Not everything revolves around London

[Barry Sanchez]

lets finish it with this

 

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/liverpool-named-number-3-top-6475968

 

A great City and to end my City Southampton really has to do something to rival or try to to interest and retain the cruise ship industry, as opposed to everyone ****ing off woth there money invest in the City and actually make it a place for people to want to visit and not leave.

[bridge too far]

I haven't been to many on the list and I'm surprised to see Sarajevo at no. 2. Having said that, I enjoyed my brief (working) trip there. It's a city of huge contrasts and I would love to have explored more. Mad, mad taxi drivers though!

 

I love Liverpool BTW - been there loads of times - family connections.

[CB Saint]

Top 3 in the "rough" guide, that's about right

[Sour Mash]

lets finish it with this

 

http://www.liverpoolecho.co.uk/news/liverpool-news/liverpool-named-number-3-top-6475968

 

A great City and to end my City Southampton really has to do something to rival or try to to interest and retain the cruise ship industry, as opposed to everyone ****ing off woth there money invest in the City and actually make it a place for people to want to visit and not leave.

Liverpool is a good city and great for a p**s up, but it's not top 3 in the world and Sarajevo is definitely not 2nd.

[Batman]

i am well travelled man

 

 

this article is funny

[pap]

Liverpool is a good city and great for a p**s up, but it's not top 3 in the world and Sarajevo is definitely not 2nd.

 

There are quite a few events up here that we do every year. Chinese New Year is one; coming up soon. The Mathew Street Festival is a three day gigantic p**s up (which as you say, Liverpool does well) that takes place on the August Bank Holiday.

 

The city has become a popular stag and hen destination, which makes the weekends a bit random. Just big enough to cater for all tastes, just small enough to walk about comfortably. Liverpool One is more than a monument to consumerism - it has become the glue between the city and the river.

 

Good place to live and if you're working, money goes a long way.

Edited 7 January, 2014 by pap

[Whitey Grandad]

That wouldn't be my list and London wouldn't be on it either.

[Ludwig]

There are quite a few events up here that we do every year. Chinese New Year is one; coming up soon. The Mathew Street Festival is a three day gigantic p**s up (which as you say, Liverpool does well) that takes place on the August Bank Holiday.

 

The city has become a popular stag and hen destination, which makes the weekends a bit random. Just big enough to cater for all tastes, just small enough to walk about comfortably. Liverpool One is more than a monument to consumerism - it has become the glue between the city and the river.

 

Good place to live and if you're working, money goes a long way.

 

I'm petty sure they do Chinese New Year in places other than Liverpool.

[Patrick Bateman]

That list is written by someone trying to be different. Portland? I've been there, it's not good and certainly not a patch on Seattle. I hated Marseille and Rotterdam. Liverpool still does absolutely nothing for me either.

[pap]

I'm petty sure they do Chinese New Year in places other than Liverpool.

 

What, like China perhaps?

 

Wasn't suggesting that Liverpool had exclusive rights, mucker - but I do suggest you get a bit more nourishment from your three a day

[View From The Top]

Liverpool is certainly worth a visit & is a cracking night out.

[Dr Who?]

I would not live in Liverpool but I am not sure why. It just does not appeal to me. If I was to move back to a city, it would be one of the below.

 

Brighton - to expensive

Cheltenham - to expensive

Guildford - to expensive

Reading - me and the wife met there, so would like to move back

Manchester - like the music scene

Sheffield - nice place

Carlisle - seems to be improving and has a lot to offer

New York - very unlikely

San Francisco - again unlikely

Anywhere in the Netherlands as I have wanted to live there since I went their at the age of 12!

 

I have no idea why have written this...

[Dr Who?]

Oh and I would hate to live in London.

 

If I had to choose between London and Liverpool, I would move to Liverpool, as I lived in Southport (posh Liverpool) for a few months back in 1998.

 

I would not move back to southampton.

[Sour Mash]

There are quite a few events up here that we do every year. Chinese New Year is one; coming up soon. The Mathew Street Festival is a three day gigantic p**s up (which as you say, Liverpool does well) that takes place on the August Bank Holiday.

