I’ve lived in London. Life is far, far more pleasant out here. Though I don’t doubt there are some nice places to live down there, the downsides of pollution, over-crowding, noise, lack of quick access to the countryside (has the author never heard of public footpaths?), traffic etc far, far outweigh the convenience of choices of shopping and eating venues and theatre entertainment, at least for me.
So please, the 10 million of you London dwellers, please stay where you are and leave the quiet beauty and peace of the countryside to us lucky ones.
Andrew D
3 years ago
Given the choice, who wouldn’t join the exodus? Pedro mentions Ely, and generally cathedral cities and market towns offer much that London offers, without the down sides. What we are witnessing, not for the first time, is ‘white flight’. Those able to will cash in, and find a better life elsewhere. Those left behind will have to endure London’s downward spiral into corruption, gangsterism and lawlessness.
Pat Davers
3 years ago
Stories of disaffected urbanites fleeing to the countryside only to have their rural idyll turned sour by the realities of country life are as old as the hills they are escaping to.
Andrew Russell
3 years ago
As Marwood reflected after a rough rebuff from a denizen of the countryside in Withnail and I: “Not the attitude I’d been given to expect from the H. E. Bates novel I’d read. I thought they’d all be out the back drinking cider and discussing butter. Clearly a myth. Evidently country people are no more receptive to strangers than city dwellers.”
I’ve lived in London. Life is far, far more pleasant out here. Though I don’t doubt there are some nice places to live down there, the downsides of pollution, over-crowding, noise, lack of quick access to the countryside (has the author never heard of public footpaths?), traffic etc far, far outweigh the convenience of choices of shopping and eating venues and theatre entertainment, at least for me.
So please, the 10 million of you London dwellers, please stay where you are and leave the quiet beauty and peace of the countryside to us lucky ones.
Given the choice, who wouldn’t join the exodus? Pedro mentions Ely, and generally cathedral cities and market towns offer much that London offers, without the down sides. What we are witnessing, not for the first time, is ‘white flight’. Those able to will cash in, and find a better life elsewhere. Those left behind will have to endure London’s downward spiral into corruption, gangsterism and lawlessness.
Stories of disaffected urbanites fleeing to the countryside only to have their rural idyll turned sour by the realities of country life are as old as the hills they are escaping to.
As Marwood reflected after a rough rebuff from a denizen of the countryside in Withnail and I: “Not the attitude I’d been given to expect from the H. E. Bates novel I’d read. I thought they’d all be out the back drinking cider and discussing butter. Clearly a myth. Evidently country people are no more receptive to strangers than city dwellers.”
Ely offers a good balance.