In the new “View
from London” series, supported by HSBC Expat, the FT takes a look at London
in the run up to one of the biggest sporting events in the world.
London has always been a city for expats. For
hundreds of years people have come from all corners of the world seeking
opportunities. In recent years this has
only accelerated with London now as one of the few ‘global cities’ where
multinational companies whizz in executives as a middle ground for meetings
between east and west.
As a result London life has adapted and now offers some of
the best selections of entertainment out of
global expat locations. Nine in ten (90%) of respondents in the 2011 Expat
Explorer survey were impressed with the cultural offering of London.
London undoubtedly caters fur a truly international audience
with cuisine and expat communities from almost every country in the world
helping expats feel at home in London. From a work perspective London offers
everything the career seeker could wish for.
One of the largest expat groups in London are the French. London is often regarded as
France’s 5th city with an expat population of over 300,000. Corners
of London such as South Kensington now have the feel of a Parisian street; the
French Parliament even has its own MP for London.
The downside is its infrastructure, particularly the
transport network in the capital which still relies on its Victorian
foundations. The tube network, despite the frantic pace of upgrades to allow
modern features such as air conditioning and mobile phone signal, still lags
behind many cities. Airport capacity is also straining the capital. New
arrivals frequently have to wait hours to get through customs and passport
control and the debate over a new runway means this situation is unlikely to
get better any time soon.
Despite the drawbacks in transportation, James Pickford at
the FT writes, “Expatriates who decide to
come to London can be certain of one thing: they are arriving in a city that
has had centuries to hone its appeal.”
Do you agree? Share your experiences with us by tweeting
@expatexplorer or leaving a comment below!
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London is a great city. So many things to do. Downside is that everything is so expensive and the tube is horrible. But you get used to it and if you want to relax you can escape to Kent or head north. Come to London, it's worth it.
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