Time Out rated the best neighbourhoods in London in a special feature "Neighbourhood Watch" published this week. Brackenbury, W6, comes in the 5th place in the magazine's ranking, after Walthamstow Village, Queen's Park, Stoke Newington and Herne Hill.

Time Out selected the areas because of "their aesthetic charms, affordability and the word of vociferous locals who swear they wouldn't live anywhere else". Balham, Deptford and Bow are also in the list, but after Brackenbury.

Brackenbury, according to the magazine, "has the kind of neighbourly feel more often found in the 'burbs." "It's the kind of first-names-only zone where the girl in the deli knows how you like your latte and the corner shop has notice in the window advertising the school fÊte. Yet it's still in Zone 2 and close to the heart of town".

Sorry neighbours, but Time Out continues: "Des res without being twee in the Mum, Dad and a shaggy dog way of nearby Chiswick, it's also more sensibly shod than the Jimmy Choo-ed Notting Hill".

The magazine mentions as local features various shops, pubs (Anglesea Arms and The Andover Arms) and restaurants, apart of Hammersmith Grove, Shepherd's Bush Empire and the Bush Theatre.

With the highest rate in aesthetics (8) because of its Victorian cottages, qualified as "villagey and leafy", Brackenbury worse point is affordability, with an average price for a two-bed flat of £220,000-400,000. Also high, according to the Time Out's ranking, is its community spirit with street parties, everyone knowing each other and local events.

The Ravenscourt Park guaranteed the area a 5 in terms of green spaces. For crime and safety, Brackenbury also had the highest point (7) among the eight neighbourhoods. But transport had only 4 points, despite been handy for both the M4 and M40 and three close tube stations. Points were given by local residents.

For more about the neighbourhood: read also Brackenbury Resident's Association Newsletter

...............................................The scores in Time Out