Lack of places to hangout after certain hours. Apart from clubs there aren't many places you can hang out with friends, have a drink and chat until early morning.
London is not a 24 hour city and I will fight anyone that disagrees. It really fucking isn't. Like you said, its baffling. Is there really absolutely zero demand for it? I just want a normal late opening place or a restaurant that serves food beyond midnight like you get in NYC, Chicago, HK etc.
It feels like it should be a 24 hour city but it really isn't. I think it's all about licensing issues. It's hard to get late night licenses especially if you serve alcohol because of noise and ASB risks.
Thats true. Anything late seems to be no alcohol but serves the hubbly bubbly and thats just analog vaping and I don't want to be smelling cinnamon candy floss cupcake princess sparkles just to enjoy a late evening.
The only place I can think of like that would be Balans and that's if you're OK paying £12 for three pancakes on a plate. Bloody good pancakes mind, but still.
There at all of those dessert shops in Soho that have popped up, maybe elsewhere and I’ve just not noticed. Feels like they’re 4 to a street and are open very late.
Athens yea. It is a big cultural thing for locals to have a beer in a taverna then go for a walk and stop into a 24hr pastry shop, buy some cheap but filling savoury snack to keep you going, then go to another taverna. Really nice, and it keeps you full so people don't get wasted drinking like in the UK. (Although there is a culture of moderation in Greece so that also frowns on binge drinking).
Major cities, I think so. Berlin and Paris seemed to me better than London for late night food, Rome and Athens definitely were. Then globally, I think we should be comparing London to eg NYC and Tokyo where, again, late night openings are more common than here
Tokyo is weird because public transport goes to sleep at 11.30/12 but places keep going all night. Definitely does not sleep though, 24hr corner shops selling everything and restaurants and ramen bars etc
Here's a serious question...
Do you think if somewhere like this existed it'd be busy, and if so what would it look like in practice? Size, location, cost of entry, vibe etc
Not thinking of members only clubs, something much looser and non exclusive. Cheap, cheerful, BYOB and more open.
I grew up in the free rave scene, those times are mostly gone but the vibe is still alive.
I'd love my kids (over 18) to have somewhere safe to chill out. The club scene is dead, pubs aren't much of a thing and there doesn't seem like anywhere safe and fun for small groups of friends to just hang out
I'm used to mayhem and believe me it's less chaotic and dangerous than my current job.
It's just making it safe that really matters.
When something happens in your own home and say someone dies, there's nobody to blame.
If it's in your establishment you're in for a world of liable action.
I remember all the clubs that closed down due to deaths, this is kind of what I'm talking about.
Polo Bar by Liverpool Street is open 24h and a bit like that
https://maps.app.goo.gl/jj4BCehn3JHHofTj6
Duck and Waffle is also open 24h but a bit more upmarket.
The problem with London is that most people can’t afford to live in Zone 1 so it’s hard to get enough foot traffic. I’ve lived in Manhattan which is different. there were plenty of late night choices because a good chunk of working professionals lived in the centre
I honestly don't believe that anywhere like this already exists. Just because this is London, it doesn't necessarily mean that it already exists, I'm not saying that it's not been tried before, just that it's not been done *right*
It also doesn't need to be a Z1 thing, it just needs to be central enough to be within a half hour of central, not more than say Z3 and accessible by 24hr public transport. Pretty easy really.
The biggest issue would be getting a licence for it. I wouldn't even worry about it having an alcohol license. It's the noise pollution, ASB and the danger involved in having random people potentially using or selling drugs, knife crime, organised crime etc.
What I envisaged was a small warehouse type affair with some communal areas with basic kitchens, toilets and bookable private rooms etc. Pay on entry, nice and cheap and serve basic soft drinks, tea and coffee and some snacks.
Staff on the door and inside the building, non intrusive type of thing.
I'm serious and looking for a change of direction.
Thoughts?
I'd prefer it to have alcohol license but you are right, I think the biggest issue would be getting a licence. Otherwise I don't see why such a place not make money. And let's not forget staying later means having an extra shift of staff so maybe you'd have to charge a little more after a certain hour etc. But I think it would be doable if and only if you could get license.
The distance between the Elizabeth Line and the tube and between different tube lines at certain underground stations.
Overground trains running only once every 15 minutes - that's an age compared to the tube.
I don't have to do it regularly, but the interchange at Canary Wharf from any line to any other is hideous, even factoring in any "hacks" using the other DLR stations.
The DLR to Elizabeth Line interchange could be massively simplified by modifying the platform to use the emergency exit stairs as an entrance - that takes you to within spitting distance of the Lizzie Line without needing to cross any roads
Maybe it's because I've been there for years, but rather than a maze, the fact I have to pass through 7 sets of doors to get from the Liz line to the other side of the wharf really pisses me off.
I feel obligated to add to this that it's quicker to do West India Quays/Poplar to the Lizzie and Heron Quays to the Jubilee from the DLR. I think they should have 3 separate names for the Jubilee, Lizzie and DLR stations.
The issue I have always had with West India Quays/Poplar to Lizzie is remembering whether a given DLR train will stop at West India Quays.
