Experience of Living in Zone 1 Central London

[chari]

Has anyone lived in Central London and enjoyed it? I mean specifically areas like Marylebone, Fitzrovia, Bloomsbury, Mayfair etc. I don't mean areas on the edge of Zone 1 like Victoria or the City.

I've always fancied living in Manhattan for that super central vibe, but my job is in London. We currently rent in Chelsea and enjoy it. But for a little bit more per month we are looking at living slap bang in the centre. Our commutes to work will be walking or a shorter tube/direct.

What do you want to know?

Do you find it stressful having the business outside your house every day? Does the constant 'energy' get tiring? Is it hard to get things delivered?

Ask Madonna. She used to live behind/near Selfridges is what I know.

Also you’re clearly very wealthy if you currently live in Chelsea & can move to zone 1. I feel like the houses/apartments in those areas do filter out a lot of the hassle as they’re (socially; economically; perhaps physically) insulated in the neighbourhoods.

I would imagine driving is difficult/ a hassle but you could still get plenty of things delivered. Bikes; motorbikes; commercial vehicles.

FWIW I have lived in Manhattan. Spent a lot of time on the LES, then lived on the UWS when I was studying for a masters. The energy was great on the LES (long time ago, it’s v different now) & it galvanised me. Bars, restaurants, music, life. I was younger though! Early 30s. Mid 30s UWS; very different neighbourhood vibes. Very close to Central Park & Riverside Park. Loved everything about it. Still miss it! Noise and traffic etc didn’t bother me. The apartment buildings were old, solid, well built and I utilised earplugs. Not sure I could do it now as I approach 50 unless was in a really swanky home.

Does the constant 'energy' get tiring? Is it hard to get things delivered?

I mean when you come in and shut the door there is no more "energy" than anywhere else. And in any case, it's pretty much the same as anywhere else in London - once you're off the main roads the residential streets are quiet.

As for deliveries it would depend on the specific street. But parking and deliveries where we are are probably no different from Chelsea. You need a residents' permit, very little chance of parking outside the door but there's always a place within walking distance. And Amazon normally squeeze in somewhere for three mins.

I am thinking that the difference between Chelsea and Marylebone might be a bit subtle for the majority of Mumsnetters to opine on

I have zero experience and in fact don't even live in England but if I had millions it seems like a dream!

I'm looking for rental places in London at the moment and Marylebone and Fitriovia are no more than Chelsea.

We did find it a bit of a problem parking when we bought the ponies down for the weekend.

It's good to be near some proper shops though. Those 24 hour mini markets you get in most places have some frightful oiks and always seem to be out of Bollinger and caviar.

We used to live behind Oxford street for a few years and yes, it did drive me mental trying to get home after work as it was crazy busy! It wasn’t trendy back then so was pretty mixed (elderly artsy folk, people who had lived there since post-war, the odd titles folk…). Now it’s trendy so rich expats and all silly perfume and horrible clothes shops… and cafes that you have to queue up for!

Now where we are is little quieter (lots of hotels though) but there is bugger all ‘community’ now as it’s quite ‘short term’ (hotels, hostels, half way homes, businesses, short lets, summer season houses - you know summer is coming when the huge lorries roll up with the super cars on board). But I have noticed it’s worse now because of air b&bs (noisy, rubbish dumped, laughing gas canisters and broken bottles on the pavements).

There is always building work going on and driving/parking is becoming more and more tricky/expensive.

We are lucky because we are opposite a large park (excluding concerts and demos though - again, getting worse). I’ve lived here on and off for pushing 35 years and DH since he was very little so we have seen a lot of change! It’s quieter than a lot of very central places (lucky street, lucky block).

Deliveries and fine, but we know when there are demos, strikes, concerts… going on and these are the things that can disrupt your daily flow, but you work around it.

This is bloody hilarious 😂....thanks for cheering me up!!

So would be the difference between Huddersfield and Scunthorpe, but it's a fair question!

