London

  • London’s “viewings” business

    London’s skyline is bringing in a new perspective. The platforms available from which to see its sprawling landscape are impressive.

    Horizon 22 offers a similarly unparalleled experience. If you haven’t seen it before, now is the time to look at our capital.

    The moments a free ticket gives you are difficult to match. Most of the cities iconic structures are visible on a totally different scale.

    The River Thames is a gem that pulls in our giants. Look along its course to also spot The Shard, a similarly great option during a day out.

    Albeit some charge, there are perks on offer. In a city prone to its special sights, a selfie up one of these towers is bound to be included.

  • Looking at those who stare at us

    I got the gist of it before I travelled. I’d heard of a few altercations outside of The Guardian office in London. There were rumours of shouting, pushing, and shoving. A disabled lady said she’d been tipped over in her wheelchair. It was an ugly affair.

    I was asked to have a look at the issue. It sounded like a campaign of harassment. It came across as being ‘fake’ to work for it. I followed a few employees and saw their drug dealers. It wasn’t looking good before I ventured out of London.

    In Torquay, I met a distressed man. He’d been through three weeks of stress because of a man who travelled to the area. He was known internationally for attacking people who didn’t read it. He’d been targeted. He’d stopped going out most days.

    Another trip revealed a Jewish girl who trekked across the UK to find likely targets. It was a similar affair. She found people who didn’t read it and attacked them. After accusations were made a few divorces followed. She didn’t try to clarify it.

    Upon return to London, I tried to look for a key target. I found her loitering outside a “BBC” office. It was her usual spot, I discovered. She did the same. She threatened people. She made accusations, as if it was a sin, against those who didn’t read it.

    After prodding, I found these three wrote for it. They were staff, and got paid, but they also had to “muck” in, allegedly. A particularly paranoid “Staffer” routed entire neighbourhoods in single efforts. She worried their ruse would fail if she didn’t do it.

  • Cardinal Place, London

  • Is Khan’s London brand running thin?

    Sir Khan, the Mayor of London, has made a big thing of pumping it as a welcoming place. He regularly declares it open, despite its record breaking passenger stats. It’s a good time to be alive, in Mayoral terms, and don’t we all know it by now.

    However, his focus on minority issues lacks in proportion to the largest city in the UK. It has a population of over eight million people and yet Sir Khan makes sure 15-20% feel like it. His ‘community is unity’ brand is not making waves where it matters.

    The fact is Londoners like it when it’s their tradition, culture, or religion on show. The act of pulling in others to celebrate is becoming part of the fabric of it. An event like Loved and Wanted sounds like a party in Soho, not a day out for the family.

    The vastness of its enterprise expanding up says otherwise. There are more and more coming to work but also to eat, spend time, and play in its pubs, riverside eateries, and sky high restaurants. The local areas need more investment, not new moments.

  • London in February

  • Caught: London “Destroyer”

    In an exclusive for ConservativeNewsSite.com, a suspect involved in the manipulation of business heads, and errors found in the accounting systems of a number of high profile companies in the City of London, has been spotted in a Berkshire town.

    His activities began to be uncovered when suspicious movements were detected in the Ludgate area of the city, during which Police officers were attacked and members of the public were threatened.

  • London’s busyness with itself

    There’s a breathtaking scope of activity centred on London. It encompasses all of the institutions and organised ways of doing things that mark out who we are. If it isn’t in London it’s not there … yet. This is the mantra that multitudes of businesspeople have believed in for centuries. It continues to exist in our time.

    The recent times of riot and royalty have not changed the city at all. Its outlook remains the same throughout its many centres. The shopping, leisure, and retail districts are unsympathetic to catcalls for change or changing styles or modes of doing it. It’s stubbornly, brilliantly resilient to these sorts of whims.

    Six modes of activity in London

    The interest of the millions of people that scour over London annually guides its ongoing narrative. There’s a chatter about town over a style celebrity, a trending social media superstar, or even a Hollywood legend. It’s never quiet if there’s something to see, try out, or do for the first time. It’s the draw of the city itself.

