Death Of London

[GoneDark]

11 minutes ago, Bobthebuilder said:

I think the whole lockdown, working from home, move to Bristol shit is coming to an end. You can buy a three bed Victorian terrace in many parts of London for a 3rd less than fucking Bournemouth.

Its over.

 

I have a horrible feeling about the remainder of this year and the future. I hope I am just in doom mode and my fears are unfounded. 

[Bobthebuilder]

3 minutes ago, One percent said:

Met a couple from somewhere south of the river  who have moved up here practically sight unseen coz they (he i think, she pisses around thinking she is that crusty woman) can wfh. Wonder how that’s working now. 

If you can work from home 100%, then anyone can do your job anywhere in the world. Some of us have to use a spanner on a leaking pipe to earn our money, and you have to live close enough to make it worth while.

[Bobthebuilder]

2 minutes ago, GoneDark said:

I have a horrible feeling about the remainder of this year and the future. I hope I am just in doom mode and my fears are unfounded. 

I am taking a step back at the moment, going to enjoy the summer sun and the friends I have left.

[One percent]

5 minutes ago, Bobthebuilder said:

If you can work from home 100%, then anyone can do your job anywhere in the world. Some of us have to use a spanner on a leaking pipe to earn our money, and you have to live close enough to make it worth while.

I was talking to a washing machine repair bloke a few years ago. He lived in ‘Nam (Tottenham to those that don’t know) and was a very happy chappy because the firm treated him well. They could not recruit as no one  on the salary they offered could afford to live in the south east. That was a real lightbulb moment for me.  

[dgul]

14 minutes ago, Bobthebuilder said:

If you can work from home 100%, then anyone can do your job anywhere in the world. Some of us have to use a spanner on a leaking pipe to earn our money, and you have to live close enough to make it worth while.

Trouble is, if all your customers are paid according to anyone in the world being able to do their job, then the cash available for spannering is similarly limited.

[Bobthebuilder]

3 minutes ago, One percent said:

I was talking to a washing machine repair bloke a few years ago. He lived in ‘Nam (Tottenham to those that don’t know) and was a very happy chappy because the firm treated him well. They could not recruit as no one  on the salary they offered could afford to live in the south east. That was a real lightbulb moment for me.  

That's the great thing about a city, you only have to do one thing well for it to be a successful business. Being able to cover central London areas puts you in the top earnings for that sector.

Just now, dgul said:

Trouble is, if all your customers are paid according to anyone in the world being able to do their job, then the cash available for spannering is similarly limited.

Indeed.

They come and go.

[Errol]

14 hours ago, spygirl said:

London offices are still 50% empty compared to Jan 2020.

Not sure why people persist in thinking this is odd. The 5 day office week/ commute is never coming back. Nearly all the businesses in London are on hybrid systems with 50% max in office a week.

[Bobthebuilder]

59 minutes ago, Errol said:

Not sure why people persist in thinking this is odd. The 5 day office week/ commute is never coming back. Nearly all the businesses in London are on hybrid systems with 50% max in office a week.

Fantastic. But.

Someone has to keep the lights on, business will continue. You may not be here, but plenty will.

[Stuey]

9 hours ago, Bobthebuilder said:

Fantastic. But.

Someone has to keep the lights on, business will continue. You may not be here, but plenty will.

Business can continue with people wfh.

WFH five days a week doesn't really work as people get disconnected from each other.

In terms of "keeping the lights on". What the actual fuck have you been doing for the last two years - no upkeep from what I can tell in most buildings.

[Bus Stop Boxer]

16 hours ago, Bobthebuilder said:

I posted a while ago that a lot of EEs had left in my area, and a lot of BTL were empty. They have all sold now and strangely, everyone of them his having the full renovation works, new boiler, windows, doors etc.

Thought it was new BTL or OO, but I am starting to think the council has bought them. Not seen anyone looking like an owner around them, just builders.

Lloyds are just beginning.

[Bobthebuilder]

8 minutes ago, Bus Stop Boxer said:

Lloyds are just beginning.

Bought by Lloyds, run by the local council?

Is that a possibility?

[Bus Stop Boxer]

2 minutes ago, Bobthebuilder said:

Bought by Lloyds, run by the local council?

Is that a possibility?

Gov and Corp in perfect har-mo-nee.

Which is the problem everywhere innit?

[spygirl]

16 hours ago, Bobthebuilder said:

I have been living in London for over 20 years, Its nowhere near as bad as people make out.

