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.

It’s the best place in the world.

The diversity is a huge draw if you are not white. I feel self-conscious in purely white small towns.
The theatre and galleries. We actually do use this a lot, are members of galleries and get our money’s worth.
Meeting new people. I know the modern thing is to ‘hate People’ but I love seeing people arrive in London to work and hear about their dreams and stories.

Growing up, my kids had lots of opportunities to attend talks run by different universities which really stimulated them.
Lots of research going on in the teaching hospitals (I know this also goes on elsewhere).
Great public transport. We also walk lots to places and don’t use the car much at all.
And one of the biggest things, is restaurants. So much choice here. Whilst we love going on holiday throughout the UK, other than some of the big cities, restaurants are often disappointing (sorry). Even though we research and try and find the tastiest places to eat, they often let us down. I always remember going to an Indian restaurant in a small northern town and it arriving covered in melted cheddar cheese ‘as the locals like it’.
People are friendly…yes despite the stereotype. London is made of small ‘towns’, each with its own character and vibe.

I am more than aware of the negatives. Expensive, big, parts are dirty, tourist areas are too busy etc. But I wouldn’t live anywhere else ever. (I am originally from the very north of the country). And I am pretty sure once the kids have finished their degrees, they will be back to work in London. All three were determined to leave London for university, which I supported. But I know they will be back!

It is my home

It has jobs, and transport, and wildlife, and a huge, interesting diversity, and you can cater to most interests, history, art, culture, language, science, archaeology, canoeing, football, handball, bmx, astronomy, basket ball, photography, choirs, bands, politics, environmental action groups just some of the interests my children had at different times during their childhood and early adult hood - some of which was free.

Basically, anything my children wanted to try, they could try.

easy access to shops, sports clubs, exercise, choice of churches, countryside, parks, many different wildlife habitats, all within walking distance

easy access to jobs, taxis, trains and buses, the river, - buses are very cheap, and it is a relatively safe city

Lots of opportunity for volunteering in many different sectors

Lower heating bills than much of the UK -

Good transport links to see relatives in other parts of the country or for foreign travel

Friends like to some and stay and spend time in London

Theatres and events occasionally, maybe less than once a year, but plenty of choices

exhibitions, some touring, but most international or national touring exhibitions come to London at some stage.

In day to day life, I suppose it is the access to a choice of jobs, shops, free sports clubs and range of wildlife I enjoy the most

Same. It's very area dependent I think. The better off and more suburban parts will have more of a community feel

I think when you live in London you love it for it's charm, it's possibilities, the seemingly endless opportunities etc.

Once you leave you see it for the dirty, overcrowded, hectic place it is.

I lived there for 10 years, left 4 years ago. I don't miss it all but have to agree with a pp that housing aside, it can be cheap to live there. We were lucky to buy our house in the dip after the GFC. Total luck.

Also, I don’t drive. The longest I ever wait for a bus is probably 2/3 minutes. I can get a tube mostly anywhere so I hardly use the train.

I don’t want to live somewhere where the whole city shuts down at 5pm! Before I moved to Maidstone, I was in Canterbury for a month or so. One of the buses would literally terminate at 4pm on a Sunday. Wtf is that about?!!

You don’t need to be on 100K+ to have a good quality of life in London.

These days if you are young & don't have BOMAD to help buy & you want dc then 100k household income is needed to tbh.

Typical weekend would be four/ five of these. Work day a couple.
Premiere League football match
Theatre or Opera
Free world heritage class museum
Ethiopian deliveroo
City farm
Meal at home or restaurant with family/ friends
Colombia Road flower market
Pub with family/ friends
£5 cinema
Mass where we’re part of the community
Church service in world famous abbey
Free art exhibition
Park or woods dog walking from the door
Walking distance convenience store open until 11pm
I can see a GP on the day
20 minute £1.60 commute
Walking distance schools- different ones for 3 dc
Gardening/ lawn mowing/ bbq

I know other places are available but I love London

I just love it. I wouldnt want to move anywhere else.

We are in the process of moving back to Wales. Not only am I super homesick, we can't afford to live near London.

Most of our friends including ones who were born in London or grew up there, have moved north.

Many areas outside London aren't very welcoming if you aren't white and British-origin.

My children are first generation British, and when we looked at moving further out, they'd often be in classes where no other student or teacher looked like them.Even though most people are very open, we've had at least one intentionally or unintentionally racist local encounter on every UK holiday we've been on outside London.
Where there were pockets of our home communities, they often have fairly different values and aspirations for their kids, and much less desire to become part of local culture.

I'm sure there are good places to live in other UK cities, but I wouldn't move from all London offers, and our lovely friends, to another city. That's why we're staying put.

Because there are far more work opportunities there than in the rest of the country. Work and jobs is the main reason.

Because there is a theatre at every turn , it's multi cultural, beautiful buildings , quirky bars , great gay scene , restaurants, museums, rivers

(I also am Welsh. I could never move back there )

More interesting jobs available (in my sector), close to family, lots going on, don't need to drive everywhere (or at all, really), like the diversity (grew up in a village and hated how insular it was). It's home!

It really isn’t but okay

I'd live there if I could afford it. It's my favourite place in the country. I love the vibe and buzziness of it, the diversity, the fact that it's a 24/7 city. Always something to do and new people to meet. It suits my personality as an extrovert who loves socialising.

I live in a commutersville town in the midlands. It's ok but dull. The high street is dead.

I go to the theatre, museums, comedy or galleries every weekend. Some free, some not, but I scout for cheap tickets and can afford it because we don't run a car. I don't know why I am defending the city so vociferously:) Perhaps because I often think British people are so down on London. I have lived in other mega cities and I think this is the best city in the world.

My zone 2 London street are hugely friendly and very supportive of each other. We have street parties and take it in turns to go out to each others houses. We provide each other with emergency onions/ sugar/ eggs etc and babysit or help. We are friends.

It's like a village but conveniently located with a bus at the top of the road that takes you to the centre of town in 20 mins.

What's not to enjoy?

@BlackBarbies but housing costs & childcare is so expensive.

We left London just over a year ago in pursuit of a “better life”. We’re moving back again as soon as I find a job. We will have to downsize our house but that’s the only negative, although I actually hate gardening and cleaning a house that’s bigger than we need anyway. We miss the vibrancy, the people, our friends & community. I’m sure rural life or life in smaller cities suits some people, but for us it’s boring and lacks the opportunities we want for our kids. Once we move back we won’t make the mistake of leaving again.

Where to start ?? There is no place like London ! It’s cosmopolitan, full of arts, all sort of foods on your doorstep, it’s buzzing and fun ! I have lived here 25 years !

Because I don't think any other city in the UK comes close to London in terms of cultural attractions, things to do, restaurants etc. Also all my friends and family live here.

(also 24hr shops within a few minutes walk!)

All the people saying you don't need a car do you live any further out than z1 or 2?

Since having 2dc I definitely need & use my car frequently.

I forgot to say of course is that it’s home! My friends from the London university we attended have stayed here. Out kids grew up together. It’s been lovely. Friends and family are here; I would not want to leave.

Anyone who stereotypes ‘Londoners’ is silly. So many of us were not born here yet are drawn to London. And 9 million people are here. They can’t all be the same!

I absolutely accept that London isn’t for everyone. In the same way that a rural village, commuter town or seaside idyll would absolutely not be for me.

I live in zone 6 and don't have a car.