[boredreceptionist]

Hello,

Right i am moving to London {was meant to be August/Sept- but I've been kind of offered a job starting soonish in Soho}

Basically I don't know ANYTHINg about London Geographically. I gather Soho is quite central. My Idea is to geet something quite close by for the first months in order to find my feet in London, and suss out the areas and transport potentials.

The job is based in Whitfield Place {?} and if possible I'd like to stick reasonably close to that.

However, I have absolutley no idea how big the area is, I mean if I get a place in the soho area, will I still need to get the bus/tube?

How does the transport systems work, are they a nightmare to use. expensive etc... the last thing I'd want is to be miles away from where I work, and get "stuck" if i missed the last bus, or tube...

Iknow I'm rambling on a bit, but basically I'm looking for any info or advise anyone can give me on where would be good, and handy and closish by to where i'll be working. Iwon't be on great money either, so it'll be a room within a shared house i'd be after- what kind of prices can i be expecting.

Thanks
BR

[YID IN ST.A]

[boredreceptionist]

Ok, well where would you suggest I live? Something not TOO far away, and with good cheap transport links?

Thanks for the reply

[YID IN ST.A]

[boredreceptionist]

I'll be on a pretty low wage to start off, so as cheap as poss! I don't really care about how "shabby" the area is, obviously i don't want to be mugged three times a week, but I don't expect to be living in Notting Hill... The main thing is I'd like to be as close to my work as possible!

[YID IN ST.A]

[boredreceptionist]

WEll I'm going to work {all being well} with a crew/equipment company, as a trainee. I'll probably have to live on brown sauce sandwhiches, and ave up for three weeks to buy a bottle of wine... hopefuly the shitwages won't last *too* long!

[YID IN ST.A]

[boredreceptionist]

I'm coming from Belfast, so not too far if it all goes pete tong!

I want to eventually be a camera operater, so this looks like a great way in, what do you do?

To be honest wages havnt been discussed, what would you say- would be the minimum a person could live on? rent, food, and public transport, i suppose if absolutley nessisary {i'd RATHER not} i could give up/cut down dramatically on boozing and smoking!

[YID IN ST.A]

[boredreceptionist]

crikey, I'm screwed, and Ireally will be eating brownsauce sarnies, and saving up for three weeks, maybe four for a bottle of beer never mind wine.

Nice one, have you been to Belfast much.

What has you up so late?

[YID IN ST.A]

[boredreceptionist]

Me too- hate night shift! Might be able to take on a second job in the company i work for now, doing maybe two nights in the week, which will give me eating/drinking money...
GRIM!

What do you do?

[YID IN ST.A]

[boredreceptionist]

Cheers matey- good luck yourself!

[hugheskevi]

I'd give up any idea of living in Soho, it will be far too expensive.

A good starting point if you know nothing of London is to google a Tube map and look at the various zones. You are going to find it hard to find anything that isn't very expensive in zone 1.

For commuting it is handy to not have to change Tube lines. Kennington could be a useful choice - that is only about 10 minutes on the Tube away down the Northern line and a lot cheaper than central London. Oval and Stockwell would also be reasonable choices.

Most people using public transport will have a monthly travelpass (or annual). You are looking at a bit over £20 per weeek for that. These are valid on buses and Tube and night-buses. After the Tube closes there are night-buses. A lot depends on where you live as to how good these are, but if you live quite close (zone 1/2) they are okay.

Central London is actually quite small, and walking rather than public transport is feasible for a lot of journeys within zone 1. Taking Leicester Square as a starting point, you could easily walk to Embankment, Holborn, Oxford Street, Holborn, or Piccadily Circus. An hour walking would get you pretty much anywhere in zone 1.

For a room within a shared house, expect to pay between about £80 and £140 per week (including bills - note that bills are significant and check whether they are included or not in the price quoted, particularly council tax which is outrageously expensive here). For example, in Kennington you could probably pick something basic up for £100 per week, but if you want things like cleaner, satellite TV, internet, etc, you would be looking at about £130-£140 and upwards, including all bills.

Personally I find that living in a shared house I spend in total about £250 to £300 per week, of which £120 is accomodation and £20 travel. I wouldn't really like to have to try living on under £250, and definately not under £200. I guess as a bare minimum you could get by on £150 per week in London if you really tried but you wouldn't be doing much!

[rob444]

If you wan't to live near Whitfield Place you will be eating brown sauce sandwiches without the bread!
It is seriously expensive, pleasant area though.
You are a close walk to Warren Street tube (Victoria and Northern lines). This gives quite a choice of areas in north, east and south London.

[QMS]

Zone 1 will be too expensive for you. By a long shot. Give up any idea of living there until you're earning over £40k! On £16-18k pa, even zones 2 and 3 will be pretty tough, unless you don't mind living somewhere a bit scummy. It'll definitely be a shared house / flat... studios start at around £600 per month further out, and over £1000 per month in Soho!

[boredreceptionist]

Thanks everyone! Sounds like good solid advise, I'd consider anywhere as long as I didnt have to go on loads of buses and tubes to get where I was going. I'll look into Kennington, Oval and stockton Defo!

Also what about Hackney, would it involve hundreds of changes?

Thanks for the help guys, I do have loads of maps of the tubes, and of London, but they are sooo confusing!