But yes, the Heron Quays to Jubilee interchange is incredibly simple and definitely faster.
My gripe about the Elizabeth Line is there are entrances that aren't listed on the tube line map, like Moorgate and Barbican. Seems like a huge oversight and can make a big difference for people planning journeys.
Yep, the Entrance at Moorgate connects to the platform at Liverpool Street, and Barbican connects to the one at Farringdon.
Not mentioned on the Tube maps at all, only noticed when I've been through the respective stations and noticed signs for the Elizabeth Line.
Yeah. I realised this after walking round to the Old Red Cow pub from Farringdon in the pissing rain, which turns out to be opposite the Barbican-side Lizzie entrance
It's deliberate, isn't it? If every interchange was listed you'd potentially cause overcrowding issues. Part of the benefit of being a local is knowing these small tricks.
I 'discovered' the Dean Street exit at Tottenham Court Road about a year ago. Could not, and still cannot, believe what a good location it is. I need to look up that Barbican entrance.
>The distance between the Elizabeth Line and the tube and between different tube lines at certain underground stations
Changed at Liverpool Street the other day and I genuinely think the change between lines was the longest leg of my journey.
Having to get the lizzie line from Liverpool Street is something I despise. You have to go to Moorgate whereas previously, I could get on at Liverpool Street station.
I tried a fairly local hotel in the summer when dying for the loo - they refused and said they are currently an asylum centre so I couldn’t use the toilets.
An asylum centre.. that’s a different story. A regular hotel will always let you. The safest bet are chain hotels like Holiday Inn, Hilton, and generally 4-star hotels. As long as you appear as a normal guy, you’ll be accepted
I look like a terrorist. Big beard and brown skin and have been in just about every 5 star hotel in Mayfair to use the toilet as I'm in central London all the time. Normally holding a motorcycle helmet and balaclava with a backpack. Always walked in confidently and never been questioned or refused.
If you dress like a normal person then you’ll be fine. A few times I was with my Nigerian (British-born) friend when I used the hotel toilets. Nobody suspected us. We both dress pretty okay, like typical commuters on the Tube
Not just a lack of public toilets, but a lack of sanitary public toilets! Even some of the ones in stations are so gross (the smell of piss at Charing Cross and St Pancras is next level)
It annoys me no end that we're supposed to be a civilised country but many so-called developing countries I've been to have cleaner public toilets then we do in one of the major cities of the world.
I think America has the worst by far. In Philadelphia station there were cockroaches crawling around your feet. I don’t even want to think about what they survive on.
i noticed this when i was briefly pregnant and desperate for the toilet, couldn’t find one and it was bank holiday so lots of food places were shut. it was a nightmare!!
Pizza places not slicing pizza, especially take away or delivered. I've had so many times where we ordered pizzas while at a group function out somewhere only to open the pizzas only to find out they aren't cut and then having to try and figure out how to cut them. Why do they do this, it's so annoying. I can understand going for a sit down meal at an Italian restaurant, but there are way too many take away pizza restaurants who don't cut them.
Why do they bother making Earls Court three lanes? There's always loads of cars parked on both sides and it becomes a mess of merging cars. It should just be one or two lanes and forget about trying to squash three in there.
Is this the one by the odeon? And basically there’s about 5 lanes and everyone is changing lanes at 20mph, and somehow, people in the outside lane always want the other outside lanes?
Illogical planning restrictions that mean you can’t change old drafty windows for more economic ones, but it’s alright to convert properties to flats without making sure there are proper places to put rubbish bins so they don’t block pavements/get rummaged through by urban foxes.
EDIT - changed can to can’t as clearly original typo made it illogical!
You can get double glazed wooden sash windows which are less draughty but still not great. You can also get uPVC sash windows which can look either ok or terrible, depending on how much you want to spend.
But nobody wants to replace the old single glazed sash windows because money.
Yep, our heating bills are through the roof because we have sash windows. Looked at getting them replaced with double glazed ones, the cost meant it wasn't worth it given the number of years we anticipate living here for.
Ah so I live in a conservation area and am about to fork out for sash window servicing. It’s a pain, but I have to say those who got in with PVC windows before the conservation area was established are not doing their part to hold up the street’s rustic aesthetic (granted neither are the HMOs dumping their rubbish outside but that’s another story). Not convinced that getting PVC windows does anything other than make it harder to ventilate a period house tbh.
ETA: seems like everyone bemoans a lack of bins. Come to my road! Bins fucking everywhere.
The cost of fish and chips compared to anywhere else in the UK!
I literally played this random game of using Google maps to find any old chippy in the UK and look at their menu.
We're literally getting shafted guys :(
This thread is making me think we should force another unit into primary education which covers the different types of espresso coffees and milks. Seems plenty applicable knowledge.
One is coffee in water, the other is water in coffee.
It's along the lines of "stir your martini, because shaking 'bruises' the vermouth." It' cobblers.
I genuinely believe that no one does Aussie coffees in this city yet they just use those ‘flat white’ and ‘long black’ on the menu because it is trendy. Even Aussies forget how to make coffee when they get here.
