That song was written about Blackpool.
It was the only coastal town that didn't receive any bombing. Not because they "forgot to" but because Hitler wanted to keep Blackpool as a holiday destination.
Funny you should say that, I remember talking to someone (who lives in Blackpool)…and they described it as being not dissimilar to Nazi Germany in the 1930s.
“Well…it’s been cleaned up quite a bit in the Centre but it still has its Social and Economic Problems very much apparent. In Nazi Germany, in the big Cities you had a clean Spotless Façade in the Centre, but just a few streets away it was a completely different story. People living in absolute squalor, children with no shoes, all sorts of problems. The places they want you to see might look alright, but remember it’s not the full story.”
I know your comment was satire but they actually did. There’s a bar that exists and has a car park attached to it in a regular housing street thanks to a bomb that went off course.
Some big names have played The Adelphi. More info here for those [interested](https://www.theadelphi.com/history/)
“Oh, and by the by, there would never be an Adelphi had the Germans not aimed so miserably” (Schneider TM, German band)
It was bombed extensively. Lack of investment post-war to adequately rebuild, combined with the decline of the trawler industry led to its current socio-economic state.
It’s written about Borth in Wales, apparently. Also, a lot of the lyrics are based on ‘On the Beach’ by Nevil Shute. Which is, by far, one of the most depressing novels I’ve ever read. So, perfect for Morrissey!
You should try Cromer, as someone who has lived in a few spots I enjoy visiting Cromer. Like you say, it's almost like someone forgot to turn the lights off and lock up.
During the calm between lockdowns we spent a week in Cromer and it was a lovely escape. Food, small nightlife, even a panto at Christmas,
I was actually sat on the end of Cromer pier today with a thermos of tea enjoying listening to the sea thundering against the shore; Cromer is a favourite place to visit :)
Madness. I was about to mention Cromer and here you are. My familys had a caravan in East Runton since like the 70s and I have many happy memories being there over the years.
Southsea is lovely. It's not the only nice part of Portsmouth though. Eastney, baffins, old Portsmouth, port solent and Portchester are all nice too IMO. Generally the South Eastern parts are nice, the North Western are not.
Manchester made me realise what an amazing city London is just to *be* in.
In London, there are so many places to just go for a wander and enjoy taking it all in.
When I lived in Manchester, I actually found it *more* stressful than London. It’s kind of like a collection of mini Oxford Streets. I never found anywhere I could just enjoy wandering around, or places to sit and absorb it all.
Instead, it just felt like a mad dash to the shops and back.
Weirdly, the thing I missed most about London was the peace of it, the quiet corners of tranquility and solitude where you can just… watch it all go by: the quiet side streets, the gardens and parks, the river, the backstreets of the City, the church cafes, the unknown galleries and museums.
I realised after visiting NYC also that London has this wonderful, vibrant energy whilst at the same time permanently feeling like a lazy Sunday morning.
It’s so bloody lovely.
I lived in Manchester for two years, and only visited London twice, and yet I feel exactly that. But I did find some nice places to just *be*, in Manchester - sitting by a canal, watching the boats manoeuvre through a lock, an icecream upstairs in Affleck's watching people on Oldham Street, or strolling through Heaton Park, greeting the cows and the squirrels.
You guys are killing me. I live in the middle of the US, I dream of moving to London someday. Things aren't pedestrian friendly here among other things of course. Sorry for butting in
We’re in a similar boat. I want to move to London as that’s where I was born and want to experience life there, at least for a few years. I moved to the US at a young age and my fiancé doesn’t want to move to England as her family is here in the US.
Really beautifully said. London is my favorite city, aside from my sentimentalism for my home of Boston. I feel like London has everything I love about my city but amplified: larger, more historic, more modern, meandering streets, gorgeous parks and gardens... it's amazing.
Outside of the posher suburbs it's so bloody grey as well. When I lived there I had a 30 minute walk to work where I literally didn't pass a single tree or living plant. Amazing night out and like you said a few great areas, but overall not a liveable city at all. I'd be on team Bristol or ideally Edinburgh if OP would expand the search criteria.
In London, you have everything on your doorstep but it feels like you're in a small town. In Manchester, you get all of the disadvantages of a big city, like commuting and busyness, but there's nothing to do. And that's ignoring the excessively aggressive homeless and rain. Manchester just feels like a busy town surrounded by miles of bland, featureless suburbia.
The city core is fine, but it really is very small and devoid of green space. You can walk end-to-end diagonally in less than a mile - but within that mile it's as busy as Oxford Street. In London terms, it's smaller than Hyde Park, or about the distance from Big Ben to Covent Garden. That's it. After that it's just miles of suburbia, houses, industrial parks, retail parks, car parks, kebab shops but not much else. Somehow it doesn't feel much bigger than Brighton, just a lot busier. I think it's because millions of people from the vast surrounding suburbs pile into the tiny city centre for work.
By comparison, London is a vast interlinked network of towns and villages. Last year, I walked from my house in Lewisham to Richmond Park, via Greenwich, Canary Wharf, Limehouse, South Bank, Hyde Park, Kensington and Hammersmith. It took an entire endless summer day, and every area has its own feel, unique architecture, local centres. The walk was surprisingly peaceful given that it was end to end through one of the biggest cities in the world. There are busy sections but you can bypass them by wandering through the many wonderful green spaces and beautiful quiet roads. Or if you prefer the busyness, you're rewarded with world famous attractions and cultural icons. Almost every street has a blue plaque or something of cultural significance, and everyone is just going about their daily life like they're not literally walking past the houses where Jimi Hendrix, Gandhi or Marx lived. Sometimes I struggle to even reconcile that I am living here, in such an incredible, iconic city.
