What's it like living in the City?

[Moose423956]

Unless you are an overweight, dull, dessicated, doddery, old fart in which case London is not for you.

That describes me perfectly. Which is why I hate London.

I grew up in St Austell, but moved up-country in 1985 to work, and I've lived around this area ever since. Started off in Hayes (tulip-hole), gradually moving out to Berkshire (slightly less tulip-hole), and if it wasn't for the fact that my kids still need me for childcare responsibilities I would move back to Cornwall tomorrow.

If you want my opinion, don't live in London, find somewhere that you can commute from, but which gives you easy access to the countryside.

[shaunbhoy]

Shaun, when did you last work up here?

Don't go near the place these days to work if it can be avoided. Congestion charges, nowhere to park, getting your car broken into, overpriced, dirty, ignorant locals, what is to like?
Plus there is always the possibility of bumping into pompous windbags like sg, who seem to think that because they own a small lean-to in some shanty town like Wandsworth, they are of some import.
Even 20 years ago when I worked there quite regularly it was seen as almost a punishment posting.
Of course Devon has problems of its own, but I'd sooner be down here breathing fresh sea air everyday than rubbing shoulders with the snotty tossers that frequent that hole.

[amcdonald]

Don't go near the place these days to work if it can be avoided. Congestion charges, nowhere to park, getting your car broken into, overpriced, dirty, ignorant locals, what is to like?

Filthy lucre, that's the only reason

[doodab]

overpriced, dirty, ignorant locals, what is to like?

if you lived here you'd find that most of them you don't have to pay.

[d000hg]

Let's go to a slightly different question...

Would you recommend living in London for a limited time as part of experiencing different things? With no kids and few work ties we're thinking that we actually have the opportunity to do things like that quite casually, which would be a massive upheaval to a working 2.4 kid family.

[Incognito]

So I wondered, what's living in London like?

I've lived in or out of London for nearly 8 years. First moved in with an ex and 3 other girls in Brockley (all dancers at London Studio) place was a tuliphole, but I was in my element with all those women. Poo when they all came on together.

Lived in Greenwich after that and then had a flat in Maida Vale. London is superb when you're young and on the prowl. I would never live there in a million years with my kids though.

I hate the tube, I hate driving in London, I hate the crowds, I hate the pretentiousness, I hate the 'multicultural' assimilation of large swathes of London.

There are far superior capital cities than London.

[doodab]

Would you recommend living in London for a limited time as part of experiencing different things? With no kids and few work ties we're thinking that we actually have the opportunity to do things like that quite casually, which would be a massive upheaval to a working 2.4 kid family.

If you have a bit of money and can afford to live centrally in a good area, yes absolutely. It's a fantastic city if you have the money to enjoy what is on offer, and being central means you get easy access to that without the cost and hassle of a taxi ride home.

Living like a pauper somewhere tulipty like New Cross is a different matter. You will get ground down into misery like the rest of the happy faces you see on the tube.

[sasguru]

I've lived in or out of London for nearly 8 years. First moved in with an ex and 3 other girls in Brockley (all dancers at London Studio) place was a tuliphole, but I was in my element with all those women. Poo when they all came on together.

Lived in Greenwich after that and then had a flat in Maida Vale. London is superb when you're young and on the prowl. I would never live there in a million years with my kids though.

I hate the tube, I hate driving in London, I hate the crowds, I hate the pretentiousness, I hate the 'multicultural' assimilation of large swathes of London.

There are far superior capital cities than London.

Lucky that you feel that way, since you wouldn't be able to afford London.
As others have noted, if you have the money London is brilliant since it has the best of everything: restaurants, parks, cultural life, village-like enclaves where everybody knows everyone else.
But the basic requirement is that you earn enough to have a large house in a leafy area and that is beyond most.

[Incognito]

Lucky that you feel that way, since you wouldn't be able to afford London.
As others have noted, if you have the money London is brilliant since it has the best of everything: restaurants, parks, cultural life, village-like enclaves where everybody knows everyone else.
But the basic requirement is that you earn enough to have a large house in a leafy area and that is beyond most.

Whatever sunshine. I chose to move out of London, I could quite easily afford to move back in. Quality of life is important to me though and you don't get that in some squashed two up two down with a postage stamp of a back garden and no parking in front of your house.

You keep kidding yourself that you're happy, you're the only one banging on every week about how great your house and life is, sounds like you're trying to convince yourself.

Even though it is none of your business, I do still own property in London. I'd never live there though and will flog it after the Olympics.

[sasguru]

Quality of life is important to me though and you get that in some 4 bed with a large garden and your own private parking.

.

FTFY.