To wonder why people choose to live in London?

[Cantbloodyrememberthenameonthread]

I always wonder. And reading a recent thread prompted me to ask the question. Why do people do it by choice? People complain about the house prices (rightly), ulez, nursery fees, cost of everything being more expensive, commutes, tubes etc.

if you’re not absolutely tied to London for work or health or I guess family. Why do you choose to live there when there are so many cheaper easier lifestyle options in the country?

That surprises me but then I live fairly close to both Stansted and Southend airports and they fly to an awful lot of European destinations . ( And neither airport is in London)

I've lived in London for 15 years: since graduating. DH (then DP's work) was always going to be here and I followed him. I go through periods of loving more and loving it less, but there's always that first properly sunny day of the year, where everyone is in a good mood, and there's so much energy about the place, and you know that something amazing is happening somewhere close by. Yeah, it's expensive and we'd have a bigger house where we both grew up (although not the jobs we have and certainly not the earnings), but I'm mostly happy with the trades. And I actually think London is quite family friendly in lots of ways - if you can get over the massive hurdle of affording kids.

We've moved out to the suburbs since the kids. I love our area, but I still have a strong yearning for Kentish Town, where we spent the first ten years together. It had that buzzy, all sorts of people from all sorts of places, rubbing up against each other liveliness. There was always something new that was weird or funny or charming or amazingly beautiful to see on the bus ride home from work or a walk around the neighbourhood. The pubs were great. The view from Parliament Hill never got old. We watched the swimmers dive into the ponds every Christmas Day. Our neighbours were great and super interesting. You could go out late and always know you could get home, whatever the hour. I'm so glad I had that bit of my life there.

I love the interesting people, I just don’t think it can be matched

I guess its what you are used to, I was born in, and live in a village about 2 hours by train from London - can't stand the place, busy, crowded, expensive - not for me, but that's just my preference, I can see why other people like it. I dislike crowds and loads of other people, my idea of heaven is being alone in the rolling countryside or doing the lighting for the village play or setting up for the fete.

Because it’s the best city in the world! It has world renowned theatre, museums, food. Great architecture, fantastic parks. the financial capital of Europe. Innovative (see the ABBA Voyage). Great for families. Great for professionals. Great for seniors. It’s eclectic, inspiring, historic. What’s not to love?

I guess if you're born and bred there then it feels natural. The busyness, the anonymity, the proximity to things.

You do realise the UK is quite a large place ?
I live a ten minute walk from my local town centre
I cdn get a takeaeay pretty much when ever i want ,from lots of diffrent cultures
At least 50% of pupils that went to.my sons secondsry school were not white british
And house prices are a cheaper

Loved living in London. Love living in Paris too. Love the mixture of people.Big cities have great transport , shops, entertainment, no need for a car, good schools hospitals. Easy access to drs. Both cities have parks and easy access to the countryside or the sea. Housing is expensive, living space generally smaller but you get used to it.

They are both considered "London" airports. I live in South West and my options out of both Bristol and Exeter are very slim and/or expensive.

Couldn’t imagine not being able to get in the car and go to Mayfair / Harrods for lunch and shopping at the weekend
dribks at Bulgari hotel & Mandarin
as other pp have said, it’s an energy

There's always something to entertain, and plenty of it free. The hundreds of museums covering everything under the sun and most of exceptional quality. Theatre and film, street art, special performances, festivals, street fairs, markets, etc. Wonderful architecture. The tourist sights that bring in so many vistors are also (mainly!) fascinating and well worth seeing. Some of the parks are incredible. Good public libraries. The public transport is great, you can get anywhere. There are clubs and night classes for pretty much any interest you care to pursue. Along with a range of universities that offer all sorts of opportunities to pursue academic interests. And so many people that, if you put the effort in, you can always find a group to share an interest with.

And it's just brilliant for kids. Lots of exhibitions and performances tailored for different ages and top notch artists. Plenty of clubs and classes that they can get involved in and of a really high standard if they want to pursue it. Free transport for kids - giving them so much independence once they're a bit older.

