Crystal Palace, SE19, is situated in South-East London, surrounded by Norwood, Sydenham and Dulwich. Whilst it may seem far out on a map, there are plenty of reasons why Crystal Palace is worth looking at.
1 – Crystal Palace has excellent transport links. The overground links to Shoreditch in 28 minutes and Canary Wharf in 20. There are also direct trains to London Bridge and London Victoria, and in 15 mins you can be in Clapham, where you can change and go anywhere in the South.
2 – Crystal Palace triangle, made up of three roads at the top of the hill, boasts plenty of great restaurants, bars and pubs. Favourites include the Westow pub, which has an outdoor courtyard and BBQs in summer, the Market Place restaurant and the White Hart. If you’re a fan of beer, further down the hill towards Gipsy Hill there are two small breweries, the London Beer Factory and Gipsy Hill Brewing Company. Both of these breweries often hold open evenings, with £3 pints, DJs and live music.
3 – This area is one of the highest points in London, as noted by the large radio tower standing on the hill. It also means the views are great; from the residential roads surrounding Crystal Palace, there are panoramic views over the whole city.
4 – Crystal Palace is walking distance from sought after Dulwich Village. The high street has plenty of great independent shops, restaurants and good schools, including Alleyn’s, James Allen’s Girls’ School and Dulwich College. It is also home to Dulwich Art Gallery, the world’s first purpose built art gallery that houses an impressive collection of paintings, including works by Rembrandt and Constable.
5 – On the site of the old Crystal Palace, a huge glass building that was destroyed by fire in 1932, there is a big open space including a small lake and a dinosaur trail. And if you’re a fan of football, the Crystal Palace stadium sits there too.
6 – If the bars and pubs around Crystal Palace aren’t enough, the area is a short 15 minute bus journey from lively Brixton. With a similar vibe to Shoreditch, there are clubs, high street shops and food markets. Pop Brixton has just opened, a bigger and better version of Shoreditch’s Box Park, boasting street food, DJs and indendent shops. The bus there also runs as a night bus, meaning getting home after a night out is no problem.
7 – The area is becoming well known for its antiques shopping. The biggest shop is Crystal Palace Antiques, spreads over four floors and showcases items from many different dealers – ranging from classic Victorian to Arts & Crafts and Art Deco through 20th Century Modern. It’s located in a former Victorian warehouse building, crammed full of chandeliers, lighting, furniture, mirrors and art.
8 – The even better news is that Crystal Palace remains relatively cheap – £600,000 for a 4 bed house as opposed to upwards of £800,00 in neighbouring Dulwich. The area has plenty of pretty Victorian housing, both semi and detached.
As people get priced out of more and more areas, places that have been overlooked in the past are regenerating themselves. Crystal Palace is well-situated, accessible, relatively cheap and has plenty of character – making it an ideal investment opportunity.
Miranda Wadham