People leaving London and now the UK for good

[Musicaldilemma]

We are in Outer London. Ten sets of friends have moved out of London to other parts of the U.K. over the summer. Now many other families are in the process of emigrating to The Middle East, various part of Asia, 2 NZ families who have been here 20 years trying to go home and 3 Aussie families (1 parent Australian). It is definitely much more than usual. It seems everyone who is rich enough and able to is trying to leave the country for good. It got me thinking to when I was a young successful professional - I think I may have tried to leave too. I am worried we are going to end up with an unhealthy, elderly population with all the young, successful people propping the economy back gone. I think the latest rounds of news have broken quite a lot of people I know who have international options, it looks worse than immediately after Brexit. Is it just my friendship group and the people I know at work? (Lawyer?) Or are others observing this too?

@warmandtoasty2day

Exactly

Plenty of London firms are likely to be cutting salaries in return for allowing people to wfh anywhere, only keeping a small elite team and cutting down London rent costs.

That's interesting the places I know of have mentioned salary changes but they do expect some office presence.

I don’t know what will happen but I can remember this exact talk in 2008 after the financial crash. How offices will all be empty and everyone will leave London. They did in 2009 and house prices dropped enough for a few lucky young people to buy a home but then pinged back again maybe 2012 and London went crazy again.
London in the mid 90’s was also full of young kiwis and Aussies. I worked with loads of them and they were lovely, then they seemed to disappear and were replaced by young polish and Spanish and Italians who were also lovely. So maybe the Aussies will come again?

The 08 was different though with lower unemployment than usual recessions. One of the legacies of it was wage stagnation & low interest rates & mortgage tightening.
I don't think it's Covid more the move to increased remote working that will drive people out more. Why pay London rents if you don't have too?

I work in professional services and nearly all my colleagues are itching to get back to the office for at least some of the time - I think most will do 2-3 days per week WFH in future, including myself. I’m not in London.

WFH is great but it’s awful for collaborative working and for our trainees who, despite everyone’s best efforts, are receiving a pale imitation of the training they’d be getting in normal times.

That's interesting the places I know of have mentioned salary changes but they do expect some office presence.

That should say have not

@EngTech

If people want to move elsewhere, good luck to them

Yes, maybe they can let their amazing new hosts know that they have form for biting the hand that feeds them

They should also let them know that as soon as they arrive they will join local forums to foster discontent and division, destabilise the elected government and try to impose their own political agenda

Absolute gems! Glad to see the back of these venomous specimens TBH

I think most will do 2-3 days per week WFH in future, including myself.

I agree that's the best of both worlds but it does mean for us that we can go further than we ever would consider normally as a long 2 day commute is not such an issue.

Yes the reasons were completely different , that’s true but I can’t see London being deserted for long. Some will leave, others will replace them. I can see London becoming a destination again for young Aussies for example, they work hard for a year or two, travel around Europe and then go back to Australia or some stay of course.

I’m hoping we’ll see even more nations coming in. There’ll be flux.

But actually I’ve heard some good talks on radio about positive change. I now how bad it is atm though! But some interesting thinking around it.

Oh I don't think London will be deserted just not quite so dominant

Nationalities that is..

@GambasPil

Let’s be honest, we’re witnessing the final stage of the UK’s slide into anonymity and obscurity

You sound like a keeper

We bought our first place just before last crash. We thought oh no then it went crazy.

Some will leave but others will take the increased opportunity

@IcedPurple

Not sure why this discussion is on the Coronavirus page

Probably due to traffic? The OP seems to want to attract as many UK bashing posters as possible (and there are plenty on the Coronavirus section)

Coming to think of it...is there a UK bashing section on MN? There should be one, then all these posters could happily wallow there undisturbed

London is what 2000 years old? A centre of trade for most of that time too and attractive place to live and work for most of it. Maybe not the 1970’s although I personally had a great time
I think it’ll be ok!

Or 1666!

Loads of people leave London don't they? I don't know many of my London friends who are still there.

I’ve been looking at leaving. With Brexit and the disruption to our lives caused by the pandemic (no school, work, life etc) it’s a good time to go if you can.

I was reading about the changing demographics of British immigrants to Spain. Now they are seeing young professionals with money as opposed to pensioners.

Coming to think of it...is there a UK bashing section on MN? There should be one, then all these posters could happily wallow there undisturbed

That would be brilliant.

Coming to think of it...is there a UK bashing section on MN? There should be one, then all these posters could happily wallow there undisturbed

There is a UK bashing section - the Brexit threads.

@Andante57

Coming to think of it...is there a UK bashing section on MN? There should be one, then all these posters could happily wallow there undisturbed

There is a UK bashing section - the Brexit threads.

Which is where this thread should be.

No sign of the OP?

I doubt people moving to the Middle East will end their days there. Probably have to move once their work visa ends.

I think you are being a bit dramatic. Of course people are leaving London now, because city life isn’t appealing in lockdown, and if you are a family who has vaguely thought about moving out, it would be a push.

Some will come back (commuting is grim), people will move in from abroad, there will be an infux of younger people, etc

As for leaving the UK entirely, yep I think that is a clear side effect of Brexit, but the Uk still has a strong pull - we’ll loose dime of the Brightest and Best for sure, but not numbers.