To ask if London living is all that?

[nellyolsenscurl]

Inspired by a thread where posters are saying things like 'unless you live in London you couldn't possibly understand the benefits' and 'London living is one of the best things a child could have' (paraphrased, but you get the poi t). One poster said that her dd's friend didn't have a bedroom, she had a bed in the hallway but this is worth it for London life etc.

I've visited and yes it does seem amazing, but I was surprised at how busy the underground was at rush hour, I didn't think public transport was that cheap and in some parts the signs about knife crime/murder was daunting. Obviously as well extortionate house prices/rents mean more likelihood of living in a smaller place.

So London Livers (TM) please tell me about the great things (and any negatives) In my dreams when my dc leave the nest I will buy a lift conversion in Neal's Yard with those lovely coloured facades 😬

@twiglet. I totally get that. The op's question is totally fair enough and there are stark pros and cons. I wrestle then with myself particularly as the effects of austerity are having a very noticeable impact on my local area which saddens me, and steps to improve air quality are slow and late. I might even move one day to somewhere for the precise reasons some on this thread don't like London. It's more the total eye roll and one upmanship any time anyone says what they personally love about London that's tedious. What's the point? And the pity doled out towards London kids is offensive.

Hate it and can't understand families living there by choice. My nieces and nephews all love coming out to us.

Does it logically follow that loving coming to visit you (I'm sure they do, it's fab to visit family, esp if they live somewhere very different) means they dislike living in the city (I assume you mean they live in London?)

As an adult, you can get in a car to go wherever you want to go, but as a teen, I remember being dependent on my parents to ferry me around everywhere

Teenage me would have been so jealous of the freedom teens in London have of being able to go and do so much independently. Oyster card and you're good to go!

I love that in the middle of all noise and crowds you have the most amazing buildings and parks where it is somewhat peaceful

I love that there is always something to do and just walking around not going anywhere can be interesting and that so many cultures have become part of London

I feel sad that many parts while being gentrified they are losing what London is about a mix of people from all different backgrounds

But when I go to smaller towns and see the freedom that children have with little threat of gangs I feel sad that we have lost that here in London

But even those who hate the countryside don't shudder "it's ok for a while but I could never bring my children up near all those chemicals, dangerous machinery and drink drivers" and everyone nodding along about the poor deprived kids

Oh believe me you’ve only to see the “what’s it like up North” threads

You can eyeroll about the tedium of that and think it doesn't compare to vistas and birdsong, but I like it. I don't see what's smug about that

You’ve missed my point. I see nothing wrong with enjoying history and culture. To suggest London is the only place to access these is patently incorrect.

The only options up here aren’t birdsong and vistas

Yes I know. I grew up in Chester. It's full of history (less culture but that's improving). I still think London has more of it and more of a sense of discovery and I enjoy that. It might not be worth the downsides but I don't see that it's smug to say that it would be part of the trade off.

I lived there for a few years after uni.

It's good fun if you have friends around you, people to do fun things with and some extra money to pay for it.

However rent costs are so expensive that you don't really have extra money, and if you don't know anyone it can become very, very lonely and you're basically spending £1000 a month on rent for a tiny flat to go to work and come home again.

So it depends on your circumstances really. I went through both very happy and very unhappy times living in London!

My above post is specifically about a 20 something with limited funds though. I imagine it's different if you're more established/wealthier/at a different stage in your life, but can't comment on that!

I live on the outskirts of London and work in central London - I really don't recognise the way some of you are describing it! Crime riddled, filthy, drugged up nutters everywhere!

I've never encountered any problems travelling around London at all times of day or night - my teen DDs have been going into London since they were about 13/14 with friends, enjoying the cheap travel, free museums, fab parks, river ..... amazing place to be a teenager.

I love the countryside and the coast but only for holidays, I'd miss the pace and energy of London. DH would love to move away, but if anything, I'd love to move nearer central London as we get older. Fabulous transport on your doorstep and hospitals, who wants to be stuck in the middle of nowhere in your 80s.

London is all its cracked up to be and more! There is nowhere else in the UK that even remotely compares in any shape or form. We live the Barnes / Putney / Fulham region (trying to keep it vague)! which is very green and has fantastic river walks, yet still very vibrant with all the restaurants and shops you could ask for.

This weekend - on Saturday we went for coffee / brunch in Hampstead before walking over the Heath to Highgate, taking in the views of the London Skyline. Then we had lunch in Highgate which is literally a village on the top of a hill. Stumbled across George Michael’s old house which is a kind of memorial and became quite nostalgic! Then wandered back across the Heath. Took the kids home. Then DH and I went up to Nobu in Mayfair where I had three of the most delicious and the blackened cod which it’s famous for.

Then yesterday we took the kids to Spitalfields and Brick Lane markets. We had hot chocolates in some place the DC wanted to Instagram, where they grate the cinnamon and chocolate flakes into the milk. Also mini Belgian pancakes and delicious halloumi fries while we wandered round. We tried to get into “Lady Dinah’s Cat Cafe” but they were fully booked, so we went for a traditional Brick Lane curry instead. Then we drive home down the Embankment and went into Chelsea to pick up something for DD. All the DC said they realise how lucky they are to be growing up in such a city. DS said he feels as if the “world is at my fingertips”. The place is so diverse and everywhere is buzzing. Their friends are of all nationalities and they have so much more independence because of public transport than if they were stuck out in the suburbs or country.

