to ask if you've ever regretted moving out of London?

[thisusernameismine]

We are thinking of moving out of London (I've been there 17 years now). In very early 40s with one child (likely our only). Would go within a few miles of my mum. We would like a bigger place/garden for half the price as well.

Anyone ever made this kind of move and regretted it?

I have been out of London for a month now. Had to relocate to the midlands for a family emergency. I haven't missed anything about London (Obviously I am going by normal non covid times). Actually that's untrue. I miss the public transport which is cheap and plentiful. We are heading back next week. I don't want to go back.

I regret almost every day of my life. Usually at the end of the month (as no career prospects where I live) or when I get bored (as no concerts museums over here either).

Yeh me too. Life is dull as fuck in 'the provinces ' sorry. I may move back when travel ban is lifted and seek a council flat exchange. I wouldn't even care if it was in Feltham or Upton Park or somewhere iffy like that.

No. Best decision ever.

@KetoWinnie was that a dig at me? I was just making the observation that the London people who move to the area I’ve moved to tend to be in music, fashion and art, rather than finance/ the city, which is the stereotype of people who commute to London from Surrey. Probably because it’s cheaper tbh (not in Reigate haha!) I certainly wasn’t surrounded by “creatives” in London.

I live in York and I come across a lot of Londoners who moved here for cheaper housing and a better quality of life. They often comment on the lack of multiculturalism and theatre. I do always suggest moving back as it strikes me slightly rude to criticise something they presumably researched and chose. If you do move just try not to compare nowhere will be the same!

People always say there is more to 'do' in London but the type of events I like to go to/take part in usually are more likely to take place in places outside of London.
It depends what your lifestyle is really.
Also annoys me there is only something like 5 branches of B+M in the whole of London

I moved from London to near the south coast in 1991.

Best move I ever made and I haven't regretted it for a second.

I lived in London moved near Wales and in Wales itself and in Dorset and West Sussex . I am temporary currently in London and I glad that made investment my property in London , but part from that I am not going to miss London at all . all my friends have moved out I only have few older family members that got dementia in London that can't move, I have planning this move for the last few years . I all ready got my job waiting for me for when I do and there is fanatic school for my kid nice little fishing village by the sea with access to countryside walks , woodlands and old castles to explore. two of my friends all ready live there . we been up there quite few times since my friends have moved there and already made friends with locals , so its not like I am going to be lonely . I have been quite lonely in London , since my friends gone . my reasons never covid 19 related. I am used rural way of live I lived up the welsh moutians my nearest neighbour was about 2 miles away happiest moments of my live. I have been saving up my pennies as city life never suited me as they say you can take the girl out of countryside , but never take countryside out of the girl . biggest mistake was moving into London in the first place, I miss the live I use to have .

I wouldn't say I regret moving away from London but I certainly miss it! We only moved to Hertfordshire 3 years ago and it takes 40 ish minutes to get to London so we do travel back weekly to visit family. We moved for financial reasons and swopped a one bed flat for a 3 bedroom semi with a garden so from that point of view it was a no brainer. But I miss never being too far away from a tube or Overground (I find where we live now having a car is essential) and I did find there was a lot more going on in London for example more baby and toddler groups, exercise classes. We use to live In zone 5 and we were close to 2 really lovely parks so we managed to get fresh air there.
We have now been priced out of London but would back if we could. We're not unhappy here but miss London!

I'm really sorry to hear that @RubyWho.

I wonder if there's something weird about the bit of Surrey that lies just outside of the M25. My racist SIL lives in Surrey East, and she and her friends were all cock-a-hoop when their black MP was deselected because of his views on Brexit. Several parents, including her, are sending their kids private for secondary because of the number of black kids in the local comp.

My provincial Sussex market town is very liberal and welcoming by comparison. Maybe it's because we're near Brighton, which is very diverse.

Also annoys me there is only something like 5 branches of B+M in the whole of London

I'm 20 miles from the nearest B&M. Is it worth the trip?

We moved from Hackney to Herts/Essex border when kids were 12 & 9. Kids are now 18 & 15.

I don’t regret moving at all, we have a much bigger house & garden than we had in Hackney, whilst at the same time financially downsizing so that we were able to work less. This has meant a pretty stress free family life which I think has been really grounding for the kids.

We have one set of good local friends, but definitely don’t fit in particularly. We are much too scruffy with dangerous liberal views like encouraging the kids to go into London often ON PUBLIC TRANSPORT. The horror....

It has made me appreciate nature. And also realise that I am 100% a Londoner. We are going to move back in the next couple of years. I so so miss the buzz & diversity, it’s like we moved back 50 years when we moved here.

TL;DR I don’t regret moving to the country but am lucky enough to be able to move back to London & am seizing it with both hands.

No, it's been such a good move for us - although we have 3 children and had completely outgrown our house in London. We live in Beaconsfield, which is less ethnically diverse than London, there are fewer black people than in Camden, but my children's friends (and my friends) are still a mix.
Since we moved out most of our friends ,moved out as well so we go visiting a lot and we do not miss the traffic or the parking, or the volume of people.
Pre-COVID I travelled into London at least once a week, trains are only 23 minutes from our station.

@cheapskatemum has also reminded me that you can actually get a GP appointment here too!

Some days I miss it. Some days I would be glad if I never went into London again. I think you know when you are ready to leave, and if you are asking the question maybe you are.

I miss the community and open mindedness. I don't miss air pollution, traffic jams at all hours of the day and night, spending an hour travelling to meet someone for a drink. I don't miss theatre and galleries as much as I thought I would. And during lockdown it has been so peaceful and beautiful where I live.

lakie B+M is a bit hit and miss at the moment stock wise but normally they are blimmin great.

Buckingham Palace
Snap!
Prepping house to move back to London from Devon. Beautiful here and have met lovely people, good job for the area but realise we only feel properly at home in London.

Left London. Much prefer the slower pace of life, the countryside (the love of which has come as a surprise), less pollution, much bigger house plus an actual garden, nicer drivers, great schools, cheaper prices...!!

Bad side - it took us about 2 years to truly find good friends here but that was made easier by all the other ex-Londoners...

We are close enough to go out in London easily - though the train is really expensive - we do it.

As we had a young family in London - we weren’t able to take advantage of what the city had to offer.

Best decision ever. We moved to the suburbs of Manchester and get the city life at a fraction of the cost and have a big Victorian house for what we sold a one bed flat in a crappy area. 100% no regrets and when I go back I love London but feel so glad we don’t live there.

So, on the whole, London is no longer trending then?😁

How weird. there is only London or the Home Counties.....how about ( dare I say it) the North?

No, not at all. But I am not a city person. I prefer the countryside.

15 years now, still regret moving out. Would love to be able to afford to move back.

Where we are now is great for family life, we have a nice big house, good schools etc, but it’s just not for me. If you love London, there is nowhere else like it.

Like pp, not actual regret but I do miss London, a lot at times, and it’s been years now.
In an ideal world, I would move somewhere like Barnet or Highgate when I retire, but sadly I’m not rich.