What is Kings Cross (London) area like ?

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jrewing

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I'm going to work in London for a few months and I've been offered the use of an apartment near Kings Cross station (Caledonian St). It's pretty convenient to where I will be working and the tube station, but I've no idea what the area is like.
Any ideas ?
 
Re: What is Kings Cross area like ?

It's a bit out of date, but see: [broken link removed] clean-up referred to may well have happened by now, but I'd check it out in mroe detail, if I were you....
 
Re: What is Kings Cross area like ?

AFAIK King's Cross hasn't cleaned up much in recent years - a friend recently returned from London maintains this also.

Although it's not exactly a dangerous area (or at least not nearly as dangerous as other areas) more just sleazy.
 
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Yeah agreed, bit sleazy ... Caledonian Road (I guess it's road rather than street - can't think of a Caledonian street and nor can google maps!) is quite busy and a bit run down in places (at the Kings X end of it anyway)

On the plus side it's very central indeed - so depedning on where you're working it could be very convenient. I think there's a few new developments where it crosses the canal - some are office, but some may be apartments - some of them might be quite nice.
 
Thanks for opinions. It is a new development (gated apartments) at Kings X end. Will have a look when I go over and decide then. Is very convenient for work and other travel...
 
Dodgy is the first thing that comes to mind and I can second what alot of the others have said.
 
If you are using it as a place to sleep and just go about your daily business you should have no problem. There are worse, far worse, areas in London.
 
great place if like red light sleazy districts and being hassled to purchase sex from menn and women.. also be careful where u will be renting.lots of place used by the above to entertain their paying guests
 
The negative comments above are definitely out of date. This area along with surrounding areas (Bloomsbury, Russell Square and Angel) command some of the highest rents in North London. Plenty of attractions, shops and restaurants also Brunswick Centre, British Library, Regents Park, Camden Town etc.
 
I'm willing to believe the area round Kings Cross may have been cleaned up, but the places you mention are all some distance (mostly 1km or more) from Kings Cross. As with any city, a few streets distance can make all the difference.
 
from what i can remember Angel has a ballroom of romance not far from the tube station...but it could be gone now.. and the Angel pub was run by an Irish couple..
 
ang1170 said:
I'm willing to believe the area round Kings Cross may have been cleaned up, but the places you mention are all some distance (mostly 1km or more) from Kings Cross. As with any city, a few streets distance can make all the difference.
Click to expand...

Agreed - certainly areas not far from Kings X are nice ... but the immediate vicinity of the station is still a bit grotty ... Maybe with the redevelopment of St. Pancras Station next door (The Eurostar terminal is moving there from this November) it might lead to an improvement in the area but I certainly wouldn't choose to live within a few blocks of Kings Cross right now .. it's not terrible or anything but it just looks a bit shabby like a lot of areas around large railway stations in many cities.
 
i am sure you will be fine staying in kings x when it is for such a short period and convenient for your work. if you are able to walk or short bus ride to work then there is a lot to be said for this. public travel is expensive and if you go out in the city centre, it is very easy to get home.
it really is not that bad ! the good areas are not so perfect either !
i would say convenience to your work place is your top consideration.
and don't forget any sterling you save can be converted into euros to take home with you at 1.45-47 exchange rate ! - how good is that ?
 
I would advise you not to live in Kingscross - reminds me of parts of Dorset Street and Mountjoy Square, a bit depressing. Worked in the area for many years. As previous posters said big red light area, pimps, drugs,homeless shelters,B&B's and council accomodation. Kings Cross is a major station, used by travellers from all areas of UK (including Glasgow!), so is a busy thoroughfare for commuters.Transport to KC is excellent so I really wouldnt worry about being close to work (Tubes and trains every few minutes). Your work colleagues will be travelling to KingsCross from Surrey, other outer London suburbs and some from other counties. Its a very busy area because of this, and not really a residential area - there are so many other great areas to choose to live in, like nearby Angel (Islington) and Highbury.
 
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