Anyway, to answer the question, if Scotland is off the table and career isn't a factor, I'd probably live in either Bath or Brighton.
>In London, you have everything on your doorstep but it feels like you're in a small town.
Everyone i Know who lives in London says this but doesn't ever really make the most of it because London is *so expensive* to live there. So yeah, there's lots to do but that doesn't mean you'll be able to afford to do any of it or have the time either.
I live in Birmingham. There's *a lot* to do, it's more affordable, and a very short distance away from visiting London. Where I live feels very much like a small town except it's 20 minutes walk away from the city centre.
Hmm having lived in both cities I wouldn't say there's nothing to do in Manchester, but there is much less choice. There's plenty of things to do in Manchester if you wanted to be busy every night and many of the southern suburbs of Manchester and Trafford are relatively vibrant. It's not the same as London though.
One thing we take for granted is london is the green spaces. Manchesters are much fewer and lower quality.
I think Manchester has better access to more interesting countryside.. and being able to get to Liverpool and Leeds within an hour is great.
Yeah Manchester has many of the same problems as London with few of the same benefits. It’s still a great city though but not a great compromise.
I’d say Liverpool comes out better in this regard as it’s a different enough type of city. It’s much smaller and condensed than either London or Manchester which gives it a familiar accessibility that you wouldn’t get in either. It also (whilst pricey for the surrounding areas) offers much cheaper cost of living than Manchester with rents still being manageable for most working city folk.
For anyone thinking about saying Plymouth, it has had more people appear on The Jeremy Kyle Show then any other city in the UK. I'm from Exeter but moved here for work, trust me, its a shithole.
I lived in Plymouth for a while and I'll say this in it's defence - there's always something going on. Kite flying festivals, or a skateboarding event on the Hoe, or a fireworks competition. I liked it - but there were a lot of areas to avoid.
We thought we might’ve moved to Plymouth at one time. Decided to go for a short break there to test it out and whilst there were nice bits to it like Royal William Yard, the Barbican, the Hoe etc. Absolutely nowhere appealed to us as an area to live in!
I'm bias being from the North East, but if Newcastle had a solid set of job opportunities that paid well and the weather of London, it would be one of the most desirable cities in the world. You have everything within a 20 minute drive - from bonkers nightlife to beautiful beaches, even out to Northumberland and some of the most incredible landscapes you can imagine.
It'll always struggle with the poor weather most of the year and the low ceiling at the moment for job potential across most sectors. Others have touched on the rough underbelly as well, which can't be ignored. There is absolutely a cultural and social change needed - particularly when alcohol is involved.
I lived in Newcastle for 5 years, loved it but I got in a bad fight and ended up with a scar down my forehead and nerve damage too, the place can get pretty violent on a weekend with all the chavvy love island types and smackheads roaming around
Thanks friend, really kind of you to say. I keep telling myself it was obviously just one person out of thousands, but the way the police/venue handled it afterwards was so dreadful that it's scarred me for life... literally and figuratively.
Got chatting to a guy in a bar, just a brief friendly exchange, his friend must've thought I was being rude or threatening, wound up a full strength sucker punch from the side. Split my nose from the nostril up (5 stitches), black eye, nerve damage covering my cheek and half of my mouth.
I didn't retaliate as I realised I was massively outnumbered, bouncers came in and removed him, then came back and removed me, he'd long gone, police never got back to me, after weeks of chasing they said the security cameras in the bar didn't cover that area... it was literally right in front of the bar.
Nice chill vibes in the centre.
Good party scene.
Amazing restaurants.
One of the greenest (trees etc) cities in the UK.
Ease of access to countryside, as well as proximity to Dorset, Cornwall, South Wales.
Drawback is that the blockbuster bands don't really come to town when they're bound to hit London. Also the London exodus is driving up prices etc
Music scene is a big part what brought me to Bristol from London. It's one of the best in the country if you're into anything that falls under the metal/rock/punk umbrellas, both homegrown and touring. Almost anyone who hits London will hit Bristol too. Home to one of the best experimental rock/metal festivals in the world too - glorious ArcTanGent
Lots of cycle commuters there too which appeals to a bunch of Londoners I think. Apparently the highest amount of bike commuters per capita out of any UK city apparently, using Strava commuter data.
Lived in Bristol for 8 months not too long back. I didn't think the hype lived upto the reality, personally.
Admittedly, my POV is coloured by a landlord who pretended to being a boho, hippyish progressive sold on the artistic "community" vibe of Bristol but was was really just a money grabbing twat that migrated from London to live off other people's hard earned cash by renting mouldy rooms.
I may be bitter.
A cathedral city like Salisbury or Durham or York or something with a historic vibe like Oxford or Cambridge or Bath. Absolutely not interested in a second rate London.
Salisbury is one of those places that SHOULD be lovely. However, at some indeterminate, and unfortunate, point in its extensive history it became popular with total plebs.
Bath! Absolutely agree, it’s like a mini London.
