[Closed] How many of you have been to London ?

😆

LHS - Member
Sorry, that is still completly mental.

£11 for congestion charge
Probably £10 in fuel for sitting there for 2.5hrs
If you actually put a value on your time, say nominally £20/hr - that's £50.

That's more than the cost of the service of the bike just to transport it there.

😆

Yo! Chillax Bro's
😆

It was a pain, my pain, nice watching all the girlies off home and folks off to the pubs/bars and cafes whilst sitting in the van. And theres no way I'm draggin my bloody bike around Town.. Embarasing enough riding the thing as is 😆

just the knackered wheel? although dragging the bike up and riding back would have been doable, and you skip all the traffic.

Spent a fair few hours on top of various landmarks with work eg

Top of Park Lane Hilton Hotel (33 storey):

[url= https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3733/9439968445_2ba659981a.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm4.staticflickr.com/3733/9439968445_2ba659981a.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/fobiJD ]VectaStar Access Points on Hilton Hotel Roof[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people// ]brf[/url], on Flickr

On top of the Savoy
[url= https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7403/9412527359_2db04dce21.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7403/9412527359_2db04dce21.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/fkKEst ]Savoy RT view to Hilton Hub site[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people// ]brf[/url], on Flickr

Westminster Abbey from roof of QEII Conf Centre
[url= https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8007/7263614424_0e89e1da57.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm9.staticflickr.com/8007/7263614424_0e89e1da57.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/c4RVvs ]Westminster Abbey[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people// ]brf[/url], on Flickr

V&A from roof of Science Museum
[url= https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5325/7372982444_3681e011fe.jp g" target="_blank">https://farm6.staticflickr.com/5325/7372982444_3681e011fe.jp g"/> [/img][/url][url= https://flic.kr/p/cewsNY ]Roof of V&A Museum[/url] by [url= https://www.flickr.com/people// ]brf[/url], on Flickr

See the miserable Londoners on a Saturday night, look how unhappy they all are at their expensive Soho coffee shop!

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I'm approaching 50 and I've been to that there London approx a dozen times (maybe 20/25 if you want to stretch it stopping off at Heathrow, etc., for flight connections).

First time was mid 80's and was primarily a retail experience (although I did catch Elvin Jones at Ronnie Scotts). I was supposed to be down for 10-12 days but I ended up going home around 7 as I'd had enough. Spent all my money, fed up with the crowds (esp on the tube), black snots and hard water...

I've only been back on 'pleasure' visits for gigs (Sonic Youth, Bonnie 'Prince' Billy & Gillian Welch, all of which were excellent and well worth the effort), or for work (training courses, etc., a couple of meetings and once for a whistle stop tour of 4 or 5 Renal Departments, boy that was a bundle of laughs I can tell you).

I've even had to transition between Kings Cross and Waterloo (& vice versa) once as the (now ex) GF wouldn't fly and we wanted to go to Italy.... The tube was shit but at least I understood the signage (unlike in Paris where we ended up walking between Gare du Nord and Gare de Lyon with our luggage, oh boy that was fun).

Latterly I've stayed with a mate in Crystal Palace, stayed 'local' and only ventured into 'town' for the gig and occaisional shopping foray which made the experience much more enjoyable.

On the whole I'd rather go to Berlin than London (but I'd rather London than Paris...).

To be fair though, I'm country chiel at heart...

Been a few times to clubs and bars and gigs and stuff like that. Spent a bit with my cuz who lives near Slough, and we spent a few weeks one summer going in almost daily. It's cool there's a lot going on, but I don't know if I'd want to live there really

I'd go back tomorrow.....providing I could double my salary. Which was pretty much why I left. Love the city, can't really afford to live there.

Thats an interesting point. How do people see London developing? It often seems to an outsider, just reading about it, that its being increasingly turned into a playground for the rich. And that even people on what would anywhere else, be considered good salaries, are being driven out. My sister earns what outside London would be a frankly enormous salary. So does her husband. Having their second kid, they recently looked at moving to a bigger house. Another bedroom would have put £250-300,000, minimum onto their already mahoosive mortgage. And that was taking into account moving to a less desirable area.

It seems to me its being socially cleansed of the 'lower orders' who are being progressively shipped out, and bussed in to provide services for the rich, earning minimum wage. I really don't know how anyone not on a really high income can live there any more. Its not just housing and transport costs. Everything is just so much more expensive. Its bonkers!

