Why London will never be New York?
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Well, you could say that’s because London is London and New York is New York. Let’s be honest: in the last few years I’ve heard and read various things like London stealing the financial business from New York City, London seeing more growth, London becoming a better all over experience due to immigration and America’s terrorist obsession, etc. etc. But, lets face it, London does not give you the experience New York does, and it never will. Why? Let’s see why.
Filth / Garbage
Well, I’ve been to New York City several times, and I’m not saying it’s like Singapore, but hey, it’s relatively clean, especially when compared to London. Have you seen the trash on the streets of London lately? What’s with all the chewing gum stains on the pavements and the roads? I don’t think New York has that kind of a stain infested issue, does it?
Then, how come people aren’t supposed to clean their dog poo and pee? What in the world is that about? I know this is the land of royalty, but can we please tell people to clean up after their pets? It’s only polite.
Mind you, I’m not saying New York is immaculate, but unless it has become filthier the last few years, I certainly don’t remember it being this dirty. I mean have you been to Marble Arch, Edgware, or Edgware Road lately? I’m sorry, but Edgware reminded me of Karachi for a minute!
Customer Service, you say?
Okay, call me spoilt, but the American saying “the customer is always right” does have its treats. It is so frustrating when you walk into a store in London that no one really gives a damn. The quality of service is horrible. Have you ever been to a bank in London? No one is at the counter, and you have to wait for more than 5 minutes before someone will come to attend to you. It’s the same everywhere you go. Cell phone stores, grocery stores, restaurants, banks, offices, etc., the service is nothing short of horrible.
Customer Service staff, that takes less interest in their lives than probably anyone does, try and lecture you on things like the Data Protection Act and other laws, when they really have no idea what they are talking about. Everyone has an excuse for doing something the wrong way, and no one needs an excuse for not doing anything! It’s a privilege to to get any kind of service in London when you are paying for it. Be it NatWest, Barclays, HSBC, Orange, O2 or any other business, their customer service sucks, which makes for a very unpleasant shopping or service experience.
The US is great at this. I don’t know if it’s because of the out-of-whack US liability laws or simply because they’re smart enough to know that happy customers make good customers, but they do everything it takes to get the job done right. I’m not saying that the level of customer service competence is better in the US, but New York makes for a much more pleasant shopping experience than London. Ask any Brit who’s been to New York. They only have good things to say about it. So many of them want to move there, despite what they think of George Bush and US foreign policy. Well, who can blame them, right?
Ofcourse, outsourcing of customer service over the phone is a problem in both cities/countries. But given the fact that the liability of bad service in the US is greater than it is in the UK, US outsourced customer service is much better. I guess this strings from the fact that no major corporations in the US are government owned or government vested, as British Telecom is, say, in the UK.
Who’s more friendly? New Yorkers or Londoners?
Everyone in London is upset most of the time. This may be due to traffic, poverty, expenditure, tourists, or whatever. But hey, New Yorkers are just as fed up of the crap at their end. But my experience is that Americans are generally much more friendly than the British. In school, we used to read of British Hospitality and all that good stuff. Well, most of it has apparently faded, at least in the working class. Who knows why that is. I guess life in London is more difficult than in New York City, which makes for crankier Londoners than New Yorkers.
If you’ve seen the phrase “Welcome to New York” used in movies when something goes wrong with someone in New York, well, it is just as suitable for London, if not more. But maybe Londoners don’t share the same sense of humour!
Rowdy Kids
Okay, this has a lot to do with the low drinking age and the excessive use of drugs. That’s just not cool, because kids get rowdy and rude and puke all over the place in London, which ads more to the existing dirt, which isn’t cool either. I’m not going say too much about this, except that this needs to stop, and infusion of drugs into London teenagers needs to be controlled urgently, because this is not only a hassle for us who live here, but even for those who are visiting for fun.
