Introduction
West Hampstead may be one of the best areas in London for getting around town. Not only does the Jubilee line run right through it, so prime shopping spots like Marylebone and Bond Street are all readily accessible, but there’s also an overground station, meaning you’re mere minutes from Hampstead or only half an hour from Richmond.
To travel further afield, it’s also a great spot; only an hour to Gatwick and half an hour to Luton airports make it ideal if you want to live somewhere that feels steeped in a homely, community-driven feeling, but makes getting around incredibly easy. You can thank the Victorians for that; the addition of the railway in 1888 to the area that had been popular since the early 19th century, when it was known as the West End (this was later changed to avoid confusion) and annually ran a summer fair that attracted hundreds of Londoners. With the railway came new houses and the birth of WestHampstead as we know it today.
On the all-important community element: it is something that dwellers in this area of London pride themselves on. Nestled between Kilburn and Finchley Road with winding roads populated with Victorian and Edwardian homes, here’s a place you’ll find people raising families, sending their children to one of the number of schools in the area, and spending time playing tennis on one of the many local courts, or having coffee with a friend in one of the coffee shops dotted liberally around. Several stage and screen stars have called West Hampstead home, including Emma Thompson, BillNighy, Judi Dench and Imelda Staunton.
£2.1 million
average price of semi-detached house
10% increase
on previous 2020 price peak
Property market
The area has a strong and distinctive architectural style and large swathes of it are designated conservation areas.There are plenty of red-brick Victorian and Edwardian terraces and several premium mansion blocks, including Alexandra Mansions, Marlborough Mansions and Lyncroft Mansions. The apartments inside these imposing buildings are extremely spacious and comfortable and popular with West Hampstead’s older residents –many people stay in the area for decades.
As of December 2023, house prices in WestHampstead had an overall average of £924,999 over the previous 12 months. The majority of properties sold during the last year were flats, selling for an average price of £701,799. Terraced properties sold for an average of£1,797,038, with semi-detached properties fetching £2,101,007. Sold prices inWest Hampstead over the last year were 6% up on the previous year and 10% up on the 2020 peak of £843,850.
London Richmond purchased a stunning 6-bedroom property on Achillies Road in West Hampstead, a short walk from the main high street. This property is undergoing a full refurbishment and will be let for £120,000 per annum once completed.
Things to do
The cultural centre JW3 hosts a massive variety of performances, talks and workshops and has come to feel like a real community hub since opening in 2013. There’s a cinema screening the latest blockbusters, an ice rink and a panto every Christmas, adult education classes, classical music performances, a monthly comedy club and more. Recent guests and speakers have included Nigella Lawson, David Beckham, Simon Schama and DavidBaddiel, and it’s always worth checking out JW3’s programme during the annual JewishBook Week, London’s longest running literary festival.
For more cultural riches, the Kiln on KilburnHigh Road punches well above its weight for a local theatre. Several of its recent productions have garnered Olivier Awards and prestigious West End transfers, including Florian Zeller’s TheFather, Lolita Chakrabarti’s RedVelvet and Moiri Buffini’s Handbagged.The theatre also hosts a lively schedule of comedy and talks and there’s a newly upgraded cinema showing new releases and independent gems.
West Hampstead has a strong tradition of live music – the legendary jazz and R&B club Klooks Kleek on West End Lane was a pivotal venue on the 1960s scene, hosting the likes of Stevie Wonder, RodStewart and Led Zeppelin, and the Beatles were famously rejected by Decca Records after auditioning at their erstwhile recording studios on Broadhurst Gardens. These days, West Hampstead Arts Club carries the torch, a tiny speakeasy that’s open until midnight every night of the week. Drop in for a craft beer or strong cocktail and stay for an intimate show by an undiscovered artist or a well-established star.
