Living in Lambeth

Lambeth is a long, narrow borough running south from the Thames at the South Bank to Streatham and West Norwood, and its character changes completely along the way. At its northern end are the London Eye, the Southbank Centre, the National Theatre, St Thomas' Hospital and Lambeth Palace, the London residence of the Archbishop of Canterbury. Further south are Vauxhall, Kennington, Stockwell, Brixton, Clapham, Herne Hill, Streatham and West Norwood.

The borough is young, diverse and culturally influential. Brixton is at the heart of London's Caribbean community and its nightlife, food and music scenes, while Clapham is one of the city's biggest centres for young professionals. Stockwell and Vauxhall have large Portuguese-speaking communities, and Kennington and Herne Hill combine period housing with a quieter pace.

Green spaces include Clapham Common, Brockwell Park, Kennington Park, Streatham Common and Norwood Park, and the borough has several lidos, including Brockwell Lido. The Oval cricket ground is in Kennington, and West Norwood Cemetery is one of London's grand Victorian cemeteries.

Transport is strongest in the north and centre. The Victoria line serves Vauxhall, Stockwell and Brixton, and the Northern line serves Waterloo, Kennington, Oval, Stockwell and Clapham, but southern parts of the borough, including Streatham, Herne Hill and West Norwood, rely on rail services and buses. The difference between a flat on a main road in Brixton or Clapham and one ten minutes away beside Brockwell Park or in a Kennington square is enormous, so it pays to visit at night and at weekends before deciding.