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Streatham Hill railway is one of the three stations in the Brixton Streatham Hill area. It measures almost 6 miles (5 miles 57 chains) from the railway terminus London Victoria. The first railway station opened in 1856 as Streatham. In 1868, the name changed to Streatham & Brixton Hill. The current name is used starting with 1869. The opening of the station kick-started the urban development in the Brixton Streatham Hill area. The other stations were built 15 years later. Telford Park and Roupell Park, named after the Roupell family, were two of the largest estates in this South West London area. They were not just spacious but also equipped with facilities such as tennis clubs.
Brixton Streatham Hill was called Bristow Causeway. The name changed in the 19th century. The area is part of an old Roman road that is now known as the London to Brighton Way. St Andrew’s church was built in 1854, St Peter’s was built in 1879, and St Margaret the Queen’s in 1889. After World War I, this SW2 area became known for its entertainment centers. It had the Streatham Hill Theater, a few cinemas, an ice rink, and a ballroom. The theater is now a bingo hall and the ballroom was Caesar’s nightclub before it closed in 2010.
The longest and busiest South West London shopping street in the 1950s was in this area. The first supermarket in the UK opened here in 1951. The famous Pratts store that evolved from a Victorian draper’s shop into a department store was also here. It closed in 1990. Brixton Streatham Hill has a nice variety of pubs and restaurants serving different types of cuisines. There’s a Japanese restaurant opened by a Master Chef winner, a tapas restaurant, numerous cafes, pubs, and bistros. Hideaway is a famous local jazz venue.