To be annoyed about people who claim to live/be from London

[Happydogsaddog]

People who claim to live/be from London really get my back up. You don't have a London postcode, dialling code, hell it doesn't even say London in your address. AIBU or should I just ignore these people who try to boost their profile to the uninitiated?

Chandon, another sweeping statement. Fantastic. I have neither too much money nor no sense. I suspect the majority of my friends and neighbours are the same. I don't think this started as a pro and anti-London fight thread, but it's interesting that people have jumped at the chance to make it one.

Abs, that question was directed at frilly. If you were talking to me, that is. Cripes, it's all a bit unclear online sometimes isn't it?

"What is so good about living in London?"

Some of the best art galleries, museums, restaurants and theatres in the world - RIGHT there? The Royal Opera House? Primrose Hill? Brick Lane? Borough Market? BFI? History all over the place? One of the most diverse and interesting populations in the world?

Or more prosaic stuff - easy access to airports, the Eurostar terminal. Jobs. Lots of them.

"I say I am a Londoner.... I was born far away..."

amalur!

No, no, no, no, no.

I'm not having it! I won't allow it!

As much as I'm complimented to hear that you love my fair city, I will not let you call yourself a Londoner. It's all wrong I tell you, all wrong!

:o

I'm a West Londoner (ex-W10 postcode) who moved over to the dark side of sarf London/kent border (living in one of the 'outer boroughs'), I have a field of Horses for neighbours, which basically means we live in the countryside right?!
Messybedhead I feel your pain, I tell everyone I live in fake london as there are no; theatres, late opening shops, cinemas showing 'arthouse' films, Waitrose, going 'into' London is a BIG DAY OUT around here and I can't walk to Oxford Street.

I don't understand why people have to tell you they live in "North London". Why not just say they live in London?

I used to live in the London Borough of Havering. The places within this borough are also classed as Essex. I never know whether to say I'm from London or Essex!

OP, if someone was born in London, then it doesn't matter if they live elsewhere, they are still from London. I was born and bred in south London, haven't lived there since I was 14 (now 37), but it will always be where I'm from the accent never goes

"What is so good about living in London?" well both my mum and my sister live about a 15 minute walk away and I rather like seeing them regularly and DS goes to a fantastic local state primary where nearly everyone lives within a mile and bump into each otehr all teh time out of school.

And its nice.

Is that sufficient reason or do I need to start listing world heritage sites on our doorstep?

"in fake london as there are no; theatres, late opening shops, cinemas showing 'arthouse' films, Waitrose" - but I live in fake London and have all of these but granted cannot walk to Oxford street.

I never know what to say when people ask where I'm from. I always assumed this meant 'where were you born'?. I was born in Belsize Park, lived in Golders Green till I was three, then we moved out to the 'burbs in the 70s, then we moved again when I was 8, then I obviously moved away when I was 19, then I lived abroad for 7 years, and now I'm back in the UK but somewhere different again.

So I find the question 'where are you from' rather tricky. South East England might be the best answer I suppose.

I live in London (Waltham Forest) and it is not something I'd boast about. The place is a dump, although we are very lucky to live in one of the 'nicer' bits. The gang violence is shocking. We live on a small estate, where to be fair, we have no problems(so far) but we are 5 minutes from 'Chingford Hall', and the whole borough has really dodgy estates scattered all over. I'd love to move to Hertfordshire (we will one day). I can't wait to say "I used to live in London".

I wish I could be proud of calling myself a Londoner, but I'm not.

mumblechum2-Edmonton IS London, isn't it? I thought it was in the London borough of Enfield. Confused!

I have no opinion on this matter as I live in Nottingham.

Well, I say Nottingham - technically it's Derbyshire, but I have a Nottingham dialling code, Derbyshire postcode though....

I only get annoyed by people who live in London because I am quite frankly, a bit jealous.

Fab city, love it.

Kewcumber What part of fake london are you in? You've made me all jealous .

Why does it bother you OP?

I'm one of those on the border, I've got a TW post code, while the suburbs next to me are SW, so I'm Surrey, not London.
If I'm writing out my address I'll write Surrey of course, and locally I'll just say I live in Kew, not either London or Surrey.

But if people are asking in generic terms where I live then saying I live in London, gives them a much more accurate idea than saying I live in Surrey, since we are still really part of the city.
IE we're on the underground, inside the M25 etc, and also as someone else said we are considered 'South West' London when we vote for in the Mayoral elections for London for example.

So anyway, as I said, London seems a more accurate. If I said Surrey, that would more likely imply that I live in a village or city outside of greater London.

I guess it's because you can live in what's technically Surrey or Middx or Kent yet still be in a London borough and quite often go to school, work and socialise in central London.

And it annoys you ?

As a west country oaf who has never lived in London, I class all those places on the outskirts which have a tube line as being London.

My aunt lives in Chigwell - it is in Essex and has an Essex postcode (IG) but because it is on the central line I class it as London.

if you were born in London but moved out at age 3 are you still a Londoner?

I need to know so I can tell DH to stop banging on about his fucking heritage! Being born in the street that Jack theHat McVitie (or whatever he was called) got killed in is no recommendation IMO. Reggie and Ronnie were not insipirational role models and the ICF was not a worthy bunch of young men. And no, I didn't much care for East Ham when we visited inspite of the admittedly wonderful fish and chips.

I don't understand. I was born in London; I have lived in London nearly all my life (apart from a gap year, 7 years at uni and one year working abroad...hang on, that come to 75% of my life) and live in London now. It's not something I bang on about but why shouldn't I admit it, either?

Anyway, wherever you live, central London or the outer suburbs, I am jealous of all you bastards. I live in Gloucester fgs.

pozzled my aunt lives a stone throw away from the London Borough/Essex Redbridge council border, she escapes being classed as London by 20 feet.

Just to be clear: in my limited view 'London' only exists North of the river and has a postcode range of N or NW. Anything else is scarily far away....

Ormirian, for me the difference would be about roots. So, if your DH was born in London and all his family were born and bred there, then London is where his roots are. I haven't lived there since I was a teenager, but it's where all my family are from, my history is there and so I feel strongly that it is where I am from.

Otoh, if all his family is from somewhere else and he was born in London cos his mum went into labour on a day trip shopping, then it is not about his roots.

Still, technically, he is a Londoner, so you might just have to put up with it. Sorry

awomancalledhorse - the clue is in the name! Though to be fair I stretched it a little as arthouse films only available in Richmond or Brentford but thats only 2 mins on the tube or a short drive so I think it counts...