Monday, 20 January 2014

Making Wimbledon your home

By Madelin Moor


There is a lot to do and see in Wimbledon. It is most recognised for its annual tennis tournament. There are frequent and reliable tail and underground links between Wimbledon and central London and Surrey.

Wimbledon is located in Merton, and is a very large area consisting of Wimbledon, Wimbledon Village, South Wimbledon and Wimbledon Chase. All of these areas are within easy reach of each other on foot or by public transport. In the last six or seven years, the town centre has had a facelift, with a variety of new shops and flats having been built.

Housing options

There is a vast range of accommodation throughout Wimbledon. Whilst in the village there are mansions and penthouses, South Wimbledon offers a housing estate, tower blocks and maisonettes. There is also a great market in Wimbledon for people wanting to rent, with a variety of great accommodation on available.

Unless you are a successful tennis player or very rich indeed, Wimbledon Village is going to be out of reach in terms of housing, although sometimes privately let flats may become available below normal rates, so it is certainly worth checking out. Wimbledon is also one of the most pleasant areas of London to live in.

There is a wide variety of flats and house shares available in central Wimbledon, and these are much cheaper, and considerably cheaper than those in Putney. If you are looking to spend a little more, there are plenty of new apartments available too, although the price difference between new and old properties is quite steep. South Wimbledon is the cheapest area, although it is perhaps a little more edgy than the town centre. The borough of Merton has one of the lowest crime rates in London.

Diverse population and culture

There is a huge community of settlers (short and long term) in Wimbledon from the southern hemisphere, and a huge South African community too. This leads to the area often being called 'WimbleDurban', and this results in a very lively weekend nightlife. Most of the residents from the UK are young professional tenants and families. Wimbledon Village, at the top of Wimbledon Hill (the posh area of Wimbledon), hosts millionaires, celebrities, and those living the 'Playboy' lifestyle.

The most multicultural area is probably South Wimbledon, and it houses a lot of North African and Polish immigrants, who also comprise a lot of the local workforce. Because of this diversity, Wimbledon is very friendly and welcoming to visitors, no matter where in the world you are from. Regardless of your background, there is bound to be something for you.

Parks and leisure activities

For the more active individual, Wimbledon Park offers water sports, playing fields, tennis courts and mini golf. Alternatively, Wimbledon Common, which is home to the Wombles, makes for a relaxing and quiet day out with its woodland, windmill, tearoom and lake. Because Wimbledon is on the outskirts of London, there are a lot of parks and green space, which makes it a fantastic place to be in summer.




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