To fall out of love with London

[LoveToGiveAdvice]

I have moved out a few years ago, originally I thought it will be temporary and I would want to move back. But now, I can't see the appeal of London at all. I mean yes, there are museums, theatres, restaurants but it is not like I have time /money to go there every week.
Other observation is that salaries are not much different outside of London when you account for housing costs.

I feel the same. I lived in London for almost 30 years then I moved out to live in a small seaside town in Kent.

I love my new life. Much quieter and healthier with really friendly people who just seem more relaxed about life in general.

London is a great city if you have money and can afford to live in a leafy street...

As far as I am concerned the place had become too overcrowded, dirty and ridiculously expensive. Anti-social behaviour is a big issue and no real attempt is being made to stop the tide of knife crime.

Now I can enjoy visiting friends or going to see an exhibition/visit a museum now and then but I am gad I no longer live there.

I think age as a lot to do with it as well. As a middle aged adult I don't get impressed anymore with trendy clubs, restaurant and nightlife. I much prefer a better quality of life somewhere else.

I lived there for 35 years and visit every 8 weeks for 3 or 4 days. Still love it.

I’ve lived here for 11 years just before I turned 30. I grew up in a seaside town. We’re on the outskirts and managed to afford a small terraced house with a garden though. I love it. Would never want to move away. Always things going on. I’ve found better access to healthcare, education etc. I don’t want everyone knowing my business or feeling obliged to spend time with people I don’t particularly get on with. I’ve made lots of friends in surrounding areas where I live anyway.

This feels like a thread where the old maxim “this isn’t a station, you don’t need to announce your departure” is pertinent.

I don’t notice threads like “I used to love Edinburgh/Cardiff/Manchester/Stow-on-the-wold but now I don’t need to live there any more” - just London.

Weird.

I never thought I would fall out of love with London and actually I think I do still love the city just not the grind. My local area became so touristy, and I developed a chronic illness which made commuting particularly unbearable. Even thinking about London Bridge station at rush hour makes me shudder. Plus we very rarely did London-specific things, or at least not enough to justify the downsides. I moved away a year ago and the only thing I really miss is my friends. I’m much happier now with more space, more calm and cleaner air. Sad that London life is no longer for me, but we play the hand we’re dealt.

I don’t know how to put this, but have any Londoners noticed an increase in human poo on the streets?
We walked past one just now, and before anyone suggests a large dog - no, dogs don’t wipe.
This is becoming a once a month event both in our area and on the commute (which takes me through some back street in zone 1).

I still love it. I have friends who left who live where they live now and I have friends who left who would like to come back. If I moved I may find somewhere I love more, I may not.

No!!!

I wonder if it's because i'm older now but I probably would have left if it wasn't for that fact that I'm a Londoner with immigrant parents so don't really know anywhere else.

The salaries are shit for young people but it was a fantastic place to be young in the 90s

I don’t know how to put this, but have any Londoners noticed an increase in human poo on the streets?

Thankfully no!

I think i'm also a bit grumpier, I used to love a Christmas trip to F&M etc but it's ridiculously crowded now with people doing personal photoshoots in the road 😆

I think it’s an age thing. London was appealing when I was early 20s and wanted to spend my weekends clubbing and shopping. Now I’m late 30s I’d hate to live in London. I live on the outskirts of another major city and there are museums, theatres, restaurants etc if I want that, plus plenty of green space. The quality of life is much better when everything doesn’t cost a fortune. I’ve never known any grown up want to live in London by choice. All my friends were desperate to get out once they reached their 30s.

Live centrally, would get bored anywhere else. Am fairy old….even better for old people, free transport, lots of clubs, music, theatre….parks, shops…Kids have benefitted massively from extraordinary opportunities they would not get elsewhere, eg work experience at national institutions. So, no. Love it still.

Hugely.

I see it every walk now, just walking the dogs in local parks surrounded by housing.

Absolutely despicable.

There have been a few of these posts over the last year. TBH, it comes across as trying to justify having moved away, even if that isn’t the reason for posting. Ultimately, who cares? If you don’t like it anymore, so what, and why are you posting?

I have lived here for most of my life and love it. I go to the theatre once or twice a month, I go to art galleries, I go to gigs and I love dancing and (in my 40s!) have discovered daytime clubbing so go to that every couple of months. Many of those specific events simply don’t happen elsewhere. There are loads of brilliant and often free things to do with kids in London, some of the best restaurants in the world, including food from pretty much everywhere in the world.

If you aren’t interested in those things, then a life elsewhere may well suit you better. But I would be bored as hell!

I think it’s an age thing

Interestingly I read that London is the only big city that is ageing as more and more younger people are pushed out/don't come.

Ultimately, who cares? If you don’t like it anymore, so what, and why are you posting?

You could say this about most threads on MNs. Why are you reading & posting if you don't care what others care about? 😆

Were you born in London?

Obviously, as someone still living in London in my 50s and with a DD at school, there are plenty of people still living in London with families well past their 20s, though there has been some depopulation. But London can be a great place to bring up kids with stack loads of things to do, many of which are free.

And of course some of us are tied for other reasons - family can be one, work another - I work in an industry that’s predominantly London-based.

I think you’re misunderstand that post.

😂😂 tired of London tired of life. I love London. We lived there for a long time then moved out when our kids went to uni. I’d move back next week if my husband would.

How to say you live in London without saying you live in London 🤣

I find it disappointing, yes. London isn’t very nice compared to how it used to be. If you don’t know how it used to be, I guess it’s fine. For me, I’m a Londoner born in London, from a London family also born in London, so I don’t actually know anywhere else well enough to move to. Very daunting, but I’m sure a better life is available elsewhere nowadays.

I have lived in London for over 30 years. Grew up in countryside (not UK). I recently visited the countryside and whilst I loved the scenery and the quiet I noticed how essential the car is and how reliant people are on the car. One thing I do love about London is being able to leave your home and walk somewhere or hop on a bus or train/tube and get to where you want to go. I love going random places in London and walking e.g. walk by the canal between Camden and Kings Cross.

The part of London i live in is surprisingly village like so I don't feel overwhelmed. Although rush hour on the train is dreadful.

I think you’re misunderstand that post.

How so?

What is the point in coming onto a thread to ask why people are posting about things?

Sure, I live in London but the point remains - you often get these threads about leaving or haying London but not other cities or towns or places.

Why do you think that is?