Gay Camberwell

by Layla

Househunting in Camberwell at the moment is a tad disappointing - not many properties on the market, and at massive cost. I suppose the latter is encouraging - it means that Camberwell is on the up - and we were very happy to see our lovely gay neighbours featured in a recent newspaper housing supplement singing the joys of SE5 (though we were jealous of the interior of their flat)... and so scouring the pages of Rightmove has become a new hobby and we plan to spend today visiting various properties. Last week, curious about one of them, I cycled past and stood by my bike, peering nosily at it. Soon a man, who in other settings would deservedly have been described as 'a dodgy character' sidled up to me. 


"Wot you lookin' at, love?"
"That house that's for sale"
"You should buy it - it'll be worth more than a few bob in a couple of years. This part of Camberwell's up and coming. On account of that new school development, see."
"Yes... but I think it looks a bit like a prison..."
"Naw, it's not a prison. Look at that, wot you call it, terrace. Proper nice, that'll be in the summer. Here, did you hear about that chap that died? The house programme chap. You know, the gay one?"
"Er, no, what happened?"
"They dunno. He was only about 30. They're investigatin' the death. Maybe it was on account of him bein' gay."
"In what way?"
"Eh I dunno. Don't think there's a gay disease or nuthin'... maybe he was gay bashed, eh? I hope not - it's shocking what goes on. These people should be put away."
"What the gay people?"
"Naw, don't be stupid. The gay bashers."
At that moment the owner of the house we'd both been gazing at turned up and opened the gate, which was made of iron bars and closed with a clang.
"Eh, you're right love. It does look a bit like a prison."
And with that he strolled off.

We're going to see that property today. Maybe it'll be fate...


Speaking of up and coming, Roz and I climbed up the hill last Sunday to Hoopers Bar. We'd heard much of this bar, which claims an SE5 postcode yet perches atop a hill in the posh triangle where Camberwell meets East Dulwich in an enclave of large and beautiful houses. They have several music events, and comedy on the last Sunday of the month. A curious bar. We'll put up a review soon. It feels like a proper local bar, like the one in the village in Scotland where I grew up, but incongruously full of rather posh people. The comedy was quite good, though they did make the error of putting the best comedian on first. However it was free and they had a nice range of beers, so frankly we were grateful anyway. We strolled home afterwards past the big houses and wondered why we can only afford to buy a prison-like property...