My Top Ten London Tourist Attractions

London is one of the world’s most popular tourist cities. There are hundreds of tourist attractions in the city. Here are my top ten.

London Eye

The London Eye offers great views of this great city. It is a revolving Ferris Wheel that is 135 metres high at its highest, and has views of 25 miles on a clear day. It is constantly moving from 10am until closing time (which varies depending on the time of year) and consists of 32 capsules. The current cost is £18.60 and it takes around 30 minutes to go round. The London Eye is situated on the south bank of the River Thames and has particularly good views of the Houses of Parliament and Canary Wharf.

Tower of London

Officially known as Her Majesty’s Royal Palace and Fortress, this historic castle in on the north bank of the River Thames, next to Tower Bridge. It was founded in 1066 as part of the Norman Conquest of England. It has been used for many purposes over the centuries, including as a royal residence and a prison. It has been besieged many times throughout history and historically has been important in controlling the country. The Tower of London was prominently used as a prison in the 1500’s and 1600’s and many were famously executed there. Now it is a museum.

Houses of Parliament

This is one of London’s most famous landmarks. It is where members of parliament meet to discuss and debate political matters. It consists of the House of Lords, the House of Common and the world famous clock tower, Big Ben. Built in the 19th Century, it is on the north bank of the River Thames in the west London area of Westminster.

St. Paul’s Cathedral

This is the most famous cathedral in Britain and the Mother church of the Diocese of London. The visually most striking part of St. Paul’s is the famous dome. Up until 1962 it was the tallest building in London. The architect was Christopher Wren whose remains are in the corner of the crypt.

The Globe Theatre

The original globe was built in 1599 by William Shakespeare’s company. It was reconstructed in 1997 just over 200 metres from the original and is an open-air stage. The building is a ring-like shape around the theatre. Only Shakespeare plays are shown, and it is a real atmospheric location to watch some of the greatest theatre ever produced.

Science Museum

There are a variety of science related pieces in the Science Museum, including many that visitors can experiment with themselves. It is a hands-on science experience and great for children, who can learn about science while playing with some fun exhibits.

Natural History Museum

The Natural History Museum, situated in Kensington in West London, consists of a large number of life and earth specimens. There are five main collections; botany, entomology, mineralogy, palaeontology and zoology. The palaeontology collection includes dinosaur skeletons, which is what the museum is most famous for. The museum is free to enter.

British Museum

You may think the British museum would be primarily about British history, but it consists of artefacts from all parts of the world, including Egypt, ancient Greece, Asia and America, and much more. There are over eight million artefacts in all. The British Museum has been open since 1759. It is visited more than any other museum in Britain, and has the second most visitors in the world, behind the Musee de Louvre in Paris.

National Gallery

Situated on the world famous Trafalgar Square, this art gallery has over 2,000 paintings. There is free entry but they do hold exhibitions which cost extra. Established in 1824, it is the third most visited museum in Britain.

Tate Modern

The Tate Modern is the most visited modern art museum in the world. It is situated in what was previously the Bankside Power Station, with the outer building much as it was then. The Tate Modern contains a large array of modern art pieces and is constantly changing. Entry is free.

Andrew Marshall ©

Solicitors London

Advantages and Disadvantages of Living in Central London and Commuting

If you are working in London should you live in the City itself, or live further outside commuting to and from work every day? Much of the decision comes down to personal preference, but this article covers some of the advantages and disadvantages of both.

Advantages of Living in Central London

If you are working in central London then living in the City will mean a shorter journey to work. You might even be able to walk to work, something that is a lot easier and quicker than commuting by public transport or car.

In London everything is on your door step and there is lots to do. Whatever you need, it is not far away. Whether it is music venues, the theatre or sports events you are interested in, there is always something happening close by. These are easy to get to and do not need prior planning as it might if you weren’t living in the city. If eating out there are also lots of options.

Public transport is cheaper and more convenient that in other parts of the country, meaning less need for a car and money savings. Because everything is nearby you don’t have to travel as far even when you are using public transport. A single journey on the underground can be as little as £1.50 with an Oyster card; the equivalent journey by bus outside of the city is likely to be significantly more. Over time this can make a big difference.

Disadvantages of Living in Central London

The main reason some working in central London don’t choose to live there is the cost. It is one of the most expensive cities in the world, with house price, if renting or buying, having increased rapidly over time. This can mean having to live in an area you would otherwise choose not to. Council tax and other housing related costs can also be higher than outside of the City.

With so many people living and visiting London there is always a lot of people around. This can lead to a feeling of claustrophobia, with overcrowding and noise. It can be difficult to get away from the hustle and bustle of the City. There are also higher levels of pollution and crime.

Advantages of Commuting

With one of the main disadvantages of living in the City being the cost of housing, a major advantage of living outside can be savings in this area. If living in the suburbs of London prices are hardly cheap, but compared with central London they can be significantly less. The prices of other things, such as eating out, are also cheaper.

