London is HORRIBLE nowadays! My rant...

[8den]

Most cities and towns have more to offer than a single street of familiar retail outlets.

Hull? Luton? Swansea?

 

[Ted Striker]

Kensington and Chelsea has become a virtual no go area for most of the people who post on these boards. I can't remember there being an Urban drinks, for instance, in that area hardly ever, if at all.

It's not all bad!

 

[Pickman's model]

I realised the other day that I'd stopped feeling attached to London at all. I used to be able to walk around anywhere, Mayfair, Holland Park, the City, and think "you may own these buildings but this is just as much my city as it is yours" but I don't feel that any more. When I hear about outrageous bullshit like the Heygate it makes me angry because it's outrageous bullshit that makes life miserable for people, but I don't feel anything special about it being in London.

All of the things that have happened, dying pubs and local businesses, rental prices and consequent constant movement, mass evictions and redevelopments, huge sudden changes in the nature of areas, they all contribute to alienation and division, and I guess they've worked. I'd leave London in a minute if it weren't for all the practical aspects. Nowadays it's just a city where I know how the public transport works.

tbh it wouldn't take you long to learn the public transport in e.g. toronto. it's just where you're used to, i suppose. if my numbers came in on the lottery i'd be off like a shot, which i wouldn't have said 5 or 10 years ago.

 

[bi0boy]

tbh it wouldn't take you long to learn the public transport in e.g. toronto. it's just where you're used to, i suppose. if my numbers came in on the lottery i'd be off like a shot, which i wouldn't have said 5 or 10 years ago.

When I visited I was all prepared to buy a smartcard to use on the metro only to find I had to buy a little metal token and toss it in a bucket held by a guy who looked like he was begging.

 

[Pickman's model]

When I visited I was all prepared to buy a smartcard to use on the metro only to find I had to buy a little metal token and toss it in a bucket held by a guy who looked like he was begging.

when i was there i got a one-week travelcard, all very easy.

when the numbers come up i'll move there. or malta.

 

[dessiato]

Pickled Egg when I moved to Portugal I once was very critical of the town in which I lived and the country. I was told very clearly that if I didn't like it I could go back to where I came from.

 

[agricola]

Also, with few notable exceptions, most British towns and cities are cookie cutter brand infested homogenised shitholes. Every high street is nearly identical, Greggs, Costa, Boots, Starbucks, HMV, Holland and Barrett, Weatherspoons, Pizza Express, Odeon, Mc Donalds, Nandos, River Island, Weatherspoons, Pennys, Weatherspoons, and All Bar One.

The damage that this does to towns cannot be overstated. Wrexham used to have a vibrant high street and some great markets, but the Council - egged on by firms of the ilk to those listed above - destroyed it in favour of a series of slightly out-of-town shopping experiences, all of which have failed.

That said though, on occasion it can be hilarious to see those firms fail. My home town has had a Greggs for about two years now, but every time I have ever walked past it the place is empty - which shouldn't be a surprise because across the road is one of the best bakeries in the country, and slightly down the road is the best bakery in the country. Whoever runs that branch must be losing a fortune.

 

[8den]

I'm not saying it's ubiquitous, Cardiff has a really lovely shopping district with great cafes, and Edinburgh and any number of towns. Nor is London immune. The same cookie cutter shops can be found in Wood Green, and Wimbledon high Street or Willesden Green.

 

[ATOMIC SUPLEX]

At the turn of the century I knew people who lived in Kensington and Chelsea, Notting hill by the station, all over London in what were considered posh places, but not unaffordable. It could not be done now. In my 20s I rented a small flat to myself in stockwell. I doubt the kids are doing that these days.

As for Tokyo which I have visited once or twice a year for the past thirteen years. . . I used to rent flats in shinjuku instead of getting hotels. It was . . Even then, even on short term lets, cheaper than renting in london. . . And shinjuku is like being in frickin' Soho or something.
My friends in Japan seem to have all the same political problems we have, but last time I looked the lending rates for mortgages were pretty good and houses were relatively cheap.

 

[klang]

At the turn of the century I knew people who lived in Kensington and Chelsea, Notting hill by the station, all over London in what were considered posh places, but not unaffordable.

i rented a room in a flat share in powis square for 50£/week in '98/'99. unthinkable now....

 

[mango5]

I hate to say it, but... London has become such a shit-hole.

seems to me you quite enjoy saying this

As soon as I came back from Tokyo in March after not being there for almost 10 years, I realised London hadn't really advanced as a city as much as Tokyo had in any way shape or form. It's as if London's been stuck on pause. London has become a stale and stagnant city.

Could you give some examples of the kinds of advances you expected to have happened while you were away?

Well obviously in 2002 it was still stupidly expensive - but look at the increase. Is this the road we really want to go down?

We? You haven't participated in this city in a decade.

Isn't it a shame university graduates can't even live in central London anymore?

Eh?
And why the obsession with property prices and tax evasion?

The fact a lot of you laugh at Kensington & Chelsea, or don't even dare to step foot in that borough, means you agree with me.

Have you stepped out of that borough much?

Coming back to London was incredibly depressing. I've never once come back home and felt my home city was much worse than where I was.

Perhaps this says more about your expectations than what's happened in the city.

In all, as said before, this city, UNFORTUNATELY MY HOME CITY, has become one of the worst in the world, let alone Europe. London has become the dumping ground for the globally rich.

Perhaps you should go to a more advanced city that meets your standards.

