h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

Hardly dumpy. Having been brought up in the less trendy bit of Ealing (by trendy read 'safe' and call it Acton not Ealing) I have since lived around London and the South and found even the 'poshest' places such as Guildford mediocre versions at best- the very mention of the place makes people go misty eyed and talk about how they are moving there/want to move there but cannot afford it. They love it!! Over the last 5 years or so it has really gained a following and prices are the 2nd highest in Greater London (hence thye lack of 'help'- it is utterly gentrified). It averages the best GCSEs in its state schools, has a pretty decent shopping centre now, the festival and pubs have people coming from islington to use them (!!!)- not to mention famed curry houses from the Brilliant to Monty's ... the only weakness is the hospitals (which seem to kill more than they cure if you believe the papers). Provided you don't get ill, you should survive well.

i agree with you on the hospital front, if i collapsed outside ealing hospital i would do all in my power to get as far away from it as possible. And yes Ealing is on the whole safer than Acton, but i wouldn't agree that the shopping centre is any good, i only go shopping there because im too lazy to go anywhere else.

ITs also true that ealing isn't short of coffee bars and restaurants, but once you take them away it doesn't leave much.

I was also taking about Ealing as a whole which includes West Ealing - which has pound shops everywhere and South Ealing, and Ealing Common, not just Ealing Broadway.

Thanks for the comments