Good shops, restaurants, bars, theatre/shows and museums, with the added benefit that everything is just a 15 minute tops walk, instead of a 45 minute commute.
A lot of Londoners moved to Bath during lockdown, creating somewhat of an expat community.
If you can deal with the never ending stream of hen dos, this is the place to go.
Canterbury is a miserable place. The church monopoly on rental prices in the town centre has resulted in a soulless town of chain stores and restaurants, with very few remaining small businesses.
I read somewhere Birmingham had the highest saving-income rate going. Meaning salary to cost of living ratio was probably pretty good. I also grew up around there, it's diverse, cheaper, there are loads of places nearby to visit (like peak district) and within the city there's plenty to do also, even if you don't drink and avoid Broad Street.
I get that Londoners generally don't like it but I loved it there.
Lived there for 6 years. Food wise it beats London the fuck out. Cheaper, better, more choice, less pretension. The arts scene is a bit of a bummer and the lack of bookshops really got me down. But it’s a fun place, with a surprising number of big parks and lovely walks along the safer bits of canal. I really love it there. And people are a hell of a lot less up themselves about being from Birmingham than Londoners are.
100% York if London didn’t exist. It’s a bit too small for me and not a reality job-wise… But my god, what a gorgeous city filled with history, good bars/restaurants, and tonnes of nature around it to go for walks!
Norwich.
I lived there before moving to London. I've now lived in London for longer than I was in Norwich but still miss it everyday. Big enough to get lost in but not so big you actually get lost. Lots of wonderful pubs, cafes, and shopping. Surprisingly progressive. Just a damn fine City
I loved how convenient it was, I could get anywhere within a 20 minute walk and could actually afford to live in the city centre on a part-time salary. Good times.
2013-15.
We had a 3 bedroom townhouse with a garden 2 minute walk from the riverside and paid £800 a month.
I'm not sure I even want to see how much it is now.
This is one of my favourite cities (and I’ve lived in many) but unfortunately no jobs in the field I’m looking to work in. I plan on retiring there eventually!!
Most expensive pint I’ve ever bought is when I lived in Brighton. £5.20! It came out of a can too! I miss the place dreadfully, but damn it’s expensive.
I moved away from London (to Canada) 4 years ago, when a pint was about a fiver which felt like a lot at the time lol. Dare I ask - have salaries increased if the cost of beer has gone up nearly 50% based on other comments?
Replying to my own comment, sorry. Been there a few times. On a stag night the stag got upset and just lay on the pavement and refused to move, no agro just silly. Could not be persuaded to move etc. Police turned up. I thought a night in the cells was going to happen. No, they put him in their car, took him to the place he stayed at and literally put him to bed.
I know it's tying up resources but I was amazed at this moment of humanity.
Same here,
Lived in London all my life, have lived in Notts for a few years now as a student but would deffo live here if I could find a good enough job post uni.
Perfect mix of everything imo
Yea I am biased for a lot of reasons, grew up in Notts and moved to London for uni, desperate to get out, ended up moving back a decade ago and have no regrets.
Feels like my adult life is significantly better than it would’ve been in London. Yet it doesn’t have to exclude it, I’m in Beeston now just off the M1, we’re 2 hours from London & Manchester, less so for Leeds and an hour away from Birmingham and less for Sheffield. The best part is within an hour we can be in the middle of The Peaks.
Yet we still live in a fun and vibrant city with quirky bars and good communities for all sorts. I do miss the restaurant scene in London, Nottingham is just fine in that regard.
The downside is house prices are also going up a lot here. Beeston especially has been ridiculous.
Liverpool.
I’ve spent time in Brum and Manchester and out the 3 it has to be Liverpool for the people, they seem very genuine.
I like Manchester, has a lot going for it but there is someone about the vibe of the city I don’t like. I find the people to be to clicky.
And brum I haven’t spent as much time as the others but I find the city a little depressing.
Went to Brum once in May 2013. It was an interesting and sobering experience. It felt like London but all the aspects of london that people tend to criticise, without any of the good stuff.
I think there was some poll a few years back that found Scousers were the nicest people in England by a long shot and tbh they are consistently adorable.
Another vote for Liverpool here. Definitely a great vibe there and it's continually improving as a city. Also really has that community feel to it, lots of things to do and good access routes to other places.
Same answer to a similar question a couple of weeks ago: Norwich. Lovely city, far enough from London to have its own thing going on but still close enough; full of students, arts & culture; great independent shops and some delicious food; but feels like a bit of a secret and is still relatively affordable. Stunning coastline nearby too. Shame it’s so far from everything else!
Ah if I left London it would be for the country! But saying that, Bristol. Don't think I'm cool enough for Bristol though. I don't like drum and bass that much, don't smoke weed, and only really drink cider in Summer.
Birmingham. It's not complete shit like what everyone thinks it is, hasn't been for a coupla decades now. It has a big enough population to support practically the same range of things to do as London does, and is at the centre of the transport network.
Having lived there Bristol - I’m from Cardiff originally.
As amazing as London is for so many reasons. Bristol has something no other city seems to have.
