27-05-2020, 03:48 PM
11
Re: London Centric?
Originally Posted by Percy Vere
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When we moved from Rome to Hertford, we would go "up" to London at least every couple of months for dinner and a show but stopped after about 18 months because it got too unsafe in our eyes and that was 20yrs or so ago. I still had to go up for the occasional meeting during the day but never felt comfortable doing it. I wouldn't bother going back either.
I feel safer in London that anywhere. I feel I can read a situation, who's who, who's up to no good, and instinctively act accordingly.
But yes I can see how a day tripper coming up for dinner and a show might get caught out. Dinner and a show is not real London.
27-05-2020, 07:46 PM
12
Re: London Centric?
Originally Posted by OldGreyFox
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I used to visit London quite often as a courier and I drove down on the M1 and then took the A5 through Cricklewood, Kilburn High Street, St Johns Wood and past Lords Cricket Ground, where I had the occasional delivery. Kilburn High Street [or road I forget] was always vibrant, heaving with people, and seemed full of every nationality under the sun. It was like driving through Mombassa....I would drive through London, A to Z (no such thing as satnav in those days) on my lap and seek out my delivery destination and find somewhere to leave the van. Nightmare springs to mind, deliveries would be quick, cheap (hopefully) and incident free, then it was back in the saddle and retrace my steps out of the city.....
I would arrive at the beginning of the M1, and a services named the 'London Gateway' I would collapse back in my seat, and feel like I had just been thrown off a roundabout, it was exciting and challenging, but I was glad to be out of there, and looked forward to my long drive home.
We visited London shortly after I had my first Heart Attack (just ten days later) I had already booked the two night stay and was determined not to cancel, Mrs Fox had been so looking forward to it. We took the train down and the weather throughout the stay was glorious. We saw all the usual stuff, and even visited the science museum at my request, even though it was a decent walk.
I enjoyed London, seeing all those places I didn't have time to visit while delivering or when running the marathon, and I would like to return sometime in the future, but two or three days would be quite sufficient. I'm a country boy at heart....
27-05-2020, 07:52 PM
13
Re: London Centric?
Originally Posted by d00d
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Kilburn High Road, West Hampstead (almost), an education for folk up north. Mombassa, salt of the earth characters. I went there last year in search of an Aldi, someone said they had good nespresso capsules.
But then again, I've been to practically every city or big town in England and there are no two the same....
27-05-2020, 11:58 PM
14
Re: London Centric?
I loved London also. But for us it was a novelty especially the second time. (2012) It had improved a lot in some ways since 1985 but I guess you had just had the Olympics and the old girl had been tarted up a bit. But we were in Bayswater in quite a nice place - near the park..Kensington. It sure helps if you have somewhere safe and comfortable to stay. It honestly didn't feel any busier or frenetic than Sydney and a lot more peaceful than New York so all in all we felt fine and enjoyed it. The weather was awful many days but we expected that. What's the point of whingeing about weather?..It is what it is. But there is absolutely no doubt IMO or that of anybody from anywhere I have ever spoken to from any other part of the world apart from the UK that London is the "centre" of Britain. A very large number of tourists don't go anywhere else in England apart from perhaps the Southern Coast or the Lake DIstrict. I know Yorkshire people think that it is "god's own country" and it is indeed very pretty in parts and well worth seeing. But many people don't bother going there I've heard. They just fly to Scotland or Ireland from London. To most of the world London IS Britain. Americans know where Buck Palace, the "square with the lions" (Traf square) the tower bridge and the tower of London are. But ask them to find Liverpool, Manchester or Birmingham on a map. They wouldn't have a clue. London is one of the only two alpha ++ cities on Earth. (* See reference below) No prize for guessing the other one. In a country the size of Britain where there is no other city that comes close to any level alpha rating, of course it is going to be the centre.https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global...search_Network
29-05-2020, 08:48 AM
15
Re: London Centric?
Thanks for the link Keezoy. Interesting, yet not really surprising.On OFF I've heard London called all sorts of things from Londonistan to Cesspit.