Surely its these very people who are responsible for giving the city the vibrancy and creativity that are meant to be its core appeal? Ferrying Russian oligarchs from their multi-million pound apartments to Michelin starred restaurants doesn't sound very vibrant to me. Though this was exactly the benchmark Boris used to class London as a true world class city. What percentage of people are able to nip out of an evening to a Michelin Starred restaurant?

Surely its impossible to maintain the multiculturalism, vibrancy etc of the capital when so many are simply priced out of the place

In answer to the OP

Age 56

Been to London quite a lot , but can't tell you how many times that is.

Some times for day trips for 1 off events, Football and concerts mainly
Other times for a few days,
Longest stay was 6 nights for the Olympics.
Average stay is 2 - 3 nights, any more and I get a bit tired of it and feel the need to head back home.

I like the place but only in small doses and could never imagine living there although I can see the attraction if you have the right mindset.

The one thing I do envy is the whole public transport system, yes, I know the tube gets crowded but you only have approx a 5 minute wait at most for the next one !
If I miss the train from Harrogate to Leeds I have at least 30 minutes to wait for the next one 🙁

I do like wandering around and finding the slightly odd and/ or interesting places I come across that way and there is always plenty to see

Museums and Galleries seem to take a lot of my time on most visits although last time I went to the National Gallery for the first time and have to confess I found myself thinking of the Emporers new clothes rather a lot,
Some wonderful landscapes but a lot of the rest left me sure I had seen better elsewhere

unfitgeezer - Member

... but how many of you have been to London ?

I have many times.

What's your age ?

Older than you.

How many times to London ?

Many times long time ago.

Never ? once every 26 years ?

For the last 5 years never because I can fly direct from GeordieLand instead of Heathrow.

Why do people moan about visiting ?

Because it's expensive or shite depending on where you are.

For me born in possibly the best city in the world...

Yes, home city is always the best regardless of how shite it can be as our bias set in.

🙂

Edit: damn ... just remember I need to book a flight down to London a day trip.

46 - been there too many times to remember - mostly with work, for meetings at architect's and client's offices.

Out of work, some of my best memories were made in London - Paralympics with the family, The London Eye on my boy's birthday, Science Museum, again with the family, The Proms at Albert Hall, various live gigs through the years.

Couldn't live there though. The lack of countryside would drive me bonkers

it depends on whether you've had personal experience of living there doesn't it - if you were in a position to enjoy it without dependants and/or with disposable income then you'd say it's great

but those without an emotional tie to it or without a (£££) good reason to relocate there sees the infrastructure and cost of living and thinks 'no thanks' even though there are clearly good things about living there

Ironically my impression of londoners is coloured by those who come to Manchester and slag it off when they are here, it's as though there is some kind of 'london is the hallowed land and everywhere else is second class' brainwashing - I challenge this with the response 'why aren't you in london then' and they get very shirty, but thankfully there aren't many like this

Ironically my impression of londoners is coloured by those who come to Manchester and slag it off when they are here, it's as though there is some kind of 'london is the hallowed land and everywhere else is second class' brainwashing - I challenge this with the response 'why aren't you in london then' and they get very shirty, but thankfully there aren't many like this

that goes both ways though doesn't it, plenty of folks living/working in london with strong regional accents bigging up their home cities to which i offer the similar response of ‘why are you here then if it’s wonderful up there?’

actually Manchester and Birmingham are about the only cities where much like London people seem to want to just get on with what they are doing without worrying about what others think, always look forward to visiting which is not something i can say about most big conurbations in this country which seem to be full of small minded jingoists asking you what team you support and if you want a fight.

LHS - Member

That's just mental, why not go to a more local bike shop?

&

nedrapier - Member

Or walk!

Or take your back wheel off and take it in on the DLR/Central line.

Nah, bike in for a service too and pulling the bike along with the dished wheel for 4 miles would have meant a skid every meter or so and progress would have been slower than the van.

Or bus direct from CW then a quick stroll up the end of Old Street. No way would I willingly choose to drive from CW at 17:30

worked there for a couple of years. occasionally go there on a night out, but would never work there again and would never live there. shithole!

Down there fairly regularly. Always find it a bit hot and sweaty for my tastes, but the thing that really surprises me is how scruffy it is.

I've never lived there. It would have been good to live there in my 20s, but not now. It's no town for grown ups.
All my friends who did live and work there left when they got married or started families. I can understand why.

Still lots of people seem to like it so what do I know.

igm - Member

Still lots of people seem to like it so what do I know.

I never understand London at all.

I was only there for these:

1. To work.
2. To see my friends.
3. To experience it myself of how bad the place is.

😯

Got back to the car and had to get the bank card out as it cost £27 to park

Heading to Dublin tomorrow. Spending 10 days on the Emerald Isle, then hopping over to London. Can't friggin' wait! Fathers, hide your daughters!

metalpedal - Member
Can't friggin' wait! Fathers, hide your daughters!

