A South London estate agent feels their area is now filled with office workers commuting to Canary Wharf, with the rise in rent leaving local shops on the high street empty.
Blackheath Village sits on the border of Lewisham and Greenwich boroughs, with the station only a 15-minute train away from London Bridge.
Known for its large park and farmer’s market on weekends, locals said they have noticed a change in the type of shops in the town’s village over the years.
Jeremy Comber, 65, started Comber and Co estate agents 40 years ago in Blackheath Village.
The business owner said that locals have told him about an increase in commuting office workers living in the area, as corporate jobs in the city became more prevalent.
He told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “They don’t like [the change]. It used to be very much for Guardian readers and professional artists and that’s sort of gone.
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"And that’s because of Canary Wharf, and what’s happened is that’s what’s pushed prices up.”
He added: “Unfortunately, the rise in rents and greedy landlords means you’re getting empty shops here.
"So people think it’s the land of milk and honey, but it isn’t.
"You’ve got specialists like knicker shops and chocolate shops, but they don’t survive because there’s not enough footfall for them.”
Mr Comber said that internet shopping has also affected local businesses in the area, which have since been replaced by restaurants and bars.
The owner said he is the last independent estate agent left in the village.
He said: “I say to everybody that I’m p****d off. I’d like to get out, but where would I go and live? Where would you go that’s any better?”
Hafsa Meho, lettings manager for Foxtons estate agents in Blackheath, told the LDRS that the features of the village and nearby universities have made it an attractive area to live in.
She said: “Lewisham has been undergoing a huge regeneration which has transformed the area and had an influence on neighbouring areas too.
"The ease of connectivity into the business districts of London, including railway, DLR and buses makes it a convenient location for renters.
"Prices have had a significant uplift in the last year, however this is reflective of the general market conditions across London and the UK.”
Keith Hedley, 56, has been the general manager of The Crown pub in Blackheath for 20 years.
The local said multiple spaces in the village have “changed hands over the years”, but that The Crown is just busy as it was 20 years ago.
Mr Hedley said: “You get to the weekend and then it goes crazy. People come from all over the place on the weekends… From Friday night until Sunday afternoon it’s quite a busy place.
"And of course we’ve got the heath as well, there’s always something going on there.”
Jeanette Darrell, 72, works as a volunteer at Age Exchange in Blackheath Village.
The space has been in the area for 40 years and serves as a café and community centre, aimed at supporting those living with dementia.
She told the LDRS: “I think when they come in here, they say that it’s a very welcoming and friendly atmosphere. I think the village itself has got a lovely atmosphere and on the weekend it seems to come alive.”
Having worked with the charity for over 30 years, Ms Darrell said she has also noticed a change on the high street.
She said: “A lot of the restaurants have closed, you see a difference in the type of shops that have gone and the ones that are opening now.
"The banks have closed too, which is a nuisance because we have to bank every week. So now we have to go to Lewisham or to the post office, which is inconvenient. There has been a lot of change over the last few years.”
Aside from the nearby Jubilee line and DLR in Greenwich allowing commuters to get to Canary Wharf, Ms Darrell said changes to the Southeastern Railway services at Blackheath station in December, which have stopped trains going directly to Charing Cross, have had a “big impact” on residents.
She said: “It’s affected a lot of the locals… People were really, really upset and worried about what was going to happen because it’s cutting them off really.”
A Southeastern spokesperson told the LDRS: “Our timetable is designed to best serve customers across our network, based on changing demand.
"When we updated it in December 2022 it was with that in mind. All trains on the Woolwich line now go to London Cannon Street – allowing us to reduce congestion at busy junctions and give better punctuality and fewer cancellations overall.
“We know that for some of our customers the lack of a direct off peak service to Charing Cross will be less convenient, which is why we’ve ensured that there are frequent trains from London Bridge to London Charing Cross”.
Labour Councillor Amanda De Ryk, who represents the Blackheath ward, is also a trustee of Age Exchange, and described the space as a “hub” for village life.
She told the LDRS that she and fellow councillors were eager to work with local businesses to help promote them in the area.
She said: “The area is particularly vibrant at the weekend with lots of locals and others attracted to the bars, shops and farmer’s market.
"The village has proved attractive to lots of different retailers but it’s true that independents might struggle with the higher rents that are charged by landlords marketing a place that is considered a ‘destination’.”
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