The Fascination Factor
This may be subjective, but I clearly remember the first time I visited NYC (let’s not count Brooklyn or Queens, shall we?). I stepped out of the Subway Station o 5th Avemue and I stood in awe at skyscraper after skyscraper. The impression that New York makes on a new or first time visitor is far superior to the one that London makes, and Londoners will tell you that. New York is a City that’s built to look like a Metropolis, and it certainly feels like one. London may have big city life, but I think it fails to make that impression that adds to the initial buzz of being in one of the world’s most dynamic cities.
Food
Oh my! New York City has more variety in food than London does. New York City’s portion size is much larger (as is the rest of America’s), and the cost is far less. Also, since I think Americans are far more passionate about eating (compare the obesity rate between the US and UK at 38% and 33 %, respectively), the overall taste and experience of dining and food in New York City is better than in London.
And for those of you who say Americans pig out and don’t enjoy their food, well, the obesity gap isn’t that much, and here is news for some of you: New York City is the world’s first city to ban trans fat in restaurants. That’s right. I think the law kicks in in June, but now who cares more about the health of tourists and residents?
Bloomberg Vs. Livingstone
Come on now, there’s no comparison. The New York Mayor (Michael Bloomberg) is much cooler than London Mayor Ken Livingstone. Bloomberg, that just sounds much cooler than Livingstone. Need I say more?
The Experience (Corporate, mostly)
After having lived in the US for several years (and not really having lived in New York), I think that London, and forgive me for saying this, is like an American village. I’ve already mentioned that London doesn’t feel as Metropolitan as New York; but even Denver or Dallas feel more metropolitan than London. Well, maybe I’ll discount Dallas from that.
There are many reasons for that, but I think a lot of it has to do with British mentality and culture.
The Corporate Culture of London is, at best, outdated, compared to the corporate culture anywhere in the US. The technology in use, the ideology, the methodology all is about 20-25 years behind the US. I think the reason for that is the traditional approach of British Businessmen. They like to stick to what they’re comfortable with, and then British pride knows no end. Since the UK isn’t exactly the pioneer of new technology or British methodologies, British business is hesitant about adapting to it, with the result say, if the CEO or Managing Director of a major corporation has been in charge for 10 years, he technology in place is 10 years old. Until a younger crowd comes to manage the company, the technology won’t change, because each generation, I think, in this country, brings an update to technology and methodologies.
That’s not the case in the US, which is a dynamic environment that thrives on new processes, technologies, and methodologies. Things are always being improved, with the ultimate goal to weed out inefficiencies in the business processes.
When I was in the US, I used to hear how much ahead of the US Europe was in the cell phone market. Well, not really. Just because the US has a different release schedule for mobile phones and they use different cell phone networks doesn’t make their service or technology inferior. London has more mobile/cell phone signal problems than I ever had in the US driving from Colorado to New York. So, you shouldn’t really believe every such thing you hear.
In addition, the US, to this day, and even NYC, provides a positive corporate culture for new entrants. It is an environment where you can get a job or thrive on merit alone, at least upto a comfortable level, if not a super rich level. In London, merit doesn’t really count; you have to know people to get to even very junior places, and that kind of stuff is just not cool. But I think, again, it is something that comes out of the culture of royalty, and although it may be a bad thing, it has become a way of life that the locals are used to. More power to them! I guess as long as you know who you know, what you know is not really important.
Let’s just say that I’m trying to say that the Business Acumen of London is nowhere close to that of New York, or any other major US city. That doesn’t mean the London economy is very small, we’re just talking about business acumen and business intelligence.
Price
In a few words, New York provides MUCH BETTER value for money than London does. Living, shopping, partying, everything in New York City is half price of what it is in London. Throw in the other factors mentioned, and New York makes for a far superior experience.
Okay, this may not have been the most comprehensive guide to London and New York, but it’s just my opinion, which means it may be prejudiced, biased,or simply ill founded. But nonetheless, it is my opinion. Personally, I preferred Denver. It had most of the advantages of a big city without the rutt and problems. But then, it’s neither London nor New York.
