Is London as fantastic as everyone thinks?

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*angie_pangie*

I lived there for 30+ years, born and bred, and hated it.
The only thing it's good for is shops that open 24/7.
As far as I am concerned, it's smelly, dirty, stuffed full of horrible people, and those who were born there are eventually pushed out due to ridiculous house prices.
Areas such as Notting Hill, Fulham, Kensington etc., command prices of Â£1million's for pokey little holes and you step out onto the street and confronted by hoodies, drug dealers, alcoholics in doorways, rubbish piled up on street kerbs waiting for the bin man to come (even thought that is 5 days away), rats, pissy smells and stains in doorways............
The list is endless.
Yuk

Helen

god, how negative are you people.

you could all do with reading a little budhist wisdom...

anywhere you live has parts with drugs and under classes.... but when i go to london I see culture and special places, i see the satchi gallery and the national gallery. i see buckingham palace and the albert hall.

i see walks in hyde park in winter watching the ice skaters and the snow.......

i see all of the theatres and the shops and restaurants, i see harrods and selfridges brimming with tasteful and expensive treats.

I see afternoon tea at the ritz.

I see a walk around trafalgar square feeding the pidgeons (not now though). I see a walk along the river and a ride on the london eye. I see the Shakespear Globe theatre fully restored.

I see buckingham palace in all of its glory - I see kensington palace -

I see a city full of survival and culture - people who are busy getting on with their exciting lives - working so hard to keep the hub of our wonderful city turning, so that we can take for granted things like banks and telecommunications.

I see magnificant places to study and relax -

are you guys looking in the wrong places - or do you always pick the negative out of everything..........

Amanda Kate

Get a grip people - you make London sound like Baghdad.

Sure London's got it's downsides but it is also vibrant, fun and lively with unlimited things to see and do, beautiful architecture, lovely parks and a fascinating history.

It's all about where you go and what you do there.

Oh and by the way Helga - if you think Britain is such a dark and negative place then why don't you get off the UK AND IRELAND site - there's a clue in the title.

jessbussert

Wow! I don't know what London all these people are writing about. High crime? Gangs? Violence? In reality it's so safe compared to most US cities! I think London is wonderful!!!!! There are world class museums, great food, wonderful street markets and history on every corner. It's one of the world's great cities!

When in London be sure to visit the best restaurant in town, Domingos! It's just outside the Northfields tube station--cross the road and turn left. Super Spanish tapas and the owners are great people.

Sona H

Being born and bred in London, and being a young person who thrives on City Life, I love London. Yes like everyone has said its got many downsides. I'm of Indian origin, and this whole debate about multiculturalism spoiling it is not a simple one. On the one hand the multiculturalism is why London is so fantastic, there isn't a single type of cuisine, fashion, art, music culture that you won't find here. and its amazing. But on the other hand, Its the disrespect, ignorance and disgusting and unappreciative behaviour of some of those who have come over here that is ruining this fantastic city. The history and architecture is fascinating, and the shopping in my opinion is the BEST in the world. Unfortunately, the experience you will have of london WILL differ depending on how much money you have... but the feeling you get when you're just walking around in Embankment, or Picadilly Circus or Sloane Street, or Covent Garden, or Kensington Gardens or West Hampstead or Richmond, is like no other. I also think if we had good weather here, it would be completely different, the weather does let us down a bit, London in the summer is so gorgeous. But there's something romantic about the rain and the cold!!!! There's beauty and ugliness in every city.. thats what makes a city a city! You just have to ignore the latter and appreciate the former. To be fair, I do think its very difficult for struggling people who have moved to London from warmer countries to work here, to appreciate the beauty and culture of London.

John P

Yeah, you're right. I mean, it's not like New York or Washington, is it? You seem to be implying that this is the only capital city that has these problems and all the others are perfect little places where only Doris Day and Rock Hudson types walk along the streets singing a merry tune and not getting interfered with, except by people who want to start a little dance and sing along to the chorus. I think you need to do a bit of travelling and see how safe and lovely all the other capital cities are.

Graham A

London is like any city - it's got positives and negatives. I work in London and do most of my socialising in London and I think it's great. There is so much to do and so many places to go and eat and drink. There are scummy quarters with drugs and violence but you won't tend to find that in the centre and the West End.