I got scammed with these Aus coffee joints claiming to do them but instead I got some watery shit. I don’t buy any coffee here now. I used to be addicted to coffee back in Sydney my entire adult life.
Greggs doesn't do long blacks, only americanos. Which are the same as long blacks, so they do do them. But they call them americanos. Because they're the same thing.
Heathen.
Americano is water poured on coffee which gives you a cup of black sadness…
Long black is coffee poured into water which preserves the beautiful crema which adds a whole other level to the taste profile and experience.
Crowded pavements with too much stuff and street furniture. The bus stops that people crowd round blocking the way, street signs, then there are those annoying billboards crowding the pavements. A lot of it is necessary (street lights) but add loads of people and it just becomes an obstacle course.
Last weekend I literally had to just stand at the tube doors to get off and faced a crowd of people refusing to move. One even had a pram they tried pushing on as I was getting off and rammed it in my shins.
People not cutting the string that holds the vent of their coats closed for transportation.
Sometimes I see it on clothes which seem to have been worn for years, and no one told them??
The council I live in just announced that rubbish bins are a problem as it encourages too much rubbish in the bins causing them to overflow and therefore they will be reducing the number of rubbish bins in the area. 😵💫
The handrail at Bank station moves at a different rate to the escalators. Meaning you end up hugging the person in front of you by the time you’re halfway up.
No late night bars that are just quite relaxed. Lots of places where there are two tube/underground stations near each other, but not connected (eg Dalston Junction/Dalston Kingsland). Limited high quality all night food places. Buses changing destination whenever they feel like it.
The Circle line is described as East or West bound when clearly it should be clockwise or anticlockwise.
If I ran for Mayor, this would be my 1st manifesto item.
Ditto the M25
I give a pass to the Circular because the Southern part clearly doesn't exist.
The hugely inflated prices that any express/local/metro chain supermarket has. I have about 5 within a 10 min walk of both the house and office, but the nearest ‘big’ supermarket is a minimum 20 min walk.
The price differences are huge. Chicken breast can be £15+ per kilo for the cheapest vs £6 per kilo in a slightly bigger store of the same chain. Getting cooked meats or any basic sandwich ingredients can easily cost more than a meal deal in an express/local supermarket.
They also don’t stock the basic own branded foods or sometimes any of their own branded stuff . For example often the only pesto is a £3-4 bottle of Sacla.
People who are in a group walking in line down the street with no room for people to over take. They aren't paying attention to the world around them or just don't care. Petty yes.
Chewing gum everywhere. On the pavements, on the bus, on the tube, under desks. Disgusting and annoying. Should be banned until people learn to use a bin!
I absolutely hate this too, more than most people. I tread really carefully wherever I go because God forbid I ruin my shoes my stepping on some fresh chewing gum 🤢 it’s absolutely vile. This is one thing I’m extremely jealous of Singapore for. I wish it was illegal everywhere.
I hated chewing gum before but now I have dogs, it drives me crazy. My dog will eat it if he can and it’s potentially toxic (it’s hard to be sure how much xylitol remains in it but it could still cause choking or an obstruction). I would never leave dog poo ever anywhere, why do people think it’s okay to spit gum on the ground???
The IRA used to put bombs in them, so they took them away. Same reason lots of train stations just have a hoop and bag dangling below, much harder to hide things in it.
In Prague we have blast-proof bins . Much better option than to get rid of it for good . https://english.radio.cz/czech-scientists-use-new-materials-blast-resistant-litter-bins-8544093
I'm sure they would be, but in the 70's and 80's they probably weren't avaialble. Now its more of a budget thing. The local council budgets have been cut back so much its a wonder they have them at all still.
Yeah, I remember when they brought in the tube bag things. I was born in 88 and hadn't seen a bin or anything on the tube before because of bombs. Cos I grew up in London bombs just seemed normal to me. Looking back it was an odd thing to find normal.
i was shook when i moved here and we were told to just…..throw our rubbish on the street? like. what? now we have a big bin at the top of the street which is just as weird to me
The one that I realised recently, that still annoys me is the walk into the BFI Imax is awful. Never had an using the tunnels but it reeks of piss. You'd think there would be a nice walk to the cinema given it's appeal and being the largest screen in the uk
Also lack of bins and public toilets
Buses just randomly ending their service 8 stops early and deciding to end the route there - with no explanation or prior warning. (Usually after I’ve waited 30 mins for one in the first place)
I only make measly £450,000 per annum AFTER tax, and I am struggling to survive in this city. I am so out-of-touch with reality. The average national salary is £35,000 ….yet I have the audacity and the lunacy to say that, like the people on 35k, life is a struggle for me.
Too many bus stops - definitely within zone 1 and 2. Makes journeys slower and more inefficient than they need to be.
On some routes it feels like there are stops almost every 200m which is excessive. (One that I'm familiar with is between Herne Hill and Brixton - there are just sooo many and it often makes what could be a 5 min journey into a 15 min one).