You know you have to have a second language to pull? Yes! 😆

binners - Member
How do people see London developing? It often seems to an outsider, just reading about it, that its being increasingly turned into a playground for the rich. And that even people on what would anywhere else, be considered good salaries, are being driven out

To give a little background, may help, may not... (.)
MrsBouy bought one of the first Appts in a converted Wharf when Canary Wharf was first going up. So 26 years ago it cost £81k.. Now it’s worth 7x that. she (we’ve) been put ever since we met 20 yrs ago. If we looked at similar now we’d be pushing to get something similar for under £800k, we’re not going to do that, nope Sir’ee.
We, certainly she, has seen massive development and housing since she’s been here, CW’s gone up and is developing more, more offices are going up, 6 in construction at present all in this teeny space they have here. But East is a developing area, it’s the only way to go now. Further East along the A13/A2 you can see where there are pockets of development sites just being put in place, infrastructures going in too. In Town there are more massive high rise office developments going up, some being knocked down to make way for even bigger spaces. It’s quite mad, hop on your bike and ride the City and you’ll see all the work going on like theres no end to the money flowing in.
Thats the thing with London, money just flows in. It comes from everywhere. Cultures changing though, certainly more Chinese here than in the last 12mths, looks like thats not going to end soon, maybe in 10 years perhaps. Then theres the Young folk who can’t get on the property ladder.. Rents IRO £1kpcm normal, not to bad if both working or you’ve a good job. Thats about what a Mortgage would cost anyhoo, and that’s another thing.. Rentals are increasing, property is changing focus from Buying to Renting and the culture will only grow. Landlords who invested back in 08’ will be laughing both sides of the fence.
I can see the “playground for the rich” analogy, it’s certainly here. More uber expensive sportscars on the road now than ever I’d say. I’ve a mate who’s just sold a Maclaren £300k’s worth for £275k after a years ownership and he’s just bought another in Orange. He’s bloody loaded, lives in Clerkenwall, divorced, remarried, works for the biggest Russian Bank and laughs at me riding bikes.. Nearly all my mates are very well off, some have chased the markets, some inherited, some worked bloody hard for it either way they can’t understand living anywhere else than here, they may school their kids in the provinces, but live here.
There are many places I'd live, many more I'd rather not live.

Spent a bit with my cuz who lives near Slough

He’s bloody loaded, lives in Clerkenwall

I'm 44 and I've been quite a few times (20 maybe?), never longer than 3 days.
A few years ago I'd have rejected the idea of living there out of hand, I've probably mellowed on that a little bit but not to the point I'd actively seek to live there. Realistically I couldn't afford it anyway!

I lived in London for 14yrs and go there most weeks now. I could live without London no problem but riding round on my Brompton is still fun.

My in-laws are in there 70's and visited us once when we lived in south London and that was the only time they had been. Never that bothered with traveling, never been abroad. The Mrs loves traveling 🙂

I really like visiting London, great stuff to look around etc but the lifestyle doesn't really suit me - like the green stuff and my own space too much.

I am not one of these people that will think your a dick for living there as I a can see how it is appealing, especially when you are young.

I think raising a family would come with huge challenges in London, especially if you didn't have support.

40, lived there for 15 years, been out of it for 3.

It's a cool place to work, its a cool place to ride a bike around, there's a zest, a business to it that can be quiet addictive. There's also some truly great buildings, many of which I've been lucky enough to work in - quiet a few of which aren't open to the public.

That said, it sucks to live there (especially if you're into the outdoor world). I used to spend all my spare time and money getting away from the place.

I now live oop north, get fantastic riding on my doorstep, but spend a day or 2 each week back in t'smurk working, so kinda the best of both worlds in a way (although sometimes it feels like the worst of both worlds).

(The pollution is no where bad as it was when I first moved there, and the traffic is very bike accepting these days)

Very true MrSmith - Mancunians are ridiculously proud of their city and if you transplanted them to elsewhere they would be vocal about it, case in point is Morrissey who lives in LA but you'd think he still lives in Harpurhey the way he carries on 🙂 FWIW I'm not a born manc I came here for university and stayed and I like it, I would imagine that Geordieland or Glasgow or somewhere else would have the same effect

actually Manchester and Birmingham are about the only cities where much like London people seem to want to just get on with what they are doing without worrying about what others think, always look forward to visiting which is not something i can say about most big conurbations in this country which seem to be full of small minded jingoists asking you what team you support and if you want a fight.