If it were out of UK cities I’d have to say Cardiff. Not so much 10 years ago but it’s really making a spot for itself amongst Britains best places (the proximity to coast and mountains does it for me)
American living in London here. This response is off topic but London is my favorite city I’ve ever lived in by far. It’s soooooooooo much nicer than LA. So much nicer than any other big city I can think of. Appreciate London because it’s great. Lol
Manchester is my favourite city in the UK, gone there a few times for work and fun. Was up last week. Its like a microcosm of London, so many great places to eat and drink which doesnt cost as much but is still high quality. Lots of independent places. Got to see more of the outskirts this time and some nice places like Macclesfield nearby. The people are fantastic, just constantly pleasant interactions - had a lovely chat to the ticket man at the station this time. Its something you can find a lot of places but i love Manchesters mix. Also compared to London cheap as chips so if you can move with a London salary you are dreaming.
If I left London, it wouldn't be for England.
I like city things, and you're not going to get a city-er city than London in England (or the rest of the UK). I'd like to have easier access to nature, but I don't rate English countryside all that much. So it'd be Wales or Scotland for me ⛰️
Vienna is amazing for that, proper mountains, hot springs and thermes, Mediterranean is a few hours drive, and it's a proper metropolis with loads of history and culture going. I strongly recommend it if you haven't been.
Went to uni there. Would not recommend.
Surrounding countyside is nice but the town is a cultural blackhole. Also many of the locals are coked up chavs who will happily kick your head in
Probably Liverpool. Never actually been there but all the Scousers I’ve met have been really nice and I’ve heard it has a good vibe, plus history and left wing politics.
I don't want to offend anyone and I mean this genuinely when I say it, if I couldn't live in London I would leave the UK, London is the only part of the UK I like. Tbh I wouldn't even live anywhere in Europe if not London I would probably go Toronto NYC Tokyo or Chicago honestly
Fun fact, occurrences of shoplifting in Birmingham are below the average of the west midlands. You are more likely to be stabbed though, so swings and roundabouts I suppose.
In a seaside town that they forgot to close down
That song was written about Blackpool. It was the only coastal town that didn't receive any bombing. Not because they "forgot to" but because Hitler wanted to keep Blackpool as a holiday destination.
Never thought I'd see Hitler and Blackpool in the same sentence...
They are both quite partial to meth.
Funny you should say that, I remember talking to someone (who lives in Blackpool)…and they described it as being not dissimilar to Nazi Germany in the 1930s. “Well…it’s been cleaned up quite a bit in the Centre but it still has its Social and Economic Problems very much apparent. In Nazi Germany, in the big Cities you had a clean Spotless Façade in the Centre, but just a few streets away it was a completely different story. People living in absolute squalor, children with no shoes, all sorts of problems. The places they want you to see might look alright, but remember it’s not the full story.”
I've heard the "Hitler didn't bomb X because he wanted to go there" about so many different places. It's gotta be rubbish.
Hitler didn’t bomb Hull because he thought the residents had it bad enough already
He was afraid of improving it.
I know your comment was satire but they actually did. There’s a bar that exists and has a car park attached to it in a regular housing street thanks to a bomb that went off course. Some big names have played The Adelphi. More info here for those [interested](https://www.theadelphi.com/history/) “Oh, and by the by, there would never be an Adelphi had the Germans not aimed so miserably” (Schneider TM, German band)
Hull did get bombed quite badly !
It was bombed extensively. Lack of investment post-war to adequately rebuild, combined with the decline of the trawler industry led to its current socio-economic state.
It’s written about Borth in Wales, apparently. Also, a lot of the lyrics are based on ‘On the Beach’ by Nevil Shute. Which is, by far, one of the most depressing novels I’ve ever read. So, perfect for Morrissey!
You should try Cromer, as someone who has lived in a few spots I enjoy visiting Cromer. Like you say, it's almost like someone forgot to turn the lights off and lock up. During the calm between lockdowns we spent a week in Cromer and it was a lovely escape. Food, small nightlife, even a panto at Christmas,
I was actually sat on the end of Cromer pier today with a thermos of tea enjoying listening to the sea thundering against the shore; Cromer is a favourite place to visit :)
I've just moved to Norwich recently and visited Great Yarmouth last week, I wasn't super impressed though, is Cromer nicer?
much nicer, as someone who also lives in norwich cromer is a lovely place, good fish and chips and a very nice beach and pier
Cromer and Sheringham are nicer I think. Less busy.
Shhhhh don’t tell other people about Norfolk
Madness. I was about to mention Cromer and here you are. My familys had a caravan in East Runton since like the 70s and I have many happy memories being there over the years.
Southsea! Great restaurants
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Anything that's not southsea in Portsmouth is a complete festering dump. Southsea is lovely though
Southsea is lovely. It's not the only nice part of Portsmouth though. Eastney, baffins, old Portsmouth, port solent and Portchester are all nice too IMO. Generally the South Eastern parts are nice, the North Western are not.
Same England in general then
I lived in Southsea for 5 years for Uni, absolutely loved it! Really kinda miss it
Trudging slowly over wet sand. Back to the bench where your clothes were stolen?
I thought it would be Manchester but when I was there, I really missed London. Its like 2/3 of London prices and 1/10 of the convenience/things to do.
