Is London safe?

[Springyayspring]

My 10 year old who usually never wants to go anywhere has asked to go to London. I’m overjoyed that he wants to go as I love city breaks and it’s so nice to see him showing an interest, he wants to see all the touristy things.

I have been to London but it was years ago and although I loved it. I’ve got very bad anxiety since then.

I try not to watch the news because all you seem to see is knife crime, terrorism, violence.

I mentioned to a couple of friends that we were looking at going and they seemed a bit horrified and said that London has really changed in recent years, and that they wouldn’t go.

Yes, totally safe. Can’t speak for areas beyond the centre, but the centre is much like it’s always been. If anything a good bit blander than it used to be.

I mean people live there safely every day of the year.

I travel onto London regularly for a few days, I love the city. I think your risk is absolutely minimal as a tourist. Weird that people look horrified at the idea of someone doing g such a normal city break.

I think you may find a link between your ten year old never wanting to go anywhere and your anxiety.

If you get help with your anxiety, it would greatly benefit your DC and your need for posts like this.

It’s fine, loads for children’s his age to do!

It's one of the most populated cities and most popular tourist destinations in the world. There's millions of us living and working here every day. Your friends sound really weird - obviously as a tourist take reasonable precautions and be aware of your surroundings, but no more than you would need to on almost any other city break.

It's fine. 8 million people live there quite happily.

Use a bit of common sense - don't wave your phone around, don't hang your bag on the back of a chair or leave it on the floor in cafés, keep your wallet in a zipped pocket etc and you won't have a problem.

Basically the right wing of Britain hate the London mayor so have tried to spread as much bullshit as possible about how London is a no go zone. It’s absolute nonsense. The stats if anything say it’s safer.

Obviously it’s a big city, so you don’t want to be having fifty pound notes hanging out of your back pocket, other than that you will have a great time.

I think the only thing that's changed in recent years is the incessant drivel on social media about how unsafe London is. I've lived here for over a decade (and currently not in a bougie area) and it feels much the same and as long as you take the same precautions as you would in any major global city you'll be grand! Some really cool things to do in London with kids and I'm sure you'll have a great time.

Millions of people live there year on year without incident. Yes it’s safe.
Lived in London for 30 years. Only place I ever felt unsafe in that time was when I went to a friends birthday in Reading. Berkshire is positively terrifying compared to Brixton

yes. It’s terrifying. Londoners are afraid to leave their homes. They don’t work. Or socialise. They never visit parks, restaurants, theatres, galleries

They certainly dont use public transport.

Their children dont go to school. Its too dangerous!

keep awy OP!

Agree, very safe, like any other city in Europe. You’ll have to be careful with your phone but I think I’d be like that in a local shopping centre as they are expensive items easy to pinch. We go to London at least once a month, it’s good for my soul x

Perfectly safe. My SIL regularly takes her 2 kids by public transport into London and nothing has ever happened. They have a good time.

Fabulous city @Springyayspring

If you're apprehensive, this thread gives basic areas/starting points

Yes safest it’s been in years according to statistics- we are much less likely to be victim to an in person crime nowadays x

It's fine. Just the same common sense you would I'm any busy city world wide. I live in the north but I'm in London several times a year and feel safer there than at home.

This, if you don't take him anywhere he won't want to go anywhere,

I like London we live in another uk country but go for shows mainly but i have never felt unsafe as a tourist.

There is a compilation of clips I’ve seen online, all taken from Coronation Street, of characters saying “London!” In a horrified voice. That is what I’m imagining your friends were like!

London is fine, although Zone 1 does get a bit overloaded with tourists at times. Use sensible precautions that apply in any busy environment, be aware that pickpocketing/bag stealing is easier in crowded busy places, and if you stand staring at your phone next to a road you are making yourself an easy target for someone on a bike to grab it (doesn’t mean it will happen but why put yourself at risk).

Every few weeks we have threads like this! It makes me wonder if there’s an agenda.

Completely safe. One of my DC lives there and I've never even felt slightly concerned either for me or him.
I agree it's the media stirring things up.

I’m sorry that you’re anxious @Springyayspring- I am too about a lot of things, so I do get it. However as someone who lives in London, has always lived in London and has lived in several different parts of London, this seems laughable. Of course it’ll be fine. Bad things do happen in all places, all over the world, but I’m wondering where on earth you live to have a view of London as this terrifying.

Yes it is very safe, why would you think it's not?
If you are listening to people like Trump and Farage ignore them.
I visit regularly as do my family including young children and we have always felt safe
Was the friend someone who never travels anywhere or someone who is on X a lot?

This is it, ! 😂

That’s reassuring thank you all.

I went a few times around 10 years ago and had a fab time and it was very clean and felt safe, and yes, loads for kids to see and do, but since then you seem to hear so many horror stories. Sometimes you just need a bit of reassurance because you can end up in an echo chamber.

Absolutely no need for the couple of sarky replies. You’ve got absolutely no idea what’s caused me to have anxiety so if you’ve got nothing helpful to say why not just ignore.

I took my daughter for her tenth birthday.

We did the Tower of London on the morning of day one to see the crown jewels and the ravens, plus a quick visit to one of the viewing places (sorry I can't remember which one but it was the 58th floor near tower of london)
In the afternoon we did a walk of the main sights. Monument, Elizabeth Tower, Horse Guard Parade, Trafalgar Square and Buckingham Palace.

Day two we did London Zoo in the morning and National History Museum in the afternoon.

Then we had an evening visit to Regent Street and Hamleys before home.

It was brilliant, enjoyed every second.

We used the Universal Credit ticket scheme to get discounted entry into ToL and NHM.

There is clearly a concerted bad faith campaign at the momentb on various social media platforms to depict London as not much better then Mogadishu. The reality is that it is perfectly safe so long as you follow basic big city caution (secure bags/phone, dont flash the cash or other valuables, plan ahead insofar as us8ng the tube/public transport). Yes London has a few sketchy areas but they are well away from the main tourist attractions. The biggest issue you will have is hemorrhaging of money visiting said attractions.