Has anyone ever worked/lived in the UK and preferred it to Ireland

ancapailldorcha · 09-03-2020 4:16pm

I adore London. I work in a very multicultural and diverse environment and I think that's class. The city itself is so diverse, interesting and engaging. It's definitely got something for everyone though I'm more of a stay at home person anyway.

The expense of living here though can be chokingly expensive. If you're doing the whole houseshare thing then that's fine until you get fed up of it but then you need a partner if you're going to rent outside of a houseshare. Houseshares do have their positives though and are a decent way to meet people. I've two cousins from affluent backgrounds who've never done it. They're still living at home in their late twenties and early thirties and I think they've missed out.

I've family who've offered to help me buy a flat here. I'm tempted but I don't know if I want to spend the rest of my life here. I do find the attitude of certain people towards work here can be a bit grating and it's a very tightly packed city for the most part though I am trying to figure out a career change and this is probably the best city in Europe for that.

Never bumped into too much of the anti-Irish stuff in the North, only once really from some sort of silly receptionist I used to work with who seemed to be trying to look as much like a H&M manikin as possible. I have developed something of a London-centric mindset though. The rest of the country just seems a bit unappealing by comparison. Same with Dublin I suppose.

Truth be told, I'm tempted move back to Manchester or perhaps to Liverpool, Sheffield or Scotland but.... I don't know. I love how much London just has. I love it more than I could ever love Dublin.

theteal · 09-03-2020 4:16pm

FTA69 wrote: »

Nobody here can pull a pint with a degree of speed or accuracy either. One pint at a time and no idea of serving in turn etc. "Anybody waiting?" and all that sh*t. Drives me f*cking mad still

It's fuppin' criminal. I'm used to it in pubs at this stage but I was at a gig out in Southend last year, they were doing the same craic at the venue. Getting to the bar must have been 10 deep, the whole way along. I think there was only 3 types of beer on tap and ne'er a pulled pint ready before it was ordered.

razorblunt · 09-03-2020 4:45pm

FTA69 wrote: »

Nobody here can pull a pint with a degree of speed or accuracy either. One pint at a time and no idea of serving in turn etc. "Anybody waiting?" and all that sh*t. Drives me f*cking mad still

This!

11 years and I still get mad at this. Lad in front orders 2 Guinness, so you say "stick 2 more on for me too" and you get told "I serve one at a time". Useless shítes.

partyguinness · 09-03-2020 4:59pm

FTA69 wrote: »

Nobody here can pull a pint with a degree of speed or accuracy either. One pint at a time and no idea of serving in turn etc. "Anybody waiting?" and all that sh*t. Drives me f*cking mad still

I have nearly got into fights over this.

Bar staff are atrocious. One drink at a time and at a very slooooow pace.

You must be rude to get served and like hell anyone will point out that you were there beforehand.

Problem is that complaining is a no go as you will just get ignored.

partyguinness · 09-03-2020 5:03pm

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Truth be told, I'm tempted move back to Manchester or perhaps to Liverpool, Sheffield or Scotland but.... I don't know. I love how much London just has. I love it more than I could ever love Dublin.

I have heard a lot of good things about Leeds and Bristol.

ancapailldorcha · 09-03-2020 5:10pm

partyguinness wrote: »

I have heard a lot of good things about Leeds and Bristol.

I've only been to Bristol the once. Seemed nice but I figure it's just as expensive as London. Leeds has a decent city centre but it's got a mixed reputation. I'm not too fussed as employment is my primary concern to be honest.

FTA69 · 09-03-2020 5:22pm

I'm moving to stupid Milton Keynes in a few months for love.

I think Liverpool is the only gaff I've been to outside London that I didn't dislike. The people there are genuinely sound.

ancapailldorcha · 09-03-2020 5:28pm

FTA69 wrote: »

I'm moving to stupid Milton Keynes in a few months for love.

I think Liverpool is the only gaff I've been to outside London that I didn't dislike. The people there are genuinely sound.

