"Young professionals" to infest flats above Iceland

[Mrs Magpie]

God protect me from Party Types

 

[Orang Utan]

Agreed - best to share with just one other person who has the same cleaning/maintenance standards as you do and lives a similar lifestyle.

 

[Orang Utan]

What's a Party Type? Do you mean sociable people?

 

[Mr Retro]

Why increasing? Unless employment in central London increases (which it may have done, but I've not heard that this is so) why would the demand for conveniently-situated housing increase? (In fact, as we know, the trend used to be in the opposite direction, with people who had cars moving out of London, as for instance my parents did in the mid-Seventies).

The population of London is apparently going to increase by something like 500,000 + in the next 15 years.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

No. I'm sociable. Party Types are full-on and loud.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

The population of London is apparently going to increase by something like 500,000 + in the next 15 years.

I hope that's not all 20 somethings still living with their parents.....

 

[poster342002]

If you came into the area from outside, and you're being priced out because you don't earn enough (as opposed to spending more earnings on other things), then surely you can move somewhere else- maybe back to wherever you moved here from?

It's like this all over London now. There are no "cheap areas" anymore - only expensive ones and really expensive ones.

 

[poster342002]

What is the meaning of the term "unrealistic"? Isn't it always used to mean "the people at the bottom are expecting too much"? Isn't an equally reasonable use of the term "it's not realistic to expect people to put up with crap"? Or "it's not realistic to expect people to put up with crap - and then tell them to be 'realistic' without their getting the hump"?

It's like when the rich lecture the poor by saying the poor "need to start living in the real world".

 

[Mrs Magpie]

If you came into the area from outside, and you're being priced out because you don't earn enough (as opposed to spending more earnings on other things), then surely you can move somewhere else- maybe back to wherever you moved here from?

What if you're doing a low-paid but very useful job?...we can't all be Key Workers in the present narrow definition of that term.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Actually on my present wages, if I wasn't married to someone on better money I probably couldn't even afford a hostel, and I know my job is very useful.

 

[Bob]

I certainly wouldn't want to flatshare. It's OK(ish) if you're young, but once you're over 35 you've had enough of pubes in the sugar bowl and terse notes over the washing-up.
In fact flatshares are dreadful. All my worst experiences have been in shared flats.

Depends who you flatshare with and particularly how many. Two is usually very easy (my current flatmate is pretty ideal as have been many previous people in two people flats). Three usually works well but gets a little tricky occasionally, as do four. Anything above four though is bonkers...

Two person flatshares are rarely much more expensive per person than a 3 person share - so it's really quite affordable. I know a reasonable number of people in the £350-410 range of rent in Brixton - which is affordable (if not cheap) on average ish London earnings (eg. 18-22k)... so while Brixton is not cheap it's not horrifically unaffordable for average ish London people. Obviously completely unaffordable if you're on the minimum wage though...

 

[Donna Ferentes]

It's like when the rich lecture the poor by saying the poor "need to start living in the real world".

Indeed. A phrase I've heard used both by the current incumbent at Number Ten and by the predecessor that he most admires.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

I'm above minimum wage, but I don't get paid during School Holidays. No one doing my job does these days...and no, I'm not a Dinner Lady!

 

[Hollis]

Indeed. A phrase I've heard used both by the current incumbent at Number Ten and by the predecessor that he most admires.

Maybe you should get hitched. Its quite obvious to me that the housing market - rented/private ownership sector is totally priced for couples.

It ain't easy being single..

 

[Donna Ferentes]

£350-410 range of rent in Brixton - which is affordable (if not cheap) on average ish London earnings (eg. 18-22k)...

Oooh, I do not think so, possibly not even if we're using "median". Average full-time salary in the whole country is about £26000 p.a. I believe. It's not going to be lower here.

Maybe you should get hitched.

Yeah good idea I'll do it tomorrow.

 

[gaijingirl]

I'm above minimum wage, but I don't get paid during School Holidays. No one doing my job does these days...and no, I'm not a Dinner Lady!

 

[newbie]

I severely doubt that a significant proportion of those moving to Lambeth do so because it’s ‘vibrant’ – it may be a minor factor, but - like most others – the vast bulk of those moving here will do so because the area meets a combination of factors, probably far more to do with cost/location suitability than any notion of trendiness. And how do you protect locals in reality – do we just try and keep out the most recent incomers and youth … or do we prohibit any 'non-homegrown' Lambethonian from renting or purchasing anything in future to protect the stake of locals like me and you? It's just difficult to draw the line...

