Category Archives: The City

Clerkenwell. Where we’re at.

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ClerkenwellHere’s some background about where we’re based (and where your mail is handled if you use our mail forwarding service).

Clerkenwell is in the London Borough of Islington. The name originates from “Clerks’ Well” an actual well dating back to the middle ages that still remains visible from the Well Court building on Farringdon Lane. We’re based on St John Street, the pictured St John’s Gate is located just a minute’s walk from our office.

Other “historical” landmarks include:

• Smithfield’s Market
• The execution site of William Wallace (Braveheart)
• The Crown Tavern – the pub where Lenin and Stalin apparently first met
• The Eagle – London’s first gastropub (Clerkenwell is now a foodie’s dream with restaurants including St John, Club Gascon and Moro all being in the area)

Cineastes may recognise Clerkenwell from a number of films. Skyfall, Eastern Promises, About a Boy, The Dark Knight Rises and 28 Weeks Later all had scenes shot around here.

Clerkenwell is now considered the hub of the UK’s design industry and hosts the aptly titled Clerkenwell Design Week, “the UK’s leading independent design festival”. The design boom (previously Clerkenwell was associated with the printing industry) has resulted in a real buzz. Rarely are the multiple bars and restaurants empty, it’s only at the weekend that things slow down and even then there’s Fabric nightclub.

Clerkenwell’s location is a huge selling point. Nestled snugly between the financial square mile, trendy Shoreditch and Central London, it’s at the heart of London’s business activity. This, and the fact that it’s such a hub for creativity, makes Clerkenwell the ideal place to base any business from.

Is the economic storm passing?

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The sun appears to be breaking through after the storm that hit the financial market last week. The London Stock Exchange has continued to increase its value after the G8 Meeting of Sunday. France, Spain, Italy, Germany, Austria, Finland, Sweden, Australia, New Zealand, Indonesia, India, South Korea, Japan and Qatar all took measures to guarantee deposits and improve bank liquidity, showing an encouraging recovery for markets across the world.

The governments committed trillions of dollars to stop the collapse of the financial system, a measure that appears to have been successful so far. The decision of the American Treasury will provide a wide variety of banks with $250bn (£143bn). However, whilst a renewed confidence this week underlines how the collapse of the markets last week was the result of a common fear, we’re far from clear of danger.

Here some news about the Markets from:

From this market volatility we must learn how the collaboration and the union can help business – every business, including your own.

The world is changing: investment banks are no more…

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The recent developments in the financial world are forcing vast changes to the economic climate and the markets are desperately trying to right themselves amidst the evolution many banking sectors are experiencing. In one week the era of the independent investment bank has ended, deeply changing the worldwide financial landscape.

‘Wall Street as we’ve known it for decades has ceased to exist’, explains The Wall Street Journal, though the gravity of such a change is of course affecting London: six months ago there were five major investment banks, now a portion of the market has vanished overnight; Lehman Brothers and Bear Stearns have collapsed, Merrill Lynch is getting bought out by the Bank of America, and Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs are becoming commercial banks.

Two banking giants filing for bankruptcy is a clear sign of a problem with the system, and now the survivors have to arrange their affairs to conform to the capital requirements and other rules that govern such commercial banks.

Perhaps this is one of the greatest tests to the global economy in decades: and a strong example of rules required. Lax regulations have allowed investment banks to boost their profits for almost twenty years by borrowing money and investing in ever more risky schemes. And now they are paying the price.

What will happen now? Can we be sure that the worldwide economic machine is correcting itself against the greed of man?

Inflation and bankruptcy! Don’t panic.

