Norwood is a neighbourhood area located in Lambeth, South East London. This neighbourhood area includes parts of West Norwood and Gipsy Hill. West Norwood has great transport links with regular trains from its station to Victoria, Clapham Junction and London Bridge. It is located around Norwood High Street, which boasts of having a picture house and a recently opened library, which is unique because not many South East London areas have both a cinema and library! On the first Sunday of every month, West Norwood High Street is transformed to reflect the many arts, food and cultures that make up this multicultural area in what is called West Norwood Feast.

Norwood” was once known as the “Great North Wood”, a name that was formerly used for the hilly and wooded area that stretched for several miles from Croydon to the Thames. Prior to 1885 West Norwood station and the surrounding area was known as “Lower Norwood” because it was at a lower altitude than Upper Norwood. Being built in 1620 by Royal Charter of King James, Norwood High Street’s St Luke’s Church has become a place of historic value. West Norwood’s historic value of Churches is due to over half of its population identifying as Christian. The neighbourhood is home to the UK’s first Parent Promoted School, where in 2004 forty parents successfully campaigned to raise £25 million to build a new school, Elmgreen Secondary School.

A full English Breakfast, served by West Norwood’s The Electric Café, was ranked a high 219th out of 500 places to eat globally by online travel guide The Lonely Planet. West Norwood Feast, West Norwood’s monthly community bazaar, is organised by the same people from South London’s cherished Brixton Market.

West Norwood has high rates of burglary and makes the top UK’s 10 for most burgled areas. Unfortunately, West Norwood is also known for its high levels of traffic.

Norwood is in the process of reviewing plans to invest government money into the area to support local residents, businesses and visitors. Norwood high streets’ very own Theatre, is also set to undergo a £1.8 million restoration thanks to funding from the Heritage Lottery Fund. There are also two significant residential developments currently underway in the area. 6 Lansdowne Hill is a scheme containing 51 new flats with rooftop amenity space on the 5th floor. Further south the Doulton Park development will be lower-density, comprising 7 luxury 2 and 3-bedroom homes.