London = Awesome / Rest of UK = Rubbish... Discuss...
Discussion
London does so well economically mainly because of the City? That money then filters down to almost everyone else working/living/investing there.
So much foreign investment comes from the confidence that London exudes as a centre of business - compare it's economic/political stability with a lot of other capital cities across the world and it's maybe seen as a safe haven for cash.
George is ahead of most of europe on the recovery too, which draws in more investment.
Olympics must have helped with publicity too.
I wouldn't live there, christ no, everyone's too damn miserable, but as a tourist attraction it's fantastic with the history it has - Trafalgar Sqr, Thames, Queen, London buses, Tube etc, and all accessible within a small area. Shower twice a day, stay within the central touristy bits and it's great.
So much foreign investment comes from the confidence that London exudes as a centre of business - compare it's economic/political stability with a lot of other capital cities across the world and it's maybe seen as a safe haven for cash.
George is ahead of most of europe on the recovery too, which draws in more investment.
Olympics must have helped with publicity too.
I wouldn't live there, christ no, everyone's too damn miserable, but as a tourist attraction it's fantastic with the history it has - Trafalgar Sqr, Thames, Queen, London buses, Tube etc, and all accessible within a small area. Shower twice a day, stay within the central touristy bits and it's great.
As cites go it's okay - cites exist to allow people to live in close proximity for the sake of making money - if money is your thing and you're British then it's the place to be I guess - some people think that it's down to London being special in some way - but the truth is at some point we collectively decided that that's where we should have our financial hub so that's where big business put itself to be near all the others - and if that's where big business is you might as well focus all your infrastructure investment for the best return so that's what's happened - London got bigger and bigger to the point where investing anywhere other than London was just stupid.
London is successful because the UK or rather its politicians who live there made it so -that's why when we need more airport capacity it HAS to be in London and why if we build new roads or rail lines to promote enterprise they HAVE to connect our other cities with London - promoting trade between anywhere else is just crazy talk.
After decades and decades of the entire nation devoting resources to build our international super city - some Londoners look at the rest of us and wonder loudly way they should pay so much tax for the few crumbs of local investment we get aand think the rest of the UK is s
t.
London is successful because the UK or rather its politicians who live there made it so -that's why when we need more airport capacity it HAS to be in London and why if we build new roads or rail lines to promote enterprise they HAVE to connect our other cities with London - promoting trade between anywhere else is just crazy talk.
After decades and decades of the entire nation devoting resources to build our international super city - some Londoners look at the rest of us and wonder loudly way they should pay so much tax for the few crumbs of local investment we get aand think the rest of the UK is s
t. Can't stand the place. Plus there's nothing to do there but work. Or travel to and from work. I don't even like it as a tourist.
But then I'm not one for cities anyway. I think they're basically 'wrong' as a concept. I think humans are designed to live in smaller communities (which happens naturally in cities anyway) and clumping together causes loads of problems that we then have to try and stick a plaster over - transport, housing, overcrowding etc etc.
Give me the green hills and a sea loch any day. And a phone and wifi if I absolutely must work!
But then I'm not one for cities anyway. I think they're basically 'wrong' as a concept. I think humans are designed to live in smaller communities (which happens naturally in cities anyway) and clumping together causes loads of problems that we then have to try and stick a plaster over - transport, housing, overcrowding etc etc.
Give me the green hills and a sea loch any day. And a phone and wifi if I absolutely must work!
Was born and brought up in London, then at the age of 26, decided to relocate to the countryside (Wilts). Don't get me wrong I like London, it's energy, stuff to do, history, etc, but I would never move back. To many negatives, noise, pollution, traffic, parking, etc. It would also cost me about £2m to find a similar house.
Silver993tt said:
On the odd occasion when I visit friends in teh UK (including London) I'm amazed at how dirty, uncomfortable and unattractive the whole place has become, definitely the toilet of Europe.
See the record's still stuck. What a ridiculous proposition.Once you've accepted that London is, in fact, a city, you would need a chronic lack of imagination and personality not to enjoy it.
NomduJour said:
See the record's still stuck. What a ridiculous proposition.
Once you've accepted that London is, in fact, a city, you would need a chronic lack of imagination and personality not to enjoy it.
certainly not, it's based on living in several other countries since I left. As I said earlier, the big mistake I made was not leaving earlier than I did. Once you've accepted that London is, in fact, a city, you would need a chronic lack of imagination and personality not to enjoy it.
Enjoy your 'lovely' city
I've warmed to it in the last year - probably because I've been as a tourist twice recently rather than going down on business. It's a fabulous place to visit in many respects but I can't imagine wanting to live there as it's a city filled with way too many lonely people, none of whom communicate with each other.