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Don’t panic. Even if all todays news is very very bad: don’t panic, business and life keep going on! But let’s have a look at the 4 most read news stories of today from London about London:

  1. The collapse of Lehman Brothers Holdings has brought several consequences: markets everywhere have never been so down, overnight the cost of borrowing in dollars has more than doubled to the highest since 2001 (from 3.33 percentage points to 6.44 percent today: the biggest jump, according to the British Bankers’ Association), 7000 bankers are now sending out their cv’s and hoping to quickly solve their personal situations.
  2. ‘Inflation surged above forecasts to 4.7 per cent in August to the highest rate since Britain’s last recession, after the price of food and energy rose. – Thetimesonline.co.uk says: – Households are now paying 27.7 per cent more on their gas bills and 18 per cent more for electricity. The cost of banking services also increased as lenders cut their mortgage arrangement fees by less than they did last year. Food prices also rose by 1.3 per cent last month and, in the year to August, by 13 per cent’.
  3. Problems in the City, at home and at City Hall: – David Cairns, Minister of State at the Scotland Office, believes Mr Brown is showing a lack of leadership and direction to the country -, says the Timesonline.co.uk – He is unhappy about the lack of direction and believes the leadership is all over the place and making lots of mistakes. He has been unhappy for some considerable time and could decide to go today.
  4. And in London the crimes are increasing. Spokesman Chris Huhne has set out his vision for tackling crime, calling for better policing rather than tougher sentences. He said people should not be sent to jail for minor offences when other punishments would be more effective. Resources must be directed towards more effective policing and detection rather than more prisons, Mr Huhne added.

But don’t worry life is an up and down of events, the famous destiny’s waves! Londoners (and not just them) have to try to resist, never give up and learn from the brave Lehman’s workers that kept going to work, knowing well what was going on and now are at work to find a new employer. Being up to date and connected is indispensable in order to succeed and to survive: for this reason London Presence continues to provide you with efficient customer service from Monday to Friday (9am – 5,30pm) and with a unique blog!

The 5 best restaurants for your perfect business event!

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Are you organising a dinner in London? Is it a business dinner?! Are you going to invite partners, clients or colleagues? In any case you need to find the most appropriate location. And the first things you need to decide (before the restaurant itself) are how many people you will invite and for what time of the day.

So here you are 5 tips for your perfect business meeting:

If you want to win over a small group of people (or a beautiful woman) the best place is The Sketch. Apart from the jaguar on the wall you can’t see anything from outside… it looks like a normal tea room but if you go with it you get to the hall you’ll find yourself akin to Alice in Wonderland. Strange pictures and sculptures and it has three different areas for different occasions. The ambience is as unique as the food and drinks! But if those are not enough: take a trip to the toilet, you’ll understand when you get there…

If you’re going for a big event you should check out the Skylon Restaurant. You can’t miss it, it’s inside the Royal Festival Hall, on the second floor of the Southbank Centre and it has an unparalleled view of the riverside. Here you can have three different kinds of meetings: a quiet lunch in a good brasserie, a smart dinner in a nice restaurant or a larger event in which you and your guests are the main stars.

If you are looking for a good lunch or dinner, in which the food will speak more than words, check out The Ivy. This restaurant offers a rich menu perfect for every taste and every season: good food for good people. Now The Ivy is a member of a larger group that includes Urban Caprice, the J Sheekey, the BamBoo and Scott’s.

If you want to surprise your guests, you should try the Hakkasan, it’s a dimly lit but smart Chinese restaurant hidden away just two minutes from Tottenham Court Road. It’s one of only two Michelin-starred Chinese restaurants in London and it offers gorgeous selection of dishes and tastey wines served with charm in a low-lit atmosphere.

If you are organising a fun and busy night the right place for you is the garden of the Victoria and Albert Museum. It may be a museum but it hides a lovely garden where you can host your guests, offering a canape dinner, live music and other surprises.

Would you like more suggestions? Would you like to be updated on offers and restaurants?! Use Top Table website and you won’t be disappointed. Let us know how you get on.

Time runs faster on a London watch

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Good morning and welcome back to your office and the London Presence Blog. The long weekend is over and here you are with some fresh news and information from London. With the Olympics now passed and the weather turning for the worse you couldn’t be blamed for thinking the summer’s over, however British Summer Time doesn’t end until 26th October when the clocks go back. Whilst you may gain an hour then, a busy week around here might feel like you’ve lost ten times as many. Having said that, the day after a bank holiday always drags like a ball and chain.

