This neighbourhood sits on the cusp of Turnham Green and Bedford Park, two extremely desirable pockets of suburban outer London. The streets are lined not just with lush trees and planters, but also many grade II-listed properties and Edwardian villas. Easily accessed by South Western Railways at Turnham Green station, the area continues to attract not just wealthy families, but also young professionals in search of a quieter alternative to central London. Even for those unable to afford the move, it’s still a neighbourhood that’s worth a visit. If stopping by on a weekend, there’s more than enough to do. Locals themselves love to walk their dogs in the beautiful Chiswick Common, followed by a delicious flat white at the trendy Chief Coffee. Aside from the many wonderful eateries like The Roebuck pub and Angie’s Little Food Shop, there are also loads of interesting shops that line Chiswick High Road, like the antique furniture shop known as The Old Cinema. After wandering through the neighbourhood, it will be easy to understand what so many Londoners see in it.

Back in 1630, the Turnham Green area was a small hamlet that surrounded a green common. In 1642, during the English Civil War, the area’s army gathered in order to stop Charles I from reaching London. Roughly 1000 men died in what is now referred to as The Battle of Turnham Green. Later on, the area became known for its violent highwaymen, and in 1776, a gunman robbed the Lord Mayor of London at the common. Despite this reputation, many wealthy families were still attracted to the neighbourhood, settling their country estates there throughout the 18th century. Today, the area might not be a spot for nobles, but it is still considered to be a wealthy and desirable pocket of London.

The famous Italian poet, Ugo Foscolo (1778-1827), lived in the neighbourhood towards the end of his life. In the 19th century, he became very well known in the UK for his novel - Ultime lettere di Jacopo Ortis (The Last Letters of Jacopo Ortis).

While the homes are surely desirable in Bedford Park and Turnham Green, their prices unfortunately reflect this. These homes’ prices are generally much higher than those in other parts of outer London making the area inaccessible to many. While prices did dip slightly for a short period toward the end of the 2010s, house prices have now recovered and even increased, with some properties seeing their value almost double compared to their valuations a decade ago.

Development interest in Chiswick is also increasing, with the area being speculated to become a real estate hotspot in the near future. Many developers have already begun to fulfil this preminition, including big players in the field like Great Marlborough Estates. The Council also recently released a report sharing their new vision for the borough’s town centres, including Chiswick and its high street. Future efforts to enhance the centre including public realm enhancements, increasing the number of available affordable workspaces, and encouraging locals to work on the high street rather than remotely, to increase usage and footfall.