Overview of W11 3HP, Notting Hill Gate, London

I like the fact that W8 has lots of local shops - most things I can buy locally and I believe in shopping locally, if possible, to keep local high streets busy, and the specialist shops tucked away in local areas need our support. Kensington as a whole is a smart part of our great capital city, and I would recommend a visit. There are several schools in the area as a whole, although not in my street, and easy access to parks - Holland Park and Kensington Gardens, so a great place for families. Lots of people have pets!

Transport

Kensington High Street Underground is in the High Street, and has the Circle and District lines, if you walk "over the hill" or take a bus up Kensington Church Street you can reach Notting Hill Gate underground which is on the Central Line. There are also numerous bus stops and the "Greenline" also has a stop in the High Street. There are Several Bike rental stations just by the High Street. Also bike parking if you have your own bike. Currently the high street is being dug up to put in more cycle lanes. To park your car there are Pay and Display bays or the rest is for Residents Parking, NB this is 6 or 7 days a week, Single Yellow Lines are available for visitors after about 6.30 if you are coming to a restaurant for dinner.

Community

Parking - Pay and Display for visitors, or the rest is Residents Parking only, either 6 or 7 days a week. If you are a visitor coming for an evening restaurant, then you can park on a single yellow line after 6.30 Bin collections are twice a week in RBKC (Royal Borough of Kensington and Chelsea) and the streets are generally regularly swept and clean. There is traffic noise on the main high streets, but the sides streets are generally quieter and calmer. The street I am on, which joins Kensington high street is mostly family homes, nearby there are lots of blocks of "mansion flats" and also some modern apartment developments. This is a very international and cosmopolitan area

Amenities

W8 is just off Kensington High Street with a full range of shops - including a great selection of sports shops - for every sport - you can get kitted out. We also have plenty of sensible shops for buying useful things, and several major food stores - including Waitrose, Marks and Spencer and Whole Foods. Nearby along Kensington Church Street there are plenty of small fashion and specialist shops. It is a clean and smart area and very welcoming. Just along the High Street is Kensington Palace and Kensington Gardens, and to the West is the Design Museum, we have lots of local restaurants and eateries, and great pubs in some of the side streets nearby. W8 area also has Holland Park with the famous Japanese Garden - a haven of tranquillity, as well and lots of space to walk and enjoy. The Open Air theatre is currently closed, but hopefully it will open again next year.

I like the local amenities - it is near the market and supermarket, it is easy to travel to work and to the West End for an evening out. The transport links are fairly good, particularly in off-peak times, and I do like the diversity of the area and its history of music and arts. It is quirky and eclectic, and for the 30+ years I have been here, I can't imagine living anywhere else. However, it is marketed by Kensington and Chelsea council as upmarket and the prices of the properties and housing reflect this, but in reality it feels as though residents are overlooked in favour of the tourists because of the amount of money they bring into the area. There is little residents on low to mid-incomes can afford, because once the bills, rent and council tax is paid, there is not much left. The area is reasonably safe for children and pets, but perhaps some times of the week such as evenings during a Saturday and Sunday, things may not be child-appropriate due to antisocial behaviour especially during the summer. There are many smaller parks and areas to walk dogs etc, so I would say it is pet-friendly, but many dog owners are irresponsible with dog mess which is a problem in the area. Crime is fairly low in some of the areas, but quite high around the council estates and some council housing blocks.

Transport

The area is served by three main tube stations - Ladbroke Grove, Westbourne Park and Notting Hill Gate. All within at least a 1 mile radius. The buses are also fairly regular (7, 23, 70), but since the 23 was re-routed from Liverpool Street to Hammersmith, the bus is quite often empty because the Hammersmith and City and Circle lines to Hammersmith is a much quicker journey. The buses and trains are fairly fast during off-peak hours, but can be slow and interrupted during peak times. The night tubes and buses are also fairly fast, regular and smooth because they are during off-peak hours. I cannot comment on the cycle routes, but I have seen many routes which appear to be safe and away from traffic, especially in areas off the beaten track rather than the main roads.

Community

There is a mix of council, housing association and privately owned properties. Although it is an expensive area and is considered "posh" by outsiders due to the number of VIP people who live in W11, there is a significant number of people on low and middle incomes, and needing financial assistance. There is a deep divide between rich and poor. To see this divide, start walking from the end of Lancaster Road known for the multi-coloured Victorian houses, and keep walking in a straight line - you will reach the area where Grenfell Tower burnt down in 2017. You would not believe it is the same road. Same if you walk down one end of Portland Road to the other. There is a mix of families, single people, elderly people, students, new migrants and refugees, and descendants of the original Caribbean immigrants from the 1950s and 1960s. All live reasonably well together, but in some areas there is also a great deal of social problems, crime, drugs, fraud and anti-social behaviour which is not always evident to outsiders.

Amenities

Generally good range of amenities, particularly the pubs and fruit and vegetable stalls in Portobello Road and street food in Acklam Road. I love the bric a brac stalls in Golborne Road too. I feel the amenities missing are a good bicycle shop since the Bicycle Workshop on All Saints Road closed down in 2017, a newsagent on All Saints Road, and more affordable restaurants and pubs for locals and those on a lower budget. For example, the Chipping Forecast on All Saints Road sells fish and chips at approximately £19 per portion, which is well outside of many people's price bracket. The only affordable pub in the area for locals is the Earl of Lonsdale in Portobello Road, which sells a pint of beer on average £3.50-4, or Jay Dee's Caribbean restaurant on All Saints Road, which sells lunch for £5. There are many places for tourists to enjoy, but very little that locals and those on a budget can enjoy in an already expensive area.

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Amenities

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