At the end of October, my family and I made the move from Newcastle to London. It was a big change and a huge challenge. I do wish we’d had more time to plan and properly search for a place to live, but, as life often goes, everything happened rather quickly. In just a couple of months, we had to pack up, say goodbye to our peaceful life in Newcastle, and settle into something completely different.
I’d visited London many times before as a tourist, and my husband had lived here in his twenties—quite a few years ago now! Neither of us really knew much about the best areas to live in. On top of that, we have three kids, and when you have children, everything becomes a bit more complicated. We needed somewhere affordable, with enough space for all of us, close to good schools, within reach of the tube, and ideally in a quieter neighbourhood, near a park or a green space where we could walk around with the children. Not exactly an easy task.
After doing some initial research on London (which was pretty overwhelming!), we decided to focus on Walthamstow. It had good schools, was well connected to the tube, and had lovely parks. However, every house I visited there seemed to be missing something important—either too small, too far from the tube, or simply too expensive.
During our search, I came across Leyton and Leytonstone, and well, here we are now. If you’re planning to move to London, and especially if you have kids, I highly recommend having a look around here. The rent is still a bit more affordable than in Walthamstow, we’re close to both the Elizabeth Olympic Park and Epping Forest—two fantastic green spaces where you can walk for hours, with or without kids. There are plenty of pubs, restaurants, shops, and all the essentials you could need. Plus, the community life is really active, if that’s something you enjoy.
Leyton is very close to Stratford Station, where you can catch the Central, Elizabeth, and Jubilee lines. Hackney is just 20 minutes away by bus, and if you want to head into Oxford Circus, Soho, or Notting Hill, it’s just a straight shot on the Central Line—no changes needed. If you do visit Leyton, I recommend taking a stroll down Francis Road. It’s a lovely pedestrian street full of shops where you can pick up a book, a record, flowers, or grab a coffee—or even a pint! It’s a great spot to walk around and take in the atmosphere, and it’s a real hub for the local community. We’ve already celebrated Halloween and the start of the Christmas holidays there, singing and sharing with other families.
I was already settled in Leyton, when I found out that Leyton has been officially included in Time Out’s list of the world’s coolest neighbourhoods for 2024. Lucky me. So far, Leyton has been a lovely surprise, and if you’re looking for a place to settle in London, I definitely suggest you come and have a look.
I’m probably missing many others, but as a new resident, these are some of the places you should visit in Leyton:
Francis Road @francis_road_collective
Epping Forest @coleppingforest
Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park @queenelizabetholympicpark
Phlox Books @phloxbooks
Yardam Bottle Cafe @yardam_leyton
Swirl wine bar @swir_e10
Jo & Kesi Shop @Joandkesi
Joan Shop @joanthestore
Arch Deli and bar @archdeli_e11
Dreamhouse Records @dreamhouseldn
