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?

@THisbackwithavengeance

This thread really exposes the contempt that white middle class Londoners have for literally everyone else in the UK.

I would suggest that you stay in London in your bubble of like minded people and pseudo-socialist politics and stop sneering at locals.

Wrong, most Londoners just have contempt for close-mindedness, xenophobia, racism, and other forms of bigotry.

As a BAME person who grew up in a very racist town (where we were the only BAME people)- and finally felt free and accepted when I moved to London, you couldn’t pay me to to back to somewhere with views like where I grew up. That’s too heavy a price for fresh air, countryside and mountain views.

Oh old thread, doh

I never regretted leaving London and don't even like visiting now.

No. I love being out of London. I grew up there, left in my early twenties.
When I do go back very occasionally I'm always reminded why it's so awful.

I moved to South Wales. Occasionally I have a twinge of missing London (usually when watching a TV programme about it) but I know it was the right decision.

There's a larger part of me that regrets ever leaving Manchester tbh, but as they say, you can't go back.

Not regretted it for a single second.
But I love gardening, country walks, cycling etc
So suits my lifestyle.

London was only ever going to be a tempura thing for me

*temporary

Not saying I regret it but I do miss it - lived and worked there for 14 years). If I still worked in London, I would stay in London, not move out and commute (I actually did this for 6 months from the south coast and it was too much). For me, London was a phase: no kids, no partner, worked long hours and played hard. Spent my money in fancy bars, restaurants and handbags! Things couldn't be further from the truth these days! Such amazing memories of the Smoke but it's done and no hankering to move back (I don't think I could deal with the daily Northern Line journey!)

Not regret exactly but I'm keen to move back which we will next summer.
I moved to where our holiday home was after my husband passed away. I needed a change of scene and the kids were young enough to adjust (though it was still hard for them).
The positives are I met several mums of my age (we had kids in our 40s) who had also moved to the area from elsewhere and were happy to make new friends. As property prices were so much cheaper we were able to buy a house and maintain a lifestyle similar to what we had in London but that I could no longer afford there.
Downside is limited culture and no higher education or qualifications after age 18 available. No department stores, no museums. As my kids are now rapidly approaching leaving school age I'm looking to what I want to do next and I don't see it here, and my kids want to spread their wings.
Current situation aside, I love the buzz and vibrancy of London. I love the noise, shops, buses, cafes, museums, theatre and bustle. I can see courses and workshops I can do. Everyone seems to think there is a mass exodus but looking at the property market and things are selling fast - meaning many people are happy to stay! My children will have far better opportunities for the next phase of their lives too. I won't have the big detached house with large garden, but I'll gain a lot more in other ways.

Hell no, i did it 18 yrs ago & it was the best decision I've ever made

I moved back 'home' to the sw about 7 years ago with my Londoner dh after about 15 years in London. Dont regret it at all but I do miss London more than my husband and pre Covid enjoyed days back for work.

But I had family and a couple of friends here whereas in London my network were all starting to move out and in totally different directions. I lived in zone 5 out in the east of London and it was suburban and whilst I loved and enjoyed London to the max in my 20s, by the time we moved we found ourselves rarely going into town and frankly we could have been living anywhere. Buses were dreadfully slow and we needed our car.

In comparison I live semi rurally but in the edge of a town with functioning bus stops and a train station so we do actually have some transport links. Motorway is 5 miles away so road links good too. I am 20 miles away from a city which has decent arts provisions, shops etc. Not quite the same job opportunities but not bad either.

It isn't diverse where I live though at all. Where I work is - my team is actually more diverse than my London team was but my BAME colleagues all live in the city.

What I don't understand is why people who move away from London move to small towns and villages and then complain about missing city living.

A large part of what you miss can be found in all the other large cities in the UK and maybe except places like prime Edinburgh, you'll be able to afford larger accommodation for far less than it costs to live in London, which has to be a huge advantage to all but the very wealthy.

I live in another city in the UK and don't recognise this notion that the whole of NotLondon is a cultural wasteland with nothing to do that is inhabited by small minded racists.

We left London almost 5 months ago and relocated to a nearby country. To say I miss it is an understatement! We were in zone 3 west London with lovely parks and good transport links into the city. Left as we’d had a baby and thought family support and long term chance at buying a house was most important. I’d go back today if I could

Moved from London to Surrey 15 months ago and do think it’s the best thing we ever did, much bigger house, garden and lovely green area to go walking

I live in another city in the UK and don't recognise this notion that the whole of NotLondon is a cultural wasteland with nothing to do that is inhabited by small minded racists.

