South London’s Only Fools and Horses town where houses now sell for over £1m

A South London neighbourhood once tarred with a reputation for gang violence has cleaned up its image and is now full of yuppies, locals say. Peckham residents think the area is safer and more accepting than 10 years ago but has held onto its unique character.

Walking through the South London district on Thursday, fruit and veg stalls piled high with yam and plantain brush up against trendy bars frequented by hipster couples sipping on cocktails. A shop selling pie and mash and jellied eels sits across the road from a Filipino street food eatery packed with students.

Twenty years ago, the area was more known for crime and teenage gangs. Before that, it’s image was also defined as the backdrop of 80s sitcom ‘Only Fools and Horses,’ which followed the highs and lows of wheeler dealer brothers Rodney and Del Boy in their bid to get rich.

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Today, Peckham with its melting pot of cultures and excellent transport connections – 10 minutes by train to London Bridge from Peckham Rye Station – is a sought-after destination for first-time buyers. A one-bedroom former council flat in the area can set buyers back well over a quarter of a million pounds. Victorian terraces in the streets behind Rye Lane are on the market for well in excess of £1 million.

Michelle Edwards, who bought a place in Peckham 16 years ago, said the area had changed for the better since she’d moved there. The 53-year-old, who is originally from Hoxton in Hackney, said: “I couldn’t afford anywhere around Hoxton when I was buying so Peckham was a good compromise.

“The proximity to central London is great but it also feels a bit suburban with the low-rise streets which is nice. It’s very diverse. I love the diversity. Every nationality lives here. There’s a real mix. On the same road, you can get pie and mash, West African fufu and West Indian food. It’s everything all in one – a literal melting pot.”

She added: “A lot of places have opened or closed down and reopened as something new like a gastropub since I moved here. I think it has been a good thing. People feel safer here than they did 30 years ago. Bellenden Road has changed lots. Rye Lane still has many of the old shops but it’s changing slowly.”

Retired postman Thomas Wolf, who moved to Peckham 38 years ago from Bristol, said the area had become more accepting since he first arrived. The 64-year-old said: “If you lived here 35 years ago it was really homophobic. I got started on twice. I know a couple who walk down Rye Lane now hand in hand and no one bats an eyelid.

“It used to be quite bad. I saw a teenager get stabbed outside the library before but it has started to come up in the last five years or so. They’ve built new flats and you’ve got people with more money coming into the area.”

He added: “The main reason I bought in Peckham was because of the stations. It’s eight minutes to London Bridge and I can see the London Eye and Houses of Parliament from where I live.”

Patricia Brown, who lives in Bermondsey, said she visited Peckham because the shops were better and cheaper. She said: “There’s less choice in Bermondsey and because of the postcode you pay a lot more. It will cost me £70 or £60 to get my hair done there but you can haggle here and get it down to £50 or £40.”

Pippa, 20, had just moved from a village in the South East countryside to Peckham for university. She is studying Fine Art Painting at the University of the Arts in neighbouring Camberwell. She said: “I’m not sure what to make of it yet. There are quite a few young people here and I like how busy it is but I need to explore more. It’s very different.”