Johns Hopkins Medical Centre - World Coronavirus infection Map by Country.

[RobbieGong]

Lol - I was waiting for that, so well done, Robbo!

As they say, each to his or her own. I don't disagree with anything you're saying, and certainly can't question your fond personal experiences (nice one, btw), but I'm afraid that London will remain as somewhere I'd only choose to visit as a tourist, for say a long weekend, but definitely NOT to live.

I value my peace and tranquility way too much, and the relaxed and unstressed pace of life of North Wales, as well as breathing in clean, fresh air, and being well away from the maddening crowds.

I still stand by my point to Roy though (and sympathise with him), in terms of 'why all the nice shops have gone', and why, IME, that situation tends to have happened more down south. It's one of the reasons why in Wrexham there are still two independent record shops, a thriving indoor food market (well at least it was before this pandemic), full of independent local suppliers, as well as umpteen places I can obtain interesting food items, plus local farm shops, without having to go near a supermarket - let alone be forced order online because there's little choice.

Now I know that's not the case in London itself (far from it), but I do see lots of evidence of it in outlying areas, such as in Essex where Roy is, as I've had the same conversation in the past with audio al, who lives in Dagenham. I'm not saying this, however, to denigrate where people live; simply making an observation based on what I know and what I've seen with my own eyes whenever I venture south.

Of course, there are plenty of places like that elsewhere in the country too, where town centres have been stripped of their 'soul' and ravaged by rampant commercialism, and have turned into ghost towns, and I wouldn't choose to live there either, but that doesn't detract from the thrust of the point I'm making, so please don't take offence, I'm just telling it mate, as I see it

Marco.

No offence taken Marco, especially as you'll be staying up there....

[RobbieGong]

Yup, I'm just someone who HATES crowds and very busy places, as I doesn't feel comfortable in them - always have and always will. It's just the way I am

Marco.

Btw - Living here I can tell you London doesnt always feel crowded as I too like and have to have breathing space.

[Roy S]

With respect Marco my borough (Havering) & where Al lives (Barking & Dagenham) are quite removed from one another even though we're neighbours. For instance population density in Havering is 6000 per square mile, this increases to 15000 for B&D. Havering is over 50% protected green belt so you don't have to go far to be somewhere fairly rural if that's what floats your boat. Whilst you paint a fairly rosy picture of Wrexham you don't have to google too hard to find it suffers the same problems as most other towns with respect to the retail centre.

[Macca]

The centre of London is crowded but so is the centre of any city. I sometimes visit a friend who lives on Tulse Hill and except for the price of beer you could be in any leafy suburb anywhere.

There's lots of 'artisanal' type shops as well. And Tulse Hill is quite far out from the centre, it's not on the tube. To get those shops you need to live somewhere with a lot of wealthy middle-class professional types. As areas 'gentrify' I notice that these places start springing up.

That or live somewhere where the small specialist shops never disappeared in the first place.

[RobbieGong]

The centre of London is crowded but so is the centre of any city. I sometimes visit a friend who lives on Tulse Hill and except for the price of beer you could be in any leafy suburb anywhere.

There's lots of 'artisanal' type shops as well. And Tulse Hill is quite far out from the centre, it's not on the tube. To get those shops you need to live somewhere with a lot of wealthy middle-class professional types. As areas 'gentrify' I notice that these places start springing up.

That or live somewhere where the small specialist shops never disappeared in the first place.

Exactly how it is where I am Martin. My wife and I often say, it's so green and peaceful like being in the country, yet we are in the heart of London.

And that's exactly what I like about it here, peaceful when I need/want it, but I can be heading to an abundance of different things, so easily, if I so choose, at any given time and in the same way, escape from just as easily. Great for me and the Mrs and an excellent balance for our young girls.

[Macca]

Exactly how it is where I am Martin. My wife and I often say, it's so green and peaceful like being in the country, yet we are in the heart of London.