What do you think?
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March 31st, 2008 at 10:46 pm
Why London will never be New York?
Having made the move to London recently, I’ve come to the conclusion that US offers a far better lifestyle & quality of life than the UK. Although I haven’t lived in New York for more than three months, I can tell you that New York, supported by th…
April 1st, 2008 at 11:16 am
An informative, well done article.
I like both cities for touring. I agree that New York is cheaper. New York as the larger metropolitan area, likely offers more attractions, and variety of restaurants, but I find Manhattan very warm in the spring, (when I was there) with the concrete jungle. London has more parks, and is aesthetically more pleasing to me. London also has the older history, that New York does not. I find people in both cities, generally not overly friendly, but some people in New York can be quite rude.
I could live in either place, if I was paid enough.:)
April 1st, 2008 at 10:49 pm
Everyone is ‘Peed Off’ in London because they know that their EVERY MOVE is being monitored by CCTV cameras.
How would YOU like it being constantly surveyed all the time.
We’re afraid to breathe incase we breathe the wrong way and get FINED for it.
Do the Yanks get motoring fines dictated by CCTV footage evidence??
Well we do now.
We can also get arrested for taking photo’s in public places.
Or even being proud to be British.
Do the Yanks even Know they’re born??
Do you wonder why the British seem so miserable??
You’ve got it lucky, even though you’ve still got ‘Mad Bush’ for a little longer.
Good luck,
Pete.
April 2nd, 2008 at 3:24 pm
Pete,
I am entertained!
April 8th, 2008 at 3:30 pm
Why do the Brits stand for such an invasion of their privacy rights? Come on Brits, take a stand against such a repressive government!!!!
April 8th, 2008 at 3:48 pm
If you read The London Paper a couple of weeks ago, it discussed Madonna’s comments about the bad traffic situation in London, be it on the road or on the tube. Someone called Lori had an awesome reply, which said something to the effect of “Britain is a third world country masquerading as a developed nation.”
Interestingly enough, it may have third world similarities, but then a hefty chunk third world countries were British Colonies, so you are bound to see similarities.
The photo taking and getting interrogated stuff does dazzle my mind. I have a friend who got interrogated for taking photos when he was here in holiday. It may be the perfect way to rid London of excessive tourisits, but it is by no means the right thing to do.
Then again, do Londoners feel more secure?
April 11th, 2008 at 6:52 pm
God, how many more crap do I have to read about the overhyping of NYC, which is nothing more than an overrated concrete jungle that talks big but offers nothing but crap?
But hey, he’s American. They’re like spoilt children, feeling the need to be number one in everything, and disparaging evereywhere else. Whatever makes him happy I guess. Let him and NY live in their deluded little world. This guy obviously hasn’t got a clue and this is nothing more than typical American glorification at kissing NYCs ass.
April 12th, 2008 at 10:22 am
Well, JD, I’m glad you have an opinion.
But just so you know, I’m neither American, nor am I British.
True as it may be, Americans may feel the need to be number one, and as it is, they are at most things. After all, it was your Prime Minister who followed their president, so even though they may be like spoilt children, they’re so much better that the British Prime Minister felt the need to follow them when they made a mistake.
NYC is better, and that’s my opinion. You don’t have to agree. Mind you, I complained plenty when I was there too. No complaining = no fun.
May 10th, 2008 at 11:14 pm
Hi,
I live in London and stumbled across your blog. I just wanted to say that some of what you mentioned is true but most of it is wildly biased.
It is true that central London is extremely dirty, however, it depends upon where you go. Some areas, such as Blackheath, the posh bits of the West End, Wimbledon and those suburbs plus of course the many parks, are very clean and very green. Last time I checked people do clean up after their many pets and others will treat those who don’t with distain. I resent the comparison to India - it’s not valid. The fact we have so many dogs is surely a testament to the pleasant environment in which we can walk them.
