Is london safe at night?

As there seems to be quite a few members local to the area on here why not meet up? safety in numbers etc.
 
I'll go along with what a lot of people have said here. If you generally look like you belong, you are far less likely to have trouble. I've lived and worked in London for the last 11 years, some of which involved living in Bermondsey (South East London) which doesn't have a salubrious reputation. I had to walk through a number of tower block estates to get home every night (as did my fiancee) but neither of us had any encounters, partly just due to looking purposeful and like we knew where we were going.

As for Canary Wharf, it has always been pretty civilised when I have been there (which is a lot). You are more likely to see inebriated bankers than muggers. The South Bank has a great atmosphere at night, with plenty to see and I would recommend walking across Waterloo Bridge for the view (one of my favourites in London).

I work in Soho so have been out around the area a lot at night. There are always lots of people out and about, and again I have never had any trouble....although some of the tourists seem to think that I should know which addresses the prostitutes work out of....must be my face I guess.

Have fun
 
Naboo32 said:
Another good trick, especially if you are walking back to your hotel after taking your pictures, is to put your camera bag inside a polythene shopping bag (Tesco, or Sainsburys, not Harrods :D) and walk along purposefully, as though you know exactly where you're going. That will be enough to make most people think that you are local and not draw attention to you.
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I think that is very good advice, the only downside is people think you are a local and stop you for directions -- could be worse I suppose :D

David
 
I really have no concerns about walking around London on my own with a camera.

It isn't the big, bad and scary place a lot of people make out to be, granted I wouldn't walk up a tower block in Peckham to get a good view but the majority of London is absolutely fine.
 
I was a bit wary of taking photos in london at night but when i was there last october but my fears were unfounded.
We went to see the lion king and went to chinatown for some food after which we were taking photos all around including piccadilly circus and leicester square etc and the atmosphere couldn't have been less intimidating.

As others have said,you just need to be on your guard and don't wander to far off the beaten track and you'll be ok.
 
Kings Cross isn't the nicest place in the world, I'd be a little careful around there.

Also avoid Vauxhall bridge at any time of the day/night - when I worked at a building ajoining that bridge on the south side we used to get members of staff mugged and or stabbed in broad daylight on the bridge at lunchtime!
 
As people have said, keep to the well lit areas and you should be ok.

Another important thing is don't look like a tourist, i.e. looking "lost", hovering at crossroads, studying roadsigns/map. Know your route beforehand and walk confidently because uncertainty reeks of vulnerability and the bad people have a nose for it.
 
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I would avoid Kings Cross (nothing of interest there anyway). I went to college around there, and grew up in London, and still wouldn't walk around with a DSLR at night there.

Alternatives I'd suggest would be Regent's Park, SouthBank and along the river past all the usual bridges, Houses of Parliment / Big Ben, ChinaTown/Picadilly/Leicester Sq etc.
 
desantnik said:
Kings Cross isn't the nicest place in the world, I'd be a little careful around there.

Also avoid Vauxhall bridge at any time of the day/night - when I worked at a building ajoining that bridge on the south side we used to get members of staff mugged and or stabbed in broad daylight on the bridge at lunchtime!
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Yeah, but that was by the guys from the building on the north side of Lambeth Bridge! :p

Besides which they should have been heading down to the Queen Anne if they were playing true to form!
 
Hahah yes the Queen Anne and its infamous "finger buffet", that takes me back :D
 
well im back.what a great place!!!. didn't have any trouble what so ever.although i did not get to shoot as much as i liked due to meetings and rain on day one i loved london.i spend 70% of my time wondering round lost :lol: but i didn't mind just enjoyed the shops and huge buildings.as far as shops go,my god jessops is amazing!.went in with my d90 and had the freedom to use any lens that i wanted.so much fun and opened my eyes to more expensive lenses.one sight i found breath taking was st pauls cathedral,simply stunning.i had the problem of only a 55-200 with me so iv attempted a photo stitch of it consisting of 30 images! probably wont work but it will give me something to do.but thanks to all who answered my original question.is London safe at night? from latest experience i would say yes:thumbs: thanks again
 
Wow, I didn't think people got wowed by London any more... I suppose it depends where you live :)

But yes, not everyone on London's streets after dusk dies in a horrific way but thats not to say that you can't easily find yourself in trouble....

Glad you made it back ok :D
 
Been living in London for the past 18 years, at the top of a tower block in Peckham as it happens Original Poster ;) The only time I've been mugged was in Caernarfon in Wales.
 
As previously said, its like any other big city, be alert and be carefull, dont wonder down alleys or places that are too quite, I grew up on the streets of East London, but it was a different London to today (Im not going into details for fear of being branded something nasty)

You could leave your front doors open, and often Mum did, you could walk the streets without fear of mugging and people hurting you, but due to political correctness London is not a safe place any more, you will be fine if you stick to public areas
 
desantnik said:
Wow, I didn't think people got wowed by London any more... I suppose it depends where you live :)

But yes, not everyone on London's streets after dusk dies in a horrific way but thats not to say that you can't easily find yourself in trouble....

Glad you made it back ok :D
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Yes one or two make it through alive.... :lol:
 
Glad you enjoyed it and the St Paul's view is amazing - be sure to post your 30 piece stitch!

Which Jessops did you visit? I like the people in the New Oxford Street one - there are a couple of women there who are most helful.
 
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