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AIBU?

Share your dilemmas and get honest opinions from other Mumsnetters.

Original poster

To wonder why people struggle to live in London.

466 replies

m1nniedriver · 10/10/2015 12:41

Just honestly wondering what it is about London that makes people on, as I see it, huge salaries want to live in tiny flats just because it's london? The cost of living there seems riduculous. Some of the posts on here about the cost of housing just beggars belief! A tiny 1 bedroom flat for 300k?? If that's what you want then power to you but I do see posts with people say they are struggling and stressing every day to get by. Why would you not move to another part of the country that would enable a much better quality of life?

I'm not great at putting things across on posts so I hope this doesn't offend anyone its is meant as a genuine question, not having a go.

OP posts:
Bubblesinthesummer · 12/10/2015 17:57

If you haven't lived there you have missed out.

Hmm

I haven't and no I haven't 'missed out' at all thank you.

limitedperiodonly · 12/10/2015 18:09

I go to Brighton or Hove Actually by train from Victoria. It's five minutes' walk and about 50 minutes on the train.

cleaty · 12/10/2015 18:15

People do complain about other places. I have seen plenty of threads about crap places to live.

limitedperiodonly · 12/10/2015 18:22

I've seen them too Cleaty but I've never seen someone saying: 'It's shit, why don't you come and live in Highgate?'

limitedperiodonly · 12/10/2015 18:24

I don't know why I said Highgate. It's too far out for me. There are probably wolves there.

JassyRadlett · 12/10/2015 18:31

In Glasgow you can be in the most stunning countryside in 20 minutes yet have access to great shops, restaurants, museums, art galleries etc

Snap, from my bit of outer London. And from anywhere in London by train, really.

With the added bonus over Glasgow that on occasion, the sun shines. Grin

cleaty · 12/10/2015 18:35

When I lived in London, it took forever to drive out to proper countryside.

limitedperiodonly · 12/10/2015 18:38

If I want stunning countryside I drive three hours to my MIL. She's on top of a hill overlooking the sea and 20 minutes' walk from her back door gets you onto Exmoor.

But I don't really want stunning countryside that much. She has her fill of it because she comes to stay with us a lot. DH, who left at 18, wants it even less than both of us.

merrymouse · 12/10/2015 18:59

When I lived in London, it took forever to drive out to proper countryside.

Depends what you call proper countryside. The nature of London is that it is in the South East, which tends to be gently rolling hills and fields.

It is absolutely true that you have to drive a bit to get away from the south east if you live in London. I also hear that Wales is a bit westerly and Scotland is pretty much stuck in the North.

KERALA1 · 12/10/2015 18:59

You have missed out! Believe me you have. A few years in London broadens the horizons. Yes there's traffic and crowds etc etc but living in London proper can be an incredible experience. Ime. And am not from there so not feeling defensive of home town.

Remember leaving work one random Friday walking across bridge by St. Paul's going to see the frieda kahlo exhibition then having a drink overlooking the Thames.

Bubblesinthesummer · 12/10/2015 19:01

You have missed out! Believe me you have. A few years in London broadens the horizons.

Just because you believe it, doesn't make it true. Wink

Ubik1 · 12/10/2015 19:14

Seriously - who hasn't wept while stuck in traffic on the south circular?

Who hasn't offered up a silent scream while queuing for the Blackwall tunnel?

And then there's the northern line at London Bridge at 8.45am...

Ubik1 · 12/10/2015 19:18

But yes Glasgow weather is shit. Utterly horrendous. No wonder people drink so much

cleaty · 12/10/2015 19:18

I am well aware of what the south east is like, and there is plenty of proper countryside there. I don't consider Hampstead Heath though to be countryside. I liked London, but one of the downsides was how long it took to drive into proper countryside.

limitedperiodonly · 12/10/2015 19:29

Scotland is pretty much stuck in the North.

Not if you free your mind merrymouse

To wonder why people struggle to live in London.
merrymouse · 12/10/2015 19:29

I liked London, but one of the downsides was how long it took to drive into proper countryside.

Are you getting lost?

Scoobydoo8 · 12/10/2015 19:31

I've lived outside London and any bank holiday is horrendous traffic wise. Ok if you get up at 3.30 am to head north/west, ditto on the way back heading east /south.

merrymouse · 12/10/2015 19:32

Ooh I feel all dizzy now limited Grin

Scoobydoo8 · 12/10/2015 19:33

It's hilarious that the London dwellers on here seem to think that the rest of the residents of the UK cannot possibly know what it's like there!

cleaty · 12/10/2015 19:41

I lived there for a few years. It took ages just to get out of London, never mind the countryside. Where are people driving to that it takes 20 minutes to get there?

limitedperiodonly · 12/10/2015 19:50

I am well aware of what the south east is like, and there is plenty of proper countryside there.

I bow to no one in my defence of God's Own County of Essex but this is simply not true.

Hertfordshire is north London with bigger gardens, Surrey is a big golf course. Kent is the Garden of England (apart from Gravesend and the Medway towns) but it's not the same as Exmoor, those bits on the Cornish coast, the Lakes or the Peaks, Yorkshire, Northumberland, the Brecons, Snowdonia and lots of Scotland - sorry Scots people, I'm weak on your geography but I know it's magnificent and I might get there one day.

That said, I do like living in London.

JassyRadlett · 12/10/2015 19:51

It's hilarious that the London dwellers on here seem to think that the rest of the residents of the UK cannot possibly know what it's like there

Isn't there a (not very) subtle difference between knowing what a place is like, and knowing what it's like to live there? It's like if I commented on what it's like to live in Edinburgh on the basis of having visited a lot. I'd sound pretty bloody stupid doing it.

Honestly? I'm sure you all have opinions of London. But it's an odd thing that some people can't bear that others enjoy living in London and feel the need to tell people who live there why, in their view, London is shit and their quality of life must be shit.

Ubik - yep, those are all things to be avoided. Esp the south circular on a Saturday.

limitedperiodonly · 12/10/2015 19:52

It's hilarious that the London dwellers on here seem to think that the rest of the residents of the UK cannot possibly know what it's like there!

We do. That's why we stay here

JassyRadlett · 12/10/2015 19:53

Limited, I'm pretty fond of the North and South Downs. Fairly gentle - no denying that the geography of the South East is different from the more rugged landscapes you mention! - but some lovely walks.

Scoobydoo8 · 12/10/2015 20:02

But why are you all so worried that, God forbid, someone doesn't want to live there???

Am I bombarding you with pics of my palatial mansion with breathtaking views - no I'm happy here thanks, have no wish to bully others into liking it too!