I totally agree but I think it's an age old thing with Londoners. i remember a Post Box in Central London with two different slots for London and Country, as if outside London is, indeed, a wasteland.

Born & bred in the East end of London, I moved out at 20 years old. I live near Surrey hills now with DC & DH and I'd never go back. It's just beautiful, green & peaceful. Would I move back? Definitely not!!

No, I regret not leaving sooner! London never really suited me. I'm a country girl through and through. I moved to London for a six-month contract, and planned to leave after that. But for various reasons, I ended up being there for about ten years! I had some great times there, and made some wonderful friends; but I don't miss the pollution, expense, unfriendliness and so on, one tiny bit. I live by the sea now, and am so much happier. London's there for visits, which I love. But it's not for me full-time. That's just me though. We're all different of course. I've got friends still there who wouldn't be anywhere else. So, each to their own...

"I live in another city in the UK and don't recognise this notion that the whole of NotLondon is a cultural wasteland with nothing to do that is inhabited by small minded racists."

Ditto, in fact where I am now is far less so than even london. I also have connections to a few other towns & cities & it definitely wouldn't apply there either

I never recognise descriptions of London being unfriendly, polluted etc and the bigger house bigger garden stuff because it depends where in London you live. I grew up in Chiswick and Kew in Victorian houses with big gardens surrounded by parks and green spaces. My first flat was in Selhurst which was a ground floor conversion with an enormous garden. My parents bought an ex 30s council house with lots of space next to Gunnersbury park.

Obviously there are different areas but ‘London’ is a general term which covers many places.

I’ve lived in MK and Leicester in much more urban and unpleasant, unfriendly surroundings. The town I live in in Kent now is no different from a London village. People are friendly and it’s green just like where I grew up.

I grew up in Chiswick and Kew in Victorian houses with big gardens surrounded by parks and green spaces. My first flat was in Selhurst which was a ground floor conversion with an enormous garden. My parents bought an ex 30s council house with lots of space next to Gunnersbury park

And these are affordable to families on average incomes are they, without huge deposits due to previous equity or inheritance?

Unlikely, the cheapest 3 bed house on Rightmove in Kew is £750k and that's a mid terrace with a small garden.

Semis with gardens are more like a million plus. You'd pay around a quarter of that in other UK cities.

The house next door to my parents in Kew is council as are many on that estate. They are 3-4 bedroom with big gardens. All average waged people. But the Victorian ones do go for a shocking amount - however the people who live in them are still people who live and work so they have as much right to be there as anyone else - My point is not about affordable housing it’s about housing availabile and areas.

One friend lives in a lovely new build with 4 bedrooms near Gunnersbury park.

Everyone I still know from where I lived works as average jobs: bin men, carers, teachers, Office admin. Some part own, some HA and some rent (either from council or privately). They still live there whether they own or not.

Moved out of London now 12 years ago. When we did so we considered the pluses and minuses carefully. On balance the pluses were much greater. These included better access to good schools, being closer to the coast, being much more part of a community (we live in a village), and much lower levels of crime. Negatives are the commute (though this is likely to be less of a problem going forward), living in a community where everyone knows all of your business (a blessing as well as a curse) and obviously the friends and family you may not see as much of. Interestingly for us (we are a mixed race family), we were worried about less awareness and more racism outside of London. Overall we have experienced less issues outside of London than we did living there. However that may depend on areas, we are in rural Norfolk. We also listed access to the theatre and arts as an issue. However, we have found culture here to be very vibrant and we have regularly come to London for the theatre and galleries.

Nope. Never regretted it. I moved to London for uni and ended up staying there for 12 years. Loved it but the time had come. It had gotten very expensive and I wasn't really enjoying it anymore. Left London 8 years ago as a single 30 year old to live back with parents. Met OH within a month and now have 2DDs and due to get married next year (should have been this, bloody Covid!)
I live in the south east and am only 30 mins out of London bridge on the train so get the best of both worlds. Couldn't live there anymore but love going back for the odd night out/wander around.

@CaptainMyCaptain not to derail the thread/your memory - that used to be quite common with postboxes. Until about 15 years ago post was sorted more locally, so the post for that town would be kept at the large local sorting office and out of town post sent elsewhere for sorting. I remember asking my mum as a child why this was in our local “big” town (population 24000 😂) because I was fascinated and thought the idea of segregating post at the postbox by destination was really cool! I guess no point sending post 50 miles away for sorting to send it straight back again, especially when we used post more pre-email.

Yes I regret it, but I now have a garden and a dog.
I regret my children didn't get a chance to grow up in London, I worry about them being not as inclusive (dons hard hat)