I live in London, see no appeal to being a 'tourist' in the traditional sense here, the tourist hot spots people speak of dont interest me what so ever, but thats not what the city is about for me.
I absolutely love it, and have done for the last 8 years i have lived here, its a truly wonderful city, but you wont find that out queuing up for madame tussauds.
I would admit its a difficult city to financially struggle in though.
I absolutely love it, and have done for the last 8 years i have lived here, its a truly wonderful city, but you wont find that out queuing up for madame tussauds.
I would admit its a difficult city to financially struggle in though.
Silver993tt said:
Scuffers said:
London = toilet IMHO
get in, do your business and get out as fast as possible...
Correction:get in, do your business and get out as fast as possible...
UK = toilet IMHO
get in, do your business and get out as fast as possible...
which is exactly what I did more than 10 years ago. On the odd occasion when I visit friends in teh UK (including London) I'm amazed at how dirty, uncomfortable and unattractive the whole place has become, definitely the toilet of Europe.
Disastrous said:
Can't stand the place. Plus there's nothing to do there but work. Or travel to and from work. I don't even like it as a tourist.
But then I'm not one for cities anyway. I think they're basically 'wrong' as a concept. I think humans are designed to live in smaller communities (which happens naturally in cities anyway) and clumping together causes loads of problems that we then have to try and stick a plaster over - transport, housing, overcrowding etc etc.
Give me the green hills and a sea loch any day. And a phone and wifi if I absolutely must work!
Nothing to do there but work!! Are you serious? But then I'm not one for cities anyway. I think they're basically 'wrong' as a concept. I think humans are designed to live in smaller communities (which happens naturally in cities anyway) and clumping together causes loads of problems that we then have to try and stick a plaster over - transport, housing, overcrowding etc etc.
Give me the green hills and a sea loch any day. And a phone and wifi if I absolutely must work!
Wouldn't want to live in London that's for sure. But like the fact I am only 30 mins away, if I ever need to go there (which I rarely do!)
The day time certainly has a "working" feel about it, one that I haven't experienced in quite the same way in any other UK city. Everyone seems to have a purpose, whatever that may be!
Nightlife wise I don't really like it. Cardiff, Liverpool, Nottingham, Leeds etc all seem to have a much "friendlier" vibe about them. London, even at night, everybody just seems stuck to their little plan and in their little shell. Maybe that is a North/South thing in general though?
The day time certainly has a "working" feel about it, one that I haven't experienced in quite the same way in any other UK city. Everyone seems to have a purpose, whatever that may be!
Nightlife wise I don't really like it. Cardiff, Liverpool, Nottingham, Leeds etc all seem to have a much "friendlier" vibe about them. London, even at night, everybody just seems stuck to their little plan and in their little shell. Maybe that is a North/South thing in general though?
davidc1 said:
London , and the outskirts has gone downhill . Too much immigration , this has created ghettos.
i grew up in south London , now its a sorry run down place.
i moved out to Kent , and will move out even further once i stop commuting to london!!
Do let me know this sorry run down part of South London. i grew up in south London , now its a sorry run down place.
i moved out to Kent , and will move out even further once i stop commuting to london!!
I fancy a cheap property.
Scuffers said:
London = toilet IMHO
get in, do your business and get out as fast as possible...
get in, do your business and get out as fast as possible...
Scuffers said:
London = toilet IMHO
get in, do your business and get out as fast as possible...
As Scotsman who now lives in London (and has done so for the past three years), I am inclined to agree. Here's why:get in, do your business and get out as fast as possible...
1. Crime
An old colleague from Aberdeen joked with me that I'd be the victim of theft as Londoner; "everyone is at some point", he said. He was right. Even in the west end, there has been a spate of break-ins and thefts on my street, the last of which saw my bike being ridden into the sunset, never to be seen agin.
2. It's too Crowded
My ten mile commute through West London and out to Surrey takes me an hour on a good day by car. An hour. That's two hours out of my day to travel a pitiful distance. I'd cycle it, only the roads are that lethal, I daren't tempt fate. Weekend trips into London need to be undertaken early in the morning, or else accept more idle time stuck in traffic. Want to go anywhere in the countryside? Get there early and expect a billion other people to attempt the same thing. I think it's actually impossible to walk 100 yards in the South East without seeing another person. You cannot enjoy your own space in this part of the world. And of course, everyone is always in a mad rush to get somewhere (including me), which makes driving standards and the attitudes to fellow road users, utterly appalling.
3. Cost of living
And because of this overcrowding, the cost of housing is utterly scandalous. £500k genuinely buys you a slum in any part of London you might feel safe walking through. Half a million Pounds, and it won't even buy you a 3 bed semi. Everything else is ramped up in price too.
