EMMA WELLS
THE ENDURING BUZZ OF CLAPHAM OR FAMILY-ORIENTED CLAYGATE? FINDS ATTRACTIONS IN BOTH...
CLAPHAM’S critics call it the south-west London bastion of beige, but in city living polls its well-heeled residents regularly vote it a fantastic place to live - with great eateries, nightlife spots and rail connections.
It spans several neighbourhoods, taking in arty Clapham North, period-perfect Clapham Old Town, the 220-acre green heartland of Clapham Common and the upscale but laidback vibe of Abbeville Village (the fromagerie says it all), with its broad streets lined with attractive period semis, mansion blocks and new developments.
‘The local property market has seen high and consistent demand over the years, with buyer demographics ranging from first-time buyers to families already living in the area looking to upsize,’ Rory Crawford-Drake, a director at Dexters, says. ‘Expect to pay from £450,000 for a renovated one-bed flat and up to £3.5million for a detached five-bed family home around Clapham Common.’
But many south-west Londoners also choose to take the classic emigration route to Surrey’s commuter villages.
Pretty, familyoriented Claygate, for example, just 14
miles away, off the A3, and offering a 35-minute direct train link into London Waterloo, centres on a historic conservation area with a village green (inset) and a parade of independent shops. Admittedly, it’s sedate, but quirky offerings such as micropub Brightwater Brewery Platform 3 and a burgeoning restaurant scene make it anything but dull.
There’s not a lot of housing stock up for grabs at any one time, so properties tend to sell quickly, but a one-bedroom flat near the station costs from about £335,000, and a modern three-bedroom terraced house from about £420,000 – which means the relative value gap between here and many London locations allows for a significant upsize. ‘I moved from London to Claygate because it truly offers the best of both worlds,’ says Tilly Balfe, 26, a consultant at maisoncoms.co.uk.
‘I am surrounded by beautiful countryside with gorgeous spots like Box Hill on my doorstep, yet city life is only a short train ride away. Claygate packs a punch when it comes to offering just about everything you could want or ask for in one village.’