You know, I find it funny that Londoners love the city and love the countryside. People from the country, love their local area, but all hate London.

Country mice, as we call them.

Ah but ...

I  enjoy central London - I love mooching around towns, randomly going up streets.

I used to spend nights n weekend escaping tge shite of m4 corridor by catching the fast train in for some escape.

However ... that's just central London - 2 mile, 3 max, circle from TrafSq - with large chunks cut out to the East.

Once you get out of that circle I've found the rest (70%+ of London) to be boring n shit.

I used to live, briefly, near Richmond. It was nice, in a dull, congested way. But the reality is, with a bit of buying train tickets ahead, you can have a day out in London then with off back to Yawk at 10, 11 at night, getting back at 12, 1.

That's not hugely later then getting the slow train back up tge Thamesvaller from Wloo,

[Bobthebuilder]

8 minutes ago, spygirl said:

Ah but ...

I  enjoy central London - I love mooching around towns, randomly going up streets.

I used to spend nights n weekend escaping tge shite of m4 corridor by catching the fast train in for some escape.

However ... that's just central London - 2 mile, 3 max, circle from TrafSq - with large chunks cut out to the East.

Once you get out of that circle I've found the rest (70%+ of London) to be boring n shit.

I used to live, briefly, near Richmond. It was nice, in a dull, congested way. But the reality is, with a bit of buying train tickets ahead, you can have a day out in London then with off back to Yawk at 10, 11 at night, getting back at 12, 1.

That's not hugely later then getting the slow train back up tge Thamesvaller from Wloo,

I would agree with all of that.

I feel much the same about Dorset, some bits are lovely, then you get an absolute shite hole like Bournemouth. (sorry to anyone who lives in Bmth).

Thing I like the most about living in London, is the transport network. I can drive anywhere, catch a train anywhere, even get to city airport in 30mins and fly off somewhere.

Plus and minus everywhere I suppose.

[onlyme]

16 hours ago, One percent said:

I was talking to a washing machine repair bloke a few years ago. He lived in ‘Nam (Tottenham to those that don’t know) and was a very happy chappy because the firm treated him well. They could not recruit as no one  on the salary they offered could afford to live in the south east. That was a real lightbulb moment for me.  

Only just found out from daughter  that of the new starters (grad entry), specialised niche company that is growing very fast so a fair few in number, that she and possibly one other do not have parents / family in London and are having to  stump up rental costs. She let her boss know that she needs to talk, boss (not surprisingly) thought the worst and thought she was upping sticks already. Basically she needs (true) inflation rate rise to stand still and carry on affording to work there or up sticks and work from home. For the role she is in doable, just, maybe, short term, but for someone young and looking to have a career not the same as winding down last few years into retirement. 

London basically turning into a closed shop, those that complain of not having employment and say living off the state directly or indirectly in London are taking the piss,  the most buoyant job market in the country with the best salaries, less competition as well as so many priced out of even entertaining the idea.

Edited April 24, 2022 by onlyme

[onlyme]

4 hours ago, Stuey said:

Business can continue with people wfh.

WFH five days a week doesn't really work as people get disconnected from each other.

In terms of "keeping the lights on". What the actual fuck have you been doing for the last two years - no upkeep from what I can tell in most buildings.

If you are used to self employment it can be done no sweat, especially if you have been doing the same sort of work effectively remotely for varied customers, zero change, customers I've had web /database/engineering work often I have one or two meetings face to face for a project running over many months.

Depends on the role, personality and age mainly.

Edited April 24, 2022 by onlyme

[Austin Allegro]

On 23/04/2022 at 20:50, GoneDark said:

I have a horrible feeling about the remainder of this year and the future. I hope I am just in doom mode and my fears are unfounded. 

I think it's worth remembering that most recent predictions of doom haven't come to much. We had all this in the '08 crash, and most people unless they were stupidly in debt or over-leveraged weren't too badly affected.

Then we heard it at the beginning of the Covid debacle - I remember being told on here that race-riots and food riots would break out in London as the country ground to a halt - didn't happen.

Yes things are bad and will get worse but I think anyone who is reasonably prepared will be OK, and anyone with the nous to be a regular poster on this site is by definition 'reasonably prepared.'

[Austin Allegro]

On 23/04/2022 at 18:54, Bobthebuilder said:

I have been living in London for over 20 years, Its nowhere near as bad as people make out.

