Digital Dinner

This week Think London organised a gathering of a number of top Businesses in London to talk to Stephen Timms MP, the Financial Secretary to the Treasury and Minister for Digital Britain.

Around the table were sat members from Microsoft, Skype, Sony Pictures, Sony Computer Entertainment Europe, MTV amongst other market leading companies in their sector.

We’re pleased to say a number of these are on our Think London client list as they turned to us when looking at setting up or expanding their business in London.

There were a number of issues that were discussed including illegal downloading of music and how to police it, taxes, mobile phone technology and access and the government goal of getting everyone in Britain onto to 2mb/sec broadband by 2017.

It was an extremely successful event with many issues raised but overall there was great feedback about London itself with Prime Focus saying that: “ We chose London when investing in the UK as London is the creative hub of Europe and a link to the US”.

As London continues to lead the way in creative and digital thinking, business relocation to London allows your business to gain the competitive edge and stay there.

London office market leading the recovery

So, we’ve all been credit crunched for over 2 years now – since 9th August 2007 to be exact but once again London is at the forefront of recovery.

According to RICS, the Royal Institute of Chartered Surveyors, demand for office space in London has increased with net balances for enquiries, demand and confidence turning positive since the onset of the credit crunch in 2007.

The London commercial office and property market appears to be leading the turnaround in tenant activity with retail and office demand moving at a faster pace than elsewhere.

Greater and central London office markets has seen tenant demand rise for the second consecutive quarter and at more than double the pace of the previous RICS survey period.

So what does this mean? Well it means that it’s a great time to be setting up business in London – as the economy starts to recover and entrepreneurs and established businesses grow in confidence, starting a business in London or expanding your business in London has never been more crucial.

In addition this increase in demand for office space means more businesses in London, more potential networking opportunities with new businesses and clients to be made and more reason to touchdown London.

The Mayor’s Speech – investing in the UK has never been better!

The Mayor of London, Boris Johnson, delivered his speech at the India Business Reception.

The Indian business community has continued to choose London for locating it’s businesses and looking at the financial year to date, 14 Indian companies were either setting up business in London or expanding business in London and it’s not hard to understand why.

London is the financial capital of the world and with London office space increasing (demands increasing too though so be quick!) it’s a great time to be investing in the UK. London has more Wi-Fi coverage than any other capital city, more bookstores than New York and more museums than Paris. As If that were not incentive enough to undergo business relocation to London, you can even purchase a Big Mac on the streets of London cheaper than anywhere else!

With less than 990 days until the 2012 Olympic Games now is the time to invest in London. Plus £9.3 billion is going to be used to drive change and revolutionise parts of London to bring everything up to date. The Olympics has driven change around London making it a greener, more environmentally friendly and safer place to set up business.

The Mayor finished a great night, highlighting the success of Cobra Beer who had great advances from its base in Fulham and Pataks Indian sauces from Kentish Town, just two of the many successful London business stories.

As if all of the above wasn’t enough, it rains more in Rome than in London according to the Mayor so surely that’s sold you?!