I left London five years ago for a life by the sea — I’d never go back

After months in lockdown with noisy neighbours and paying astronomical rent, I decided to leave London for good. I had lived there for around three years and decided I was done with the noise, chaos and filth I saw on an almost daily basis. Before lockdown, the city was a hub of activity. Restaurants were buzzing, bars were filled with people, and my local coffee shops were bustling with commuters every morning. The city was the perfect place to stay out late, try new cuisine and socialise with friends.

However, when lockdown hit, everything changed. Like many people, I felt disillusioned with the city. What was once a thriving metropolis was suddenly dead, and, like most people, we were stuck all day indoors to avoid contracting COVID-19.

I couldn’t see my friends or family, and other than a daily trip to the supermarket and a walk to the local park, we couldn’t leave the house.

Lockdown saw many people re-evaluate their priorities. While I used to enjoy bar-hopping and staying out all night, I suddenly craved outside space, beautiful coastal scenery and fresh air; three things London was severely lacking.

And even as cafes and restaurants started to re-open for takeaway orders, the magic of London remained lost for me, so I made a drastic decision: I moved to a seaside town I had only visited once before.

Renting in London is still ridiculously expensive, but when I left my one-bedroom flat in South East London for a property double the size in the delightful seaside town of Deal in Kent, I wasn’t expecting to save £275 a month. And that wasn’t all I saved money on. I now live close to an Aldi, where prices are much lower compared to the small Sainsbury’s store at the end of my road in London. I also no longer lived in a cold, detached Victorian house that had been poorly converted into flats, which meant my gas and electricity bills were surprisingly lower.

While I still visit London on occasion to visit friends and attend events, there are three main reasons I would never move back to the city:

1. The cost

It can sometimes feel like breathing costs 10p a minute in London. Money seemed to evaporate from my bank account when I lived there, which made saving extremely challenging. While I could have cut back on takeaway coffees, takeaways and meals out, that is very much a part of the London lifestyle. Going out for a few drinks with friends could easily turn into a £100 night out if you include transport costs.

I loved being surrounded by a variety of restaurants in London; I had never tried Eritrean cuisine before I moved there, for example, but the choice was sometimes overwhelming. I found myself wanting to try everything, which wasn’t always possible when you had rent and bills to pay.

Another aspect of living in London that many people don’t realise costs money is public transport. I was lucky enough to live fairly close to the office when I had to commute in before lockdown, but it still cost me around £10 a day, which soon added up.

Now, I largely work from home, with the occasional commute to the office. The local public transport isn’t as good as TfL’s, but I rarely use it unless I need to attend a hospital or a doctor’s appointment. I currently live within minutes of most of Deal’s shops, cafes and restaurants, so I tend to walk everywhere, which has saved me a lot of money.

2. The noise

I didn’t realise how loud London was until I left. The constant hum of noise quickly becomes normalised within a few days of living there. So when I left, I was stunned to find myself deafened by silence. I had become accustomed to the sound of the overground at the bottom of my garden, sirens echoing from miles around, and the sound of my neighbours watching TV and talking.

Living in a town centre means I still get the odd bit of noise pollution, but it isn’t on the same level as London. My main complaint nowadays is seagulls aggressively squawking on my roof in the early hours during the summer.

3. The scenery

For me, nothing beats seaside views. I was brought up on the Dorset coastline, so seeing that bright blue stripe on the horizon feels normal.

Don’t get me wrong, London has some beautiful views. Sitting at the top of Blythe Hill Fields in South London, looking down at the park and some of the city’s most iconic skyscrapers was one of my favourite things to do when I lived there. However, after a few years, I found myself craving coastal views. I missed the beach, the sea and fresh air. No matter how many parks I visited in London, the air still always felt thick and smoggy.

Everyone said I would regret my decision to move to the coast, but to this day, it’s one of the best decisions I’ve ever made. Don’t get me wrong, there are a few downsides to living by the sea; we’re swamped with tourists in the summer, there are fewer amenities, and everyone I know is a lot further away, but I’d take all of that over living in London.