Living in Harrow

Harrow has two faces. On top of the hill, Harrow on the Hill is a historic village of old buildings, narrow streets and the famous Harrow School, with St Mary's Church crowning the summit and long views across west London. Below it, Harrow town centre is a large, busy shopping district built around two shopping centres, a bus station and Harrow-on-the-Hill station.

That station is the area's main asset. The Metropolitan line runs fast trains to Baker Street in around twenty minutes, stopping at few stations on the way, and Chiltern Railways services run to Marylebone in a similar time. The Bakerloo line and Overground are available at Harrow & Wealdstone, a short bus ride north. For a zone this far out, central London is surprisingly accessible.

Harrow is one of the most diverse boroughs in the country, with a large Gujarati and wider South Asian community, alongside Sri Lankan Tamil, Eastern European, Irish and many others, which is reflected in the temples, churches, mosques, grocers and restaurants along Station Road and beyond. Green space includes Harrow Recreation Ground, West Harrow Recreation Ground and, further north, Harrow Weald Common and Stanmore Common.

Housing is dominated by the interwar semi-detached and terraced houses of Metro-land, the suburbs that grew along the Metropolitan line, alongside flats near the station and some larger homes on the hill. Rents are generally lower than in Ealing or inner west London, with more space and gardens. The town centre is functional rather than charming, and nightlife is limited. Harrow suits families and people who want space, schools and a fast Metropolitan line commute at outer-London rents.