A guide to living in West London

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West London has a thriving economy and an equally vibrant environment in which to live and work. Home to 1.47 million people, the district is a dynamic mix of nationalities, cultures and ethnic backgrounds with over 25 per cent of its residents born outside the EU.

Spurred by the redevelopment projects that are taking place in East London in preparation for the 2012 Olympic Games, significant areas of West London are currently undergoing much-needed regeneration which will bring some of the western fringes of the district in line with the rest of the area. In the meantime, West London om the whole is an eclectic mix of green open spaces and sites of historical interest that complement a number of vibrant town centres.

Getting around West London
West London is served by seven out of the twelve London Underground lines and the use of the tube is largely determined by what area you live. People living and working towards the east such as Maida Vale or Kensington will typically use the tube as their preferred mode of transport. Whereas the further west you go, the tube is primarily used for people commuting into Central London rather than travelling around the local area. As a result, around two-thirds of residents commute to work by car rather than public transport. But this causes congestion, with travel-to-work times sluggish at best.

At time of writing, plans for a new West London Orbital road that would run north to south of the district are being considered.

Car parking is limited to a number of Pay & Display on the roadside and a number of smaller car parks, but these can both be costly. And if you happen to live or work in Notting Hill or Kensington these area fall within the Central London Congestion Charging Zone, however, if you are a resident here you are entitled to a 90 per cent discount.

Eating, drinking and shopping in West London
Whether you have money to burn or time to kill, there is an abundance of shops that are more than willing to take a chunk of your hard-earned cash away from you. Take the Central Line to Bond Street and this is where you will find a bevy of high-end designer boutiques. Opposite the station and close to the iconic Selfridges and Claridge's is St Christopher's Place, home to a number of stores offering a selection of men's and women's fashion stores, arts, shoes and home furnishings, with leading names such as Hampstead Bazaar and Reiss found here.

Just around the corner on South Molton Street and you will be in the heart of Mayfair , with an equally impressive collection of leading names, including Kurt Geiger, Ted Baker and Karen Millen. Whereas Bond Street itself is synonymous with being the jewellery capital of London .

Elsewhere, Notting Hill has a more quirky offering. Think of High Grant's bookstore in the film of the same name and you get an indication of the retail options here, from The Travel Bookshop that formed the inspiration for Grant's character in Notting Hill , to designer lingerie and rare music shops, along with the noted Heidi Kleine.

Not forgetting what this part of West London is famed for, the Notting Hill Carnival, which is an annual event here led by members of the Caribbean community. The carnival attracts up to 1.5 million people, making it the largest street festival in the world.

Also within the area is the famous antique market at Portobello Road which along with Golborne Road in Kensington, form one of the best outdoor markets in London , selling everything from fruit and bread to posters, clothes, ceramics and music. Whilst Wembley Market offers more of the same but on a grander scale, with over too stall holders based there.

Other key shopping districts include Broadway Shopping Centre and Kings Mall Shopping Centre in Hammersmith, which are home to the usual array of high street names. And moving west, Chiswick and Ealing have a substantial retail offering with a more high street feel to them.

But if you have some change left in your pocket and fancy a bite to eat or some dinner, West London , as you would expect, has a choice number of places to wine and dine.

The Maida Vale, Notting Hill and Westbourne Park area is one of the most popular places to eat and drink in London , and are all within shouting distance of one another. What you get here is pretty much replicated throughout West London .

Aside from some of the usual suspects such as Pizza Express and ASK, you will find a wide selection of just about every kind of cuisine and drinking establishment you can imagine; from restaurants serving African & Caribbean, British, European and Oriental food to gastropubs and older drinking holes that serve traditional pub grub.

Elsewhere, Marble Arch and Marylebone on the north east edge of Hyde Park have a higher number of establishments and an equally more extensive choice of international cuisines. And being located on the doorstep of the fashionable Bond Street area, restaurants and bars located here are some of the most popular in the capital. Whereas Mayfair, at the south east of Hyde Park , is equally as impressive.

Heading further west, Bayswater, Ladbroke Grove and Holland Park are also noteworthy place to eat out and drink in West London , as is Chiswick – arguably the best area for the western area of the district.

But for a more sobering way to pass the time, Kensington Palace, The Commonwealth Experience museum and Chiswick House are all worth a visit and are ideal ways to while away a few hours. While London Trocadero self-proclaims itself as the ‘leading dining, entertainment and shopping centre' of London – personally the jury is still out on that one for me.

For those who like to keep fit, there are a number of sporting facilities throughout the 6 Borough's of West London , including several council-run leisure centres and more than 80 private health and fitness clubs.

For film fans, West London boasts dozens of cinemas, from those specialising in independent films to the larger multi-screen cinemas showing all the latest Hollywood blockbusters. Odeon and Vue dominate the sector and located throughout the district.

Main residential areas
For those looking to rent or buy in West London, a quick way of knowing what places match your own finances is to envisage the district on a map – the west is the lower end (including Southall and Hanwell) whilst the east is the high end (such as Maida Vale, Notting Hill and Kensington) of the property market.

Undoubtedly, the most highly desirable places to live in West London are the areas of Notting Hill, Maida Vale and Kensington & Chelsea – the latter being the most expensive places to live in the UK not least because of its famous Kings Road, one of the swankiest shopping street's in London.

Similarly, Hammersmith and Fulham command a prime position in the desirability league, as does Shepherd's Bush along with the leafy suburb of Chiswick. While Action and Ealing also popular and – depending on your personal finance – more affordable as London property prices go.

If you're thinking of moving to the area, take a look at some of the current property available to buy or let in West London.

Looking for local vacancies? See all current jobs in West London or find out more information on the local area.