I moved to Camberwell when my partner bought a place here three years ago, after living in Queens Road in Peckham for close to eight years.
It’s always felt a bit like a village or an enclave of its own, probably because it doesn’t have a station.
I know my local dry cleaners by name, I recognise faces in the pub. That wasn’t the case even in Peckham.
Historically south London was the workhouse of London, so it’s less developed and you have a lot more green space. The character of the areas also feels more distinct somehow.
When I’m done with south, I’ll probably be done with London.
Best eating and drinking
The Camberwell Arms is like the jewel in the crown for Camberwell. It’s always been good for food, but it’s also a great place to pop in for a drink before you go somewhere else.
There’s quite a few different places to eat here. Zeret Kitchen on Camberwell Road is an Ethiopian restaurant with delicious food that’s quite affordable.
Falafel & Shawarma does amazing, really cheap falafels and it’s become a bit of an icon for Camberwell students. There’s always a queue out of the door at lunchtime.
Then there’s Nandine for Kurdish food, Theo’s for nice pizza and a Turkish place called FM Mangal. It’s all very local.
Where I work out
Camberwell Leisure Centre has a swimming pool and a small gym and the old building has a lot of character.
Generally I’ll run to the top of Denmark Hill and then around Ruskin Park, where they have outdoor gym equipment. It’s a bit less brutal in summer.
To commune with nature
Our local Brunswick Park is a nice little space with tennis courts, a miniature gallery and a cafe, but I love going to Burgess Park in the summer.
Because of where it’s located, it becomes this melting pot of South and Central American families, West African communities, a whole mix of people.
Throughout the summer all these multigenerational families have barbecues and play music. It brings the park alive.
My partner and I also do this walk called the Green Chain Walk down to Crystal Palace, which is quite fun.
They’ve connected all these grassy patches and forests to create a kind of nature trail through south London. It takes about two and a half hours.
For a culture fix
To have somewhere of the calibre of the South London Gallery basically on your street is amazing.
In the back they have a garden designed by Gabriel Orozco which is quite a special little thing.
It’s not technically Camberwell, but I always go to Peckhamplex. To be independent and catering to the mass market as well as showing these niche, arthouse films, and for five pounds… it’s unheard of.
St Giles’ Church does this thing called Jazzlive at the Crypt every Friday night. It can be a bit hit-and-miss, but it’s when it’s good, it’s great.
Grocery shopping
I get my basics at Sainsbury’s and then go to Gladwell’s on the corner of Camberwell Green for organic food, nice wines, good fruit and veg. It’s owned by the same people who run the Camberwell Arms. There are tables to sit and have coffee at the weekend.
Getting around
I think it’s a blessing that there’s no Tube station; I prefer to spend more time on buses. It’s actually a lot closer to central London than an equivalent neighbourhood north of the river.
I also have a little Vespa that I use to hop over to the studio in Hoxton, more in the summer, but sometimes I’ll get the Overground from Denmark Hill.
Dream street
The standard answer is Camberwell Grove, but I’d love to live in the brutalist ex-council block opposite St Giles’. It has these amazing huge windows.
Something you only see in Camberwell
There used to be a butterfly called the Camberwell Beauty that became synonymous with the area.
Burgess Park was part of a canal network that linked to the Surrey Docks and this butterfly would migrate in timber shipments.
There are memorials to it around Camberwell, plaques and murals and even drain covers.
If you look up at St Giles’ Church, the clock face is painted in the colours of the Camberwell Beauty.
What's the catch?
Having to commute to my studio in Hoxton every day. Other than that I don’t see any downsides.
In three words
Better than east! It’s a bit tongue in cheek, but I spend half my time explaining to east Londoners why I live south.
Schools
Local primary schools rated good by Ofsted include Lyndhurst, Crawford, Brunswick Park, and Comber Grove.
Sacred Heart Catholic School is the area’s outstanding secondary, while Ark All Saints Academy and Saint Gabriel’s College are good.
What it costs
Buying in Camberwell
Average flat price: £300,690
Average house price: £575,080
Renting in Camberwell
Average flat rent: £2,100 pcm
Average house rent: £3,310 pcm