 

The city has become a popular stag and hen destination, which makes the weekends a bit random. Just big enough to cater for all tastes, just small enough to walk about comfortably. Liverpool One is more than a monument to consumerism - it has become the glue between the city and the river.

 

Good place to live and if you're working, money goes a long way.

Yeah, I know all that. Liverpool isn't in the top three places in the world to visit though, neither should Sarajevo be though. Guess they need to try and mix these lists up each year to make them 'interesting'.

[Hamilton Saint]

Ridiculous. Just trying to be trendy.

 

It may have improved as a destination (I was there in 2009 and 2012), but has nowhere near the same pull as Paris, New York and London - which have immense charisma and a vast array of things to do and places to see.

[SW5 SAINT]

I moved to London 10 years ago at age 45, wish I had come 20 years before - best city in the world bar none

[Barry Sanchez]

I moved to London 10 years ago at age 45, wish I had come 20 years before - best city in the world bar none

 

If you have money yes, for the working man there are far better cities for everyone to enjoy.

[Barry Sanchez]

Ridiculous. Just trying to be trendy.

 

It may have improved as a destination (I was there in 2009 and 2012), but has nowhere near the same pull as Paris, New York and London - which have immense charisma and a vast array of things to do and places to see.

 

Of course it doesn't, they are alpha World cities, that does not mean they are better places to live though.

[Hamilton Saint]

Of course it doesn't, they are alpha World cities, that does not mean they are better places to live though.

 

But the article (and Rough Guide list) is not about top places to live; it's about top destinations to visit.

[RonManager]

Ridiculous. Just trying to be trendy.

 

It may have improved as a destination (I was there in 2009 and 2012), but has nowhere near the same pull as Paris, New York and London - which have immense charisma and a vast array of things to do and places to see.

 

I agree, and here's the proof.

 

New York, London, Paris, Munich... Everybody talk about mmm POP MUZIK..

[video=youtube;8t-21mDDGbY]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8t-21mDDGbY

[Lord Duckhunter]

Of course it doesn't, they are alpha World cities, that does not mean they are better places to live though.

 

Before the Everton game I popped round to see my mate who was back from the US of A and staying with his elderly mother in clubmoor. You keep banging on about Liverpool but there are parts of it as rough as ****. Great city to visit, but there are loads of better places to live.

[pap]

Before the Everton game I popped round to see my mate who was back from the US of A and staying with his elderly mother in clubmoor. You keep banging on about Liverpool but there are parts of it as rough as ****. Great city to visit, but there are loads of better places to live.

 

I don't think there is any city in the world with 500,000 people (or indeed a metropolitan sprawl of 1.5m) that doesn't have rough areas. Anyways, Clubmoor isn't that rough. Most of the houses are semi-detached and occupied, for starters. Quite near to some other dodgy areas though.

[shurlock]

The terrors of the high street and urban planning mean that whenever I leave the big smoke, I can't tell whether I'm in Liverpool, Southampton, Newcastle, S****horpe, Birmingham or Hull. A few traces of nineteenth century civic pride and the odd postmodern vanity project here and there are all I have to go on.

 

Utterly depressing - no English city should be anywhere near that top 10.

[norwaysaint]

It's funny how people are always drawn to defend the city they live in, despite it usually being a decision made by chance and circumstance. I've lived in loads of cities, but the reasons have always been things like birth, parents' jobs, my jobs, uni, girlfriend, wife etc. When it came to choosing a place to spend the rest of my life, I went far out of the city and chosen somewhere beautiful to build a house.

 

My nearest city recently came near the top of one of those lists, but frankly I can never wait to get out of the city. Certainly anyone who comes to this country to spend time in a city is a ****ing idiot. The cities here are dull, average and expensive. Get out of the city and it's amazing.

[jjsaint]

It's an odd list that. Made by the same sort of mindset that made Hull and Londonderry/Derry the capital of culture (i.e. crappy place = 'edginess' and therefore 'culture'). London is of course far more exciting than any city on that list, but the hipster Rough Guide authors want to seem more edgy than that. It's almost like they want to celebrate failure and decline.

 

I'm not out to have a go at Liverpool, pap, but IMO it is about as exciting as Peterborough. Exciting UK cities: London, Cambridge, Manchester, Cardiff, Birmingham.

