To hate what's happening to London?

[AWholeLottaNosy]

I moved to London in 1989, it was a great place, full of interesting, arty people, lots of cheap things to do, festivals, clubs, shops, museums. I loved the quirky nature of so many different areas, Camden market, Soho, Notting Hill market at the weekend, the urban grittiness of places like Brixton, Hackney etc. however I can't afford to live in London anymore and feel so sad that all these great places are slowly and surely just becoming one homogenised mass of chain stores, 'luxury flats', unaffordable to most Londoners and the things that made London a great place to live in, shops, markets, clubs, music venues, diversity etc are just vanishing. Boris Johnson obviously not only doesn't give a shit but is actively encouraging this, especially the building of flats just to be bought ( and not even lived in) by foreign investors.

I guess this can't be stopped but I do feel sad about it and wondered how other Londoners felt about it..?

YANBU

I left London in 2000. I was a teen in the 80s and used to spend each and every weekend, and most school holiday days getting into mischief in Central London. I knew every nook and cranny of it from roaming on foot for hours and hours. Nosing at the millionaire yachts in St. Katherine Docks and standing on Tower Bridge watching the Thames. Exploring the nitty gritty back end of High Holborn (Jack the Ripper country). A wander up Carnaby St. and a nose in Liberty. My friend and i would sit on the steps by the 'Radio 1' building (BBC Broadcasting House) and have a burger, waiting for famous faces to traipse by. Maybe get a wave or a chat from a band member. Maybe Kensington Market, or The Kings Road, with it's dodgy 'secret' market. In bad weather the museums. Or just piss about in Harrods till we were chucked out. Speakers corner on a Sunday! Always good for a couple of hours. Sit in one of the parks with a drink and pull watch the world go by

It used to cost us £2 for a travel card that would take us on any train or bus in the London area for a day. Such memories. Met so many interesting and colourful people.

Just reminiscing. sigh.

YABU I was born in London, grew up elsewhere but came back twenty odd years ago and it is much improved. Kings X wasn't interesting - it was a dump. It's brilliant now - good shops, safe, brilliant new council pool and library, the old gasworks is being turned into a park. Same with Brixton - it was a shithole when I first moved to London and while ok, I wouldn't choose to move back there it is much improved. And there is still decent social housing slap bang in the middle of zones 1&2.
It was only after living in the US for a bit, and seeing the ghettoisation of major cities and the stark divide between rich and poor that I realised what an amazing city London is.

Things change. Soho started off very naice, then became a slum in the 18th Century and changed once more into a desirable part of town.

If you're talking about the cost of housing, then yes, the central part of London is expensive. But it's definitely better than it used to be. I never felt safe after 10pm in certain parts or on the tube but I do now.

If this is gentrification then it's alright, frankly.

Well, I went out for lunch with a friend this afternoon, to a Vietnamese restaurant, where 2 courses each and drinks came to less then £20 between us, and we were struggling to choose between that and the Eritrain resaurant, which was similarly priced. it was really nice.

And the SPACE!!!! London children have far more open spaces to play in than many country children I know, who may be surrounded by fields, but can't actually play football in any of them! And the wildlife in London is pretty special too, and bolder and more accessible than in many country locations where relatives live.

We're very average (DH is a teacher) and we're moving to Zone 1 next year. Tiny 1 bed flat for 375k hopefully, downsizing from
a 4 bed house.

I think it's more accurate to say it's really hard to get enough space to have a family but that's always been the case. For young people or children who've grown up like us there's a lot to offer.

I've lived half an hour away from London for the last 20 years and it's nicer now, I don't notice the homogenised city you're talking about at all - there's loads of character and more independant shops than ever!

Certainly a lot more than my town in Hertfordshire which really is homogenised.

I have only visited London a few times, my son loves it and I have this urge to live in London, even just for a year. I live in Edinburgh, another amazing city, and have done all my life. I just have this feeling I'm missing out on something. There's no way we could afford it with the kids. And I like my garden and manageable mortgage. But the urge isn't going away.

I might relocate in my fifties, live in a squat or something.