There are certainly places you'd want to avoid, but I've lived in several cities and they've all had those without the same advantages as London.

But they ARENT London though.

I agree with you in the South West. My poor uncle lives in Truro and it's hassle and expensive to fly anywhere

I grew up in a nice market town and have lived in three other UK cities. London is the only one I’ve enjoyed and wanted to stay in. I’m fully aware property is cheaper and there’s more space elsewhere but I like city life, the food, the variety of things to do, the spontaneity, the easiness of finding community and meeting new people, the diversity, the opportunities. I’d move to Berlin (or pre-Trump, New York). If those aren’t on offer I’ll stay in London!

The opportunities - I came here as a graduate 25 years ago. I'd never have got as many career opportunities had I lived in another city amd certainly not a small town. I've settled here and made friends, had a family. The schools are great, public transport is free and plentiful. Yes there are museums and theatres and galleries and parks in other UK towns and cities. But not as many, not as many free or affordable or varied ones. I love that on a Sunday outside of major store opening times, I can walk to the store around the corner and buy fresh fruit and veg, freshly baked bread, butcher counter. If I lived where my parents do, I would have to drive to a local convenience store and settle for some tinned food or a frozen pizza.

Some people like big cities, some like market towns, some like the rural idyll. Isn't it great that we have some choice in where to live.

Huh?

Have you been to London?

I find being in London gives you energy
being in Glasgow sucks it out of you

DOI - I lived in London for 8 years but come from and eventually moved back to Devon. I liked living in London but always intended to move back to the countryside to settle down.

Common answers to this question amongst people I know/ knew were that they had to be in London due to work although most probably could have found a job outside london if they’d really tried, they were scared they wouldn’t or that they would but if something went wrong with that job they’d have to move again to get a new job.

Some felt there genuinely wasn’t anything to do in the countryside but didn’t do anything regularly I couldn’t do within 30 mins of home in Devon imo.

Some just didn’t feel like other places were real enough or gritty enough (as if there’s no poverty outside of london!) and wanted to make a difference to the lives of those that were struggling.

Some really worried about racisim or about feeling like the odd one out in very white areas or relied on a community of others like them which is based in London.

Some just didn’t know anything else.

Like anywhere many have built up networks of friends and family over decades and didn’t want to leave that.

The people I knew who did move out generally had either originally come
from a more rural area so it wasn’t such an intimidating change or did so by taking small steps further out into the suburbs.

I truly couldn't imagine anything worse then living in London.

Visiting now and then, brilliant. But to live there? No, Urban hell sprawl.

For better or worse it feels like it's very own entitiy within the UK. A bit like Liverpool... but, more.

Because, oh god, I bloody love it. Here in south east London for me, it’s the people, the community, the culture, restaurants, bars, theatres, green spaces. Always something going on. And the schools - London state schools come out top across the country and there’s rarely a bad school.

And the open mindedness. I’m always shocked when I visit my parents in Essex and see the England flags on every lamp post. People here aren’t angry at everything. They’re welcoming and tolerant. And the community is brilliant. I’ve lived on several different streets and the street WhatsApp’s are supportive and helpful. Ditto the school ones. I just don’t recognise a lot of the issues other MN’s discuss with their neighbours.

And, on top of all that. It’s literally once of the most loved and vibrant cities in the whole world. It’s beautiful and historical and modern and it’s everything you could need, whoever you are.

edited to add. Easy access to nhs dentists and gp surgeries with same day appointments. London (and perhaps other major cities?) get all the facilities many in the UK are lacking.

