Top 10 Most Dangerous Places in London

1. Peckham

   

   I was once in Peckham with my two best friends. We were walking through the streets at night when we heard a loud bang. Two men in hoodies walked towards us from across the street, and one of them pulled out something from their jacket. I didn't see what it was, but I immediately grabbed my friends' hands, and we started to run. Luckily, we got away.

   Another time, I was just out shopping when I saw two guys handing each other what looked like drugs. I have seen drug dealers, murderers, and more here. I have lived here for sixteen years, born and raised. Luckily, I am alive, but there is no way I'm raising my kids here. As soon as I'm old enough, I'm moving.

2. Brixton

   

   Definitely Brixton. I've lived there all my life, and I'm okay around the area, but I was once in the game, which I no longer am. It's a dangerous area where all the kids are hungry for money.

   When I lived in Birmingham for a year, it was actually quite worse, but Brixton is a no-go zone if you're not from around there. I see everything day in and day out. Kids rob things for their moms' crack. It really isn't a nice place, but it's home. Depending on where you're from, different areas are more dangerous.

   My son was a victim of a stabbing that occurred on Brixton Hill. The argument started over £20. To be honest, it's all over silly things. I know everything there is about living in London, and Peckham and Brixton are by far the most dangerous.

   Stockwell has a dark side as well, but Brixton's crime rate has gone way over what it should be. It is not a place to live if you want happiness. Just put it that way.

3. Tottenham

   

   I lived in Tottenham for seven years. It was a horrible place then, and it still is now. No character, no life, no shops worth speaking of, and no sense of community. It is a monocultural area, rather than multicultural. Apparently, even in better days, Tottenham had no heart, largely because of the way it was built, all at once instead of organically.

   I will never forget, just before I moved out, the Council taking over the house next door when my neighbour died. A man gleefully smashed in all the beautiful colored glass that was an original feature and my neighbor had loved.

   This says it all about Tottenham, a place where the residents have no connection with it. They just live there. It's not much of a place for dog owners either. People used to shy away from my beautiful beagle as if she was a rabid wolf.

4. Edmonton

   I've lived in Edmonton for 11 years, and I have witnessed many crimes. Even in school, you need to be cautious and not trust anyone easily. Just when you think they are like sisters to you, they betray you.

   Edmonton is also stuck between Tottenham and Enfield, areas known for high poverty and unemployment. There was an incident where a boy added a significant amount of marijuana to a cigarette and gave it to a Muslim girl. The girl was so affected that she had to be taken to the hospital. Additionally, there are many individuals who are willing to engage in sexual activities with anyone.

   Edmonton is a neglected area of London with many challenges, including a high prevalence of illiteracy, materialism, and gang activity. It is represented by Labour MP Andy Love and managed by a Labour Council, which many residents find ineffective.

   Edmonton shares similarities with other areas like Tottenham, Peckham, Harlesden, Brixton, Stonebridge Park, Acton, Birmingham, Stevenage, Luton, Liverpool, Blackburn, and Bradford. These areas face issues such as high welfare dependency, overpopulation, unattractive council housing, unemployment, and struggling single-parent households.

   They also have poor schools and health services and are characterized by a monotonous parade of shops, including cheap takeaways, betting shops, charity shops, and halal meat stores.

5. Croydon

   

   As a person who has been brought up in Croydon, I know where to go and what it's really like. People get mugged every day and stabbed too often. Croydon is constantly changing, and being streetwise is essential to avoid being robbed or stabbed.

   New gangs form each year, and most commit petty crimes, but the major ones involve children and young adults. I've seen boys get expelled from school and fall into the gang cycle. Too many people are getting stepped on in Croydon, and it's not due to alcohol. It's about the clashes between gangs and honest people who are trying to get on with their lives.

   I lived in Croydon all my life, so I know firsthand how rough and secretive it is. West Croydon was probably the worst-affected area in the riots. Guess why? Because the youths here have nothing to lose. They are violent and don't care.

   The thugs here are not all talk. They will kill, shoot, or stab whenever they feel like it. Be careful after dark on the high street of West Croydon, London Road. Things can get serious.

