Town mouse - Jessica Fellowes

London life means constant hustle and bustle, says Jessica. If you want peace and quiet – move to the country

Town mouse; country life
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(Image credit: Country Life)

With the advent of June, a townie's thoughts turn to outings in the park. But not only for a sunny lunch break, sandwich in one hand, juice in the other. More to the big outdoor concerts in Hyde Park. Over the years, a number of large rock and pop festivals have been held in the middle of London. To begin with, the incongruity of a mass gathering of music fans in the middle of a capital city a staging more usually associated with the green fields of Glastonbury was part of the appeal. Now, Londoners are less sure.

Camden Council's demand to reduce the number of summer concerts held in Hampstead's Kenwood House, due to persistent complaints about the noise, meant that it was no longer a viable enterprise. English Heritage, which ran the concerts and benefited financially from the funds raised, have now had to end the popular series. I really think that you cannot live in London and complain about noise. All our walls are thin, we are overcrowded, the roads are used 24 hours a day, there is the constant hustle and bustle of daily urban life. If you want peace and quiet move to the country.

Country Life

Country Life is unlike any other magazine: the only glossy weekly on the newsstand and the only magazine that has been guest-edited by HRH The King not once, but twice. It is a celebration of modern rural life and all its diverse joys and pleasures — that was first published in Queen Victoria's Diamond Jubilee year. Our eclectic mixture of witty and informative content — from the most up-to-date property news and commentary and a coveted glimpse inside some of the UK's best houses and gardens, to gardening, the arts and interior design, written by experts in their field — still cannot be found in print or online, anywhere else.