Last weekend, we went up the Shard Tower for afternoon tea with the most fantastic views. The next day we wandered round Kings Road and up to S Ken for the Instagram-worthy Bubble tea In fact we rarely leave London unless it’s to fly abroad . Today, we’re off for pancakes and then down the river and round Richmond Park on the bikes.

Really interesting replies, thanks. I would move to London in a shot if I could afford it, I think the job opportunities long term will be much better for the dc, ease of travel, culture, diversity etc. I don't know London so do you think that livin g in zone 4 still has the London vi be s and advantages?

I'm also assuming that most people on the thread are fairly financially comfortable, although the theatres are 'cheap' £15 per head if you have a family of 4 isn't going to be a weekly thing unless you are well off. The same for restaurants and bars. There was a documentary on C5 last week about children living in tower blocks (one of which was in London) and it painted quite a different picture to the views on here.

Can I ask about healthcare, how easy/quick it is to get a GP appointment?

As for crowded tubes, if you're able bodied London is very accessible on foot! Everything is much closer together than a lot of people realise.

I remember having to get a tube across London for a course one day (I can normally walk to work from Vic) - the platform was three people deep, tubes would appear and we'd shuffle forward ... eventually got on a packed one. I was then amazed to see how many people got off just one or two stops later!! What is the point of that.

My brother lives in London and always says he would never dream of living anywhere else. He doesn't understand why anyone wouldn't want to live there. However he spends more per month on renting A ROOM, in a flat, not even the whole flat as me and DP do on a three bedroom house with a garden and garage in Wales. I couldn't think of anything worse than living in London.. but I'm a Wales girl through and through and couldn't live away from the seaside, national parks, gorgeous views and diverse landscape.

I think you never get a true idea on these threads because both sides give opinions as absolutes.

Have to second @bananafish81 - I grew up semi-rurally/outskirts of suburbia and relied on my parents to take me places, to see friends, go to the movies... they rarely drove me anywhere and I was locked in to whatever they were doing. Say they were having guests over for lunch, they'd be drinking, couldn't take me anywhere and I'd be stuck at home all day. They said if I wanted to go out I could catch the bus - my bus was a 20 minute walk away and came once every hour and didn't run on Sundays.
As a teen it was very tough and lonely. I'm an only child too.

I look at teen DSS and envy all the freedom and choice he has growing up in London.

OP,when you say “zone 4” where do you mean? Zone 4 SW London is totally different to zone 4 East, for instance. Do you have an area in mind?

Mandarine that sounds totally amazing, but I can imagine that those activities are not typical of a family on a budget? Those two weekends you mention sound as if they cost hundreds of pounds each.

No areas in mind, as I said I don't know beyond zone 2.

nelly - Well yes and we’re both in our 40s. But wandering around markets is free. Going up the Shard is free and you could just have one drink to take in the views. Take a picnic to Hampstead Heath. Art galleries are free. River walks are free. You don’t need to spend hundreds at all.

@jacqueshammer I suppose it's the equivalent of the "London kids are starved of nature" point in yesterday's thread. No one's saying London has the range and diversity of nature as rural living but they're not cut off from it. Similarly you can visit the countryside or visit London and different balances will work well for different families but to suggest there's nothing to be gained by living somewhere (rural or urban) as opposed to visiting is not true.

OP difficult question as zone 4 really varies. Some bits are lovely and very accessible though these tend to be as expensive as less fancy bits closer in. Other bits a bit dull and not very accessible and you might as well be somewhere further out with its own centre on a fast train line. I have newfound respect for Palmers Green/ Winchmore Hill as sterling a decent balance and I'm sure there are equivalent places.

You are right about theatre not being an everyday thing. We are going this week because it's August and kids go free. We often go to the £5 Fridays at the Islington puppet theatre though, and last month went to this amazing interactive punch-drunk thing that was bizarrely free. There are Facebook groups and apps that help you find hidden gems like that.

@nellyolsencurl I think it depends where you live - I live in zone 4, but on a tube line and a train. It’s quick and easy but some zone 4 areas I wouldn’t touch as the links are bad.

GP wise - I don’t have a problem. Ring on the day at 8am.

There is SO much to do in london with kids that’s free. You just have to seek it out. And be sensible, don’t travel in rush hour with kids for example.

Ps gp appointment another difficult one to answer. My surgery is great and will always see kids the same day. Friends over the way really struggle. I think that's the same across the country though and tbf they are building a new surgery in the busy area. If you do have a chronic illness you do obviously benefit from the proximity to several specialist hospitals.

I have no issues with my GP. I can book appointments online. And they run a walk-in surgery every afternoon from 3pm for children. I've taken DS loads and never had to wait more than 10 minutes to be seen.

I personally think life living in the likes of Chelsea/Putney/Hampstead/Islington surrounded by green spaces and nice shops etc would be glorious, but the houses are all £1m at the least.

Living elsewhere in London where the property is SLIGHTLY cheaper would be vastly different.

I say this having lived both in the SE and in Hackney.

Oh and we went to the science museum this weekend which we do quite often as my DD adores the shows there. It does get busy but if you get a year's ticket to wonderlab it works out very cheap per visit and you can pop to other museums early or later than tourists do because you don't have the travel issues. After school the south Kensington museums are really quiet. Same with transport museum for my little one which is expensive as a one off but becomes a very cheap day out over the course of a year and does family activities every holiday. As a civil servant I get free access to historic royal palaces which are similar and we are going to Hampton court and the tower of london again next week.

I say this having lived both in the SE and in Hackney

How long ago did you live in Hackney? You can't move for artisan delis and naice shops now. You need a good million for a house there too.