I know I should have asked this before booking! Hindsight. Have booked an apartment for four of us for five nights in London. Booked through a Trip Advisor. We have stayed in apartments in Paris and Rome before and been very pleased to stay in neighborhoods instead of tourist areas. As long as we are close to public transport, and we are. Will be there in September, now I am getting nervous about the safety of the area. Much appreciate any input.
Posted by
Portsmouth
5262 posts
Safety in what respect?
Posted by
UK
1015 posts
Have you seen or read anything that's made you particularly worried?
Shoreditch is in the old East End of London in what was once an edgy area but is now a fashionable hipster area. The Old Street area is full of tech start-ups. You'll see lots of beards, micro-breweries, artisan tattoo parlours, restaurants serving deconstructed food on planks instead of plates - that kind of thing.
It's very interesting, quite fun, way more gentrified than it used to be and has decent transport links into central London.
Posted by
London, England.
661 posts
Shoreditch is a large and varied area... can you be more precise?
As a general rule, i'd say Shoreditch is a great area.
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
Check the EXACT address on Google Streetview. Letting agents for flats can have a very wide idea of the boundaries of the neighbourhoods they name, and it isn't unknown for a flat advertised as being in a desirable area to actually be a mile or two away in a much more questionable one.
Posted by
OP
5 posts
The address is 23 Hackney Road. It is in Harcourt Terrace. I looked at the area online and it appears ok. The apartment rental photos are lovely. It appears close to public transport.
As to what I mean by safe - can my family walk through the area safely in the evening? Can I shop in the area alone? I am a relatively savvy traveler, but in any city in the U.S. there are areas where I would not be able to do so comfortable as to my security. And I am sure there are places like that in London. So I hope this is not one of those areas. Would just like some reassurance.
Posted by
UK
1015 posts
London - particularly the more central areas - has very few of the areas you get in some US cities where you'd be scared/unsafe to venture alone.
You'll be fine in Shoreditch as long as you have high tolerance levels for hipsters.
Posted by
London, England.
661 posts
That area is just fine. Close to Brick Lane which is wonderful at weekends. Not classic tourist London, but very close to the main sights and a fun and safe area, just use common sense and you'll be fine. Enjoy your trip.
Posted by
London, United Kingdom
4684 posts
Yep, that looks OK.
Posted by
Long Beach, California, USA
3391 posts
I personally love Shoreditch! Definitely not classic London but a different side for sure. Black brick, lots of purposeful / artistic graffiti and installation art, EXPENSIVE trendy shops tucked into alleys, and clubs that are trying just a little to hard to be hip. Lots of people live in this neighborhood - it's a very popular area with young, professional people and you should be fine.
Posted by
OP
5 posts
Thank you all so much. This confirms my on line reading, and makes me anticipate our trip. Any good food close by?
Posted by
UK
1015 posts
Time Out is good on restaurants etc. Here's a recent list of good restaurants in Shoreditch:
https://www.timeout.com/london/restaurants/shoreditch-restaurants
Posted by
Northamptonshire, England
32752 posts
a couple of minutes away is the most excellent Geffrye Museum https://www.geffrye-museum.org.uk/
If you go there you will get a clear idea of how people not too long ago - the last couple of hundred years - lived and suffered.
Shoreditch is much better now.