[pap]

It's an odd list that. Made by the same sort of mindset that made Hull and Londonderry/Derry the capital of culture (i.e. crappy place = 'edginess' and therefore 'culture'). London is of course far more exciting than any city on that list, but the hipster Rough Guide authors want to seem more edgy than that. It's almost like they want to celebrate failure and decline.

 

I'm not out to have a go at Liverpool, pap, but IMO it is about as exciting as Peterborough. Exciting UK cities: London, Cambridge, Manchester, Cardiff, Birmingham.

 

Nah, it's fair enough. Different people like different stuff. Most of my Southern mates have had the proverbial ball here when they come up, so if nothing else, nice for the city to attract recognition that'll bring more people here.

[Halo Stickman]

If we’re talking about just visiting a city then I suppose it depends on the individual. Personally, I look for a bit of local culture and history, interesting architecture, traditional pubs, nice places to eat that don’t rip me off, some green spaces, waterside frontage, and perhaps some good sporting or other entertainment venues. Plenty of British cities tick those boxes, but I reckon London still takes some beating.

 

I’ve never been to Liverpool, but my son went there with some Japanese friends and had a great time. Apparently, the locals were very friendly – one even bought them all drinks in a pub. Perhaps it was Barry or Pap

[KelvinsRightGlove]

I live in London.

 

The world DOES revolve around me.

 

Ergo...

[pap]

I live in London.

 

The world DOES revolve around me.

 

Ergo...

 

Put on enough festive weight to be an independent source of gravity, have you KRG?

[KelvinsRightGlove]

Put on enough festive weight to be an independent source of gravity, have you KRG?

 

Sadly, not far off

[Unbelievable Jeff]

London is a fantastic place to live - especially if you have money. Although I like Liverpool, there is no way I would live there ahead of London.

[JackanorySFC]

Lived in London for 3 years and worked there for 9. Been lucky enough to visit some great cities around the world through my work and on holiday.

 

London is one of the greatest cities on Earth to visit, to work, to live. In fact I'd put it (just) above New York as number one. You simply cannot compare (seriously) any other UK City to London, to try and suggest a foreign tourist, aspirational young professional/ creative or wealthy individual should or would consider Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Leeds, Bristol, Cardiff or even Southampton over London is nonsense.

 

Don't live there now, moved back to Hants to be around Family and friends - more important to me than the City I live in. However I miss the buzz of London and the swagger it gives you. I have found it seriously hard to recruit decent staff to my new work in Basingstoke, basically if you are ****ing good at what you do, you do it in London.

 

My biggest bug bear when living in the Smoke (and I'm sure the Soton ex pats on here get this all the time) is mates/ family from Southampton sucking their teeth and saying "London, nah, could never live there, all the nice areas back onto dumps, it's expensive, the locals are rude and it's always busy". Their experience of London is, in fact Christmas shopping at Westfield/ Oxford Street 2 Saturday's before Christmas! In fact it can be as chilled out or as manic as you want it to be. That's what makes it so special to me anyway.

 

Just my opinion.

[trousers]

Lived in London for 3 years and worked there for 9. Been lucky enough to visit some great cities around the world through my work and on holiday.

 

London is one of the greatest cities on Earth to visit, to work, to live. In fact I'd put it (just) above New York as number one. You simply cannot compare (seriously) any other UK City to London, to try and suggest a foreign tourist, aspirational young professional/ creative or wealthy individual should or would consider Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Leeds, Bristol, Cardiff or even Southampton over London is nonsense.

 

Don't live there now, moved back to Hants to be around Family and friends - more important to me than the City I live in. However I miss the buzz of London and the swagger it gives you. I have found it seriously hard to recruit decent staff to my new work in Basingstoke, basically if you are ****ing good at what you do, you do it in London.

 

My biggest bug bear when living in the Smoke (and I'm sure the Soton ex pats on here get this all the time) is mates/ family from Southampton sucking their teeth and saying "London, nah, could never live there, all the nice areas back onto dumps, it's expensive, the locals are rude and it's always busy". Their experience of London is, in fact Christmas shopping at Westfield/ Oxford Street 2 Saturday's before Christmas! In fact it can be as chilled out or as manic as you want it to be. That's what makes it so special to me anyway.

