Living in East Dulwich

East Dulwich is a neighbourhood built for families that happens to rent well to couples and sharers. The streets were laid out in a rapid burst in the late Victorian and Edwardian years, and the result is remarkably uniform: long, straight roads of two-storey terraced houses with small gardens, many still whole houses, some split into upper and lower flats.

Lordship Lane is the centre of gravity. Running south from Goose Green for well over a mile, it holds butchers, bakers, delis, bookshops, children's shops, cafés and a large number of pubs and restaurants, most of them independent. A small street market runs on North Cross Road on Saturdays. The atmosphere is relaxed and daytime-focused; the late-night scene is limited, and most bars are quiet by midnight.

Parks are on every side. Peckham Rye Common and Park border the area to the east, Goose Green is a small green at its northern end, and Dulwich Park and Sydenham Hill Wood are within walking or cycling distance to the south. Dulwich Hamlet, a non-league football club with an unusually loyal local following, plays at Champion Hill.

Transport is the recurring complaint. East Dulwich station, on Southern services to London Bridge, sits at the northern end of the area, so for anyone living towards the southern end of Lordship Lane it is a long walk. Many residents use Peckham Rye instead, for the Overground and faster trains, or rely on buses north towards Camberwell and the Elephant. The area suits people with a reasonably flexible commute who want a high street and parks that feel like a small town, and who are willing to pay for it despite having no tube.