It's not only tops in:
... things that some Brit outsiders resent.
29-05-2020, 09:04 PM
16
Re: London Centric?
accountancy, advertising, banking/finance, and lawBut also:
High diversity in language, culture, religion, and ideologies
All the things that are useless d00d....
We should be tops in steel production, engineering, farming, shipbuilding, coal mining and the rag trade.....We were once....But we gave it up for advertising, finance, the media, culture, religion and ideologies, it's a pity none of it was our own.........
Even our banks are all owned by foreign entities.....
29-05-2020, 09:54 PM
17
Re: London Centric?
Originally Posted by Tedc
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I keep seeing the term. "London Centric" which, as I understand it, means that the power, prosperity and influence is, mostly, in the capital, and that all diminishes the further you get away from that Capital. At first, it seems like a major issue (not John Major!).
Then, if I think it through, I can't come up with any country which isn't "Capital Centric".
If that's true, then it's the norm, surely?
Other countries are not all 'capital-centric' at all. France may be, but Paris is another place I'd prefer never to set foot in.
America - Capital: Washington. However, New York is their financial capital and a much bigger city.
Germany - Berlin is the capital, but Frankfurt is their financial capital.
Australia has been mentioned, and I'm sure there must be other similar places.
29-05-2020, 11:46 PM
18
Re: London Centric?
Originally Posted by JBR
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I agree. London thinks it is the most wonderful place in the world. I don't. From what I read, it's the pits and there's no way I'd ever want to live there.Other countries are not all 'capital-centric' at all. France may be, but Paris is another place I'd prefer never to set foot in.
America - Capital: Washington. However, New York is their financial capital and a much bigger city.
Germany - Berlin is the capital, but Frankfurt is their financial capital.
Australia has been mentioned, and I'm sure there must be other similar places.
E.G.
Brazilia, Brazil. Many people think Rio is the capital of Brazil. MOre famous than it's biggest city, Sao Paolo.
Ankara, Turkey. (MOst people couldn't find it on a map). Not Istanbul which is just a little more famous
Ottawa, Canada. Similar to Canberra only a lot older.
Some countries have 2 or three "capitals." South Africa, Netherlands etc
MOst Americans think Sydney is the capital of Australia. In fact Melbourne was the Federal Capital until 1927. IT was also the largest city and is about to become that again. Sydney has never been the seat of federal government.
London is a city that many non Britons see as belonging to the world rather than just England. LIke New York it has a seperate image to the rest of it's country. Personally I love London but I have no baggage with it. IT is unique in the world: like New York, Paris, Rome, Istanbul and may I say Sydney. It is not just "a big city"...I think the world would be a more boring place without it.
30-05-2020, 12:03 AM
19
Re: London Centric?
London is imperfect but it certainly is unique and a global compass point. Maybe even North itself. Everyone seems to gravitate to it when they are lost. Time starts there.In terms of capital competitors what would be in the running? Birmingham? York? Manchester? Can you imagine the Queen relocating to Centenary Square and having a tipple with the Weekend clubbers on Broad Street?
30-05-2020, 02:43 AM
20
Re: London Centric?
Originally Posted by AnnieS
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London is imperfect but it certainly is unique and a global compass point. Maybe even North itself. Everyone seems to gravitate to it when they are lost. Time starts there.In terms of capital competitors what would be in the running? Birmingham? York? Manchester? Can you imagine the Queen relocating to Centenary Square and having a tipple with the Weekend clubbers on Broad Street?
My votes for the UK would be Oxford, Cambridge, Canterbury. And Edinburgh if Scotland remained in the UK permanently.
Like London,New York City is a world in itself. It is huge, dense, exciting and surprisingly safe these days. As they say ..If you can't get it, buy it, see it, feel it, hear it, taste it or smell it in New York...Jack you're dead!" or "If you don't live in NYC, you're just camping out"..But NYC has never been, never will be and doesn't want to be the capital of the USA. And although the good citizens of LA would argue the point, it certainly is the centre.
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