Plus: Victoria Park battle over All Points East, the Hackney school war that wasn't, the AI-generated parking appeal mess, and wild swimming in the River Thames.
Just a general note - as I think I made clear - that this is no Panglossian London-is-great claim. If you saw some of the forthcoming stories we’re working on regarding decline of the public sphere, organised crime, and political failures you’d never think that.
What’s happening is a growing gap between the massively flawed city you can see with your real eyes (and I cover hundreds of miles to all corners of the capital every week) and the utter catastrophic city that exists in online content.
Is London “massively flawed” or just, y’know, a real place with strengths and weaknesses that goes through ups and downs? Let’s not undersell ourselves. There’s enough of that from <<waves hands>> those guys.
Is that a point requiring this much shoe leather, though, that there is exaggeration and false claims on the Internet? A few months ago Julie Bindel alleged that young girls were being groomed in Westfield Stratford, while Sadiq Khan tries to imply things are all hunky dory. There's recently been arrests for major social housing fraud in Barking & Dagenham. The Aspire party in Tower Hamlets is, well,...the Aspire party
You are unlikely ever to experience violent crime; rates have fallen not only in London but across much of the world. There are plenty of possible reasons for that: lower birth rates, shifts in attitudes, environmental changes such as reduced lead exposure, and others etc.
But it is wishful thinking to pretend that everyday rule breaking is uncommon. Fare evasion, shoplifting, littering, if we choose to count it, are everywhere. It can leave the impression of a more atomised society, where the small duties of the social contract are often shrugged off. We live in the most permissive of times. Petty crime is RIFE.
People have adapted their behaviour to the risk of violence too. Watch how people avoid roadmen or let people push through ticket barriers behind them (person convicted this week after being someone up and leaving them with a bleed on the brain)
Aziz is ghastly (#savethepcc) but Khan’s presence at such things really shows up the naked racism - racism facing two ways, amazingly - of the Tory “He’ll steal all your gold” attacks on him sent to Hindus during elections.
Khan is a capitalist, corporate stooge who allows billionaires to (in many cases, literally) steam roll through London. He is an unscrupulous crony. The racism is, well racism, and drowns out solid and legitimate criticisms of him that we should discuss. I totally dislike the Obama-fication (you can have that one!) of Khan.
It would be good if London Centric could cover the rise in delivery drivers riding electric cycles on London's pavements please.
As a pedestrian, I've had a few near misses with riders whizzing past me and others.
It is surprising that the police, councils and TFL do not regulate this. Riding fast electric cycles on pavements is dangerous to the public. Sadly it's only a matter of time before someone is severely injured.
If I ever find myself in one of those “London is falling” conversations, I make a point of laughing in the middle of one of their sentences and quickly using the word “fantasy”. Most people consider themselves practical and empiricist, even if they aren’t and wouldn’t use that term. If you just flat out offer personal experience to counter what they’ve heard, many will fold. If they don’t, just insult where they live, then ask them how that’s different.
The mayor’s press office is making a big push with “content creators” who are more likely to produce upbeat positive coverage than journalists. More importantly, your average London “content creator” has access to a much wider audience - and is half the age of - most journalists.
I see your politics starting to show too much. Shame. London is deteriorating on so many levels - I don’t want to ignore that but your stories were a welcome relief.
I hadn't realised how prevalent this 'London is falling' narrative is, arguably due to my own filter bubble. Cabbie in Newcastle told me he hates London, but reserved his strongest hatred for Sadiq Khan, a politician who has no say on his life. He admitted he only visits London once a year max.
You were clear enough. “Cutlery” is “used primarily for eating” (OED). Those are not the kind of knives one, very reasonably, requires ID to purchase. Something only a knee jerk libertarian could object to.
Cutlery sets include butter-knives, and per Brooker v DPP (2005) those are considered bladed articles. If you want to buy a set of forks or spoons you're perfectly fine.
Re AI hallucinating: this in theory should make AI a great creative writer but ironically it doesn't have the imagination required to write engaging fiction - because it simply scrapes the internet for snippets of human-authored stories. This is why AI can't replace humans: it needs us. If it tried to replace us and power on without further human input it would recycle the human-produced content for a while, then die because it would have no more fresh material.
You report that people are denigrating London for monetary gain, but then use headlines like, 'Hackney school war' and 'Would you swim in the Thames?' thus doing the same thing.
You also seem to have an American view on London life, if your phrases, 'Fine and dandy' and grammar (no capital after a colon in UK English) are looked at.
Just a general note - as I think I made clear - that this is no Panglossian London-is-great claim. If you saw some of the forthcoming stories we’re working on regarding decline of the public sphere, organised crime, and political failures you’d never think that.
What’s happening is a growing gap between the massively flawed city you can see with your real eyes (and I cover hundreds of miles to all corners of the capital every week) and the utter catastrophic city that exists in online content.
Is London “massively flawed” or just, y’know, a real place with strengths and weaknesses that goes through ups and downs? Let’s not undersell ourselves. There’s enough of that from <<waves hands>> those guys.
