Steve
Comments
Yes I can see a pattern. I also got a BNP leaflet through my letterbox it was full of rubbish. I was very surprised to receive it as I thought most people of that mentality lived in Essex! But I can see from here that I was very wrong.
The above text has been deliberately disemvowelled as it is in breach of the Surbiton.com terms.
I bet the spinless raciists who post on here are the same scum who put the BNP leaflet through my door before the recent local elections and ran off before I could confront them. See a pattern?
Anyway, I have lived in Surbiton for 9 years and found it be a nice safe place to live.
The above text has been deliberately disemvowelled as it is in breach of the Surbiton.com terms.
The above text has been deliberately disemvowelled as it is in breach of the Surbiton.com terms.
I don't think racism should be tolerated at all. Its a shame that some people on here give the wrong impression that all Surbiton folk are nasty and prejudiced against people of different races.
I agree, but people will always have their own views. I grew up in an area further out into Surrey that was 100% white 10 years ago, and is probably still 99% white now. Racist views breed in this sort of environment because people know nothing else.
One of the things that I love about Surbiton is that there is a wide mix of people here - students, young families and older people from different backgrounds. Surbiton is hardly what you would call multi-cultural (90% white, middle class?), but there are at least some small black, asian and chinese communities to give some balance.
The narrow mindedness on here is astonishing. THere are ethnic minorities in Surbiton you see them in the shops walking along the streets and in cafes. Its not "all white" by a long shot some of you need to open your eyes. I must add that these bigoted comments on here are rarely reflected in "real life" in Surbiton. Either the bigots on here are too cowardly to speak out except on message boards or they are not the kind of people I could bear to spend 5 minutes with!
I got mugged in Berrylands a few years back and most people I told were astonished as leafy Surbiton is perceived as being a very safe area. While I would say there are far more dangerous places than Surbiton random crime can happen anywhere there is a slight risk in any community. These days a lot of crime is motivated by drugs not because a person comes from a criminal background or is a professional criminal. I certainly haven't branded Surbiton/Berrylands as "dangerous" because of this incident.
Bravo. I couldn't agree more. This site has occasionally suffered from a minority of bigoted individuals who post anonymously. I'm convinced there's a majority of readers here who don't post but strongly oppose their views. It's time to get vocal and drive these racists out.
Anonymous
To the person wanting to buy a flat
I am an older person who has lived on the Ewell Road Surbiton for 25 years and seen many changes in the area. I know the flats near Fishponds and they look to be a good conversion. Surbiton is changing as all the big houses are being turned into flats. Many buyers immediately rent them out so the people keep changing which is not always good for a neighbourhood if the owners of the flats/houses do not look after them properly. Also whilst Surbiton was mainly white it is no longer. I am on the Neighbourhood Watch and we know what the problems are and the local community officers do their best to stamp out any local problems. It is still a safe area but has its fair share of anti social behaviour like most places these days.
When you live on the Ewell Road you do have to put up with the constant sirens (due to A3) and traffic noise but if you sleep at the back you do not hear anything. So buy a flat at the back of the house. Ewell Road has loads of restaurants, paper shops, M & S Budgens Iceland etc but dont expect clothes DIY the bus service is good.
The above text has been deliberately disemvowelled as it is in breach of the Surbiton.com terms.
Hi Steve,
I just thought I would summarise my comments.
1. Surbiton is a great place to live. The racist comments on here are from the minority, as I never come across any tension in Surbiton on a day to day basis. That said, Surbiton is a very white area compared to all of the rest of London.
2. I would describe the Ewell Road area as 'ok'. It is a busy road, and parks in urban areas can often cause more problems than benefits. It is very convenient for the station, however, and is not what I would describe as a bad area. Alpha Road I would avoid. Take some time looking around the different areas of town before you make your decision. I live in the 'river roads' area, and I think that is the nicest part of town, but there is a lot to be said for other parts as well.
3. I think £235k is expensive for that flat. Last year, 1 bed flats in the best parts of town were going for £250k. These flats in Ewell Road were on for £235k then. Now the £250k flats are generally on for about £225-£230k, so there really should have been some movement in Ewell Road!
4. I see that 'housepricecrash.co.uk' was recommended earlier in the thread. By all means give it a read, but do take some of it with a pinch of salt. A lot of people on there have been predicting 75% price drops/world apocalypse for 5 years now, during which time prices have gone up by at least 25% around here. However, there is some good advice on there, and prices are now coming down. Flat prices in Surbiton are around 10-15% down on the peak, and most people think there is a fair way to go yet.
Hopefully, some of the advice on here has been useful to you. There has been a lot of needless comments, but I think a lot of people have expressed their point of view.
I have lived in Surbiton for well over 10 years now, and I would not move anywhere else. Most people I know share that view, and the only people who move out are those which find the transition from flat to house too expensive.
Good luck in your search!
Thanks- really useful
Steve
Well done for your mature post!
