London seems to be a right cesspit.

Mind you there’s this of course to add into the mix:

People also ask
What area of the UK has the most murders?
London
In 2023/24, London had the highest homicide rate of any region of the United Kingdom, at 13.1 homicides per million people, followed by Northern Ireland at 12.6 homicides per million people.26 Aug 2024

Thanks MissA. Good to have some facts in the mix. It appears then that my nearest city of Manchester is more crime ridden than the capital city. I suppose what would also have bearing on these figures would be whether or not some crimes are no longer reported upon as the police don’t appear to have the manpower nor resources to deal with all of it These days.

Every huge estate is a breeding ground for violence. Almost all violence has its root cause as drug related . Drugs are the currency .all these estates sit cheek by jowl with affluent areas . It’s how it is. It’s how it always was to much lesser degree . Now we have immigration and deprivation and the Internet .social media and mobiles are how they conduct their business. Imagine going into a phone box and calling a house phone to do your deal or make your threats . Snap chat messages disappear .

The above is in order of crime rate, and was posted in May this year, on a site called Best Diplomat.

List of 11 Most Dangerous Cities in the UK
Bradford
Coventry
Birmingham
Manchester
London
Nottingham
Liverpool
Belfast
Glasgow
Leeds

There are over 450 gangs in London. I can’t say how many in other cities .

HelterSkelter1

Loved your post mouse44. Nothing better than walking along the south bank. I was born in S London but moved in early childhood to the south coast and walking along the Thames
is almost as good as walking by the sea.
Now I live in N Surrey and regularly walked with a good friend from Waterloo to Tower Bridge until she moved from here. Various life events have stopped me from repeating my Londin walks for the moment. But as soon as I can I will be there in the train, bus and tube. Keeping aware if what is happening around me. Looking as if I know where I am going, cross body bag under my coat. Ticket and some small change in my pocket. My phone away.....but it's only a "dumb" one. I couldnt give it away

My niece lived in Manchester and her next door neighbour had bullets through the front door. I won't call Manchester a cesspit as that is so rude to people living there. But that scared her.

Another dirty, smelly city

TerriBull

J52 to describe London as a "shit hole" I think you must live in a bubble and haven't visited other major cities in the developed world. Many aspects of London are world class, it's sky line for one. I always loved the views walking over Waterloo Bridge towards St' Paul's Cathedral. London has amazing, museums, art galleries, theatres, parks, sorry NY, Central Park is not a patch on Hyde, St James's (I walked through that one on the way to work often, it's gorgeous) and have lived near both Richmond and Bushy both fantastic, that's not to mention some of the smaller lesser known parks, and of course Hampstead Heath, London is awash with green areas. It has a magnificent history, even before the Romans named it Londinium, second only in importance to Colchester there was a thriving culture which artefacts in The British Museum bear testament to. Moving on to the Elizabethan era, London has the world renowned Shakespeare's Globe. . Shopping well that goes without saying and of course, wonderful restaurants with cuisines from just all four corners of the world. I moved away from the outer reaches a couple of years ago, for a quieter pace of life. London is heaving it has to be said, even a few miles out, it is typical of any densely over populated, multi cultural city, and it has its seamier side, regrettably gang turf warfare makes certain areas dangerous (some of that is imported) this is an element with any major city be they in Europe US and Australia from what I hear Zero tolerance approach to law and order exists in places such as Singapore for example, the downside being so does capital punishment!.

Just remove the people & you have a beautiful city!

Done with London- everyone out for themselves. Had my walking sticks kicked from under me a few timespushing & shoving to get on public transport, plus buses are mingling 😩

TerriBull

I apologise not J52, that was to jdoj

Apology accepted, I’ve just picked myself up from the floor!
My beloved home city!

I apologise not J52, that was to jdoj

J52 to describe London as a "shit hole" I think you must live in a bubble and haven't visited other major cities in the developed world. Many aspects of London are world class, it's sky line for one. I always loved the views walking over Waterloo Bridge towards St' Paul's Cathedral. London has amazing, museums, art galleries, theatres, parks, sorry NY, Central Park is not a patch on Hyde, St James's (I walked through that one on the way to work often, it's gorgeous) and have lived near both Richmond and Bushy both fantastic, that's not to mention some of the smaller lesser known parks, and of course Hampstead Heath, London is awash with green areas. It has a magnificent history, even before the Romans named it Londinium, second only in importance to Colchester there was a thriving culture which artefacts in The British Museum bear testament to. Moving on to the Elizabethan era, London has the world renowned Shakespeare's Globe. . Shopping well that goes without saying and of course, wonderful restaurants with cuisines from just all four corners of the world. I moved away from the outer reaches a couple of years ago, for a quieter pace of life. London is heaving it has to be said, even a few miles out, it is typical of any densely over populated, multi cultural city, and it has its seamier side, regrettably gang turf warfare makes certain areas dangerous (some of that is imported) this is an element with any major city be they in Europe US and Australia from what I hear Zero tolerance approach to law and order exists in places such as Singapore for example, the downside being so does capital punishment!.