I came down for work in 2010 as some people know.

the first 6 months I was in bounds green - it was shit

After that I moved just outside the M25 and although I miss 'proper hills' and 'proper mountain biking' I've got to say I love the place.

It offers me cultural opportunities I would never get elsewhere in the UK. 20 mins into town and from there I can be anywhere central in 15 minutes - I can go to gigs on a whim, I've been to the opera and ballet many times, galleries and museums are free and very good indeed

There a mind boggling array of things to do on any given day. lots of it is free or cheap

If I head away from town there are, to my surprise, lovely countryside and villages, lots of places where a singlespeed is perfect.

Its not the city that's the issue, its your attitude towards it.

That said if I could have the same thing in Paris I'd go there

small minded jingoists asking you what team you support and if you want a fight

Pretty much sums up why I left Newcastle for Manchester. That and the fact you weren't allowed in anywhere in Newcastle for a drink unless you were wearing the macho lad uniform of shirt, trousers, and shoes. I still go back to Newcastle a lot and even 20 years later receive abuse for 'talking posh' and being a 'traitor'.

Went as kid to see the Tutankhamen exhibition. I think I went in my late teens as a school trip to the theatre but maybe not and I did go once about 12 years ago to help my brother unload some gates he had made for the Explorers Club.
I would like to go to the Imperial War museum but not enough to deal with the travel. Other wise I see nothing for me that can't be found in the hills and woods. Shops I loathe and ditto most people. Museums, see above and music has never been my thing.

38 and been in London for 14 years. Although I grew up in the sticks, am country boy at heart and from farming stock I doubt I’ll ever leave, at not least while I’m still working. The main benefit of London is the type of work that I get to do which doesn’t happen out there (points at the ‘here be dragons’ bit on the map) and the varied, interesting and talented mix of people I get to work and socialise with.

As with most people who live here, I too make very little use of the tourist facilities or the central shopping bit, venturing up there maybe once or twice a year. The bits around the edges are far more exciting.

I’ll also echo LHS’ comments on Barnes, really lovely place. I lived there for 7 years and if I could afford the £1m+ average house price I’d still be there now. Unfortunately I can’t, so South London it is.

apologies if someone has already quoted Mr Shelley:

Hell is a city much like London.

Still, I find it odd that he's not even curious. The scale of the place, it's buildings, the mass of humanity that throng the tube, Oxford St and the like - it's worth seeing at least once in your life, even if you decide its shit.

Can't argue with that.

I'm 58 & have been 5 times.
Twice with school when I was a kid & can't remember much.
Once with my dad to see the World Speedway final at Wembley. Enjoyed that
Once with my ex wife to see Joseph & His Tecnicolour Waistcoat. Didn't enjoy that.
Las time was 1994 to see Pink Floyd at Earls Court. That was fantastic but didn't spend much time there after the show.

My son lives there & loves it so I'm going with an open mind but I think what I won't like is lots & lots of people. Don't 'do' crowds but my Mrs REALLY wants to go & I drag her up to Scotland every year so It's only fair that I try & stay unmiserable. 😀

I grew up in West Kensington/Notting Hill/Sheperds Bush. West Kensington sounds posh, but it most certainly wasn't in the 70's. They were just knocking down the last of the terraced housing from the 1850's, when it was occupied by the "criminal class", the victorians had maps showing what class of people lived where. Played in the ruins, and saw the Sweeney being filmed around there, Dad worked at BBC television centre(no, his name isn't rolf harris), even still had rag and bone men in a steptoe and son stylee.

Moved out to Kingston upon thames, and am still in the neighbourhood. I think I have the best of both worlds relatively speaking, 25 minutes in each direction on the train and I'm in central London or out in the Surrey Hills. The house is now worth six times more than what I paid for it in the nineties(I'm a dollar millionaire :lol:), which reflects the complete lunacy of property prices across London.

This idiot of a Mayor has spent more time attracting "Foreign investment"(marketing property) which can now be seen altering Londons skyline with tower blocks, and very little time on affordable housing, and I really wish someone would take up Ripleys suggestion when it comes to the city of London and "nuke the site from orbit."

Good: Multicultural, bucket loads of things to see and do,
Bad: Definately being socially cleansed, stupid prices.

I have never visited madame tussauds, gone on the London eye, or the Tower of London.

I've been a few times to visit. I have a younger brother who moved there to 'do the whole London thing'. I'm still not sure what that is but it appears to involve red trousers and incorrectly wearing jumpers as shawls. I have been to watch the rugby a few times at Twickenham, which from what I could overhear is the 'HQ' of the organisation in charge of 'the London thing'.

