Living in Clapham: travel links, parking, schools, best streets — and the average cost of monthly rent

Twenty-somethings are ecstatic here, where they can go clubbing or grab brunch.
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Confusingly, Clapham Junction station is, in fact, not in Clapham but rather in neighbouring Battersea, a quirk of naming stemming from the snobbery of its Victorian developers.

Nonetheless, the area around Britain’s busiest station has evolved into a buzzing district in its own right, with plans afoot for a huge overhaul of the station and surrounding site to include homes, public space and retail.

The lowdown on Clapham

For now though, locals tend to steer clear of the main drag where possible, brunching or drinking on Northcote Road or exercising and strolling in Battersea Park.

Who lives there? There’s a wide range of renters in Clapham Junction, ranging from recent graduates who want to be near nightlife and transport through to families attracted by the good schools.

Parking in Clapham

An annual residents parking permit costs £161 if bought online for the first car, and £200 for any subsequent permit at the same address. Greener vehicle permits cost £79.

Crime in Clapham

Crime is lower than the London average.

The top reported crimes in the area are theft, violence and residential burglary.

Fitness clubs in Clapham

Clapham is “known for its yoga”, says renter Rosie Sopp, and studios and more peripatetic trainers abound in the area.

There are also two branches of Fitness First within minutes of Clapham Junction station, while Twelve Rounds Boxing offers specialist boxing classes and, of course, there’s a branch of CrossFit.

Average cost of renting in Clapham

Property size Average monthly cost
One-bedroom flat £1,660
Two-bedroom flat £2,262
Two-bedroom house £2,135
Three-bedroom house £3,036
Four-bedroom house £3,571

Source: Rightmove

Best Clapham streets to live on

“There’s an area called ‘between the Commons’, which is between Clapham Common and Wandsworth Common. It has all the amenities, Northcote Road is there, transport, shops, bars, restaurants and, of course, the commons themselves,” says Hannah Al-Sayyah, lettings director at Chestertons.

Clapham travel links and accessibility

Clapham Junction is the UK’s busiest station, measured by the number of trains passing through, with links to Victoria in eight minutes and Waterloo in 11.

Thameslink’s Gatwick airport trains run through the station on the way to Brighton.

Best schools in Clapham

Chesterton Primary School and Harris Academy secondary school have both been given “outstanding” ratings by Ofsted.

There are also several schools for children with special educational needs in the area.

Supermarkets and food markets in Clapham

Supermarkets near Clapham Junction station cover the spectrum from Whole Foods and Waitrose to Lidl and Asda.

Downsides?

“Rental prices have increased quite a lot and some people are getting priced out of the area as a result,” says Al-Sayyah.

What the locals say:

‘They’ll have to drag me away’

Rosie Sopp with flatmates Madeleine Stuart and Roisin Williams
Adrian Lourie

An affordable room in a first-choice location with a sympathetic landlady is the Holy Grail of renting in London and once you find it, you don’t give it up on a whim.

So says Rosie Sopp, 28, who has lived in her ex-council flat in Clapham Junction for five years, with a rolling cast of flatmates found through SpareRoom, who often end up firm friends.

Rosie pays £560 a month including bills for the smallest room in the flat.

“It’s very affordable, the landlady very kindly hasn’t raised the rent much and we use the living room as a really big third bedroom. The kitchen’s big enough for a sofa so that’s where we hang out. And there’s tons of storage,” says Rosie.

She insists only homeownership or coupledom will see her dragged, kicking and screaming, from the neighbourhood.

“I’ve completely fallen in love with the area, it’s got everything I need for this time in my life. It can be clubby if you want, but it’s also got great brunches and it feels very safe,” she says.

“We’ve got an intercom so you know who’s coming in and out, I’ve met all my neighbours in the five other flats in the building and I’ve never felt unsafe walking home.”

Shopping in Clapham

St John’s Road chains include TK Maxx, Debenhams, Dorothy Perkins, L’Occitane and Holland & Barrett.

Northcote Road independents include Philglas & Swiggot wine merchants and The Painthouse, for interiors and design.

Eating and drinking in Clapham

“Northcote Road has got everything you need for any type of night out,” says Rosie.

“Buonasera is my favourite family-run Italian, I had a great birthday bottomless brunch at the Draft House, I’ve had many a first date eating burgers in The Goat and The Four Thieves is my favourite bar in the world. The entire top floor is arcade games, it’s the best place to hang out.”

Culture in Clapham

The recently refurbished Battersea Arts Centre has a new artistic director in Tarek Iskander, but continues the same mission of staging experimental theatre and works in progress that it has pursued since the Seventies.

Green space in Clapham

Rosie runs the eight minutes to Battersea Park regularly — she estimates it would take walkers 12 minutes — and loves the lake, the Go Ape adventure centre and the hidden green spaces, although she has yet to locate the zoo.

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