Pros and cons of living in London

CLAPTON

Whilst the high cost of housing in London is a disadvantage for those wanting to stay there permanently, I know many people in my semi rural location now who have funded their 4/5 bed detached homes here by selling their scummy one bed London flat.

For the young it is very heaven (and also sets you up for life financially)

onlyroz

London is fabulous when you're 18 (I lived there for eight years as a student) but it's not a place I'd want to raise children.

[Deleted User]

Presuming London is one homogenous zone is a huge mistake.

The pros/cons of living in Hampstead would be rather different than Harringay, Whitechapel or Croydon

I'm sure if you're rich, it's great and you can pick where you live.

AndyGuil

There is a lot to do.
Great architecture.
Great energising feel to the place.
A lot of micro-breweries.
Great range of food and drinks.
Property is good if you are on the ladder.
Costs can be higher but you tend to earn more.
When living in London you can just pop in on the train, bus etc.
Some parts of London on some days during the year at certain times can be crowded. Once you have lived there you know the tricks such as if you need to go to Oxford Street on the weekend, go before 12.
There is something for everyone.
You can live in London but feel like you are in a village in many parts.
Great parks.
A lot of choice of work.
Schools are a lot better now, some of the best schools in the country.

ruggedtoast

I loved London when I lived there in my 20s. I would never ever want to live there again. I value personal safety and public services now, and I dont really want my kid growing up with no qualifications and talking like a Jamaican gangster, so state schools anywhere affordable are out.

I think it take more than art galleries and flash restaurants to make a 'great' city. In Tokyo the police knock on your door every few months or so to check you are ok and don't have any problems you want to report. London is just turning into gated communities for the super rich and to hell with anyone else.

I turn my back on it.

CLAPTON

ruggedtoast wrote: »

I loved London when I lived there in my 20s. I would never ever want to live there again. I value personal safety and public services now, and I dont really want my kid growing up with no qualifications and talking like a Jamaican gangster, so state schools anywhere affordable are out.

I think it take more than art galleries and flash restaurants to make a 'great' city. In Tokyo the police knock on your door every few months or so to check you are ok and don't have any problems you want to report. London is just turning into gated communities for the super rich and to hell with anyone else.

I turn my back on it.

total rubbish

London is perfectly safe to walk the streets and travel on London transport except in a few gangster areas
Even in the bad areas, violence is mainly (young) gang on gang and doesn't affect the general population.

Certainly it's safer than most major city of the world.

Much sooner walk through London than Manchester, Newcastle or Glascow

Generali

CLAPTON wrote: »

total rubbish

London is perfectly safe to walk the streets and travel on London transport except in a few gangster areas
Even in the bad areas, violence is mainly (young) gang on gang and doesn't affect the general population.

Certainly it's safer than most major city of the world.

Much sooner walk through London than Manchester, Newcastle or Glascow

The risk of being mugged in some bits of London are quite high (comparatively) but you'll never see a bar fight.

thequant

CLAPTON wrote: »

Much sooner walk through London than Manchester, Newcastle or Glascow

So so true

ruggedtoast

Generali wrote: »

The risk of being mugged in some bits of London are quite high (comparatively) but you'll never see a bar fight.

You really have been away for a long time havent you?

Generali

ruggedtoast wrote: »

You really have been away for a long time havent you?

I never saw a bar brawl in any part of London in 20 years of living there.

I believe that they go on in the west end amongst the kids coming in from commuter towns but I never saw one despite working in pubs in some of the rougher bits of South London.