Local Area Guide

Orpington

In the London Borough of Bromley, Orpington is a suburban town on the south eastern edge of London.

Just 15 miles from central London and with just over five miles to the M25, Orpington gives residents easy access to the capital, as well as the countryside beyond London’s sprawl.

So, could Orpington be the right area for you? Read our area guide to find out more.

Are there local transport links nearby?

The town has great transport links to both central London, the surrounding districts and beyond into Kent. 

Orpington is a great location if you’re looking to commute to central London – We have two train stations, you can get to the capital’s centre in around 30 minutes (12 minute on the fast train). Orpington railway station connects residents to Charing Cross, and London Bridge and St Mary Cray Station connects to London Victoria

Further afield, services run to Ashfield International in just over an hour and Tunbridge Wells in just over half an hour.

There are two other stations within a three mile radius too – Petts Wood, and Chelsfield.

The area also benefits from a regular bus service, connecting Orpington to many neighbouring districts, such as Beckenham, Bexleyheath, Bromley, Catford, Chislehurst, Crystal Palace, Dartford, Hayes, Lewisham, Penge, Sidcup, St Mary Cray, Swanley, Welling and Woolwich. Find out more here.

Plus, with the M25 just over five miles away, it’s possible to travel from Orpington to areas further afield by car.

What's the local food and drink scene like?

If you’re looking for somewhere to eat or drink in Orpington, you won’t be disappointed. The area has some great restaurants, pubs and bars – as well as easy access by train to other London districts for an evening out.

Restaurants in Orpington include; Hisar Mezze Bar, serving Turkish cuisine, Osteria Da Fabrizio offering authentic Italian dishes and Fiesta Mexicana.

Orpington also has a great selection of traditional pubs such as, The Royal Oak, The Black Horse, Ye Olde Whyte Lyon and The Woodman.

There’s also Café Panacea, a cosy coffee and wine lounge – perfect for a lazy afternoon.

How does Orpington rate for sport and leisure facilities?

There are plenty of sports and leisure facilities in Orpington. One of the best facilities is Walnuts Leisure Centre, which has two swimming pools, a sauna and steam room, an 80 station gym, squash courts, a five-court sports hall and a specialist dojo for martial arts, as well as offering a wide range of fitness classes. The centre is also home to the Orpington Gymnastic Club.

Also, there’s Priory Sports Centre, which has a floodlit, synthetic pitch for hockey and football, three outdoor tennis courts, two netball courts, four outdoor cricket nets and a sports hall with gymnasium/fitness suite and dance studio.

If you’re a keen golfer, Orpington is a great location. The area has three nearby golf courses; High Elms Golf Course, Chelsfield Lakes Golf Course and Lullingstone Park Golf Course.

If you enjoy swimming, the Orpington Ojays Swimming Club could be for you, catering for everyone from beginners to those wishing to compete at a national level.

Or, if Badminton is more your thing, you could try Orpington Badminton Club.

What can you do on a sunny day?

Despite being on the outskirts of London, there are quite a few parks in the district of Bromley – those nearest to Orpington include; The Priory Gardens (as pictured above), Grassmead Recreation Ground, Goddington Park, Poverest Park, Pets Wood Recreation Ground and Roundabout Wood.

What can you do on a rainy day?

If it rains in Orpington, there’s plenty to keep you entertained. Orpington Palace Superbowl is perfect for a rainy afternoon. A new 7 screen cinema complex will also open its door in 2016

Or, you could head into central London for fantastic shopping and world class attractions such as, Madame Tussauds and the London Dungeons.

What's Orpington like for food and retail shopping?

Orpington has a range of supermarkets to choose from including; Tesco, Sainsbury’s, Waitrose Cooperative Food.

Along Orpington High Street, you’ll find a great selection of big name retailers such as Boots, WH Smith, Wilko and Argos.

The town also has a range of shopping centres, such as Walnuts Shopping Centre and Nugent Shopping Park.

What does Orpington offer in terms of entertainment?

Orpington is a town with plenty going on. Take a look at the Orpington events calendar – featuring a wide selection of events, from dance workshops to live music.

Just less than ten miles away in Beckenham, there’s the Odeon Cinema showing all the latest films.

Are there decent local amenities such as libraries and health centres?

Orpington has all the local amenities you could need. There’s Orpington Library, offering fiction, non-fiction, free internet access and children’s activities.

There’s also plenty of health centres in the area, such as The Charter House Surgery, Ballater Surgery and Crosshall Surgery. 

What's the local traffic and parking like?

For London, traffic in Orpington is relatively good. There are also around six car parks in central Orpington – ranging from free car parks to up to £6 for two hours.

How well is the area served by primary and secondary schools?

If you have children, you’ll be pleased to know that Orpington has an excellent selection of schools.

The primary schools in the area include; Perry Hall Primary School, Crofton Junior School and Tubbenden Primary School.

For secondary schools, there’s; Priory School, an academy rated as ‘Good’ by OFSTED, St Olave’s Grammar School and Newstead Grammar School both rated as ‘Outstanding’ by OFSTED and Darrick Wood School, an academy and specialist technology college, also rated by OFSTED as ‘Outstanding’.

To find out more about buying a property in Orpington, call or visit the local Andrews branch.