 

Just my opinion.

 

+ 1

[KelvinsRightGlove]

Lived in London for 3 years and worked there for 9. Been lucky enough to visit some great cities around the world through my work and on holiday.

 

London is one of the greatest cities on Earth to visit, to work, to live. In fact I'd put it (just) above New York as number one. You simply cannot compare (seriously) any other UK City to London, to try and suggest a foreign tourist, aspirational young professional/ creative or wealthy individual should or would consider Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Leeds, Bristol, Cardiff or even Southampton over London is nonsense.

 

Don't live there now, moved back to Hants to be around Family and friends - more important to me than the City I live in. However I miss the buzz of London and the swagger it gives you. I have found it seriously hard to recruit decent staff to my new work in Basingstoke, basically if you are ****ing good at what you do, you do it in London.

 

My biggest bug bear when living in the Smoke (and I'm sure the Soton ex pats on here get this all the time) is mates/ family from Southampton sucking their teeth and saying "London, nah, could never live there, all the nice areas back onto dumps, it's expensive, the locals are rude and it's always busy". Their experience of London is, in fact Christmas shopping at Westfield/ Oxford Street 2 Saturday's before Christmas! In fact it can be as chilled out or as manic as you want it to be. That's what makes it so special to me anyway.

 

Just my opinion.

 

As someone that was born in, grew up and now live in London (well greater LDN at least) I 100% agree with you.

 

The people that moan about London are generally the ones that have never spent any time here. It's a city almost without a comparable counterpart. History, Art, Business, Music, Theatre, Sport, Food, Culture everything you could possibly name, London has it in spades.

[pap]

As someone that was born in, grew up and now live in London (well greater LDN at least) I 100% agree with you.

 

The people that moan about London are generally the ones that have never spent any time here. It's a city almost without a comparable counterpart. History, Art, Business, Music, Theatre, Sport, Food, Culture everything you could possibly name, London has it in spades.

 

You'll hear no real complaints from me, apart from the expense.

[KelvinsRightGlove]

You'll hear no real complaints from me, apart from the expense.

 

I will admit, it is f***ing expensive. Was in Doncaster for xmas with the family. Went out with my cousins on Xmas Eve, spent the night laughing at Barmen when they told me the price of my round, and double-checking that was for all the drinks not one. Really bought it home.

[JackanorySFC]

I will admit, it is f***ing expensive. Was in Doncaster for xmas with the family. Went out with my cousins on Xmas Eve, spent the night laughing at Barmen when they told me the price of my round, and double-checking that was for all the drinks not one. Really bought it home.

 

A good mate of mine who I moved up to London with in 2003 was down for the summer, he is a financial trader that bailed out of a job in Dubai at the last minute and moved back with his Old Dear in Hedge End until he found another job in the City, which took a couple of months. Anyway, we spent a lot of time in the Barleycorn (Hedge End's only pub) over those months, he couldn't get his head around beer at less than £3 a pint, and a round of a bottle of wine and 2 pints being C£12. He was living in Angel, and now has moved back from there, try getting a pint for less than £4 round there, and the equivalent round (bottle of wine + 2 pints) for less than £20!

 

That being said, he missed the buzz, the money, the lifestyle and the opportunities London gives him, so moved back up there. Also said Southampton birds were rough as f***. Err, might have a point there :-). Now I just get to see that poncey, drunken light weight at London away games and Christmas Eve!

[KelvinsRightGlove]

A good mate of mine who I moved up to London with in 2003 was down for the summer, he is a financial trader that bailed out of a job in Dubai at the last minute and moved back with his Old Dear in Hedge End until he found another job in the City, which took a couple of months. Anyway, we spent a lot of time in the Barleycorn (Hedge End's only pub) over those months, he couldn't get his head around beer at less than £3 a pint, and a round of a bottle of wine and 2 pints being C£12. He was living in Angel, and now has moved back from there, try getting a pint for less than £4 round there, and the equivalent round (bottle of wine + 2 pints) for less than £20!

 

That being said, he missed the buzz, the money, the lifestyle and the opportunities London gives him, so moved back up there. Also said Southampton birds were rough as f***. Err, might have a point there :-). Now I just get to see that poncey, drunken light weight at London away games and Christmas Eve!