Some of the food is nice, and I quite like some of the architecture and the museums. Walking about is a right pain in the hoop though. It's all big steps then little steps and big steps and little steps. You just can't get going properly.

Wrong thread!

Not my favourite place, loads of traffic, too many Boris Island entrapment camera's for those unfamiliar with the roads and locals. That said I have a biased view as I tend to work in the scummier area's at unsocial hours so don't really see the nice bits.

Oxford Street turns yer bogeys black

^^^ Not only - I used to visit Wood Green, Streatham, Balham, Brick Lane and TCR areas, three days max, always used to blow black snot out of nose once back in the Shire, unhappily showing the befouled tissue to anyone in the vicinity. 'See that!! That's London that is!'

Nonetheless always enjoy jaunts there to see stuff, party, gigs, be with friends etc. Live there? Not for me, but quite like the romance of the place. Mrs Rider lived there as a girl ( at one time next door to Kensington Palace) and says she has no desire to live in London ever again. Too many hustlers, sociopaths, narcissistic, selfish, self-absorbed and often dangerous people concentrated there. But I suppose you could say that about most cities?

After 3 days visiting, I too get the 'itch'. Come for the thrills, then run for the hills!

Seldom lived there but have worked there in a few careers over the years including my own design studio in Soho in the 80s. Love it still but after a day or two I'm happy to leave.

I live in North Wilts, London is 100 miles straight up the M4, in the car or by coach, and I can walk up to the station if I want to catch a train up. I guess I've been up six or seven times in the last eighteen months, countless times over the last thirty years or so, nearly always for a gig, but use a whole day to take in a gallery, museum or something like that. I go often enough to have got an Oyster Card five or six years ago, and I love the place. Sure it's busy as hell, but so's Bath on a Saturday afternoon, to the extent I won't even go into the city on a Saturday anymore.
It's a capital city, one of the biggest in the world, with a history that most other capitals can't come close to matching, and attracts vast numbers of people.
If you're going to visit a city like London, you have to accept the rush and noise, and go with it, and enjoy it for what it is.
There are loads of parks and open spaces in the city, and many hidden quieter spots to explore.
Would I live there? No, family and friends are all around Wiltshire, but if money allowed, I'd get a small place somewhere like Greenwich, or even Southwark, a friend of mine lives there, and has just opened a new bar close to the cathedral, and I really liked the feel of the place, so I'd be quite happy to spend days at a time up there, there's always so much to see and do.
And having been to LA, well, it was interesting to visit for a week...

Born there and spent my first year in Wimbledon I believe. Then out to Oxfordshire for the next 18 before heading Northwards.

Always wanted to return to London as an adult but somehow managed to end up in Manchester. I now live in rural Lancashire and am in London at least once a week for work. Basically I've become everything I hate.

London can do that.

(Otherwise, it's an amazing place, but has it's place and shouldn't make the rest if the country poorer for it.)

Late 40's, worked in London for periods of 3 months at a time. Then I worked there for weeks at a time, then just days. I've visited a thousand times on day work, been a few times on city trips, go on work say once every couple of months at the moment.

Hate the place. Unfriendly, so many people seem obsessed with isolating themselves in one of the busiest places on earth. Smells funny, the water is horrible, the tube is one of the most depressing places on earth and it takes 17 times longer to walk anywhere in London than anywhere else on the planet.

It's alright though, I've experienced similar levels (although not quite as bad) of horribleness in just about every other city I've been in around the world. I'm not mad keen on cities to be fair.

I think what makes it so bad, is the absolute sure fire confidence of it's permanent inhabitants that it's the most wonderful place when it's just a great big expensive, noisy shithole.

Hope this helps.

Thanks Samuri, I didn't think I could look forward to it even less but now all I'm looking forward to is being a Kings Cross on Sunday evening to hop on the train back to normality!

28 visit London one a month for work.

I think certain comments in this thread sums up why some people dislike 'London'. To the outsider it appears that London is one big willy waving contest.

To be honest I haven't explored London and I would like to however I have no burning desire to do this.

Lost count and also lived there.

Walked across it too.

See theatre 5 times a year too.

Watched the riots from a few metres away.

Good food too.

London is ace in the nice areas.

