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Gone are the days when the greyhound stadium was the major draw in Walthamstow. This East End favourite has evolved into suburban hipster heaven. Where the only thing you will be gambling on is the price of your flat white coffee.
Walthamstow: from East 17 to family-favourite
Walthamstow has come a long way since its postcode was immortalised in the 1990s by local boy band East 17.
This haven at the end of the Victoria line ticks a lot of boxes. Excellent transport links, good schools and cheap “for London” property prices. As well as a forest – that’s right a forest, not just a park – on its doorstep for leafy family walks.
Popular with upwardly mobile millennials, this evolving young suburb has experienced an influx of people in their mid-twenties and early thirties, followed closely by better pubs, restaurants, and independent shops.
Transport links from Walthamstow
- Tube: Walthamstow Central and Blackhorse Road tube stations (both travel zone 3) are situated at one end of the Victoria line, so a rush-hour seat is almost guaranteed. The best bit is they whisk passengers to Oxford Street in just 19 and 17-minutes respectively.
- Overground: Blackhorse Road and Walthamstow Queen’s Road stations are on the Overground Gospel Oak to Barking line.
- National rail: trains run to Liverpool Street from Wood Street, Walthamstow Central and St James Street – with journey times of between 15 and 22 minutes.
Walthamstow Property scene
The area’s more expensive properties are found in Upper Walthamstow (known as The Village). Here you’ll find large Victorian terraces as well as cottages and even mid-war semi-detached houses. A common feature of the area are the “Warner” purpose-built flats – named after notable Victorian builder, Thomas Courtenay Theydon Warner. They look like terrace houses but have two front doors – one for the upstairs flat and one for the downstairs flat – and their own gardens.
Local schools
- Primary: most of Walthamstow’s primary schools have an Ofsted rating of “good” or better, including: Greenleaf Primary School, St Mary’s CofE Primary School, and Woodside Primary Academy.
- Secondary: there is a selection of Ofsted rated “good” secondary schools in the area: Walthamstow School for Girls (ages 11 to 16); Kelmscott Secondary School (co-ed, ages 11 to 18), and Walthamstow Academy (co-ed, ages 11 to 18).
- Sixth form: Leyton Sixth Form College (co-ed, ages 16 to 18) is judged “good”.
- Private: there are two notable private schools in the local area: Walthamstow Montessori School (co-ed, ages three to 11) and Forest School (co-ed, ages four to 18).
Things to do
- Shopping: The Mall is a covered shopping centre that houses a variety of high street chain stores. Meanwhile, a hip selection of independent shops, cafés and bars have sprung up in Walthamstow Village.
- Market: Reputed to have the longest market in Europe, stretching for about a kilometre. You will find everything from food, fabric, and homeware to books, bags, and clothes.
- Open space: locals have plenty of choice when it comes to escaping the urban chaos. With Walthamstow Wetlands nature reserve and the Lea Valley to the west and Epping Forest to the east.
Rental Prices
If you’d like to find the average cost of renting a property in London, check out The Simply London Guide to London Neighbourhoods. It includes the average rental prices for the top 20 neighbourhoods in London!
Article published 26th February 2021
