Life in Leafy Earlsfield, London

Earlsfield is one of those lovely are as in London that often gets overshadowed by its neighbours – in this case Clapham, Balham and Tooting. Since taking a short let in the area myself whilst waiting for my new apartment to be ready, I have taken the area under my wing so to speak and have become a vocal advocate for the area.

Whilst in Earlsfield I lived in a development called The Retreat, which has a really homely feeling. The development’s location has a suburb feeling to it which reminds me of when I used to live in Kent - I found that Earlsfield had all the benefits that I loved in Kent, plus far better transport links and a much easier and shorter commute!

Having lived in Earlsfield for 2 months, I would even consider buying in the area. It is very residential and has all the local amenities you want and need.  As well as local independent green grocers and a fantastic bakery, there is also a large Sainsburys, a local shopping centre called Southside (full of high street stores) and a really good choice of restaurants – as well as a cinema too.

On top of the above, Earlsfield is also home to plenty of pubs and trendy bars, based predominantly on Garret lane. If we are naming favourites, mine would be The Wandle (formerly The Puzzle), a stones throw away from Earlsfield station. It’s a great place to wind down after a long day at work. You also have a large selection of bars and clubs in nearby Clapham, a very easy and quick place to get home from after a fun night out.

At the time I was working in our Southwark office, and life in Earlsfield offered a very attractive commute. Just 3 stops from Waterloo and a 12 minute journey, you have the added advantage of knowing another train will be there in minutes if you miss one by seconds!

The area’s popularity is growing, something we can tell from a dramatic rental increase from last year. In the Retreat development, 2 bedroom apartments have seen an average increase of more than 10% (eg. rising from £335 per week last year to £370 per week now). Enquiries flood in for property in the area and living in Wandsworth has one other bonus – the cheapest council tax in the UK!

From my experience living in and letting apartments in The Retreat, the area and development attracts young professional couples who are looking to have a nice home, which is affordable to live in while they save to buy. As the apartments are spacious with lovely decor, tenants treat it like a home and it gives a really lovely feel to the place.