Comments on: The most liveable cities in the world… ever!

By: Roman Empress

Roman Empress — Thu, 23 Jul 2009 10:31:39 +0000

I was there during their summer, so this could well explain the work shortages. Again, this was just my own experience and certainly Melbourne has a lot to offer. I lived there in 2000.

By: 23 Daves

23 Daves — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 23:01:24 +0000

Oh, and Southend… went to school there after my parents moved from London, and my hatred of the place is the same as you’ll find in any teenager who was stuck for too long in a provincial town they felt they didn’t belong in (do a deep, cinema trailer voice for that sentence if you like). It would take a lot of persuading for me to move back, although forcing the people I went to school with to move away could possibly be the start of a deal of sorts.

By: 23 Daves

23 Daves — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 22:52:29 +0000

I’ve heard you say that before… but when I lived in St Kilda (2004) I thought the junkie problem was over-exaggerated by most people who lived there. Sure, there was a population of addicts there, but compared to East London and even Portsmouth, it was nothing to worry about. Perhaps this is just my perspective given that I’ve lived in some nasty little grief-holes in my time, or perhaps I just wasn’t paying enough attention.

I also never had any trouble getting work in Melbourne, although I have heard that the summer season can be a pain in the arse for anyone on a visa there, and I’d upped and left for other bits of Australia and New Zealand by then.

As for Zurich… I didn’t mean to sound that critical, actually. There are very few cities apart from London I’d entertain the notion of basing myself in, so the fact I said I’d go to live there without tears is actually something of a compliment. Parts of it did remind me a lot of Melbourne, in all honesty, which is itself a city I have some fondness for.

By: Roman Empress

Roman Empress — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 19:33:48 +0000

I couldn’t find work in Melbourne and eventually had to leave for that reason whereas I was never out of work in Sydney. Sydney city beaches are more of an event too. That’s not to say they’re better than Melbourne’s but I don’t recall being drawn to the city beaches there. Surely these are both factors in terms of standard of living, or at least they would be for me. Melbourne’s cafes are something special though. I also went to some good gigs and festivals there but seeing jacked up people everywhere I turned in St Kilds was a bit of a downer to be honest and less east to avoid when you live there than say, Kings X in Sydney which has a similar problem but is more of an animated pocket that you can easily eschew…

By: Cocktails

Cocktails — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 18:30:02 +0000

Don’t hold back Dave!

I haven’t actually been to Southend so I can’t comment, but I definitely think its worth a visit. Similarly, I’d also like to go to Zurich to see what it’s like. You are not the first person to describe it as beautiful but boring. A friend of mine was recently offered a transfer there but he turned it down flat on those same grounds.

By: 23Daves

23Daves — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 12:18:34 +0000

I’ve never cared for Sydney at all – Melbourne is much friendlier and has a much more active gig scene and arts scene. However, that could all admittedly have changed in the five years since I left.

Just got back from Zurich, strangely enough. It’s a beautiful city with fantastic public transport (they didn’t seem to “do” late trains), but not without its flaws. For one thing, their supposedly trendy bars and cafes were seriously lacking compared to ones you would find in France or even Germany, as was their arts scene, and whilst we did encounter a lot of nice folk, too many seemed rather stiff and impersonal. I wouldn’t cry if you told me I had to live there, but I wouldn’t pick it ahead of London. There just weren’t enough obvious advantages. Still, I suppose what I’m looking for doesn’t equate with what the average person wants from a town or city.

Really strange to hear so much positive talk about Southend as well. I left there in 1993 and vowed never to return. Has it really changed that much for the better? The final straw for me was being battered by a gang of eight shaven-headed blokes whilst minding my own business walking down the street (although I could list a lot of other very similar sketchy behaviour besides, not to mention the right-wing, Daily Mail reading nature of most of the town’s inhabitants).

By: Cocktails

Cocktails — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 10:56:02 +0000

Good point RE. I’m not sure myself, and I don’t think it’s made especially clear in the article either. I’m a Sydney person myself so I’m completely biased. They’ve both got rubbish public transport, but NOTHING beats the harbour!

