How it rates

It depends on what you call Clapham. The area immediately around Clapham Common has some rather fab properties with matching price tags. Clapham Junction is still rather shabby but is improving, and will become a great deal more popular when the East London Railway (really an extension of the Tube line) is ready — some time before 2012.

Architectural gems

Victorian terraces dominate, but there are some grand Georgian houses overlooking Clapham Common, as well as some very fine Queen Anne-style houses in Clapham Old Town. William Wilberforce’s church, Holy Trinity Clapham, is a local landmark.

What’s new

The spectacular 19th-century “bookends” building on Clapham Common North Side has recently been rescued from ruin and converted into luxury flats (for details of Thornton Place, contact Cluttons, 020-7228 0023). Some decent retailers have come to the area (at last) — Whistles and Jigsaw are on Northcote Road. Travel The Northern Line runs from both ends of the high street (Clapham Common and Clapham North); Stockwell Tube, on the Victoria Line, is a short walk away. Overground trains run from Clapham High Street station, taking you to Victoria in ten minutes and London Bridge in just under 20.

Quality of life

Generally very good. There are plenty of green spaces, with Clapham Common, Wandsworth Common and Battersea Park all near by. This, combined with good schools and transport links, makes the area popular with better-off young families. Clapham has been dubbed Nappy Valley; some of the cafés on Northcote Road have their own buggy parks. This is the borough of Lambeth, though, and there are some poor housing estates. Crime rates and council tax are higher than in neighbouring Wandsworth.

Smartest streets

The north and west sides of the Common have plenty of large detached homes. Crescent Grove, which has some beautiful Georgian houses, is one of the most desirable roads; two-bedroom flats here start at £379,950. Grafton Square has seven-bedroom white stucco mansions for sale from £2.75 million (Globrix.com).

Restaurants

Tsunami serves Nobu-like Japanese food for a fraction of the price. For British, try Trinity in Clapham Old Town. At Recipease, a new food store opened by Jamie Oliver, you can buy readymade meals or learn to cook your own signature dishes.

Nightlife

Plenty of pubs and bars, of varying quality. The ones off the High Street tend to be a little less hectic. The beautiful people go to Lost Society on Wandsworth Road. If you turn up on a Sunday afternoon in a hat, they’ll give you a free mojito. Clapham Picturehouse, on Venn Street, is a fine independent cinema.

Education

Lots of good primaries, including Clapham Manor, Belleville and Honeywell. Thomas’s is a private school between Clapham and Wandsworth Common. There is also a lycée, Ecole de Wix.

Upside

Its vibrant, buzzy and family-friendly, and there are four Tube stations within easy reach.

Downside

Decent family homes in Clapham are still expensive, and Clapham High Street has a dull range of shops. Northcote Road is better, but for serious retail you need to hop on a bus to the Kings Road.

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