Elephant and castle, developing area, full of building sites, new businesses and vibrant culture. This area is located in the London Borough of Southwark and lies within 5 separate wards; Cathedrals, Faraday, East Walworth, Chaucer and Newington. The tube station of the same name is situated at the heart of Elephant & Castle, close to a shopping centre and many restaurants.
Elephant & Castle is home to many attractions and notable places. Some of the most poplar include the Imperial War Museum, The Cuming Museum and the Ministry of Sound. The area also includes two Universities; The London College of Communication and a large part of London Southbank University.
The area has struggled with deprivation over the years. The Borough of Southwark was ranked 41st out 326 Local authorities in England for deprivation (1 being the lowest). In the, Elephant and Castle in particular was noted as suffering very high levels of poverty. One of the wards that Elephant & Castle partially covers, East Walworth ranked in the 10% most deprived areas in the country with parts of Faraday and Newington ranking the top 20%.
Deprivation may be a major reason as to why the average house price in the Elephant & Castle postcodes (SE17, SE1 and SE11) are significantly lower than neighbouring areas and the Southwark average. According to a 2015 report, the average house price in Elephant & Castle was £383,000 significantly less the Southwark average of £742,000 and vastly less than Westminster’s average of £1,145,000.