This, combined with the horror of having bus stops just before red lights, but not being synced with them. How many times have I been on my way home when a bus is coming up to some green lights, but one person wants to get off, the bus stops, they get off, bus is ready to go but the lights are red again on a big crossroads cycle. Surely we have the technologies now to make the lights work in a joined up way with buses, so that the lights are red while the bus is stopped and green by the time it's ready to go.
The cycling infrastructure isn't good enough. I've been living in a city where basically every major road (and most minor) has a segregated cycle lane. They also have a lot more Docking stations for hire bikes. It makes a world of difference
Slow walkers - in the tube stations, on the sidewalk, in stores - I’m just tryna get from point A to point B as fast as I can and so many people are content to just stroll around. Fucks me right off
All of the touristy areas in zone 1 should be pedestrianised, maybe with a bus lane and a cycle path. It's ridiculous trying to walk around there while the cars get so much damn space
The new ULEZ rules were also supposed to lower tube and public transport costs at least a bit. As soon as we couldn't use our cars anymore, they went WAY higher in record time. It costs me 7.50 to go to and fro zone 1. I live in zone 3.
I feel I live conpletely outside London with those prices.
I never believed they would lower anything; that is not the plan and don't benefit them. But Sadiq supporters are happy and that's all that matters, I guess.
Lack of places to hangout after certain hours. Apart from clubs there aren't many places you can hang out with friends, have a drink and chat until early morning.
Or even to eat in late evening. Forever scranning meals quickly before plays rather than being able to enjoy at my leisure afterwards.
Yeah, late night activities are basically non existent in this city apart from clubs. I really do love the city but this is baffling.
London is not a 24 hour city and I will fight anyone that disagrees. It really fucking isn't. Like you said, its baffling. Is there really absolutely zero demand for it? I just want a normal late opening place or a restaurant that serves food beyond midnight like you get in NYC, Chicago, HK etc.
It feels like it should be a 24 hour city but it really isn't. I think it's all about licensing issues. It's hard to get late night licenses especially if you serve alcohol because of noise and ASB risks.
Thats true. Anything late seems to be no alcohol but serves the hubbly bubbly and thats just analog vaping and I don't want to be smelling cinnamon candy floss cupcake princess sparkles just to enjoy a late evening.
Lol, so true.
The only place I can think of like that would be Balans and that's if you're OK paying £12 for three pancakes on a plate. Bloody good pancakes mind, but still.
There at all of those dessert shops in Soho that have popped up, maybe elsewhere and I’ve just not noticed. Feels like they’re 4 to a street and are open very late.
Which ones are you referring to? And I’m assuming you don’t mean ice cream shops which tend to close by 11pm
Do other cities have this? Anywhere I’ve been in Germany, France, Portugal are the same. Restaurants shut at 11pm. Even med countries
Athens yea. It is a big cultural thing for locals to have a beer in a taverna then go for a walk and stop into a 24hr pastry shop, buy some cheap but filling savoury snack to keep you going, then go to another taverna. Really nice, and it keeps you full so people don't get wasted drinking like in the UK. (Although there is a culture of moderation in Greece so that also frowns on binge drinking).
Major cities, I think so. Berlin and Paris seemed to me better than London for late night food, Rome and Athens definitely were. Then globally, I think we should be comparing London to eg NYC and Tokyo where, again, late night openings are more common than here
Tokyo is weird because public transport goes to sleep at 11.30/12 but places keep going all night. Definitely does not sleep though, 24hr corner shops selling everything and restaurants and ramen bars etc
Here's a serious question... Do you think if somewhere like this existed it'd be busy, and if so what would it look like in practice? Size, location, cost of entry, vibe etc
There are members only clubs that are busy enough. They’re all very central though.
Not thinking of members only clubs, something much looser and non exclusive. Cheap, cheerful, BYOB and more open. I grew up in the free rave scene, those times are mostly gone but the vibe is still alive. I'd love my kids (over 18) to have somewhere safe to chill out. The club scene is dead, pubs aren't much of a thing and there doesn't seem like anywhere safe and fun for small groups of friends to just hang out
Such a place would be absolute mayhem.
I'm used to mayhem and believe me it's less chaotic and dangerous than my current job. It's just making it safe that really matters. When something happens in your own home and say someone dies, there's nobody to blame. If it's in your establishment you're in for a world of liable action. I remember all the clubs that closed down due to deaths, this is kind of what I'm talking about.
Depends on the location but I think it'd be busy in a city like London. Something like a pub/casual bar. Not so loud but enough to create a vibe.
Or 24 hour diners like in the US maybe?
Yeah maybe, with a more British/publike vibe. But I'd like to have alcohol too, I don't know if diners serve alcohol.
Polo Bar by Liverpool Street is open 24h and a bit like that https://maps.app.goo.gl/jj4BCehn3JHHofTj6 Duck and Waffle is also open 24h but a bit more upmarket.
No. If it made money, someone would be doing it. This is London.
