Why is everyone hating on London

[greenwichvillage]

Recently a lot posts I read on social media is about how much people hate London. Its has been called all sorts of names - cesspit, dirty, crime ridden and the foreigners have taken over. They don't recognise London anymore and they are glad they have moved to whiter areas with cheaper housing.

For context, I have lived here all my life, lived in North West London and now live in Southwest London. I admit there are parts of London that have deteriorated, equally there part parts of London that are really nice. Yes it is expensive to live in and properties are expensive but that does not make it a cesspit.

I love living where I am and I love all that London has to offer. I'm not English but I am British and I'm not white and I feel really safe here in London. Yes there are problems with crime, but there is crime everywhere.

I have been to other areas in the UK and really none of it appeals to me, I have been to beautiful country side and small towns and cities and tbh I would get bored after two days there. But I would never go as far as insulting it which people seem to do quite a lot with London.

I think Farage/ Reform and Tommy have a lot to answer for.

It’s because the mayor is a Muslim and they hate Muslims.

They refer to it as ‘Sadiq Khan’s London’ when they want to be particularly scathing.

It’s generally the racists who want to blame Sadiq Khan for anything they can. They will quote knife crime as being the reason it’s a cesspit but crime is higher in other cities (I think Birmingham has a high rate of knife crime).

The reality is the country is seeing what 14 years of unnecessary austerity looks like. Services are failing and those who strive only to create division flood the internet with lies and too many people believe everything they read. Or rather they believe a tik tok video which is full of lies and / or AI half the time.

It's a right wing thing. I'm sure I heard someone say this am that London is absolutely the opposite of their narrative and politics. A diverse area where people rub along well on the whole. I've lived in London for 20 years and feel safer now than ever - I guess that's stage of life and I'm no longer clubbing or out to 4am, but still live in the same area. It's people that have never lived or been recently that have an interest in doing it down. Especially the racists. Look at trump and Washington for the text book on it. Or trump and La or trump and NY.

If we had that absolute moron Suzanne Hall as mayor, I suspect London wouldn’t be referred to as a cesspit quite so much. You’d have all that nonsense about Muslim no go areas because that’s a lie that’s done the rounds for years.

Yes I have heard that a lot. They must have loved London under Boris then, although he wasn't a very good Mayor. But he was white so they didn't find any issues with him. Also a lot of these people don't even live in London and have never lived in London.

Honestly I think London is over rated and I don’t really understand why anyone would spend so much more money just to live there. But I haven’t noticed a social media trend against London and my reluctance to live there isn’t due to racial or crime factors - just expense, huge travel times between places, not being close to more rural areas etc which are just personal preference.

If you like London, crack on!

What is this “hating on” phrase all about?

I really don’t like London it’s too noisy busy crowded and angry for me and the attractions aren’t my cup of tea - but I’d rather say it’s not for me than call it a cesspit

people who move away ( for cheaper housing) like to justify their move I guess?

It is personal choice. I grew up in the countryside and wouldn’t ever want to go back. I much prefer city life. I also think the transport system is amazing and not needing to drive is pretty great. (I also lived in Bristol and the transport network there is absolutely awful).

The cost of housing in London is outrageous though. There’s no two ways about it.

Too many muggings/phones being pinched/shops being looted.

I don't think it's London that's the problem, it's the general lax attitude to law and order in this country that migrants from strict law and order countries (as well as natives) are taking advantage of.

But not all of London is like that. The centre will be - more so at certain times - but most people don’t live there.

But I think that's a country wide thing. The law does need to change with regards to theft but that is not just confined to London.

it will be strange, socially maladjusted racists who are scared of cities.

I do feel sad that my kids won't be able to afford to buy in London. More and more kids who have left uni with family homes in London are tending to live at home and save rather than moving out and paying rent. Certainly all my kids friends in their mid twenties are all at home with parents. They would rather that then pay sky high rents for a room in a shared house.

London is a fabulous place with lots to do.

OTOH there is a lot of crimes, divide between rich and poor, people seem to be on a one way mission, you could be bleeding to death and they'll step over you.

I found it uncaring and fast paced.

This is worth a listen. Both journalists live and work in London.

podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-news-agents/id1640878689?i=1000721972052

This is what we expect will happen with our DD, in fact we are in the process of trying to buy a larger house so my older DS can move in and save.

Rents are high in other areas but London takes the piss.

I don’t hate London but I don’t understand the hype, in the sense that I would never want to live there. I’m considering going to watch a west end show maybe in a few years time but generally I just don’t see the point - my stepbrother and his partner live there so when family visit and rave about the place I’m just kind of confused.

I do generally have some lighthearted bitterness about the south having more than the north in terms of resources etc though so that won’t help haha! I feel like every single character in Corrie when they find out someone’s leaving the cobbles for the big smog… London??! 😂

The costs of rent and housing are outrageous, but that’s because a lot of people live here and want to stay here. If London was so awful, people would leave and rents would fall. No sign of that happening.

Sorry to come across as a mad defender of London but I really don’t agree that people would step over you bleeding.

On three separate occasions I’ve had strangers call ambulances for me (I had an uncontrolled medial condition for a while). Sit with me and not rob me until the ambulances came. Same thing happened with my son.

You can’t hate “on” something, you just hate it.

@kirinm
I had family on the edge of Epping forest and in Sutton - that’s not the centre of London but it was still way to much for me - we are just different - I can’t stand it it’s like a pressure on my skull when I have to go there - but that’s fine just different

like I say the words I would use wouldn’t be cesspit and other emotional derogatory words though

There's a video clip from it here where they explain that the right slating cities is a US import and that Trump randomly spoke very disparagingly about Sadiq Khan when he visited.

https://x.com/thenewsagents/status/1955310812882423922?s=61&t=U9XrcF693-JpMxeIueYG7g

That's good to hear.
I like to believe that the good people outweighs the bad.
It's not just London. People are becoming more insular everywhere.
In Dublin I saw a little boy about 3 get off the bus without his parent noticing, lots of people ignored his crying.
Thankfully the parent realised shortly after the bus pulled off.

There are loads of Americans in my area - probably getting away from Trump