I've been down to London this morning....

olly300

Sapphire wrote: »

I (female) once lived in Streatham and was absolutely terrified if I came back late at night by public transport, then walked down lonely streets. Definitely a sense of threat in places like that.

I (female) found walking around Streatham fine at night.

I always knew whatever part of London I was in to stay away from the Commons, parks or walking through the middle of council estates that consisted of tower blocks at night.

As for night buses I always sit down stairs as near to the driver as possible if I'm on my own and have done since I was a teenager.

Graham_Devon

Cleaver wrote: »

And most kids in hoodies are fine if you just chat to 'em aren't they?

I'm not sure if you are joking or not?

A group of kids in hoodies, in Hackney (or any other slightly reknowned place where stabbings appear to happen for entertainment)....go up and "have a chat" with them?

Now, I'm not saying each gang of hooded youths is likely to stab you. But chances are, at some point you'll find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time, disrespecting someone. Afterall....plenty of others have found themselves in just that situation just walking by, let alone approaching for a chat.

No_Future

London is a great city. I think if you're very well off you can have a really nice lifestyle there. If I had the money, I would!

No_Future

AD9898 wrote: »

I just wanted to say, Londoners you have my sympathy and empathy for residing in such an area. Row after row of 70's, 80's, 90's and 00' pokey flats, with no garden, driveway, garage etc. Appalling architecture and probably build quality too.

You're visiting the wrong parts of London, darling!

Out,_Vile_Jelly

I love living in London and the moans of parochial peasants always amuse me, especially when they whine that driving in a European capital city isn't much fun.

I went on quite a few rail journeys through middle England last year (Leicestershire, Cambridgeshire, Northamptonshire, Surrey etc) and what did strike me from looking out of the train window was how crushingly mediocre most of England's small towns are. Identikit high streets with the same chains, pound shops and boarded up units, rows of 1930s semis, surrounded by motorways and out of town shopping centres.

Only a tiny fraction of this country live in the type of architecturally distinct houses with charm, space and rural views like you see on Escape To The Country. The rest live in identical boxes in dull suburbs and drive their cars to Tesco once a week, maybe treating themselves to an out of town Nandos or a trip to a multiplex once a month.

At least those of us who live in London (in a very nice garden flat in a leafy residential road thanks very much) get to have a more varied social life.

FTBFun

I'm not from London but have lived here for nearly 6 years, mainly in North London until last summer when I bought a flat in Zone 2 South East London. I don't have a garden but have a substantial amount of parkland right outside the door to my block of flats (and not a 60s montrosity - a 20 year old three storey brick built block).

I doubt i'll be here for ever as being originally from the country I'd like to be out that way when I have kids, but for now and ever since moving here I absolutely love it - not just to "party" but for all the over cultural experiences. Also because there is no way I'd get as good a job back home as I have here.

It's not for everyone which I understand but I have no regrets about coming here.

FTBFun

Graham_Devon wrote: »

I'm not sure if you are joking or not?

A group of kids in hoodies, in Hackney (or any other slightly reknowned place where stabbings appear to happen for entertainment)....go up and "have a chat" with them?

Now, I'm not saying each gang of hooded youths is likely to stab you. But chances are, at some point you'll find yourself in the wrong place at the wrong time, disrespecting someone. Afterall....plenty of others have found themselves in just that situation just walking by, let alone approaching for a chat.

You are aware "Harry Brown" wasn't a documentary, right?

twadge_face

London is brilliant. Lived here nearly a decade. As other posters have mentioned it has been good for my career, networking (both social and business) and I'd recommend it to anyone.

What all the moaners forget, is that London is a big place. No, I mean a really, really big place. Nice parts and scuzzy parts mingle and merge.

There's also an amusing north/south London divide, which ironically runs opposite to the UK north/south divide in terms of economic factors.

Living in the proud north, which is more expensive and posh and celebrity-ridden - and quite justifiably so - I can confirm that my south London pals are missing a few IQ points, probably as a result of crossing the Thames before they took the necessary innoculations. Idiots.

I'd agree that on the whole Hackney ain't great, but Stoke Newington (in Hackney) is very popular and for good reasons.

I recently had a job offer in the southwest (it was in a small (quasi) city in a shire) and decided there was no way I could return to a smalltown perspective devoid of art, culture, buzz and a worldly presence.

Of course, you might ask, "Why did you apply for the job if you don't wanna move out of London?" Well, my CV was picked up by a recruiter on t'Internet and I thought I'd give it a shot (good practice if nowt else - and I'm somewhat niche in my skillset).

I think basically it comes down to wants and expectations out of life. My slightly controversial view is that there's a LOT that cannot be easily achieved outside of London, and of course VICE VERSA! It really comes down to what you want to do in life.

FTBFun

!!!!!_face wrote: »

There's also an amusing north/south London divide, which ironically runs opposite to the UK north/south divide in terms of economic factors.

Living in the proud north, which is more expensive and posh and celebrity-ridden - and quite justifiably so - I can confirm that my south London pals are missing a few IQ points, probably as a result of crossing the Thames before they took the necessary innoculations. Idiots.

Interestingly I thought this too for a while - but now i've been living in the south for over 6 months there's very little difference in my life. No tube though but I can live with that.

Out,_Vile_Jelly

!!!!!_face wrote: »

London is brilliant. Lived here nearly a decade. As other posters have mentioned it has been good for my career, networking (both social and business) and I'd recommend it to anyone.

What all the moaners forget, is that London is a big place. No, I mean a really, really big place. Nice parts and scuzzy parts mingle and merge.

There's also an amusing north/south London divide, which ironically runs opposite to the UK north/south divide in terms of economic factors.

Many people's only taste of London is wandering round Leicester Square and a few assorted museums with all the other tourists, perhaps venturing nervously into an Underground station to stare in confusion at a ticket gate. My favourite bits of the city are the mineral gallery at the Natural History Musum, the Crystal Palace dinosaurs (a hidden gem), the old sprawling Victorian cemetaries (like Highgate and Nunhead), walking over Hungerford Bridge seeing the South Bank all lit up and dazzling while a river boat full of cheering partygoers sails past while Big Ben chimes, proper old school Soho boozers, horseriding on Wimbledon Common, the ridiculously cheap Prince Charles cinema, walking down the streets of Kensington and Chelsea and having a good old nose into posh windows, comedy Tube drivers having fun with station announcements.....

I'd say there was more of an east/west divide rather than north/south. SW London is lovely.