It's a fun city, no doubt. As a single man I had a whale of a time plundering it's wares, but now, despite being only 15 mins from Piccadilly on the Tube, I've been in town once in the last thee months. I'm not getting the value out of the place any more, but instead, I'm suffering its negative side in a idly basis.
So I'm moving to North Yorkshire. I'll still work in the Smoke, but at weekends I'll look forward to rolling hills, fresh air, decent people and s-p-a-c-e. Infinite amounts of it. And don't get me started on the property pricing gap. Put simply, you can take any place you like up in Yorkshire and apply another zero to it for London. As I said: obscene. A budget that genuinely wouldn't buy me a 3 bed terraced house in London, would buy me a simply beautiful old farmhouse with land up the road.
It's a no-brainier, frankly. I'm staggered so many people actually chose to live in London by their own free will.
I think it's reasonable to say zones 3 to 9 of London are average, bordering on cr*p in some places.
But zones 1 and 2 are just about the best stretch of land on Earth. Only Manhattan (and perhaps Central Paris on a good day) can rival Central London for world-class daylife, worklife, touristlife and nightlife in one single package.
What amazes me is why other major UK cities don't feel compelled to "compete" with London. None is hungry enough. They have all but given up.
But zones 1 and 2 are just about the best stretch of land on Earth. Only Manhattan (and perhaps Central Paris on a good day) can rival Central London for world-class daylife, worklife, touristlife and nightlife in one single package.
What amazes me is why other major UK cities don't feel compelled to "compete" with London. None is hungry enough. They have all but given up.
Disastrous said:
Can't stand the place. Plus there's nothing to do there but work. Or travel to and from work. I don't even like it as a tourist.
But then I'm not one for cities anyway. I think they're basically 'wrong' as a concept. I think humans are designed to live in smaller communities (which happens naturally in cities anyway) and clumping together causes loads of problems that we then have to try and stick a plaster over - transport, housing, overcrowding etc etc.
^ This.But then I'm not one for cities anyway. I think they're basically 'wrong' as a concept. I think humans are designed to live in smaller communities (which happens naturally in cities anyway) and clumping together causes loads of problems that we then have to try and stick a plaster over - transport, housing, overcrowding etc etc.
Anyone who's grown up and still lives in the counties surrounding the place knows that London is full of people who shout about what a 'wonderful' place the urban dump is.While at the same time all wanting to move out into what's left of the less urban areas and countryside of the surrounding counties.Which is why so called 'Greater London' has so far totally wiped out the old county of Middlesex with ever ongoing calls to expand it's urban sprawl further and further out in all directions into what remains of those counties.
Assuming that the local authorities,of what remains of those counties,ever have the sense to finally tell London enough no further,we'd really see how much those who 'say' that they like the place 'really' like it when they have to stay there.Because we are no longer prepared to keep sacrificing the character and countryside of 'our' place to keep providing 'them' with an escape route from the urban hell that they've made for themselves.
Edited by XJ Flyer on Wednesday 9th July 23:58
lamboman100 said:
I think it's reasonable to say zones 3 to 9 of London are average, bordering on cr*p in some places.
But zones 1 and 2 are just about the best stretch of land on Earth. Only Manhattan (and perhaps Central Paris on a good day) can rival Central London for world-class daylife, worklife, touristlife and nightlife in one single package.
That would depend on the definition of world class.I'd prefer the more civilised atmosphere and environment of the better small towns or rural settlements of what remains of the county of Surrey for example to any part of London and especially central London. But zones 1 and 2 are just about the best stretch of land on Earth. Only Manhattan (and perhaps Central Paris on a good day) can rival Central London for world-class daylife, worklife, touristlife and nightlife in one single package.
lamboman100 said:
I think it's reasonable to say zones 3 to 9 of London are average, bordering on cr*p in some places.
But zones 1 and 2 are just about the best stretch of land on Earth. Only Manhattan (and perhaps Central Paris on a good day) can rival Central London for world-class daylife, worklife, touristlife and nightlife in one single package.
What amazes me is why other major UK cities don't feel compelled to "compete" with London. None is hungry enough. They have all but given up.
eh? zones 1 & 2 are the worst places to be. Over crowded, full of arrogant people pretending that they've 'made it', overpriced, continuously ripped off, terrible transport infrastructure compare to any other city in Europe, zero community spirit, the most dangerous and crime ridden area in Europe, just for starters.But zones 1 and 2 are just about the best stretch of land on Earth. Only Manhattan (and perhaps Central Paris on a good day) can rival Central London for world-class daylife, worklife, touristlife and nightlife in one single package.
What amazes me is why other major UK cities don't feel compelled to "compete" with London. None is hungry enough. They have all but given up.
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