The Bussey Building, a Stirling Prize library and a decent butcher on a £1m street will never make Peckham one of the best places to live in London. And I say this as one who lived on its borders for 13 years.
Its improved yes. But a long long way to go to being the best IMHO.
It is an odd choice. I was there a week ago, so quite surprised by this.
From my viewpoint, the murmurs around Peckham began when Frank’s Bar opened. Yeah… a great venue but Hoxton this does not make.
Great entrance to the area’s art centre too…
This may have been meant in jest but I do not think this is fair (you could take a similar picture of London Road or Brockley Rise). The original article, which is in the Sunday Times (paywall but there is a free access option), encompasses Peckham Rye, Holly Grove and Bellenden Road and mentions other local highlights such as Nunhead Cemetery:
These are all lovely areas and not to be sniffed at. It is also worth mentioning that East Dulwich (née Peckham) isn’t far away either but is covered by a companion article bigging up Dulwich.
I wasn’t jesting. The heart of Peckham is and always will be Rye Lane and there is very little on that street which indicates an area on the turn. Bargain basement junk shops rule the retail scene. And while the cheapest in London, the Peckhamplex is one giant sticky carpet.
There are some great elements to the area. The Bussey Building places host to some great cultural events, and Flock & Herd on Bellenden Road can rival the Butchery for quality of meat. But hardly enough IMHO to give the area this lofty status. If anything the area’s poverty and its newly found wealth sit uncomfortably together.
I’m not quite sure even SE23 is ready for this honour.
I was only joking… and for fairness’ sake, should mention Choumert Rd - great cafes and home to the lovely Choumert Sq:
Have you been to Pedler? A very strong indication of an area on the turn - felt a bit awkward going in beardless 
I’ve always thought these enclaves were a bit more Camberwell spreading into Peckham rather than vice versa.
I think it is more of a general uplift in the local area. We should be glad that the neighbourhood is getting mentions, well overdue.
I wasn’t contesting the uplift. Again having lived next to Peckham I’ve seen the few bits of it that have happened. I do contest its lofty position as the Best Place to Live in London.
Its clearly on the up but best place to live in London!!? I think someone has gone OTT on their crack pipe.
Naturally all these “reports” are best taken with a pinch of salt but I can remember when Hackney generally was absolutely awful - full of squats, terrible pubs, junkies lying around in Clissold Park and no decent food to be had anywhere. Actually I quite liked it like that!
To be fair, Peckham has some good coffee shops and eateries. The Peckham Plex is “interesting” but cheap and I always feels secure in the TSB with the double doors and bullet proof glass 
Except for the sticky carpet and odd crunching of syringes under feet.
Hence the inverted commas.
How Donald Trump of you. 
Picks up a glove, slaps @starman hard on the left cheek and calls him out!
“Right, guys, we need a property ad-getter so let’s do a listicle on The Best Place to Live in London. So where should we ‘big up’ for this?”
“Kensington?”
“Too obvious.”
“Shoreditch?”
“It’s been done.”
“Bromley?”
“Too boring.”
"Elephant and Castle?
“Don’t be ridiculous.”
“Peckham?”
“Peckham? Perfect! That’s our story. Get onto it…”
I can imagine the discussion taking place in a back street pub somewhere after a solid lunch… knocking up ideas on the back of a beer mat.
This all said, my current go to for craft beer is Peckham Pils from Brick Brewery.
Sorry I’m late to this topic. I was born & brought up till I was 10, in Nunhead, so Peckham was our local shopping centre. It makes me want to weep when I see how it has gone so down hill over the last 3O years. As far as I’m concerned it’s a disgrace.