In London being in time often means beating the clock – but without persuing too many cliches about how ‘clocks run faster in London’ we can nevertheless outline that our city became a thriving community for clock-making at one time. The story of the London clock is old and obscure, and though it derives from a period as far back as the 16th century, it was primarily a French industry, developing in Soho at that time. Since then this tradition flourished in the 18th century when watchmakers operated in Clerkenwell, the home of your virtual office!

Of course this is the city of the great Big Ben clock, whose minute hand has pulled and pushed us in every direction since its completion in 1870. Peter Debaufre, Christopher Pinchbeck, Francis Perigal and James Short are just some of the most famous members of the Clockmakers’ Company. This industry also brought a number of inventions and improvements to the established design and mechanics of time-pieces.

To know more about the English clock story here an interesting link to its British history. In the mean time we will keep updating you on all areas surrounding your virtual office and London life, new and old. We don’t waste time at London Presence so keep checking our daily tidbits, don’t waste a second.

Welcome to Clerkenwell

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If you were to find yourself strolling in Clerkenwell there are some lovely sites and historic areas surrounding your virtual office in the Borough of Islington. Clerkenwell is an area of rich history: it first became an area of notoriety in the Middle Ages when the parish clerks performed mystery plays, particular theatre shows based on biblical themes. Though the name derives from that period, it is also known as Little Italy, because – as the name suggests – it was a settling area in London for Italian immigrants for almost a century from the 1850s to the 1960s.

Located in the epicentre of four tube stations (Farringdon, Barbican, Chancery Lane, Holborn) and two rail stations (Farringdon and Barbican), Clerkenwell has very quick and easy connections to all parts of the city. Though it is primarily an area of business, you can find plenty of deli/sandwich shops, restaurants and bars, as well as one of the superclubs of London – Fabric on Charterhouse St.

The area is famous for the old village in its heart, between St. James’ Church and Clerkenwell Green – a park without grass for over 300 years, where Four Weddings and a Funeral and Shakespeare in Love have been filmed and Oliver Twist learned to pickpocket! The Eagle on Farringdon Road was the first gastropub in London and opened in 1991 to start the trend. The Clerkenwell is an excellent restaurant and also worth visiting for good food – a great place for a business lunch! Clerkenwell is the perfect place to live and work – Daniel Defoe knew this in the 1700s, as does Zaha Hadid knows it very well right now. There is a significant political past to the area surrounding Clerkenwell Green as noted by Wikipedia. Here’s an excerpt from the page:

“Clerkenwell Green has historically been associated with radicalism, from the Lollards in the 16th century, the Chartists in the 19th century and communists in the early 20th century.[1] In 1902, Vladimir Lenin moved the publication of the Iskra (Spark) to the British Social Democratic Federation at 37a Clerkenwell Green, and issues 22 to 38 were indeed edited there. At that time Lenin resided on Percy Circus, less than half a mile north of Clerkenwell Green. In 1903 the newspaper was moved to Geneva. It is said that Lenin and a young Stalin met in the Crown and Anchor pub (now known as The Crown Tavern) on the Green when the latter was visiting London in 1903. In the 1920s and 1930s, 37a Clerkenwell Green was a venue for Communist Party meetings, and the Marx Memorial Library was founded on the same site in 1933. Clerkenwell’s tradition of left-leaning publication continues today, with The Guardian and The Observer having their headquarters a short walk away – although both papers will move to Kings Cross in 2008.”

London Presence however is not affiliated with any radicalist party today (!)

For more information on the area go to the Wikipedia page here.

August in London: is business on holiday?!

