While Peckham will always feel like home, the athletics season is in the middle and each week is currently in a different country.
I was born and raised here, so this is where I go to unwind, eat, have fun, and see my grandmother.
I’d love to start a family here someday, but it’s currently rather pricey to find a place to live in the Peckham area.
A meal and a beverage
Prince of Peckham on Clayton Road is my favorite bar; it’s a great place to hang out in the summer but is also great all year round.
I have been visiting there for years since they have the finest chicken wings in London, terrific music, and fantastic events.
Little Kudu is a cozy pub that’s perfect for dates and is located at the former Smokey Kudu location on Queen’s Road.
The Kudu restaurant across the street is also excellent.
Everyone can find something to enjoy in Peckham Levels on Rye Lane.
It’s crazy because it’s the old parking lot that my mother and I frequently visited.
A dynamic community area for music, parties, and food, it is now all colorful.
Jollof rice, suya, and plantain are available in the Nigerian eatery Plantain Kitchen on Rye Lane.
I’m a pretty hard critic because I’m half Nigerian, but it’s really good there.
Additionally, JB’s Soul Food serves authentic Caribbean cuisine on the high street.
It’s one of my favorite places, and all the locals frequent it.
Everyone thinks sportsmen are like robots, but we do have downtime, and if I choose where to eat during that time, I always choose one of these nearby restaurants.
Where I exercise
In my capacity as a professional athlete, I rarely work out for leisure.
Typically, it takes place in highly controlled settings.
My passion for sports, though, was undoubtedly born in Peckham.
Although it is crowded and built up, there are numerous green areas, like Peckham Rye Park.
There, we played lots of family cricket games, and I initially practiced sprinting with my father.
Afrobeats Yoga at Hot Yoga in Peckham Rye has also received positive feedback from friends, so I’m eager to give it a go soon.
Imani-Lara’s family used to have family cricket games in Peckham Rye Park, where she also learned to sprint with her father.
A relationship with nature
Of course, there is Peckham Rye Park and Common, but there are other several park areas to explore.
The Sexby Garden is incredibly peaceful, with lovely flowers, and gives you the impression that you’re in another country.
It’s one of my favorite spots—a true natural area tucked away in the middle of the metropolis.
Additionally, Camberwell’s parks are nearby, and Dulwich Park is not far.
Food shopping
Between Peckham Rye and the main drag is Rye Lane Market.
When I need ingredients from my country, Nigeria, or the Caribbean that are hard to find elsewhere, this is where I turn.
My mother used to haggle with the butchers there, as I recall.
You can feel the strong emphasis on culture and cuisine in this location on the high street.
Even while there are large chains like Morrisons and Iceland, I greatly prefer to shop locally whenever I can.
For a grasp on culture
I just saw Sarah Sze’s play The Waiting Room, which takes place in a Victorian waiting room at Peckham Rye station and features an ambient sphere of several flickering screens that explore how we interact with technology and our smartphones.
I had to go to that one after seeing it all over TikTok; the trip is definitely worthwhile.
Since I was a baby, Peckham Plex has offered tickets for £4.99, and the Library is a must-see.
That’s the first site that comes to mind when I think about Peckham; it’s a massive copper and steel structure where I have a lot of memories.
Local charity Peckham Platform organizes workshops and artistic events; last year’s Small Island Vibes weekend in Peckham Square featured excellent visual and performing arts.
Jumbi, a restaurant in Copeland Park behind the Bussey Building, is another option for those who enjoy music, retro records, and a fun atmosphere. Also good is the meal. There are a ton of secret places.
Those who enjoy music and positive energy should check out Jumbi in the Copeland Park by Daniel Lynch.
Moving about
I have a car since my grandmother appears to have enough free parking spaces for everyone.
Peckham Rye station on the Overground also allows me to go quickly to central London.
Dream Road
Anywhere in the vicinity of Bellenden Road’s “Bellenden Village,” a collection of streets featuring Victorian and Edwardian residences.
What I adore about Peckham is that it has both the bustle of a busy high street and a quiet avenue lined with gorgeous period homes, creating a small haven of peace.
Something peculiar to Peckham
London is known for its blending of cultures, but Peckham truly feels like one cohesive neighborhood.
No matter when they lived there or what they do, everyone is in agreement.
I’ve lived in many various areas and have yet to experience a sense of community like there is here.
Nowhere is like Peckham.
Why is there a catch?
It is constantly hectic and never sleeps.
With all the gentrification in recent years, it has gained a lot of popularity and some notoriety as a nighttime tourist destination.
It’s the spot for you if you enjoy the mayhem of London. If you don’t, it might not be.
It feels a lot busier and has a lot more going on every summer, and it now reminds me of Shoreditch.
Although it was not an attractive area to live in when I was growing up, I would dearly love to buy a property here but I’m just not sure it will be doable.
A former council property now costs half a million pounds to purchase.
In just three words
Home. Community. Colourful.
Imani-Lara, a sprinter for Team GB, will compete in Budapest from August 19 to 27 during the World Athletics Championships.
@imanilara
How much it costs
Purchases in Peckham
Average cost of a condo: £407,510
Cost of a home on average: £872,470
Peckham rental housing
Average monthly rent for an apartment is £1,874 and for a house is £2,955.
Hamptons and Land Registry as sources
Schools
Outstanding is the Ofsted rating for John Donne Primary School and St. Thomas the Apostle College.
All of the schools with the Good rating are Oliver Goldsmith Primary School, Belham Primary, St. James the Great Roman Catholic Primary, Harris Primary Free School, and Harris Academy.
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