Am I alone in saying I dont like London and don't see the attraction ?

[Bertybamboozle]

I am SE based and can be in London in around 20 mins on the train. I cannot stand the place. There is no reason to visit, unless you are a tourist. I really cannot see the appeal and apart from the tourist things, there is nothing else especially special/different to do. I can do pubs/cinema/shows/shopping anywhere.

I feel like I am the only one who thinks this.

This everybody has their likes and dislikes , I live in one of the outer boroughs some parts I enjoy some I don’t and it’s to big a city and to diverse to say you don’t like any of it . Don’t know why you feel like your the only one or feel need to post about it

Sure, but when your mum gets to Stratford her options for what to do are far less than in London, and she probably would run out of things to do if she went there every week. I like Stratford, but London still has more to offer overall.

as well as the cultural stuff you mention…

If I’ve ever wanted to change jobs there are hundreds of opportunities both in my own field or elsewhere, all within easy commute. I don’t have to think about what’s only available within driving distance.

We also have amazing public transport which means we never have the argument about who is driving. If we can’t get there by public transport then an Uber is no more than five mins away

The range of school trips and extra curricular opportunities my kids have has been insane - from regular west end shows (at least twice a year) to a model maker from Madame Tussauds coming to their careers day, to performing at the O2. And each one of them has easy transport (so cheap with a zip card) so no coach hire needed.

Hyde Park

Regents Park

Primrose Hill

Covent Garden

Selfridges

The Olympic Park

Wembley a tube ride away (often with last minute tickets available)

Loads more but I need to cook tea now

None of this is to say other parts of the UK aren’t wonderful too, but there’s plenty to be thankful for with London.

Yay another London bashing thread. We haven’t had one of those in a while.

What makes you think you’re so special that you’re the only one who doesn’t like London?

Can you imagine the grief someone would (rightly) get if they started a thread saying I hate The North / Liverpool / Birmingham / Wales / Cornwall / wherever

If you don’t like somewhere, so what, don’t go, don’t live there, no one’s forcing you, you’re free to stay in your nice clean suburb

No you are not alone, this is a hobby topic for many.

I suppose there is much to dislike about any major city which brings in millions upon millions of tourists a year. London isn’t unique in that really. Paris, Rome etc all have the same criticisms levelled at them.

I do like ‘London’ though. Such a rich history, such variety between the different areas. I don’t live there but visit often enough to feel comfortable getting around the place.

I dislike London intensely, but I’m not really a city person.

@Tiredalwaystired that's true. But then again my nieces and nephews who live out in medium town midlands had plenty of school trips etc to - just to different places closer to them.
They also have been involved with loads of extra curricular activities. One was in a professional stage production. Just not in a London theatre.
Opportunities aren't just a London thing.
I live in London. I like London. I love the history and the architecture.
But there are plenty of other parts of the UK that are just as interesting and have lots going on.
London is nice. London is also a bit crap.
Just like anywhere in the UK.

If you read my post I’m not bashing anywhere else. I’m saying school visits and opportunities SPECIFICALLY like the ones I mentioned are part of why I love it. And I imagine it cost your nieces and nephews more than the price of a local fare to get there. Which is what you asked people to state.

We visit London every year, generally for concerts.

We can totally see the attraction for adults without kids - you can have every kind of food, it's very cultured, it has an undeniable buzz - I find it very much like an adults playground.

On the other hand, we find it quite overwhelming. Public transport is always wildly busy, we always have a 'plan' of what we want to do/where we want to eat otherwise we could wander forever.

I wouldn't like to live there but it's nice for a weekend.

All of the above from someone who lives somewhere very dissimilar to London!

I live in zone 3/4. Wouldn't dream of going shopping in central London. Used to always go to Oxford street in the 90s/early 00s

@Tiredalwaystired so basically the only difference (when it comes to school trips) is transport is cheaper in London.
It's not like the trips and opportunities don't happen in non-londonville.
One of my favourite things about London is the transport. I am slightly obsessed with the Tube and it's history 😂
What else though? What makes London so amazingly superior to other UK places?

