Active discussions

Meet the Other Phone. Flexible and made to last.

Meet the Other Phone.
Flexible and made to last.

Buy now

Please or to access all these features

Talk
Chat

Join the discussion and chat with other Mumsnetters about everyday life, relationships and parenting.

Original poster

Am I the only person who has never been to London?

227 replies

MamaCrazy · 09/02/2019 03:01

I live in central England. I have never been to London. I have also never been to Birmingham, Manchester, Edinburgh or Glasgow.

Am I the only person to have never been to any of these big cities? By going to them, I mean actually parking and going into the city centres. I have been to Birmingham New Street Station to switch trains.

OP posts:
Lungelady · 09/02/2019 14:10

I live in the north but lived in London for 35 years. Still visit every month.
I hear so many people up north who badmouth London, "posh southerners etc who have never set foot outside their own city...not even to go to beautiful places 15 minutes away on the train.
Insular and .parochial. A bit like saying " I've never read a book in my life and I've done all right. "

Tiscold · 09/02/2019 14:11

But i do have that concept. I'm not including people who can't afford trips or are disbaled.

But my middle class neighbours who earn a rake load of cash never visting anywhere is just shocking really.

MargueritaPink · 09/02/2019 14:21

But my middle class neighbours who earn a rake load of cash never visting anywhere is just shocking really

Your arrogance and false sense of superiority is shocking. It's a pity all the travelling you apparently do has left you so narrow- minded.

blue25 · 09/02/2019 14:30

How can you have no interest in seeing your capital city? Some people are so insular. Get out and explore the world around you!

ineedaholidaynow · 09/02/2019 14:42

I remember when I first moved to Somerset and I was talking to people I worked with, and some of them were saying they had never been to London, and then some of them said they had never been outside Somerset. I was quite shocked

MargueritaPink · 09/02/2019 14:46

How can you have no interest in seeing your capital city? Some people are so insular

You and Tiscold are some pair. Smugly dictating what others should be interested in and condemning those who fail to meet with your approval.

As it happens I love cities like Paris, Amsterdam and London. I love the art galleries, musuems, theatres, shops, restaurants, music venues. I'm not however so arrogant and closed minded not to understand that for many people these things have no appeal and that cities can be noisy, over- crowded, intimidating, aggressive and expensive places.

As for "insular" try taking the plank out of your own eye.

Bubastes · 09/02/2019 14:47

Someone needs a relaxing mini-break...

x2boys · 09/02/2019 14:48

So Londoners explore other cities or is only the people who don't live in London that are insular?....

PortiaCastis · 09/02/2019 14:49

I don't think calling people insular is helpful as financial constraints sometimes do not allow travel especially when public transport is so expensive.
See my example in my last post

Tiscold · 09/02/2019 14:51

But theh can travel and visit where they like. If they don't like cities we've amazing countryside or whatever. But it's sad able bodied people with enough kiney to afford it refuse to leave their own small little world

Tiscold · 09/02/2019 14:52

This reply has been deleted

Message deleted by MNHQ. Here's a link to our Talk Guidelines.

OnTheHop · 09/02/2019 14:55

Plenty of Londoners (and other city dwellers) saying they love visiting other places Confused

Ad it’s fine for people to know what is and isn’t their thing. ‘Tried it, didn’t like it’ or ‘I prefer other sorts of places to explore ‘.

People are questioning slagging places off when you haven’t been and lacking curiosity to go beyond where you live.

And shock horror some of those comments have been by Londoners who are surprised by other Londoners not coming into Central London.

But as long as the ‘evil Londoners in their horrible city’ narrative is upheld, eh!

Kenny33 · 09/02/2019 14:55

I love the art galleries, musuems, theatres, shops, restaurants, music venues. I'm not however so arrogant and closed minded...

You like all these things but don’t like Glasgow, Manchester or Liverpool?

I think you are more arrogant and closed minded than you think.

Kenny33 · 09/02/2019 14:56

Posted without previewing. I’m responding to Margueritapink.

x2boys · 09/02/2019 14:56

Why though Tiscold ,some people are happy living in their own small town or village , and have no desire to travel around you !tightens this boring but if they're happy what's the problem?

Tiscold · 09/02/2019 15:00

I personally think it's insular to not travel, I'm not going to hate them for it or tell them, but not wanting to go anywhere or experience anything is a bit sad and i feel sorry for them tbh.

My main issue is people saying ooh hate London, so smelly etc, but have never been there before. Now that's even more insular and igronant.

@kenny33. Agree, ironic that isn't it.

MargueritaPink · 09/02/2019 15:04

But it's sad able bodied people with enough kiney to afford it refuse to leave their own small little world

It isn't sad. It's none of your business.

You like all these things but don’t like Glasgow, Manchester or Liverpool?

I think you are more arrogant and closed minded than you think.

