#45

Both

#46

Fair enough, the first point kind of justifies the latter.

#47

But the thing is, ā€œdriving shouldnā€™t be the defaultā€ is a boring and played out argument but for people who arenā€™t of driving age or are too old to drive or whatever the fact that the public transport options just donā€™t exist or are properly fucking shite is extremely significant

#48

Feel pretty ready to leave city life behind tbh. Donā€™t really ā€œuseā€ central London that much these days; as soon as work finishes Iā€™m out of there. Iā€™m a big fan of the small bit of SE London I live in though, and I do use local facilities loads. I would also want any future offspring to grow up in a city and have the opportunities I didnā€™t.

Would be really fucking nice to live in the middle of nowhere though wouldnā€™t it.

#49

South/South West of the City is the spot at the moment where everyone seems to be moving to. Not ideal to commute to Donny, though.

#50

Eh, not really. Most of my family and friends live in London. One of many things thatā€™d ever stop us from leaving.

Whilst itā€™s true that as parents we donā€™t go out much nowadays, when we do have a free day weā€™re not stuck in whatever crap commuter town/village weā€™d have to move too. Next week weā€™re dropping the boy at nursery, heading to the Barbican, lunch at a new place in Angel, then seeing a film at LFF.

#52

I grew up in the country. Itā€™s very pretty and peaceful and I suppose Iā€™m lucky in some ways, I enjoy going out on long walks when Iā€™m back at my parentsā€™. But thereā€™s fuck all to do and it was a struggle when I moved back there for a bit a few years ago. I far prefer having everything a short walk from my doorstep and lots of options (I also hate driving).

I also feel a bit like I didnā€™t partake in enough early teenage bants cos all my friends lived in town so it was a hassle to get a lift in and out of town unless there were actual concrete plans. Feel I was probably a bit of a late bloomer as a direct result of spending a lot of my time by myself instead of idly meeting up with pals for a bit of underage drinking (it didnā€™t stop my brother tbf but he had friends closer by)

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#53

Iā€™m a lazy bugger who is terrible at planning. Ive lived rurally/country/greeny place and in city in both UK and US. City edges it for convenience and the ability to spontaneously do stuff.

Might just have been the places I lived, but the few houses around in the rural locations were v. keen on creating a slightly creepy artificial community spirit, the backbone of which appeared to be hedges/ lawns etc being kept at <5mm length or whatever + letting people know when strangers were about (but this seemed to inevitably be kids/ minorities). Also you need a car full stop.

#54

nah thereā€™s loads of London superiority complexes spaffing all over the thread

#55

Iā€™m not in the right headspace to either properly argue or properly troll right now, Iā€™m really sorry everyone, I think I need a break.

#56

Youā€™ll have to buy yourself a bike

#58

Towns and cities are the worst thing that ever happened to the world.

#60

I feel a bit on edge too about people automatically dismissing living in the country tooā€¦I can see where youā€™re coming from. But essentially it really depends on what suits you individually at what time.

#61

i basically want whatever i donā€™t have, iā€™m like the inverse sinead oā€™connor

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#62

I loved growing up in the countryside but there are some massive downsides to it, I donā€™t think Iā€™d want to live in a village (I grew up a mile outside a village) because everyone knows you, I hate that nosey neighbour bollocks. When we went on holiday recently to a country village we were sitting down for our dinner and the waitress would not stop gossiping about all these people we didnā€™t know. The table next to us had had a family sitting there previously, they left as we arrived ā€œThat small boy sleepwalked naked into the bar last night, what a shameā€ ā€¦ and then another couple on the other side of the restaurant ā€œtheyā€™ve sat on their phones the whole evening, sadā€ ā€¦ UM. Shut up!

#63

Yeah, agree. But people can be very dismissive of people living in a city too.

So tired of hearing ā€œLondonā€™s great, but wouldnā€™t want to bring a child up there!ā€

#64

I moved back in 2011/2012ā€¦and it many ways it was really good for me aside from being on my parents toes all the time, which is why Iā€™ve theorised moving back there may be best long term. Had pretty similar experiences in my teens tooā€¦weirdly, I see the fact that I started drinking late (17) as a big factor in why Iā€™ve struggled with alcohol in recent years. We should all be like the french etc etc.

#66

depends on what you mean by ā€˜stuff to doā€™, and what your interests are - there are literally dozens of outdoorsy things I could do here that wouldnā€™t be accessible to someone living in a city centre flat.

But yes of course nightlife and indoor stuff is more limited.

#68

I mean. Countryside towns are the ideal obviously. A cottage with nothing but fields around itā€™s a bit lonely.

#69

FIFY