London is vast, there’s no mistaking. And there are so many exciting things to see and do at any one time. But that can be overwhelming. And getting about on London transport isn’t always that easy. In fact it can be quicker to travel up to Birmingham than it is to get to one side of London to the other. As a result you can end up living in a much smaller area, staying closer to home or work as that’s the easiest option. Whereas in Birmingham it’s a lot simpler to get around on trains, buses and the tram. And you can also drive to places a lot easier than London too.London is vast, there’s no mistaking. And there are so many exciting things to see and do at any one time. But that can be overwhelming. And getting about on London transport isn’t always that easy. In fact it can be quicker to travel up to Birmingham than it is to get to one side of London to the other. As a result you can end up living in a much smaller area, staying closer to home or work as that’s the easiest option. Whereas in Birmingham it’s a lot simpler to get around on trains, buses and the tram. And you can also drive to places a lot easier than London too.
London is vast, there’s no mistaking. And there are so many exciting things to see and do at any one time. But that can be overwhelming. And getting about on London transport isn’t always that easy. In fact it can be quicker to travel up to Birmingham than it is to get to one side of London to the other. As a result you can end up living in a much smaller area, staying closer to home or work as that’s the easiest option. Whereas in Birmingham it’s a lot simpler to get around on trains, buses and the tram. And you can also drive to places a lot easier than London too.

15 reasons I left London to move to Birmingham

Fionnuala Bourke
By Fionnuala Bourke
Published 15th May 2023, 16:55 BST
Updated 15th May 2023, 16:57 BST

BirminghamWorld editor explains why she left the bright lights of London for her home city of Birmingham after a decade of living in the capital

I’m a born and bred Brummie and so proud of my home city and I love living here.

But as a teenager back in the 80s I couldn’t wait to get out of the place - as fast as I could. Why my parents would leave the beauty of the west coast of Ireland for concrete collar Birmingham was beyond my comprehension - especially as so many of their relations moved to cool places, like New York!

After my A levels I got myself to New York on a Camp America scheme. It was great, but I was glad to come back Birmingham and Blighty.

I got a job at Britannic Assurance (when it was in Moseley) for a year - before I headed off to London to study Politics and Modern History at Brunel University.

Upon graduating I moved into a flat share in Clapham Junction and got a job in children’s book publishing in South Kensington. But despite the bright lights and buzz of London I came back to Birmingham as much as I could, moving back permanently after a decade in The Old Smoke.

I’m not the only person to quit the capital for Birmingham, the Second City of England. Latest statistics tell us that between 6,000 and 7,770 thousand people are leaving Birmingham for London each year since 2017.

In fact, Birmingham is the most popular city of choice for London leavers by some distance. If we look at the figures for 2020, there were 6,519 people who moved to Brum from London - with Brighton the second most popular city with 5,558. You can see the full listing in our story here.

And with HS2 there are some who believe this could escalate further. Some London publications have even referred to Birmingham as a ‘commuter city’.

But as the birthplace of the industrial revolution, home to world leading cultural icons like the Peaky Blinders and heavy metal  Birmingham is very much a city in its own right.

Here are 10 reason I quit London for Birmingham:

After my A levels I got myself to New York on a Camp America scheme. It was great, but I was glad to come back Birmingham and Blighty.

From trophies to chocolate - yes, Birmingham is the birthplace of Cadbury’s chocolate. Not only is this a great thing to boast to all your friends about, but you can also visit Cadbury World and eat as much chocolate as your stomach can handle.

13. Birthplace of Cadbury’s

From trophies to chocolate - yes, Birmingham is the birthplace of Cadbury’s chocolate. Not only is this a great thing to boast to all your friends about, but you can also visit Cadbury World and eat as much chocolate as your stomach can handle.

We’re a laid back bunch, renowned for our modesty when it comes to shouting about the brilliance of Birmingham. But, make no mistake, the people of Birmingham are among the most friendly you can meet anywhere. They’ve got a warm welcome for everyone and pride themselves in championing diversity and equality. Birmingham is a City of Sanctuary which has offered a home to many people in need. There are a host of festivals celebrating different cultures all year round. We even campaigned to get the Commonwealth Games Bull a permanent home here. There are some who try to belittle our accent. But, bab, when you get here you’ll realise just how great us Brummies really are.

14. Brummies

We’re a laid back bunch, renowned for our modesty when it comes to shouting about the brilliance of Birmingham. But, make no mistake, the people of Birmingham are among the most friendly you can meet anywhere. They’ve got a warm welcome for everyone and pride themselves in championing diversity and equality. Birmingham is a City of Sanctuary which has offered a home to many people in need. There are a host of festivals celebrating different cultures all year round. We even campaigned to get the Commonwealth Games Bull a permanent home here. There are some who try to belittle our accent. But, bab, when you get here you’ll realise just how great us Brummies really are.

I still enjoy a trip to London, but to live in London full time, you have to be fairly committed to living in a busy urban environment, as there aren’t many parts of the city that aren’t densely populated. On the other hand, you don’t have to make that choice in Birmingham because the countryside is so close and there are many quieter parts of Birmingham that have a small town feel to them. Plus, Londoners get to stay within close proximity of their old home town when they choose Birmingham, so they get the best of the country and city while also keeping close contact with their previous home.

15. Keeping the best of both worlds

I still enjoy a trip to London, but to live in London full time, you have to be fairly committed to living in a busy urban environment, as there aren’t many parts of the city that aren’t densely populated. On the other hand, you don’t have to make that choice in Birmingham because the countryside is so close and there are many quieter parts of Birmingham that have a small town feel to them. Plus, Londoners get to stay within close proximity of their old home town when they choose Birmingham, so they get the best of the country and city while also keeping close contact with their previous home.

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