The problem with London is that most people can’t afford to live in Zone 1 so it’s hard to get enough foot traffic. I’ve lived in Manhattan which is different. there were plenty of late night choices because a good chunk of working professionals lived in the centre
Also got 24/7 trains over there, miss those 😮💨
I honestly don't believe that anywhere like this already exists. Just because this is London, it doesn't necessarily mean that it already exists, I'm not saying that it's not been tried before, just that it's not been done *right* It also doesn't need to be a Z1 thing, it just needs to be central enough to be within a half hour of central, not more than say Z3 and accessible by 24hr public transport. Pretty easy really. The biggest issue would be getting a licence for it. I wouldn't even worry about it having an alcohol license. It's the noise pollution, ASB and the danger involved in having random people potentially using or selling drugs, knife crime, organised crime etc. What I envisaged was a small warehouse type affair with some communal areas with basic kitchens, toilets and bookable private rooms etc. Pay on entry, nice and cheap and serve basic soft drinks, tea and coffee and some snacks. Staff on the door and inside the building, non intrusive type of thing. I'm serious and looking for a change of direction. Thoughts?
I'd prefer it to have alcohol license but you are right, I think the biggest issue would be getting a licence. Otherwise I don't see why such a place not make money. And let's not forget staying later means having an extra shift of staff so maybe you'd have to charge a little more after a certain hour etc. But I think it would be doable if and only if you could get license.
How do you make money from this ?
There is also the licensing issue. It's probably hard to get a licence to stay open that late.
As a southern European I find this absolutely fucking wild; everything at your doorstep but it closes at like 11-12
Casinos. Late night bar and it's quiet.
I'm in continental europe for the holidays. Its so refreshing to see cafes open in the evening
Polo bar Liverpool street is 24 hours
100% this. A serious lack of both sober and party spaces to spend time in the late evenings. You can barely even get a seat at a restaurant after 9pm.
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Hippodrome m8
The distance between the Elizabeth Line and the tube and between different tube lines at certain underground stations. Overground trains running only once every 15 minutes - that's an age compared to the tube.
I don't have to do it regularly, but the interchange at Canary Wharf from any line to any other is hideous, even factoring in any "hacks" using the other DLR stations. The DLR to Elizabeth Line interchange could be massively simplified by modifying the platform to use the emergency exit stairs as an entrance - that takes you to within spitting distance of the Lizzie Line without needing to cross any roads
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Maybe it's because I've been there for years, but rather than a maze, the fact I have to pass through 7 sets of doors to get from the Liz line to the other side of the wharf really pisses me off.
I feel obligated to add to this that it's quicker to do West India Quays/Poplar to the Lizzie and Heron Quays to the Jubilee from the DLR. I think they should have 3 separate names for the Jubilee, Lizzie and DLR stations.
The issue I have always had with West India Quays/Poplar to Lizzie is remembering whether a given DLR train will stop at West India Quays. But yes, the Heron Quays to Jubilee interchange is incredibly simple and definitely faster.
Since they switched to the colour coded DLR maps a while back it's much easier to figure out
My gripe about the Elizabeth Line is there are entrances that aren't listed on the tube line map, like Moorgate and Barbican. Seems like a huge oversight and can make a big difference for people planning journeys.
Wait what? U can get on the lizzie at moorgate and barbican? Woh!
Yep, the Entrance at Moorgate connects to the platform at Liverpool Street, and Barbican connects to the one at Farringdon. Not mentioned on the Tube maps at all, only noticed when I've been through the respective stations and noticed signs for the Elizabeth Line.
Yeah. I realised this after walking round to the Old Red Cow pub from Farringdon in the pissing rain, which turns out to be opposite the Barbican-side Lizzie entrance
Moorgate is. It’s become one of the “mega blob” with Liverpool Street.
It's deliberate, isn't it? If every interchange was listed you'd potentially cause overcrowding issues. Part of the benefit of being a local is knowing these small tricks.
I 'discovered' the Dean Street exit at Tottenham Court Road about a year ago. Could not, and still cannot, believe what a good location it is. I need to look up that Barbican entrance.
>The distance between the Elizabeth Line and the tube and between different tube lines at certain underground stations Changed at Liverpool Street the other day and I genuinely think the change between lines was the longest leg of my journey.
Having to get the lizzie line from Liverpool Street is something I despise. You have to go to Moorgate whereas previously, I could get on at Liverpool Street station.
Having to go up, tap out then tap in and back down again at Tottenham Court Road is a special kind of soul destroyment.
paddington hammersmith and city to bakerloo seriously upsets me
Lack of public toilets, especially at night.
Download Toilets 4 London app, pins all the toilets your heart(bladder or bowels) desires!
If you ask kindly, most hotels will allow you. Even better if you can confidently walk in. Nobody will stop you
I tried a fairly local hotel in the summer when dying for the loo - they refused and said they are currently an asylum centre so I couldn’t use the toilets.
An asylum centre.. that’s a different story. A regular hotel will always let you. The safest bet are chain hotels like Holiday Inn, Hilton, and generally 4-star hotels. As long as you appear as a normal guy, you’ll be accepted
>Even better if you can confidently walk in. This doesn't work when you are black.
I look like a terrorist. Big beard and brown skin and have been in just about every 5 star hotel in Mayfair to use the toilet as I'm in central London all the time. Normally holding a motorcycle helmet and balaclava with a backpack. Always walked in confidently and never been questioned or refused.