And that's exactly what I like about it here, peaceful when I need/want it, but I can be heading to an abundance of different things, so easily, if I so choose, at any given time and in the same way, escape from just as easily. Great for me and the Mrs and an excellent balance for our young girls.

Whereabouts are you Robbie?

We usually go on a pub crawl round central London and I have noticed that you can turn of a main street that is busier than the M1 and walk down a residential street and within a hundred yards it is quiet and you can hear the birds singing.

Having said that, after a life of 'excitement' I like it where I am now. Nothing ever happens and nothing's ever going on and that suits me just fine.

[Marco]

With respect Marco my borough (Havering) & where Al lives (Barking & Dagenham) are quite removed from one another even though we're neighbours. For instance population density in Havering is 6000 per square mile, this increases to 15000 for B&D. Havering is over 50% protected green belt so you don't have to go far to be somewhere fairly rural if that's what floats your boat. Whilst you paint a fairly rosy picture of Wrexham you don't have to google too hard to find it suffers the same problems as most other towns with respect to the retail centre.

Yes I know, and as you say Wrexham is FAR from perfect and undoubtedly has its fair share of problems - BUT the point is, I don't need to experience ANY of that, if I don't want to, as I don't live in any of the slums. I can (and do) cherry pick the best/most desirable bits about living here - and shun the rest!

And I can do that because thankfully I live in a quiet, fairly affluent suburb, just under 2 miles from the town centre. Plus, I'm also fortunate to have Cheshire (and Chester), plus Shropshire on my doorstep, by car, which are beautiful parts of the country, and full of places that are right up my street.

But you're right, I'm a rural (country) person at heart. Among the hills, lakes and mountains is where I'm happiest. A city boy I am not.

Incidentally, in that respect I wouldn't have chosen to live in Wrexham either (that's simply where Del's mum's house was, which we ended up buying and living in). If I'd chosen somewhere to live here from scratch, it'd have been some remote, rural and picturesque little village, still near some amenities, and where there still existed a friendly sense of community, rather than the opposite, and where people still lived their lives with old-fashioned values.

That's just me, as I like to LIVE, not merely 'exist'!

Marco.

[RobbieGong]

Whereabouts are you Robbie?

We usually go on a pub crawl round central London and I have noticed that you can turn of a main street that is busier than the M1 and walk down a residential street and within a hundred yards it is quiet and you can hear the birds singing.

Having said that, after a life of 'excitement' I like it where I am now. Nothing ever happens and nothing's ever going on and that suits me just fine.

Lol, I can be like that at times, just happy to be left alone with zero going on around me ha ha, there's a sense of peace in that, that I really need at times.

I'm in SE4 -Brockley sides, so I'm around Honor Oak and pop into Lewisham, Bromley, Greenwich etc

[struth]

overall its pretty quiet where i stay, but noisy neighbours are becoming an issue now and the place has gone downhill badly as older residents have died or moved away and new residents who dont give a monkeys for quiet, peaceful living and dont care about doing anything re gardens so its now a bit of a mess compared to years ago.. neighbours who have maybe been here for a few years but never talk to any of their neighbours.. not good i have to say, and for first time in my life i feel need to keep doors locked now.
all very sad, and due to councils attitude of putting bad people in good areas, in the silly hope they will become better, where all that happens is the good folk just leave and more bad neighbours come in..

[Marco]

Exactly how it is where I am Martin. My wife and I often say, it's so green and peaceful like being in the country, yet we are in the heart of London.

And that's exactly what I like about it here, peaceful when I need/want it, but I can be heading to an abundance of different things, so easily, if I so choose, at any given time and in the same way, escape from just as easily. Great for me and the Mrs and an excellent balance for our young girls.

Sounds cool, and of course it's ultimately about whatever best fits with your lifestyle. We don't have kids, and I'm semi-retired, plus Del's due to voluntarily retire soon, so what matters most to us will differ from what matters most to you, or perhaps what you need to consider based on work and family commitments

Marco.