Why do people live in London?

[Waahaawoowoo]

This thread is inspired by a thread where people where explaining how a £100k salary doesn't go far in London. Examples were given of mortgages costing £25k pa. (This is my salary). Childcare bills for 2 kids costing £40k. Our joint salary is £55k pa.

I live in NE Wales. Our house costs us £12k pa for a 3 bedroom semi. Wraparound Childcare used to cost a maximum of £12k pa. But we no longer pay due to age of kids and me WFH. I cannot get my head around DH and I being significantly better off than a couple who earn double what we do.

The logical answer to me would be to move from London. So why do people stay? Is it family? The type of work you do? I'm curious more than anything about what keeps people there when they could possibly have a better standard of living elsewhere.

Well exactly.

Not all of London is like Mayfair. I love in SE London...there's lots of cheaper, less fashionable places to live.

It is hard on a really low salary but if you can somehow make it work, London is just the best to live. London has so much to offer - it never gets boring.

I (who currently have no kids) go out with friends once or twice a week. Not the same friends every time (as stated in the comment). Some of these friends have kids, some don’t, some go out more often, some less.

My friends with kids go out at least once a week on average. As do their husbands. We all work fairly senior jobs. Not really sure why that matters, tbh. We’re having dinner or going to an exhibition, we’re not having it large until 4am Under the Arches. 😂 We’re in bed by the usual time and perfectly able to function the next day.

The crime rate in Manchester (and other areas of the north) is actually higher than London. In 2022 Manchester had 126 crimes per 1000 population, London had 95 crimes per 1000 population. (Source ONS).

In 2022 there were 124 murders in London; in the NW including Manchester there were 95. (Bearing mind the Manchester population is 500,000 people and London around 10 million).

I used to spend half my time on London as that's where my ex moved to and I loved it. So much to do and see, sunny Saturday afternoons in Victoria Park etc. Sadly my ex is one of those people where 90% of his personality is now based on living in London/not living in x provincial town, which is a bit wearing after a while.

Seriously? What an awful comment, I trust you haven't travelled around much of the UK if you think that London is the only diverse, multicultural place!

@AlmostaMamma I was just surprised that all the people you know with dc go out at least once a week on average as do their partners. I would say for most people the biggest impact of dc is the effect on social lives particularly when the dc aren't super young.

Completely disingenuous question. Why does anyone live anyone? Either because they want to, out of habit, or because they have to!

But why spoil the fun of a bit of London-bashing, huh? Not to mention an opportunity to get at those bloody snobby, unfriendly Londoners!

Anyone live anywhere, I should have said.

Jobs. I don’t have to drive. Most things are within walking distance. The tube runs every few minutes, so you never have to wait long. There are also buses and taxis. You can get the tube straight to Heathrow. There is every type of restaurant you could ever want to go to. You can nip out on foot to buy food, so you don’t have to be well organised. You can shop in any type of shop. There are cinemas, theatres, night clubs and art galleries within walking distance. You can be as anonymous as you want or you can get involved with the local community. Lots of good schools. There is stuff going on all time…. I could go on for ages. I also love the country though.

It always amazes me that people who presumably have never lived anywhere else, just assume that ‘free, fun things, theatre, museums, beautiful open spaces etc’ are not available anywhere else.
As others have stated, it’s perfectly possible to visit London, if there’s something specific you want to do, but I wouldn’t want to live in such a noisy environment ever again.

I stand by it. I think having to spend every day navigating a more challenging local economy, interacting with people from a wider variety of backgrounds, and fitting a social life over a huge geographical area (with the transport and time planning that involves) has an effect on people's ability to adapt, interact and plan.

I honestly think I was a bit dozy before I relocated. It changed me in a lot of ways, and now I notice a difference in what I expect from myself and others.

But, to be fair, London IS stinky.

Then I suppose it must depend on circles/demographic, as they hasn’t been my experience. Big stuff (holidays and festivals, etc) requires a bit more forward planning than it used to, but meeting up after work to go to the Tate Modern or try out a new ramen-fusion place has been pretty unaffected.

