To wonder why people live in London

[AtSea1979]

On the news just now, discussing the North/south divide. I live in the north. London seems a big scarey place where bad things happen often and I wonder why people want to live there.
But do people down south wonder why we live up north too with our poor health and education?

Chipped
Agree

Neasden has the largest Hindu Temple outside of India.
londonmandir.baps.org/

Love the fact it's a stones throw from a Jewish cemetery!

I raise you Croydon.

The Brit School

I always meant to visit Neasden temple.

Ah, but is it really Croydon, Chipped? More Thornton Heath, I reckon.

I don't consider Croydon to be proper London. It was in Surrey when I was growing up. As far as I'm concerned, a place has to have a London postcode to be proper London.

I love London. Even the shit bits, like the Barbican.

Croydon isn't London!

Ah... you wish! You can't just carve off the bits you don't like and drift them out to sea! London isn't all exciting Zone 1 loveliness; most of us people in the outer suburbs.

Croydon has a school with its own peacocks and wallabies
www.whitgift.co.uk/about.aspx?SubCatID=5

Croydon has ikea.

Croydon applied for city status several years ago, but were denied. See, even they don't think they're in London.

I have to admit to quite liking Croydon though. The trams are cool.

I absolutely adore London. I'm from Surrey so go into London a lot and if I could afford to I would definitely move there tomorrow!

I've lived up North and down South.

One thing I will say for this grim, grotty metropolis is that it is amazingly well set up. You can get pretty much everywhere without a car, there's a park within spitting distance of wherever you stand, lots and lots of culture. So much so, you trip over a lot of it.

Also, the world is at your feet. How many cities can you say of the North which have a vast a range of culture and language that London has. Even the crappy parts IME.

People laugh at me when I say this, but I've met Nigerians, South Africans, Germans, French, Americans and Indians. Got to speak with them about their home countries and about their cultures. All this just whilst pottering around my small bit of the City. I love this aspect of it, wouldn't change it for the world.

It's purely a matter of taste. I Grew up in London and moved up north. Personally I prefer the North. In general (though I vs not entirely) people in London are not my cup of tea and tend towards pretentiousness, materialism and superficiality.

But that's my personal taste, some people find the same people creative, inspiringly ambitious and cool.

I have to say though, the North is a much better place to live if you don't have much money. Better access to cheaper housing, easier to get social housing if you fall on hard times, money goes further, more free stuff to do.

I think children have an easier time growing up in the North because they have more space, cheaper things to do and a lot less pressure. I'm sure a lot of other people would say children in London have it better because the schools are better and they have access to some of the best museums and galleries in the world.

So you're not wrong OP, you're just silly to assume any or most people will always agree with your taste.

In my mother and toddler group, there were babies who were Chinese-Hungarian, Estonian-Zimbabwean, and Japanese-Jamaican. Only in London

In general (though I vs not entirely) people in London are not my cup of tea and tend towards pretentiousness, materialism and superficiality.

What, all 8 million?

I generally find Londoners to be more welcoming, generous and grounded than people I've met elsewhere - and that's the problem with generalising. None of us know more than a tiny proportion of people.

The last time I paid to do anything to entertain my kids was in Norfolk. Cost a flipping fortune.

don't consider Croydon to be proper London. It was in Surrey when I was growing up. As far as I'm concerned, a place has to have a London postcode to be proper London.

This is a whole other thread. And one that's not terribly fond of south London.

How about all the non-London-postcodes bits stop paying London council tax, and everyone can go on their merry way agreeing what's London and what's not.

/derail

I was born in the north, moved to London, then, to have DS, moved back up north permanently.

Ye Gads I miss London. Bloody loved it. Loved the community I lived in (Z4) and the anonymity of the city itself.

Vibrant, 24/7, the architecture, the theatres, live music, galleries, the sense of excitement, of being somewhere "happening", the cafes, bars, people watching, rubbing shoulders with actors/musicians, great transport, a gem of something round countless corners

If we could afford to move back we would, in a heartbeat

Jassy, that's why I was careful to say not entirely. But you do form a general overall impression of people in a place. But the thing is, it's just my opinion and it's formed by my own experiences; where I lived, my class, my social standing at the time, where I worked and socialised and everything I've ever experienced.

The fact you've had such a totally different experience and like it is exactly what I mean. The OP being all like 'Oh it's big and scary, why would you live there' is just someone who can't understand that lots of people perceive something differently to her and have different tastes.

I mean, there's probably a fair few people in Afghanistan who like it.

My dad grew up in slum housing in sarf London and loads were moved out to estates in Croydon, they showed off about moving to Surrey and thought they were a cut above my dad who stayed living at the Oval. Oh how times have changed .

Can we also talk drivers...

I drive in London, and traffic jams aside, it is a pretty stress free thing.
In the wrong lane? No problem! Indicate, flash a smile and you'll get let out
Trying to pull out of a busy junction? No problem, someone will let you out very soon
Turning right across a busy lane? Ditto

Which is the polar opposite of my experience outside London.
Wrong lane? Expect to get beeped at and the driver behind to throw their hands up in total disgust as if you personally caused a 10 car pile up
Need to pull out of a junction onto a busy road? Yeah good luck with that.

I'm sure there is much more of a 'we are all in this together' mentality in London, but even my FIL has pointed it out when I've been driving him around.

The tubes/ buses
Uber
4g (omg, how much of the country doesn't have 4g)
The people
The diversity of restaurants / bars/ bloody cool places to go
Employment

But the main reason? Because nearly 17 years after moving here, this city still has the ability to take my breath away. It is simply stunning.

I this city.