Does anybody like London

[Felisbela]

London is a very busy place, and people there they never look at you, up and down. There's lots of places where you can go, you never get bored.

I would hate to live in London, although I'm answering based on z1/z2 rather than London as a whole, which is a conglomerate of different ways of life and far too variable to generalise with a yes or no.

I'm not anti London though. I love love love visiting. I'm just not a big city person and would struggle living there.

I wouldn’t fancy living in a big city bit if London either. Small town within walking distance of the river & several parks is perfect.

That's why I specifically mentioned z1/z2, there are plenty of towns and villages similar to London suburbs all throughout the UK, but I suppose the draw for these is that you're close to London still which wouldn't be a selling point for me. But again, not anti London at all and visiting is always fantastic, just wouldn't want to live there.

I live in zone half (slap bang between 1 and 2). Love it, never want to live anywhere else. So much fun to be had, so many places and people to explore. And I have NEVER been looked up and down (apart from may be in a snooty shop in Sloane Street).

I loved living in London in my late twenties and early thirties, absolutely loved it! Moved to have a better quality of life on our (good but not massive) salaries but I’d definitely move back if we had a lottery win!

Well quite obviously some people DO like it. I do agree with you that it boggles the mind as to why - exorbitantly expensive, busy, dirty, much of it very run down and unattractive. Not to mention the certain breed of graduate new-Londoner who are often insufferable in their belief that a choice to live anywhere else is somehow lesser - things such as making fun of small town leisure activities, or choosing to live near family etc. And don’t even get me started on driving in London where it feels like everyone is permanently angry and the roads are set up to deliberately catch you out and then fine you for making a mistake.

But seeing as some 6 million people continue to live there, obviously people do like it yes.

Since I first came here as a teenager I've never wanted to live anywhere else. I've been here 40-odd years now and I still stumble across places that I've never seen before. I live in Zone 3 with a beautiful garden and am as happy as Larry.

Most people who live here don't drive in central London. The public transport is too good and parking is impossible.

the roads are set up to deliberately catch you out and then fine you for making a mistake.

There’s nothing different about roads in London. If you’re being fined, then you’re not a good enough driver.

I love London, I live here and wouldnt live anywhere else in the uk I don’t even live in a “nice” part but with mixed race children I personally wouldnt live outside of London

That’s simply not true - there are many more bus lanes, box junctions, and many road markings that you only see in London and do not really see anywhere else (and therefore are less likely to be familiar with). There are many many more cameras (something like a quarter of all traffic cameras in the UK, are in London) which makes worrying about making a mistake more stressful and then you get people beeping you for being slow even though it’s a 20.

All of which are in the Highway Code.

And have you not seen The Magic Roundabout, which is in Swindon - definitely not in London?!

The Magic Roundabout. Here.

Of course they are but you don’t need to be a dick about if - driving somewhere unfamiliar with road markings you haven’t seen since your driving test when everyone is in a rush and pressuring you is obviously going to be more stressful for anyone, whether it is in London or Paris.

Driving in a foreign country is different. (But one would also hope that you’d read up about their rules/signage etc before driving there).

And I’m not being a dick about it, even if you think I am. You should know the rules of the road. If you find it stressful, which is understandable, just slow down and be cautious.

But it’s simply untrue to say "the roads are set up to deliberately catch you out and then fine you for making a mistake"

I said it FEELS like, which it does to me and I’m sure to many others.

I was born and brought up there and lived there till last autumn when I moved to Somerset age 58. I always swore I’d never leave, but got increasingly frustrated with the noise, crime etc. Since the pandemic I’ve rarely gone into the west End, and I lived in Zone 3 so hardly the sticks. When I did it didn’t seem the same eg Oxford St is full of American Candy Shops now, not the shopping experience I enjoyed in my teens! Camden Town was great in my 20s, early 30s but now it’s too crowded, too much drugs, noise etc. We decided if we were now living as if in a small town rather than a city we may as well live in a small town!

we now live in Frome, a small town on the Somerset/Wiltshire border and love it! There are things I miss about London eg the public transport and the diversity but it’s much friendlier and I love how the town centre is within easy reach of my house, as is the countryside for walks with the dog. When I go back to London now I think ‘yeah nice place to live but glad I don’t live there!’

I'm outer London....London theater is ace so much choice. I can be there in 40 mins. Museums, parks, airports, rooftop gardens .....work wise is good too..... downside is housing prices and not enough provision of healthcare.

I have lived in London for 2/3 of my life and I consider myself extremely privileged to have done so. Londoners have the broadest and savviest of minds and appreciate the diversity of cultures and the enormous contribution that everyone makes. The downsides are the littering, the thieves and the time it takes to get anywhere.

I love London, I work there and commute in but I also spend most weekends there. Museums, walks, coffee shops, pubs. I always wanted to be here and moved south 25 years ago and secured a job in central London 3 years ago now my kids are grown up.
i do drinks after work, swim in different gyms and find new stuff all the time

Love it,but dh hates it

I bloody love it… when people say this I always think “ well you’re not going to the right parts of London then” So much to see and do, so much green space….

And less Reform voters 💛

I used to work in the Holborn area for a few years, and liked going to see the Old Curiosity Shop which inspired Charles Dickens.

There was also the silver vaults in Chancery Lane, which were always worth a browse around (I never bought anything there - far too poor in those days!)

Postman's Park, near St Paul's Cathedral was a lovely little park, with memorial plaques.

Kyoto Park in Holland Park. Modeled on a garden in Kyoto, Japan.

St Dunstan's in the East is an old ruined church which has been made into a gorgeous garden. It's near to Tower Hill, I think.

If you have TikTok, look for a lady called Sunny in London. She finds amazing little hidden places - I don't suppose they're all that hidden now though.

I love it. The people are friendly (I’ve always had great neighbours) and the vibe and buzz is wonderful. There is second to none food, culture, architecture. No other city matches it.

From my midlands home town I can get to a theatre in the nearest City (not London) in around 40 minutes too (train plus short walk).
From my Zone 3 home it's 25 minutes by train to Central then on average 15/20 minutes by bus to the major theatres.
So pretty much the same thing really.
Going to the theatre though isn't every day ordinary life though really - for most people.

That's true.