 

 

I work near Tottenham Court Road, we often pop into Seven Dials for a cheeky pint at lunch. Peroni is £5.40 a pint (only one I can remember), basically pints are £5! On Xmas eve in Donny I ordered 3 Spirit & Mixers, paid with a £20 and got £11 change. As I said, I asked the bloke if that was for all 3?

[Barry Sanchez]

Before the Everton game I popped round to see my mate who was back from the US of A and staying with his elderly mother in clubmoor. You keep banging on about Liverpool but there are parts of it as rough as ****. Great city to visit, but there are loads of better places to live.

 

There are ****holes everywhere, Christ Southampton has more ****holes in it than nice areas, I mean in the City, Liverpool has lots as well, but its also has as nice as areas as you would find in any City, let Pap direct you on the not so nice areas (mind you he paid £60,000 in tax last year so why he lives where he does is beyond me) and I can guide you through the Wooltons, Cressingtons and Mossley Hills of the City.

[Barry Sanchez]

The terrors of the high street and urban planning mean that whenever I leave the big smoke, I can't tell whether I'm in Liverpool, Southampton, Newcastle, S****horpe, Birmingham or Hull. A few traces of nineteenth century civic pride and the odd postmodern vanity project here and there are all I have to go on.

 

Utterly depressing - no English city should be anywhere near that top 10.

Near what top 10?

 

London does not have a high street really, how can it?

[Barry Sanchez]

A good mate of mine who I moved up to London with in 2003 was down for the summer, he is a financial trader that bailed out of a job in Dubai at the last minute and moved back with his Old Dear in Hedge End until he found another job in the City, which took a couple of months. Anyway, we spent a lot of time in the Barleycorn (Hedge End's only pub) over those months, he couldn't get his head around beer at less than £3 a pint, and a round of a bottle of wine and 2 pints being C£12. He was living in Angel, and now has moved back from there, try getting a pint for less than £4 round there, and the equivalent round (bottle of wine + 2 pints) for less than £20!

 

That being said, he missed the buzz, the money, the lifestyle and the opportunities London gives him, so moved back up there. Also said Southampton birds were rough as f***. Err, might have a point there :-). Now I just get to see that poncey, drunken light weight at London away games and Christmas Eve!

 

You have the barn 15 miles to the East of Hedge End by the station, Hedge End has nearly 30,000 people in it and as you say one pub in the centre, arguably the most boring place to live in Hampshire taking the crown from Basingstoke, Gosport, Fareham, Farnborough and Fleet.

[Sour Mash]

 

I work near Tottenham Court Road, we often pop into Seven Dials for a cheeky pint at lunch. Peroni is £5.40 a pint (only one I can remember), basically pints are £5! On Xmas eve in Donny I ordered 3 Spirit & Mixers, paid with a £20 and got £11 change. As I said, I asked the bloke if that was for all 3?

Pints aren't £5 in London, that's rubbish. Peroni is ridiculously expensive wherever you are. Can still easily get a pint for circa £3.50 unless you're in a bar that is taking the p**s.

[KelvinsRightGlove]

Pints aren't £5 in London, that's rubbish. Peroni is ridiculously expensive wherever you are. Can still easily get a pint for circa £3.50 unless you're in a bar that is taking the p**s.

 

Most of the bars around my office are £4.50-£5 a pint. Granted it is an expensive area.

[Barry Sanchez]

Most of the bars around my office are £4.50-£5 a pint. Granted it is an expensive area.

 

I dont envy people living in London on say £50,000 a year trying to buy a house in a nice area. It aint happening, house share for most or rental, living the dream.

[Sour Mash]

Most of the bars around my office are £4.50-£5 a pint. Granted it is an expensive area.

Plenty of pubs that will sell you a pint for well under £4. Peroni is a rip off anywhere. The only really expensive thing about London is housing/property.

[KelvinsRightGlove]

I dont envy people living in London on say £50,000 a year trying to buy a house in a nice area. It aint happening, house share for most or rental, living the dream.

 

I'm not on half that!!