I really like the Scousers. They're very extroverted English people but I'm not entirely convinced that they're not putting at least some of that accent on.

partyguinness · 09-03-2020 5:36pm

FTA69 wrote: »

I'm moving to stupid Milton Keynes in a few months for love.

I think Liverpool is the only gaff I've been to outside London that I didn't dislike. The people there are genuinely sound.

I am stuck in a staunch Conservative & Brexit voting 99% white middle class affluent area of the West Midlands. It is so fcuking mind numbingly dull- the biggest scandal atm that Waitrose is shutting. Nigel the retired accountant who has shopped there for 45 years is "furious".

The soundest person I know with any sort of personality is from Liverpool. Even I have become a boring saddo...:(

PommieBast · 09-03-2020 5:46pm

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I've only been to Bristol the once. Seemed nice but I figure it's just as expensive as London.

A big down-side of Bristol is the highly transient population. Great place as a student, but the few years I worked there I do not look back at with any fondness.

ancapailldorcha · 09-03-2020 5:47pm

PommieBast wrote: »

A big down-side of Bristol is the highly transient population. Great place as a student, but the few years I worked there I do not look back at with any fondness.

Sounds the same as London to be honest. It has a cat pub though.

09-03-2020 6:22pm

FTA69 wrote: »

Long term I would like to move back to Cork. Less than an hour's drive I can be catching mackerel off the rocks, walking in the mountains or whatever else. The craic and sense of humour at home just can't be beaten really, and maybe home is just home I guess. Ireland is a wonderful country to live in despite the problems around housing and health etc, but we've a whole stack of similar problems here in that regard/

When you fancy a change from catching mackerel and drinking beer, you’ll soon realise that there is **** all else to do and going anywhere interesting involves at least one change of flights. Forget having a good cheap curry as well.

I can’t wait to move back to England. It’s nice in Ireland, but I’m bored of it now.

theteal · 09-03-2020 6:26pm

FTA69 wrote: »

I'm moving to stupid Milton Keynes in a few months for love.

I think Liverpool is the only gaff I've been to outside London that I didn't dislike. The people there are genuinely sound.

I've been to MK a few times for work. Strange place. Kind of laid out in blocks like a miniature American city. I'm sure there are dwellings somewhere but all I saw were offices. . . .blocks and blocks of offices.

I've heard Leeds is brilliant but my mate who says so was an actual pro footballer there so it's not exactly your average punters lifestyle he describes to me. I was a broke student for that period so didn't make it over to sample.

Ray Palmer · 09-03-2020 6:27pm

Lived in London for about 6 months in the 90s. All exciting and new then it slowly revealed what the people are like. Simply Londers are rude, racist and angry all the time.

I then travelled for work to the UK every week for about a year but up North. I found them to be nicer there but still very racist. They also had a huge chip on their shoulder about southerners.

Went over briefly to London and found the place was much worse than before but now with added armed police. One thing about Britain is there bars are sh*t and the staff that work in them barely able to do their jobs. Asked for a whiskey and the barmaid didn't know what was whiskey by brand names. When I clarified Irish whiskey she went to give me scotch. Have to order one drink at a time or they get confused.

FTA69 · 09-03-2020 7:31pm

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Sounds the same as London to be honest. It has a cat pub though.

London is like that definitely. You’ll have friends here for a year, two years, five years etc and they either move back to their own country or somewhere else. You might be in a gaff with friends nearby and a year later they’re all living across the city and realistically you rarely see them again because ye’re an hour away from each other and they’ve kids or whatnot. You’re making plans to go for a pint two months in advance which is a pain in the hole. People are mad flaky here too because of that kind of thing. The appointment you made to go for a pint because you’re knackered or forgot etc.

ancapailldorcha · 09-03-2020 8:12pm

FTA69 wrote: »

London is like that definitely. You’ll have friends here for a year, two years, five years etc and they either move back to their own country or somewhere else. You might be in a gaff with friends nearby and a year later they’re all living across the city and realistically you rarely see them again because ye’re an hour away from each other and they’ve kids or whatnot. You’re making plans to go for a pint two months in advance which is a pain in the hole. People are mad flaky here too because of that kind of thing. The appointment you made to go for a pint because you’re knackered or forgot etc.