“The area has a strong and distinctive architectural style and large swathes of it are designated conservation areas”
Shopping
The residents of West Hampstead are an artsy, bohemian bunch who love to shop for two things: books and food. FortunatelyWest End Lane provides a panoply of options for both. At the easterly end of the street, The Grocery Post bills itself as a kind of deluxe corner shop, selling gourmet treats sourced from the city’s best-loved specialists – think cheese from La Fromagerie, meats from London Smoke & Cure, coffee fromMonmouth and bread from St John. A few doors down, The Source Bulk sells organic groceries with zero packaging, while The Hampstead Butcher & Providore is a one-stop-shop for free-range British meat as well as cheeses, charcuterie, smoked salmon and cold meats from all over Europe. And everySaturday the West Hampstead FarmersMarket brings a gorgeous selection of locally grown, organic fruit and vegetables to the square outside West Hampstead Thameslink station, including seasonal delicacies like wild garlic.
Those of a literary bent can indulge their passions at two wonderful bookshops just across the road from each other.Family-owned West End Books has been a stalwart of the West Hampstead scene since 1994 and sells a wonderful selection of fiction and non-fiction books, often signed. There’s also a lovely programme of evening readings and a bookclub. The House of Books has an adorable ‘Blind Date With A Book’ stand outside, where you can test your ability not to judge a book by its cover!Inside staff obviously love reading and are always happy to point you in the direction of a title for yourself or a perfect gift for someone else.
Pamper and exercise
Female-founded boutique yoga studio Flo is a bijou delight, with space for just 15 yogis to stretch out on their mats. This means the excellent teachers are able to give each member of the class proper attention and gentle correction when needed. Their Power Flo sessions make for an energising start to the morning, while post-work something more gentle like a Yin class or a restorative sound bath is just the ticket.
For something a little more decadent, head toRemix Hair & Beauty, which recently won ‘Best Salon in London’ at the 2023Salon Awards. The independently run business offers beauty treatments and manicures in the basement and carefully tailored cuts and colour on the ground floor – but what really sets it apart is its focus on fun. Between the hair washing station and dryers, there's a fully licensed mezzanine bar serving beer, wine and cocktails, making this a one-stop pre-party shop. There’s also a sweet little garden at the back, where in the summer months clients can take drinks outside or even experience some treatments al fresco.
You won’t be short of green outdoor spaces to stretch your legs here. West Hampstead itself is home to small parks The Grange and Fortune Green, but head ever so slightly further and you’ll find HampsteadHeath, Regent’s Park (which also contains London Zoo), and Primrose Hill.
Dine
The idea that breakfast is the most important meal of the day clearly has some currency in West Hampstead, where bagels, breads and pastries are a serious business. Roni’s Bagel Bakery specialises inauthentic, artisanal bagels with the perfect balance of crispness and chewiness, generously filled with smoked salmon and cream cheese, chopped herring or chopped liver. There’s also a towering hot salt beef on rye sandwich with sauerkraut and pickles, and Roni’s signature rugelach, made of sweet and salty Danish dough with a nutty chocolate filling.
Tiny Japanese restaurant Sushi Tokoro has just a few tables inside and out, but fortunately they’re happy to pack up your freshly handmade sushi and sashimi to take away with you. Local fans regularly declare it the best sushi in Hampstead/London/the world and at busy lunchtimes there are often happy queues outside. Prices are reasonable for the exceptional quality and the service is always relaxed and friendly.
For supper, the name might be slightly lacking in charm but there are few prettier fish restaurants in the city than Wet FishCafé. Set in a former fishmonger, the exposed brick bar and original 1930stiles are now lit by twinkling candlelight and the kitchen serves up a delectable menu with a predictable focus on seafood – think mussels in a creamy fennel sauce and freshly caught Cornish cod with chimichurri mash potatoes.
There’s a good pub scene in West Hampstead too, with The Black Lion proving very popular with locals (especially on warmer days when the outdoor seating area comes into its own), The Railway (which has a rich musical history, with Jimi Hendrix, U2, and The Rolling Stones having performed there), and The Alice House all dotted along West End Lane.