To find the suburbs a bit depressing?

I'm with you OP. We did eventually move out of the city but the only place we really both liked was semi-rural with a great view and a regular bus route. Looked as loads of suburban housing before but I'd feel depressed as soon as I was there. Feels very isolating to me. And I would still rather be in the city centre if we could afford a big enough place

I think many cities the world over are run down and certainly dirty.

I agree with others- not all suburbs are the same.
I can be in the heart of the city or the airport in 20 minutes, but live surrounded by ancient woodland.
I can see deer from my window, the only sound at night are owls.
The small estate is clean and safe, I have never seen a single piece of litter or a dog poop on the pavements in 7 years living here.
My house is spacious and I have a garden.
Not much I would change.

I feel the same OP!

Suburbs where there's no public transport is very stifling. Don't blame anyone for not liking that to be fair.

Nice suburbs in London and other cities are fine - as you can actually go out to places and then come back to the peace and quiet.

Cool story bro.

We had a park, decent high street & transport links within a short walk.

Living somewhere isolated or where you have to drive for everything would depress me.

I find most of the UK grey, wet, and depressing. Everything seems to look run down and dirty.
I'd move abroad if I had the money/qualifications.

As pp said, each to his own.

My DH and I love living in the suburbs.

We both grew up in cities (London) we moved away and now I love living in the suburbs of Birmingham.

A short drive or train ride to all the charms of a city, be that theatre, ballet, Michelin star restaurants, China town or terrific street food, cocktails, shopping etc all on our doorstep.
Similarly we can walk from home and be in parkland, woodland, canals or lake sides, hills, forests and nature reserves.

Our home has a bigger garden than if we were in either city, the streets here are peaceful and we are happy.

But do drop your phone number and I’ll be sure to run it by you op before we move!

If this is your only hassle in life, you are living a charmed life. Or you’re a busybody who loves to be smug about your superior lifestyle.

I don't really understand what the suburbs are. I grew up in z3 in a leafy area with roads full of identical housing & classed it as the suburbs as it wasn't like central London.

Same with me. I grew up on a naice modern housing estate in the suburbs and it was so, so dull. Absolutely nothing to do, had to drive everywhere which was very restrictive. I go back to visit and it feels suffocating, like someone holding a pillow over my face.

I've been living in my current big city for 9 years and I LOVE it. I feel so happy and alive every time I walk out of my front door. I could buy a bloody mansion in the suburbs for the cost of my city center garden flat, but I'd never want to.

I often joke with DH that if I can throw a rock an hit my neighbour, I don't also want to have to drive to get milk. If I have to drive everywhere I want to be in the arse end of nowhere where I can't see or hear my neighbours.

I thought the “local high street” had a bit of a revival during covid when you couldn’t travel
far. People shopping locally, supporting their local businesses, city centres dead as no one going into work.

I can get pretty much most things in my suburb but town is there if I need it. It’s nice meeting a friend for coffee and not needing to pay crazy prices for parking, and there are more lovely independent places here than in town due to the high rents.

I think the suburb i live in is pretty dreary but it is walking distance of train line, bus route, secondary, sports facilities, and a few local shops/pubs, countryside and a market town. So its convenient. Not as pretty as the rural villages or as intersting as the town. But cheaper.

Completely agree, I’ve never been to a suburb I didn’t find soulless and depressing.

Not knocking anyone who lives in one, as plenty of my friends and family do, I just personally wouldn’t want to given the choice. For the same money I’d rather have a smaller home in a more “authentic” (sorry can’t think of another word) area, be that a city flat, a townhouse, or somewhere in the country.

We live in the suburbs of a vibrant city but I am counting down the days till we can sell up and buy a tiny flat in zone 1 or 2. It’s the people of suburbs that depress me and I’m terrified to turn into one of them 😅

Mmmm...you sound a tad snooty..a lot of people including myself are happy and grateful to be living in the burbs. Two minutes across the bottom of my road and there's 3 huge water meadows plus a river meandering through. 4 minute walk and there's a canal with narrow boats poodling along. Another minute gives us out of town shopping supermarket etc.
It's safe and clean and the neighbours are lovely.
I've lived in the big country house and small ones and I love the suburbs. Each to their own needs.

When I think of suburbs I think of the Dursley house in Harry Potter

I think it depends a lot on whether there are shops and things to do. The kind that are just endless streets of houses where you have to drive everywhere are depressing. Overall I'd rather be in the middle of a city, or even in the middle of the countryside where it would at least be beautiful, than in one of those suburbs which is just houses broken up by the odd little park.

I agree

Well, yes if it’s one of those grey, depressing places off a dual carriageway or with loads of industrial estates around but I also find city centres depressing.

I live in a suburb and love it.

Mind you, it's not in south London.

I'm not sure what classes as a suburb these days. We live in a commuter town 40 miles from London. Yes there is lots of 1930's housing , our house is a 1930s semi.

But we have coastal walks , countryside walks , a few parks , boutique shops plus larger supermarkets and lots of restaurants and bars all within a short walk of our house. We rarely have to use our car.

My sister lives in Blackheath - that seems like it would be described as a suburb and it's lovely with lots of lovely walks ( we walked for miles when we stayed with her ) and nice shops and restaurants.

I'm dying to know where OP lives!

I do. Towns and cities usually have character and a sense of community. Those endless 1950s suburbs are a bit dull in comparison.

But I'm sure some people like them as they are very convenient.

I used to live in a Zone 3 London suburb with Victorian housing. It was an easy commute to central London for work or nightlife and had plenty of shops, bars, restaurants, parks etc. close by. I now live in a Zone 5 London suburb with 1930s housing. It is a longer commute but still in walking distance of a pleasant High Street with chains, independents, restaurants etc. but also in walking distance of woods and fields.
I would always want to live in a suburb.

It's perfectly okay not to want to live in a suburb. I do find myself getting a bit "itchy" when people make generally negative statements about entire areas/populations etc simply because it's not for them. It's fine not to want to live in a certain area. It's not okay to be judgemental of people who do or the areas they live in.

Like you, I don't particularly like most suburbs abut I completely understand why lots of people choose them because they can get all the benefits of the city but live in larger/nicer homes. Good for them.

I live in Surrey becuase I wanted to be close enough to London but wanted a lot more space and I like the little villages etc. I totally get that a lot of people would rather push hot pokers into their eyes.

I have friends who have moved to the country and have the big garden, an outside gym, a swimming pool and a huge vegetable garden. They are super happy. But they have to plan their shopping/days out/ meals out in advance as it's too far to do anything spontaneously. Doesn't work for me.

It really is each to their own.