The suburbs are typically quieter than the City. To many people, living in a leafy suburb such as Wimbledon or Richmond is more pleasant than the noise of central London.

Depending on where you live, it can be easy to get into the countryside, something that can take several hours from central London. So if you fancy it, you can make a spur of the moment decision to go into the countryside without taking a whole day out.

Disadvantages of Commuting

A major disadvantage is the commute itself, especially if living a significant distance away from where you work. The longer it takes to get to and from work the less free time you will have. This can be tiring and expensive.

Another downside of living outside of the City is that there is comparably less to do. The options of central London are not there.

The City or Outside?

We all have different ideas of the perfect lifestyle. Some prefer the busyness of the City where there is always something happening, while others prefer the relative tranquility of living further afield.

In terms of cost, living in London is generally more expensive than living outside the City. However, some areas close to London can be very expensive too, while the costs of commuting to and from work also need to be considered.

Andrew Marshall ©

The World’s Top 5 Stock Exchanges

The world’s top five largest stock exchanges in terms of market capitalization are New York, the NASDAQ Stock Exchange, Tokyo, London and Shanghai. This is a brief introduction to each of these.

New York Stock Exchange

With a market capitalization of its listed companies at $13.39 trillion at the end of 2010, the New York Stock Exchange is the world’s biggest. The average trading value is over $150 billion a day. The New York Stock Exchange is located in the world famous Wall Street in Lower Manhattan and has been operated by NYSE Euronext since 2007 when there was a merger with the fully electronic stock exchange, Euronext. A stock exchange in New York goes back to 1792 when the so-called Buttonwood Agreement was signed by twenty-four stock brokers outside of 68 Wall Street under a Buttonwood Tree. This became the New York Stock and Exchange Board in 1817 and changed to its current name in 1863.

NASDAQ Stock Exchange

The NASDAQ is also based in New York. It was founded in 1871 by the National Associates of Securities Dealers. It was the world’s first electronic stock exchange and used a computer bulletin board system, but did not initially connect buyers and sellers. It helped lower the difference between the bid prices and asking prices of stock. It was eventually a successor to the OCT (over the counter) system. In the late twentieth century the NASDAQ added trade and volume reporting and automated trading systems and later became the first US stock market to trade online.

Tokyo Stock Exchange

The Tokyo Stock Exchange has over 2,000 listed companies with a combined market capitalization of almost $4 billion, the most in Asia. It was originally established in 1878. In 1943 it combined with ten other stock exchanges throughout Japan to form a single Japanese stock exchange. This was, though, soon impacted by World War II, when it was shut down. It was re-established in May 1949. The stock exchange grew massively during the 1980’s, and in 1990 accounted for 60% of the world’s stock market capitalization. However, it then crashed. It has recovered since, but is not as large as it once was.

London Stock Exchange

The trading of shares in London began due to two voyages, one to China and one to India, needing to be financed. This was in the 1680’s and proved a big success. Shares were sold to merchants in exchange for a share of any future profits. A trend had begun and other types of organisations and businesses followed suit. In 1697 it became necessary for all traders to be licensed. This idea was introduced because there had been several problems arising from insider trading. For a long time non-British citizens could not become member of the London Stock Exchange, with this eventually changed as late as the 1970’s. In 2005 and 2006 there were takeover bids from the Macquarie Bank and the NASDAQ Stock Exchange, though both were rejected. There is though, a 28% stake owned by The Borse Dubai stock exchange.

Shanghai Stock Exchange

The market for Securities trading began in Shanghai in the late 1860’s when several banks were established. In the 1890’s there was a boom in mining shares and foreign businessmen founded the Shanghai Sharebrokers Association headquarters in the City. In the early years it mostly consisted of the exchange of securities of local companies. In the 1920’s the Shanghai Securities and Commodities and the Shanghai Chinese Merchant Exchange operated separately, but were merged in 1929. This officially became the Shanghai Stock Exchange. With Shanghai occupied by the Japanese Army in 1941, the stock exchange was closed down. This was re-opened in 1946 but closed again after the Communist Revolution in 1949. A stock market was opened again in 1978, with the Shanghai Stock Exchange re-established in 1990. It has seen steady growth since and is now the fifth biggest stock exchange, and continuing to grow along with the Chinese economy.

Andrew Marshall ©

Overnight Courts dealing with Rioters

After the recent riots in London, some UK courts have been operating overnight to process criminal charges. With over 1,000 people arrested in London alone, there has been an unexpected strain on the legal system. Opening some courts overnight and at the weekend has lead to faster convictions.



The riots began in Tottenham in North London and quickly spread to other parts of the capital over the following days. The violence then spread to other parts of England including Birmingham, Manchester and Nottingham. Crimes committed involved throwing missiles at police, smashing shop windows, looting and arson.



