The Economist17 min
Discover London: royal shopping and wild-swimming
Megan Clay Jones, James, David Morgan-Hewitt, Peter, Edward Boddenham
- London is identified as the world's most popular international city destination, having welcomed 30 million visitors last year.
- The city is characterized by a duality of high-profile tourist hotspots and lesser-known "wild and unspoilt" local subcultures.
- East London Transformation
- Once known for 19th-century slums and Jack the Ripper, the area is now the city's creative epicentre.
- Tower Hamlets (East London) has seen a shift over the last 15 years from a non-destination to a hub with significant "buzz and energy."
- Shoreditch is widely recognized for its bars and clubs, while the canal networks remain a hidden asset for locals.
- With rising rents, the 3,000 floating homes on London waterways have become a popular living arrangement.
- Many houseboats operate pop-up businesses, including floating cocktail bars, bookshops, and record stores.
- Canal boat residents foster a friendly subculture, often waving to passersby or offering tea.
- The canals feature historic horse-drawn haulage marks and numerous artist studios.
- Nature and Urban Retreats
- Hampstead Heath offers a 790-acre public park featuring wild swimming ponds located just six miles from Trafalgar Square.
- The ponds cater to diverse needs, including mixed-gender pools, gender-exclusive ponds, and nudist areas, with entry costing "just a couple of pounds."
- While London lacks beaches, the presence of outdoor lidos and ponds provides a "complete antidote" to city stress.
- Local residents frequent these natural spots regularly, whereas tourists rarely visit them.
- London is cited as the "greenest city in Europe" with 35,000 acres of public parks.
- High-End Hospitality and Luxury
- The Goring hotel in Belgravia charges up to £8,400 per night for rooms.
- Afternoon tea at the Goring has become "unbelievably popular" over the last four to five years.
- The hotel, opened in 1910, has hosted notable figures including Margaret Thatcher, the Queen Mother, and Winston Churchill.
- Managing Director David Morgan-Hewitt notes that luxury perception is shifting toward uniqueness and experiential offerings.
- Food, Drink, and Heritage
- London contains more than 7,000 pubs, a figure that includes both traditional establishments and a rising number of microbreweries.
- The UK currently boasts the highest number of breweries per capita of any country globally.
- German Street in St James's hosts Royal Warrant Holders, including jewelers, hoteliers, and bespoke shirt maker Turnbull & Asser.
- Perfumery house Floris offers bespoke scents dating back to the 1890s, including a formula created for Winston Churchill and another for Ian Fleming.
- Floris provides a service where customers create personalized perfumes and have their recipes recorded in ledgers alongside historical figures.
- Microbreweries offer guided tours of the brewing process, which involves mixing malted barley with water at 75 degrees.
- Entertainment and Community Events
- Greyhound racing at the Dogs in Romford is described as an "authentic London experience" as tracks are closing down across the capital.
- Betting at the tracks involves a unique sign language system between gamblers and dealers to place wagers.
- The Campfire Club in Peckham is a fortnightly event in green spaces where residents gather for music and storytelling, often without tourist awareness.
- Campfire Club attendees report that the event contradicts London's reputation for unfriendliness, fostering international social connections.