Best Places to Live in London for Markets

This article marks the start of our ‘Best Places to Live in London’ theme where we find the best areas of London to live in if you’re interested in a particular type of activity. Today we’re looking at markets – we’ve picked the best of the many popular London markets and introduce you to the residential area that they’re located in/near to, so that you can have one of these fabulous markets on your doorstep – you’ll never be bored on a weekend again! Not that you would be, you are living in London after all!

Bethnal Green
The East End in general is a fantastic location to live in if you want access to markets. In Bethnal Green, not only are you close to Spitalfields and Brick Lane markets, but you also have Columbia Road flower market down the road. This market is only open on Sundays, but you can pick up some truly beautiful flowers and plants (exotic ones if that’s your thing). If you wait until the afternoon, the stock is lower but the prices are rock bottom as traders work to get rid of their stock. Bethnal Green is located in the postcode area of E2. It’s on the Central line and mainline trains also run to Liverpool Street. In the heart of the East End (the Kray twins were raised here), it’s a trendy part of London situated incredibly close to the City of London (you can walk it), Brick Lane and Shoreditch.

Notting Hill
Are you thinking of the market featured in that rather famous movie which starred Hugh Grant and Julia Roberts? Yes that’s right, the market/road that Grant’s character of Will had his bookshop on was that of Portobello Road. The market is most famous for antiques and vintage-ware. It’s open from Monday to Saturday, but is ludicrously busy on a Saturday so get there easy so you won’t be disappointed. Notting Hill is a rather posh area situated in West London. If you can afford to live here, then you should as it’s lovely. There are excellent pubs and restaurants, the beautiful Holland Park to relax in and it’s a quick tube journey into town on the Central line.

Greenwich
Greenwich Market is on from Wednesday till Sunday with a different type of stall on each day (food produce on Wednesday, antiques and crafts on Thursdays and Fridays and pretty much everything at the weekend). Greenwich is a lovely part of London and feels like a historic town in it’s own right. It’s situated on the river and is jam packed full of riverside pubs (although the nicest are on Royal Hill) and eateries. Culture is abound here too with the Greenwich Theatre, the Cutty Sark, the Observatory and the National Maritime Museum to visit. Greenwich isn’t the most affordable area of London to live in, but if you can afford it then you’ll be glad you chose to live here.

Bermondsey
Borough Market is located near to Bermondsey. It is open from Thursday till Sunday. It’s best to arrive at Borough Market with an empty stomach and then stroll around sampling wonderful culinary delights from all of the food stalls. An indoor section can be found at Jubilee Market. The nearest stations to the market are at Borough or London Bridge. Bermondsey is found to the East of London Bridge station and has it’s front on the River Thames. It’s a strange of mix of posh and poverty with riverside apartments at the top end of the scale and council estate housing at the other. The hip areas to hang out in Bermondsey include Bermondsey Street which is packed full of bars for young professionals and Maltby Street which has it’s own style of food market in the warehouses and railway arches on a Saturday – regulars include Christchurch Fish, Hasslachers Hot Chocolate, L Booth Wild Mushroom Company and Reiner’s Austrian Fine Foods.

Camden
Camden is massively famous for it’s intertwining markets including Stables Markets and Camden Lock Market. The markets are the 4th most popular visitor attraction in London with approximately 100,000 people visiting each weekend, so it’s not for those with a fear of crowds! Camden attracts an eclectic mix of people – think goths, punks and those with lots of facial tattoos and piercings. There is a huge range of the type of goods on offer at Camden market – you can easily find records and t-shirts, crafts, second-hand books, bean bags and gifts. Due to the hustle and bustle and it’s proximity to Central London, Hampstead Heath and Regent’s Park, Camden is a popular area of London to live in. It also has a great nightlife scene going on.

Where to live in London on the Central Line

We’ve been doing a series of articles on ‘where to live in London’ on each of the tube lines. In this article, we feature 5 residential areas of London which happen to have stations on the Central line. The Central Line runs from West London through Central London and through to East London and even out to parts of Essex. It serves 49 stations. You might choose to live in these areas if you take the Central line to your workplace in somewhere like Liverpool Street, Bank, Holborn, Tottenham Court Road, Oxford Circus, Bond Street or Marble Arch.

Ealing

Ealing is located in West London and is often thought of as a town in it’s own right. It is a large area made up of 3 suburbs – South/Little Ealing, Ealing Broadway and Ealing Common. Ealing is full of pubs, restaurants, shops and all other day-to-day facilities you could possibly need. Perhaps because it is situated far enough outside of Central London, it has a really ‘leafy’ feel to it, yet you can be in Zone 1 in superquick time thanks to the excellent transport facilities of many varieties that Ealing has to offer. For a comprehensive guide to Ealing, please check out our Ealing Area Guide.

Bethnal Green

Absolutely perfect for those who work in the City of London, as you can pretty much walk to work – you could even consider going home during your lunch break if you were so inclined! Bethnal Green is the heart of the East End of London and was home to the likes of the Kray brothers. It’s also located extremely near to Brick Lane for amazing curries and Shoreditch for jaw-droppingly trendy bars. Bethnal Green isn’t 100% glamorous, but it’s location on the edge of the City makes it well worth investigating. For more details on what Bethnal Green has to offer, please visit our Bethnal Green guide page.

