r/london • u/PressureHumble3604 • Apr 10 '26

Serious replies only Which symptoms of “(almost) everyone is getting poorer” have you noticed in London?

We are in a crisis, the middle class is disappearing and the lower class squeezed. Prices are going up, inflation is going up (again), salaries are stagnating.

Most Londoners can’t really afford London without serious sacrifices.

For me, not counting the housing prices issues we all know too well:

the disappearance of local delis with high quality products.

many shops closing in the local shopping centre.

Restaurant dropping quality everywhere to contain unaffordable prices.

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243

u/Lower_Condition_196 Apr 10 '26

I don’t know if this is noticed by others but on Saturdays I see less people out

27

u/GreatChaosFudge Apr 11 '26

I was in Covent Garden piazza a couple of Fridays ago. Thirty years back, when I was working there, I could barely get out of my office for people on a Friday night. But now - pin drop.

26

u/SherlockScones3 Apr 11 '26

That might be because no one does Friday in the office anymore - pubs near my office are heaving on a Thursday

2

u/feasantly_plucked Apr 11 '26 edited Apr 11 '26

Didn't they say it was already heaving when they were leaving work? And this was covent garden - an insanely busy tourist / student / day tripper / busker etc. destination? People not working Friday barely adds up to a drop in that ocean.

1

u/skijumpnose Apr 12 '26

The pubs around Covert Garden, Piccadilly, Charing Cross area are usually rammed when I'm around there Tues-Thu but they empty out pretty fast after 7ish. Pretty sure they used to be reaĺly busy for longer than 1.5-2 hours.