Living in Elephant and Castle

A fast-changing area, Elephant & Castle is packed with new developments, student hang out spots and endless amounts of culture. Once known as the ‘Piccadilly Circus of South London’, Elephant & Castle is in the midst of a regeneration project to boost the area back into the spotlight.

Area key takeouts

Young area

Safe area

Excellent transport links

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Elephant & Castle in a snapshot

1

The main universities that surround Elephant & Castle are London South Bank University, London College of Communication and London School of Science and Technology.

2

Elephant & Castle is currently undergoing a huge regeneration project to boost community feel, make room for more public spaces and increase the number of houses and jobs for their residents. 

3

There is a wide range of transport choices to and from Elephant & Castle, which makes it a great place if you’re wanting to commute or travel throughout the city. Elephant & Castle is situated on both the Northern and Bakerloo lines of the London Underground.

Demographic

Students, Young professionals, Lively multicultural community

Attributes

Cultural eateries,  Places to walk, Good transport links

Safety

A safe area due to wide student demographic, community feel  and regeneration projects

Welcome to Elephant & Castle

With a huge regeneration project happening in the area, living in Elephant and Castle there is plenty of things to do and see. These are our top picks for Elephant & Castle.

Close to Burgess Park

Being Southwark’s largest park, Burgess Park is packed with things to do. From the obvious scenic walks around the 56 hectares, there’s a cafe, lake and sports facilities. Not to mention the Chumleigh Gardens; an area of the park showcasing traditional Asian, Mediterranean and Caribbean garden designs.

Home to Mercato Metropolitano

Just up the road from Elephant Square is Mercato Metropolitano, Elephant & Castle’s very own street food market. From Vietnamese to Colombian, there’s a cuisine for everyone and a sense of community comes with visiting it. It’s a great place for groups and get-togethers, the seating style is made for socialising with friends and experiencing the atmosphere as a group. Mercato Metropolitano is home to over 40 vendors, a micro-brewery and even gives a chance for upcoming artists and performers to showcase their talents.

Close to the Imperial War Museum

For all those history buffs out there, this one's for you. Nestled in the Geraldine Mary Harmsworth Park is the Imperial War Museum London. Opened in 1936, it gives an insight into what life was like in wartime Britain. Like many of the other museums in London, the Imperial War Museum is free for visitors and open daily. 

Elephant & Castle

Amenities

Supermarkets
Tesco Express , Sainsbury's , Co-op
Gyms
GymBox , Snap Fitness , The Castle Centre

Transport Links

Elephant & Castle Tube Station
Northern and Bakerloo Lines
Elephant & Castle Train Station
Thameslink
Elephant & Castle Bus Services
1, 35, 45, 68, 155, 344, C10

Universities

London South Bank University
London College of Communications
London School of Science and Technology

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Cost of living in the area

Rent Average

House

£2,265

Per month, based on 3 bedroom property

Student Halls

£730

Per month, dependant on chosen halls

Cost of Bills

Utilities

£127

Per month

Wifi

£34.33

Per month

Council Tax

£1,018.50

Per year

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Connectivity

Fibre Download Speed

500 Mbps

Fibre Upload Speed

34 Mbps

5G/4G

Good Coverage

Based on all major phone networks

Other Expenses

Pint of Beer

£4.50

Gym Membership

£30.00

Per month

Weekly Food Shop

£25.00

The best spots in Elephant & Castle

For Coffee

Black Cowboy Coffee

An affordable coffee shop that sells delicious coffee and bags of coffee beans.

For Brunch

Louie Louie

A contemporary coffee, breakfast and lunch stop with an outside terrace.

For Dinner

Four Hundred Rabbits

Four Hundred Rabbits is a small craft beer and sourdough pizza spot that's worth a stop-off if you're in the area.

For Drinks

Jim and Tonic

A sustainable urban distillery helping to regenerate the local community and serving delicious drinks.

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Frequently asked questions about Elephant & Castle

Is Elephant and Castle an affordable place to live if you're a student?

Yes, it’s definitely feasible. If you are a student from the surrounding universities, Elephant and Castle is the perfect place to live, due to it’s great transport links and amenities. The area is becoming more aimed towards students and young professionals, which is such a welcoming attribute if you're new to the area.

It is no surprise then that there are clusters of student accommodation in Elephant and Castle. The area is great for those looking to rent a shared house or flat as the cost of rent is affordable. 

Is Elephant and Castle a safe place to live?

Elephant and Castle has a huge strong sense of community, so if you move to this area you will be safe. With all the development and regeneration happening in the area, it’s allowing more opportunities for public spaces, improvements in safety and community hubs. So, don't you worry about walking around places! Living in Elephant and Castle students shouldn’t feel alone since being surrounded by a handful of universities and like-minded people. 

 

Although the area has in the past had a poor reputation for safety, we things are changing fast. Is Elephant and Castle safe? We think so. 

What local amenities are on offer in Elephant and Castle?

The area is packed full of interesting, quirky places for you to explore. Elephant & Castle is home to a mix of mainstream and independent stores, you’ll have everything you need in it’s 170 acres. With such a diverse community, the choice of restaurants is wide-spread and there’s something for everyone! Sayer Street is part of the Elephant Park regeneration project and is becoming a bustling hub of London’s best food & beverage businesses. If you’re needing your caffeine fix, Change Please is a local coffee shop with all profits going to tackling homelessness in the area. If you’re wanting to join the gym or library, that's available too in the SE1, with three gyms and three libraries to choose from.

Is Elephant and Castle becoming a new hub for students?

Be part of the new Elephant & Castle! With a lot of regeneration happening in Elephant & Castle, it’s definitely becoming a hub for both students and young professionals. By 2025 more than 5,000 new and replacement homes will have been built, including one major park and three new public squares, so the future of Elephant & Castle is being moulded for the next generation. Not to mention the already big student population consisting of students from surrounding universities; London South Bank University, London College of Communication and London School of Science and Technology. 

What are the transport links like in Elephant and Castle?

Although Elephant & Castle is known for its unpleasantly busy yet very famous roundabout, the transport links to the area are brilliant. Both the Northern and Bakerloo lines are situated at Elephant & Castle, however the Night Tube doesn’t stop there. The closest Night Tube station is Southwark which is a 14 minute walk to Elephant & Castle. There is a huge number of buses going to and from the area, too. From Tooting all the way to Shoreditch, the buses from Elephant & Castle run all day.

What fitness activities and gyms are on offer in Elephant and Castle?

There are three gyms in the area, all within walking distance of the Elephant & Castle tube station. GymBox has a trendy vibe with a sprint track and resident DJs (yes, that’s an actual thing) playing workout tunes, Snap Fitness gives strength training and 24 hour access to their members and The Castle Centre has recently been redeveloped to give way to their brand new indoor cycling studio and spa. Another great feature of living in Elephant and Castle is that all Southwark borough residents are now able to use the leisure, swim and gym facilities for free in six of the leisure centres, meaning you don’t have to feel guilty about not turning up to that 9am spin class you booked 3 three weeks ago.

Letting agents in Elephant & Castle

Oakmans Estate Agents

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Resooma

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Urbanest UK

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The Stay Club

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The Nido Collection

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Bethnal Student Living

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Neighbouring areas to Elephant & Castle