It just doesn't get any more central than Charing Cross, which functions as the exact centre of London for the purposes of measuring distance to other neighbourhoods and cities. This tiny neighbourhood surrounds the junction of Whitehall, the Strand, and Cockspur Street.
This is a commercial and tourist area more than a residential one.
There are higher levels of crime and antisocial behaviour in this area than in Westminster as a whole, but this is a function of the fact that there is a very high concentration of tourist attractions and nighttime destinations, which receive huge numbers of visitors throughout the year. Besides rubbish/litter, the rest of the top ASB complaints are noise related.
It's hard to imagine a more difficult place to try to drive, nevermind park a car. Charing Cross is well within the congestion charge zone.
In the heart of the West End, you could not be better positioned for nightlife. Pubs, bars, clubs, theatre, and restaurants all provide entertainment into the wee hours, and those who live in Charing Cross will not have to suffer the indignities of night buses or Uber surge fares to get home.
Most primary school pupils in this general area attend Westminster schools, but most secondary school students are educated privately or outside the Tri-borough. Residents complain of noise and litter issues. Though the area itself is built up and often crowded, the Thames is on your doorstep, and parks including St. James's are very close by.
Though the area itself is built up and often crowded, the Thames is on your doorstep, and parks including St. James's are very close by.
This is the dead centre of London, with most anything you could possibly need within walking distance. The largest percentage of residents of St. James's ward even travel to work on foot. Still, Charing Cross Tube (Zone 1, Bakerloo and Northern Lines) and rail stations, as well as numerous buses, offer connections further afield. One can also walk to many other Tube stations, including Covent Garden (Piccadilly Line), Leicester Square (Piccadilly and Northern Lines), Embankment (Circle, District, Northern, and Bakerloo Lines) and Holburn (Piccadilly and Central Lines).