The Student Room Group

How is Stratford for a single female?

I'm room hunting and thought Stratford was a good option, until I came across an article from Daily Mail (yeah, that's why I am not taking it as a Gospel) that it was the worst in London for Crime.

Ok, I know the usual advice:
be alert, there are always rough patches in cities like London, don't do anything silly like wander alone drunk in the middle of the night etc.

But putting all that aside, do you guys have personal experience of living in Stratford? As a single, petite female, I am hardly intimidating, and more likely a target for muggers.

It's pretty good in terms of price, plus location to QMUL and transport links, that's why I am not ruling it out. Because I can't find many other places that tick all of those boxes (while being affordable)

Is it the kind of place where you would want your wife/sister/daughter to live alone?

Thanks

Scroll to see replies

Reply 1
Don't go maryland.

Plaistow/east ham are better places to live imo, the houses ain't ****holes and it aint too far from QMUL. If you take train it's less than 10mins and if you take bus around half an hour to get to QMUL from Plaistow.
Reply 2
Westfield and its immediate surroundings is usually where all the **** happens in terms of crimes. If you live far from there you will be fine. :smile:
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 3
It's full of poor immigrant communities. Are you a poor immigrant? If so, have a nice time there.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/London_Borough_of_Newham

I wouldn't live there if you paid me a million pounds. (And you can bet when the immigrants make some money they'll be moving out as fast as they can too!)
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 4
Original post by jam278
Don't go maryland.

Plaistow/east ham are better places to live imo, the houses ain't ****holes and it aint too far from QMUL. If you take train it's less than 10mins and if you take bus around half an hour to get to QMUL from Plaistow.


Thanks. Yes, I'm looking for somewhere that's well-connected not just to QMUL but Central London, as I will be spending a lot my time there.

I hadn't realised Plaistow was better than Stratford. I will check out properties there.
Reply 5
How about Forest Gate? Wilesden Green?
Reply 6
Why not just live on Mile End road? That's well connected, and right next Mile End station which gives you quick links to pretty much everywhere. Also, if you're looking for people to flat share with PM me as I am looking for 2-3 others to get a 3-4 bedroom place on Mile End Road with. (Current male Biomed student if that matters.)
Reply 7
Original post by DollyG
Thanks. Yes, I'm looking for somewhere that's well-connected not just to QMUL but Central London, as I will be spending a lot my time there.

I hadn't realised Plaistow was better than Stratford. I will check out properties there.


I'm probably a little biased, but in my years living in newham, I've lived around plaistow and other places and plaistow seems to be the best area. I've had no problems living there. East Ham ain't too bad too but there's a bit of a distance to QMUL. Avoid Canning Town, do not step foot in Custom House either, **** areas to live in.

If you're going central london you can take 115 to aldgate, or take the jubilee line from canning town/stratford which isn't too far from plaistow. I wouldn't advise to take bus to central unless you have an hour to spare though.

If you want to go on the other side, there's leytonstone/leyton but I don't know too much about that, Walthamstow is a nice area but a bit of a distance.
Reply 8
Original post by jam278
Don't go maryland.

Plaistow/east ham are better places to live imo, the houses ain't ****holes and it aint too far from QMUL. If you take train it's less than 10mins and if you take bus around half an hour to get to QMUL from Plaistow.


Really? East Ham always seemed like a bit of a crappy area. Plaistow seemed a bit nicer though.

Stratford is alright, but can be a bit dodgy late at night - but then most areas in London can be, in East London especially.

Original post by jam278

If you want to go on the other side, there's leytonstone/leyton but I don't know too much about that, Walthamstow is a nice area but a bit of a distance.


I wouldn't recommend Leytonstone/Leyton, used to go there a fair bit as my best friend lived there and it's pretty rough tbh. Not very nice IMO. Walthamstow is quite nice, as is Forest Gate tbh from what I've seen.
Reply 9
Original post by Precious Illusions
Really? East Ham always seemed like a bit of a crappy area. Plaistow seemed a bit nicer though.

