AIBU to miss living in London?

[Youngatheart00]

Moved out of london 18 months ago to where I’m from originally - however I lived in london post study and for around 15 years. Rented in the glamorous areas and bought in a not so glam area. Now live in a lovely place but it’s very much not london and I miss it. Whenever I’m there for work i pine for it - even the smell of the underground stations (I know!!)

How do others feel?

YABU - get over it
YANBU - london is the best / I miss it too

Best city on earth. I love it

Piss.

YABU, but I’ve never lived in London and find it way too mentally stimulating when I visit! So it’s probably not for me.

Hm. I’m from London and I fled as soon as I could - for me, in my early thirties. I’m overjoyed to be rural and you couldn’t pay me to move back.

The stink, the tiny accommodation, the filth, the crime, the constant turnover of people, the lack of community, the cost of everything, the traffic jams, the constant background noise…

YABU 😬

I'd love to get out. X

Imagine car exhaust mixed with the fumes made by a deranged chemistry teacher trying to melt metals. Add soot. Then add urine, body odour, and a faint whiff of chips.

I was born, grew up and lived in London for 33 years, moved out to Essex 3 years ago and do not miss anything about it. It's too crowded, too much traffic, too noisy, too expensive, I don't miss a single thing and wish I'd left sooner 😅

My son lives in London. I can’t stand the noise, dirt, smells.

I’m clearly a country girl.

I moved out after living there for 23 years to look after my dad who had dementia. I hate where I live but couldn't afford to move back now. Also, a lot of what I loved about London seems to have gone. All the quirkiness of Camden Market, Soho, the nightclubs etc. Seems so commercialised and soulless now.

I moved out 20 years ago, to a medium sized city. Was a fab move at the time as my quality of life improved so much. Cost of living, time, space...had so much more of everything.

But.... I love going back, and taking the kids there, and I do think it is the best city in the world. I'd love to have the finances to live there and bring up the kids there.

So agree with you OP

<makes mental note to buy a euro millions ticket this week>

I don't pine for London so much as for the days when I lived in London.

Now I have 2 young kids, I wouldn't be able to live the carefree life there that I used to.

So I get the tube smell thing. But it's pining for the past, not the city itself (as amazing and vast and full of never ending choice and discovery and anonymity ..as it is)

Left London 25 years ago and would never return. Overcrowded, rude people,terrible traffic, hate it with a passion.

For me that would be the worst
I live in very Central London- near the palace and also have a country home. Thats the best of both but living in the suburbs is just dire.

It’s a fabulously vibrant city and I miss living in central London too. It makes me feel alive if that’s not too weird a thing to say! As soon as I get off the train, it’s like a ‘whooooosh’ of excitement for me. The fashions, diversity, arts, sounds, foods, general feeling that anything is possible. Only wish I had more cash to live in central!

The stink, the tiny accommodation, the filth, the crime, the constant turnover of people, the lack of community, the cost of everything, the traffic jams, the constant background noise…

Yeah, that's the part I like 😁

Tom Dixon does a diffuser and candles called London.

I think I don’t miss London exactly, but what I do miss a bit is being 23, carefree, with a good job and minimal responsibilities. Lived in a nice flat, didn’t worry or even think about the future much, I just loved jumping on the tube and heading to markets, random spots around London, meeting friends on a whim, going to events etc.
Now I’m in my 40s and I’m sure if I did live there with my two children it would be a very different life anyway and maybe some of these things are best left to memory and history.

I was born and raised in London and am lucky to live in a lovely quiet corner of zone 1. I often fantasise about living by the sea or in the countryside, but every time I go on holiday to a more remote part of the country or to a smaller city, I'm reminded of all the reasons why I'll always be a Londoner, and I love coming home.

I love the variety and diversity, and the incredible culture, arts, food, etc. I love the architecture, the history, and the huge amount of green space. I love that I am still always discovering new things after 30+ years of living here, and that the city is constantly changing and evolving while also staying reassuringly the same in all the ways that matter.

Outside of London, everything seems to stop at 5pm. Very little money has been put into maintaining arts and culture in the regions, with many towns not even having so much as a cinema, let alone galleries or theatres. Public transport outside of London and the south east is dire, which means you're reliant on cars.

I couldn't cope living in a small town or city where I feel like I would have done everything there is to do several times over after a couple of months of living there. I'd also struggle not having a diverse group of people to befriend - I love the fact that I've got friends from all over the world here in London, and you just don't get that cultural mix in much of the UK.

I'm used to the hustle and bustle and noise and pollution and I don't notice it, but I do notice the quietness and lack of life when I'm away. Sometimes I crave that and I love being able to walk for miles without seeing another soul when I go to the South West or Yorkshire on holiday, but I couldn't have that isolation as my life.

So no, OP, you're not being unreasonable. I do think nowhere else compares to London - in my view it's the best city in the world. Even after all this time I still get a little thrill when I walk across Waterloo Bridge at night and see the city lights sparkling in the river. Nothing beats that view for me!

I love visiting friends and working all over the Uk, but for all it’s faults I will only be leaving in a box..

Having said all that, we’ve been living in Sydney for the past 15 years and are now heading back to the U.K., and one of the bits I’m really looking forward to is getting re acquainted with London (although I won’t live there but I’ll be in the South)

You are not alone OP. I moved from London to mid Sweden. In London, I knew all my neighbours - always something to do, someone to see. I miss London so much, alas, I am priced out from moving back for the moment.

@SamPellegrino

Did you mean to sound like quite so much of a nob? Just curious..

I live in the Square Mile, and I know exactly what you mean. I have amazing art and architecture, history from the Romans onward, great shops, restaurants and bars and flawless transport connections steps away from my front door.

My street is quiet enough that I can hear the birds too, people are friendly and kind without being nosy and it's extremely safe with hardly any street crime - I always think the City of London Police must get bored 😁.

And a ride on the front seat of the DLR (or the top front seat of the bus) is even better than the smell of the tube 😀

sampellegrino
I don’t live in the suburbs. I live in the centre of a small city that is very close to London
(and yes you do sound like a bit of a nob, sorry)

@sampellegrino yup another chiming in to say you sounded like a nob 😂 We get it, you’re rich with a second home and would never need lower yourself to the plebby burbs. Hang on, are you in the cabinet?!

Nope - outgrew - wanted space and less people.
If you like it- move back.