X marks the centre spot

X marks the centre spot
13th August 2010

The statue that once marked the centre of London was returned to its former glory on 9th August after a two-year restoration project. The Eleanor Cross monument at Charing Cross is a replica of the cross that once stood to the south of Trafalgar Square, in the position now occupied by the statue of Charles I - the point to which all distances to London are measured.

Here at SilverDoor we often have to clarify the various terms used to describe areas of London, and there is a lot of confusion out there! Most other major cities around the world have simpler terms such as 'city centre', 'downtown' and the 'central business district'. In London, it is more complicated. Firstly there is the City of Westminster, which is a London borough occupying much of the central area of London, including most of the West End. It is located to the west of and adjoining the ancient City of London, and its southern boundary is the River Thames. The City of Westminster is home to a large number of companies, including a large concentration of hedge fund and private equity funds, mostly in Mayfair and St James's.

Then there is the City of London, often referred to as the City or the Square Mile, which is a tiny part of the metropolis of London, but is host to a huge part of the financial services industry, which has historically been based here. In medieval times, the City was the full extent of London, and can still be referred to as the city centre, which can be mis-leading. The City has a resident population of approximately 8,000 but around 320,000 people work there.

Over the years, we have learned that the best way to deal with some of this confusion is to be very specific in our descriptions of different London areas, and when clients tell us they want a serviced apartment in central London, we are always sure to clarify exactly where they want to be. We have noticed that many people refer to tube or DLR stations to describe where they want to stay, and others tell us the address of their workplace and explain that they want to be as close as possible to it.

Fortunately there is no shortage in the serviced apartments London has on offer, with options in most central London areas. We currently have 286 different serviced apartment buildings to choose from.


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