6. Hackney

   

   I've just passed through Hackney by bus, and the scenery was horrible. The streets were very dirty, the buildings looked as if a war had happened there, and every street corner was populated by groups of dangerous-looking people that seemed to have been put there only to start a fight. And this was during the day.

   I've been to many countries with many known bad neighborhoods, but Hackney gave me this feeling of unsafety that I haven't experienced anywhere else. Everything was so grim. It looked like one of those horror movies where someone is waiting for you around the corner with a knife.

   Hackney is my definition of a hole.

7. Stockwell

   

   I've lived in Stockwell for 25 years and now I'm moving to Crystal Palace! Hallelujah! I was just screamed at in Natwest by a horribly rude man for absolutely no reason. Stockwell has it all: crackheads, beggars, muggers, the mentally ill. It's a shame because there are some lovely Victorian houses, nice quiet side roads, and decent people hidden amongst the criminals in Stockwell. I advise against coming to Stockwell.

   Jean Charles de Menezes was wrongly targeted as a terrorist and wrongly shot to death by undercover police officers inside Stockwell Tube Station. However, no riots or angry protests were started, unlike with Mark Duggan, who symbolises the thuggish and violent community in Tottenham.

8. Tulse Hill

   

   Kids go to school with knives and hang about in groups, teasing people. If you know people, you're safe. Otherwise, there will be one or more incidents with you.

   Please stay safe, but in general, the gangs in Tulse Hill are kinder than in other areas. It's one of the most safe areas on the whole list.

   Full of youth crime, youth violence, and young gangs. Not a good environment for a young person to experience life!

   I have almost been stabbed in Tulse Hill, and I live here. My friends have been stabbed and shot. It's not a good place for teenagers to grow up.

9. Harlesden

   

   I live in Harlesden, down the road from Stonebridge, and I've been here all my life. I'm 14. I'm not saying Harlesden is any better than how it was described. It's a place, but it also has a lot of character, and there are many people who will love you.

   The only reason there are a lot of shootings and stabbings is obviously due to gangs of all races, smuggling, trapping, and losing drugs, and not because it's inherently a bad place. Like any other place, it has its difficulties. However, not all of Harlesden is like this. But is it weird that I'm proud Harlesden was on this list?

   Harlesden resembles a third-world African refugee camp, inhabited by thugs, drug dealers, uncivilized people, closet racists, and gangster wannabes. All seem to be recipients of and dependent on state welfare, free healthcare, and housing. It is a dreadful place with shoddy council housing and dubious shops.

   The Labour Council of Brent continues to deprive and decay the areas they are meant to improve.

   If Harlesden were a country, it would resemble a banana republic and a failed state.

10. Custom House

    Just known for being a bad area. The schools, the people, everything.

    There is a sense of community, however, and that is the only positive. Too many murders.

    This applies to Canning Town as a whole, not just Custom House.

    This area is known for its violence and gang warfare between them and the rest of the Newham borough. Young adults and kids are caught up in homicides, stabbings, shootings, kidnapping, and drug dealing. I've seen three people get shot on a main road. The kids looked as young as 14.

The Newcomers
11. ?

    Newham

    I was brought up here. My parents taught me that everyone who lived here was dirty and dangerous. She was right. I'm glad when I was ten, I moved to Essex.

    Pretty sure this is the worst borough in London in terms of murder rate. That says enough.

12. ?

    Tolworth

    

    This area is getting mad now, especially on the Broadway.

    It needs to be redeveloped.

The Contenders

13. Grahame Park

    

    Stabbings alone are high enough to make you want to relocate. With high tensions between rival gangs, getting caught in the crossfire is a high possibility. There are a lot of guns, drugs, gangs, and hitmen. Poverty creates crime, and Grahame Park is just one of many products of our society. Most of these kids have great talents that get overlooked because of social bias.

    I moved from Islington, escaping violence and harassment, to live a 10-minute walk from Grahame Park. The only shops in the area are on the concourse, where you will encounter drug dealing, junkies, and alcoholics. If you have children, I do not advise you move here, especially if they are vulnerable, as they will be encouraged to join the gang. Take away the gang culture, and the area is quite nice.

14. Barking

    Might link my thing from Barking... that song?