Many years ago I lived in Fitzrovia, and you're right: the vibe is lovely. I'd definitely say 'Go for it!' if you can. Having everything at arm's reach was brilliant and suited me very much.

Is it? Maybe the humour was lost on me because I'm not a horsey person. In fact I grew up on a council estate near Newcastle and have worked my arse off for this.

I lived in Marylebone and currently looking at moving back. (I was in Chelsea two days ago but it has a different vibe).

Personally I love Marylebone. Walkable to lots of areas, easy access to the A40, Kings Cross and Heathrow. High street is busy but some of the residential roads around are surprisingly quiet. Though I think it might be the familiarity that makes it feel like home as there's lots of other nice areas in zone 1.

Fitzrovia has changed a fair bit in the last five years. The Elizabeth line at TCR has had a big impact, and there's been a lot of new development where the old Royal Mail yard was, and on the site of Middlesex Hospital.

Personally I’d stay in Chelsea, it’s buzzy. We were in Fitzrovia for a year and it was convenient for work at the time but it never really felt like somewhere you live, it always felt busy but not like a neighbourhood, if that makes sense? Chelsea still has the bustle but feels more residential. I’m sure wherever you choose it’ll be lovely though and if you’re renting you can always move if it doesn’t suit.

I lived off Tottenham Court Road, I loved it, but I was young.

We lived in EC1 until DC1 was about 2.5 and DC2 came along. I bloody loved it. Our flat and the area. Being able to walk everywhere, culture on my doorstep. Our area had a great community too, still friends with our neighbours etc

EC1 is slightly out of the fray but still zone 1. If we’d been rich enough to afford somewhere bigger I would have stayed in the area and raised both kids there, but alas we moved out (of London). I miss it every day though - even 8 years on!

Only downside that I can think of now was the pollution. Oh, and it was a bit crap during a heatwave as we only had a small balcony.

Surely that's true of the majority of practical advice threads on MN. Whether it's retocele repair, whether to retrain as a physiotherapist, or good things to do with the kids on a wet weekend in Llandudno, most MNers won't know the answer but out of the thousands who see it in active a few might, and can give an informed response.

Fortunately, unless they've changed the T&Cs, nobody's forcing you to give any advice on subjects you know nothing about (come to think of it, maybe this fact should be repeated at the top of all the threads in Legal).

I think it depends where you want to live in Zone 1 - I mean parts of Whitechapel, Camden and Elephant and Castle are in Zone 1 but I assume you mean a certain "type" of Zone 1 don't you?

Good on you.

Thought I'd take this opportunity to say: The NE and the Northumberland Coast are amazing and immensely (possibly purposely) kept under wraps by those in the know! I love how the NE is commonly portrayed using working-class stereotypes and then my London friends come to visit Hexham, Alnmouth, Morpeth, Berwick-on-tweed, Bamburgh and Alnwick and are blown away. An hour's flight to London and an hour's drive to the Lakes inc. easy access to Scotland. Don't knock it. 😉

Fitzrovia is quite a strange place I think because there are loads of students during the day who then disappear in the evenings - it just feels very disjointed. BF lived in Marylebone in the 90s and it was very much a neighbourhood at the time. I'd check what the Air BnB market has done to it though.

I lived in Primrose Hill for a couple of years - less central but very busy with a fantastic buzz. Loved every minute of it.

Friend lives off Oxford street now and her road is quiet. There is some street noise at night but think there are ways to mitigate. I love it there and she loves it more - amazing to be able to pop to selfridges!

Lived off Oxford Street, near Harley Street, Notting Hill and nice bit of Farringdon - all quite a few years ago now.

All have ups and downs, things like getting ordinary groceries are annoying, noise no worse than can happen anywhere and being able to walk anywhere in the centre is great. You get to learn your way round the centre properly without being a taxi driver.

It does grind you down a bit sometimes unless you can get out completely from time to time though.