Customer service here is different to the US, however, most Brits probably find incessant harassment to buy an aggravation and not a service. Ultimately the staff are just trying to sell you something - it’s not as if they’re doing it to be nice. Having said that, last time I was on Oxford Street I was looking for a jacket and the nice lady in Benetton spent about half an hour helping me decide which one looked best even though I kept changing my mind. I also resent your insinuation that London’s shop staff are ignorant, they are not. Like shop staff across the globe most are students paying their way. In any case, it would be a waste to have highly skilled full-time staff - they should be doing more skilled jobs in an efficient economy.
The British are reserved although apparently nowhere near as reserved as in the past. In general, the middle classes are more standoffish and could be seen as unfriendly, but, if you actually speak to them they are completely the opposite. The working classes are normally extremely friendly if boisterous. I don’t know where you’ve been looking, but try taking a walk around South London (where there are a lot of Afro-Caribbean communities) and tell me people aren’t friendly. Incidentally, this kind of class/country stereotyping is haphazard at best and ridiculous at worst. People are pretty similar everywhere, if we are more unfriendly in London it is because of the pressures of work and big city life as you pointed out.
You are dead right about the drinking and public behaviour at night. You can thank the last Conservative government and their cosy relationship with the drinks industry for that. Even whilst I have been growing up over the last 10 years I have noticed that people’s attitudes to drink have been getting more extreme and nights out all over the UK have become less ‘civilised’. If you want to drink to excess, get in a fight and then have a piss on the street during the walk home without anyone batting an eyelid then London is THE place to do it but, judging by the growing backlash, it won’t be for long. Drugs aren’t the problem, full stop.
Fascination Factor? You are correct that London is different to New York, however, this does not detract from its WOW factor. The variety of architecture here is astounding owing to London’s long history and diverse culture. If you want high-rises go to Canary Wharf and exit the underground station (a view that can rival anywhere) or look at the 8 new sky scrapers being built in the City. If you don’t then you can see Buck House, Parliament, Marylebone, the South Bank, the Inns of Court… I don’t know anywhere really. London is a hotch-potch of styles and certainly does not have the same planned layout of a modern city. We also have a history of going over-the-top with buildings in order to impress those around us - just look at the City. However, it does have character which is something that makes it homely and interesting instead of sterile and repetitive.
London has an overwhelming number of excellent restaurants and is now widely recognised as a culinary capital to rival the best. I think you’re trying to play on old stereotypes about British food. Silly.
I don’t know if you noticed but we elected a new mayor in the form of Boris Johnson the day after you wrote your blog. I can only hope he is more to your liking?
As far as your observations about British corporate culture go I disagree. Capitalism requires that businesses continuously improve and become more efficient because they need to keep growing. If British businesses waited 10 years before bringing in new ideas they would stagnate and die. In a market as competitive as the UK’s (owing to the ease-of-entry for foreign companies) such dinosaurs would simply be taken over or sent under. London is known for its inventiveness in financial services (we pioneered Islamic finance to attract Middle Eastern money), the media (compare the BBC to US television), new media, music, fashion etc… otherwise it wouldn’t be a global centre for the knowledge economy. In any case, there aren’t too many companies which have kept their chief executives for 10 years. I think you are again playing on old stereotypes which resonate with those outside the UK.
Having said that, British business does tend to be less productive than in the US even though we work longer. You are also spot on about nepotism over here. It is too much about who you know or, more accurately, whether you ‘fit in’ with the company’s culture which tends to be VERY middle-classed and traditional. I am certainly suffering because of this myself. Even so, I don’t think the US is perfect because, sadly, when people get money and power they tend to use it to privilege their own and safeguard against loosing it. It is the same everywhere. Why else would black Americans always be complaining that they can’t get a foot in the door? Incidentally, if merit is the driving factor in US business, why do you say that you can only get to a comfortable level on merit alone? Surely this defeats the whole purpose?
Finally, yes, London is very expensive but, dare I say, you get what you pay for?
