This central Balham neighbourhood, stretches from Clapham South underground station to the north until Tooting Bec Common to the south. The area is cut in half by the Southern railway line going east to west. The residential area north of the railway line follows Balham High Road up to Clapham South Underground station, with frequent bus services running along the high street. This leads down to Balham town centre by the railway line, which has many eateries and pubs. The high street stretches for about 500 metres, but restaurants and pubs dot the street all the way until Clapham South.

South of the railway line is also a residential neighbourhood, with attractive Victorian terrace housing. It is more connected to the Tooting area, and is near Tooting Bec Common, a large public space with lakes and Tooting Bec Lido, an open-air fresh water swimming pool – the largest of such pools in the country.

Balham underground station was badly damaged during the Second World War. On 14 October 1940, a 1400-kg bomb penetrated 32 feet into the station and exploded just above the passage between the two platforms. It was dark at the time, and buses were travelling without lights to not attract Luftwaffe attention – this caused a No. 88 double decker to plunge into the crater, which became a defining image of the Blitz. It would not be until Christmas that all the bodies would be retrieved – yet by mid- January the next year, the station was up and running again.

Balham is a cultural hotspot, with many pubs and restaurants. One local favourite is The Bedford, which despite appearing like a normal pub from the outside, has a reputation of consistently attracting big talents such as The Clash, U2 and Ed Sheeran. Nearby is Balham’s own theatre, The Exhibit, where you can watch a movie for just £5.

There are many pubs and restaurants around Balham, however the area’s nightlife and general activity pales in comparison to nearby Clapham and Brixton. This is a positive for those wanting a quieter neighbourhood, though some may find the area a little more sterile. In addition, while the area is in close proximity to the three large commons (Clapham Common, Wandsworth Common, Tooting Bec Common), there are few small parks where children can play on a daily basis.

There have been a few new property developments arising in Balham, such as the shared-ownership Aura House on Balham High Road. Built by Viridian Housing, units start from under £100,000. Tramyard Balham is another recently completed development. The new-build’s 33 apartments were sold out in just 8 months! In addition, the (revised) future alignment for Crossrail 2 may link to the area, bringing central London ever closer, with direct links to Clapham Junction, Victoria, Euston, Dalston and beyond. Plans for Crossrail 2 have been rather uncertain but recently, in Summer 2022, excitement for the initiative was reignited after a multi-billion pound funding package by the government was offered to Transport for London. No updates on the matter have been publicly provided since then, but it is hoped that the area’s connectivity will improve!