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Far be it from us to discuss the weather at every possible moment, however when it’s sunny here in London we may indulge ourselves from time to time. Like now. August’s a slow month for most businesses and with the Bank Holiday approaching, it’s a tough time to be thinking about work for everyone. Of course we will be here throughout the holiday and sporadically sunny period and you can rest assured that we will be looking after your business if you’re sunning yourself in tropical climes. If you’re not as lucky as some and are unhappily restricted to the urban confines of Londinium, then heed our advice and go along to one of this weekend’s many festivals of the summer:

Beautiful Days – Escot Park – music event

Who’s playing? Squeeze, Supergrass, Levellers, Alabama 3, Nouvelle Vague, Turin Brakes, Stiff Little…

Bloodstock Open Air – Catton Hall – music event

Who’s playing? As I Lay Dying, Communic, Alestorm, Cloudscape, Evile, At The Gates, Crowning Glory…

V Festival Chelmsford – Hylands Park Chelmsford – music event

Who’s playing? Muse, The Verve, Stereophonics, The Kooks, Maxïmo Park, Alanis Morissette, The Zutons…

Shoreditch Festival 2008 – Hackney – music and performances

From 16 to 24 August 2008, cultural and physical activities in a wonderful programme to chill out in Shoreditch Park

CREATE08 – Olympic Boroughs –  music for carnivals and community street parties, but also art galleries, theatres and exhibitions to enjoy ’til you drop.

Watching the Olympic Games 2008 in Beijing and waiting for the Olympic Games 2012 in London, CREATE08 hosts several events to enjoy and relax to get ready for the Autumn.

Latest News to start the new week

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Good morning! We are back to make you more of a Londoner. So here is a quick update on all the latest business news:

  • Here comes summer, and with it the spectacle of swathes of public sector workers taking to the streets. Soaring inflation is cutting real-terms pay, say the unions, but employers claim they can’t afford any more. From PublicFinance.co.uk
  • Disgraced Tory MP Derek Conway given year to repay money Derek Conway, the MP who paid his son £50,000 as a researcher while he was away at university, has been given a year to repay a quarter of the money, it has been reported. From the Telegraph.co.uk
  • European Stocks, U.S. Futures Fall; Banks, Airlines Lead Drop. European stocks and U.S. index futures fell as concern deepened credit losses and the economic slowdown will hurt earnings. Most Asian shares advanced. From Bloomberg.com
  • Ryanair profits plunge 85%. Shares in airlines slumped today as budget carrier Ryanair reported an 85% fall in first-quarter net profit and warned it could plunge into the red for the full year. Ryanair shares tumbled 15% to €2.74 (217p), dragging down low-cost rival EasyJet, which fell 10% to 301.75p. From Guardian.co.uk
  • MPs seek windfall tax on energy profits. There is a “compelling rationale” for a windfall tax on the profits of energy companies, MPs argue in a report on Monday. They also claim businesses and households are paying excessive fuel bills because of failures in the British energy market. From FT.com
  • House Prices ‘Will Soar by 25%’. House prices fell for the 10th month in a row during July – but there are claims the property market will bounce back stronger than ever. House prices fell for the 10th month in a row during July – but there are claims the property market will bounce back stronger than ever. Homes in England and Wales lost a further 1.2% of their value during the past four weeks, new figures show. From Sky News

Having a London Presence is cheap and easy, and with Londonpresence.com it is much more than a simple presence.

The best ways to get around London

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Hi there! Today is another lovely sunny day. Incredible?! No, this is London!

And one of the most important things when you come to work in London is to know how to get around the city. There are three major airports (Heathrow, Gatwick and Stansted) and two smaller (Luton, and London City) and a number of central mainline stations (London Waterloo, London Victoria, London Bridge, London Liverpool Street, London Paddington, London Kings Cross, London St Pancras, London Euston, London Fenchurch Street, London Cannon Street and London Charing Cross).

You can arrive by plane, train or coach and be sure to be able to travel around London by Tube, DLR, Tram and Bus. The public transport website can help you to plan your movement up and down the City, discovering the best solution and the timing. A platoon of cabs are on the road and to stop one of them all you have to do is to lift your hand. There are also cabs from private companies, minivans and limousines. The most important thing is to have the right number to call to go everywhere.

London has an area of 609 sq mi (1,577.3 km²), divided in 32 boroughs: moving around can be a nightmare without a plan or an AZ Map! Also with sunny day like today.