Well not by 'prohibiting' anything, that's for sure. I've argued above for a reduction in the Brixton night economy (which is aimed directly at the youth and has arguably reduced the quality of life of those who aren't) but also for improving the desirability of elsewhere, like Thornton Heath, so that there are good reasons why young people with choices should go there. I'd also go for improving the job prospects in places like West Somerset so that young people don't feel they have to leave to get on in life, coupled with the use of planning law to prevent ever more office space (=jobs) being built in London. I don't agree with building ever more housing on to the huge area Prescott wants, nor with inflicting the Olympics on London, nor with grand visions of Central Squares and theatre spaces and boulevards and so on: they're all destined to increase the pressure on London.


That said I do think that 'vibrancy' is a large part of the attraction of Brixton. Not, perhaps, the colourful street characters and marginals that Hatboy used to champion (that mostly belongs to the past, sadly) but the entertainment (from Albert to A66 via Lounge & Living) is clearly popular, indeed the whole Brixton reputation has swung right round. It's only a few years ago that admitting to living in Brixton would bring about an immediate and universal negative chorus about mugging and crime... these days it's as hard to cope with the effusive 'wow it's a very cool place' type comments. Exactly how that trendiness translates into increased housing pressure isn't entirely obvious, but it's pretty clear that non-trendy places are far less troubled by gentrification.

 

[Giles]

I certainly wouldn't want to flatshare. It's OK(ish) if you're young, but once you're over 35 you've had enough of pubes in the sugar bowl and terse notes over the washing-up.
In fact flatshares are dreadful. All my worst experiences have been in shared flats.

Pubes in the sugar-bowl? Christ, you must have had some strange house-mates! I've shared with people for ages and never had that one......

I find that if everyone is friends and sociable people, it works out just fine.

I prefer to be in a house with a load of mates rather than on my own.

Giles..

 

[Hollis]

I'd also go for improving the job prospects in places like West Somerset so that young people don't feel they have to leave to get on in life.

Have you ever been to Minehead??

You basically want to stop inward migration to London? - I think you've got a job on your hands.

 

[Orang Utan]

What if you're doing a low-paid but very useful job?...we can't all be Key Workers in the present narrow definition of that term.

I think the definition of Key Worker varies from region to region - not sure about Lambeth, but a friend in Ealing qualifies, even though he works for Sky Television!

 

[Mrs Magpie]

LOL!
acksherlee I'm a 'Special Needs Learning Support Classroom Assistant' The very long important title makes up for the lack of moolah.

 

[gaijingirl]

Pubes in the sugar-bowl? Christ, you must have had some strange house-mates! I've shared with people for ages and never had that one......

.

Sugar in your pubes perhaps???

 

[Hollis]

I dunno.. what's a 'useful' job anyway.. I'm always abit dubious of that term.

 

[Mrs Magpie]

Pubes in the sugar-bowl? Christ, you must have had some strange house-mates!

Things were different in the 1970s.......

 

[tarannau]

I think the definition of Key Worker varies from region to region - not sure about Lambeth, but a friend in Ealing qualifies, even though he works for Sky Television!

Surprised by that one. Most places seem to be abiding by the ODPM (Office of the Deputy Prime Minister's) definition of Key Workers, which is pretty damn limited. Postmen and firemen, for example, did not used to qualify as key workers....

 

[Hollis]

I have got a concern with the last sentence of your post though. I severely doubt that a significant proportion of those moving to Lambeth do so because it’s ‘vibrant’ – it may be a minor factor, but - like most others – the vast bulk of those moving here will do so because the area meets a combination of factors, probably far more to do with cost/location suitability than any notion of trendiness...

I'd say it has everything to do with 'vibrancy'... there's loads of other cheaper, accessible areas to live in.

 

[Orang Utan]

According to this these are key workers:
'
• Nurses and other NHS staff
• Teachers in schools and in further education and sixth form colleges
• Police officers and some civilian staff in certain police forces
• Prison service and probation service staff
• Social workers, educational psychologists, planners (London) and occupational therapists employed by local authorities
• Whole-time junior fire officers and retained fire fighters (all grades) in some fire and rescue services (currently only in Hertfordshire)'

Though the criteria will vary from region to region.

 

[Orang Utan]

Things were different in the 1970s.......

I thought it was car keys in the sugar bowl then.

 

[Donna Ferentes]

Ooh, look what's missing! Bookworkers!

but a friend in Ealing qualifies, even though he works for Sky Television!

What does he do? I must confess this has "scam" written all over it, but then again, it depends on who's doing the judging. My colleague opposite counts as a key worker with the housing association who he's just part-buying with, but not by any council.

 

[tarannau]

I'd say it has everything to do with 'vibrancy'... there's loads of other cheaper, accessible areas to live in.

But very few places in South London have comparable transport links at equivalent prices. Where else would you suggest - underpriced Clapham perhaps?