Stratford is alright, but can be a bit dodgy late at night - but then most areas in London can be, in East London especially.



I wouldn't recommend Leytonstone/Leyton, used to go there a fair bit as my best friend lived there and it's pretty rough tbh. Not very nice IMO. Walthamstow is quite nice, as is Forest Gate tbh from what I've seen.

It depends on which part of East Ham. It's not the most amazing when you go towards stratford but the parts further away seem better.

Forest Gate depends, it's not really a rough place, not great either but that's East London for you.

Beckton is the worst in Newham late at night, so many police raids in the morning and my next door neighbours got done for murder... It's not even a ****hole, for an estate the houses actually looked quite nice and the neighbourhood could actually have been mistaken for an affluent area if you don't take too many glances.
Reply 10
Original post by jam278
It depends on which part of East Ham. It's not the most amazing when you go towards stratford but the parts further away seem better.

Forest Gate depends, it's not really a rough place, not great either but that's East London for you.

Beckton is the worst in Newham late at night, so many police raids in the morning and my next door neighbours got done for murder... It's not even a ****hole, for an estate the houses actually looked quite nice and the neighbourhood could actually have been mistaken for an affluent area if you don't take too many glances.

Yeah it always just seemed a bit meh to me. But then I'm from Dagenham so I can't judge too much :laugh:

Yeah Forest Gate I always thought was pretty alright - I've been there late at night and not really had any issues. Leytonstone is just awful, you'll be walking down the road and have guys pull up and ask you to get into their car :s-smilie: just...not a good place.

Oh wow serious :eek: Like you said Beckton actually looks pretty nice, whenever I've been there I thought it looked decent! Crazy.
Reply 11
Original post by DollyG
I'm room hunting and thought Stratford was a good option, until I came across an article from Daily Mail (yeah, that's why I am not taking it as a Gospel) that it was the worst in London for Crime.

Ok, I know the usual advice:
be alert, there are always rough patches in cities like London, don't do anything silly like wander alone drunk in the middle of the night etc.

But putting all that aside, do you guys have personal experience of living in Stratford? As a single, petite female, I am hardly intimidating, and more likely a target for muggers.

It's pretty good in terms of price, plus location to QMUL and transport links, that's why I am not ruling it out. Because I can't find many other places that tick all of those boxes (while being affordable)

Is it the kind of place where you would want your wife/sister/daughter to live alone?

Thanks


Try looking at jamaica street, not too far from QMUL, full of students renting out accomodation........my mate pays for a flat which with 2 others is quite cheap, proper decor, etc and solid security in the flat, video comms, etc

Original post by DollyG
How about Forest Gate? Wilesden Green?


Wilesden Green is pretty far and to be fair, could be more expensive.
Reply 12
Original post by Precious Illusions
Yeah it always just seemed a bit meh to me. But then I'm from Dagenham so I can't judge too much :laugh:

Yeah Forest Gate I always thought was pretty alright - I've been there late at night and not really had any issues. Leytonstone is just awful, you'll be walking down the road and have guys pull up and ask you to get into their car :s-smilie: just...not a good place.

Oh wow serious :eek: Like you said Beckton actually looks pretty nice, whenever I've been there I thought it looked decent! Crazy.

Oh, when you said you're from essex didn't realise you meant dagenham :lol:

Forest Gate I usually go to the pub there with mates and I don't have many problems.

Ain't been round Leytonstone too much, my brother lives in Walthamstow.
Beckton would actually be a great place if you just took out the scum personally. The area feels spacious and even though I lived in an estate it actually looked quite nice on the outside. Remember almost getting robbed one day and then one of the guys knew me so they left me alone. Thank God I don't live there any more.
Reply 13
Original post by Sapient
Why not just live on Mile End road? That's well connected, and right next Mile End station which gives you quick links to pretty much everywhere. Also, if you're looking for people to flat share with PM me as I am looking for 2-3 others to get a 3-4 bedroom place on Mile End Road with. (Current male Biomed student if that matters.)


