I studied at Goldsmiths for both my Bachelor’s Degree and Masters Degree between 2012 and 2017, which were some of the best years of my teens and early 20s.
Being a local already gave me a bit of an insight to the area, but after having spent a lot more time in New Cross than anywhere else during those years I really got to know the area.
Whilst some of my favourite spots like The Greenhouse have since closed, the area is still home to many of my favourite places that I visited and spent much time during my university years.
Here’s a guide to the local area of Goldsmiths and what you need to know:
Trains: New Cross Gate and New Cross stations are both within 10 minutes walk of the campus and can get you to most central London places like London Bridge, Cannon Street and Victoria.
Buses: The area is served by a number of bus routes, with many going to central London like the 436 which takes you all the way to Oxford Street.
Overground: The London Overground is accessible via both New Cross and New Cross Gate Station.
DLR: The area is served by DLR from Deptford station, where you can travel to points like Canary Wharf, Bank and Greenwich.
Things to Know
Local libraries: Goldsmiths has its own on-site library, but you can also find a number of other libraries in Lewisham as well as in Greenwich.
But if you need something more specific, The British Library is accessible via tube from London Bridge Station.
Shopping: The area has a decent amount of places to get groceries, from indie shops to big supermarkets like Sainsbury’ and Iceland, all within easy walking distance of many of the halls of residence.
The area also has a large TK Maxx and B&M, where you can find things like homeware and other halls supplies you might need.
Where to drink
When it comes to pubs, New Cross certainly does have a lot of them, if you want to head out of the Student Union bar and explore.
One pub that was a personal favourite of mine over the years was New Cross House, with its laid-back beer garden and stone baked pizzas.
But if it’s that classic pub with pub fare you’re after, The Marquis of Granby was always a popular haunt for me and my friends post-lectures.
If it’s cocktails you want, Little Nan’s in Deptford is just a 15-minute walk from the university and does some of the most unusual and nostalgic cocktails, with an eclectic 90s themed décor to match.
But if you’re looking for somewhere to visit outside of New Cross, Greenwich is easy to get to from New Cross or Deptford, and Greenwich would be my top choice either by the 188 bus or DLR from Deptford.
Greenwich is not only great for night life, with a huge amount of historic pubs and cocktail spots, but it’s also a great place to head to during the weekends, with plenty of coffee shops with WIFI to work from.
Where To Eat
New Cross does have plenty of places to eat when it comes to takeaways, breakfasts and pub fare.
But If you’re looking for variety, I suggest taking a bus or walking to Deptford, where you’ll find a huge selection of places to eat like Korean food from Kileg, or sourdough pizzas from Sodo Pizza.
Deptford has one of the broadest selection of foods in the area, with a real mix of food from every region and reasonable prices too.
Things to do
New Cross is well situated to give you the option to head into places like Greenwich with its local history or Shoreditch High Street with its popular market and places to eat and drink.
Alternatively, if you’re looking for an activity that doesn’t break the bank and something that you can do with your halls friends, AMF Bowling in Lewisham is worth a visit.
You can get there by the 321 bus from outside the University towards Lewisham, stopping at Belmont Hill, right near the bowling alley, and unlike many bowling spots in London this is a lot more affordable and convenient when it comes to bowling.
If you’re an art lover, the local areas of New Cross, Brockley and Lewisham feature a huge variety of street art, with street art trails online, and the best part is these trails have a huge variety of eateries and pubs if you need to stop off at any point.
On the weekends, Deptford Market is always worth a visit to find local produce, food and to explore the local area, or if you feel like venturing a bit further then Brockley Market, which runs on Saturdays from 10am-2pm, is also worth a visit.