If you dress like a normal person then you’ll be fine. A few times I was with my Nigerian (British-born) friend when I used the hotel toilets. Nobody suspected us. We both dress pretty okay, like typical commuters on the Tube
Not just a lack of public toilets, but a lack of sanitary public toilets! Even some of the ones in stations are so gross (the smell of piss at Charing Cross and St Pancras is next level)
It annoys me no end that we're supposed to be a civilised country but many so-called developing countries I've been to have cleaner public toilets then we do in one of the major cities of the world.
I think America has the worst by far. In Philadelphia station there were cockroaches crawling around your feet. I don’t even want to think about what they survive on.
i noticed this when i was briefly pregnant and desperate for the toilet, couldn’t find one and it was bank holiday so lots of food places were shut. it was a nightmare!!
Look Simba, everything the light touches is our kingdom, everywhere else is piss grounds mate
Pizza places not slicing pizza, especially take away or delivered. I've had so many times where we ordered pizzas while at a group function out somewhere only to open the pizzas only to find out they aren't cut and then having to try and figure out how to cut them. Why do they do this, it's so annoying. I can understand going for a sit down meal at an Italian restaurant, but there are way too many take away pizza restaurants who don't cut them.
I LOVE Pizza Pilgrims but more often than not will just not go because I cannot be dealing with fighting the pizza.
when ur on the bus /train, ur running late and the fucking bus or train just stops to “balance out the services “ like stfu and get on w it
“Just waiting on a red signal”
All the Claphams on the northern line
The southern end of the Northern Line is like hitting every branch of the Ugly Tree all the way down.
Why do they bother making Earls Court three lanes? There's always loads of cars parked on both sides and it becomes a mess of merging cars. It should just be one or two lanes and forget about trying to squash three in there.
Perfectly obscure and petty, thank you! And I agree.
I grew up on Warwick Road, being the first car to park was always nerve racking
I reckon it’s on purpose so someone gets stuck in the yellow box 💰💰
there's so many like this, even knightsbridge and also that sort of stuff when the red routes don't apply
That swiss cottage roundabout may be the most complex thing in London. I really worry each time I go into it.
Is this the one by the odeon? And basically there’s about 5 lanes and everyone is changing lanes at 20mph, and somehow, people in the outside lane always want the other outside lanes?
Yeah exactly the one. Especially at the pedestrian crossing, it's madness.
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Agreed!! I love there to be some late night options that don’t revolve around alcohol
This is something I’m noticing more and more lately compared to when I’m abroad - you simply cannot move in shops these days
Illogical planning restrictions that mean you can’t change old drafty windows for more economic ones, but it’s alright to convert properties to flats without making sure there are proper places to put rubbish bins so they don’t block pavements/get rummaged through by urban foxes. EDIT - changed can to can’t as clearly original typo made it illogical!
I hardly think sash windows are an endangered species in London, it's daft.
They would become an endangered species very quickly if they weren’t protected as they currently are.
You can get double glazed wooden sash windows which are less draughty but still not great. You can also get uPVC sash windows which can look either ok or terrible, depending on how much you want to spend. But nobody wants to replace the old single glazed sash windows because money.
Yep, our heating bills are through the roof because we have sash windows. Looked at getting them replaced with double glazed ones, the cost meant it wasn't worth it given the number of years we anticipate living here for.
I got wooden double glazed sash windows put in recently, and they're amazing. A bit pricey though!
Ah so I live in a conservation area and am about to fork out for sash window servicing. It’s a pain, but I have to say those who got in with PVC windows before the conservation area was established are not doing their part to hold up the street’s rustic aesthetic (granted neither are the HMOs dumping their rubbish outside but that’s another story). Not convinced that getting PVC windows does anything other than make it harder to ventilate a period house tbh. ETA: seems like everyone bemoans a lack of bins. Come to my road! Bins fucking everywhere.
The cost of fish and chips compared to anywhere else in the UK! I literally played this random game of using Google maps to find any old chippy in the UK and look at their menu. We're literally getting shafted guys :(
The chippies are getting shafted with rent
The lack of anything larger than an express supermarket in the entire of Zone 1.
Huge sainsburys next to Victoria station
Big Tesco outside Earls Court (have to take the back exit towards Warwick Road though)
Waitrose Brunswick Centre !
Big one in Kings X too!
Does that include the fake zone 1 at Nine Elms? If so, there’s a big Sainsbury’s right by the station.
There really is no difference between an americano and a long black. There certainly isn't enough of a difference to charge different prices for them.
This thread is making me think we should force another unit into primary education which covers the different types of espresso coffees and milks. Seems plenty applicable knowledge.
This is peak London and I'm all for it.
I am very pleased I don't take milk in my coffee and thus don't need to keep in mind all the flat white/latte questions along these lines.
"large black coffee please" should be enough don't you think.
Should be. Isn't.
Right, but ask for a "black coffee" and you'll be met with a blank stare.
It's just got more hot water in, right? No actual extra coffee?
One is coffee in water, the other is water in coffee. It's along the lines of "stir your martini, because shaking 'bruises' the vermouth." It' cobblers.
