A very old post, from 2012. People often ask me if I miss living in London. Well here are five things I do not miss. This post has never received a like or a comment, and has hardly been read since 2012.
Having previously posted about the things I do miss about living in London, I thought I would redress the balance with a few recollections of things that I really do not miss.
Rubbish
This is everywhere, especially paper. It blows about, in winds fanned by the high buildings, and narrow streets. There are a few free newspapers handed out, mainly to commuters at rush hour, as well as countless leaflets; for cheap meals, computer deals, and the sale of golfing goods. This discarded forest of unwanted paper lies everywhere in view, and when it is raining, forms clumps of undesirable paper-mache, that cling to your shoes. At the end of the evening, the many restaurants and fast-food establishments, pile the detritus of their day’s trading onto the pavement, awaiting a late collection by refuse trucks. Food scraps, bottles, cardboard, all urinated on by drunks, kicked around, disturbed by seagulls (yes…
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beetleypete 
Thanks for reposting this Pete.
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Glad you liked it, Kim. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Great post 🙂 While some of these pet peeves would not bother me too much personally, I can totally see why others (like yourself) would have problems with it. Then again, I never lived there, so I am probably not the correct person to go to concerning London. Anyway, keep up the great work as always 🙂
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It didn’t really bother me that much, until I got older. Then it all seems to start to close in on you.
Best wishes, Pete.
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The last time we were in the City(New York here) my granddaughter could not get over the trash blowing everywhere on the sidewalk. I was used to it, but for her it was awful.
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I got used to it too of course. But I don’t miss it. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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Hahaha well you know my thoughts on London!! I have to say Newcastle is quite a clean city, we can’t afford helicopters for our services (only just got out of horse and carts 🤣🤣) of course there are the usual drunken revellers at the weekends, but when I’ve been there at night for gigs and stuff, it’s really quite quiet.
When I worked in Stanmore, the Philipino nurses who came to work there at the time, were amazed at the amount of chewing gum that stuck to their shoes walking in London. Yuck.
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Yes, it’s not the best city to live in, even though I loved it for most of my life. 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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No, but it’s one redeeming factor is the history, would love to see the Houses of Parliament ( possibly whilst carrying a sack of grenades. 😀 ) and Westminster Abbey, maybe one day!
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You haven’t seen them? When I worked for the Diplomatic Police, I had access to both, and did some very interesting ‘behind the scenes’ tours of Parliament, Buck Pal, and Windsor Castle. Can’t write about all that on the blog though, sadly. All very ‘secret squirrel’.
The Roman history around the Barbican is fascinating too.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Only been to London a couple of times in my life, a long time ago, in my teens. Will have to dig out some photos and stick them on the film blog!
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If you and Phil ever want a guided tour, I’m your man! 🙂
I will show you the ‘other London’, as well as the tourist traps.
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I will bear that in mind Pete. Phil and I went into the West End a couple of times back in the 80’s, used to do the 2nd hand record shops and book shops. Foyles in Charing Cross Rd and the like. It’s on our list of places to revisit.
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Crowds, interminable construction sites and graffiti. 🙂
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Nice to see you, BF. 🙂
Yes, trying to just walk along Oxford Street is a skill that requires some training.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Cities that never sleep… visits with friends in New York/ midtown sounds just like that. Smells, light, noises. I guess it’s anywhere you get a couple million or so people living in one place. They can keep it. Please.
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When I was young, I loved it. But it became too oppressive as I got older.
Best wishes, Pete.
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Funny how when you’re a tourist you don’t tend to remember any of that. I But I suppose it would be like living in the heart of any major city. I love Seattle but wouldn’t want to live downtown as there are similar issues in some spots.
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Having lived a few times in London as well as in rural areas, I totally agree with your 2012 thoughts. Traffic jams were perhaps my biggest bug-bear – on the Underground as well as in places like Shepherd’s Bush.
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I did love it for a long time, Roland. However, it is not a place for someone who was getting older and grumpier. 🙂 I know Shepherd’s Bush very well, as I worked at the closest Ambulance Station to there, (Ladbroke Grove) so was first call-out for the W12 area, including the BBC, and the White City Estate.
Best wishes, Pete.
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So we were in the same ‘stomping’ ground. I lived off Hammersmith Road with my first wife, halfway between Shepherd’s Bush and Hammersmith.
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I spent a third of my life driving up and down that area, running the ambulance to either Charing Cross or Hammersmith Hospitals. 🙂
I don’t miss that traffic, for sure.
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Your comment on “Rubbish” had me in stitches!
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Which one? 🙂
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The entire section. You just kept piling on stuff until I couldn’t help but laugh aloud!
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OK, gotcha! 🙂
Best wishes, Pete.
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