I can’t grasp it either but some people love the chaos .
I was born and grew up in a very nice cosmopolitan European capital and I swore I would never have children the same way . They grow up so fast , bad influences , crime , poverty etc
we ended up in a very large town in England and even then it felt unsafe and like the kids would struggle with bad schools , crime etc so we ended up in the polar opposite in the Scottish highlands when my middle child was in mid primary school and I wish I done it sooner , kids are so different, they are not following fads as much , no 10 year olds full of makeup , not shocked farm or wild animals or insects , know where food comes from with no issues . I had my nieces visit a few weeks ago and they are so much like city kids , freaked out with a spider , when my daughter told them we would be eating food from the local farm and showed her the cows in the field they started screaming that they could not possibly eat now they knew the cows , they went to pick up eggs from our hens but then refused to eat them because one was dirty , couldn’t even distinguish a duck from a pheasant , ,basically they where exactly how I used to be and the way I don’t want my kids to be

It’s diverse - and I mean whatever your niche and interest is. Whatever your community is. Whatever you want because it reminds you of your culture, or heritage; however you want to dress or do your hair; whatever you want to explore - you can do it in London without going too far and without feeling like you are breaking the status quo.

Im born and bred London - and I admit, sometimes the busyness , noise, pollution etc can be too much - and I take regular country breaks.

But the one thing I hear from everyone that has moved to London from elsewhere is that they have ambition, they felt that in London you can really be whoever you want to be and do what you want to do. Yep, with lots of grit - but you can make amazing nt memories and learn lots.

It’s definitely a city for the explorer or busy person. But there are also plenty of quiet areas, especially if you live near the river or greener area or further out. I’ve always lived in pretty residential places. I can see why it can be too much for some though.

Having read many of the posts on this long thread it makes me so happy to see the passion Londoners have for our city.

I might be wrong but you don’t see that level of attachment and love for many UK places - so London must be doing something right! Most of the people living elsewhere in the UK are downright miserable with where they live it seems!

I agree with you but this is also a parenting and access question.

There are plenty of city farms that cover main areas in London - but how many people use it? I took mine and now as a teen - she does wear light make up but she will hold a worm, knows how to cook and knows how to look after a plant - knows where food comes from and we go to the butchers enough times to see where our meat comes from.

This is the thing - there is absolutely everything in the city - but it’s all about what you are exposed to and how it’s presented to you - and the capacity that parents have. The fast paced life of the city sometimes means it’s not the most sustainable place for a parent to raise their child.

Some might say it is overstimulating - there is too much and it’s easy to be lazy - but city kids are a reflection of the adults - as are country kids.

I'd love to have retired to London. I'm widowed and living alone, and though where I live is fairly pleasant, it's absolutely dead from 6pm. Winter is awful for me. From the minute it gets dark, I'm stuck in the house and it's silent outside. Going for a walk in the dark is freaky because it's poorly lit and no-ones around. And if I see someone I'm on alert.

I love the buzz in London. I love that the streets are bright with lights and people until late. I love the sound of life being lived. I love the mix of cultures. And I feel totally safe walking in the dark because there are people around.

If I won the lottery tomorrow, I'd buy a flat in London and spend the winter there.

I love how walkable London is. I grew up just outside a small city, and the nearest proper supermarket was an hour's walk away, so we drove everywhere. I'm a 5 minute walk from a decent one in London, and there's an independent food store opposite it, which sells tons of different world foods that regular supermarkets don't stock. DC goes to a really good state primary school a 20 minute walk away - we pass 3 other schools on the way, but were able to pick a school that suited DC. When I was a kid we had to drive to school as there was nothing suitable close to home.
I also really like the opportunities for trying different things here - it's so easy to find a group or club for pretty much anything you want to try. And the shopping is very good - not necessarily Oxford Street but the stuff you find when you get under the skin of the city and find people doing unusual things all over the place.
The parks are HUGE. Over the years I've lived near Hyde Park, Greenwich Park, Tooting Beck, Wimbledon Common and Richmond Park, they are all very big and very beautiful. Easy access to the Thames Path and several restored canals provides further walking routes. The public transport here is way cheaper than my home town, and a lot more frequent and reliable. I like that pretty much everyone here from the cleaner to the CEO takes public transport to work - it's a huge leveler.
We'll have to move in the next few years to be near aging parents who need support, but we'll be very sorry to leave. There's a LOT more to life than affording a bigger house and a flash car.