If you are moving to London, you will be joining the 12 per cent of the UK population who already reside here – and the city is still growing. London is a mix of ethnicities, with more than 300 languages spoken in schools and 33 per cent of the population born outside the UK. It's also a lively city with a largely young population, a vibrant nightlife and has some of the world's best known landmarks such as Big Ben, the Houses of Parliament, Buckingham Palace and the Tower of London, attracting more than 16.5 million tourists a year. If you are moving to London from elsewhere in the UK, here are some of the reasons why it is such a fantastic place to live.
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Diversity of the Boroughs – Each of the boroughs in London have their own community. Compare the glamour of Mayfair, Kensington and Chelsea, to the peacefulness of leafy Richmond, and the liveliness of Hammersmith with its riverside walks, buzzing night life and excellent shopping facilities. If you are looking for fashionable places to live, consider Soho, Notting Hill or Hackney.
Lots to See and Do – London is full of tourist sites, so you will never be short of things to do here. Among the most popular attractions, aside from the ones mentioned above, are the British Museum, the National Gallery and the Natural History Museum, the Science Museum, Victoria and Albert Museum and the Tate Modern – all of which are free to enter – and the London Eye, where you can get a birds' eye view of some of the city's famous landmarks.
Good Job Opportunities – Whether you are seeking a job in banking and finance, the media, IT, health sectors, education or retail, there are job opportunities to be had. The majority of jobs are in the service industry and as many as three quarters of the Fortune 500 companies have offices in London.
Lots of Parks and Green Spaces – London is the greenest city in the world, in terms of size, with open spaces amounting to nearly 40 per cent of Greater London. Among some of the popular parks and commons are Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Hampstead Heath, Wimbledon Common and Clapham Common.
Superb Social Life – With thousands of pubs, restaurants, night clubs, cabaret clubs, live music, and wine bars, it's almost impossible to be bored in London. It's a sociable city and you'll find many people go for drinks after work, or meals out. For theatres shows, head to Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Haymarket or Shaftesbury Avenue.
Excellent Transport Links – Explore the city by bike, tube, bus, train, taxi or even boat, and there are 24 hour buses available. If you want to go further afield, most areas of the country are linked to London, and the city has excellent links abroad with Victoria Bus Station operating bus services to mainland Europe, the Eurostar operating from London St Pancras International, and you can fly to a number of worldwide destinations from Heathrow, Gatwick, Stansted, Luton, Southend or City Airports.
Ethnically Diverse – London is considered one of the most ethnically diverse cities in the world, where you can sample different cultures in the arts, festivals, and theatre, and a host of different foods. As a general rule, head to Chinatown for Chinese food, Paddington for Middle Eastern restaurants, Brixton for Afro-Caribbean, Kingsland Road for Vietnamese and Finsbury Park for Greek and Turkish restaurants.
Higher Wages – London offers better wages than anywhere else in the UK but this is outweighed by the higher property prices; London has some of the highest property prices in Europe, which is why some people choose to live outside the capital and take a daily commute to work.
Great Shopping Facilities – London is a shoppers' dream with upmarket designer stores, high street shops and department stores including the world famous Harrods and Harvey Nichols in Knightsbridge. Head for Covent Garden, Regent Street, Bond Street and Oxford Street for the main shopping districts, or Camden Lock Market for a bargain. If you like shopping centres, Westerfield Shopping Centre won't disappoint as it is the biggest shopping centre in Europe.
Great for Sports – Whether you follow, tennis, football, rugby or cricket, you are well placed for it in London. With world famous grounds such as Wimbledon Tennis Courts, Lord's Cricket Ground and Wembley Stadium, you can soak up the atmosphere at one of the matches. And, of course London hosted the 2012 Summer Olympics and Paralympics which were hailed a huge success.
For removals to London from the UK or abroad, contact Dolphin Movers today.