To think more people will want to live rurally now?

[Butterfliesandbears]

Property in cities has generally been more expensive but since covid it seems like maybe rural/village living will have the edge?

• larger houses/gardens
• can work from home
• countryside nearby for walks

-more space/less crowded generally

Or am I overstating it do people think? Will city living continue to be popular?

Anyone reliant on broadband is not going to want to take chances on that.

And while I'd hate not to have the leafy footpath a hundred yards away, I'd also hate not being able to walk to the superstore.

Also, how often are we going to have this year's particular situation, really? Apart from the last few months, people in cities have been able to sit in parks and beer gardens. Once things are vaguely back to normal on that front, flats will return to being somewhere you sleep and shelter from the rain

I grew up rurally and moved to a city to be with my boyfriend four years ago.

It's perfect for me. I prefer the vibrancy, diversity and open mindedness here.

My mother who was born and bred in a village, however, shudders at the very thought of living in a city. Each to their own.

You don't know anything about me or any other city-dweller. Nothing

Except that you live in a city.
The two environments are completely different. Theres all sorts of people living in the country from those that have second homes to those that live there because they like rural/wild living. What they don’t want is it changed into an urban environment because people with different expectations move there.

@Justcallmebebes

If you were one of the 240 people having the vapours about a deer leg in the garden, definitely stay in the city!

Yes, sir! Rather than having such inconsiderate neighbours! It was not the deer legs... everything has a time and place. Seeing them while out rambling is kinda different than being left on our patio next to our BBQ food or small child! 😔

No, I love city life. The countryside is nice to visit but live there - no way! Been there done that.

I was in Hebden bridge visiting a friend last week and her neighbour has just sold her property when it has been on the market for over 2 years. Apparently the estate agents can’t find houses to sell fast enough. It’s going to be a big wake up call when the new home owners have to deal with all the flooding that has made properties so hard to sell until now.

No thanks, I want decent broadband and phone reception, the ability to order in and eat out a wide variety of restaurants and other foodstuffs, and also to not be the only brown face for miles around.

I prefer city life - people are more open-minded and interesting

Kind of an ironic close minded statement.

I suspect a lot of people who are now told they can work mostly from home long term/permanently will have no reason to live so close to work/in a city and may wish to move more rurally. More space, bigger/cheaper houses and gardens on the whole.

I live in a rural village in Suffolk, and I think that people who live in cities generally don't understand the composition of villages these days. I am from the area (20 miles away anyway), DH is from a big town near to London. Our neighbours are from London, Swindon, Surrey, Birmingham and Yorkshire.

Of course, there are people whose families have lived here for generations, but they're really not the majority. There's far more movement than there used to be, and villages are (a bit) more diverse these days.

Maybe it's different in other areas, but definitely not as parochial here as you might expect.

Errrr… if we look at cities other than London, houses are npt necessarily cheaper than in the surrounding countryside. Dh and I couldn't possibly afford to move from our house half an hour's walk from the city centre to the countryside, because the countryside around here is where well-off people live. Our city otoh isn't a hub for particularly wealthy people so house prices are fairly low for the south of England.

There is not one tiny part of me which would consider living rurally and if anything lockdown confirmed that 100 times over

*They don't like folk who are different to them in the country.

I prefer city life - people are more open-minded and interesting*

In one post you've aptly demonstrated your narrow-minded stereotyping

There are good things and bad things about most places. Contentment lies in appreciating the good bits; for some that will be rural life, for others suburbs and for some cities. I live rurally and am happy to swap deliveroo and uber for breathtaking beauty. Each to their own.

You must be joking. I’ll be staying in London.

Also I like to be indoors for the most part so the countryside would be wasted on me.

No way, I'm a city girl .

I like to visit rural locations for a break, but I can't imagine living rurally. I don't drive either so this has made me even more grateful to live in a great city location where I have 4 parks within walking distance, loads of shops, two households of family members and DD's nursery in walking distance. And good broadband to WFH.

Plus we are saving to buy a house at the moment and pay a lot below market rent for where we are renting now, and house prices and rental prices here are not expensive compared to the south for example anyway as we are in the NW.

Job opportunities too. I'm WFH now but there's loads of similar employers in my city and I used to easily get the bus to/from work. DD car shares to work with a relative and there's loads of similar employers for him too here.

Also when things start reopening there will be stuff for us to take DD to again easily on public transport e.g. museum and art gallery.

I’m a Londoner, but I’ve got a house & garden and I have been bloody grateful for that in lockdown, so I can imagine some with small flats and no outside space dreaming of a move to the country after months of being stuck inside.

My feelings about living in a big city remain the same. I live close to all the amenities I need and my friends and family, and I definitely wouldn’t want to feel isolated.

I couldn't afford to buy anything of a reasonable size in the village I grew up in even if I applied for the local rural housing rate (lower property value for those with an established connection in the area). The irony being I had to leave said area to find somewhere to live and work and no longer qualify.

There is absolutely nothing appealing to me about rural living. I don't live in a city but I live in a large commuter town and there is green space local to us including a nature reserve.

I cannot drive and never intend to learn so I like to have everything on my doorstep, and excellent public transport is a must. Plus I would hate to live in a village type location where everyone knows everyone and always in each other's business. I like being anonymous amongst thousands.

Please guys, stay in the cities

Let me guess , a country dweller ?

They don't like folk who are different to them in the country.
I prefer city life - people are more open-minded and interesting
well not quite open minded as you have assumed everybody who lives rurally don't like people who are different.
Isn't it ironic?

We did consider it but I was worried about DS being bullied as we are not white and decided to stay in London

Not for us, it's shown me how isolated we are in a village. We are in the process of moving to a town for more amenities and less reliance on a car.

That said I do wonder if people will look further out of pricey cities if they are WFH more.

Oh I forgot to add to the list.

Potholes...lots of potholes. The County Council Highways commission have decided that there is no money to repair them (apart from the really big ones that take your tyres and suspension out), because all the budget has gone on the roads in the major towns and the 1 small city we have.
Be prepared to be treated as less worthy of those living in towns and cities even though the council tax bill will be exactly the same for less services.

The thing is, if any more people move to the country side and encourage more building all over green land, there wont be any more country side.

Very happy in the city thank you . London has been great during lockdown apart from being unable to go to the gym , salon or restaurants . Going to work has been lovely with little or no traffic - ah well all good things come to an end .