To think London has become a parody of itself?

[NattyBrickMember]

Everything is overpriced, gentrification is out of control, and the chaos somehow feels unbearable and iconic at the same time. AIBU to think London has become a caricature of what it used to be - like a city pretending to be itself for tourists and TikTok?

I live in London and whilst I agree the tubes are packed other than that I find it a buzzing, amazing place with so much going on. It has got more expensive but hasn't everywhere because of inflation?

I feel sorry for the 20-somethings I work with as they can't afford to live in Zone 2 and go out in Zone 1 like we did BUT I think with wages and rent etc this is a problem in every region of the country. I expect our DC will live with us as adults for a bit, which is fine, but I feel sad they can't just branch out and go their own way as easily

I was actually out for dinner in Canary Wharf on Saturday evening, and walking past a group of young blokes, overheard one saying: 'See, you come up here and think you're living the London dream, only to be get stuck with a two hour journey and a fucking rail replacement bus home afterwards!'

Then I got to the station and saw all the overground trains had been cancelled, so my journey home to Zone 5 took 4 different Tube lines, a bus and about 90 mins - could definitely empathise with aforementioned young bloke by the end of that!

I think if you're sitting pretty in Zone 2, maybe 3, you're fine. But the 'burbs at the moment (where, let's face it, most 'normal people' and families actually are) often aren't great places to be. And 'London proper' feels increasingly cut off from these places.

Agree. My husband grew up in a fairly rough part of South London. Said he felt more intimated when we visited Montmartre in Paris!

Obviously I'm of lower taste then - I do like a Gail's myself. -- whereas I've been to plenty of fancy snooty independents that were not a patch on Gail's.

I love London, it's a fun place to spend time. Not sure I could live there though, especially in the summer.

I can't say I've seen that much of a change since I went there when I was young, except, what the hell happened to Carnaby street? It was always a great place for off the wall fashion stuff at decent prices, now it's all high end designer gear. When did that happen?

Was a time where it was full of London tat shops to be honest, so I'm pleased with the change.

Gentrification just means places are becoming nicer, I might be in the minority, but I don't mind Gail's replacing the crappy fried chicken shop
I’m with you. See also betting shops with groups of men smoking outside, empty units, rows of charity chops.

Could you ask him to pop by because Hodge keeps calling round and trying to move in with us. 🐾

I'm a Londoner, I love it and always have. I had a fabulous time in the 1970s because I was a teenager but a lot going on was shit. Loved it!
Oxford street has always been somewhere to avoid if you're a native. I spend lots of time at home and in my local area but also go into town and go to "stuff", all in public transport. A small recent example:
Classical guitar concert at Cadogan Hall
The Garden Museum
The Devil Wears Prada
Over 30s afternoon soul dancing club
Punk gig at the 100 club
Got tickets to see Gregory Porter
Got tickets to see John Lyndon
Going to a Handel concert in the old Limelight club
Some is cheap, some free and some a good few quid. That's off the top of my head ...

I also think we should be building more 3 and4 bed apartments within the shared ownership schemes - and adding nice little playgrounds etc - encourage 'some' younger couples once they have kids to stay within London - and clearly get a grip on the 'service charges' issues as part of this.

I think this is the nub of it really - what has changed IMO is the massively increased polarisation and atomisation of people in the different 'villages' of London, which means experiences within the same city are vastly different. It's always been a bit like that, of course, as London is so vast, but the polarisation of the last few years has been on steroids.

Agree

@TempsPerdu

Interesting about the lack of kid centric things. When mine were babies there was so much stuff & still is but there is less for primary school & tweens now on my doorstep. We are looking at moving a little out (z4) and one I've noticed that there seems to be more extracurriculars for them.

London is exciting for tourists and young people who either study or works here. I have been very long and it was always a hard city to live because of the weather and prices. Mostly a rip off. In my opinion at least it was safer in the past. I was never concerned about knife crime or pickpockets like now. We have the worst Major ever and he is not even close to feeling bad about the state of London.

But Londoners have always fooled themselves that long commutes and high prices are worth it so it doesn't surprise me their heads are still in the sand.

😆

I don't think public transport is excellent - the SE doesn't have the tube & getting from SE to SW often involves going in and then out.

I prefer the overground anyway

We don't want you here anyway, so everyone is happy

Oxford street has always been somewhere to avoid if you're a native.

As a native Topshop Oxford Circus was my mecca...

Agreed SE is terrible. And shit like you can get a train in at a certain time in the morning but if you want to go back out before commuter time you’re stuffed and have to get umpteen buses and pay with your time. It’s a one way funnel!

@peanutbuttertoasty

We are SW but DH has family in SE, we always drive when visiting.

And as I said I have friends in z5 that may live 30 mins from a train station with no bus option.

London has always been a tale of 2 cities - it’s just that now people who are middle class are being as financially stretched on housing and general living costs as working class people have more traditionally been.

I feel for young people - when I first moved here I had a share in a flat for £350 a month, went out every weekend and often came back with change from a twenty, and really felt like I could afford to take advantage of what most of London could offer. And all that on £12k a year!

The issue with renting is shocking but it’s not just a London issue. Right to buy was the creator of this mess and social housing has never been able to catch up with the shortfall. People talk about ‘well just move’ as if it’s that simple when your family, social networks or career are tied here. It’s a very narrow mindset to assume no one in London has any connection or real life here.

I have thought about moving over the years but the fact that I can jump off at a tube stop I don’t know and find a whole new area to explore, even after 25 years, excites me. I can go to the cinema or theatre or a gallery pretty much as soon as the notion strikes. I can be in the forest or at the sea side in under an hour without needing a car. Those opportunities outweigh the annoyances for me still.

@Over40Overdating I totally agree with all your points, especially with the idea that anyone can just move somewhere much cheaper . My sons GF is a born and bred Eastender- she also has elderly grandparents she is very involved with and is very close to other family who all live in east/south east London- she also works in a very London centric job that would be difficult to find similar in those 'cheaper areas' and certainly would pay nowhere near even if she could replicate it.

Do we really want London to be just tourists and the very rich - it needs a balance -

Do we really want London to be just tourists and the very rich - it needs a balance -

Some seem too

I went to New York for the first time last year and felt uncomfortable. Rude and unfriendly staff and people in general everywhere. Far too noisy, busy and full of weirdos. You could say similar for London but personally I feel safer and much more at ease in London, it actually feels more normal.

I agree, native eh?

Equally, what is this fiction I read about the safe and sound good old days, not in the parts I lived in!

I love Gail’s, their chicken and ham pies are stunningly good as is their recent addition carrot cakes 😋