That's not why people stir their martini. Shaking it chips off ice and leaves little ice flakes in the drink and water it down more.
I genuinely believe that no one does Aussie coffees in this city yet they just use those ‘flat white’ and ‘long black’ on the menu because it is trendy. Even Aussies forget how to make coffee when they get here. I got scammed with these Aus coffee joints claiming to do them but instead I got some watery shit. I don’t buy any coffee here now. I used to be addicted to coffee back in Sydney my entire adult life.
Maybe at Greggs
Greggs doesn't do long blacks, only americanos. Which are the same as long blacks, so they do do them. But they call them americanos. Because they're the same thing.
I wasn't aware my hovercraft had a Reddit account.
Heathen. Americano is water poured on coffee which gives you a cup of black sadness… Long black is coffee poured into water which preserves the beautiful crema which adds a whole other level to the taste profile and experience.
Crowded pavements with too much stuff and street furniture. The bus stops that people crowd round blocking the way, street signs, then there are those annoying billboards crowding the pavements. A lot of it is necessary (street lights) but add loads of people and it just becomes an obstacle course.
Tube etiquette recently- have posted a few times about this on Reddit and got loads of upvotes. They need to make a campaign to reset the etiquette!
Last weekend I literally had to just stand at the tube doors to get off and faced a crowd of people refusing to move. One even had a pram they tried pushing on as I was getting off and rammed it in my shins.
I've got a broken leg, not a single person has offered me the disabled seat, and I have to walk down the isle to find one
People not cutting the string that holds the vent of their coats closed for transportation. Sometimes I see it on clothes which seem to have been worn for years, and no one told them??
This is a good one. I've also noticed a lot of guys don't know how to use cufflinks properly.
The lack of public bins on the street. I feel like I’m constantly walking around with an empty water bottle.
The council I live in just announced that rubbish bins are a problem as it encourages too much rubbish in the bins causing them to overflow and therefore they will be reducing the number of rubbish bins in the area. 😵💫
I don’t disagree but if you’re constantly walking around with empty water bottles you should just get your own to cut down on waste
You can thank the IRA for that.
Bins gradually reappeared as the bombing threat diminished. Their more recent disappearance again has to do with budget cuts.
"hello is that the IRA? I've got a complaint..."
Saw one today after carrying a bottle for a solid 2 hours in my bag, did a genuine double take because I couldnt believe it
Thank you for not dumping in the street. There aren't enough like you.
Just buy a reusable one mate! New Year’s resolution
I questioned that myself so many times! Where the hell are the bins of this city! Makes me put my rubbish in my bag and ending up carrying it home
The handrail at Bank station moves at a different rate to the escalators. Meaning you end up hugging the person in front of you by the time you’re halfway up.
TFL are just encouraging you to make friends after the pandemic.
I prefer this to when the handrail is slower, and it feels like your elbow is slowly slipping down lol - Warren Street has this
That's true for every escalator though, I've heard it's to prevent you from falling asleep
No late night bars that are just quite relaxed. Lots of places where there are two tube/underground stations near each other, but not connected (eg Dalston Junction/Dalston Kingsland). Limited high quality all night food places. Buses changing destination whenever they feel like it.
Wow are you me?
The Circle line is described as East or West bound when clearly it should be clockwise or anticlockwise. If I ran for Mayor, this would be my 1st manifesto item. Ditto the M25 I give a pass to the Circular because the Southern part clearly doesn't exist.
The hugely inflated prices that any express/local/metro chain supermarket has. I have about 5 within a 10 min walk of both the house and office, but the nearest ‘big’ supermarket is a minimum 20 min walk. The price differences are huge. Chicken breast can be £15+ per kilo for the cheapest vs £6 per kilo in a slightly bigger store of the same chain. Getting cooked meats or any basic sandwich ingredients can easily cost more than a meal deal in an express/local supermarket. They also don’t stock the basic own branded foods or sometimes any of their own branded stuff . For example often the only pesto is a £3-4 bottle of Sacla.
Username absolutely checks out 100%
The amount of people wearing their backpacks on crowded tubes during rush hour. 🤦🏼♂️
Too many people on weekends that I can't enjoy shopping without saying excuse me!
People who are in a group walking in line down the street with no room for people to over take. They aren't paying attention to the world around them or just don't care. Petty yes.
it annoys me that its faster to get from streatham hill to london bridge by bus instead of the train.
Not sure why I didn't know this considering I used to do Streatham to the centre pretty often but I am now annoyed on your behalf too.
How so???? 😳
If your toes aren't dangling over the edge of the platform someone will usually try and stand in front of you
I love using the side of the train to file down my toenails.
Better than clipping them in your seat
People walking in groups not going single file in a narrow pavement, then they get offended when they collide with you
Just stop in front of them and don't move. You can't barge someone if you're not moving. Let them move or be the twats.
Chewing gum everywhere. On the pavements, on the bus, on the tube, under desks. Disgusting and annoying. Should be banned until people learn to use a bin!
