27-05-2025
I moved from Yorkshire to London - there's one thing I find truly disgusting about living down south
A man who moved from Yorkshire to London has opened up about the biggest differences he's noticed - from what he misses most about the North to one thing in the capital that he finds downright 'disgusting.'
Oliver Radcliffe, who hails from just outside Huddersfield, made the move to London six months ago - and he's already picked up on a number of 'wild' differences between the two regions.
And while he stressed the capital has 'plenty to offer,' he admitted that it's come as a bit of a culture shock to be regularly faced with 'grumpy commuters' and 'nobody ever saying thank you'.
A recent trip back home made Oliver realised it's not just family or a familiar bed he misses - it's the small, everyday things that really make a place feel like home.
Writing for MyLondon, here are the three things about northern life Oliver can't stop thinking about - and the one southern habit he's really not a fan of.
1. The water
Having grown up on the outskirts of the Pennines, Oliver admitted he maintains 'high standards' when it comes to water quality.
According to the Yorkshire lad, the 'extremely hard' water in London doesn't quite compare to a 'refreshing, crisp glass of Yorkshire tap water' that 'might as well be an endless supply of Evian'.
And he described the taste of London tap water as 'disgusting'.
He explained: 'London tap water is extremely hard, and battling with the limey liquid is a fight you don't realise the pain of until you find a thin film of limescale scum floating on every cup of tea, which even gold label Yorkshire Tea can't fix.'
Oliver also highlighted his ongoing battle with keeping things sparkling clean in his home.
He said: 'The days of a clear shower screen are a thing of the past, wine glasses - crusty, and don't even get me started on the damage it does to a kettle.'
2. The hills
Having gone from a lush landscape of of moors, rolling hills and the Peak District on his doorstep, Oliver says the flatness of London just doesn't cut it.
He described the 'endless flat' of London as 'eerie and bleak', though he mentioned the capital has some 'gentle inclines'.
He added: 'Simply having hills building up the horizon is something you don't quite appreciate when you become so used to them.
'But taking a Londoner for a trip up to the top of Holme Moss, they will quickly understand what I'm talking about.'
3. The pies
If there's one thing Oliver truly misses from home, it's a proper meat-based Yorkshire pie.
He declared his 'stereotypically northern, deep-rooted' love for a pie, and often craves a rustic pork, apple and stuffing variety from a local butcher when he's in the capital.
He grew up a stone's throw away from Denby Dale - famous for making the world's biggest pie at 40-feet-long - and says the tradition and flavour of Yorkshire pies are unbeatable.
He added: 'Whether it's hot or cold, with beans or mushy peas, the rich history of pie-making in Yorkshire is unmatched elsewhere in the country and whatever the generation of butchers have been doing to perfect the recipes over the generations has clearly paid off.'
