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Anyone else think London is turning into New York?

Anyone else think London is turning into New York?

Old Aug 3rd, 2001, 10:19 AM
  #41  
Capo
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P.S. A notable exception to the "if American goods and services sell in Europe, it's because people want them" concept is a good that creates a physical addiction, like cigarettes. People may want them initially but, once they're hooked, the "want" turns into "need."
 
Old Aug 3rd, 2001, 10:34 AM
  #42  
martha python
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Dear Mr. Haines,

Didn't the Tube just fire the NY subway guy?
 
Old Aug 3rd, 2001, 10:46 AM
  #43  
Capo
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"In the space of a mere 15 years, in the Sixties and Seventies, and in spite of all sorts of elaborate rules supposedly designed to protect that great view, your predecessors, as the planners, architects and developers of the City, wrecked the London skyline and desecrated the dome of St Paul's.

Not only did they wreck the London skyline in general, they also did their best to lose the great dome [of St. Paul's] in a jostling scrum of office buildings, so mediocre that the only way you ever remember them is by the frustration they induce - like a basketball team standing shoulder-to-shoulder between you and the Mona Lisa.

In Paris, the French have built some pretty awful tower blocks in La Défense, but can you really imagine them building those same towers around Notre Dame? Can you imagine the Italians walling in St Mark's in Venice or St Peter's in Rome with office blocks the size of the Pirelli building in Milan? You can't. But we've done something almost as bad, and we've done it ourselves."

-- Prince Charles, in a December 1, 1987 speech at The Corporation of London Planning and Communication Committee's Annual Dinner.
 
Old Aug 3rd, 2001, 10:48 AM
  #44  
Philip
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What an interesting post!! As a New Yorker, I have to say that I do see a slight resemblance in the two cities. Unfortunately it seems that London is selling out to the big American chains (McDonalds, Pizza Hut, etc.). But London still has wonderful surprises.

New York can't compete with The Tower of London or Westminster Abbey; the U.S. is much too young. Part of the excitement of London is the thousands of years of kings and queens, the battles for the throne, and the pagentry. I was in London one year for Bonfire Night/Guy Fawkes Day. How interesting to burn effigies in celebration for something that didn't happen. (If you are ever in London in November go to one of these celebrations.)

But I think there is a big difference in the attitudes of people. I have never been knocked down on a London tube, I have never been ignored by a clerk while shopping in Selfridges and it is impossible to find the friendliness in New York that you can find from a stranger in a London pub. Also, there doesn't seem to be a sense of shame about being a blue collar worker in London. In New York, it's all about money.

Additionally, the London theater is the best. The National always puts out interesting shows, the Royal Shakespeare Company, even though struggling, brings Shakespeare to life and the Fringe always has some innovative new work worth checking out. (Plus they serve you ice cream at intermission). Many of our Broadway shows are imports from London (Les Miz, Cabaret, Mamma Mia, Phantom, etc).

I hope that London never becomes New York, because it is a great place to escape to for a change of pace.


 
Old Aug 3rd, 2001, 11:06 AM
  #45  
Henry
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DB,thanks for starting this interesting discussion.I have traveled to London many times over the last 15 yrs.and agree that it is becoming much more international and less uniquely British.With increased tourism and the globalization of economies all cities will go through similar changes.It seems to be a two edged sword,we enjoy the benefits of diversity yet the local culture may be lost or diluted.When this type of change is rapid many have difficulty adjusting.
 
Old Aug 3rd, 2001, 11:14 AM
  #46  
Micaela
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Philip:

You have written the best post on this thread. I applaud you.
 
Old Aug 3rd, 2001, 01:47 PM
  #47  
mark
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I live in NYC and the one thing I find distressing about living here is the architecture. A majority of the architecture here is safe, boring and predictable. It's a shame considering that NYC is in some ways beyond compare. There seems to be a better appreciation for design and a willingness by developers to produce good design in London. Here in NYC we get shoe box apartments - layered cake buidings that bottom line are cheap and look ugly. And while our subway system is incredible - we were the first I believe to have express trains - it has been allowed to languish. A city is only as good as its public transportation.
 
Old Aug 3rd, 2001, 04:42 PM
  #48  
Kimberly
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Very good thread! I agree. Very American Metropolitan...very odd. But love it!
 
Old Aug 3rd, 2001, 05:51 PM
  #49  
Ben Haines
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Dear Ms Python,

The government sacked him from an extra job they'd given him, but our mayor has kept him on in his main post.

Ben Haines

 
Old Aug 3rd, 2001, 08:33 PM
  #50  
British
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London may be selling out to the pizza and hamburger chains of America, but so what? Um....like the foodstuffs it's replacing was edible? Gimme a break. London is the one place on earth where crappy American food OUGHT to have made inroads to replace the godawful slop they were serving. You can rant all you want about the Americanization of London, and I'd probably agree with you, but how sad is it to think that the introduction of American food actually improves the place? Omigod!!!
 
Old Aug 3rd, 2001, 10:55 PM
  #51  
Diana
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I'll take the splendor of NYC over dreary London anyday. Having traveled around the world, for the past 30 years, NYC is and always will be on my favorite top 3 cities of the world.
 
Old Aug 3rd, 2001, 11:58 PM
  #52  
Erlsegaard
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I find the atmospheres of the two cities to be considerably different myself. New York is a great city but it certainly has a somewhat more sinister aspect about it, especially at night, than anywhere I have seen in London. And Manhattan is never really calm, even in the library, while London strikes me as an extremely calm city. Something about the prevalent combination in NY of taller buildings, fewer trees and the general effect of all the shops, etc, being tiny and cramped to me give it a more eery feeling too. I was surprised too this last time by the assault chains have made on the English landscape, though it seemed to me most of these chains were homegrown creatures, particularly the pubs. And all the beautiful young people seemed to be hanging out at those places. The only people at most of the "real" pubs and traditional shops were old-timers.
 
Old Jun 29th, 2002, 06:15 AM
  #53  
xxx
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Topper.
 
Old Jun 29th, 2002, 06:41 AM
  #54  
Gail
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1. I agree the UK is, in some respects, turning into Little America. This I regret.

2. However, "is London turning into New York"? I wish!

There is some twisted logic in this, honestly, but I won't bore you with the lengthy details.
 
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