Teens going to London concert

[redskyanight]

DD and her friend are going to a concert at the Ovo Arena in Wembley. They are both nearly 18. We live about an hour away on the train from central London. The girls are used to day trips to London but not particular au fait with making their way round there on public transport.

This is the first time DD has done anything like this so I am veering between wondering if I am being overprotective or underprotective regarding them getting home at the end of the concert (no particular issues with them getting there/being there).

If this was your teens which of these would you be ok with and which would you prefer

1. Stay in London overnight
2. Come home after concert and pick them up from local station (bus/train looks doable and about 1hr 40 total journey)
3. Get bus/train out of London (say to Watford) and pick them up from there
4. Pick them up from the venue (which I suspect will be difficult as it's likely to be busy).

2 or 3.

1 and 4 seem a bit extreme

2 or 3. Unless there’s a massive drip feed, this should be very do-able for a couple of nearly 18 year olds. Presumably they could go on a gap year or whatever next summer

I’d be fine with any, though 4 would be annoying.

1: anywhere near the venue will be very £££, further away and there’s no point.
2: my preferred option
3: you will be hanging around. Getting out of the venue and away can take ages, but you’d have to get to Watford at the earliest time, just in case
4: Lots of hanging around, roads will be hideous.

2 but check public transport is running ok that night. If so getting the tube is fine. It will be rammed but ok.

2 or 3.

1. Mine went to London concerts (from midlands) younger than that, they would take the late night coach and I'd pick them up from the bus stop, you can track the coach easily

2 or 3 although nb getting onto public transport at the end of a concert can be a slow process so make sure you build that time into the schedule. 1 is unnecessary. 4- you’ll need to book parking somewhere well ahead, either official Wembley parking (expensive) or someone’s drive. I’ve never found the traffic that bad but it’s probably unnecessary.

2, but I wouldn’t meet them at the station, seems like a pain if late and any delays have you hanging around in the dark and cold. That bit of the journey is presumably close to home and the easiest leg. I’d stay up until they were back safely.

They are nearly 18 - shouldn't it be the young people's choice? But if you are not available to pick them up, they can get an Uber/ taxi. Not sure why they need parents to be involved at all, tbh.

2

Wembley is a horror story after any event and certainly not a place I'd offer to collect anyone from. I would let them join the queues for the tube/train so they're safe around lots of other people, then collect them from the station your end. But just be warned it could be a very late night!

2 or 3 but I would let them organise and plan it themselves.

Top tip if they can get the play list - if it's a tour is to get up and leave as soon as the last song finishes. That way they will beat the crowds for getting to tube/train station.

When I was 17 I went to concerts and back on the trains with my friends, and then taxi for the last bit, my parents didn't get involved in any pick ups

Yup

option 2.
I would make sure that they have checked public transport considering queues, have some cash with them , know the route and their phones fully charged.
And I would meet them up at the station.

Mine have been to London on their own several times as late teens.
No.1 is tricky because it's hard to find somewhere that takes teens.
I leave them to sort it out in the main. London weirdly feels much safer than the big city we live in!

Lots of DC do this age 14

I travelled into London clubbing and back again to the burbs age 14

It's no biggie

At least they have mobile phones these days we didn't have those back then

Mind you that's what probably made the whole thing so much easier

Our parents didn't have a clue

2
It’s normal.
Leave them to it.

Thanks everyone. I should say I was perfectly happy with (2) and picking them up from local station (their chance of getting a taxi back from there late at night is slim to none, so pick up definitely required - they would message when getting close to avoid pick up person waiting around) but I have form (due in part to neglectful upbringing so my frame of reference of skewed) of being overly cavalier about things that other parents think are highly dangerous so wanted a sanity check.

My reasoning was exactly like some on here - in less than a year they will be at university and I won't even know where DD is late at night, so no reason not to let her just get on with it.

DD who is also nearly 18 has been getting herself back from gigs in London since she finished in Year 11. We are around 40mins train journey from central London. She needs to work out last trains and sort out an Uber home from our local station. She keeps in contact with me so I know there’s no danger of her getting stranded. There have been times when they’ve missed the last train and have had to think on their feet to work out alternative journeys home; tube to other stations and Ubers from there. I’m always on hand if needed but so far haven’t needed to come out.

I grew up in London and from 16/17 was out every weekend clubbing miles from home - often the far side of London - and we always got ourselves home - including on night buses. And that was before phones!
I think the good thing in London is it's always busy so much safer than being in the middle of nowhere.

Is there a big green coach running to the event? My ds has used these to festivals and the advantage is there are no connections to worry about missing.
If not, then 2 or 3 as others have said.