Living in Merton

Merton is a south-west London borough best known for Wimbledon, but it also includes Mitcham, Morden, Colliers Wood, Raynes Park and South Wimbledon. Wimbledon, in the west, is affluent, green and famous for its tennis championships, while Mitcham and Morden, in the east, are more affordable, diverse and suburban.

The River Wandle runs through the borough, and its riverside path connects Colliers Wood, Merton Abbey Mills and Morden Hall Park. Merton Abbey Mills, where William Morris once ran textile workshops, now has a market, shops and restaurants. Morden Hall Park, owned by the National Trust, has meadows, wetlands and historic buildings. Mitcham Common and Wimbledon Common provide large expanses of open land.

The Northern line terminates at Morden and serves South Wimbledon and Colliers Wood, while the District line and South Western Railway serve Wimbledon, and Thameslink loops through Wimbledon, Morden South and South Merton. Tramlink connects Wimbledon and Mitcham to Croydon. Journeys to Waterloo from Wimbledon are fast, but eastern parts of the borough are more reliant on the Northern line and buses.

Mitcham has one of the oldest cricket greens in the world, and AFC Wimbledon's stadium is on Plough Lane. Rents in Mitcham and Morden are well below Wimbledon's, often for more space, and the Northern line from Morden starts empty, so a seat into the City is almost guaranteed. Colliers Wood, between the two, has become a popular compromise, with a tube station, riverside walks along the Wandle and new flats near the station.