Would you go on a trip to London?

[user1491934176]

Myself and the family (young primary aged kids plus hubby) have always enjoyed a trip to the UK capital. The kids asked to go again next year (we are from Northern Ireland) but being put off by current issues reported in the mainstream media , do these issues actually exist or are they exacerbated by media outlets? Is it safe? We loved our last trip in 2024, kids are buzzing to return so advice welcome!

Why not?

Just back from a weekend there. Loved it. Great buzz

Yeah Northern Ireland is lovely. Most people there are v nice too (and don't ask weird questions about London 😂)

That wasn’t in London. The train was stopped at Huntingdon, which is north of Cambridge.

I don’t see this thread as a hate fest, but lots of reassurances that London is as safe as any other major city, plus people asking what your concerns are.

Hardly defensive, I just want to know if I am safe to take my children to London.

Totally safe. I go everywhere in London with mine with no bother. I’ve lived in London in some really dodgy areas with very few issues over the years.
I also think people forget how many plain clothes police are about on the tube etc. and cameras everywhere.
I now live in another city in the UK and feel it’s much dodgier weirdly.

So apart from a story about something which happened in a different part of the UK why on earth do you think it would have been any different to when you took them last year?

Thank you all for your comments and realistic opinions. Sorry my concerns for my children made for such a decisive post. I will forgo our great capital for a while until things settle down. As I acknowledged earlier, we have had more than enough hardships in our country which has been mocked by fellow posters. Not to be expected that one would be a bit nervous but absolutely not surprised that none of you would feel that having not lived through the dark and traumatic times we did.

The attack on the train was not in London at all. It was around 70 miles away.

As for the other attack, unfortunately knife crime is something that could happen anywhere these days, it is no more likely in London than anywhere else.

I’ve lived here for 20 years. There are no ‘issues’ (or at least no issues that aren’t the same in any major city). Please ignore those online who are keen to portray London as a crime-ridden hellhole, either because they hate the fact that it has a Muslim mayor, or hate the fact that it is a successful but also diverse city. Or both.

Until what "settles down"? 😂😂

How safe is Moscow, OP, out of interest?

Hey she's willing to "forgo our great capital" for the good of her hubby. Doesn't get more British than that.

What things need to settle down? Or are you just on a wind up at this point?

What things? London is the same as it was last year (I go 3 times a week). Greate buzz, loads ro do, easy to get around. Like all huge cities you have to keep your wits about you and not wave your phone around but it's no different from last year. Or Barcelona, or Paris or Rome etc.

Well you seem to think that Londoners are living through dark and traumatic times, and I'm not sure we are more than anyone else. So, should I leave the house tomorrow or is it just too scary for words?

@murasaki maybe just stay indoors until things settle down

I don't know why you've got so angry, @user1491934176 . People have simply been telling you that London is safe, and as they're bewildered by you thinking that it's less safe than it was a year ago, they're asking what it is that makes you think so.

I'm on the train home after a day and evening in London, and as usual, felt safer there than I do at home. Because they're are always people around in London. Although I'm only ten minutes walk from my home station in a small commuter town, I park my car there because when I get off the train, I don't see another soul. If I walk home on the dark, I'm hyper aware and on my guard. Because there's no-one else around.

I go to London at least once every two weeks, and have never had a moment's cause for concern.

If you think London is a bit iffy, might I suggest you avoid Johannesburg and New York.

And Slough. Definitely Slough.

No I do not think you have a clue about being blown up, colleagues, friends and family losing limbs and life, children being burnt out of their homes and killed in the process.

Forgive me for dragging up the past but questioning, an all genuine question, about how safe it is to visit the UK capital?

I’m actually shocked at how disgusting the responses to this post have become.

I asked a simple question based on the news and now I’m the bad guy?

Jesus Christ, I only wanted to gauge whether it was ok to to take my kids to London again.

I've lived in central London all my life and I've never felt unsafe.

There's no difference in safety of the general public here compared to last year or the year before.

It's a busy capital city with 8 million+ inhabitants. When you think of how many people live here and how many people commute in and out and visit the city every single day, the crime rate is actually vanishingly small. Statistically, London is a very safe place. Violent crime that is random (i.e. victim not known to the attacker) is incredibly rare.

Yes, but that’s mainly because it’s a dump.

You've still not said what news we should be concerned about. So yes, you're being silly and are rightly being called out on it.

Very true, and kind of my point!