I will say that I don’t know anyone with kids over the age of about 5, though. And we all have quite high levels of disposable income. So, perhaps those are factors.

I will say that I don’t know anyone with kids over the age of about 5, though

Right that makes much more sense! 😆
I was thinking how do they navigate school runs, after school activities, play dates, work etc. Im sure it's possible with a live in nanny though but thought it strange that you only know people in the same circumstances

@Doomscroller We do something cultural (theatre / concert etc) probably twice a month plus dinners out and daytime cultural excursions with the kids as well every month. The Tate regularly has great interactive exhibits for kids and my kids adore going to the Southbank. While we tend to eat out locally more than in central London, our area has about 70 restaurants to choose from. The density means if you live somewhere nice there will be lots of facilities on your doorstep and there always seems to be something new going on.

Before kids, when I was younger we did something cultural multiple times a week for sure.

I stand by it. I think having to spend every day navigating a more challenging local economy, interacting with people from a wider variety of backgrounds, and fitting a social life over a huge geographical area (with the transport and time planning that involves) has an effect on people's ability to adapt, interact and plan.

You can stand by it if you like. I'll continue to think that it's incredibly foolish and arrogant.

I haven't lived in London but I had to be far more self reliant when I lived rurally than when I lived in inner city Glasgow because I didn't have everything on my doorstep. I couldn't just pop out at a minute's notice to go to the local corner store or supermarket for an ingredient that I wanted/needed. I couldn't just step outside and wave down a taxi or catch one of the (then) very regular buses. I had to do so much more planning when I lived rurally than in the centre of Glasgow. (I now live in the Suburbs) Having everything on your doorstep and great transport means that you aren't required to be as self-reliant as you have to be in a place where there are far fewer options for everything. But does that mean that I think Londoners are worse at "adulting?" No. Not at all. That'd be ridiculous.

As for fitting your social life over a huge area, see my friends' complaints about no one wanting to visit their part of London because it's too far. It's been mentioned on this thread by others too and it seems to be an all too common complaint so clearly London life isn't improving everyone's ability to adapt, interact and plan.

We go through fits and starts with cultural stuff. Over the last two months, we have:

Been to a comedy show
Been to the theatre each - separately to avoid babysitting costs
Been to two museums with the kids - once Science museum, one local museum
Taken the kids to a children's theatre
Been to one art exhibition - half day off without the kids

That doesn't feel like that much to me. Comedy/theatre/art is usually mid week for us. The kids have activities on school nights mostly but also Saturday morning so we have Sundays free for cultural things. We don't do loads of play dates

I don't work full time or in town either anymore. The vast majority of my socialising is done locally & I will always see films locally & often the theatre too. Only go uptown once a month really for the dc to eat or see a museum. DC & I have at least one evening a month child free but pretty much stay local again as we need to get up early for some activity or party on the weekend & can't be bothered to waste time travelling.

As for fitting your social life over a huge area, see my friends' complaints about no one wanting to visit their part of London because it's too far.

This is definitely true of real Londoners @WeddingVegetables. My mum cried when my brother bought in East London as it's "so far away" 😆😆

Not all of London is like Mayfair. I love in SE London...there's lots of cheaper, less fashionable places to live.

@Comedycook don't you spoil it too. I'm kicking myself for saying I was going to Sainsbury's. I should have kept it up by saying my local supermarket is Fortnum's.

In 2022 there were 124 murders in London; in the NW including Manchester there were 95. (Bearing mind the Manchester population is 500,000 people and London around 10 million).

@Mirabai yeah but that's also because we all stay in. The murder rate in the Tower of London used to be something shocking.

Zone 3 here. 1 DC and never owned a car.

That was supposed to be in reply to @bibbybox upthread!

Zone three and I drive everywhere...but we have no tube. My Ds plays football and I could never get him to matches without a car

I'm walking distance to a dual carriageway and B&M. Oh the glamour!