16 year old going to a gig in Camden.

[jellycake]

I need some really clear views especially from people who live in London and the surrounding area. Ds is 16, 17 in August wants to go to a 14+ gig in Camden next Monday night. I have said no. We live in Basildon so it's easy to get there but to get to Camden, he would need to get three tubes.
My reasons are:

1. He has college the next day.
2. He is only 16
3. It's in Camden which will be fine to get to, but dodgier getting home if the gig doesn't finish til gone 10. Last train home is 11:05 pm.

He is currently not talking to me
AIBU? I lived in a tiny Welsh village as a teenager and never wanted to do this sort of thing. He has been up to London with a group of friends before but that was in the day for a Comic Con.
Feeling guilty and unreasonable, don't have a DP/ DH to discuss this with.

Hmmm, three Londoners from close by say, there still needs to be an element of care, lots people who did it eons ago saying it'll be fine.

He will be fine, but needs to be told to take care, lots of kids I know have been told the same thing and made silly mistakes down there. For example a good lad from a good family thought he was buying a bit of weed (mother completely trusted him didn't think he did stuff like that) took the walk down the canal to get it, and was mugged.. this was 3 weeks ago.

Blah, blah, be fine, if he isn't silly enough to take silly risks.

He will be fine, but needs to be told to take care,

Phew! What a relief that that's what most people have said.

I live in the borough and love it but there were 589 crimes including 14 rapes, 80 violent mugging and 5 incidences of gun crime in JANUARY this year. A street smart kid who takes care and is aware of the danger will be fine but it's not Legoland

But as Bertrand said there is tide of people leaving the venue all at the same time and all heading for the underground. It's not the same as being alone late at night.

Your gobsmackingly naive if you think that lots of crime occurs in back alleys to people alone in the dead of night.

"Your gobsmackingly naive if you think that lots of crime occurs in back alleys to people alone in the dead of night."

Even more naive if you think crime doesn't happen "in the 'burbs"

I agree that lurking in a back alley at whatever time of day is probably not a good assessment of cost/time/outcome if you want to rob, rape or just strike up a friendly conversation.

You can't rely on passing trade.

However, OP is going to tell her son to leave the venue in a crowd, go straight to the station and she'll be waiting for him at the other end. He also has a mobile phone, which those of us who did it eons ago, didn't.

On that analysis, I think he'll live.

I didn't say that.

My main point was that I think lots of posters are painting a fantasy image of Camden beacasue its trendy and a tourist spot during the day but at night has a seedy underbelly that isn't always nice. We still go out there regularly, Good Mixer, Dublin Castle, Bar 55 for happy hour. DC went to gigs at Electric Ballroom and Underworld etc for years and were a bus ride from home, we could all tell you tales about the goings on.

The 16 year old will be fine, but I just wanted to make it clear that the picture some are painting of Camden isn't exactly correct.

I live in N5. DS1, 16, soon to be 17, discovered the Mecca that is Camden last year. He goes to gigs at the Roundhouse, Electric Ballroom, the Forum etc., but not on a school night.

Eons ago. Oh dear. Now I feel old.

We still go out there regularly (although now I drive us all there as it saves the hangover) and have only once had trouble - huge fight in Belushis. Lots of young lads involved who were bystanders because of the adrenaline I suppose, but those who had their wits about them were fine and untouched.

If he is in any way sensible, I consider it safe. Although Tottenham may have hardened me somewhat.

I think lots of posters are painting a fantasy image of Camden beacasue its trendy and a tourist spot during the day but at night has a seedy underbelly that isn't always nice.

Are they? Do you really believe that country mice or town mice are so unaware that tourist hotspots are a bit risky? OP has said that she was worried because she comes from a rural spot. Others have told her that so long as her son, who comes from fucking Basildon, FGS, applies his undoubted wits, what with being a sensible boy from Basildon, he will be fine.

It's not like he's Candide, is it?

To be fair to me, all I've put is an slightly opposing view to some who keep stating that its all perfectly safe. Particularly this:

"Camden is generally just really friendly. Yes more and more people are getting drunk as it gets late but it's a proper community where everyone knows each other too"

Which quite frankly is fantasist rubbish, speaking as someone who is there very regularly. Nothing about country mice or anything.

Camden is safe, but there are nefarious people around who do target gigs, there are opportunists too.

He'll go have fun, good on the OP for letting him, but I and other posters have pointed out that its not as safe as others have pointed out.

I don't live in the 'burbs. I live in the sticks. But I lived in Camden for 14 years when it really was much rougher than now. I have friends still there and visit, and it is very different. Of course there is crime, its central London. But it is nowhere near as dodgy as it was.

I go into Camden until late and walk through the streets back into kings x, sometimes along the canal and no one has ever done anything untoward
I'm not sure if that helps! But I've always felt v safe for some reason.
I'd let mine go

Mine are boring though.

I don't think its the back streets that are the problem, the canal though can be, especially the bit opposite the old MTV/TV AM studio.

No, I wouldn't suggest to my children they walk along the canal

I lived on the canal. We had dead bodies/rapes/assaults/junkies/men with prostitutes so frail they could hardly stand and other equally grim things weekly. Most of it is better lit and more populated now, esp my bit, the King's Cross end, but parts are still quiet. OP as long as your son is just walking from the tube to the gig and back, he will be as safe as anywhere else in London.

Just in the defence of the canal... dodgy at night, LOVELY walk from Little Venice to Camden during the day though :).

Used to do it with the DC on an autumnal sunday and get a Wetherspoons roast at the Camden end and the bus home.

They are far too cool to do that with me now :(