What makes a perfect place to live in London at Christmas?
Community spirit, festive fairs, open green spaces, independent shops, and beautiful architecture are top of the wish list, according to leading estate agents Winkworth.
In its latest Property Exchange podcast, Winkworth weighs up the Christmas characteristics of two of London’s most historic and picturesque villages - Blackheath and Barnes.
Winkworth’s Chief Executive, Dominic Agace, told the podcast: “We all want to see a sense of community. People make the place, with local events and Christmas lights which show people care about the place they live. Barnes and Blackheath have always been popular but the past decade has seen them rise – they are both offer a place of calm in a very busy city, charged by the race for space during the pandemic. These villages offer something for everyone on your doorstep. Seeing how an area does Christmas is a good way to find out if you like an area and if you like what you see, Boxing Day has become the day when people start looking at properties again, particularly flats. Houses tend to do better when the daffodils are out.”
According to Donovan Kelly, Barnes makes a perfect Christmas destination, with a duck pond, village green, and a truly magical vibe. He told the podcast: There is a wonderful atmosphere, with markets, Father Christmas, real reindeer, and the wonderful Barnes choir. There are Christmas walks along the Thames, and local residents dressing up and taking part in the annual turkey run. Over 96 per cent of the village shops are independents. We have excellent schools, including Barnes Primary and The Harrodian and St Paul’s. The river is on three sides of the village and we have beautiful architecture, including the distinctive and highly sought after Victorian and Edwardian lion houses.”
Those dreaming of a Barnes Christmas will find cottages from £1m to £1.5m, with larger family homes from £3m upwards. Prime roads such as Lonsdale and Castelnau feature magnificent period homes of up to £10m and beyond.
Take a Santa’s sleigh ride over the rooftops of the capital to the Georgian architecture and historic green spaces of Blackheath and Greenwich. According to Winkworth’s Mark Epps, Blackheath is the quintessential London village, next door to Greenwich, the UNESCO World Heritage site, home to the Greenwich Meridian and the capital’s oldest Royal park.
Mark, of Winkworth’s Blackheath and Greenwich offices, told the podcast: “ We have a Christmas fair in Blackheath village, with a lantern parade and Morris dancing. The area is renowned for its open green spaces and one of the most magical sights is to walk across Blackheath on Christmas morning and seeing all the families out, with children riding their new bicycles.”
According to Mark Epps, Blackheath and Greenwich offer better value compared with north London, with properties at all levels. He told the podcast: “ We have beautiful Georgian and Victorian houses. Crooms Hill is the oldest residential road in London and the entire area is steeped in history.
“For a house overlooking Blackheath, large houses cost upwards of £6m to flats from around £750,000 to £1.2m. One bedroom flats in the area start from around £350,000. The area is well connected, 20 minutes to the City, 12 minutes to London Bridge with the DLR to Canary Wharf and 10 minutes to City airport.”