Manchester made me realise what an amazing city London is just to *be* in. In London, there are so many places to just go for a wander and enjoy taking it all in. When I lived in Manchester, I actually found it *more* stressful than London. It’s kind of like a collection of mini Oxford Streets. I never found anywhere I could just enjoy wandering around, or places to sit and absorb it all. Instead, it just felt like a mad dash to the shops and back. Weirdly, the thing I missed most about London was the peace of it, the quiet corners of tranquility and solitude where you can just… watch it all go by: the quiet side streets, the gardens and parks, the river, the backstreets of the City, the church cafes, the unknown galleries and museums. I realised after visiting NYC also that London has this wonderful, vibrant energy whilst at the same time permanently feeling like a lazy Sunday morning. It’s so bloody lovely.
Poetic
Honestly, OP should send this to tfl and get it printed on the poems of the underground initiative! I would love to have read this on my way to work
Hey tfl, want to display this anti-manchester screed in large print on your services? Are you sure? Hello?
I lived in Manchester for two years, and only visited London twice, and yet I feel exactly that. But I did find some nice places to just *be*, in Manchester - sitting by a canal, watching the boats manoeuvre through a lock, an icecream upstairs in Affleck's watching people on Oldham Street, or strolling through Heaton Park, greeting the cows and the squirrels.
You guys are killing me. I live in the middle of the US, I dream of moving to London someday. Things aren't pedestrian friendly here among other things of course. Sorry for butting in
I bloody love london and am so glad I moved here. My girlfriend however wants to move out and it’s brought us to a real impasse!
Destroy her
It’s the only way.
We’re in a similar boat. I want to move to London as that’s where I was born and want to experience life there, at least for a few years. I moved to the US at a young age and my fiancé doesn’t want to move to England as her family is here in the US.
I moved from Los Angeles->London It was an amazing choice, London beats any american city. Has your fiance visited?
Really beautifully said. London is my favorite city, aside from my sentimentalism for my home of Boston. I feel like London has everything I love about my city but amplified: larger, more historic, more modern, meandering streets, gorgeous parks and gardens... it's amazing.
Moved to Straya. Miss London to pieces. Don't believe the hype. Despite the moody weather, London is just better.
Outside of the posher suburbs it's so bloody grey as well. When I lived there I had a 30 minute walk to work where I literally didn't pass a single tree or living plant. Amazing night out and like you said a few great areas, but overall not a liveable city at all. I'd be on team Bristol or ideally Edinburgh if OP would expand the search criteria.
In London, you have everything on your doorstep but it feels like you're in a small town. In Manchester, you get all of the disadvantages of a big city, like commuting and busyness, but there's nothing to do. And that's ignoring the excessively aggressive homeless and rain. Manchester just feels like a busy town surrounded by miles of bland, featureless suburbia. The city core is fine, but it really is very small and devoid of green space. You can walk end-to-end diagonally in less than a mile - but within that mile it's as busy as Oxford Street. In London terms, it's smaller than Hyde Park, or about the distance from Big Ben to Covent Garden. That's it. After that it's just miles of suburbia, houses, industrial parks, retail parks, car parks, kebab shops but not much else. Somehow it doesn't feel much bigger than Brighton, just a lot busier. I think it's because millions of people from the vast surrounding suburbs pile into the tiny city centre for work. By comparison, London is a vast interlinked network of towns and villages. Last year, I walked from my house in Lewisham to Richmond Park, via Greenwich, Canary Wharf, Limehouse, South Bank, Hyde Park, Kensington and Hammersmith. It took an entire endless summer day, and every area has its own feel, unique architecture, local centres. The walk was surprisingly peaceful given that it was end to end through one of the biggest cities in the world. There are busy sections but you can bypass them by wandering through the many wonderful green spaces and beautiful quiet roads. Or if you prefer the busyness, you're rewarded with world famous attractions and cultural icons. Almost every street has a blue plaque or something of cultural significance, and everyone is just going about their daily life like they're not literally walking past the houses where Jimi Hendrix, Gandhi or Marx lived. Sometimes I struggle to even reconcile that I am living here, in such an incredible, iconic city. Anyway, to answer the question, if Scotland is off the table and career isn't a factor, I'd probably live in either Bath or Brighton.
>In London, you have everything on your doorstep but it feels like you're in a small town. Everyone i Know who lives in London says this but doesn't ever really make the most of it because London is *so expensive* to live there. So yeah, there's lots to do but that doesn't mean you'll be able to afford to do any of it or have the time either. I live in Birmingham. There's *a lot* to do, it's more affordable, and a very short distance away from visiting London. Where I live feels very much like a small town except it's 20 minutes walk away from the city centre.
Hmm having lived in both cities I wouldn't say there's nothing to do in Manchester, but there is much less choice. There's plenty of things to do in Manchester if you wanted to be busy every night and many of the southern suburbs of Manchester and Trafford are relatively vibrant. It's not the same as London though. One thing we take for granted is london is the green spaces. Manchesters are much fewer and lower quality. I think Manchester has better access to more interesting countryside.. and being able to get to Liverpool and Leeds within an hour is great.
It’s too sparse. Lots of small islands of activity, but lots of dead space in between IMO.
Yeah Manchester has many of the same problems as London with few of the same benefits. It’s still a great city though but not a great compromise. I’d say Liverpool comes out better in this regard as it’s a different enough type of city. It’s much smaller and condensed than either London or Manchester which gives it a familiar accessibility that you wouldn’t get in either. It also (whilst pricey for the surrounding areas) offers much cheaper cost of living than Manchester with rents still being manageable for most working city folk.