Is that a point requiring this much shoe leather, though, that there is exaggeration and false claims on the Internet? A few months ago Julie Bindel alleged that young girls were being groomed in Westfield Stratford, while Sadiq Khan tries to imply things are all hunky dory. There's recently been arrests for major social housing fraud in Barking & Dagenham. The Aspire party in Tower Hamlets is, well,...the Aspire party
You are unlikely ever to experience violent crime; rates have fallen not only in London but across much of the world. There are plenty of possible reasons for that: lower birth rates, shifts in attitudes, environmental changes such as reduced lead exposure, and others etc.
But it is wishful thinking to pretend that everyday rule breaking is uncommon. Fare evasion, shoplifting, littering, if we choose to count it, are everywhere. It can leave the impression of a more atomised society, where the small duties of the social contract are often shrugged off. We live in the most permissive of times. Petty crime is RIFE.
People have adapted their behaviour to the risk of violence too. Watch how people avoid roadmen or let people push through ticket barriers behind them (person convicted this week after being someone up and leaving them with a bleed on the brain)
The same narrative is circulating about my home city, Dublin. While there is a lot of random, unprovoked violence, Dublin is not a hell-hole.
Funnily enough the mayor was at the event to light London’s Ramadan lights on Friday evening - still sponsored by the Aziz Foundation!
Aziz is ghastly (#savethepcc) but Khan’s presence at such things really shows up the naked racism - racism facing two ways, amazingly - of the Tory “He’ll steal all your gold” attacks on him sent to Hindus during elections.
Khan is a capitalist, corporate stooge who allows billionaires to (in many cases, literally) steam roll through London. He is an unscrupulous crony. The racism is, well racism, and drowns out solid and legitimate criticisms of him that we should discuss. I totally dislike the Obama-fication (you can have that one!) of Khan.
Yeah, I don’t want it though.
Meow!
It would be good if London Centric could cover the rise in delivery drivers riding electric cycles on London's pavements please.
As a pedestrian, I've had a few near misses with riders whizzing past me and others.
It is surprising that the police, councils and TFL do not regulate this. Riding fast electric cycles on pavements is dangerous to the public. Sadly it's only a matter of time before someone is severely injured.
It's the illegal nature of most of these courier e-bikes that makes them particularly dangerous as overall speed is not limited to 25km/15miles/h
Agreed, but it's on the police to enforce the law. Councils and tfl have nothing to do with it.
If I ever find myself in one of those “London is falling” conversations, I make a point of laughing in the middle of one of their sentences and quickly using the word “fantasy”. Most people consider themselves practical and empiricist, even if they aren’t and wouldn’t use that term. If you just flat out offer personal experience to counter what they’ve heard, many will fold. If they don’t, just insult where they live, then ask them how that’s different.
Though we do need a Mamdani style mayor with daily press conferences on progress
If Sadiq Khan did more press the racist attacks on him and the general attacks on London would simply get worse.
The mayor’s press office is making a big push with “content creators” who are more likely to produce upbeat positive coverage than journalists. More importantly, your average London “content creator” has access to a much wider audience - and is half the age of - most journalists.
I see your politics starting to show too much. Shame. London is deteriorating on so many levels - I don’t want to ignore that but your stories were a welcome relief.
Fantasist.
I see we've found another one!
If you think AI- mass produced hallucinated parking appeals are a big problem, wait until you see how this issue is being dealt with by the High Court — https://www.judiciary.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Ayinde-v-London-Borough-of-Haringey-and-Al-Haroun-v-Qatar-National-Bank.pdf
I hadn't realised how prevalent this 'London is falling' narrative is, arguably due to my own filter bubble. Cabbie in Newcastle told me he hates London, but reserved his strongest hatred for Sadiq Khan, a politician who has no say on his life. He admitted he only visits London once a year max.
You need ID to buy cutlery is a true statement
The LA resident was specifically asking about spoon purchases. Should have been clearer.
Fair enough, though ID for cutlery is grimly emblematic of how government responds to criminality
I think it very sensible. Preferable to convicted criminals being able to buy a machine gun in Walmart, certainly.
You were clear enough. “Cutlery” is “used primarily for eating” (OED). Those are not the kind of knives one, very reasonably, requires ID to purchase. Something only a knee jerk libertarian could object to.
Look up cutlery sets on John Lewis and then scroll down to the box informing you that you need to be 18 to purchase
Cutlery sets include butter-knives, and per Brooker v DPP (2005) those are considered bladed articles. If you want to buy a set of forks or spoons you're perfectly fine.
You don't need ID to purchase a knife. You do need to be over 18, and if you look under 25 shops will ask for ID to prove that you are over 18.
If on the other hand you look 60 they just sell you the knife, without asking for identification.
Re AI hallucinating: this in theory should make AI a great creative writer but ironically it doesn't have the imagination required to write engaging fiction - because it simply scrapes the internet for snippets of human-authored stories. This is why AI can't replace humans: it needs us. If it tried to replace us and power on without further human input it would recycle the human-produced content for a while, then die because it would have no more fresh material.
You report that people are denigrating London for monetary gain, but then use headlines like, 'Hackney school war' and 'Would you swim in the Thames?' thus doing the same thing.
You also seem to have an American view on London life, if your phrases, 'Fine and dandy' and grammar (no capital after a colon in UK English) are looked at.
how on earth are either of those “denigrating London”