Yes Caronaim it may sound counter-intuitive, but London is a fabulous place to raise children. Brilliant schools - both state and independent - wonderful parks (you really don't have to have a garden) and so much free stuff to do. And amazingly, there are so many indie coffee shops that you really don't have to use Starbucks if you don't want to. In fact, one could argue that Starbucks arriving somewhere means other places can thrive.

All the exhibitions, art installations, demonstrations and protests that I want to see/join seem to happen in London.

I remember doing to visit my great aunt in elephant and castle in 1969. She had a huge 3 story house, working class.

God knows how much that would be worth now!

Obviously not in the family now!

We're moving back in our retirement, also planning to swap a large hertfordshire family home for a tiny central London flat :) retirement is a great time to enjoy all London has to offer (I know Laurie isn't retiring but doubt we'll do it before)

Wildlife highlights we have seen in London in the last three months, red deer, peregrine falcons, kestrels, harriers, king fishers, grey seal, muntjak, fallow deer, foxes, parakeets,woodpeckers, gold crests, little egrets, grey squirrels, black squirrels, tawney owls, barn owl, badgers, jays, any number of beautiful waders,

( We think it was a grey seal, rather than a common seal, as grey seal seemed more likely)

These are just a few of my favourites.

Oh god elephant. Still totally dodge but yes, far pricer than it was 10
Years ago and people seem to choose to live there now (probably as it's relatively inexpensive for a central ish location)

I am surprised by all the rose-tinted views of yesteryear. Haven't any of you ever read a Dickens novel? London's never been a particularly kind place for the poor and working class. It's just that now the formerly upper middle and upper classes are finding themselves on the receiving end of the sharp stick and are aghast that the people they used to laugh at (and whom they hoped would resolve this uncomfortable situation) simply aren't there anymore.

Yabu. London has always been a city of extremes - the super rich and the very poor, and it is still the same. A lot of no-go areas have been regenerated and that in my eyes is a good thing (anyone remember what Kidbrooke used to be like, do you really miss it?). Housing is expensive, very expensive and I don't know what could be done about it, but it's not just for the very rich. We aren't rich and still managed to buy. We'll never live in Kensington, but so what? It's a great place to live, lots of green spaces, shows, museums, events, everything for all ages.

I agree with Bertie. I was born in London 1978 and have lived here all my life. Soo much of London used to be an absolute shithole!

I grew up on a council estate, put myself through college and uni and saved and saved to buy a house with no contribution from parents etc. I agree it's much more difficult now - but not impossible.

I couldn't agree more. People watching was fascinating as you had real characters. Now everybody and every place looks the same. Every road has a macdonalds, starbucks and tesco express. It's boring and I never thought I'd say that.

I only know of one mcdonalds.

it's certainly a lot safer than it was. but I agree, it's too expensive. we need a foreign stamp duty or something.

Well if you don't like the way London is then move out. I'm sure there will be thousands of others waiting to take your place.

The other thing is most of the people I know of my age (mid 30s) bought their first properties in London on very high LTV mortgages. (100, 110% we did 88% and people thought we were made to put so much cash in) the properties weren't cheap, but you could borrow the money to buy them. That option is over now

Haven't any of you ever read a Dickens novel?

There was me thinking we'd moved on from that.

Im a born and bred Londoner and I find it sad and shocking to see what is happening.

What don't you like Tinks?

Why should I move out? Why should I not say what is really happening?

The open door policy certainly helped the rich become richer didnt it.

Like I said, the rich and the minions will be left.

In a way you are probably right there mimi. We will be going back to "poor houses" soon.

What is it that you don't like Tinks?

I don't like the plastic villages that are being sprung up.

I don't like the fact that there will no longer be a "Londoner".

Would you like me to carry on Caronaim?

Well, I'm glad cardboard city has gone.

For me London's a place to visit, do the parks, arts, protests & museums then leave and come home to an affordable lifestyle for ordinary people.

Caronaim I agree about London being surprisingly good for wildlife. I take wildlife photos and some of my best have been in central London. The royal parks are amazing for getting close to birds like grey herons that are normally very shy.

Re your seal, both common and grey seals are regularly seen in the Thames. I've seen common seals at RSPB Rainham Marshes quite a few times - they haul out on the riverbank opposite the visitor centre. Not yet seen a grey there but they do get reported quite often.