have any mumsnetters left london and wished they hadn't

[albosmum]

Just my dh and I are thinking about it

Why don't you like it Cadmum?

Almost every time I leave London I regret it.

Oh, wait, you're talking about moving away from London? Never.

Seriously, DH used to talk about wanting to bring his kids up in the country, as he grew up in the country. I can't stand the countryside here, as a foreigner, London is the place for me. DH seems to have given up on the "move to the country" theme, mostly. And if he is talking about it, he's talking about wanting a house on the coast, etc etc, and I'd want someplace multi-culti, so unless we can afford a huge house in Brighton or something (oh, wait, no crowds of tourists please), we're staying here.

nQC, my dh sounds like yours, - I am giving into him at the moment and moving. But we are lucky enough to be able to hold onto our house in London and rent it out, so I am giving it 2 years and moving back if I hate it. I can't imagine living anywhere else atm. i have insisted on being really close to a city though (Brighton) as I can't imagine not being able to go shopping and for coffee and for meals on a regular basis, shallow person that I am.

i still miss it sometimes

moved to dorset 6 years ago

we have idyllic life here with cottage in middle of nowhere, fab local state primary etc etc

but I still look round my tiny pretty hamstone town and think god I miss the buzz and dirt of London, think I always will.

We moved to Germany from London at the beginning of 2004. I miss the shopping and the level of consumer choice generally. But this is far outweighed by the improvement in our standard of living and just generally feeling safe wher we are now.

Even now I don't believe I would move back to London unless we became millionaires and could afford a decent life there. I've been back a few times and I'm always shocked how money begins haemorraging (sp) out of my account the moment I hit the landing strip!

I know it sound shallow banging on about money, but it's about quality of life and unless you have cash, London is a pretty miserable ratrace of a place to live. (IMO/E)

Moved to Brighton and its great I don't miss London as such but I do miss the availability of everything TBH Brighton is not far enough or cheap enough now and I wish I had moved further out but was chicken at the time!

CountessD, we're a London borough though.

But my address has surrey at the end so I'm not sure which it is really. I prefer the sound of surrey

I agree it's certainly not London though, it's bad enough here I'd go loopy in the real London.

Soooo glad I'm getting out.

We moved back to Canada after 4 1/2 years on a very limited student budget... I thought I would be happy to be out of London but I didn?t really consider how great it was to be there!

I moved out of London for 5 years (Paris and Canada) Couldn't wait to get back.

I don't think I would want to live anywhere else (DH begs to differ though). There is NO other city like it. It is the most cosmopolitan city I have ever visited (although I have to say that Richmond is pretty bland in it's culture mix)

I left London and am eternally glad. Does that help?

Ahhhh, now i read the first few posts, I realise I am not alone!!

we left nearly a year ago, when ds was born, and I can't imagine moving back now.

I found our small village incredibly slow at first and it took me a while to get used to saying hello to people in the street , but the general calmness (apart from the crazy speed of the traffic on country roads ) is well suited to life at home with a baby. And you don't need to queue for 20mins to get on the swings at the local park.

It's not like we'd be out at fancy restaurants or art galleries every night if we were still there, anyway.

ML - are you near my outlaws then? Enfield and Southgate? I used to live in Southgate adn then Palmers Green (what a pit!)

Enid - you miss dirt?! Hee hee!

We moved out (only slightly) 2.5 years ago and are moving back in two weeks. Thought we would move out for DS but realised it is turning me into a turnip since I'm here all the time. DH still works in the City so gets the buzz of London every day. Can't wait to get back to some diversity, the museums, all of the children's activities, etc. We're not even that far out but psychologically it's like a different world.

we moved away 3 years ago. Now we are really settled in Bournemouth. I love it here and think it is a better place to raise children but I miss London's buzz and multi-culti population.

hello everyone

is he still going on about CD

never lived in London so have nothing to contribute to this thread really

Lived in London for 16 years - ever since I grew up - and loved it. The buzz, the fast pace of life, even the dirt (as Enid says). But did the classic boring thing of having a kid and moving out.

Spent about six months in mourning thinking 'My God, what have I done.' But now I wouldn't move back if you paid me. Life is soooo much easier - less stress, less hassle, people aren't so impatient and yes, they do smile at you in the street. We even know our neighbours!

Don't think I've got that large bit of steel you need in your spirit to live in London any more. Was too tired. But I do still work here regularly so get my fix - and a reminder of the stress, the crime, the transport nightmare, etc. etc. etc.

Agree with you about self-esteem ks, there's a kind of warped pride when non-Londoners are amazed you put up with crumbling transport, sky-high prices and astonishing crime rates. My dad once got stuck in traffic 300 yards from my house for two hours and all I thought was 'well, what do you expect when you drive in.'Mind you I was being a selfish 21 yo daughter at the time!

Don't think you should be embarrassed about that at all - being a Londoner was obviously a huge part of your identity (and mine). Changing your identity quite so radically takes some getting used to. And IIRC you missed London terribly, didn't you?

I sometimes say to locals 'we used to live in London' too, so shoot me now!

yes bloody hell fio dh goes on about it a lot. At the moment I have agreed to move to the country IF he finds a job so is in his court

(but only on basis that we rent out London house so we can come back when he finds out how crap it is)

I live near your outlaws gobbledispook! Palmers Green IS a pit.