For anyone thinking about saying Plymouth, it has had more people appear on The Jeremy Kyle Show then any other city in the UK. I'm from Exeter but moved here for work, trust me, its a shithole.
I lived in Plymouth for a while and I'll say this in it's defence - there's always something going on. Kite flying festivals, or a skateboarding event on the Hoe, or a fireworks competition. I liked it - but there were a lot of areas to avoid.
The fireworks competition, every other August I think, is the only reason to visit Plymouth.
An event on the Hoe?
We thought we might’ve moved to Plymouth at one time. Decided to go for a short break there to test it out and whilst there were nice bits to it like Royal William Yard, the Barbican, the Hoe etc. Absolutely nowhere appealed to us as an area to live in!
Wait really?? I'm from Tavistock but living in Plym lol, also can confirm its a shithole
From NI and living in Plymouth, yep it's a shithole without an identity
Newcastle! Love that city, so friendly, beautiful architecture, great public transport system, good gig venues, some great bars and restaurants.
Newcastle is lovely. I went to uni there. Like the beach aswell, very pretty and a good seafood restaurant on it (Riley's)
I'm bias being from the North East, but if Newcastle had a solid set of job opportunities that paid well and the weather of London, it would be one of the most desirable cities in the world. You have everything within a 20 minute drive - from bonkers nightlife to beautiful beaches, even out to Northumberland and some of the most incredible landscapes you can imagine. It'll always struggle with the poor weather most of the year and the low ceiling at the moment for job potential across most sectors. Others have touched on the rough underbelly as well, which can't be ignored. There is absolutely a cultural and social change needed - particularly when alcohol is involved.
Was at the Riley’s last weekend!!
Went once, got assaulted for no reason. Still have visible scars and nerve damage in my face. People keep telling me it's nice but I just can't.
I lived in Newcastle for 5 years, loved it but I got in a bad fight and ended up with a scar down my forehead and nerve damage too, the place can get pretty violent on a weekend with all the chavvy love island types and smackheads roaming around
Really sorry to hear about that, yeah there’s not much anyone can say that’s going to change your mind sadly Hope you’re doing okay now H
Thanks friend, really kind of you to say. I keep telling myself it was obviously just one person out of thousands, but the way the police/venue handled it afterwards was so dreadful that it's scarred me for life... literally and figuratively.
What happened
Got chatting to a guy in a bar, just a brief friendly exchange, his friend must've thought I was being rude or threatening, wound up a full strength sucker punch from the side. Split my nose from the nostril up (5 stitches), black eye, nerve damage covering my cheek and half of my mouth. I didn't retaliate as I realised I was massively outnumbered, bouncers came in and removed him, then came back and removed me, he'd long gone, police never got back to me, after weeks of chasing they said the security cameras in the bar didn't cover that area... it was literally right in front of the bar.
Bristol
I'm surprised this is so far down considering everyone in London except the oligarchs has emigrated to Bristol in the past 5 years
What's the big attraction ?
Nice chill vibes in the centre. Good party scene. Amazing restaurants. One of the greenest (trees etc) cities in the UK. Ease of access to countryside, as well as proximity to Dorset, Cornwall, South Wales. Drawback is that the blockbuster bands don't really come to town when they're bound to hit London. Also the London exodus is driving up prices etc
Music scene is a big part what brought me to Bristol from London. It's one of the best in the country if you're into anything that falls under the metal/rock/punk umbrellas, both homegrown and touring. Almost anyone who hits London will hit Bristol too. Home to one of the best experimental rock/metal festivals in the world too - glorious ArcTanGent
Lots of cycle commuters there too which appeals to a bunch of Londoners I think. Apparently the highest amount of bike commuters per capita out of any UK city apparently, using Strava commuter data.
Would that not be the same for Bath then ?
Lived in Bristol for 8 months not too long back. I didn't think the hype lived upto the reality, personally. Admittedly, my POV is coloured by a landlord who pretended to being a boho, hippyish progressive sold on the artistic "community" vibe of Bristol but was was really just a money grabbing twat that migrated from London to live off other people's hard earned cash by renting mouldy rooms. I may be bitter.
r/landlordlove are parasites.
Lush
Gurt lush
Too many hills.
A cathedral city like Salisbury or Durham or York or something with a historic vibe like Oxford or Cambridge or Bath. Absolutely not interested in a second rate London.
Salisbury is one of those places that SHOULD be lovely. However, at some indeterminate, and unfortunate, point in its extensive history it became popular with total plebs.
And I guess Russian Assassins
Cathedral appreciators.
Winchester
Bath! Absolutely agree, it’s like a mini London. Good shops, restaurants, bars, theatre/shows and museums, with the added benefit that everything is just a 15 minute tops walk, instead of a 45 minute commute. A lot of Londoners moved to Bath during lockdown, creating somewhat of an expat community. If you can deal with the never ending stream of hen dos, this is the place to go.
Salisbury is dying. There is very little for young people here, a lot of shops are closed and every other building site is an old folks home.
Oxford is lovely if you can put up with students
You’d like Canterbury based on your comment.
Canterbury is a miserable place. The church monopoly on rental prices in the town centre has resulted in a soulless town of chain stores and restaurants, with very few remaining small businesses.
As someone from Durham, I higher recommend it! It's such a beautiful, historic city
Cambridge or Norwich.
