5 reasons why the capital is still the best place to live

Is all the fuss about London justified? As a nation we look to the capital for a lot, but should we? As other cities and regions stake their claim to take on London, we look at why it is still seen as the place to move to…

Jobs
It’s the economy, right? London is where people go when they dream of making the top of their industry and that’s still the case. It’s home to half of the companies on the FTSE 100 as well as pioneering firms in almost every sector you can imagine. Even the recession barely dinted London’s progress, with its economy rising 12.5 per cent between 2007 and 2011, twice as fast as the rest of the UK during this tough time. Put simply, many people have to head to London if they want to reach the pinnacle of their chosen profession and obtain the best paid and most prestigious jobs.

Sport
If you’re a sports fan you’ll be spoiled for choice in the capital. There’s the national homes of football and rugby at Wembley and Twickenham, the iconic tennis grand slam venue Wimbledon and the spiritual home of cricket at Lord’s. And that really is just scratching the surface. If you love top tier live sport, London is the perfect place to live.

Transport
Public transport is one thing we love to grumble about as a nation. But, while it has its issues, London’s public transport network blows the rest of the UK out of the water. Buses, the Tube, taxis, trains and even rented bikes keep the capital moving.

Museums
London’s cultural offering makes it the place to be and nowhere is this more evident than with its museums, which are among the best attractions in the world let alone the UK. What’s so magnificent is that many of the best - the British Museum, Natural History Museum, Science Museum – are all free to enter. What better way to enrich an evening or weekend? The West End’s theatre scene and a plethora of art galleries all add to the allure of London as a cultural hotspot.

Diversity
London is a place rich with diversity which means there really is something for everyone. From the tradition of Trooping The Colour to the vibrant colours of the Notting Hill Carnival or a programme of outdoor cinema shows, the sheer variety is unrivalled. Better still, the fact that London has attracted people from across the globe pays dividends when it comes to its culinary offering. You can tickle your tastebuds with treats from almost anywhere on the planet in London’s restaurant scene.

When it comes to jobs, transport, culture and entertainment it's hard to make a case for anywhere other than London. While rivals might try to take it on for certain aspects, London still has the total package and that’s why it continues to attract about 200,000 people a year from within the UK (and almost as many from outside) to up sticks and live there.