What’s the point in living in London?

[vandergahrd]

Do you ever wonder that? I live and have always lived in the “provinces”, near a nice city. You can have a very nice house and lifestyle here without working every hour of the clock.

My DD has just qualified as a GP in London, and her boyfriend is a city lawyer. Both of them work silly hours, and on paper have very healthy salaries.

However they just bought their first flat for £600k. Quite frankly it’s not nice. They have to be near enough work to commute quickly and London is so so expensive.

Her boyfriend especially works 9am-10pm most days. They hardly see each other, due to their hard work yet still don’t earn enough for a nice lifestyle.

What is the point unless your parents or family bought property 20 years ago in London.

You can go anywhere in London for £1.50 on the buses. If you are poorer you use the buses. I love the buses, I can get to Westminster in 40 minutes for £1.50.

On that explains it, thanks Laurie. We mostly got the tube, which I didn't find very cheap.

I spend about £35 a week on transport - mainly going to and from work - involves buses, trains and tubes. But we don’t have a car so no charges there.

I have an annual zone 1-4 travelcard which is nearly 2k- but that is pretty much all my travel covered and 1/3 off all trains in the SE. It's expensive compared to other capital cities but not as much as running 2 cars for both of us would be. And DC free on everything until 11 and then free buses and trains. The good thing about London is we don't spend a lot on days out as almost everything is free- I spend a lot more when I visit family in the countryside.

@IamPickleRick you've described my teenage years!

I grew up in London and moved to a semi rural idyll to have a family. We're moving back to London as we miss the abundance of activities on offer and the great public transport. Also we are a mixed race couple and can't handle the racism here, especially towards DS.

Having lived in about six of Britain's bigger cities, which all offered diversity, cultural activity, jobs, rivers, parks, public transport but also had a better live/work balance than London (where I have also lived) I am scratching my head at this thread.
The choice is not London OR Godalming, Surrey.
Even in the lovely chocolate box village I do live in now, there are a lot of mixed race and non white families and my daughter goes to high school in a nearby city where her friendship group is about 50% non white and mixed religious/cultural backgrounds. We are around 15-30 minutes from three big cities each with distinct identity, lots of buses etc although driving is useful. But we live in a lovely community with low crime , fresh air and space. Country walks on our doorstep AND cappuccino available.
If you like parks try Southampton
If you like diversity try Birmingham
There are masses of racists in London so don't act like it is heaven. I like London but when I lived there it made me ill bc its so polluted and stressful. I'm not sorry I gave the rest of Britain a try!

There are plenty of racists in London I am sure- but the racism people experienced where I grew up- a beautiful but isolated part of the SW - was something else. I have a mixed-race nephew there and it's been like something from the 70s. I have lived in a couple of Northern cities though and it was great- if the weather wasn't so appalling!

Yes we have a smaller house than if we were in DH home city in the NE- but I also earn a lot more and am where the action is for my job. His job literally only exists in London. We don't earn mega bucks by MN standards- we are civil service/ voluntary sector - but out friends are in the same earning bracket so we feel very normal. London is not full of stockbrokers and art dealers. Live in the more 'interesting' pockets and there are loads of normal people.

There is nowhere else like it, but if you don't like it personally there are loads of other options.

I remember when the BNP had their first election victory in 1993 it was only for a few months but was in Tower Hamlets in London when Derek Beacon took up a seat on the local council.

As London is very culturally diverse I would imagine people that are racist may just be less vocal about it.

DreamingofSunshine that worries me too we are also a mixed couple and although we’ve only moved just over the Greater London border, already the atmosphere has changed. I agree that maybe people feel safer about being open about it in the burbs and it probably does exist in London.

Susannah and Tectonic, yep! It’s the ballroom! Or the underworld! We went to Heaven a few times when we were about 17 as well, so tipping legal. You just have amazing experiences at a young age that people who aren’t in a city don’t have. I’d consider other cities but I would really REALLY miss home. All my family are here. In answer to the OP, what’s the point in London? It’s awesome and the cultural and political home of the country. What’s the point in finedon or Ipswich or Barry Island? (Not knocking them but it’s an odd way to phrase it when you take London out of the equation) 😂

Maybe because they are happy with their life op.