Yeah. That's depressing. I'm in a decent houseshare at the moment and have befriended a few of the people in the house. An Italian lad left early last year and we've seen him once. Even seeing my aunt in north London means 3 hours spent on public transport over the weekend.

Ubbquittious · 09-03-2020 8:21pm

Used to spend a good bit of time there but dont miss it. People arent easy going at all and very afraid of crime suspicious that you are trying to screw them in some way when you're just being friendly. No community spirit, everything is run by massive conglohommerates , all the towns are clone towns. Full of cliques, the scummers, the poshies, every subgroup of immigrants, the bitter pensioners trying to survive on 60 quid a week, the woke arty crowd. This was south London maybe the rest of the country is better but not from what Ive seen so far

partyguinness · 10-03-2020 12:22pm

FTA69 wrote: »

London is like that definitely. You’ll have friends here for a year, two years, five years etc and they either move back to their own country or somewhere else. You might be in a gaff with friends nearby and a year later they’re all living across the city and realistically you rarely see them again because ye’re an hour away from each other and they’ve kids or whatnot. You’re making plans to go for a pint two months in advance which is a pain in the hole. People are mad flaky here too because of that kind of thing. The appointment you made to go for a pint because you’re knackered or forgot etc.

Oh yeah. Everything is hard work and people need written notice at least 2 months in advance to do anything. And then watch everyone gradually make their excuses not to go- my English wife even has this problem with lifetime friends and family. I just cldnt be arsed anymore.

10-03-2020 2:30pm

partyguinness wrote: »

Oh yeah. Everything is hard work and people need written notice at least 2 months in advance to do anything. And then watch everyone gradually make their excuses not to go- my English wife even has this problem with lifetime friends and family. I just cldnt be arsed anymore.

maybe people are trying to tell you something?:D

partyguinness · 10-03-2020 2:32pm

Aegir wrote: »

maybe people are trying to tell you something?:D

Lol....yeah I saw that reply coming a mile away. My wife is just as bad for it.

10-03-2020 2:47pm

partyguinness wrote: »

Lol....yeah I saw that reply coming a mile away. My wife is just as bad for it.

A lot of it is down to people being at different stages in life.

Kids change everything and people cope with it in different ways. We have friends here who have disappeared off the face of the earth and trying to see them is a nightmare what with having to fit in with swimming lessons, horse riding lessons, gaa matches etc.

Even when they’re local they won’t “drop in” because the youngest needs her regulation nap at 2pm or whatever.

Wuff Wuff · 10-03-2020 4:15pm

I'd love to go back,

Get myself a nice little house in Brighton-Le-Sands or Crosby by the beach, be much better than here

SharpshooterTom · 10-03-2020 11:23pm

I was born and raised in England till age 14, then moved to Northern Ireland.

Personally think anti-Irish sentiment is still quite prevalent in parts of the UK, much more so than say other anglosphere countries like US, Canada, Australia, NZ etc. It puts off sometimes how casual it can be amongst some of them.

The weather is a bit better in the south of England, obviously more diverse, but I think if I were considering to move it would be to the US, Canada or Australia.

El_Duderino 09 · 11-03-2020 9:44am

FTA69 wrote: »

Nobody here can pull a pint with a degree of speed or accuracy either. One pint at a time and no idea of serving in turn etc. "Anybody waiting?" and all that sh*t. Drives me f*cking mad still

I don’t get this notion. How many pints can Irish people pull at at time. Surely it’s all the same. Pull pints, take the money and serve the drinks, then on to the next customer. Or you could take the order, take money from the last customer pull their pints then pull some of your pints, then take the next customer’s order and pull some of their pints, the serve the first people, pull some more of your order then take the money from you then take an order form another customer, the finish pulling your order then pull some of the pints on the next order, then take your money, finish the last order and then serve you the pints.

