London is one of the key cities for corporate travel. As the world slowly opens up after lockdown, businesses will soon be back up and running, with corporate travel set to resurrect after a prolonged period of instability and closure. As always, London will be one of the major cities that corporate travellers will head to. But for the uninitiated, London can be a confusing place. The Underground is always a mission to move around in, and there are just too many restaurants to pick from to have business lunches or a quiet meal with oneself for company.
There are many parts of the corporate travel experience in London. From networking events to exploring a few attractions when the opportunity arises, shopping for bits and pieces to take home and spending time in a deluxe London serviced apartment or corporate housing, here’s your guide to corporate travel in Europe’s top city:
The UK’s Financial Centre
London is the centre of the UK’s political sphere, creative output and international trade. With districts like Canary Wharf, the City of London (aka The Square Mile) and Liverpool Street, business and trade take centre stage. Looking around the restaurants and hangouts in these eclectic places, you can always see stockbrokers, traders and company directors discussing the state of the economy and ways to build new partnerships to take their businesses to whole new levels.
Believe it or not, around 40% of the world's foreign equities are traded in London, with the city also generating between ¼ and ⅓ of the UK’s GDP overall. No wonder so many corporate travellers come here to do business on domestic and international scales. The city is also the largest centre for derivatives markets, foreign exchange markets, money markets, issuance of international debt securities, international insurance, trading in gold, silver and base metals through the London bullion market and London Metal Exchange, and international bank lending – topping even the likes of New York.
London’s Key Attractions
Corporate travel isn’t just about business meetings and discussing the latest issue of The Economist – it also has its fun aspects that corporate travellers can enjoy too when they have a bit of downtime on their hands. Visiting some of the city’s big attractions should always be part of business, otherwise, why travel in the first place?
Naturally, corporate guests can only see as many attractions as their time permits. So organising time to see really experience the city is key to any corporate travel experience. There are the obvious big attractions that everyone needs to see (ideal for short term stays), while there are others that may not be key, but are more than enjoyable and unforgettable when the time is there (long term stays). Some of the top attractions in London for every corporate traveller include:
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The British Museum
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Natural History Museum
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Science Museum
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Tate Modern Gallery
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Tate Britain Gallery
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National Gallery
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The Shard
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Westminster Abbey
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Houses of Parliament
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Trafalgar Square
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London Eye
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Madame Tussauds
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St Paul’s Cathedral
London’s Corporate Dining Experience
Eating out in London is one of the most rewarding experiences. Being what many would term as a global city, its palette is also far-reaching. While there are the traditional British foods and specialities to feast on (fish and chips, Sunday roast dinner, shepherd’s pie, toad in the hole, etc), there are prodigious cuisines from across the globe, ranging from French delicacies to Chinese dishes (throughout the Chinatown district), spicy Mexican food, vibrant Indian curries, soulful Thai dishes, meaty American grub and so much more.
But when it comes to corporate travel, things need to be on the next level. Luxury and delicacies are the essentials. Clients and business partners want to feast on something truly divine whilst discussing profit margins, commissions and the like. While there are just too many London restaurants to list here, a few of the most notable, famous and luxurious ones for corporate clients can be found below:
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The Ivy
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Benares
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Tamarind
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Seven Park Place by William Drabble
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Orrery
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M Threadneedle Street
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Boisdale of Belgravia
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The Thomas Cubitt
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Coq d’Argent Restaurant
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Il Portico
London’s Shopping Quarters
After a long day in the office or when a break finally surfaces in the hectic corporate schedule, a trip to the shops is always in order. There’s nothing quite like being in a new destination and checking out its areas of commerce…and London is certainly no disappointment! With famous shopping streets and shopping centres oozing with globally recognised brands of trust and luxury, there are many gifts to purchase that can please any stubborn or critical relative. Whether it’s something fine and sleek like jewellery or a Rolex, a new suit from Bond Street or something cute and cuddly for the kids, the shopping streets of London really do deliver. Right from the trendy areas of Camden and Carnaby to Westfields in Shepherd’s Bush and Stratford, the posh delights of Mayfair and the crowded Convent Garden, satisfaction is never hard to find. The best areas to shop in London include the following:
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Oxford Street
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Regent Street
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Bond Street
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Mayfair
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Westfield
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Carnaby
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Camden
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Covent Garden
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One Canada Square
London’s Corporate Housing and Serviced Accommodation
And then there’s arguably the most important part of the London corporate experience: accommodation. Well, serviced accommodation in fact. Throughout London, as any business traveller can imagine, is a whole range off accommodation options. But forget about hotels, the real corporate travel experience lies in London’s range of serviced apartments.
These are bespoke accommodation options that can function as leisure getaways and efficient corporate housing. In London, with its grand global presence, there are many serviced apartments to book. For those that need corporate housing in London, these living spaces can found in all the top neighbourhoods from Canary Wharf to Shoreditch, City of London, Aldgate, Mayfair, Islington, Bloomsbury and so many more. Whether your corporate trip needs a modern space or a luxurious abode, London’s range of serviced apartments are here to complete your trip.
