Gone are the days when the greyhound stadium was Walthamstow’s major draw. This East End favourite has evolved into suburban hipster heaven, where the only thing you will be gambling on is the prices 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. Today, the locals love living here so much they have affectionately renamed it “Awesomestow” – and who can blame them.
This haven at the end of the Victoria line ticks a lot of boxes: excellent transport links, good schools, cheap – cue “for London” klaxon – property prices, and it has 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
- 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.
Property scene
The area’s more expensive properties are found in Upper Walthamstow (known as The Village) – from large Victorian terraces and cottages to 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.
Average property price in Walthamstow: £482,600
Average rental price in Walthamstow: £404 per week
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 Walthamstow 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: Walthamstow is reputed to have the longest market in Europe, stretching for about a kilometre, where you will find everything from food, fabric, and homeware to books, bags, and clothes.
- Open space: locals are spoilt for 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.