How safe is London?? Anxiety!

[BeingmummyIsTheBestxo]

My partner has let slip that he's booked a weekend in London for in couple weeks time for my birthday, we will be going for one.nigjt and watching a show at the west end. He's booked it all and arranged childcare for our toddler. I don't want to seem ungrategul, I'm very thankful especially as h doesn't usually do gestures like this! But I a m scared, I do have anxiety and OCD but mainly pure o with the intrusive thoughts. It is quite severe. Since I found out we ar going all I have done is worry about things, terror attacks, being mugged, train crashes, getting stuck on the tube etc etc. I have been to London a few times before but obviously my anxiety has massively tripled. Those of you that live in London how safe actually is it? I imagine these scenarios are not common. I'm really scared and I just know that the whole time leading up to and the time of being there I will be an anxious nervous wreck. I've even gone as far to write a letter toy toddler as I'm terrified I won't come back!!

Sounds like you’ll be in the tourist areas of central London: one of the safest cities in the world.

Just to add I literally never spend any time away from my toddler. I've probably had two nights at most away from him in his whole life.

It’s very very safe. I am 61. I have lived in central London all my life. I have not been mugged, or stuck in the tube (maybe a couple of minutes).

Do you suffer from anxiety. Maybe make an appointment with your GP. Don’t let it rule your life. London is a great city, you need to be able to enjoy it.

Be sensible and you'll be fine. I was born and lived in London all my life. Worked central London whole adult life. Victim of street crime once - pickpocketed. Friend caught him, I scared him so much he told me where he'd thrown purse!

I am in my late fifties and have lived in London pretty much all my life. I have never been mugged, caught in a terrorist attack, or stuck on the tube (although tubes do sometimes stop between stations for a few minutes but this is quite normal as they are waiting for the signal to change). If you are in the West End it will be busy with tourists and Londoners, and as safe as any town or city in the UK. I regularly get buses, trains and tubes home from central London to my home innner suburb late at night and they are usually very busy and feel very safe.

You’ll be fine.

Be sensible about not walking around with your phone in your hand/bag draped open and all that.

I moved from a very rural area to south London and actually when I looked at the crime stats per population my childhood hometown rated worse than the new area in most categories. i don’t know if you’ll find that helpful or not…

Terrible things can happen anywhere anytime. Honestly the West end is as safe a place as any. Plus you're with your dh, I'm sure he'll take good care of you.

Central London is very safe.

It's fine. You're not exactly walking into the deepest depths of the scariest estate at 2am wearing three Rolex watches, a nine carat diamond ring and with a sign on your head saying 'Free Gold Here' - you're just catching a train (fine), catching a Tube (meh, sometimes it's quicker to walk, sometimes it's nicer to take longer and go on the top deck of the bus) and then going to a busy, constantly monitored area for a lovely evening and then go to your hotel.

It can help to know where you're going - already knowing you catch the tube at x stop, y line (whatever colour that is) and get off at z stop - but honestly, it's often busy, but it's fine.

You will be fine! I work in London. Just don't keep a purse or wallet in a jeans pocket in case of pickpockets. Other than that you will be grand!

It's really very safe. The only thing you're at risk at really is getting your mobile phone snatched out your hand by someone on a bike but you can mitigate that risk by not getting your phone out in the street.

I have lived in London for almost all of my fifty years. Apart from getting duffed up at school, I have honestly never had a problem. I would echo what pp said about ensuring your phone is secure, because realistically, phones getting snatched does happen fairly often. If you need to use your phone in the street, then stand against a building, away from the curb. I forget to do this all the time but it is a risk. Otherwise, welcome! I'm sure you'll be fine.

I've only tended to feel unsafe in a place where I stick out for some reason: that's unlikely in Central London which has people of every level of wealth, style, class, gender, race etc.

You will be fine in Central London/the West End.

Maybe take a taxi back to your hotel in the evening if you don't want to use the tube.

I lived in East London on my own for 30 years and never experienced muggings, train crash or terror attacks!

Like anywhere keep an eye on your handbag and phone as any big city tends attract pickpockets.

London is very safe. I’ve lived here for 40 years without feeling in danger ever. London is well lit and there is usually always somewhere open, even at night. I feel safer here than I would in a suburban town with no one around.

Hi OP, I hope you do come and enjoy London I've lived here since 1986 and I have spent a lot of time in the west end over the years often late at night. Nothing has ever happened to me, I've never even witnessed anything happening.
The most dangerous thing I ever experienced was eating a hotdog from an unlicensed vendor that was a long time ago they aren't allowed anymore!
I find Londoners love to get involved, twice I've been near someone who has stumbled and hurt themselves, one drunk, one just fell over a kerb, and a group immediately formed and gave first aid and rang ambulance, and in one case an A and E nurse appeared in the group!
London is great you are most welcome!

I've lived and worked (community/frontline services) in inner London for 17 years and never even been mugged. I find it a very safe place to live.

I found CBT really helpful for anxiety OP, learned how to sort worries in to hypothetical and actual and recognise what I could control, let go of what I couldn't.

Hope you can enjoy your birthday trip!

I've lived in London since I was 14. I'm now 69. Never been mugged, attacked, caught in a terrorist attack (altho the 70s were a bit hairy), although I admit to being stuck on the tube between stations for a few moments and on the bus while in traffic jams. Like people are saying, the only thing you need to watch is your bag and your phone; and look out for kamikaze scooter riders.

Keep your phone and money in a closed bag, and you'll be fine. I've never been scared in London, let alone Central. Lived there for years. And I navigate the city in a wheelchair when there. No quick escapes for me.

I go up every so often and don’t even think about the safety. Hate the Tube so just catch Ubers. Enjoy yourself! I’m a right country bumpkin so if I’m ok you will be. I’m not streetwise at all.

Thank you so much everyone. I realize I'm maybe being a bit OTT but my brain just goes off on all these tangents. It's crazy. I live between Sheffield and Rotherham and it's not the exactly nice round here!! And probably higher crime rates etc!

62, been at a conference all day at The Guildhall, City of London and I am a Londoner by birth, now live outside of the City. The centre is fine, small bag, close to body, don't wave your phone around (to be honest I stay street smart regardless of where I am, just because I think that way as a matter of habit). You'll be fine and here's wishing you a great trip - enjoy.

I find Londoners love to get involved, twice I've been near someone who has stumbled and hurt themselves, one drunk, one just fell over a kerb, and a group immediately formed and gave first aid and rang ambulance, and in one case an A and E nurse appeared in the group!
London is great you are most welcome!

Contrary to our reputation we (most of us, anyway) are helpful and friendly if you need us.

I'm live rurally hundreds of miles from London I love it, you will be staying central to everything it's easy to get around only trouble we have had was from beggars at the train station you just say no and walk away. You will enjoy it if you don't want to use the tube .use uber or walk. You will be fine.

AND people are friendly and helpful .