Arnold Estate (Bermondsey)

Hi everyone.

I was wondering if anyone is familiar with the Arnold Estate in Bermondsey?

I'm looking to rent a property there but I've never lived on a council estate before. Back home ('up North') the estates are pretty rough, so I'm not sure what to expect.

I've visited and it looks really nice. However, the surrounding estates receive mixed reviews online and I can see there have been a couple of burglaries/instances of anti-social behaviour. It also apparently falls within Bermondsey Boys 'territory'...

I'm not looking to offend anyone - - I'd just really appreciate some inside knowledge of what it's like to live there.

A huge thanks if anyone can help.

Hopefully not too late to chip in... We lived within the Arnold Estate (in Phoenix Wharf Road, so not strictly part of the estate) for 6 years until about a year ago when we moved out of London. We loved it there - the location is perfect for the Saturday markets and restaurants/bars at Ropewalk and Spa Terminus, Bermondsey Street, if that's your sort of thing, and for transport etc, walks along the river, can't be beaten really.

In the 6 years we lived there, the only bad points which stick out are:

1. I had my phone snatched by a kid on a bike while walking down the passage from Jamaica Road/Sweeney Crescent (I should've been taking better care, to be fair)
2. I witnessed a bag snatch once around the same place - a bunch of local kids gave chase!
3. On new year's day 2012 our pizza delivery guy was mugged

I suspect there's quite a bit going on which wouldn't qualify as strictly legal but the Riverside local police are aware of the anti-social behaviour and always seemed to turn up at an opportune moment. Compared to the neighbouring estates I always understood Arnold Estate to have fewer issues requiring attention.

I didn't consider that anything more than perfectly ordinary for 6 years in London, and probably erred on the quiet side, if anything! Would definitely have stayed there if we hadn't had to move away.