Look! “Homes and Property” did a feature on Pimlico! It’s not actually what Pimliconians want – the reason that Pimlico is the best place to live in London is because our village isn’t a “name”, it’s a secret. Our film “Passport to Pimlico” didn’t sell our village in the same way as “Notting Hill” sold Notting Hill. Both areas were originally working class, and both have been gentrified. So lets critique an outsiders view of our village, and if you want to see the original article click on any of the pictures:
Known for its monumental terraces and white stucco homes, Pimlico is packed with style and offers excellent value for money in central London
Shops on Pimlico Road
Locals can shop for organic produce, or consult London’s leading interior designers, in Pimlico Road
Well yes, this is true however most of us rarely buy antiques and designer knick knacks, so the the Warwick Way shops are of far more use. And how can they not have mentioned Pimlico’s Markets?
The grand white stucco terraces of Pimlico bear a striking resemblance to those in wealthier Belgravia. Both neighbourhoods owe their existence to the marriage of heiress Mary Davies to Sir Thomas Grosvenor in 1677 at the tender age of 12; and both were developed by the Grosvenor family in the 19th century by the visionary builder Thomas Cubitt, whose statue stands in Denbigh Street.
Yep – not a shadow of doubt that Belgravia is Pimlico on steroids, and with the personality surgically removed.
Situated north of a bend in the River Thames, west of Westminster, south of Belgravia and east of Chelsea, Pimlico is still overlooked. However, Alex Leschallas from the Pimlico branch of estate agents Douglas & Gordon says that people are beginning to wake up to the fact that the “poor man’s Belgravia” represents excellent value for money for central London.
Alex – be quiet please? OK?
Pimlico is known for its monumental terraces. The largest houses are in the garden squares, Eccleston, Warwick and St George’s and along the two big main roads, Belgrave Road and St George’s Drive which dissect the area. There are smaller examples in the Pimlico grid roads such as Cambridge, Alderney and Winchester streets. Most houses have been converted into flats and whole houses come on to the market only rarely.
A typical Pimlico stucco and brick terrace on Sussex Street
Only take a flat in one of the squares, if you get a key to the gardens. Avoid the main roads Belgrave Road, Sutherland Avenue and St George’s Drive because of the traffic. Cambridge, Alderney and Winchester streets are THE places to live in Pimlico.
There are plenty of children in the garden squares, but families without a magic key to the private communal gardens tend to move out to more family-oriented places such as Clapham and Wandsworth or Guildford.
No children in Winchester St. – plenty of schools, but kids don’t live in the Pimlico Conservation area. I’ve no idea why, that’s just how it is.
Leafy Eccleston Square, Pimlico
Yes the Moreton Triangle would be my second choice of location in Pimlico after Winchester St. – very handy for the shops & restaurants. Yes I would buy a flat in Lillington Gardens – it’s a really great Council Estate, better than many private developments.
Pimlico has a good mix of shops, restaurants and cafés. Lupus Street, Tachbrook Street, Churton Street, Warwick Way, Wilton Road and Denbigh Street serve the local area, so charity shops rub shoulders with barbers, delis and pavement cafés.
In these streets several shops and restaurants stand out: Rippon is one of the capital’s leading cheese shops; at Volpe — Italian for Fox — Adrian Holdsworth, the owner, is a tailor who also sources beautiful bags, shoes and men’s shirts from Italy; and in Wilton Road, Pimlico Fresh is a stylish café with chalkboard walls.
Where Pimlico meets Belgravia along Pimlico Road there is a step change. Here, around Orange Square, there is a Saturday farmers’ market, Daylesford Organic, where locals pick over a few stylish salad leaves for lunch; and it’s also the area where you can consult many of London’s leading interior designers such a Nicholas Haslam, Joanna Wood and Jane Churchill.
Yes – the shops are fantastic in Pimlico, but I’m surprised that they didn’t mention Victoria Street – a shopping Mecca, with House of Fraser & all the normal chain stores, which when combined with Pimlico’s own shops, means that everything that you could ever want to buy is within walking distance.
For those without access to the garden squares, Pimlico can feel very urban, although there are fine riverside walks, and Green Park and St James’s Park are close.
And Battersea Park is 5 mins walk!
The Queen Mother Sports Centre on Vauxhall Bridge Road is the nearest council-owned pool and the privately owned pool in Dolphin Square is available to members of the fitness club. There are two large theatres in Victoria: the Victoria Palace and the Art Deco Apollo. The Royal Court is in nearby Sloane Square. There are no cinemas. Tate Britain is a near neighbour.
The iMax cinema at Waterloo is 10 mins on the C10 Bus
Pimlico is in Zone 1 and not in the congestion charge area. There are two Tube stations: Victoria and Pimlico both on the Victoria line. Victoria mainline station offers quick access to East Croydon, Gatwick and the coast. There are many buses. An annual travelcard covering Zones 1 and 2 costs £1,104.
Victoria is Pimlico’s semi-detached neighbour, and consequently 5 mins walk takes you to one of the best connected transport hubs on the planet.
Council
Westminster City Council (Conservative controlled); Band D council tax for 2011/2012 is £687.62.
An arbour in Warwick Square, Pimlico
Renting in Pimlico
One-bedroom flat £375 per week
Two-bedroom flat £500 per week
Three-bedroom house £700 per week
Four-bedroom house £1,200 per week
Source: Douglas & Gordon