Thank you for rising above them. I hope you stay and keep chatting. Be nice, posters ffs.

lol

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Having just got back from a night out in Leicester I have to conclude that London is indeed a dump. Leicester seems quite rundown, but the people were ace. Bloke on the bar seemed embarrassed that a pint was a fiver. That's cheaper than in the pub near my work...

 

[DotCommunist]

Having just got back from a night out in Leicester I have to conclude that London is indeed a dump. Leicester seems quite rundown, but the people were ace. Bloke on the bar seemed embarrassed that a pint was a fiver. That's cheaper than in the pub near my work...

world class space research facility at the university as well. They probably built and designed stuff thats on the ISS

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

world class space research facility at the university as well. They probably built and designed stuff thats on the ISS

Did see a sign for a space centre, worth visiting?

 

[DotCommunist]

Did see a sign for a space centre, worth visiting?

I'm told its amazing, the soyuz alone is worth the time. I think its a seperate building to the research facility at the Uni though they do obviosly share staff and students

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Cool, might go back as I have a cousin who moved there from London ten years ago and he seems happy enough with his lot.

 

[Pickman's model]

world class space research facility at the university as well. They probably built and designed stuff thats on the ISS

And just an hour by train from london

 

[Greebo]

And just an hour by train from london

The travel time is less a problem than the fare might be...

 

[Dr. Furface]

Having just got back from a night out in Leicester I have to conclude that London is indeed a dump. Leicester seems quite rundown, but the people were ace. Bloke on the bar seemed embarrassed that a pint was a fiver. That's cheaper than in the pub near my work...

A fiver for a pint in Leicester!? (what of?). Are they cashing in on their Premier League win or something!

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

A fiver for a pint in Leicester!? (what of?). Are they cashing in on their Premier League win or something!

The bar was in the King Power stadium...

 

[FridgeMagnet]

tbh it wouldn't take you long to learn the public transport in e.g. toronto.

Also: Suddenly, there are capybaras all over Toronto | Toronto Star

No bloody capybaras in London well not in the general run of things anyway.

 

[ffsear]

Japan ? This guy has been living on the moon surely ?

 

[lefteri]

I thought London was a hugely overpriced shit hole in 2002 tbh.

eta though I'm pretty sure it had a lot better parties and club nights going on back then which were its main redeeming feature for me.

I would say the parties and club nights going on now are far better than those in 2002

 

[lefteri]

Having just got back from a night out in Leicester I have to conclude that London is indeed a dump. Leicester seems quite rundown, but the people were ace. Bloke on the bar seemed embarrassed that a pint was a fiver. That's cheaper than in the pub near my work...

fiver a pint in leicester! hahahahaha, I bet he was embarrassed

 

[mango5]

Having just got back from a night out in Leicester I have to conclude that London is indeed a dump. Leicester seems quite rundown, but the people were ace. Bloke on the bar seemed embarrassed that a pint was a fiver. That's cheaper than in the pub near my work...

Leicester is nice. Not sure there's a useful comparison with (central?) London (pint prices) apart from your personal preference. Agreeing with the new troll puts your assessment in an unflattering light.

 

[FridgeMagnet]

I would say the parties and club nights going on now are far better than those in 2002

No way. I can disprove this with irrefutable Music Journalist Logic.

1. I was in my 20s in 2002.
2. Therefore clubs and music generally were much better.
3. However I was in my mid-to-late 20s so things were going downhill and definitely not as good as they were when I first had any drugs.

 

[lefteri]

No way. I can disprove this with irrefutable Music Journalist Logic.

1. I was in my 20s in 2002.
2. Therefore clubs and music generally were much better.
3. However I was in my mid-to-late 20s so things were going downhill and definitely not as good as they were when I first had any drugs.

mate, I was in my 20s in the early 90s, clubs were definitely better back then!

 

[trashpony]

I realised the other day that I'd stopped feeling attached to London at all. I used to be able to walk around anywhere, Mayfair, Holland Park, the City, and think "you may own these buildings but this is just as much my city as it is yours" but I don't feel that any more. When I hear about outrageous bullshit like the Heygate it makes me angry because it's outrageous bullshit that makes life miserable for people, but I don't feel anything special about it being in London.

All of the things that have happened, dying pubs and local businesses, rental prices and consequent constant movement, mass evictions and redevelopments, huge sudden changes in the nature of areas, they all contribute to alienation and division, and I guess they've worked. I'd leave London in a minute if it weren't for all the practical aspects. Nowadays it's just a city where I know how the public transport works.

I used to think that the reason London didn't feel like mine any more was because I don't live there (even though I lived there for most of my life). But actually it has changed beyond all recognition in the last 10 years. I don't think it belongs to most of us anymore. It belongs to international investors.

I drove through London on New Year's Day this year and was at traffic lights in Aldgate. They were building new flats next to the road and on the banner it said that the guaranteed return on investment was X within y years. No one is even pretending the flats are housing any more. They're empty investment shells.

 

[Artaxerxes]

Also, with few notable exceptions, most British towns and cities are cookie cutter brand infested homogenised shitholes. Every high street is nearly identical, Greggs, Costa, Boots, Starbucks, HMV, Holland and Barrett, Weatherspoons, Pizza Express, Odeon, Mc Donalds, Nandos, River Island, Weatherspoons, Pennys, Weatherspoons, and All Bar One.

Fried chicken shops, charity shops and "beauty" parlours appear to be the order of the day for those lucky enough to escape cookie cutter high streets, generally the more outlying high streets while the city centre and upmarket high streets are boredom central.

 

[Bahnhof Strasse]

Internet is also possibly harming London; you used to go to specific areas for specific things, but now buy them online. Been down Tottenham Court Road recently? Sofas not electricals are the big thing there now...