PRINT IS DEAD

Whether you’re on the brink of graduation, finishing your education, or just floating around on a loose end, looking for a bar to work in and start your life somewhere. The magnetic pull which used to collect young adults from across the country in this state of ‘not sure what to do with my life’ limbo, and drag them to the magnitude of the capital, is fading away, and rightly so. This piece is not a sub section of the anti-London manifesto, (but do keep an eye out), however 130,000 people left London in 2023, and that’s because times are a-changin’.

Amy’s Camden has gone, the TFL charge you a tenner for walking round the corner, and every good (and by good I mean cheap) pub, bar, or club is in danger of extinction. Unless you’re looking to link up with some finance bros and sniff lines of coke in suits, I ask you: what’s attracting you to London?

Yet London is not the focus of this article. The focus is reality over reputation, grabbing a good thing before its gone. The reality is that the cities of Bristol, Manchester, Leeds, Liverpool, all the way up to Glasgow and Edinburgh, are all home to swathes of young people working in all sorts of sectors. Whatever your background, industry or experience, if you’re looking for a change and a new stomping ground to spend your twenties and not sure where to look, my advice is find yourself a room in a flat share in one of these cities. Find a group of people who you know or don’t (try to avoid living with first year students if you yourself are not a first year student), and take a leap. 

Rather than floundering in the possibilities of the future, let’s dive into the reality of what’s happening in the UK right now. 

Instead of scrolling through their twenties, the citizens of Bristol city are roaring, and by walking around the streets of Bristol it could not be more obvious. The city is bursting at the seams with creativity, the Bristol sound has maintained its core strength as the city shakes around the clock to the beat of the country’s loudest sound systems, always offering a sticky floor to dance on. Whether its a sweaty basement you’re into or a constant roll of live music ranging from jazz to drag, there is something on every night of the week. Bars and pubs offer beautiful music, wonderful smoking areas, and lovely, locally brewed pints. The culinary scene of this city is curious and cutting edge, offering cuisines of the globe, available either through a hole in the wall or fancy pants linen lined tables (to clarify, it’s not just one or the other). The bristolian paradise is a haven for the eco-friendly and the independent in every sense of the world, if you don’t like life to be a bit rough around the edges, its not for you, and it won’t take you too long to figure it out. 

Another destination which is very much more aligned to London if a metropolitan environment is what you’re into, is northern powerhouse: the republic of Mancunia. Manchester is like that fun auntie who is always getting pissed at christmas, in a fun, rather than annoying way. She’s a cornerstone of British culture. This woman can only be described as all-encompassing, and she’s definitely not one to be left in the past. Whilst Manchesters’ futuristic industry, which is both cutting edge in not only technology but green technology, is one of the factors attracting renters who are looking for work. The city is home to a plethora of professional pub goers, who know that in every nook and cranny there is somewhere to go. Manchester offers the perfect synergy between the old and the new. Some of the original venues from the 90s such as Band on the Wall, host performers week in week out, whilst there’s new bars, clubs, restaurants, some which combine all three in one (Shoutout Ramona) opening all the time. Although I will be biased to my home town, the reputation of this city does not outweigh the reality. 

These are two examples of the many city’s I think you should consider before packing in your bank account and moving to London. These two cities as well as Liverpool, Leeds, Glasgow, the list goes on, are welcoming more and more young people, and I’m not talking about students, these are young people who are getting on the ladder of life in a city where they can both earn a few quid, and spend it very well. These cities are unique, each one in their own way, Leeds’ is brimming with music venues, events to be enjoyed with a pint which averages at the price of £3.50. Liverpool is a UNESCO heritage site, it has incredible exhibitions, theatre, and an array of festivals on a permanently moving conveyor belt. 

People from all over, including southerners who seem to be overcoming a certain phobia of the north, and Londoners who have gotten over the London pride gimmick are moving to places where you can find a job, find some friends, find someone to love, and get away from your family. Don’t be afraid to move somewhere new, be brave, be bold. Delete tinder, ask someone out at the bar, get rejected, don’t get too depressed by it. Whatever you do, don’t move to London.

By Max Kuhillow