The second way might be more impressive to Irish people by it’s exactly the same procedure. Guinness is the only difference but who would drink Guinness in England?

Woden · 11-03-2020 10:12am

I'm about 8 years in London and out of Ireland over 12. My life is here now. Partner, kids, house. Not planning to return any time soon. I do like to get back and visit though. There are lots of things I prefer here compared to Ireland (not just that Amazon can delivery same day..) but it can be hard to vocalise them without sounding like a dick about back home. While at the same time I can be defensive about home if other brings things up about it to me...

I agree with the generally poor bar staff. They do what I call end to end service. There are lots of people drinking Guinness!

I'm not happy with Brexit however I'm in Hackney and you wouldn't catch me voting for Labour/Diane Abbott any time soon. The FPTP system here leaves a lot to be desired. Half the time I feel I might as well not vote.

FTA69 · 11-03-2020 10:17am

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

I don’t get this notion. How many pints can Irish people pull at at time. Surely it’s all the same. Pull pints, take the money and serve the drinks, then on to the next customer. Or you could take the order, take money from the last customer pull their pints then pull some of your pints, then take the next customer’s order and pull some of their pints, the serve the first people, pull some more of your order then take the money from you then take an order form another customer, the finish pulling your order then pull some of the pints on the next order, then take your money, finish the last order and then serve you the pints.

The second way might be more impressive to Irish people by it’s exactly the same procedure. Guinness is the only difference but who would drink Guinness in England?

No it's not exactly the same at all mate. If a barstaff can take two orders at once or pour two or three pints at once then the orders get completed much quicker and people aren't hanging around like a spare prick for twenty minutes waiting on a pint. Similarly if you're second to the bar you should be served second, the barstaff should know the order in which people are to be served by paying attention as opposed to going "anybody waiting?" or "who's next?" and having to clamber for every order.

theological · 11-03-2020 10:17am

Thelonious Monk wrote: »

London is amazing, but moved back and bought a property at 35 like the guy above. I miss the transport and the buzz of the place and all the endless things to do but I feel more at home here and I guess I just don't like the feeling of being an immigrant at the end of the day!

What is this feeling you describe?

I've been living in the UK for nearly 9 years and I don't feel like I'm out of place and like the OP I'm thankful to have made a lot of good friends and met my fiancée.

My answer is yes and yes to both questions. I think if I came back to Ireland I'd have a lot of adjusting to do at this stage.

El_Duderino 09 · 11-03-2020 11:55am

FTA69 wrote: »

No it's not exactly the same at all mate. If a barstaff can take two orders at once or pour two or three pints at once then the orders get completed much quicker and people aren't hanging around like a spare prick for twenty minutes waiting on a pint. Similarly if you're second to the bar you should be served second, the barstaff should know the order in which people are to be served by paying attention as opposed to going "anybody waiting?" or "who's next?" and having to clamber for every order.

I really don't think it's different. They just deal with more things together but they can only actually do one thing at a time. They can only take money and give back change one at a time, they can only pill pints one at a time. They might look much more busy when they're taking orders while pulling pints but the work gets done at about the same rate.

If they take your order and pull the pints, then take someone else order and pull their pints, the take your money and serve your pints, your pints were delayed by the time it took to pull the next persons pints. It's zero sum.

2lazytogetup · 11-03-2020 12:24pm

some of those norman towns that they show on channel 4 house programs look pretty grim. Not poor. Affluent people in their large homes that talk about going to the pub all day. id say they are fairly conservative. probably little different to one pub towns in ireland

dublin is nicer than london, but london has alot more going on. depending on what you fancy.