I dont understand what is wrong in using this site for what it is intended?
or am I missing the point and is it for generally pissing people off with nasty comments??
I didnt say people who post on here are sad as that would be including myself in that catagory - learn to read the facts and not misinterpret them :)
what I said is you probably get a small minority of people posting on here - and with posts like yours you prove me right
Steve and Tankgirl
Congrats for meeting each other on a free dating site, that said, tankgirl, you mentioned that we must be sad to post here when there’s better things to day with our lives, so congrats again for meeting each other on a free dating site on a Saturday/Sunday afternoon and evening
Steve, as for racists remarks, I challenge you now to post those, so-called racist remarks and follow them up with my reply to your challenge
If you both want to use this site to 'vent your anger' over a w/e at least have the intelligence to follow it through with maturity and dignity, else forget Surbiton, children because you clearly aren’t what we want hear
What an immature post- quite funny though!
Hey, maybe there should be a dating section on here! I'm gay though so only looking for guys. Ideally a male version of the very wise and wonderful Tankgirl ! Is there a Tankboy out there ??!!
As for the racist comments, they are subtle and only a few in number but they are racist none the less. I am sure you can work out which comments they are, and if you can't then I suggest looking up the word in a dictionary. I can't be bothered to spell it out for you.
Hey, but let's forget about all that rubbish- I say again, some of you guys have been really helpful in your posts, and I thank you for you help!
Have a great evening Surburban-ites!
Steve
xxx
they do look nice,
I'm not up to date with house prices so I dont feel able to comment,
but I'm sure you'll get a reply
we were lucky with ours that we got 4 years ago, a complete renovation project, lots of hard hard work but we wouldnt have been able to afford to get on the market any other way
best of luck with what ever you decide though!!
Thanks - I think the flats might be a bit over-priced actually (£235 for one bed? What do we think?) but they are gorgeous inside. All new and really nicely finished. I'll have a think and maybe offer a ridiculously low price. Its so hard to tell with the property situation the way it is.
The park is a bit of a bonus actually then as it is quite big and looks lovely for walks etc.
Steve :-)
PS> Here's a link!
http://www.rightmove.co.uk/viewdetails-17787607.rsp?pa_n=3&tr_t=buy
I live pretty near to where your talking about, and I think I know the flats your on about
it really depends on your personal views / experiences - I dont find it a threatening or unsafe area -
yes there are some regular (1 or 2) alchies that are about the fish ponds
but mainly its people walking their dogs or enjoying a bit of fresh air / sunshine,
and the old guys are too busy getting pissed usually to worry about others - compaired to most places its ok,
there may also be a few 'kids' who hang about there sneeking a cider or 2 in the summer because I most certainly remember doing that when I was a teen!
its a busy road but if your at the back I doubt you'll be too bothered by it
an easy walk to the staion or short bus ride, great links to london
a few nice pubs in surbiton (and again this is personal as I cant think of any thing worse than another night at gordon bennetts, and I've only been there once :P)
the other end of the 'tolworth broadway' is ok, if your after a variety of fruit / veg / asian cooking ingredients as specialist shops, and restaurants (but I dont tend to go out there) but no great shakes, a hiddeous 'bar' called the broardway bar and cafe with no atmosphere -
surbiton high street is much better for shopping / socialising but to be honest we tend to go 'up town' if going out these days as with a mortgage we dont have that luxary that often and want a 'propper night out' when we do ;)
Actually, in spite of over 50 posts (mostly good posts!), I haven't actually had that much comment about the specific Ewel Road area that I am thinking of. Its a new conversion flat just opposite the Fishponds Park. Is it a safe area do we think? The flat is on a main road, but it’s at the back of the property so actually very quiet. I'm just worried that the park and surrounding area could be a bit dodgy as I did see some drunks in the park on Friday night.
Thanks guys!
Steve
Steve-
I came across this site by accident - whilst looking for local events etc
I am dissapointed by some of the comments and generalisations on this board - and think sometimes I am in the minority - but in reality my surbiton dwelling friends are equally hard working, open minded and would quite happily stand up to bigot's -
and I guess unlike other forums that I 'belong' to where they attack the statement and not the person - this isnt always adhered to on here
but then I guess you have to look at who is going to regularily contribute here -
and I'm guessing its people who either love or hate surbiton and want to 'air these views' , and people like yourself who are looking for info about moving here -
most other 'suburbians' are prob too busy outside actually enjoying what life has to offer to bother spending too much time on here :P
Yes, I am sure you are right. Thanks for the reassurance. :-)
Thanks for the comment above.
I started this thread in an effort to find out which are the good and bad parts of Surbiton. I have, however, been very disappointed and shocked by a few racist comments that have been posted. I am hoping that this is simply a vocal minority and that the vast majority of Surbiton folk are not racist. I confess it did make me worry that I would be moving to an area full of racist bigots!
Having said that, I have also received some very inteligent replies which have provided me with a lot of useful information about the areas. So thanks for those. But racist posters, hold your heads in shame.
