London Suburbs. Where's good?

[Ed209]

depends where in Brighton, but if you want city center with easy reach of the station then yes. Had a friend who commuted from Brighton. It was cheaper for him to live in zone 1 London.

[Guest]

yeah, I'd guess it's not cheap. London-by-Sea is pretty apt.

And while it's got it's nice bits, it's got big problems too - it's got the highest heroin addiction rate in England. A friend of mine who went there to live there very quickly backed out and moved to Swindon instead, and thought it much nicer place (which I can't help but laugh at).

[Guest]

depends where in Brighton, but if you want city center with easy reach of the station then yes. Had a friend who commuted from Brighton. It was cheaper for him to live in zone 1 London.

[Chas]

where's that then? </nosey cos I'm from Aldershit>

[Ed209]

Really ? I just couldn't imagine it... Some of you must be on some handsome salaries!

[Ed209]

To be honest I wasn't thinking about you... I was thinking more about the single person spunking £1300 on a one bedroom flat. That just blows my mind.

But yeah, I got to ask you if your really think its worth it all ? You could move from London area and "possibly" find yourself in a much healthier position... There is a world outside of London

And I don't really boast... I state... Only a few times have I boasted and It was usally to wind people up a bit for fun

[Guest]

there's always a few people, who, when anything to do with London is mentioned, the response is "don't do it!"

[eFestivals]

Western Road opposite the Imperial Standard.

ahhh, OK ..... that cornered-in bit is a part of the town I've rarely had to enter in recent decades...the nearest I'd tend to get was cranmore lane or wellington ave on the other side. I rewired absolutely loads of houses round there about 30 years ago tho; I might have even done yours.

I never knew that about Fleet. In the years I worked there I got the impression that there were quite a few retired Army officer class types in the town but It never felt 'rich', unlike Guildford. The reason I mentioned it is that it does have quite a few restuarants and some of the pubs aren't too bad and most of the shops seem to be survivng the recession, which is more than can be said for Aldershot

I think it's probably the result of fleet being a town with so little economic activity of its own because such a high proportion are London commuters. While its got quite a vibrant hight street in some senses cos it's far less full of the normal chain stores, many of the independents are (or at least were, it's a while since I've driven thru) 'hobby shops' run by the wives of those commuters. Ignoring the new estate on the road out to Hartley Witney (which I've not been into, so don't know about), and the less-new one on the Cove Road there's an awful lot of roads of big detached houses on every side of the town, which isn't matched (proportionally) in any of the near-by towns (despite them having plenty of their own, tho often not as big). It probably doesn't feel rich like Guildford because those rich types probably spend so little of their money in the town - they probably do their spending in London as they're there anyway to work.

Talking of pubs in Fleet, in around the early 90s I worked for a bit while at college in what google maps has just reminded me is called The Links ... I can't remember if that was it's name when I worked there, but it was The Fleet Hotel when I was a kid. If you go up the road that runs alongside the railway from there, there's absolutely massive houses up the roads on the left (John Le Measurier from Dads Army lived in one of them years ago) .... and around the mid-eighties I used to drink in The Oatsheaf fairly regularly.

Strangely enough and by nothing more than coincidence, just about all the people I knew from Fleet back then now also live in the Bristol area the same as me.

Edited December 14, 2012 by eFestivals

[eFestivals]

there's always a few people, who, when anything to do with London is mentioned, the response is "don't do it!"

Me, nowadays.

I did the London rat race for only about 4 years - and that was on and off rather than constant - but there's no way on earth I'd do it now, or even do it again if I had my time again. I had more than my fill of London in that time, to the extent I look for an excuse to avoid going there every time I can (the only times I've been in the last few years is to see a band that I just won't miss that I can't see nearer to Bristol - just twice I think in the last 6 years).

I like vibrant cities a lot, but I also want to be able to easily escape them too. Most people with a London attachment get a nosebleed if people suggest going out of town.

[Guest]

Me, nowadays.

I did the London rat race for only about 4 years - and that was on and off rather than constant - but there's no way on earth I'd do it now, or even do it again if I had my time again. I had more than my fill of London in that time, to the extent I look for an excuse to avoid going there every time I can (the only times I've been in the last few years is to see a band that I just won't miss that I can't see nearer to Bristol - just twice I think in the last 6 years).

