Unhappy Harrow residents say the borough is one of the worst places to live. But what do you think? Reporter Carly Minsky takes to the streets to find out.
Harrow was ranked as the fourth of the most miserable places to live in the UK by the Office for National Statistics.
The Harrow Times spoke to people in Harrow Town Centre to find out what people love and hate about the area.
TELL US WHERE YOU THINK THE BEST PLACE IN HARROW IS IN THE COMMENTS SECTION
Musa Damji, retired land registry manager: “I definitely give Harrow a thumbs-up. I wouldn’t want to live anywhere else. It is very multicultural around here, but when I first came 50 years ago it was very different. We still love it here.”
Favourite place: Harrow-on-the-Hill, because Winston Churchill went to school there.
Zaheer Same, 26, unemployed: “Harrow is a good area, especially Wembley. But Harrow’s problems are all about space in the community. There are too many people and too many properties.”
Favourite place: The London Design Outlet, for their excellent service.
Emily Man, 14: “I think Harrow is quite nice. It has good recreation ground and good transportation to get to London, so it is not too bad.”
Her mother, Phoey Man, said: “A negative about Harrow is that it is not very clean.”
Favourite place: The cinema and Waterstones in the centre, Harrow-on-the-Hill for scenery, and Doll’s House on The Hill Café for nice cake.
Debbie Steers, carer, said: “It has gone down around here. I am Harrow born-and-bred but I don’t think it is improving now. Growing up, I felt safer in Harrow than I do now.”
Her son, Billy Steers, 15, a student: “I remember when there a lot more shops in Harrow, now they are all closing down.”
Favourite place: The cinema or the park, where Billy goes with friends
Seyed Ibrahimi, Heathrow security officer, said: “We live in the Harrow Wealdstone area, which everyone told us was the worst area, but we are happy there.”
“But this area is unnecessarily expensive and there are not enough jobs. Any potential places for industry are closed to be turned into more flats.”
Favourite things: Transport connections, and the quiet area.
Kenton resident Bindo Wandangu, 28, full time mother to Grace, 9, Joram, 4, Precious, 9 months, said: “We’ve only been here 1 week since we just moved. We chose Harrow because it was the only place I could find but I think I will like it here.”
Favourite place: St Ann’s shopping centre
John Graveling, who lives in Woodcock Hill: “One explanation for the misery is the traffic – it is so crowded. There’s too much high density housing. My concern is that there is no infrastructure to support the amount of houses we have, for example not enough school places or hospital places. Even the Victorian drainage system can’t cope.”
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