    Seriously, don't come here. I've lived here my whole life and dream of a better one. I live in a nice three-bedroom, privately owned home. But when I leave my comfy sofa and my anime series...

    The outside is a ghetto reality. I never go out, horrified by gangs everywhere and the scariness of it all. Don't come here.

    I've lived in Barking for over 30 years. It has gotten so bad over the years. Mostly Muslims, Albanians, and black gangs are stabbing and robbing. There will be no-go areas here soon. The police take four hours to respond to anything. Avoid Barking at all costs.

15. Forest Gate

    I have stayed with my partner in Forest Gate for just over a year now. During this time, a 15-year-old boy was shot to death, and just last week, a young man of 18 was stabbed to death. Interestingly, prostitutes stick their names and numbers on lamp posts and operate from the Hartley Hotel, which is opposite the police station. Drugs are readily available, and dealers will deliver them to your house.

    There are homeless people who will ask you for money when you go to the high street. Additionally, a mentally ill person has keyed my partner's parents' car and shouts abuse at us. The community is mostly Asian, and I receive blatant stares, which I assume is because I am a white woman.

    On the positive side, the high street has convenient shops like Co-op, Tesco, and Poundland, along with lots of cashpoints. There is also a Forest Gate festival every year, which is enjoyable to attend. Wanstead Flats and Manor Park Cemetery are nice for walking your dog or similar activities. There's also Forest Gate station, Wanstead Park station, and a really good bus service, so you can get pretty much anywhere in no time. The 86 or 25 bus will take you straight to Stratford, which obviously has pretty much any shop you could ever want. You can also take the bus to Wanstead, a nice place to spend the day with independent shops and lovely restaurants.

16. Dagenham

    I don't know why, but in recent years, Dagenham has been taking a turn for the worse. I'm writing this in May 2016, and just two weeks ago, someone was stabbed at Heathway. Last week, there was a machete stabbing in Chadwell Heath by some youths, and another stabbing occurred near Oxlow Lane.

    About a day before, a man tried to stab a police officer with a machete while high on cocaine. It's also the burglary hotspot of London, with a string of armed robberies taking place in March alone. Dagenham is definitely on par with Barking when it comes to crime, and with the way things are looking, it may even surpass it. It's not as bad as some other areas, but definitely not safe.

17. Church Road

    Never stop at the traffic lights, and if you do, don't look left. They're always posted at the traffic lights. If you look left for too long, you're screwed and you're dead. Just look ahead and act normal. From daytime to nighttime, they're always there. Just don't make the mistake of looking left at the traffic lights. Trust me.

    Luckily for me, I know the people in Church Road, therefore I'm safe. However, if you don't know the youths there, don't try to make faces because you can get stabbed. It's not even the elders who have to exert themselves. Even the youngsters will stab just for clout or ratings.

18. South Kilburn

    I've lived in Kilburn my whole life, which is one year so far. It has a tacky kind of feel, but I still love it. The high street is okay and nice, but then you have South Kilburn. Kilburn Park station isn't too bad. For the majority of times, you'll be fine. I pass here every day as a teenager, and so far, so good. The schools near there are pretty safe.

    I think there's a prominent and growing problem with drugs, especially weed, in the area. Recently, the number of stabbings and shootings in the area has increased. Vandalism on council estates is also a real problem. I haven't experienced many violent people around here myself, but it is a dangerous place if you don't know Kilburn well. Steer clear of the deeper parts of South Kilburn, especially at night or in the early hours of the morning, such as 12 AM or 4 AM.

19. Mozart

    If the musical composer Mozart were alive today, he would request his name to be removed from this hellhole place.

    21, are you joking? What is this doing below Canning Town? This place is a literal hell and an insult to Mozart himself. My dad even says Mozart is bad.

    I was brought up in Mozart and now live in Canning Town. How Mozart is 48 behind Canning Town is ridiculous! Mozart is 10 times worse than any East London town.

20. East Ham

    For the last 15 years, East Ham has turned into a third-world Islamic ghetto, thanks to the Labour Party-run Newham Council. Newham Council has abused, neglected, and financially exploited the area for their own personal gain. Meanwhile, its citizens have had to endure foreign neighborhoods, increased poverty, higher unemployment, more crime, more welfare dependency, a rise in broken families, gang culture, and the disappearance of the English Cockney.