[JackanorySFC]

You have the barn 15 miles to the East of Hedge End by the station, Hedge End has nearly 30,000 people in it and as you say one pub in the centre, arguably the most boring place to live in Hampshire taking the crown from Basingstoke, Gosport, Fareham, Farnborough and Fleet.

 

That's why I moved to Botley . 3 Village pubs (my local is the Brewery Bar as it's on my road about 100 metres away and has a top Landlord and Landlady that do a lot for the community) plus Kings at Pinkmead, the Railway, the Pear Tree up Borley Green way and (if you're skint or just fancy some snooker) the Legion.

 

Hedge End is pretty shocking pub wise, especially as I basically learnt to drink in the Fountain (rough old boozer that was). Won't go near the 'Barn or the Dolphin in Botley (Green King, Hungry Horse **** holes with ever changing "Management"). That said, most of our friends live in Hedge End so me and the missus happy to walk 20 minutes to the Corn and pay peanuts for a drink with our mates (Prosecco for £8 a bottle ffs, the missus is happy as you can get).

 

Hedge End and Botley separated by about 200 metres of green space, but miles apart in terms of charm, character, history and pub choice.

[Barry Sanchez]

That's why I moved to Botley . 3 Village pubs (my local is the Brewery Bar as it's on my road about 100 metres away and has a top Landlord and Landlady that do a lot for the community) plus Kings at Pinkmead, the Railway, the Pear Tree up Borley Green way and (if you're skint or just fancy some snooker) the Legion.

 

Hedge End is pretty shocking pub wise, especially as I basically learnt to drink in the Fountain (rough old boozer that was). Won't go near the 'Barn or the Dolphin in Botley (Green King, Hungry Horse **** holes with ever changing "Management"). That said, most of our friends live in Hedge End so me and the missus happy to walk 20 minutes to the Corn and pay peanuts for a drink with our mates (Prosecco for £8 a bottle ffs, the missus is happy as you can get).

 

Hedge End and Botley separated by about 200 metres of green space, but miles apart in terms of charm, character, history and pub choice.

 

Botley great Village, if you refer to Dan and Helen, great guys and run the brewery brillantly. I am down that way next month and will defo pop in.

[Lord Duckhunter]

There's not much difference in the price of ale between London and Poole, I know that. We even found a hall and woodhouse pub in central London and they charged less for a pint of my favourite tipple than the one I go to down the quay. ****ing joke.

 

I don't find London that expensive, I certainly think its better value than Dublin.

[aintforever]

Lived in London for 3 years and worked there for 9. Been lucky enough to visit some great cities around the world through my work and on holiday.

 

London is one of the greatest cities on Earth to visit, to work, to live. In fact I'd put it (just) above New York as number one. You simply cannot compare (seriously) any other UK City to London, to try and suggest a foreign tourist, aspirational young professional/ creative or wealthy individual should or would consider Birmingham, Manchester, Liverpool, Sheffield, Leeds, Bristol, Cardiff or even Southampton over London is nonsense.

 

Don't live there now, moved back to Hants to be around Family and friends - more important to me than the City I live in. However I miss the buzz of London and the swagger it gives you. I have found it seriously hard to recruit decent staff to my new work in Basingstoke, basically if you are ****ing good at what you do, you do it in London.

 

My biggest bug bear when living in the Smoke (and I'm sure the Soton ex pats on here get this all the time) is mates/ family from Southampton sucking their teeth and saying "London, nah, could never live there, all the nice areas back onto dumps, it's expensive, the locals are rude and it's always busy". Their experience of London is, in fact Christmas shopping at Westfield/ Oxford Street 2 Saturday's before Christmas! In fact it can be as chilled out or as manic as you want it to be. That's what makes it so special to me anyway.

 

Just my opinion.

 

I lived in London for 5 years and agree with your teeth sucking Southampton friends. London is a fantastic place to visit but I found most of it is a unfriendly, sh!te hole of a place.

 

I often said in London you could be lying in a pool of you own blood dying and people will just step over to you on their way to work. It may have just been where I lived (North London) but on a night out there were always gangs of ethnics who hate each other, and the locals who hated everyone.

 

There is so much to do which is why it is great to visit but you are never too far away from a street where you could get stabbed for your trainers.