First Time in London
Think you know the capital well? Think again
WORDS | SEB STOWBAR
POPULATION: 7.5m VISITORS PER YEAR: 26.1m (DOMESTIC: 11.3m; OVERSEAS: 14.8m) LANGUAGE: ENGLISH CURRENCY: POUND (£) PINT OF BEER: AROUND £3 ONE BED APARTMENT IN CENTRAL LONDON: £200,000+ ONE NIGHT IN A FIVE STAR HOTEL: £250+
LONDON HAS ALWAYS BEEN ABOUT TRADE AND COMMERCE. The Romans favoured it as a mercantile outpost, as the largest sea-going ships of their Empire could reach the settlement’s banks. Over two millennia later and business still defines the place: a free city, uncaring at times and filled with blaggers, but never without opportunity.
True, London’s position as a world-class metropolis might have taken a knock in recent years, yet a first time visitor to the city’s centre wouldn’t notice this walking among limestone blocks of Whitehall, Westminster and Trafalgar Square, which seem to have remained unchanged since the fall of the British Empire.
Soho, just to the north of Westminster, also retains its reputation for fashion, creativity and sleaze. The city’s film business is run from this district and its smaller boutiques still stock some of the best clothes and records in town.
West of the city centre lies Kensington, Chelsea, Bayswater and Notting Hill: residential neighbourhoods of varying levels of exclusivity. There’s a pleasant, villagey feel to these streets.
To the east lies Islington, Clerkenwell, Shoreditch and Hoxton. Once the poorer districts of London, these areas have seen their fortunes rise in the past few decades, and, alongside Camden to the north, are the districts where young Londoners go to drink and party.
London’s trades also have clear neighbourhoods: finance in the City; film, advertising and creative industries in Soho; law in Holborn; government in Westminster; jewellery in Hatton Garden; fine art and antiques in Belgravia.
Destination restaurants are generously distributed around the centre of the city; last year a record 132 Michelin stars were awarded to British establishments. However, quality tends to plummet at the lower end of the market. So it’s safer to stick to regional restaurants, such as any of north London’s numerous Turkish restaurants or the curry houses of Whitechapel and Brick Lane. Yet, as with everything in the British capital, its always worth taking a risk. It remains a city where he who dares often wins.
RESTAURANTS
Blakes
Utterly exclusive, beautifully designed and very private. From £150.
33 Roland Gardens, SW7, +44 (0)20 7370 6701, www.blakeshotels.com
Sanctum Soho
Opulent central London place with a rooftop bar and jacuzzi. From £145.
20 Warwick Street, W1B, +44 (0)20 7292 6100, www.sanctumsoho.com
Marriott County Hall
Reliable five star; views of the Houses of Parliament across the river available. From £175.
Westminster Bridge Road, SE1, +44 (0)20 7928 5200, www.marriott.co.uk
The Bleeding Heart
The finest French restaurant in London. A stone’s throw from the banking district, though only open Monday to Friday.
3 Bleeding Heart Yard, EC1, +44 (0)20 7242 2056, www.bleedingheart.co.uk
Lutyens
Terence Conran’s newest venue has a bar, restaurant and four private dining rooms.
85 Fleet Street, EC4, +44 (0)20 7583 8385, www.lutyens-restaurant.com
Tayyabs
A tasty, low-cost, bustling Lahore-style curry house.
83-89 Fieldgate Street, E1, +44 (0)20 7247 9543, www.tayyabs.co.uk
TAILORING
Everyone knows about Savile Row, yet there are plenty of small tailors’ ateliers in central London who charge a fraction of Row’s rates for made-to-measure suits, and also offer good rates on alterations and repairs. Try Franco Santoro [26 Kingly Street, W1, +44 (0)20 7437 8440].
TIP
On Sunday grab a coffee and a map and walk the markets of East London. Begin at Columbia Road (flowers), head on to Brick Lane (fashion and bric-a-brac) before finishing at Spitalfields (fashion, food, antiques and more).
A BRIEF HISTORY
AD 50: London founded by Romans, near Poultry (EC2). Soon burnt down by angry local queen, Boudicea. 1066: The Normans invade and start building the Tower of London to help keep the rebellious locals in check. Westminster Hall started. 1666: The Great Fire of London destroys four-fifths of the city. Swiftly rebuilt by Sir Christopher Wren, with added Baroque cathedral. 1951: The Festival of Britain leaves London with its finest piece of Modernist architecture, the South Bank complex.
SCENE DOUBLE
London has been passed off as other locations in a number of films. Look out for Beckton Gasworks (E6) serving as war-torn Vietnam in Full Metal Jacket (1987) Senate House library (Malet Street, WC1) doubling as Gotham City in Batman Begins (2005), and Berners Street (W1) passing as New York’s Greenwich Village in Eyes Wide Shut (1999).
BUSINESS TIPS FOR LONDON
Colin Stanbridge, chief executive of the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry offers his advice
· The London economy is regularly cited as one of the most competitive in the world, which is why Londoners might seem like they are always busy and in a rush. Turning up five minutes early for an appointment will always be appreciated and will ensure for a friendly and productive meeting.
· London is a vast city so you should have your travel arrangements carefully planned. To make your life much simpler your first purchase should be an Oyster card which will allow you access to all tube, commuter rail and bus routes within Greater London. To plan your journeys visit www.tfl.gov.uk
· Make sure you take some time to enjoy the city’s staggering array of attractions. If your schedule is too busy you could always combine business with pleasure by inviting a potential client to a West End show or Premier League football match.
· Contact the London Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
We have a number of overseas members who use our offices in the City of London as a base for their day’s work. www.londonchamber.co.uk