    East Ham High Street was once a pleasure to go shopping. Now, thanks to Newham Council's neglect, it has become reminiscent of a Whitechapel back street back in Jack the Ripper's time, only without the character. Avoid at all costs, especially after dark.

21. Catford

    Absolute hole. Tesco car park had about five abandoned cars, a homeless man and his poor dog living there, and shady characters hanging around. And the rest is miserable too.

    There are always armed police everywhere. Shootings and stabbings are common here, making it one of the most dangerous areas in the most dangerous borough.

    There's a lot of crime here. Notorious for muggings during the day. Groups of young thugs roam around. It's best to avoid this area.

22. Lewisham

    I remember one birthday when I got a new bike, so I took it around the place for a test drive. Lewisham has tons of side alleys where there are no cameras. I literally saw this guy in broad daylight handing a pouch of cocaine to some other dude. It was shady, and I made sure not to stare.

    This other time, I got a new deck for my skateboard and went down to Ladywell Park to try it out. On the way back, I saw these three guys wearing gloves and black bandanas around their faces. Were they Peckham boys? This happened around the same big tower as before. Just today, some kid got arrested for some reason. He was walking down the road, the feds sped up and almost crashed into our wall, took the kid, and then drove away.

    Although, for the most part, I like living here compared to almost anywhere in London. Also, if you're in Catford, be sure to say hi to everyone's favourite crackhead, Fritz!

23. Leytonstone

    Been living in Leytonstone forever. Honestly, it's not that dangerous of an area during the daytime, but definitely don't walk around at night unless you want to run into gangs and a few low-level drug dealers.

    I was pushed into an alley and touched here. That's what my friend said when we went through the alleyway. She was then later mugged in the same place. It's disgraceful.

    Leytonstone sounds really dangerous! I planned to go there once, and I am so glad I had second thoughts because my dad said there were a bunch of stabbings there!

24. Enfield

    If you have kids, don't send them to a public school in Enfield. Drugs are taken so lightly now. It seems normal to smoke some weed before school, and it isn't even considered a big deal.

    This really depends on the school, but if I were you, I'd make sure your kids are smart enough to get into a selective school. That's really your only chance, trust me.

25. Chingford

    It's getting worse, with lots of young men who want to hurt each other. This includes Highams Park.

    Sure, there are some nice areas, and if you are not in the above age bracket, you may never be aware of the simmering violent undercurrents.

    Underrated. It goes off with drugs, gangs, burglaries, robberies - the land of the villains.

26. Wood Green

    Such a dangerous area. It's a no-go at night because of the criminal activity.

    My friend who lives there has to run home after reaching the station from uni because he is scared he might get robbed. I've been there many times and felt very uncomfortable. Also, the cinema was closed down a while ago due to a rat problem.

    I would only advise going there for Cosmo, a nice restaurant, but apart from that, it is best to stay away. My friend told me so.

    Such is its global fame that it's the only part of London where one can spot Japanese tourists on safari, hoping to see some crime taking place.

    The seating at the bus stop opposite the Tube had to be removed because it encouraged criminal activity, mostly drugs, street violence, organized crime from Asia Minor, murder, and money laundering. There are lots of beggars too.

    For a change of scenery, one can pop down to Turnpike Lane to see the crackheads.

27. Southall

    People are quick to jump on the police about the problems. The police service is understaffed and overworked, mostly dealing with domestics, which takes away their commitments to dealing with what matters most. It's our silly government who have put us in this state. How about choosing a government that is pro-police as opposed to against it? Therefore, the problem lies with us not choosing what now matters to us.

    Also, let's point the finger at the way these offenders are raised. After all, it all starts with discipline in your own home. The police or other civil services ain't responsible for that. I'm not defending anyone, I just don't believe the rubbish people come out with and pointing the finger.

    Southall is a unique place, and I really don't think it is as bad as what people think. Well, old Southall is quite pleasant anyway. I think people should work with civil agencies more closely, or how about joining them for a day and seeing what goes on behind the scenes? As I said, it's our silly government that has neglected our society.