TrickyTrev

No wonder there are so many drawn games in the CC.

I never find the city distant at all. Despite the size of the city I feel a tangible sense of community almost wherever I am. As for being socially cold, it depnds where you go. The trendy bars of Soho and the West End are for toutists but I find places like Camdem and Brixton to have the most exciting and suprisingly intimate social scenes I have been too. (although I admit to being young and not brilliantly travelled) In the end I think whever you live it is what you make of it. I have grown up in Luton which is on the face of it a shit hole. However, due to the friends I have made and the things I have got involved in I can't say I have not enjoyed my childhood/young adolescence.

If you are referring to London then you have only seen what the tourist sees. All cities have their run down areas and Elephant and Castle in South London has to be the biggest dump I have ever had the misfortune of to step foot in. Bristol, the other big Southern City, is very attractive but also has its run down estates and what not. Well it depends what you look for in a palce to live. I would happily sacridice aesthetic surroundings and luxury living conditions for a city with atmosphere and a tangible culture of enjoyment. I live almsost perfectly between London and Milton keynes, I go to London on a weekly basis and rarely step foot in MK even though its shopping centre is superb as its cinema and all infrastructure.

It is far from perfect but calling it a dump is a bit much. There are many worse places in this country both in temrs of atmosphere and infrastructure. Having said this, I have no desire to live in leicester when I am older. London, Manchester and Bristol are all far more atmospheric.