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boost for business filming in the Square Mile Lord Mayor N E W S A N D K E Y I S S U E S F O R T H E C I T Y O F L O N D O N spotlight on the City Issue no 56 April 2006
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spotlight on the City
filming in the Square MileLord Mayor
boost for business
linking it all togetherCity infrastructure projects underway
cityviewIssue no 56 N E W S A N D K E Y I S S U E S F O R T H E C I T Y O F L O N D O N April 2006
C I T Y V I E W2
cityviewmagazineWelcome to cityviewmagazine
C O N T E N T S
C I T Y O F L O N D O N
property showcase 3
T H E I N T E R V I E W
the long-term view 4
C I T Y P O L I C E
shaping the future of City policing 6
C O M M U N I T Y S T R A T E G Y
focus on feedback 7
C I T Y I N F R A S T R U C T U R E
future perfect? 8
L O R D M A Y O R
global reach for overseas promotion 10
C I T Y F I L M I N G
lights, camera, admin! 12
A R T S F O C U S
cultural revolution revisited 14a tale of two exhibitions 15
...and finally 16
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C I T Y V I E W 3
C I T Y P R O P E R T Y
property showcase
March
All change
Major building developments for
the Square Mile
Branching out
City school unveils expansion
plans
Building a brighter
future
New apprentice scheme unveiled
February
Safety Thirst
City pubs and clubs work to
reduce crime and disorder
Playing the field
Wanstead Flats refurbishment
programme unveiled
January
All the people
New Supporting People Strategy
launched
Four star performer
City of London CPA results
announced
Hi tech focus
City of London joins Digital
Challenge
December
City goes east
City representation established in
Shanghai and Beijing
Money talks
Report shows London is a global
financial centre
The Worshipful Company of
Marketors has a new Master.
Roger de Pilkyngton takes up the
role with a background in catering
and events management.
01727 824446 or
The Salters’ Company’s flagship
charity, The Salters’ Institute,
hosted its annual awards
ceremony in December.
020 7628 5962 or
The Worshipful Company of
Stationers & Newspaper Makers
admitted 47 Freemen in one go at
a specially-staged ceremony at
the Stationers’ Hall.
020 7248 2934 or
The Worshipful Company of
Weavers presented its annual
Textile Industry Awards in
February.
020 7606 1155 or
O N L I N E
cityviewonline O N L I N E
liverylivedigest
www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/cityview
www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/liverylive
More information
020 7332 3493 or
With extensive building work going on in the
Square Mile at present, making businesses and
investors aware of the high quality property
available now and in the near future is a major
aim for the City of London Corporation.
One of the key dates in its property calendar is
MIPIM (Marché International des Professionnels de
l’Immobilier) the international property conference
held in Cannes each March.
It is both a leading real estate forum and a global
marketplace.At the most recent conference, the
17th,key representatives from the City of London,
including its Economic Development and City
Property Advisory Teams,met with investors and
end-users.As well as highlighting the new property
available and the benefits of locating in the Square
Mile, they had the chance to see what is happening
in the industry as a whole and to adjust strategy to
meet emerging trends.
This year, the City hosted a seminar 20/20 Vision:
Planning the City of London 1985-2025 reviewing
planning and architecture in the Square Mile over
the last 20 years and looking ahead to what might be
expected in the next 20.
It looked at the amount of
renewal that has taken place in
its built environment, the
improved architectural quality of
redevelopments and how
the City itself is a better place
for people.
Following the seminar,Michael
Snyder (pictured),Chairman of
the City’s Policy & Resources
Committee,chaired a discussion
on the issues raised.He was joined by three senior
property industry figures representing the
architectural,developer and planning advisor
perspectives – Lee Polisano of KPF,Adrian Penfold of
British Land and Malcolm Kerr of DP9 respectively.
C I T Y V I E W4
T H E I N T E R V I E W
Peter Riddell of The Times talks to George Osborne, Shadow Chancellor
the long term view
George Osborne is going to become much
better known around the City. When he was
catapulted last summer into the position of
Shadow Chancellor at the age of just 33, he
looked an interim appointment until the
Conservative leadership was settled. But,
having been David Cameron’s campaign
manager, he has now not only been confirmed
in his post but he has also become one of the
most influential Tory leaders. His office adjoins
Mr Cameron’s suite in the Norman Shaw South
building overlooking the Thames.