I lived in London for 8 years and left around 2 years ago because of the cost. But I do miss aspects of it and love going back to visit which I do frequently.

I’ve lived in London for most of my adult life but I want to leave. The demographics in my local area seem to be shifting from a fairly typical mix to only those with money. The building works in my street alone are relentless and all at considerable cost. They all move out while the works are taking place and the area can be deserted during the school holidays.
I just want to live somewhere with a diverse mix of people and ages.
I’ll miss a few things though - the public transport is mostly great!

@Comedycook yes I rarely go shopping in "central".
I did go there today. I was in the area for something else and popped to the Lego store.
I then wanted to buy a drink. Just an ordinary bottle of pepsi.
Bloke in a little newsagents tried to charge me £2.99 for a 500ml bottle 😱
Central London needs a nice big Poundland.

I’ve lived there for work and didn’t mind it but always had my countryside “hometown” to come back to at weekends and appreciated it all the more. I like it but in small doses.

I've just noticed the OP never came back.....

Well I’ve already said range of job opportunities and ease of transport and unique extra curriculars.

But also we have four outstanding state secondary schools within east distance (comprehensives) with a massive range of subject options (from childcare to astronomy) as well as around 10 good or outstanding primaries.

I can get a pint of milk at 3am if I run out.

I can be at an airport to get a plane to anywhere in the world within two hours or so.

If my kids decide they want to take up djembe drumming or fencing or Morris dancing I’ll be able to find somewhere we can get to to do the hobby. No need to dismiss it for lack of resources.

I have friends from all over the world that I am lucky to call my neighbours.

I can keep going. That’s all top of head. How many reasons is enough reasons for you?

And I literally never said opportunities don’t exist elsewhere. In fact I spelled that out in the post you’re pulling apart. So for the sake of any uncertainty:

These are reasons I like London
Other parts of the country might have similar options
Nowhere else has ALL the exact same reasons.
Other places are great too.

I am a Londoner although I am not British.

I love visiting smaller towns and rural areas but then I am always reminded why I live in a big city.

I love how diverse London is and how everything is so accessible.

What I am beginning to dislike is all the antisocial behaviour from some people - dog shit and rubbish literally everywhere, electric bikes and scooters on footpaths, noise pollution. But I think that’s a UK problem, rather than a London problem.

I'm tired of life and very tired of London! I used to like a trip to London in my younger days, but it exhausts me now.

I didn't use to like London, but that was Central London.

London is a very big place and has lots of lovely buildings, hidden corners of interest and lots to do. It's not just the touristy bits which are too busy and often very expensive. If you go out to places like Osterley or Richmond/Bushy Park/Hampton Court it's lovely.

The building works are happening everywhere - it's not just a London thing. I don't know how people afford it all, or where they find the builders!

London isn't "a" place. It's a collection of many neighbourhoods each different to the other. If the London you're referring to is West End and the main tourist attractions, I can assure you most Londoners dislike these places too! I haven't been shopping on Oxford street in years ! But my area of London is brilliant green spaces, easy access to mainline train stations and airports, lovely local restaurants, fabulous array of shops including almost 24hr access to the best bagels ever 😀

I love London, one big reason being that I'm not frequently exposed to casual racism or homophobia here, compared to the smaller city where I'm originally from. Sure, the weather is a bit dreary but no way I could be happy around close-minded people. Oh and I hate driving so...

@Tiredalwaystired but those things aren't unique to London.
You live in London so you like those things about London. But if you lived in Edinburgh or Birmingham you'd probably say that about those cities.
You might not get such a variety of facilities in a village in Wiltshire but in another city it's all there.
There's 4 capital in the UK. London, Belfast, Edinburgh and Cardiff.
Plus the other major cities. Manchester, Liverpool, Birmingham.....
As a "sell London to me" example - I'm not buying it. Sorry. I don't mean to sound rude or mean but my nieces and nephews have had amazing opportunities and experiences in their medium size town lives.