MrSmith - Member
Lived here for 20+ years, I get the itch to go back 'home' every once in a while but the casual racism, provincial attitudes, life revolving around propping up the bar and tedium start to grate after a few days and I can't wait to get back.
Best thing about it is how much it gets up people's noses when they don't 'get it'. Worst thing is the tourists and tourist areas. The public transport is better than most places,

I do find the attitudes the OP mentions interesting though, a real sense of resentment that reminds me of those feelings some people have for richer and more successful siblings, jealousy mixed with feined indifference and a bit of self loathing for not quite being on their level instead of not giving a toss and just getting on with life.

This. With regard to the first para I see the goings on in my old country village of origin and really get sad of the same old names and inclusive content being rattled out day after day.

I was born and raised in a small remote village in Sussex and moved to London in 2000. Luckily for me I live in an outer borough near to a forest and easy access to Herts & Essex, which is great for biking and greenery. Whilst Mrs Kryton and I were 2 professionals with no kids we really enjoyed the sights, sounds and convenience. Now with kids I supplement some of my friends "countryside" bias by taking the kids out of town, visiting loads of places. I remember my summer holidays being endless days of playing in the street finding something to do, whereas my kids are off to science museums, farms, forests, Insects Worlds and so on - it's just a different kind of education. Also having built a life here - which can be much more expensive to fund than outside - and being able to buy a house i think if nothing goes wrong we are set up with a nest egg for a future moved out of town when we are ready. Both Mrs K and I do talk about being somewhere quieter, but usually only when there's an incident in the street (two Turkish blokes having an animated conversation outside our open bedroom window at 1am last night). Also, on a street by street basis there is an implied community spirit and everyone seems to help each other out when it's needed.

On the negative side the "closeness" and tolerance of others activities, differences and attitudes with regard to that can grate, but my view is that when you shut your front door/gate you leave all that outside. London just takes a little more day to day tolerance but if you role with it, it can be a fantastic place to be. If you want to surge against the tide you'll be Michael Douglas in Falling Down almost on a daily basis.

15 years here.

Im 41. Been in London with and without kids.

From the country (west) where the riding was different (better) but there were limited jobs, travel time was huge for jobs which were available, there was no escaping people knowing your business, parochial attitude to most things, racism, homophobia blah blah blah.

Essentially I couldn't wait to leave.

In London now and love the availability of things to do. Even visiting other towns and cities in the UK reminds me of how well off (and lucky)for things to do we are. Bands. Easy. Sport. Easy (50m pool, skateparks blah blah). Restaraunts. Anything. literally, within 30 minutes. Travel. 10 min taxi to the airport (city) and off to wherever you go. Work. Able to work on construction projects which I wouldn't be able to do most places in the UK (crossrail / Shard / Canary / Gherkin / Thames tideway blah blah). Don't have to travel for work, just a 40 min pootle in and out of town with views and excitement the whole way (it is REALLY polluted though). Loads of things for the kids to do. Pretty much as safe as anywhere else in the UK. Kids play out in the street all the time. Good community spirit in the local area. Decent schools very locally. I could go on.

I love to go out to the country and understand why people want to live there however its not for me.

What entertains me is the attitude of some to London and those who live there. Why they are so bothered I don't know, just get on with your own lives.

Whilst we are on the subject though. Mark Riley on 6 music and "Salford media city"? cracks me up every time I hear it as if it weren't for the BBC forcing people up to Manchester it would never be there. As for being a media city? I think we all know where that is......

Lived there for 17 years. Really enjoyed it. Live somewhere else now. Wouldn't be too sad if an awesome job was offered to me in London and I had to move back but wouldn't be too sad if I never lived there again.

Sounds like me but only yesterday I was thinking how much I miss Camden Town and Primrose Hill 🙁

I think you have to be wired a certain way to like London. You could be born there and leave/not like it but after just a few hours in London it all clicks/everything feels comforting/normal. Nice. I love how you can get lost in a sea of strangers from all corners of the world, see acts of nastiness/rudeness yet also politness and people who will help- all mixed in together.

I like how how the people around you may be strangers but the place/the buildings all feel familiar/comforting in a way that a street in Manchester never ever could.

You can head off down one road/off one tubestop and spend a whole night there- not needing to go anywhere else. Or you can roam and have a crazy memorable evening.

Theres commuting on the tube of course but hey.

Having had the experience Id say living in London is like walking a rowdy dog. The more you yank the lead the worse it will get. So just go with the flow.

Whilst we are on the subject though. Mark Riley on 6 music and "Salford media city"? cracks me up every time I hear it as if it weren't for the BBC forcing people up to Manchester it would never be there. As for being a media city? I think we all know where that is......

And its exactly that kind of arrogance that means the rest of the country tends to regard London as being populated almost exclusively by *s!!!