FTA69 · 11-03-2020 12:36pm

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

I really don't think it's different. They just deal with more things together but they can only actually do one thing at a time. They can only take money and give back change one at a time, they can only pill pints one at a time. They might look much more busy when they're taking orders while pulling pints but the work gets done at about the same rate.

If they take your order and pull the pints, then take someone else order and pull their pints, the take your money and serve your pints, your pints were delayed by the time it took to pull the next persons pints. It's zero sum.

Person A and Person B are at the bar, A wants Fosters and B wants a Strongbow; the taps are next to each other. It takes 1 minute to pull a pint for argument's sake.

If I ask A what they want, pour it, give it to them; And then ask B the same, pour him his pint and give it to him - total pouring is 2 minutes.

If I ask them both at the same time, pour two at the same time and hand them across the bar - total pouring is 1 minute.

Now if you accumulate that across orders of three, four pints with multiple people at the bar it means people get served a lot slower. Couple that with the "anybody waiting?" crap and you're there ages.

ancapailldorcha · 11-03-2020 12:37pm

2lazytogetup wrote: »

some of those norman towns that they show on channel 4 house programs look pretty grim. Not poor. Affluent people in their large homes that talk about going to the pub all day. id say they are fairly conservative. probably little different to one pub towns in ireland

dublin is nicer than london, but london has alot more going on. depending on what you fancy.

I lived for four years in Dublin and am into my fourth here in London. In no way would I say Dublin is nicer. It's always had this filthy feel to me and I've rarely found the locals to be anything other than rude, unhelpful and unpleasant. I would score London better in every regard. More green spaces, a much nicer city centre, a cornucopia of things to do, world class airports and a vastly superior transport system. Dublin city centre is just a kip IMO and it baffles me that Dublin Bus are still demanding exact change while giving out those ridiculous slips that need to be cased on O'Connell street. TFL on the other hand accept contactless debit and credit cards for the overground, underground and buses. It's just so much better.

FTA69 · 11-03-2020 12:47pm

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I lived for four years in Dublin and am into my fourth here in London. In no way would I say Dublin is nicer. It's always had this filthy feel to me and I've rarely found the locals to be anything other than rude, unhelpful and unpleasant. I would score London better in every regard. More green spaces, a much nicer city centre, a cornucopia of things to do, world class airports and a vastly superior transport system. Dublin city centre is just a kip IMO and it baffles me that Dublin Bus are still demanding exact change while giving out those ridiculous slips that need to be cased on O'Connell street. TFL on the other hand accept contactless debit and credit cards for the overground, underground and buses. It's just so much better.

They have a yoke called a Leap card now to be fair to them. I was in Dublin for a conference there last year and had a grand old time. Met Tayto from Into the West and all.

11-03-2020 1:07pm

2lazytogetup wrote: »

some of those norman towns that they show on channel 4 house programs look pretty grim. Not poor. Affluent people in their large homes that talk about going to the pub all day. id say they are fairly conservative. probably little different to one pub towns in ireland

dublin is nicer than london, but london has alot more going on. depending on what you fancy.

what's a norman town?

murpho999 · 11-03-2020 1:10pm

El_Duderino 09 wrote: »

I really don't think it's different. They just deal with more things together but they can only actually do one thing at a time. They can only take money and give back change one at a time, they can only pill pints one at a time. They might look much more busy when they're taking orders while pulling pints but the work gets done at about the same rate.

If they take your order and pull the pints, then take someone else order and pull their pints, the take your money and serve your pints, your pints were delayed by the time it took to pull the next persons pints. It's zero sum.

It's really not the same.

As an ex barman myself, I can vouch that Irish barmen get through more customers and deal with more orders than others.

Irish barmen will regularly hold 2 pint glasses in one hand and pour two pints at one time.

Taking another customers order and memorising it whilst pulling pints also saves time.

They also work at a much faster pace and sense of urgency than most and therefore you get served quicker.
In other countries (not just UK) they will pour one drink and nothing else will happen and it is slower.

