Letting 14 y/o dd go to central London with a friend.....

[wanttokickoffbutcant]

DD recently turned 14. Has been into central London many times with me but never with a friend. I am torn as to whether I should allow her. On the one hand, I was travelling from Cornwall to London on my own at a younger age but I am just think it is a very different place now (I am old). She thinks I am horrible and being ridiculous not to trust her but she is also not very street smart.......

Euston Road, busy, polluted and one of the busiest main roads in London. Absolutely not dodgy unless you walk in front of the 9000 busses on there. British museum, erm, about 250 metres away. Marylebone off Euston Road, very dangerous with all the shoppers with their artisan cheese and hand made organic pastries

there is literally nowhere in the west end or main areas which are dangerous. Like other posters not sure I’d advise hanging out in Harlesden, Colindale or Alperton and I wouldn’t let me teens lose in Camden after dark but the west end Kensington Chelsea the city Canary Wharf King’s Cross and plenty of other places are also incredibly low risk. I’ll happily walk around central London at any time. My parents village after dark, not so much

Because you’ve made so many odd statements. New York is apparently perfectly safe but the Euston Road is scary - perhaps at 2am but all day and in to the evening it’s packed with people and traffic.

@LittleBearPad probably best to agree to disagree.

I used to go on my own into London at 14, in the daytime. Loved going to Camden or going to shops on Oxford Street. This was in the 90s though. Not sure how things have changed.

Oxford Street is sadly totally pointless now.

I think it's perked up a bit recently towards the TCR end and with the HMV store back near Bond Street. But yes nothing like the 90s.

Thanks all for the opinions.

I see this has gone on a bit of a tangent and sorry not to have been back sooner. My daughter went and it was fine. Messed up a bit on the journey home as missed a train but got home safe and sound.

Was thinking of taking her to New York for her 16th but may rethink that!

Hurrah! Glad to hear it OP, hope she had a fab time.

That’s great. And missing trains is all part of the learning experience. My DS didn’t realise he had to press the button to open the train door!! So had to go to the next stop and get another train back. They don’t so it twice.

I have heard NYC has gone a bit downhill since the legalisation of cannabis. Big issues in quite a few of the US cities at the moment.

I’m glad she had a good time. There’s always going to be problems on the transport network so it’s great she navigated it.

And here’s me thinking I wouldn’t go to NY alone what with all the guns and gangs and all. Maybe I need to rethink my risk!

Well done to your dd OP.
Missing trains, trains being cancelled etc is part of life on public transport and it sounds like she dealt with it well.

She did ok - got back later than I would have liked but she called me to keep me informed so I didn't worry too much!!

It is hard trying to find the balance and I appreciate all of your input.

London is SO safe. So safe, plus they have phones, let her go.

Teach me to read the thread!

The keeping in touch is good. I found that helped me build trust with my DS - that he would reply to messages and keep checking in. They get the timings wrong sometimes but all good lessons.

Can’t imagine what it was like in our parents day without mobile phones!

London is not safe mate😂, you can argue that “West London, City of London and Central London are the safest parts of London” but you still have Soho in Central. Just walking from Tottenham Court Road to Leicester Square can be horrific at night for anybody under the age of 16. Especially with diversity and different people and the population increasing hence more illegal stuff. It’s not about the “Gangs” and what not. It’s about the partying, crackheads, drugs, prostitution/strippers, nightclubs, pubs, overpopulation, drunk people. That’s Central London. Especially places like Soho, Trafalgar Square, Kensington. Id say Central London is safe during the day but it can get pretty sketchy at night time due to intense partying, people getting drunk, prostitution around, diversity. I’d say let them during the day if they are 13-14-15 years old but highly avoid during nighttime until they are 16+ and actually know what to keep away from and how to keep yourself to yourself

Wow, imagine resurrecting a really old thread to make that post. Embarrassing.

🤣🤣🤣

Wow. Why so racist?

No indeed perish the thought. I would prefer to allow my child into what’s left of the Gaza Strip than London.

We live 35/40 minutes on a train from London. DDs have been allowed to go in the daytime with friends from Y9.

One of DD2's friends at college (16) has never been allowed to go into London. She got the wrong train the other day, ended up at London Bridge and had a panic attack. Fortunately people were kind and helpful and eventually got her on the right train.

I know, right! Ridiculous post full of absolute crap and racism. (Posting this from the war zone that is Wandsworth).

I'm posting while I still can before the Barbican is laid waste by all the diversities

Help me…they’ve got me…they’ve got me…

I’ve got through growing up and old in London with nothing more than a meaningful walk.

It’s those arty people that are the most dangerous. You’re lucky to be alive.