Yes, its the capital city. But its not the centre of the whole *ing universe. Take economic policy in this country. Its being made to almost exclusively benefit London, to the total exclusion of 'the provinces'. We're all being hung out to dry so that our great Metropolis continues to benefit, and effectively be subsidised by the rest of the country.

It does make me laugh that Londoners accuse others of being parochial. Its the most parochial place in the whole bloody country. Politics, the media, the arts, everything, is so self-absorbed, inward-looking and insular, with little or no interest in anything going on outside its own ego-fuelled epicentre, - and in some cases the kind of patronising, condescending contempt shown above - its laughable

Its basically a hypocrital self-aggrandising ****opolis

sand in the your vaj.

you missed out jerk circle there Binners 😉

My mate, works in media, works there and when my child was born and i mean 3 days old. He asked me about moving to get good schools, I am relevead to not have to live in a world liek that tbh

I dont like crowds much either

It has got tons of culture in terms of museums, art and other such things as they seem to put all the best stuff there.
Other than that I could live with never going there but i dont hate it or feel the need to draw a crude caricature of those who do live there whilst explaining how awesome the north is.

Its basically a hypocrital self-aggrandising ****opolis

Thats the thing see, never been up there in all the time I’ve been here riding the City, and what looks like a thriving Jewish community that I never knew existed.

and what looks like a thriving Jewish community that I never knew existed.

When they saw you did they try shelling you and any schools nearby?

Does going to Heathrow airport count? Quite happy in my sheltered Pembrokeshire village..
Don't understand why people live in cities..

I've been there a few times for gigs, shows, industry events, once during my A Levels to visit the galleries and once for a WoW guild meet up. Nice place to visit, wouldn't want to live there. I found New York to be more impressive, but London's admittedly more convenient. Plus it smells less than Paris! 😛

I go there now and then to remind myself why I shouldn't go there.

Oh, apart from the time I went to the Iron a Maiden Clive Burr charity gig, which was next to the Thames. Only time I've been to a gig where inside smelled better than outside!

It does make me laugh that Londoners accuse others of being parochial. Its the most parochial place in the whole bloody country. Politics, the media, the arts, everything, is so self-absorbed, inward-looking and insular, with little or no interest in anything going on outside its own ego-fuelled epicentre, - and in some cases the kind of patronising, condescending contempt shown above - its laughable

😆

You sound like a jilted lover.

binners - Member

Yes, its the capital city. But its not the centre of the whole ****ing universe. Take economic policy in this country. Its being made to almost exclusively benefit London, to the total exclusion of 'the provinces'. We're all being hung out to dry so that our great Metropolis continues to benefit, and effectively be subsidised by the rest of the country.

...and then you hear "But we have to give London the best of everything, at the expense of everwhere else, because London is where everyone wants to go!" As if one doesn't lead to the other.

Moving the beeb's the perfect example, yes you need to artificially create reasons to relocate an organisation like that but that's not because London's just naturally better- it's because it already has a load of artificial reasons to go there.

I love London but it's a bloodsucker of a city, and it's managed to convince its victims that they should be grateful to be bitten.

I went through Stoke Newington last night.... so many Jewish folks in one place before either. Bit rough around the edges mind, but that’s what the outerskirts of Town’s like innit.

that's Stamford Hill - well known for its Hasidic Jews. If you see any Toyota Previas round there, best steer clear - driving standards are questionable.

Toyota's? If Prestwich is anything to go by, I thought Volvo estates were compulsory for Hasidic Jews? But, yes, driving standards are indeed [s]questionable[/s] life-threateningly terrifying! As can be noted from all the dings and scrapes all over said Volvo Estates

Never been there before, never seen so many Jewish folks in one place before either. Bit rough around the edges mind, but that’s what the outerskirts of Town’s like innit.
Thats the thing see, never been up there in all the time I’ve been here riding the City, and what looks like a thriving Jewish community that I never knew existed.

It's a very large community to the extent there is a large Eruv in north london. used to work in that neck of the woods a lot as you head a little north you get to the Turkish heartland of London, great food and handy for proper industrial sized consignments of smack.

I generally have to go every four to six weeks for the day ot overnighter.

I am underwhelmed by the massive hustle and bustle. I live out of town but even leeds being the closest big city I avoid.I just dont like it.

It's a very large community to the extent there is a large Eruv in north london. used to work in that neck of the woods a lot as you head a little north you get to the Turkish heartland of London, great food and handy for proper industrial sized consignments of smack.

😆

I did see a fair number of Turkish folks standing outside restaurants on the road bellowing down thier mobiles, that was funny.