11-03-2020 1:14pm

murpho999 wrote: »

It's really not the same.

As an ex barman myself, I can vouch that Irish barmen get through more customers and deal with more orders than others.

Irish barmen will regularly hold 2 pint glasses in one hand and pour two pints at one time.

Taking another customers order and memorising it whilst pulling pints also saves time.

They also work at a much faster pace and sense of urgency than most and therefore you get served quicker.
In other countries (not just UK) they will pour one drink and nothing else will happen and it is slower.

A lot of the barstaff in in Ireland seem to be professional bar staff, that's my take on it anyway. People who do it full time for a lliving.

In London bar staff are usually an assortment of students and Aussie back packers.

ancapailldorcha · 11-03-2020 1:17pm

FTA69 wrote: »

They have a yoke called a Leap card now to be fair to them. I was in Dublin for a conference there last year and had a grand old time. Met Tayto from Into the West and all.

I knew that. Not sure why I did not mention it. I don't think much of it to be honest. Maybe TfL has spoiled me but this carry on of constantly topping up a card is a bit daft. The infrastructure for electronic payments is there, why not just cut out the middleman.

I've had nice times in Dublin seeing friends as well. It's not exactly Mogadishu but I've never gotten why the city centre has been allowed to look like that. A mate just bought a place in a working class part of Dublin on the red line and was nearly assaulted in his local for watching the match as they thought he was an outsider. Dublin has always had this rough, run down feeling to me.

partyguinness · 11-03-2020 1:18pm

murpho999 wrote: »

It's really not the same.

As an ex barman myself, I can vouch that Irish barmen get through more customers and deal with more orders than others.

Irish barmen will regularly hold 2 pint glasses in one hand and pour two pints at one time.

Taking another customers order and memorising it whilst pulling pints also saves time.

They also work at a much faster pace and sense of urgency than most and therefore you get served quicker.
In other countries (not just UK) they will pour one drink and nothing else will happen and it is slower.

As a ex barman friend of mine (he worked in London for years, Amstedam and even Moscow and all over Ireland) said:

"If you have to ask 'Who is next?'" you are a **** barman."

He himself was excellant.

It really is a joke over here across the board- to begin with I just thought it was just a few bad places but after 10 years I can safely say bar staff over here are beyond atrocious. It's just random and the punters are no better at showing any sort of decorium.

Trust me. If you think that a punter who falls in behind you in going to politely wait and point out that others were before him- you will be waiting a very very long time. I have been that mug a few times. Women are the worst for butting in I find.

PommieBast · 11-03-2020 1:47pm

Trying not to think of that app-based system they have in the Wetherspoon on Abbey Street. Only a matter of time before that place has a Garda callout.

theological · 11-03-2020 2:11pm

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I knew that. Not sure why I did not mention it. I don't think much of it to be honest. Maybe TfL has spoiled me but this carry on of constantly topping up a card is a bit daft. The infrastructure for electronic payments is there, why not just cut out the middleman.

I've had nice times in Dublin seeing friends as well. It's not exactly Mogadishu but I've never gotten why the city centre has been allowed to look like that. A mate just bought a place in a working class part of Dublin on the red line and was nearly assaulted in his local for watching the match as they thought he was an outsider. Dublin has always had this rough, run down feeling to me.

I would say both cities have their upsides and their downsides. It's interesting that you view London very differently to me. I view it as somewhere with good work opportunities but I'm happy to live on the edge of it. I would be happy to move to another city or town further away from London. Either on the commuter belt in surrounding counties or move completely to another place entirely. There's plenty happening in other places. The size of the city and the commuter rat race aren't massively appealing.

London isn't lacking in its rougher areas. It is perhaps more isolated from the city centre than in Dublin.

ancapailldorcha · 11-03-2020 3:26pm

theological wrote: »

I would say both cities have their upsides and their downsides. It's interesting that you view London very differently to me. I view it as somewhere with good work opportunities but I'm happy to live on the edge of it. I would be happy to move to another city or town further away from London. Either on the commuter belt in surrounding counties or move completely to another place entirely. There's plenty happening in other places. The size of the city and the commuter rat race aren't massively appealing.

