Part of history
Great shopping
B
romley, historically part of the Kent county, has plenty to offer history buffs. The arrival of the railway at Shortlands in the middle of the 19th century changed Bromley’s destiny to be an important local centre of commerce.
E
ach of the town centres in the borough has its own character; the villagey feel of Petts Wood, Hayes and Chatterton Village; the champions of the independents like West Wickham and Orpington; and the larger town centres of Bromley and Beckenham. Add on Orpington’s Nugent retail park and Bromley’s The Glades and there’s really something for everyone.
Green spaces
Keeping healthy
A
s the largest London borough by area, Bromley has over 100 parks and open spaces. These range from the iconic like Crystal Palace Park and High Elms to unspoilt nature reserves like Jubilee Country Park, Farnborough Fields and Keston Common to name a few.
W
ith so many green spaces, parks and cycle facilites, plus a range of leisure facilities, there’s no shortage of places for fitness enthusiasts to walk, run, swim or cycle. Plus we’ve got outdoor gyms in places like Anerley and Farnborough – and not forgetting the abundance of golf centres – including mini golf options for the kids!
Housing for all
G N I V O L AL: LOC
Celebrating
B
romley has a staggering array of different housing options from rented flats, affordable family homes all the way up to enviable mansion-like piles.
Great reads
A
ll of the borough’s town centres have some sort of library offering and there are a number which offer meeting rooms and coworking spaces, plus interesting exhibitions, talks and events.
A creative spark
W
e’re proud that the legendary David Bowie called Bromley home and we’re certainly keeping his artistic legacy going throughout the borough. From the creative workspace that Contingent Works offers, to venues such as The Ripley Arts Centre and more drama, crafting and singing workshops than you can shake a stick at.
Places of worship
Family days out
F
rom Christmas Tree Farm for animal lovers, to Crofton Roman Villa and Charles Darwin (Down House) for history fans, there’s a whole host of things to do with the kids, many of them free or very affordable. And when rain is forecast, we’ve always got the theatres, leisure centres and cinema complexes to keep us entertained!
New developments
T
he borough is continually developing in response to demand – and we’re not just talking about residential property. In Bromley’s Elmfield Road for example, the Commercial Park Group is overseeing an ambitious commercial development. In Phase 1 alone, the redevelopment of Wells House will deliver 96,213 sq ft of Grade A office space. Exciting times ahead!
B
romley is home to around 130 churches of all denominations, some of which date from the 11th century. Other religions are also represented in the borough like the Bromley Reform Synagogue and the Al-Emaan Centre.
26 Life in... BROMLEY March 2022
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