I like vibrant cities a lot, but I also want to be able to easily escape them too. Most people with a London attachment get a nosebleed if people suggest going out of town.

[eFestivals]

not the people I know...

Londoners are, on average, far harder to get to do something 50 miles from home than is the case for people outside of London.

[TheGayTent]

Londoners are, on average, far harder to get to do something 50 miles from home than is the case for people outside of London.

[eFestivals]

That's a sweeping generalisation if ever I heard one.

it is, but one that has consistently proven itself true to me for 30+ years.

I'd guess it's the result of them not needing to travel for for so much that they might do, because so much is (relatively) on their doorsteps.

Out of interest, can you clarify what you mean by Londoners?

as a generalisation, it's not a 100% fixed area I'm referring to ... but to keep it relatively easy, let's say within the North & South Circular.

Edited December 14, 2012 by eFestivals

[TheGayTent]

it is, but one that has consistently proven itself true to me for 30+ years.

[Guest]

Londoners are, on average, far harder to get to do something 50 miles from home than is the case for people outside of London.

[Ed209]

i can't wait to get out into the countryside. More than willing to go on any excursion possible just to get out and breathe. I love London to bits, one of the world's great cities without question, but I was raised in a dark corner of the Wiltshire countryside so the bumpkin in me is itching to get out.

[eFestivals]

So if my personal experience is the exact opposite who is correct?

from personal experience, both of us.

[eFestivals]

I wonder what percentage of Londoners don't have cars compared to people who live in other towns?.. partly because they might not need them and rely on public transport? and as you say, because what other people need to travel 50 miles or so to do, they can just nip on the tube to do?

I didn't say that there were no reasons behind why they might not be so keen to travel.

[Essex_George]

To be honest I wasn't thinking about you... I was thinking more about the single person spunking £1300 on a one bedroom flat. That just blows my mind.

[Guest]

I didn't say that there were no reasons behind why they might not be so keen to travel.

Edited December 14, 2012 by tonyblair

[bunique]

I wonder what percentage of Londoners don't have cars compared to people who live in other towns?.. partly because they might not need them and rely on public transport? and as you say, because what other people need to travel 50 miles or so to do, they can just nip on the tube to do?

[Guest]

From latest census statistical release this week:

Car or van availability

Greater London is the only region in England where there is, on average, less than one car or van per household. Whereas in the rest of the country the average increased from 1.1 per household to 1.2 between 2001 and 2011, in London it fell from 0.9 to 0.8. It was also the only region to show an increase in the proportion of car-free households, from 38 per cent to 42 per cent.

[Rufus Gwertigan]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="tonyblair" data-cid="3883899" data-time="1355491050"><p>

not the people I know...<br />

<br />

as Ed says, he might move out later, but for now it suits him to be in or near London.<br />

<br />

I love to get out of town as often as I can... I also love being in town a lot of the time. Being away from London has it's advantages... so has being there.<br />

<br />

My daughter lives in Crewe at the moment... cheap as chips there... and not at all surprising</p></blockquote>

Crewe really is shit.

I have been considering a move London. I know I can get shedloads of work down there, even if it is for the Royal Mail. I have lived in Manchester now for 12 years and I hated it when I came. I found the size of the place intimidating not to mention the crowds. City life has grown on me. I am in London all the time now and have a good group of friends there. Most of my kids are based more to the south now as well. My son wants to live with me when he goes to uni and we have considered getting a place together in London if he wants.

The only thing worrying me is cost. I have a 3 bedroom Victorian end terrace house. The landlord is increasing my rent by a third in April. Even then the rent is only £120 a week. That is not going to go far in London methinks.

[TheGayTent]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="Rufus Gwertigan" data-cid="3884304" data-time="1355576595"><p> £120 a week. That is not going to go far in London methinks.</p></blockquote>

Bedsit in a shit part of town at best

[Rufus Gwertigan]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="TheGayTent" data-cid="3884307" data-time="1355576945"><p>

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote'data-author="Rufus Gwertigan" data-cid="3884304" data-time="1355576595"><p> £120 a week. That is not going to go far in London methinks.</p></blockquote><br />

<br />

Bedsit in a shit part of town at best</p></blockquote>

Bloody hell. That much? I am sold :-). I was expecting a place under Westminster Bridge.