To wonder how anyone can live in London?

[Sausagefingers9]

I hadn’t been to London in years so had forgotten just how extremely busy it is. I’ve just got back from a trip there and feel like I need a lay down in a dark room!

How does anyone ever turn off when there is so much stuff, and noise and people everywhere? Everyone looked so grumpy and depressed.

The idea of people walking around "looking happy" creeps me out.

What are they smiling at?

I’m not fragile; I have no problem with people who personally think London is shit and would hate to live there. What I hate are threads saying ‘how can ANYONE bear to live in London?’ as if their view of the place is some universal truth. Other places don’t seem to get the same treatment - I don’t recall any threads saying ‘how can anyone want to live in Brighton/Hull/Worcester/rural Scotland’?

I think there is a certain feeling in london that you get in a lot of capital cities, when it just seems full of transient people who dont live there

My family have been Londoners since they arrived as refugees 120 years ago, not very transient. All my family live here, virtually all my friends were born and brought up here, my kids go to school with the children of some of my school friends and my friends son is the 5th generation of her family to go to the same school.

London is in my soul, it makes my heart sing. Step away from the oxford street and regent street of the tourist into lovely parks, cafes which have been in the family for generations, into quiet streets and virtually deserted pubs. Look beyond the main streets and there are schools and allotments and councils who have built beach volleyball pitches and tennis courts and community gyms and renovated deserted houses. That’s the London people live in.

It can be busy, the tube in rush hour is horrible but when you take a wrong turning and discover an area you never knew existed, or you think you’re going to a pub and find yourself in the most lovely food court you’ve ever seen where you don’t even know where to start it’s all so delicious. That’s the real London and that’s what we love.

I love living in London. Jogging round Regents Park, a quick culture fix in the British Museum, drinking on the South Bank. Tbf especially once you have kids it helps to be well off though, I think if I was on NMW I’d move out.

Have a look at London at night from one of the bridges, or from the South Bank. Then try and say it’s not an amazing place.

Whether you want in London or not you have to marvel at its centre(s).

But I do appreciate that old Farmer Fartbread’s grain silo by night is probably a great sight too.

I would have loved to live in London when I was younger, but lacked the finances to do so. I have a fantasy of blowing my pension on a central London flat rental for a couple of years when I retire though

*want to live

I bloody hate the shithole London has become. So busy, noisy and full of horrid gangs of youths stabbing each other to death. Yuck, no thanks. I am a country bumpkin to be honest, though, although many hate me here I magine, as I am anti-hunting and pro-animal rights (but no lefty!).

Shame because I used to love being driven up to London at Xmas to see the lights. ‘Twas a real highlight. Oh well!

if you want a demonstration of how vast and diverse London can - start a thread on North vs South of the Thames (team south here

I only go in occasionally. A few times per year. Takes 1/2 an hour to Waterloo. I can wander, go to convent garden. Love it. What's not to like?

Though I do wonder why it’s ok to “London Bash” ... if a Londoner wrote something along the lines of “went to Manchester what a dump” (it’s not) or similar they would be quite rightly handed a grip

‘Horrid gangs of youths stabbing each other to death’

ODFOD.

Letthenamesbegin I agree London is very diverse and vast- you can go half a mile and it becomes very different. I have been able to live for 20 years with no car in the household, which would be very difficult in many towns and cities in the UK. I can find the film I want to see at a cinema somewhere in London in the second week or even the third after it is released. The choice of theatres and art galleries/museums is much greater than anywhere else.

It is not for everyone and friends of mine from elsewhere sometimes struggle with how busy it is. Their life elsewhere is fulfilling, and so is mine, just different.

There are even people who enjoy an existence in south London!

Because London has all the privilege and power.

Because London has all the privilege and power.

Why is that a reason not to like it?

I love it.

I love the diversity and tolerance and cynicism and grumpiness and great food.

@ Letthegamesbegin

Team North all the way here
You’re so right though. Once you pick one side of the river I think that’s where you stay.

@River privedge and power? People are saying they aren’t keen due to stabbings and miserable commuters.

I love London and I even like it most days, although I commute through Oxford Circus several days a week, and if your trip to London involved the West End, then I can see what you mean as I have moments of feeling that every day in that location.

I do find when I visit other places in the world I walk too fast, plan ahead too much and get impatient when service is not super fast. So it has an effect. I have always found though in London that it doesn't take much to break the ice. Even in the busiest parts (some) people will help with a buggy or suitcase, pick up someone who's fallen over, buy a tramp a coffee... I had a laugh with a very severe looking business woman on the Tube not long ago when we both realised simultaneously that the stations being announced were for a different line to the one we were on... Most days I direct someone who's visibly lost. I think most Londoners do.

If you want to appreciate London properly, the best thing is to visit somewhere like Beijing!

Basically, avoid the West End.

Grr, sorry that was meant to be @Letthenamesbegin
Stupid iPad!

I'm on the train back to my town after a few days in London. I've definitely left thinking that I would hate to live there but I figured I might be getting old!

Things I hated:
How busy it was
Crossing the road
The number of homeless people
All the posh shops (in close proximity to the homeless people)

Things I love:
Being able to do stuff after 6pm (other than go to the pub)
The food (Amazing Mexican via deliveroo)

I lived in London in my 20s. I enjoyed it, but even though I didn't live right in the centre, I did find it was impossible to completely get away from all the noise. I did live near to a major road, admittedly! I like going to visit now, but am happy to get back to the peace and quiet of home (not that far from London, but worlds away in most respects).

I took my DC to see the Christmas lights at the weekend and they were very nervous of all the crowds so it made me realise I should take them in more often to get used to it.

@storm4star - it’s a whole thread in itself! I find it fascinating that cities with rivers always have this type of debate

Lol I have suddenly remembered a colleague of mine (I worked outside of London) asking if I thought people in London were so thin as they walked so fast