    The humdrum in business areas continues on. It’s going to increase as more businesses move in. It’s a familiar draw for the highly expert and professional. They take their life and work in their stride for companies that need results in the short term to keep their interests – and stock price – in the long run.

  • The controversies of London

    London is a big city, with big voices and personalities. It’s guided by its most ardent supporters – and vocal critics. In recent years, the Mayor of London has emerged as a chief defender of our capital.

    However, on a backdrop of soaring investment, and signs of a rapidly expanding base of global brands and iconic innovations, its journalistic output is sketchy.

    It offers a patchwork, spread between some new but many existing news brands. We know about the buyouts, the moves, and even new hires, but what about the quality?

    Is this what’s lacking? I imagine – as do most of us – that a Mayor would agree our writers at the top of publications, outlets, and news studios could do better.

    The trials and travails of the Mayor’s we’ve had are now lore. They’ve tried to boost investment, fight crime, and give a positive image of the city, only to be beaten back by the media.

    London is a proud city, and hopeful about its future. It’s a shame that morning after morning, and now all day, it’s talked down to the ground.

  • Theatre in London

  • Buckingham Palace, London

  • Khan, the defender

    Sadiq Khan, the Mayor of London, is a popular figure with a lot of respect. His reelection this year for a third term is sure evidence of it.

    However, his thoughts are not always in line with expectations. Take for example a post today, purportedly restating that London is for Londoners in spite of a US Presidential election.

    His remit as a Mayor is the local population – lived, working, or residential – but his views on politics are entirely his own. He doesn’t reflect a broad range of opinions, even if he says it like it is.

  • Crime in the capital

    A walk around London is revealing.

    It’s a nice place of expensive properties and public, open parks mostly. A leisurely walk is frequently a way for Londoner’s to spend their time around work, relationships, and more formal functions.

    It breaks up the monotony of the day.

    The reality of it today however is not so clear-cut. The danger that exists on the streets which line it is a more murky story to be told. It isn’t uncommon to pass suspicious individuals or smaller groups of people on a bright day.

    It’s also not unusual to sit beside a shifty figure on public transport.

    This is suggested to be a part of city life. They say we have to get on with our lives and ignore it. The fact is London has ebbed and flowed in recent years. There are crimes which happens with such force it leaves shock for days if not weeks to come.

    The other point is that some days much of the footfall further out is under suspicion.

    In a previous short investigation I uncovered “Space”, a group self-formed for such a purpose. I won’t say where they came from, but they chose London as a target before they arrived. They had a “mix” of crimes they would commit in relative cover so they weren’t detected, they claimed.

    The group members were clearly criminals even by the looks of it and a few seemed buoyant at the opportunities they saw in the city. This group is an isolated case in a growing, burgeoning city that also has its own prospects in view.

    Yet it’s a disturbing reality we face day in day out.

  • Building restoration

    In London buildings line every street and bend around all corners. At least it’s the impression we get as we walk by. A dip into a park changes that, but it’s a reality.

    If you want to visit properly it’ll entail a lot of building works, as well as stuff to look at on the outside. There are saints, swords, and sinners in all parts of town.

    Mounted Cabin
    Finished Effect
    Windows Protected
    Facade Ready

    This creates a problem too, in that general air pollution grates against the facade and stains the outside of it.

    In comes the work to wash off the dirt, grit, and soot to restore it to like new. It looks mechanical and heavy duty. I suppose decades of cars zooming past does it.

    It makes a huge difference, and freshens it up. Its appeal is restored, and tourists can admire the architecture once again.

  • London’s street shame

    A look around London brings out some interesting surprises.

    On a day when it’s doom and gloom in the skies, a quick peek at the pretty rows of houses brings out their true style – and state.

    Crumbling Architecture
    A Few Nobly Cracks

    Just a look at a few of the houses along one street brings out a few home truths.

    A Few Waste Bags
    A Pretty View

    It’s expensive and hard work to keep these going. There’s also not a lot to be seen from the outside unless it’s in disrepair.

    As soon as the snow blindness clears it’s off to another street to spy.