The courts quickly began to process the cases of the arrested individuals, much more quickly than for most criminal charges. It was decided to quickly deal with these cases, partly to make an example of the rioters while it was still in the news. One reason for this was to discourage others from doing the same by making it obvious that people will be punished for such actions.



Due to the vast numbers arrested it suddenly became necessary for several hundred people to be tried. Overnight courts have meant that some cases can be dealt with promptly so they don’t drag on for months. Rioters have been seen to face justice while people are still thinking about the events that took place. Hundreds of people have gone through the court system already, very few of whom would have done had the court been operating at their usually schedule. Many are likely to face custodial sentences.



There have been convictions for a variety of offenses, including robbery, arson, violent disorder and public disorder. Those found guilty have included people from all backgrounds, with many facing sentencing at a later date. Some of those who have pleaded guilty have already been sentenced while others have been referred to the Crown Court. For these people, a more in-depth trial will take place in due course.



It has been questioned whether or not fast tracking these cases through the courts is the best way to deal with them. Some have stated that convictions are being rushed into just to get them done, without enough time to really establish the facts of the crimes of the individual concerned with each case. Some see the courts operating overnight as a way of making a point (perhaps a valid one) rather than the best way of treating a criminal case. They see it as a political decision rather than a judicial one. With overnight courts everyone, including judges, solicitors and defendants, are tired and this can contribute to the wrong decisions being made.



There is no doubt that much criminality has taken place and that those responsible must face the consequence. Although thousands of people across the country have been guilty of serious crimes, the majority of the population across the country has been quick to condemn those responsible. It is hoped that the actions taken against the guilty parties will discourage others from getting involved in similar actions in the future.



Andrew Marshall ©

Famous London Streets

SAVILE ROW

Savile Row is famous for its men’s tailoring, in particular men’s suits. In fact, Savile Row is credited for the invention of the term bespoke, as suits were often described to “be spoken for” or “be-spoked” for. The street has often been referred to as the golden mile of tailoring.

Savile Row was first developed in 1695 as part of the Burlington Estate. It had been part of the gardens of Burlington House previous to this. Originally it was named Savile Street. Houses were built on one side of the street, with gardens on the other side and was therefore nicknamed Savile Row, with a row of houses on one side. The name was officially changed in 1810.

Tailors started to play a big part in the area around this time. The first tailors appear on the street in 1785, and over the next fifty years the trend continued. This is what made the area famous. Many Savile Row Tailors have gone out of business or moved elsewhere within London, but plenty still remain and it is still the place many men go for their tailoring.

FLEET STREET

Fleet Street is synonymous with the British Press. The street runs from the east end of the Strand through to Farringdon Street.

In the late fifteenth and early sixteenth century the trend for printers and publishers moving into the area began. Later, and more famously, newspapers started to move their offices to Fleet Street. The first daily newspaper to do this was the Daily Courant in the early 1700’s. By the 20th century a large majority of London and National newspapers had their headquarters in the area.

This is no longer the case though, as many of the papers moved out of Fleet Street from the 1980’s. All of the main newspapers have now left and it is now more associated with law practices.

Despite the area no longer being the home of the newspapers, it is still known for this. Fleet Street is still often a collective name meaning the newspapers. If somebody says that “Fleet Street has been saying…..”, it means that this is being said by the newspapers.

HARLEY STREET

Harley Street is world famous for its medical practices. Prior to the 18th century it only consisted of a few houses and was part of the village of Marylebone; not yet part of the City of London. As London grew in the 1700’s century Marylebone became part of London. It was developed into a larger residential area between 1715 and 1720. Around a century later doctors started setting up home in the area, with a number of them setting up practices from their homes. As this trend continued the area became well known in this regard.

Over the 150 years that followed a large number of medical practitioners moved to Harley Street, with one and a half thousand believed to be in the street and its surrounding areas buy the middle of the twentieth century. It had the largest concentration of medical expertise on earth. Today there are still a number of medical practices in the street across a broad range of areas of expertise.

OXFORD STREET

Oxford Street is world famous for its shopping. It is London’s main shopping area, and is the busiest shopping street in Europe. It used to be part of the main road from London to Oxford, hence the name Oxford Street.

The street runs for one and a half miles and is full of shops, with a few restaurants and café’s. It has many major department stores and to be a major player in retail in the UK it is almost considered a must that you have a store in Oxford Street. Most of the best known shops have their main store here, with some having two or three. Oxford Street is known for how busy it can be, especially prior to Christmas and in the post-Christmas sales.

REGENTS STREET

Regent Street is another main London shopping street. In runs north from Piccadilly Circus to Oxford Street. It is not as busy as Oxford Street and is different in its appearance with its grand buildings.

Regents Street was one of London’s first planned developments and built in the early 1800’s. Building was completed in 1825 and every building on the street is listed. It is considered more elegant than Oxford Street, and is famous for its Christmas lights.

Andrew Marshall ©

Harley Street Consulting Rooms


Savile Row Tailors