London – The Great Recovery

By Paul Drechsler CBE, Chair - London First

One of my happiest memories is my first ever visit to London in 1969 as a young boy, with my father. I remember like it was yesterday: the energy, vitality and vibrancy of Carnaby Street. Psychedelic, rock & roll, loud, buzzing. Big red buses, Madame Tussaud’s, London Zoo and Hamley’s – fantastic!
I’d never forgotten the thrill of that first visit and today I love The Royal Albert Hall (especially with Eric Clapton), Fortnum & Masons, a Red Bus Tour, or a trip from Westminster to Greenwich on a riverboat, a night at the O2. So many great restaurants: Zafferano, Pont de la Tour, Hunan, Benares, stop, too many.
 

 
But above all it’s the adjectives the capital conjures and evokes: lively, loud, diverse, energetic, fantastic, beautiful, special, artistic, good, better, best. To my mind, it is the best capital city in the world, honestly. Of course, you might expect me to say that as chair of the business campaign group London...