By: Roman Empress

Roman Empress — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 09:16:31 +0000

I did very much like Melbourne, by the way, it’s just I wondered why it’s favoured over Sydney.

By: Roman Empress

Roman Empress — Wed, 22 Jul 2009 08:48:12 +0000

I notice Melbourne has slipped down the list somewhat and did actually top the list about 5 years ago. I wonder what’s behind that? (other than the high level of heroin and prostitutes?)
Even when it topped the list, I couldn’t see how it’s preferable to say, Sydney, which I personally found more fun and attractive.

By: Cocktails

Cocktails — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 21:37:27 +0000

Crafty, did you realise just how liveable Melbourne was though before you read this? I didn’t! Neither with Sydney which was no. 13.

Yes, but I bet the cakes are good in Vienna BLTP.

By: BLTP

BLTP — Tue, 21 Jul 2009 20:31:52 +0000

Copenhagen is not bad even though it were closed the weekend we went, not sure how good it is if you’ve not got dannish family, switzerland is just dull.
in general doesn’t “liveable” mean well off and upper middle class i imagine Tokyo is pain in the arse if you are low paid cleaner communiting miles to work etc the same goes for most of these places. Also with exception of our scandnavian friends and the odd frenchy we’d have to wait a long time for decent tune out of most the list and i bet the pies are rotten in Vienna.

By: crafty

crafty — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 23:21:26 +0000

Well, I can’t comment on any of the other 9, but I do find Melbourne very difficult to leave.

By: Redemption Blues » Britblog Roundup 231

Redemption Blues » Britblog Roundup 231 — Mon, 20 Jul 2009 17:03:42 +0000

[...] and Records introduces us to a list of The most liveable cities in the world…ever! as compiled by Monocle magazine. Without giving too much away, only two in the Top Ten are [...]

By: Clairwil

Clairwil — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 13:10:36 +0000

Cocktails,
Do treat yourself to a copy of The Digger it is quite wonderful. However don’t get too excited by the Selfridges thing the council have been saying we’re getting a Selfridges for the best part of ten years and there’s still no sign of it. Far be it from me to accuse the council of retail delusion but one does wonder…..

By: Cocktails

Cocktails — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 12:43:11 +0000

Hello Clairwil, ok next time I’m in Glasgow first stop will be the news agents to buy a copy of the Digger – I’m sure it will help get me into the swing of things. I need something to help me to get over my ponceyness (I was actually very excited to hear that Glasgow’s getting a Selfridges – about time I say!)

By: Clairwil

Clairwil — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 21:24:59 +0000

@illman,
You are so dead for including Glasgow Central in that list! We’re getting a Selfridges you know.

Cocktails,
You must get your mitts on a copy of The Digger, it’s a bit like Hello for neds. My cousin has been in it for something involving baseball bats, she’s a sort of Victoria Beckham figure for the neds of North Glasgow. Sometimes my family make me so very proud.

By: Cocktails

Cocktails — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 17:10:35 +0000

Right, looks as though a trip to Old Leigh is imminent Piley. We’ll go when summer eventually kicks in. It’s nice to know that places without crappy, cheap high density housing developments still exist!

By: ill man

ill man — Sat, 18 Jul 2009 16:02:19 +0000

Low comedy on my part. It was meant with a bit of affection, but didn’t come out that way.

By: Piley

Piley — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 22:21:47 +0000

What no Basildon OR Pitsea?? This was rigged….

Do head for ‘old leigh’ if you make it this way Cocktails… the best part by a mile and steeped in olde worlde history. When you did out those old ‘how we used to live’ type books, most of the pics of Old Leigh from the 1800’s look just the same as now!

By: Cocktails

Cocktails — Fri, 17 Jul 2009 16:06:22 +0000

No, no American cities Keith. And no British ones either. Clearly we’re just not cutting it somehow. Despite this, I still find London quite ‘liveable’ though – most of the time!

Mondo, I really must visit Leigh on Sea – it does look very nice indeed. There are a lot of fabulous villages tucked away along the East coast. I wonder if Monocle do a ‘liveable villages’ index too…