Shepherd’s Bush

Shepherd’s Bush is a perfect place to live if you’re into your shopping. You have the choice of the Shepherd’s Bush Market, which is a real locals market selling fresh produce, fabrics and household goods. But if you’re more shopping mall than market stall, you’ll be thrilled to learn that Westfield Shopping Centre is on your doorstep here. Shepherd’s Bush boasts good transport links and is popular with the Aussie and Kiwi communities which gives it a lively vibe.
Check out our Shepherd’s Bush area guide.

Stratford

Stratford has changed beyond recognition in the past 10 years. No longer an unattractive East London suburb, it is now a major hub which at the moment is synonymous with the London 2012 Olympics. Stratford is well positioned for quick trips into the City, into the Docklands and Canary Wharf and for City Airport. Since September 2011, it has also been home to Westfield Stratford shopping centre. For more information on Stratford, please view our Stratford Area Guide.

South Woodford

South Woodford is one of the most far-reaching East London postcodes before you hit Essex. The area feels both safe and suburban and is popular with footballers and their WAGs. It is both near the countryside of Epping Forest whilst still being reasonably convenient for getting into London (a tube journey takes around 30 minutes). The high street contains the usual suspects as well as independent boutiques and gastropubs. The local cinema is also a big draw. For more information on South Woodford, please read our South Woodford Area guide.

Residential areas within walking distance of Central London

Most of you who are moving to London will have to rely on the transport system in order to get from A to B. Sometimes our transport system lets us down, for instance if there is a tube or rail strike, bad weather conditions or terrorist threats. On these occasions, London descends into chaos as Londoners do everything they can to get from home to work and back again using as many inventive methods of travel as is humanly possible.

So how can you get around this?

Well many of you will just learn to live with it and not worry yourselves about something that only happens on a few random days of the year. Others will decide that they’d rather live somewhere within walking distance of Central London, so that they can travel to work on foot on either a regular basis (it’s a great way to exercise and to see our great city) or in case of a travel emergency.

Whilst many areas within easy reach of Central London are understandably expensive, there are other more affordable areas that are well worth a look at if you have your heart set on donning a pair of trainers every day.

Here are 10 areas within walking distance of Central London that you might want to consider living in:

Bethnal Green
Bethnal Green is situated in East London in the postcode area of E2. Famed for it’s association with the Kray brothers, it’s extremely handy for nearby Shoreditch and of course the City of London. It’s approximately 1.5 miles from Bethnal Green to Liverpool Street making it perfect for those who want to work in the country’s financial capital. If you’re more brave and fancy walking to the West End, then it’s about 4.5 miles away.
For current rental prices and rooms to rent, please visit Easyroommate .

Kennington
Kennington is situated in South-East London in the vicinity of the Oval Cricket Ground. It’s a reasonably trendy area to live in with some good local pubs. In terms of walking distances, it’s a brisk 2.5 miles across the river into Victoria where there are plenty of offices located. If you need to get to the West End, then that will take you a further 20 mins.
For current rental prices and rooms to rent, please visit Easyroommate.

Islington
Islington needs no introduction. It’s an extremely popular area for graduates and young professionals to live in. The area is centred around Upper Street which is lined from top to toe with trendy shops, bars, restaurants, pubs and cafes.
The distance between Islington and the City is approximately 2 miles.
For current rental prices and rooms to rent, please visit Easyroommate.

Bayswater.
Bayswater is situated in West London approximately 2.3 miles from the West End, which is perfect if you happen to work on or near Oxford Street or Soho.
A walk between the two usually involves walking through Hyde Park, so it really is a lovely commute.
For current rental prices and rooms to rent, please visit Easyroommate.

Stepney Green
Another area located in the East End of London is Stepney Green. Although it could arguably be described as being historic more than it is glamorous, it is in a perfect location sandwiched between the City and Canary Wharf which are both 2 miles away.
For current rental prices and rooms to rent, please visit Easyroommate.

Battersea
Battersea is located in South London. As it’s only a short distance across the river from Sloane Square, parts of the area attract the wealthy, although you can also find some decent, affordable flatshares and property rental here.
The distance from Battersea to Victoria is approximately 2.6 miles, but if you need to go further into the West End, it’s more like 3.5 miles.
For current rental prices and rooms to rent, please visit Easyroommate.

Hackney
Hackney is another favourite East End haunt that is probably most famous for the Hackney Empire and it’s market. Hackney is referred to as both a council borough and a town, but in this instance, we’re talking about the town.
Hackney is most appropriately located for those who want to walk to work in the City of London which is approximately 3.2 miles away.
For current rental prices and rooms to rent, please visit Easyroommate.

Stoke Newington
Stoke Newington is located in North London. Slightly further out than some of the other residential areas mentioned on this page, it is an area that has recently ‘up-and-come’. Stoke Newington is often described as being great for families and has a young atmosphere to it. The popular road to hang out on is Church Street. A journey into the City of London covers approximately 3.5 miles of road.
For current rental prices and rooms to rent, please visit Easyroommate..

Peckham
Most people don’t hear ‘Peckham’ without conjuring up images of the Trotters living in Nelson Mandella House. Well it’s a long time since ‘Only Fools and Horses’ was on our screens and in that time, Peckham has moved slowly up the ranks and is now considered a satisfactory place to live, not least because of the fact that some decent watering holes have opened up and that it’s close proximity to Central London. The distance between Peckham and London Bridge is approximately 3.2 miles.
For current rental prices and rooms to rent, please visit Easyroommate.