Thing is, see it's only up the road. That's the mad bit about it. The canal I use frequently, has loads of gravel sections, way quieter than Regents Canal (which is mental busy in anything nearing rush hour) and when you hit Walth' the wetlands have some wide open expanses of gravel tracks/sustrans routes/open parkland which you can segment yourself on or just pootle.

So, will I go back? I might start to rideout a bit up there as part of a loop to do some discovery yes. I'll keep an eye out for Toyota Privas, what about shagged out M3's with matt black paint and blacked out windows?? Or Merc AMG E classes in shiney black with chrome bits dangling off them???

8)

Been approximately five times in my life, was offered a job there straight from university on good wages, turned it down, hate the place. I like my fresh air and fields too much.

I go a few times a year, usually for work which I hate with a passion as it's usually a day sat in ridiculous traffic (my work involves kit that isn't transportable by one man on the tube) with people being rude, everything costing a lot and hotels that cost a reasonable amount of money being utterly revolting. That and the terror of going out to get food at night and feeling like you're going to be stabbed.

I felt like a wimp once in Croydon for going from the hotel door to the hotel car park, driving to the supermarket to buy a sandwich for tea to eat in my room. The next day I met our drilling crew from Doncaster who had driven 300 yards down the road to buy tea and eat it in the van for fear of being attacked.

I get that it might be a bit of a laugh if you're young but I can't see why you would want to pay five or six times over the odds for rent when you could live in a much nicer house in a place that'll offer everything you need on a smaller scale pretty much anywhere else in the country.

Aaaahhhhh the Orthodox Jewish beatiful women of Prestwich. How many times I've ridden/driven through there and stared at those beauts 😀

the terror of going out to get food at night and feeling like you're going to be stabbed

oh you poor thing 😥

even Croydon's not THAT bad.

i wouldn't want to live there but i can't comprehend anyone who can't find something to enjoy there. They must be so devoid of fun.

Hold on.

Salford media city? Wasn't the artificial reason for having the BBC hq in London because that is where the majority of international media in the uk are based? Not really that artificial a reason. Lets see how much of the media industry are attracted up North..... If its so good, why is the pull of the movement of the beeb required.

Also. When companies wish to set up European hq's and choose to do it in London, I imagine the will of those senior staff going there will form part of the decision? Possibly the availability of qualified staff too?

Ho hum. Another day in the capital.

Salford media city? Wasn't the artificial reason for having the BBC hq in London because that is where the majority of international media in the uk are based? Not really that artificial a reason. Lets see how much of the media industry are attracted up North..... If its so good, why is the pull of the movement of the beeb required.

T.V/film production is based in west London, it’s where all the studios/prop houses/set builders/costumiers/podt production houses are, while radio and soaps/sport can easily be done in manchester there is zero pull north for those people/companies
all national news production has to have a big presence in London for obvious reasons supplemented by regional offices.
i would imagine the move north was to free up some valuable land/buildings and drop a lot of london weighting. there will be no other media shift to Manchester.

brakes - Member
even Croydon's not THAT bad.

"cough", is not serious riiiight? 😆

Well I have been to Croydon once, the train from London Bridge to Kingswood broke down there and I had to hope over the platform to get another..

Scared me shitless it did 😆

there will be no other media shift to Manchester.

There was a rumour that Susanna Reid left the Beeb to ITV and back to London cos' she hated Mad'chester..

It does make me laugh that Londoners accuse others of being parochial. Its the most parochial place in the whole bloody country. Politics, the media, the arts, everything, is so self-absorbed, inward-looking and insular, with little or no interest in anything going on outside its own ego-fuelled epicentre, - and in some cases the kind of patronising, condescending contempt shown above - its laughable

Been twice. Was visiting friends stayed at theirs, most toursity thing I did was visit the milenium dome. Otherwise just out on the piss in the town round about Camden market first then Covent garden I think' canny really remember tbh. 2nd time down at a preseason friendly Celtic v QPR. Just got blootred as per.

Safe to say I haven't seen the best of the city' and its been about 12 years or so since me last visit. I would go again just haven't came up with and excuse to go tbh, was rather head into mainland Europe if getting away.

I'm 36.

Been a few times. Like the nice areas around Richmond, could live there.

Felt much safer there than I did around Mankychester, that is one vile city/area

36

The real problem with places like London is you don't have stuff like this a few hundred metres from your back door

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(BTW there's a bloody great Munro hidden by that rain cloud)

No offence but everytime theres a London thread someone posts desolate wind-lashed moors (etc) as though riding 6hours a week living like a hermit makes up for it.

😆