No what would be arrogant and closed minded would be me telling people that they must visit those cities- they must like them and that they are "insular" if they don't. I personally don't find Glasgow an attractive city. I don't however like Tiscold sneer at people who don't share my preferences for what I do in my leisure time (nor for that matter am I as obsessed by what my neighbours do as she apparently is)

MargueritaPink · 09/02/2019 15:08

kenny33. Agree, ironic that isn't it

No - it isn't "ironic" It would be absolutely bizarre not to find some cities less attractive than others. That's merely a matter of personal taste.

Kenny33 · 09/02/2019 15:11

Margueritapink - Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow all have great museums, galleries, music venues, restaurants and a lot of culture. Sneering at them because they were mostly built in the last couple of years makes you sound arrogant, closed minded and insular.

Annandale · 09/02/2019 15:11

It's just the lack of curiosity and the apparent belief that there couldn't be anything in London that would appeal.

But I admit I'm not a neutral observer as I love visiting London so much. My favourite thing last time I went was visiting Dr Johnson's house just off Fleet Street. But also, so many bits of telly and books flickering through my brain as I walked around. Maxine Peake giving it some in the courtroom as I walked through middle temple. 60s thrillers about hardbitten journalists as I walked up fleet street. So many news stories as i went past the Old Bailey. History lessons as I passed the India Club (first Indian restaurant in the uk). Detective stories set in the West end as I reached drury lane. If you're going slowly, that's about a ten minute stroll.

There are far more homeless people in London now than there were a few years ago, due to political choices. When I first lived in London in 1992 there were vast shanty towns, then it was decided not to tolerate that and things changed. It's more atomised now but there were tents on the pavement all down the Strand.

I can't wait to go to Glasgow. I want to do an art trip and then cycle from Glasgow to Inverness.

Kenny33 · 09/02/2019 15:12

Edit again... I meant last couple of hundred years!

Tiscold · 09/02/2019 15:13

Well you're arrogant and close mjnded as you assumed I'm a female for a start.

Did i say they've to like the cities and fall in love?nope. But it's sad that people don't even bother trying places out. If you don't like glasgow then that's fine, but declaring it a rubbish place beforehand would be insular.

I don't sneer at people either, i think that they're insular though if they don't travel anywhere. Which is a fact. If you stay in your own bubble and don't leave it then you're insular. Which i then find sad.

I wouldn't call myself obsessed either, more i am capable of having conversations with them... and actually learning about them. I'll explain the concept, neighbour sees my packing suitcase in car, asks of I'm off anywhere nice, i answer. I ask them have you got any trips planned this year? They say no we don't like travelling, i say oh had a bad experience? And they go no, just never been away really.

Tada, I've found out neighbours dont like travelling and have never been away, by having a conversation. Now i wouldn't call that obsessed, but hey your definition may be different to mine, but as I've travelled and experienced other peoples cultures etc I'm used to hearing different sayings, so will accept that maybe your version of obsessed is different to mine and you obviously weren't meant to be sneary and closed minded by presuming something again?

MamaDane · 09/02/2019 15:19

Personally I think it's important to travel in your own country and especially visit your capital city, at least once.
I do however understand that people have different financial opportunities and not everyone can afford the trip. But I do think it should be experienced, at least in your own country.

That said, I'm not a big fan of London. The architecture is lovely, but there's far too many people, that it feels suffocating (particularly as I have anxiety). People in capital cities also tend to be rude and busy jerks. So good manners are hard to come by. And when I was there, there were garbage bags everywhere. It was rather gross. Such a contrast to the beautiful city.

Had London had only 1/4 of the population it does, it would be better in my opinion.

Prague is a better capital city, so is Dublin and Belfast, though not as beautiful.

Copenhagen is awful as well. I can't recommend it.

Tiscold · 09/02/2019 15:23

@MamaDane. That's great, you've tried it, didn't like it, that's perfectly acceptable.

I visited scunthorpe, didn't like it and thats fine.

What isn't is declaring london a shithole etc and never visting it before passing that judgement.

MargueritaPink · 09/02/2019 15:30

*Kenny33
Margueritapink - Manchester, Liverpool and Glasgow all have great museums, galleries, music venues, restaurants and a lot of culture. Sneering at them because they were mostly built in the last couple of years makes you sound arrogant, closed minded and insular

I did not sneer at them. I have expressed my personal opinion that I don't personally find Glasgow an attractive city. I'm in Glasgow at least once every month. I haven't visited the other 2 and am not planning to. There are many places I have no plans (or time) to visit.

It would be a very strange person who found every single place they visited just as attractive as everywhere else. Many people adore Barcelona - I didn't like it. I don't often worry about safety but I didn't feel safe and I found the number of severely disabled beggars upsetting. I prefer Madrid.

Swipe left for the next trending thread