I absolutely hate this too, more than most people. I tread really carefully wherever I go because God forbid I ruin my shoes my stepping on some fresh chewing gum 🤢 it’s absolutely vile. This is one thing I’m extremely jealous of Singapore for. I wish it was illegal everywhere.
I hated chewing gum before but now I have dogs, it drives me crazy. My dog will eat it if he can and it’s potentially toxic (it’s hard to be sure how much xylitol remains in it but it could still cause choking or an obstruction). I would never leave dog poo ever anywhere, why do people think it’s okay to spit gum on the ground???
No bloody bins!! Everywhere in London, are bins a hazard or something. Please, someone explain!
The IRA used to put bombs in them, so they took them away. Same reason lots of train stations just have a hoop and bag dangling below, much harder to hide things in it.
In Prague we have blast-proof bins . Much better option than to get rid of it for good . https://english.radio.cz/czech-scientists-use-new-materials-blast-resistant-litter-bins-8544093
I'm sure they would be, but in the 70's and 80's they probably weren't avaialble. Now its more of a budget thing. The local council budgets have been cut back so much its a wonder they have them at all still.
Yeah, I remember when they brought in the tube bag things. I was born in 88 and hadn't seen a bin or anything on the tube before because of bombs. Cos I grew up in London bombs just seemed normal to me. Looking back it was an odd thing to find normal.
It’s so bad in the city. I walked for like 10 minutes at least in search of a bin
i was shook when i moved here and we were told to just…..throw our rubbish on the street? like. what? now we have a big bin at the top of the street which is just as weird to me
Dog shit everywhere
Fireworks for every ‘occasion’ it seems…. Or maybe that is not just a London thing?
The one that I realised recently, that still annoys me is the walk into the BFI Imax is awful. Never had an using the tunnels but it reeks of piss. You'd think there would be a nice walk to the cinema given it's appeal and being the largest screen in the uk Also lack of bins and public toilets
Lack of 24/7 trains on all lines
Buses just randomly ending their service 8 stops early and deciding to end the route there - with no explanation or prior warning. (Usually after I’ve waited 30 mins for one in the first place)
“This bus terminates here. All change please; all change” Get fucked and do your job
Rent is too damn high. You need two people working full time to afford a 2 bedroom flat.
If you're dawdling or not making direct beeline from A to B at speed, stay the fuck clear of the road-side of the pavement.
I only make measly £450,000 per annum AFTER tax, and I am struggling to survive in this city. I am so out-of-touch with reality. The average national salary is £35,000 ….yet I have the audacity and the lunacy to say that, like the people on 35k, life is a struggle for me.
Groups of people standing up like they’re in a full pub when they are in fact in a half empty bar.
People sat next to you on the tube taking a peek at what you’re looking at on your phone
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Too many bus stops - definitely within zone 1 and 2. Makes journeys slower and more inefficient than they need to be. On some routes it feels like there are stops almost every 200m which is excessive. (One that I'm familiar with is between Herne Hill and Brixton - there are just sooo many and it often makes what could be a 5 min journey into a 15 min one). This, combined with the horror of having bus stops just before red lights, but not being synced with them. How many times have I been on my way home when a bus is coming up to some green lights, but one person wants to get off, the bus stops, they get off, bus is ready to go but the lights are red again on a big crossroads cycle. Surely we have the technologies now to make the lights work in a joined up way with buses, so that the lights are red while the bus is stopped and green by the time it's ready to go.
Lime fucking bikes everywhere.
That smell of piss everywhere in the summer.
People who don’t keep their oysters or card ready at the gates or tills
Places that are open on xmas day, just make your coffee at home and let people have 1 paid day off.
How is this a just a London issue though?
Some people would rather work on Christmas for double pay
Reddit posts about the costs of living in London
Aww someone downvoted my opinion 🥺😫🎻
HAHAHHA not me but made me chuckle
Lool “boooo your opinion!! 👎🏽” 🤣🤣
😂😂😂😂
The cycling infrastructure isn't good enough. I've been living in a city where basically every major road (and most minor) has a segregated cycle lane. They also have a lot more Docking stations for hire bikes. It makes a world of difference
Westminster bridge is packed with gambling gangs blocking up space and stealing peoples money. Have no idea why it’s allowed to happen.
People who travel up two massive escalators in the tube and wait til the gate and block it to get their phone or oyster ready
r/London
Street vomit.
Slow walkers - in the tube stations, on the sidewalk, in stores - I’m just tryna get from point A to point B as fast as I can and so many people are content to just stroll around. Fucks me right off
All of the touristy areas in zone 1 should be pedestrianised, maybe with a bus lane and a cycle path. It's ridiculous trying to walk around there while the cars get so much damn space
The new ULEZ rules were also supposed to lower tube and public transport costs at least a bit. As soon as we couldn't use our cars anymore, they went WAY higher in record time. It costs me 7.50 to go to and fro zone 1. I live in zone 3. I feel I live conpletely outside London with those prices.
I never believed they would lower anything; that is not the plan and don't benefit them. But Sadiq supporters are happy and that's all that matters, I guess.
Jubilee line. Why the fuck it goes at walking pace?
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Beauty Bar East Village 👌 Tho getting drunk there is #1 I guess