You know, I find it funny that Londoners love the city and love the countryside. People from the country, love their local area, but all hate London.

Country mice, as we call them.

I think it's the contrast. I'm a born and bred Londoner but since moving out years ago, it does seem odd to come back and be squeezed into a metal tube underground packed with people of all races, colours and creeds, some of whom are mentally ill and even rambling on about how they are going to kill everyone, while everyone stares into middle distance to avoid making eye contact. Whereas in the remote village I live in now, the biggest crime in the last year was that someone fly-tipped a Wall's Ice Cream freezer in one of the passing-places.

[Bobthebuilder]

29 minutes ago, Austin Allegro said:

Whereas in the remote village I live in now, the biggest crime in the last year was that someone fly-tipped a Wall's Ice Cream freezer in one of the passing-places.

Crikey, I bet that made the front page of the local Parish newspaper.

The nicest rural villages I know are not the same as they were 30 or even 10 years ago. Too many 2nd homes, Airbnb's, camper vans, google maps, Rightmove etc. You probably moved out at a good time.

I suppose the city suits some better than others, I just like the unconformity of the place. I remember queuing for a 38 bus in the west end years ago, I let a small lad in his school uniform go in front of me. He got on the bus, then the driver shut the door, as the bus was full. The little lad looked at me through the glass poked his tongue out and gave me the middle finger. I just laughed and he laughed back, as the bus pulled off.

[Austin Allegro]

11 minutes ago, Bobthebuilder said:

Crikey, I bet that made the front page of the local Parish newspaper.

The nicest rural villages I know are not the same as they were 30 or even 10 years ago. Too many 2nd homes, Airbnb's, camper vans, google maps, Rightmove etc. You probably moved out at a good time.

I suppose the city suits some better than others, I just like the unconformity of the place. I remember queuing for a 38 bus in the west end years ago, I let a small lad in his school uniform go in front of me. He got on the bus, then the driver shut the door, as the bus was full. The little lad looked at me through the glass poked his tongue out and gave me the middle finger. I just laughed and he laughed back, as the bus pulled off.

True, villages are not what they were. Most are just dormitories for the nearest big town now, most have lost their pub and shop and have a church service perhaps only once a month. The best places for community IMO are now the small market towns which have a village feel but are too far from anything that might interest the chavs or enrichers.

38 story is quite sweet. I remember once on the tube a small boy stuck his head out the doors just as they were closing, and the doors jammed onto his ears. It was quite funny until people realised the tube was moving - someone pulled the communication cord and it stopped very quickly. Another time, a fight broke out on a rush hour tube and when the train stopped at the station, some men just bundled the two fighting men off onto the platform, where they continued to roll around on the floor, and everyone just went back to reading their papers.

[BurntBread]

2 hours ago, Austin Allegro said:

I think it's worth remembering that most recent predictions of doom haven't come to much. We had all this in the '08 crash, and most people unless they were stupidly in debt or over-leveraged weren't too badly affected.

Then we heard it at the beginning of the Covid debacle - I remember being told on here that race-riots and food riots would break out in London as the country ground to a halt - didn't happen.

Yes things are bad and will get worse but I think anyone who is reasonably prepared will be OK, and anyone with the nous to be a regular poster on this site is by definition 'reasonably prepared.'

In 2008 and 2020 the inflation beast was fast asleep, so western governments could pull a big fat financial rabbit out of the hat, each time, to keep the plebs happy. Roll on to today, and the beast has woken up and is ready to move with velocity. You don't want to be seen with a juicy rabbit, or he'll have your arm off.

[Soft lad]

Not really about the death of London.

Bob Hoskins moaning about developers in London in the 70's

 

[spygirl]

I'm watching a Ch5 (I think) tube fare dodging.

Every - and I mean  everyone - case has been a non Brit.

Massive find - 10x fares dodged, then kicked out and banned.

 

[mattydread]

On 28/04/2022 at 20:04, Soft lad said:

Not really about the death of London.

Bob Hoskins moaning about developers in London in the 70's

 

Early 80's

Natwest tower was completed 1980, Interesting video btw

Edited May 3, 2022 by mattydread

[spygirl]

Rail price rise 'would hit commuters like a ton of bricks'... and force thousands to WFH: Fury as season tickets could soar by nearly 12% next year amid cost of living crisis - with annual Bath to London fare up £1,075 to OVER £10,000

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-10788639/UK-train-ticket-prices-cost-rail-travel-set-soar-nearly-12-year.html