Tips wanted on return to Forest Hill

I last lived in Forest Hill 30 years ago, so would be grateful for tips on:

• Any roads to avoid when buying a property

• Quality independent food shops, in particular butchers, fishmongers and wholefood/organic grocers

• An excellent hairdresser who really knows how to cut

• A doctor’s surgery open in the evening and at weekends

• Decent restaurants and bars

• The best takeaway/delivery food services

• A traditional boxing gym

• Dance classes

• Social and community groups

• Reliable domestic cleaning and ironing services

hey @Fishcalledwanda - I’d recommend checking out this list of local recommendations, which will help with some of your questions.

Thanks Chris.

Hi @Fishcalledwanda here are some replies to your questions & welcome back to FH when you return

• On Roads to avoided I can’t think of any, though it would depend on preference.

• We have @TheButcherySE23 on London Road http://thebutcheryltd.com/index.html
  @WatersSE23 Fishmongers & Greengrocers on Perryvale http://www.watersenterprises.co.uk
  Here’s our FHTA (Forest Hill Traders Association) website http://www.fhta.co.uk/memberlist

• We have lots of hairdressers in FH for you to choose from

• Not sure which doctors surgeries open evenings & weekends, maybe someone else will be able to help on that one

• We have quite a few decent restaurants & bars, too many to list but here’s a few @AllInnOne @Sylvanpost @TheHillLoungeBar @andrea (BoNA Pizzas) The Perryvale, The Signal, The Honor Oak etc

• BoNA, The Perryvale, The Signal, Babur Indian All deliver - can’t help much on this one as I rarely have take away deliveries

• Can’t help with a boxing gym

• Depends what type of Dance Class you’re after - I know they have some at FH Pools, I think at Twist Studios on Dartmouth Road, may have something at Studio One. And if it’s kids dance classes @GemsPerformingArts https://www.gemsperformingarts.com are brilliant with the kids

• The Forest Hill Society do great things in our community http://www.foresthillsociety.com & @Michael is the chair of the group
  Stag & Bow on Dartmouth Road hold monthly socials

• There’s probably cleaning & ironing recommendations on the thread Chris pointed you towards.

Hope this helps

Thanks Pauline. You are a star. I will pop in to Sugar Mountain and get verified when I am in FH on Friday.

L

Great, I look forward to meeting you & more than happy to have a chat about other stuff going on in the community that may be of interest to you

I think all the roads in Forest Hill are fine. If you are not keen on a steep climb at the end of the night I would maybe avoid some of the hillier roads (although I live on one of those and love it - it’s beautifully quiet and secluded once you get to the top!)

Thanks Hannah. It seems that Forest Hill is still a good place to live overall. I don’t mind hills, but might change my mind when almost at the top of Canonbie

Hi… This is another good topic to reference for nice things in FH.

If you value your health and your sanity do not live on the South Circular or within a few properties length from it due to the pollution which is deadly. The other road I don’t like is Devonshire Road the end towards Forest Hill. It’s a constant rat race / traffic jam.

Very useful Jason. So nice to have the extremely good stuff pointed out, rather than having to dig for it. Being a bit of a foodie, I’ll certainly be trying some of that cheese.

L

I didn’t know about that end of Devonshire Road so will heed your advice. Thanks.

L

Good Hair dresser Blue Tit on Peckham Rye I’ve tried the more local ones but they’re by far the best