After living in London for three years, I moved to a seaside town I’d only visited once before
I don’t regret my decision(Image: MILLIE BULL)
Following months confined in lockdown with rowdy neighbours and eye-watering rent costs, I chose to swap London permanently for the coast. After roughly three years in the capital, I’d had enough of the noise, chaos and grime that greeted me virtually every day.
Prior to lockdown, the metropolis pulsed with energy. Eateries were heaving, pubs packed with punters, and my neighbourhood coffee spots teemed with commuters each morning.
The capital offered the ideal setting for late nights, sampling exotic dishes and catching up with mates.
Yet when lockdown struck, everything shifted. Like countless others, I became disenchanted with city life.
What had been a vibrant urban centre suddenly felt lifeless, and we found ourselves trapped indoors all day to dodge COVID-19, reports the Express.
Seeing friends or relatives became impossible, and apart from daily supermarket runs and strolls to the nearby park, venturing out was forbidden.
Lockdown prompted many to reassess what mattered most. While I’d previously relished pub crawls and all-nighters, I suddenly yearned for outdoor space, stunning seaside views and crisp air – three elements London sorely lacked.
Even when cafés and restaurants began reopening for takeaways, London’s allure remained elusive for me, prompting a radical choice: I relocated to a coastal town I’d only visited once before. Renting in London remains absurdly pricey, but when I swapped my one-bedroom flat in South East London for a property twice the size in the charming coastal town of Deal in Kent, I hadn’t anticipated pocketing an extra £275 each month.
And the savings didn’t stop there. I’m now situated near an Aldi, where costs are considerably cheaper than the small Sainsbury’s Local that sat at the end of my street in London.
I’d also escaped a draughty, detached Victorian property that had been badly split into flats, meaning my energy bills dropped surprisingly.
While I still pop into London occasionally to catch up with friends and go to events, there are three key reasons I’d never return to the capital:.
1. The cost
It can occasionally feel like simply breathing costs 10p per minute in London. Cash appeared to vanish from my bank account when I resided there, which made saving especially difficult.
Although I could have reined in spending on takeaway coffees, takeaways and dining out, that’s very much part and parcel of the London way of life. Heading out for a couple of drinks with friends could easily become a £100 evening once you factor in travel expenses.
I adored having countless restaurants on my doorstep in London; I’d never sampled Eritrean food before relocating there, for instance, but the variety was occasionally overwhelming. I found myself wanting to sample everything, which wasn’t always feasible when you had rent and bills to cover.
Something many don’t clock about London life is the expense of getting around. Before lockdown, I was fortunate to live relatively near my workplace, yet the daily commute still set me back roughly £10 – money that quickly mounted up.
These days, I’m mostly based at home, with the odd trip into the office. While local transport doesn’t match TfL’s standards, I barely use it except for medical appointments.
I’m now just minutes away from Deal’s shops, cafes and eateries on foot, which has slashed my spending considerably.
2. The noise
The sheer volume of London didn’t hit me until I’d left. That relentless background din becomes your new normal within days of arriving.
When I left, I was genuinely shocked by the silence. I’d grown used to the overground rattling past my back garden, distant sirens wailing, and the neighbours’ telly and chatter filtering through the walls.
Town centre living still brings occasional noise disturbance, but nothing like London’s levels. My biggest gripe now is aggressive seagulls screeching on the roof at dawn during the summer months.
3. The scenery
For me, coastal views are unbeatable. Growing up along Dorset’s shoreline means spotting that brilliant blue line on the horizon just feels right.
Don’t get me wrong, London boasts some stunning vistas. Perching atop Blythe Hill Fields in South London, gazing down at the park and some of the capital’s most recognisable buildings was among my favourite pastimes when I called it home.
Yet, after several years, I found myself yearning for seaside panoramas. I longed for the shore, the ocean and crisp air.
Regardless of how many green spaces I explored in London, the atmosphere always seemed dense and polluted.
Everyone warned I’d regret my choice to relocate to the coastline, but to this day, it ranks among the best decisions I’ve ever made. Don’t get me wrong, there are several drawbacks to seaside living; we’re inundated with holidaymakers during summer, there are fewer amenities, and everyone I know lives much further away, but I’d embrace all of that rather than residing in London.
