Would you live super centrally in London for a few years?

[Rebu]

Was having a chat with dd and her lovely boyfriend this evening. They’re thinking of moving from their current flat in Hampstead to live slap bang in central London. They’re thinking either Bloomsbury/Fitzrovia/Marylebone. It would cost them around £10,000 extra in rent per year (between them). They’re both mid 20s and find their current spot in Hampstead to be too boring. They want to live in the hustle and bustle whilst young. It’s obviously a lot of money to “waste” but you are only young and in London once.

I wouldn't call Bloomsbury exciting though or at the cutting edge of culture.
It's very quiet on the weekend. I'd prefer Clarkenwell, Hackney or Southbank. Still walkable to lots of places but more bars and restaurants

Hampstead is amazing but possibly for when they’re slightly older. I think life is for living and why not. You’re unlikely to live right in central with kids (although possibly). They’ll have everything on their doorstep and can save money on the tube etc.

Zone 1 is great.

I wouldn't think there'd be much difference moving from Hampstead though? It's zone 2.... not like they are moving from zone 4?

My dd was lucky enough to live in the centre of Covent Garden for 2 years. She LOVED it!

Bloomsbury is a bit boring - not much going on there for young people in the evenings. Is a bit of a black hole. I lived in EC1 (Clerkenwell / Farringdon) and EC2 (Barbican) in my late twenties and it was brilliant. Fantastic neighbourhood, and you could be very quickly in hipster areas of East London, or other direction in the West End. Both were walkable actually, as was the river and a stroll over the Bridge to Tate M and Southbank. Even easier to get around there now with the Elizabeth line at Farringdon.

Yes, I did this. It was the best time of my life and money well spent imo

Oh absolutely! The closest i ever got to living in z1 was Stockwell but i could walk to and from work and it was great (especially looking back now from the depths of z3 SW where its an hour min to get anywhere).

Agree with pp saying to also explore other areas. I have friends who live near Borough and its a great part of town to be in. Id also be tempted to look around Pimlico but there might not be enough night life going on for them if that is what they are after? Where do they work? Can they get to be in walking distance? Made such an unbelievable difference to my mental health to be able to walk rather than tube even when it was the same time taken overall.

I lived near Sadler's Wells for a time and then in Borough for several years. I count it as some of the happiest times of my life. The freedom and spontaneity was fabulous and I could get home in a cab from almost anywhere in half an hour.

This was a very long time ago and London has changed, not least the traffic, but yes I'd thoroughly recommend central living. While they are in London they should try and have as fabulous a time as possible because it won't last forever!

No brainer, we lived near London Bridge until eldest DC was 3 and we were mid 30's. If I could have our house and garden I'd be back there in a heartbeat.

In a heartbeat.

My retirement plan is to sell my house in zone 3 and buy a flat centrally. I love Bloomsbury (and Hampstead to be fair).

I used to live in Islington when I was in 20s (not as central as your DD) and it was great fun.

Yes, my parents have a place in St James’ and it is dreamy. Close to parks, beautiful architecture and wonderful restaurants. I love it.

Yes, I would love it.

Marylebone especially of those areas. I walked up through Marylebone from Oxford St to the N end of Baker Street the other night and it was lovely. ‘Local’ pubs and restaurants, fantastic shops.

LOL at the worry about supermarkets, they are a couple in their 20s! And anyway C London is full of Tesco Metros and there is a massive Waitrose taking up the whole basement floor of J Lewis. For starters.

Lived in desirable zone 1 location in my 20/ s and it was amazing! We walked everywhere. Theatres, restaurants, shops, markets, parks. A wonderful time of my life!

Yes over Hampstead at that age

If they can afford it and still do things they want to (which may include saving a deposit or not)

Yes, if they can afford it - I am sure they've done the maths on this already

I live in Southwark and work in Bloomsbury and agree that Bloomsbury can be quite dead at weekends. There’s a big overseas student population but it’s quite transient so the vibe is a bit lacking. Southwark is awesome though- so central and convenient, lots to do.

Yes in a shot! Has anyone said no...? The closest I have got it Zone 2 but the lottery dream is still to buy a lovely old flat, maybe something warehouse-y, near London Bridge and walk everywhere. That's for my London pad. Of course I will still have my seaside pad, my overseas pad... (lottery win imminent I feel). In my 20s I was living in Zone 2 and still loved it, an absolute no brainer.

Yes and I did - decided if I was living in London it had to be central.
I’ve lived in - Soho, Covent Garden, St Johns Wood and other further out places I didn’t enjoy!
Had such brilliant times, no regrets.

20 years later and I live by the sea in the Lake District with nothing at all going on :)

There is a certain novelty to living in central london but I don't see what living in eg Bloomsbury or Marylebone will give you vs. Hampstead. There are probably more nice restaurants and coffee shops in Hampstead and more community activities - outside of a few Bloomsbury streets, central London can be quite lonely.
If you had said Covent Garden or overlooking the Thames, then maybe. That would give a London buzz. But they'd obviously compromise big-time on space.
If they really want a buzz, I'm surprised they don't want to go east where all the trendy young folk are. That would be my kids' dream.

Of course they should move. Hampstead is no place for 20 somethings! They can move back in 10 years.

I also think there's a lot to be said for living right in the centre rather than some hip place east of Farringdon. Personally if I were 20 something again I'd live slightly further south than Fitzrovia, perhaps the Golden Sq end of Soho or even Covent Garden, so that I could go for a run by the river in the morning. Fitzrovia is nice but switches on a dime from being completely deserted with things closed up to ridiculously busy.

God, I'd love to.... it's my dream location. If they can afford it, they should absolutely do it - why not?

Only if I could afford somewhere with outside space. It wouldn't need to be much, but space for a few pots and a dining table. That would be fab. Somewhere near the southbank, or a mews in Kensington...

I lived briefly off the Bricklayers Arms roundabout in Southwark. By the old jam factory. So easy to reach work & FUN. I really love Waterloo though, the bit between the station and Southwark tube. Some lovely places to live there.

My absolute dream location!! I'm so jealous!

And that area just north of oxford street is actually very laid back and chilled and quiet, yet 5-10 mins walk and you;re in the heart of everything.