London isn't lacking in its rougher areas. It is perhaps more isolated from the city centre than in Dublin.

As I've gotten a bit older, I find myself appreciating green spaces and a bit of quiet more. I live in a suburb a fair bit from the city centre near a few decent parks so I'm somewhat insulated from the hustle and bustle.

I'm tempted to move away myself but I feel like I've slipped into a London-centric mindset where other places just feel a bit inferior even though, as I said I do like my quiet time. I'd be tempted by somewhere like Colchester but then there's the commute and the absurd rail fares. The outer boroughs might be an option.

CrankyHaus · 11-03-2020 3:59pm

Aegir wrote: »

A lot of the barstaff in in Ireland seem to be professional bar staff, that's my take on it anyway. People who do it full time for a lliving.

In London bar staff are usually an assortment of students and Aussie back packers.

I know a Publican with a few places in Dublin. He hires for quality and experience. The result was when I went into one of his places thinking "oh no it's rammed and I can't even get near the bar" some lad roared at me for my order over the heads of the people at the bar within seconds and in no time two pints were being passed back to me. I've been served slower in many places when I was the only one at the bar. The barman had multiple orders on the go and all the barmen in the pace were doing the same. Siliarly in England I was served a "Guinness" with a one-part pour into a plastic cup. When I passed it back your man seemed genuinely astonished.

You can train nearly anyone to be that good but it takes time and effort and many places seem to prefer churning low skill short-term barstaff.

We take our pub culture in Ireland for granted but when you're in places that don't have it you can really see it. I was in Kiev and the tourist-facing service industry seems mainly younger educated people who speak English, not a breeze how to work a pub. The keg ran out and three smart girls in their early twenties spent half an hour huddled around it hopelessly before we moved on.

PommieBast · 11-03-2020 4:31pm

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

I'd be tempted by somewhere like Colchester but then there's the commute and the absurd rail fares. The outer boroughs might be an option.

My brother opted for Amersham. Commuting takes a turn for the worse once it goes outside the TFL-controlled areas.

ancapailldorcha · 11-03-2020 4:58pm

PommieBast wrote: »

My brother opted for Amersham. Commuting takes a turn for the worse once it goes outside the TFL-controlled areas.

Does he like it? I'd realistically be looking at somewhere in West or Northwest London. Ruislip, Uxbridge and similar.

11-03-2020 5:26pm

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Does he like it? I'd realistically be looking at somewhere in West or Northwest London. Ruislip, Uxbridge and similar.

It depends where you work, but cross rail has opened up a lot of areas along the M4 corridor as well. Prices have risen accordingly as well though.

PommieBast · 11-03-2020 5:34pm

ancapailldorcha wrote: »

Does he like it? I'd realistically be looking at somewhere in West or Northwest London. Ruislip, Uxbridge and similar.

Not actually asked him that..

I suspect that if he and his other half did not need to commute into London they would have opted to be a bit further out into the Chiltern Hills. Living near the Met line will have attracted a premium.

theteal · 11-03-2020 5:51pm

PommieBast wrote: »

My brother opted for Amersham. Commuting takes a turn for the worse once it goes outside the TFL-controlled areas.

I'm outside TFL-land, albeit not too far outside, even with Anglia rail the service is good - it's 60 mins door to door of the office in Mayfair. The worst bit is the price of the ticket.

One thing I do miss is that on any given night in Dublin city, I know where I could go for a late session. I would not have a clue in London.

Also from the age of ~15 we'd be at gigs in any of the city's venues quite a lot, all close together and easily accessible - although I'm sure they're more strict on age of entry these days. If we stay here "forever", our kids won't have anything even remotely near that exposure.

Has anyone ever worked/lived in the UK and preferred it to Ireland

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