LIFESTYLE
Originally published on Thursday, 17 May 2007
The Beautiful South
Mention New Cross to most Londoners and you're likely to be greeted with a lip-curling grimace. The vision of shabby nail parlours, grotty pubs and babbling vagrants strikes fear in the hearts of those Londoners more used to the tony streets of St John's Wood, Shoreditch or, um, Brixton.
London neighbourhood fear is a like a wild Pavlovian response. It's true that New Cross is one of those places where it's best to walk fast and keep your head down. Yet, these days, your view of the pavement is more likely to be greeted by the sight of bubblegum-pink Louboutins or two-tone brogues rather than the expected scuffed Reebok Classics.
This South London outpost is fast filling with hipster rent-refugees, forced from more expensive parts of town by sky-rocketing prices. And where these shock troops of gentrification march, so, inevitably, do the rash of bijou boutiques, kooky coffee shops and health stores. New Cross even has a farmers' market, which, incidentally, is happening this Sunday.
This growing congregation of chi chi Creatives have also got their own music scene, with a cool name - Rocklands - and an appropriate place of worship in a renovated pub that's open devilishly late at weekends for regular new-rave shenanigans.
Things to do when you're there:
DANCE: The New Cross Inn, 323 New Cross Rd, SE14 - see website for listings
FARMERS' MARKET: Telegraph Hill Lower Park, SE14 Sunday 10am-3pm. 07780 520 610
VINTAGE HEELS: Rubbish Fairy, 308 New Cross Road, SE14
FASHION FABULOUS: Prangsta, 304 New Cross Road, SE14
DETOX: The Natural Therapy Centre, 394 New Cross Road, SE14