Just because you wouldn’t like it and don’t see the point of it doesn’t mean it’s wrong or weird.

I’m guessing they are young and ambitious, and getting ahead before they have kids.

If you are just starting out as a GP or a lawyer, you are always going to be working hard with long hours, especially as a lawyer if you want to progress. The salaries for lawyers in tne corporate sector in London can be big. And there is a much closer professional network and pool of employers.

They are young, with energy. London is a 24 hour City with a buzz and loads of free stuff to do.

Mind your own business and keeep your ‘why oh why’ whining to yourself.

The points made in this thread are all ones you could have worked out for yourself, had your ‘wondering ‘ gone as far as imagining other people havjng different preferences to your own.

Very limited definition of ‘wondering’ that you have OP.

London is a great city for younger people but it is seriously hard work for older people or young families. Don’t get me started with getting on a tube with a buggy - aarggghhh!

Oi - London is not just for younger people!!

< old hummer alert >

old gimmer alert even >

London is great for toddlers and for older people. A sling for a baby, and buggies on the tube are fine too. Always loads of people willing to help if you struggle to carry it up or downstairs. I never had a car and managed just fine with small children. Loads of children’s activities within a ten
mInute walk. For older people too so much is free and transport is subsidised.

bouldghirl speaking as another old gimmer (OK spellcheck, I will take glimmer) London is an amazing place for older people. Masses of free stuff to do and see, and if not free then concessions galore for theatres, galleries, exhibitions etc., free ,safe, regular transport to get to places. Contrary to popular belief most Londoners are polite, and offer seats and help to people they perceive as in need of them.

If I win the lottery I will move to my dream house ( I have it planned, offer present owners silly money to get out, demolish stable block and build cottage to accommodate future careers for my dotage) but I will also make sure I have a London bolt hole to enable me to enjoy the benefits of the greatest city in the world.

I live in London cos I was born here and my family are here

I get paid more in London in my job because of London uplift (NHS)

I bought my lovely flat here, after making some sacrifices to do so

I like the community, the diversity, how green and yet city like it is.

I'm not saying other places aren't nice, but it's at least as good as any of them even before the work and leisure opportunities so yeah I guess that's why I didn't high tail it out to somewhere else.

London is expensive but even in London you can get an extremely lovely flat for 600k. We are in (a nice part of) zone 4 and our house only cost a bit more than that 18 months ago.

OP's daughter must either be living very, very centrally. Or got a very bad deal!

I admit I'm not a Londoner at heart but every time we look at moving out it just doesn't seem worth it. It would be so hard to find jobs at the same salary outside London (and to coordinate it so we both managed to do that at the same time!) and actually the really "naice" areas with great schools etc aren't that far off London prices anyway.

I'd DH and I could have afforded to live in London, rather than on the other side of the M25 then we most certainly would have stayed living there.

I love London; DH is a London boy and he works in Canary wharf. Alas, I don't work in London anymore and am not willing to move schools as have battled for PT etc. Plus DD is settled where we live.

I get very excited every time I can get the train in. I miss living there quite a lot.

And I'm from the grim North!

Saying that, if we had to move back towards my parents, then I would have to live a tram ride away from Manchester.

Best thing I ever did was move to London.

I know a shit ton of old people who just go and sit in the British Museum members cafe all day reading. Or the British Library scanning old knitting patterns for their blog. I think it’s wonderful.

As I said, I love London. But I do think a majority of posters on this thread are missing op's point that it is not a great place for young independent adults right now. For everyone else (older adults and children) it is pretty much perfect.

OP, where would you rather your DD lived if not London?

I can so understand your DD’s desire to live in London and it’s a big regret that I never made the move there for/after uni. Talk to your DD, OP - you never know she might convert you into wanting to live there yourself!