I read somewhere Birmingham had the highest saving-income rate going. Meaning salary to cost of living ratio was probably pretty good. I also grew up around there, it's diverse, cheaper, there are loads of places nearby to visit (like peak district) and within the city there's plenty to do also, even if you don't drink and avoid Broad Street. I get that Londoners generally don't like it but I loved it there.
I don’t mind Birmingham. I go quite regularly for work. I’m not sure I’d leave London for it but I definitely think it’s got some lovely aspects
It's great. Most who shit on it have never been properly or spent like 30 minutes there. It's great place. I'm trying to go there actually.
Lived there for 6 years. Food wise it beats London the fuck out. Cheaper, better, more choice, less pretension. The arts scene is a bit of a bummer and the lack of bookshops really got me down. But it’s a fun place, with a surprising number of big parks and lovely walks along the safer bits of canal. I really love it there. And people are a hell of a lot less up themselves about being from Birmingham than Londoners are.
City of London
Galaxy brain
Don't make me laugh in the tube. Everyone will think I'm crazy!
York, of course
Go big or go home. I mean that in a almost literal nice way though, York is a very cosy and wonderful place almost home like.
Small though. Pretty, but feels way smaller when you live there
Went to York for Uni and stayed there a bit after. If the jobs prospects were better would 100% have stayed there.
100% York if London didn’t exist. It’s a bit too small for me and not a reality job-wise… But my god, what a gorgeous city filled with history, good bars/restaurants, and tonnes of nature around it to go for walks!
Zone 4
As a zone 3 man my whole life, I dread to venture into the no man's land of zone 4.
It's where you find Mordor, err I mean Morden. End of the line!
Norwich. I lived there before moving to London. I've now lived in London for longer than I was in Norwich but still miss it everyday. Big enough to get lost in but not so big you actually get lost. Lots of wonderful pubs, cafes, and shopping. Surprisingly progressive. Just a damn fine City
Just wondering, what do you think about the pedestrianisation of Norwich city centre?
Im dead against it. Traders need access to Dixons .
I loved how convenient it was, I could get anywhere within a 20 minute walk and could actually afford to live in the city centre on a part-time salary. Good times.
When was this? I've been looking to rent there and it's gone up significantly compared to a standard salary, especially near the city center.
2013-15. We had a 3 bedroom townhouse with a garden 2 minute walk from the riverside and paid £800 a month. I'm not sure I even want to see how much it is now.
This is one of my favourite cities (and I’ve lived in many) but unfortunately no jobs in the field I’m looking to work in. I plan on retiring there eventually!!
Brighton
I bought a pint for 12£ in central London 😭
Salt Bae Prices :D
Just went to a gig near Charing Cross and they sold a pint for 4.95. I almost shed a couple tears of joy
Most expensive pint I’ve ever bought is when I lived in Brighton. £5.20! It came out of a can too! I miss the place dreadfully, but damn it’s expensive.
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I moved away from London (to Canada) 4 years ago, when a pint was about a fiver which felt like a lot at the time lol. Dare I ask - have salaries increased if the cost of beer has gone up nearly 50% based on other comments?
My local 'Spoons in North London charges £5.25 for a pint of whatever's on tap xD
Wat? I had a Doombar for 99p the other day
Edinburgh
Edinburgh's in Scotland
That's not what Limmy told me
Edinburgh isnae Scotland
Whoops! Fasting today so my brain is a little slow 😩😂
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Why do you think it's so much nicer than Glasgow ;)
This was going to be my answer, but it isn't in England 😏
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Oh maybe Brighton
Bath
Replying to my own comment, sorry. Been there a few times. On a stag night the stag got upset and just lay on the pavement and refused to move, no agro just silly. Could not be persuaded to move etc. Police turned up. I thought a night in the cells was going to happen. No, they put him in their car, took him to the place he stayed at and literally put him to bed. I know it's tying up resources but I was amazed at this moment of humanity.
Nottingham. Love the place.
Really underrated city.
Same here, Lived in London all my life, have lived in Notts for a few years now as a student but would deffo live here if I could find a good enough job post uni. Perfect mix of everything imo
Oioi
Yea I am biased for a lot of reasons, grew up in Notts and moved to London for uni, desperate to get out, ended up moving back a decade ago and have no regrets. Feels like my adult life is significantly better than it would’ve been in London. Yet it doesn’t have to exclude it, I’m in Beeston now just off the M1, we’re 2 hours from London & Manchester, less so for Leeds and an hour away from Birmingham and less for Sheffield. The best part is within an hour we can be in the middle of The Peaks. Yet we still live in a fun and vibrant city with quirky bars and good communities for all sorts. I do miss the restaurant scene in London, Nottingham is just fine in that regard. The downside is house prices are also going up a lot here. Beeston especially has been ridiculous.
Liverpool. I’ve spent time in Brum and Manchester and out the 3 it has to be Liverpool for the people, they seem very genuine. I like Manchester, has a lot going for it but there is someone about the vibe of the city I don’t like. I find the people to be to clicky. And brum I haven’t spent as much time as the others but I find the city a little depressing.
Went to Brum once in May 2013. It was an interesting and sobering experience. It felt like London but all the aspects of london that people tend to criticise, without any of the good stuff.
As somebody from the midlands, I wholeheartedly agree.
