It’s funny that despite having written several area guides now for other parts of the Bromley borough, that we haven’t actually written one for Bromley town itself. Well, look no further!
So what do I need to know about Bromley?
We know as an estate agent specialising in property throughout the borough, that Bromley has been popular for many years now for professionals and young families looking to relocate from inner London (as well as a healthy population of born-and-bred Bromleians who couldn’t imagine living anywhere else). Leafy Bromley is the largest of all the London boroughs, and lies just 12 miles and 15 minutes from central London on a fast train, offering excellent schools, decent-sized properties, and outstanding access to parks and green spaces, with the opportunity to drive a short way out of London into the Kent countryside.
The historical part of Bromley is situated around Market Square, High Street North and East Street, where the majority of the town’s shops and restaurants can be found, and which has been regenerated these past few years to create an attractive and lively place to spend your spare time.
Getting about
Bromley has two mainline stations. From Bromley South trains to London Victoria take just over 15 minutes, and Bromley North has shuttle trains to Grove Park where there are onward connections to Charing Cross and Cannon Street. There are also stations in Shortlands, Bickley and Sundridge Park, which serve central London and beyond. In the opposite direction trains head to the Kent coastal towns, as well as Sevenoaks and Orpington.
There are a huge number of local bus routes that run through Bromley town centre, including those that serve Orpington (61), Lewisham (208), Croydon (119) and Crystal Palace (227). At night, the N3 runs to Oxford Circus and the N47 to Trafalgar Square.
Local amenities
Bromley has a healthy mix of charming independent cafes, shops and boutiques nestled among a decent selection of the usual high street chains (The Glades shopping centre plays host to a large number of these).There is also a very popular open air market in Bromley’s pedestrianised zone on Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. When it comes to evening entertainment, the Churchill Theatre plays host to a huge number of regular national tours, and Bromley boasts both a large, new VUE cinema complex, as well as a more traditional ‘Picturehouse’ cinema. Within The Glades, the Pavilion Leisure Centre has a bowling alley, gym, soft play centre and cafe, as well as a variety of classes within its pool and fitness centre. For those who like a good book, there are a number of libraries in the borough, and the largest, Central Library in Bromley town centre, has a number of reading groups for adults and various baby and toddler groups running. Supermarket-wise, there are large Tesco, Waitrose, Sainsbury’s and Lidl stores all within a small radius of and within easy reach of the town centre.
Schools
There are many OFSTED rated good-outstanding primary schools close to central Bromley, with Highfield Infants and Junior schools popular, along with Raglan, Pickhurst, Valley, Parish and St Mary’s. There are also a number of good secondary schools and academies, as well as options for grammar and private education including the well established Bromley High for girls, and many more choices in neighbouring Beckenham, Croydon and Orpington.
Fancy moving to Bromley? Contact us and we can arrange viewings at suitable properties