A very misleading OP.

Stop and think of the violence you have seen reported throughout the country over the past few years, against children.

London is certainly not at the top.

London generally is a safe and enjoyable city, those reporting otherwise are sounding a tad neurotic imo.

How many other places in the UK have the same size population eg 8 million. Proportionately is crime higher than other cities? Sure someone will know. Yes, the modes of crime has changed but so has society and the laws governing us from a very early age.

Loved your post mouse44. Nothing better than walking along the south bank. I was born in S London but moved in early childhood to the south coast and walking along the Thames
is almost as good as walking by the sea.
Now I live in N Surrey and regularly walked with a good friend from Waterloo to Tower Bridge until she moved from here. Various life events have stopped me from repeating my Londin walks for the moment. But as soon as I can I will be there in the train, bus and tube. Keeping aware if what is happening around me. Looking as if I know where I am going, cross body bag under my coat. Ticket and some small change in my pocket. My phone away.....but it's only a "dumb" one. I couldnt give it away

My niece lived in Manchester and her next door neighbour had bullets through the front door. I won't call Manchester a cesspit as that is so rude to people living there. But that scared her.

I have lived in an outer borough of East London on and off for most of my life . I love living here and visit central London regularly. It is a vibrant area with lots of green space . But still there are gang “issues” .
Yes parts of London have suffered like Oxford Street and have become rundown, but the good transport system , places to see and enjoy far outweigh this. Sadly there is violence everywhere and many rural towns have huge drug and knife problems.
I spent two weeks in Cornwall in the autumn and a large town ( I won’t name) I visited had many rough sleepers, plus drug paraphernalia obvious in doorways of closed down shops. The streets were very dirty and I felt quite vulnerable walking around on my own. I think everywhere has become more dangerous and London no more so than anywhere else.

Thank you Eloethan for putting the record straight about Johnson's tenure as mayor. I moved to London in 2007 aged 63 and am now 80 and still here and I love London! I meet such kindness on the buses and tubes and never stand for more than three seconds; young people are so generous and kind. I live in Lambeth which has a policy of greening the borough so there are flower planters and new trees everywhere. I see far more wild life close to than I did living in Devon. Sometimes I walk along the Thames and see Parliament in the evening light and I can't believe how beautiful it is. There is always so much to do and see. Of course there is crime and I have been incredibly lucky in not being affected by it (so far) but I love living in a mixed neighbourhood and getting to know people from every country in the world and every class.

Cess pit is definitely the wrong terminology. I was born and grew up in London and lived there most of my life. We moved out when we retired not because we no longer liked London but because we wanted to live more rurally rather than urban. We still visit as we have friends there. I agree it is no different to any other City for example Manchester which was mentioned. A London friend lives there now and finds it more crime ridden than London. It is all about our experiences and in some cases our perception.

Wyllow3

FriedGreenTomatoes2

^
So why has the O/P singled out London? its clear, looking at the stats, its round the whole country^

I singled it out Wyllow3 because of the shocking news I’d just heard about an eight year old girl being shot this morning.

When news such as this fails to generate shock and outrage we have lost our soul.

But why does that make London singled out "a right cesspit?" We had 6 shot and injured in my city in August and it doesn't make it a "right cesspit", it was one sick individual. Of course every incident is shocking and one too many.

I've lived in London for most of my adult life and simply don't worry about going out and about, I use public transport all the time.
However I wouldn't walk about in some of the rougher areas at night, but I imagine that applies to most cities.
Having people shot in Kensington in unusual - though it it is a very large borough. The shooting was in Ladbroke Grove where you can go from a smart area to a rough area within a street or so. We no longer go to the Notting Hill Carnival as we used to, there are vast crowds of people, pick-pockets and every year somebody is injured or killed.
I certainly wouldn't call London a "cess pit" though.

Manchester is just as bad. I always keep a small slim bag just with essentials in under my coat. No cash, just a couple of notes if needed, bank card, bus pass and phone.
I don't think anywhere is particularly safe these days, be wary all the time.

tanith

Croydon is in London 🤔

It is technically London but is more than an hour's drive from the centre. I looked online and it was suggested that it would cost more than £120 to travel there by taxi.

Most cities now are dirty and filthy ... Pot holes etc

I love London and we go up regularly to shows at the National, museums and galleries. Yes, there are problems but compared to when we lived in the Isle of Dogs in the mid 80s, it is so much cleaner. I used to despair of the litter blowing around when I worked in the City.
We live near to Bournemouth and it is a dump. I never go in unless I absolutely have to.

I was born in London and lived over half my life there. We now live in South East. I go back to visit family but it is constantly changing and becoming unrecognisable. So much building and destruction of the old buildings. There are parts that I would never visit and wouldn’t feel safe. It has lost its essence. Have many memories of my family and life there.

I’m a Londoner born and bred like a lot on here, but have to say very few boroughs are what they used to be,in my view.
Was glad to get out when we did tbh.