[fmman107]

London is waste of time if you don't know the right people. Especially, after Brexit, the only women that actually come to London short to long term are Chinese students living in student accomodation and having already too many options in their communities.
Then you have the 'Londoners' who most are weirdos and scared to speak to strangers in the street.
As you said social circles are the key, but really tough to build.
London is done.

London is done, but only because Londoners, as in British people, have moved out to the satellite towns in Hertfordshire, Essex, Kent etc, while all the foreigners and ethnics have moved in. There are still plenty of Polish etc living in England, that has not changed, and they are as difficult to score with as ever. Brexit changed nothing. It is true that Londoners are too busy working to talk to strangers. There is a slower pace of life in places north of Leicester and people more friendly. It is harder to make friends wherever you go if you are older