Steve
reading some of the above comments - if I didnt already live in Surbiton - it would certainly put me off!!
There are all sorts of people living in surbiton - covering all socail spectrums and cultures - what makes any one better than another??
(BTW My irish uncle was a daily patron of the surbiton british legion for 50 + years up until he died - and a valued customer no doubt! he came over lied about his age and joined up at 14, his medals are enough to show his effort in the war - why would he not be welcome there now??)
Space Trooper
In the words of the Rolling Stones ..
Well I told you once and I told you twice
But ya never listen to my advice
You don't try very hard to please me
With what you know it should be easy
Well this could be the last time
This could be the last time
Maybe the last time
I don't know. Oh no. Oh no
I'll check it out, I think. Does anyone know of any new build or conversion properties coming on to the market? I really like new-ness!
Ive walked around there both at night and during the day and its just what it sounds like - a quiet, leafy wide road with flats/houses on either side.
Seemed safe.
I'm interested in a new build property anywhere in Surbiton really (as long as its nice), so I'm interested in hearing lots of opinions too! What's 'The Avenue' like do you think, previous poster! I can't find it on the map
Thanks Steve
As someone who is about to move onto "The Avenue" - which is KT5 i think, i'm very interested in reading peoples opinions about the surrounding areas. What I wanted was a nice, quiet residential-like area to live, commute to work in london each day and generally have a good standard of living close to decent pubs, restaraunts, clubs and nice greenery.
Surbiton fits the bill, and although what you're all saying about Ewell road - i think the flat i'm moving to is near the pub "the castle" and christ church church - are these ok in terms of the people living around there - anyone on here? and the general quality of living.
that said, i cant wait to join the community!
42! The answer to life the universe and everything!
WOW 42 posts in one day (so far)
Thanks for the link. I'll give it a good read this weekend.
:-)
Bookmark and take note, for you have been warned Solar Hiker
http://www.housepricecrash.co.uk/
Thanks. 40, still foolish, but cautious! I'll have a good think about it! Where did you see 30% though- Do you have a link?
(Maybe I should buy when I'm 42- that's gotta be significant in a life, the universe and everything sort of way!)
Poster Steve, 40 is not old but one is never too old to be foolish
I urge you to rent for 12 months at least (7 month break clause) property prices are going to drop 30%
Think on cyberborg
Thankfully Surbiton still remains white and British, well for now anyway
I irish, my wife is indian and we live in surbiton........booga booga!!!
ewwwww
Poster Steve
Then why not simply rent, your rental on a 1/2 bed flat will still be cheaper than the mortgage, loss of interest on a deposit and a 30% slump
Can I ask you to leave the pink lizards for me
Zaphod Beeblebrox,
Thanks Zaphod,
I'll have a think about it. It might be worth me renting a flat in Surbiton for 6 months or so to see if I like the area.
Trouble is, I hate moving! And also, I'm getting on a bit now (40 in September), so I feel I should really get a move on and buy somewhere!
Doc Steve
This is why I hate renting - I like to live somewhere for at least 5 years at a time.
I would not normally recommend renting, but in this case it might be a good idea.
Poster Zaphod Beeblebrox,
Oh if only you were! And if only I could live in a police box and travel around freely without having to buy a flat and get a mortgage!
Steve, The Doctor! Who?
"If you go for a drink at Bosco, The Victoria or Gordon Bennett on a busy night, it is unusual to see any non-white person there"
What a load of rubbish!!
The reason that I wrote that was because that was the route of my 'mini pub crawl' last night, and I noticed no-one from an ethnic minority. I drink in these places quite a lot as well.
All white down my street, and the next one and the next one! Mmmmm I wonder which Surbiton you're thinking of? Surbiton- Jamaica?
how sad for you to live in a monocultural world ;-)
I'm irish......Glad i dont live near u......
Like you..I'm glad I dont live in Ireland! What made you leave? How crap is it?
I guess there must be some areas of the town where there are quite a lot of ethnic minorities, and this is where this poster comes from. I have lived in Surbiton quite a long time, and the only place I see them is at the station getting on a train after a day at work and at the Seething Wells halls of residence site.
Kingston is the least ethnically diverse borough in London, and it includes New Malden with it's high proportion of Korean residents. This would tend to suggest that Surbiton and Kingston itself have an ultra-low level of ethnic diversity for London.
Most of the black and asian people in Surbiton come for work or an evening out, and leave at the end of it - I cannot see a problem with that.
Poster Time-Lord Steve, Ok believe the article that you read (written by the Estate Agents Association) FTB's that bought over the past 2 years will be urging you to re-consider
Hope your visit to earth is as pleasurable as mine, but I fear they are beginning to suspect
Zaphod Beeblebrox
If I'm English??!! I'm actually a Tme-Lord from the planet Gallifrey. Am I still welcome?
Truthfully, I am English, but I don't think I want to go to a group that limits itself by nationality, thanks.