But I no longer live in London as I craved some green open spaces. I moved to a small town about 30 miles south west from where I can commute - so now I have the best of both worlds.

suzeeblue

It has been ruined by multiculturalism, but after saying that its not Baghdad.

I'm not rascist but lots of these people should not be living in the big city, its lost on them. Any citys intimidating if you dont have the money.

itom200

I've lived in London for nearly 10 years now in different parts. There are some fantastic things about it - the architecture, the range of things to do, etc, but there's also a lot wrong with it ( or more accurately, a lot of the people who inhabit it ). Depends what you want, when I was in my 20s it was great, but now the dirt and noise and crowds are getting on my nerves. But I'm leaving for New Zealand next year, so I'm enjoying those bits I love and trying to ignore the bits I don't!

londonon

Its just like any other major city. With that many people it's sure to be a wee bit dirty..eg New York, etc.... I like the cosmopolitan atmosphere of it, and the Heath (Hampstead) and many parks offer a respite when times feel tough. Direct all complaints about cleanliness to Mayor Ken Livingstone, who Im sure will be glad to tell you all the 'effort' that is taken to clean up the streets.

jinz

No.
It's crap.

chris c

yea but what you forget is parts of London is very expensive...the part which celebs love so much!

Arcadia

Sona 's answer is fantastic and spot on...of course London has many problems, of course it is dirty and dangerous, of course it is expensive , but despite all that I still love the place with a passion and would never dream of living anywhere else.

London is very different to almost 90% of the rest of the country, and people who only visit it or dont grow up there may find it unfriendly and intimidating. But once you understand and accept it, then you find so much to enjoy. It is the most vibrant, exciting city on Earth bar none, and still retains its dignity and basic humanity...you just have to dig a little bit for it.

Sir Sidney Snot

It's a dirty smelly dump .

Not everyone is a city slicker. Maybe you like the country or suburbs.

Batman has left the building

I don't know but I still want to visit one day.

Miss Unknown

tradcobdriver

Good on ya. I hate it with a passion you could only dream about in your worst nightmares. My mum came from london and she was horrified every time she visited. There has always been drugs crime and gangs (Krays) but then in some perverted way, there was honour amongst them. Now they are just Yardie types who respect noone and nothing.

London has been ruined by the "multiculturalism" that does NOT work.

LMH

you forget dirty over crowded and dam expensive

ladyfarquaard

I think London is smelly and dirty and I can't stay there for more than 2 hours, even thought there's lots to do. It's all about Brighton, fresh sea air, plenty of shops and everyone's to happy to mug anyone

robmurfitts

No, i have always HATED London, its dirty, smelly impersonnal and dangerous. The pepole are rude (cheery Cockneys my ****) and its massively expensive!!!

srracvuee

london during the war was a lovely place to be although jerry was knocking hell out of us but the people were so close together and it will never return that friendship was rare and all you saw was uniforms! soldiers sailors airforce and yanks and we were all in it together>>> today i never travel to london and i haven't for many years I wouldn't recognise it now its in the past

stardom

No, I totally agree i have lived in London all my life I hate the crowded, dirty, uncivilised touch of London.. I much prefer the outskirt/countryside places where its peaceful, everyone knows each other.... lovely clean unpoluted air everything u dont have in London. Celebs love it so much because its expensive and glamorous and they dont see whats behind all this luxury... Once you live here for a while you understand...

churie78

I think it's a shyte hole full of *******, problem is loads of the c0ckney w4nkers are moving to my area now and they are generally not very well liked.

Helga W

England/London is where witchcraft has it's origin. Very dark and negative environment. Britain does not even belong to Europe. The mainland europeans don't want to have much to do with that island. Stay away if you can. The fact that there is still rich and powerful aristocracy who doesn't give a damn about anything/anyone else but themselvesn says it all as well. They are a cold and brutal(for centuries!!) bunch of useless individuals. Unfortunately the 'Bush Clan' over here is distantly related to them by blood. What a surprise?!

tjnw79

I think Europe is Dirty that is my perception. I think of the Black Plague when any city in europe is mentioned. However, I have traveled to Vienna and that was the cleanest city in the world I have ever been to. It is just what comes to mind. London is on that list of filthy cities.

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