Ealing (W5/W13) is probably fortunate in that much of its housing stock is relatively modern being built in the 20th century. Most of this housing stock is family sized. Because of this and, arguably, just a few small factories it became a middle-income stronghold. Much of this remains.We also enjoy a large number of open spaces, some of which, in my opinion, are too open, that is, near treeless.W5/W13 is also relatively low-rise domestic building which is slowly being eroded (and I think some of it is possibly illegal in terms of density).Anyway the legacy from in the last century is where we are today. Department stores flourished until we all got our cars and could drive to cheaper retail outlets. Ealing had a professional theatre in The Broadway which in turn became a cinema, and then was demolished, and the site redeveloped as the largest W H Smith of its time. I suppose one can say we don't have any cinemas in Ealing either, let alone a professional theatre, the Questors, although quite good, is amateur.Ealing's crime rate is lower than average for London and educationally Ealing does reasonably well. There are also a lot of good private schools in Ealing and some of the very best senior private schools in the country are only seven stations away on the District Line from Ealing Broadway.Ealing has fantastic (well almost) transport links by all forms of transport to all those less fortunate places.Ealing has faults of course; domestic parking for those properties generally built before the 1930s, the loss of the aerodrome, racecourse (that wasn't in W5/W13), and through District Railway trains to Windsor. On balance, Ealing is still relatively affordable in terms of personal security, pleasantness (forum excepted perhaps) and most basic requirements, food and such, can be purchased locally. What makes Ealing "value for money" is that we pay for basic (nrmal day-to-day) local needs, not for the cost of "nice to have" but rarely visited luxury shops and facilities. Having said that Winchmore Hill, St John's Wood, and parts of Hampstead are rather nice. Areas of Epping are nice as well - if you don't mind isolation and living at the edge of the civilized world!
Alan Brainsby ● 6100d