LONDON I believe most people have an idealised version of their city in the back of their mind: a version where we could change whatever we wish to. I still enjoy being in London, despite having lived here my entire life. This place seems to evolve and grow with me, always alive with many different cultures and neighbourhoods, and yet every area is characteristically “London”. However as with every big city, there are multiple flaws and so there are hopes for a truly utopian metropolis. Here are mine: Could London be the new city that never sleeps? New York City is often cited as the city that never sleeps, but what’s stopping London, another global hub, from being a 24/7 city? Most cafes shut their doors by 5pm, restaurants tend to close around 10-11pm, leaving clubs and fried chicken shops as the only options after 11pm. Imagine you just finished work or studies at 9pm, but you don’t want the day to be over yet. You don’t want to go clubbing, but perhaps you’d love to enjoy some Korean BBQ or tacos with friends, or even enjoy a museum exhibition at night? In my dream London, you could! What if you could walk around London without fear? It’s widely known that crime, including theft and stabbings, is a prevalent issue in London. Contrastingly, there are other capital cities in Europe which are safer, which we should aspire towards. I’d wish for more police patrols, the night tube available every day and more-well lit residential areas. Perhaps better investment into services that help those who may be tempted into violence and crime may eliminate the root of the issue. It’s a difficult, long process to reduce crime rates in such a large city but I hope that Londoners will fight for a safer city and expect more from their politicians and police force.
Can you imagine a day out in London not draining your bank account? It’s no surprise that living in London is expensive. It’s truly doom-inducing that rent for even a small, single bedroom flat is so expensive. It seems that Londoners without a higher than average salary are forced to either rent with a partner or friends for years, or buy a house out in the suburbs or commuter towns. On top of the costly rent, checking your bank account is a must-do before a day out in London, at least for us students. There definitely are budget-friendly options for shops and restaurants, but these places seem to be dying out as companies realise they can charge 200% more if they make their food or product “aesthetic”. I can’t deny, I do love a pretty-looking plate of food from time to time, but it adds up!
Why should we accept a city as it is when we, the people, make it what it is? A city is a skeleton without its many residents. London is a city of history, culture and opportunity, so as Londoners let’s make history, join cultures and take every opportunity to make our dreams for London come true.
Amelia Elamradi
Image by Pietro De Grande on Unsplash
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ondon My Ideal L
What if the city centre wasn’t a crowded mass of bodies? If you’ve ever walked in Soho or Oxford Street during the weekend, you‘ve probably had to squish between never-ending crowds of people, or even step off onto the road to try and quickly make your way along the pavement. London is a city of 9 million people, and it is likely to continue growing, so why not try to make it feel less like 2 million of those people are in the same street as you on Friday evening? If central areas in London were pedestrianised, this would make the centre less polluted, more walkable and more spacious.