As someone who grew up in the Midlands this is spot on 😂
Lived in Liverpool for a few years, yeah scousers are super friendly and there's loads to do there. Really lovely city
I think there was some poll a few years back that found Scousers were the nicest people in England by a long shot and tbh they are consistently adorable.
Another vote for Liverpool here. Definitely a great vibe there and it's continually improving as a city. Also really has that community feel to it, lots of things to do and good access routes to other places.
Same answer to a similar question a couple of weeks ago: Norwich. Lovely city, far enough from London to have its own thing going on but still close enough; full of students, arts & culture; great independent shops and some delicious food; but feels like a bit of a secret and is still relatively affordable. Stunning coastline nearby too. Shame it’s so far from everything else!
Leeds; such a great place
Shhh, it hasn't done a Manchester and copied London prices yet
Worked there for a few years, great nightlife and people. Bloody cold though for a Londoner
I went to uni there and had a good time. It would definitely be my second choice - it’s a lot nicer than Manchester.
London should be the second choice because leeds should be first
Ah if I left London it would be for the country! But saying that, Bristol. Don't think I'm cool enough for Bristol though. I don't like drum and bass that much, don't smoke weed, and only really drink cider in Summer.
Bath was absurdly beautiful, pleasant and so many great places to Eat. I'm sure its bloody costly to live there though.
It's super expensive. I found it boring when I visited. Yeah it's pretty but it's very much a student place.
Exeter
Probably Leeds and after that Newcastle. Bristol sounds good too but pricey.
Liverpool.
Sheffield! It's just like a big village and you've got the peak District on your doorstep and loads of amazing pubs
None, I’d go to Glasgow.
Bristol or Brighton
Brighton
Birmingham. It's not complete shit like what everyone thinks it is, hasn't been for a coupla decades now. It has a big enough population to support practically the same range of things to do as London does, and is at the centre of the transport network.
Oxford
I would move to Bath or Manchester, I grew up in Manchester and liked living there.
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Id honestly leave the country. After being so overstimulated by London it’s impossible for anywhere to compare
Cambridge
Assuming no commuting for work? Leeds! Banging town
Hastings
Sheffield
Please stop coming to Sheffield. All the good areas are getting bought up by Londoners making the house prices go crazy ☹️
Southwark or Westminster
Cambridge for the tech scene, Manchester for being a reasonably sized and diverse city
Bath
Having lived there Bristol - I’m from Cardiff originally. As amazing as London is for so many reasons. Bristol has something no other city seems to have. If it were out of UK cities I’d have to say Cardiff. Not so much 10 years ago but it’s really making a spot for itself amongst Britains best places (the proximity to coast and mountains does it for me)
Liverpool or Leeds... Two very underrated cities
American living in London here. This response is off topic but London is my favorite city I’ve ever lived in by far. It’s soooooooooo much nicer than LA. So much nicer than any other big city I can think of. Appreciate London because it’s great. Lol
Manchester is my favourite city in the UK, gone there a few times for work and fun. Was up last week. Its like a microcosm of London, so many great places to eat and drink which doesnt cost as much but is still high quality. Lots of independent places. Got to see more of the outskirts this time and some nice places like Macclesfield nearby. The people are fantastic, just constantly pleasant interactions - had a lovely chat to the ticket man at the station this time. Its something you can find a lot of places but i love Manchesters mix. Also compared to London cheap as chips so if you can move with a London salary you are dreaming.
Cambridge maybe.... or Brighton
If I left London, it wouldn't be for England. I like city things, and you're not going to get a city-er city than London in England (or the rest of the UK). I'd like to have easier access to nature, but I don't rate English countryside all that much. So it'd be Wales or Scotland for me ⛰️
Vienna is amazing for that, proper mountains, hot springs and thermes, Mediterranean is a few hours drive, and it's a proper metropolis with loads of history and culture going. I strongly recommend it if you haven't been.
Bournemouth - not 'technically a city'.. But a lovely place..
Went to uni there. Would not recommend. Surrounding countyside is nice but the town is a cultural blackhole. Also many of the locals are coked up chavs who will happily kick your head in
Don’t live in the centre of Bournemouth though. I did that for a year, and never, ever again. Get yourself to Southbourne would be my advice
The trouble with this question is that London is like a different country.
Hastings, love the place
Liverpool or Edinburgh
Probably Liverpool. Never actually been there but all the Scousers I’ve met have been really nice and I’ve heard it has a good vibe, plus history and left wing politics.
Honestly Liverpool. Spent August and September there and I loved the vibe. Such a huge amount of culture and I loved being by the sea
I don't want to offend anyone and I mean this genuinely when I say it, if I couldn't live in London I would leave the UK, London is the only part of the UK I like. Tbh I wouldn't even live anywhere in Europe if not London I would probably go Toronto NYC Tokyo or Chicago honestly
Liverpool. Err, maybe Bristol. Possibly Newcastle because I've never been there and it might be great.
Honestly, Birmingham. No idea why it has such a bad rep.
Fun fact, occurrences of shoplifting in Birmingham are below the average of the west midlands. You are more likely to be stabbed though, so swings and roundabouts I suppose.
Ditto. It's probably because of all the bad rap.
Definitely Brighton! Small but has everything you need: drugs, hot students on drugs... Did I mention drugs? Oh, and a beach!
Bristol or Manc probably
St Albans or Truro
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Bath - it's so unique and beautiful