Hope that’s put some things straight…
Romin
May 11th, 2008 at 11:35 am
Romin,
Thanks for taking the time to share your thoughts. As much as you are entitled to your position and opinion, the article was based solely on my experience and opinion and is, therefore, without a doubt, biased. Just because I say London sucks doesn’t mean that it does, it just means that I think there are a billion ways of improving the way it is.
Boris Johnson has been elected a month after this article was written, and the truth is I am relatively new to London to comment on either Ken Livingstone or Boris Johnson, but I would praise Boris Johnson for introducing the so called ban on open bottle alcohol on public transport. It’s a step in the right direction, and the US has had something like this in place for years.
All the things you say are probably true, based on the experience you have had. You see, more than anything else, you take a liking to a certain place based on how long you have been there. I got used to the American way of doing things, and I can tell you, from a professional point of view, they do things better than the British do them. Now that doesn’t mean the British suck, it just means that I’m not particularly a fan of the way they do their things, and that is most likely a combination of it not being as good as the US and me not being familiar with all of it yet.
I do, however, stand by my concerns about the friendliness of people in general and about the corporate culture. It should be clear why the US leads the world in business, and not the UK. Of course, both economies are in a questionable state at this point, so that could pose questions about the credibility of both economic models and business cultures.
For me, New York’s WOW factor was far stronger than London. To me, Americans were more friendly than most people in London (not counting the Homeland Security and Immigration Officials, they’re the most miserable Americans you’ll find). Of course, more than half of London suffers from excessive tension, workload, poverty and class competition that makes them miserable. Living space is small, rent is high, groceries cost more, and I don’t care where you’re living, the US offers the best package as far as lifestyle and cost of living are concerned. It provides a combination where anyone can survive, and those who work hard get rewarded. In London, you’ll have to slave to get rewarded, which is why half the professional adults that I know live in shared accomodation. You’ve got to be kidding me. You’re 35 and a professional, and you can’t afford to pay rent on a 2 bedroom flat in zone 3 or zone 4, something’s wrong about that.
Lastly, yes, in the US, merit is a major driving factor, and you can get to a comfortable level on merit alone. Americans will complain just like the Brits do because nobody local wants to do the hard and dirty work. I wasn’t from the US, and I got my foot in the door and up the ladder rather easily. Also, and dare I say this risking criticism, some black people in America have made a habit of complaining, because it’s rather easy playing the race card and trying to get things turned your way.
In conclusion, I respect everything you say; but I still stand by my opinion. Call it what you want, there’s a reason why the Brits ruled the world and have been forced to shrink down back to the small island. Somebody, somewhere didn’t get it right, and it shows to someone who may have seen something better.
That said, London is London, I live here, and go figure!
May 13th, 2008 at 6:17 pm
London like ‘an American village’
I mean seriously, are you for real?
Possibly the most laughable and clueless comment i have read in a while.
Thanks!
May 13th, 2008 at 8:07 pm
Megan,
Indeed, I am for real.
But I’m glad that my my article makes you laugh :).
Am I clueless? No. Are you? Probably, since you missed all th clues in the artcle.
No matter what your thoughts, you have to admit, the article is a ‘must read’ for all die hard London fans.
October 22nd, 2008 at 5:36 pm
I’ve been to New York a lot. I love the roof top bars. Ava penthouse lounge. You can see time square from this duplex. Also have you seen Columbus circle lately. Its pretty awsume. Giant fountains and a great view of central park and broadway. Its like an oasis in the middle of Manhatten. A lot of clubbers and bar hoppers go here to chill. And the Hudson bar nearby is one of the coolest bars I’ve ever seen. Its gota a whole New York vibe. New York is Unique because it has a preasentness that can’t be dublicated. Every minnute is different. Things don’t last long in New York its one downfall is history gets eaten up by the preasent. But having very little visable history it becomes a place alive with the here and now.no other city on Earth has this. Historeans go into a period of Verigo and dissyness before figuring out wear the history is. That’s how preasent minded New York is.