This area, situated just on the edge of the Thames sits comfortably between Southwark and Bermondsey, split down the middle by the rumbling Tower Bridge Road. The area has become quite trendy in recent years and offers a mix of modern flats dating from the Seventies onwards, new modern developments, warehouse conversions, and estates of social housing. The neighbourhood is brimming with entertainment options, from new hip restaurants, to gardens, and even the Maltby Street Market. There are also numerous cafes, bars, pubs, and coffee shops. Jay Jopling’s famous White Cube Gallery is located in the area too, and regularly brings throngs of art lovers to this otherwise office-heavy locality. Residents can take advantage of the many bus routes or the three different tube stations that surround this neighbourhood, making their journeys around London quick and simple, and drawing in a crowd of young professionals who commute or walk into town.

The exact origins of the neighbourhood name of Bermondsey are still debated, but many historians believe that it was originally named after Beormund, a major landowner in the Anglo-Saxon period, although evidence suggests there has been a settlement here since Roman times. Until the Reformation, the dominant institution in this locality was St Saviour’s Monastery – Bermondsey Abbey – and nearby, St Mary Magdalene’s was built as a parochial church in the 14th century.

After the Reformation and the closing of the monastery, the area became home to the leather industry and many tannery pits, due to its plentiful supply of water and strong links with the City of London. The area also became known for its slum conditions that were depicted by Charles Dickens in Oliver Twist.

Rather gruesomely, St Mary’s churchyard was closed for burials in 1854 because it was overcrowded and becoming a health hazard due to bodies spilling out the ground!

The crime rate in this area is a bit high at a rate of 4.54, with theft and handling being the highest reported crime. This is likely due to the neighbourhood’s many tourist attractions but residents report feeling safe.

The local council released a long-term plan in 2011 that aimed to further protect, enhance, and regenerate this neighbourhood by building and encouraging new businesses, shops, housing and cultural facilities, as well as new and improved community and youth facilities. Chapter London Bridge aims to fulfil some of these needs, housing 905 students within this 39-storey development. The Bermondsey Yards scheme between 40 and 44 Bermondsey Street will provide 140,000 sq ft of flexible office space, which will be complemented by another 260,000 sq ft of office space included in the EDGE development on St Thomas Street which will be completed some time in 2026. More immediately, 406 new apartments are set to be built across six buildings on Grange Road by the end of 2022, demonstrating the potential developers see in this neighbourhood.