I have been warned by friends who live here not to live in Mile End, so I heeded their advice.
Reply 14
Original post by jam278
I'm probably a little biased, but in my years living in newham, I've lived around plaistow and other places and plaistow seems to be the best area. I've had no problems living there. East Ham ain't too bad too but there's a bit of a distance to QMUL. Avoid Canning Town, do not step foot in Custom House either, **** areas to live in.

If you're going central london you can take 115 to aldgate, or take the jubilee line from canning town/stratford which isn't too far from plaistow. I wouldn't advise to take bus to central unless you have an hour to spare though.

If you want to go on the other side, there's leytonstone/leyton but I don't know too much about that, Walthamstow is a nice area but a bit of a distance.


I'm currently staying in East Ham for a week, and I definitely don't like it. I decided on my first trip to the tube station that I wasn't even going to bother looking for anything here. Already got pretty creepy vibes.

Actually, I am seriously considering Leytonstone because I saw two great places there. Reasonable price. I don't love the town (to be honest, I'm not won over by East London), but it's close enough to the tube station, so as long as it's literally dodgy, I could pretty much just use that for homebase, and have my social life in other parts of London which I love, but are too expensive to live in.

I don't have solid facts of Leytonstone, but just walking around, it did not feel too bad. Population is very mixed, which is a good thing. I walked all around High Street even though I am not living anywhere near that, just to get a feel for it. It felt okay...unfortunately, all the people I spoke to were guys, so they didn't feel unsafe.
Reply 15
Original post by Precious Illusions



I wouldn't recommend Leytonstone/Leyton, used to go there a fair bit as my best friend lived there and it's pretty rough tbh. Not very nice IMO. Walthamstow is quite nice, as is Forest Gate tbh from what I've seen.


Did you Leytonstone/Leyton rough in general, or particular areas? I would like more information on this, as I am almost close to signing a contract there.

Thanks.
Reply 16
Original post by jam278

Ain't been round Leytonstone too much, my brother lives in Walthamstow.
Beckton would actually be a great place if you just took out the scum personally. The area feels spacious and even though I lived in an estate it actually looked quite nice on the outside. Remember almost getting robbed one day and then one of the guys knew me so they left me alone. Thank God I don't live there any more.


Yeah I was warned about Beckton too, and also it was bit further out, so didn't want to bother.
Reply 17
Original post by jam278
Oh, when you said you're from essex didn't realise you meant dagenham :lol:

Forest Gate I usually go to the pub there with mates and I don't have many problems.

Ain't been round Leytonstone too much, my brother lives in Walthamstow.
Beckton would actually be a great place if you just took out the scum personally. The area feels spacious and even though I lived in an estate it actually looked quite nice on the outside. Remember almost getting robbed one day and then one of the guys knew me so they left me alone. Thank God I don't live there any more.


Lol, where did you think I meant? Dagenham is a weird one tbh as it's technically Essex but so close to East London that most consider it East London.

Yeah I used to have a friend who lived in Forest Gate and it seemed alright. My dad was brought up there too so always talks about it like it's an amazing place, lol.

Wow, that's awful. Yeah it's often the people who make it worse tbh. Like Dagenham isn't THAT bad really but the people...lol.
Original post by DollyG
Did you Leytonstone/Leyton rough in general, or particular areas? I would like more information on this, as I am almost close to signing a contract there.

Thanks.


I'd say in general tbh. It was OK in the day but I felt pretty unsafe there at night tbh. But like I said you'll find that in a lot of places, especially East London. So long as you stay safe etc at night you should be fine :smile:
(edited 10 years ago)
Reply 18
I lived in Stratford for 4 years and never had any problems :smile: I've recently moved to Leyton and it's definitely a rougher area and it feels unsafe comparing to Stratford :/
Original post by DollyG
How about Forest Gate? Wilesden Green?


I go queen Mary and Willesden Green is my second closest station at my parent's home.
Honestly, look around these areas:

Stepney Green
Bow
Whitechapel
Bethnal Green
Cambridge Heath (at a push)

Stratford's ok but I feel it's a little too far out

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