So what Mr Osborne says matters.While his
background is in business – the family Osborne and
Little fabric and wallpaper firm – his whole career
has been in politics, as a special adviser, and, since
2001,as an MP. He is fully aware of the importance of
the City and financial services,which he describes
“as the jewel in the crown of the British economy,
where we have a greater advantage over our
competitors”.
Every week,he has an event in the City.He also
praises the contribution of the City of London
Corporation in doing “a particularly good job in
championing the City’s interests”.
However,Mr Osborne is critical of Gordon Brown.
Not only,he says,does Mr Brown only make rare and
brief visits to the City,but the Treasury itself does not
do enough to champion the interests of the City.He
argues that the Treasury should be more of a
champion of the City.Government should do what it
can to help City markets “thrive and prosper”.
The Shadow Chancellor lays particular stress on
reducing regulations.He is worried that the Financial
Services Authority (FSA) is in danger of “killing the
goose that lays the golden egg”by excessive
regulation.He blames both the FSA and the
European Union for this trend. In particular,he
argues that the European Commission “does not
always understand the competitive pressures and
position of financial services in Britain”.
Mr Osborne talks of great disappointment about the
pace of creating a single market in financial services.
There is still too much protection of smaller financial
services industries on the Continent.
Mr Osborne recognises the importance of
strengthening London’s infrastructure,but is wary
about saying anything which sounds like a firm
commitment.“I cannot offer the hope of a pot of
gold for infrastructure, though I hope we can find a
way of updating infrastructure”.Like most
politicians,he supports the principle of the Crossrail
project,but fears that it may suffer from the work in
London associated with the 2012 Olympics.He does
not have “all the answers”on its funding.
The Tories are in the middle of a series of policy
reviews.The tax commission has been asked to look
at the structure of the system,and whether it can be
made simpler and flatter.This includes the much
He is fully aware of the
importance of the City
and financial services,
which he describes
“as the jewel in the
crown of the British
economy, where we
have a greater
advantage over our
competitors”.
C I T Y V I E W 5
discussed idea of a single, flat tax, though Mr Osborne
repeats that he is not committed to such an idea
because of the problems involved.The commission is
looking at capital tax reform and at moves towards
lower and simpler taxes in the rest of Europe.
Separately, a review of the competitive position of
the British economy is being undertaken.Mr
Osborne argues that one of the central failures of
Gordon Brown has been to preside over a
deterioration in Britain’s competitive position with
increases in taxes and regulation, leading to a drop in
our position on the World Economic Forum league
table from fourth to thirteenth.“There has been a
hardening of the arteries”.
The reviews will also look at structural questions,
including planning and transport (Mr Osborne is
reluctant to become involved in the question of
whether the Mayor of London should take planning
powers from the boroughs.The party,he says, is
looking at the powers of the Mayor).
These review groups are independent though Mr
Osborne has the right to make suggestions about
what they should consider.For instance,after a visit
to Ireland in late February,he asked what has made
the Irish economy so successful.Why have
companies like Google set up in the Dublin area
rather than London? This is partly,he suggests,
because of the pool of skilled labour in Ireland but
also because of the Irish tax structure which has
made it attractive to outside investors.
By the middle of next year the reviews will have
produced a range of options.That will also be when
the overall economic and spending outlook will be
clearer after Mr Brown – presuming he is still
Chancellor rather than Prime Minister – will have
announced the results of his two-year
comprehensive review of plans for public spending
lasting until the end of the decade.
The new Conservative leadership has created some
confusion and puzzlement in the City, and industry,
by David Cameron’s remarks about the Tories not
being the party of big business but being willing to
stand up to it.The aim,Mr Osborne says, is to show
that “the perception that the Conservative Party is in
the pocket of big business is not the case.We
represent the whole of society: small as well as large
business”.He argues that many of the largest
companies, such as BP, Tesco and Asda,are, in fact,
most sensitive about their wider social and
environmental obligations.
Mr Osborne stresses that he does not want to make
hard-and-fast policy now – it is more a matter of long-
term themes.He denies that the Tories are
converging with New Labour.He points to the
commitment to reduce the share of national income
taken by the state over the course of the economic
cycle: the opposite of Mr Brown’s approach.The Tory
aim is to “share”the proceeds of growth between
investing in public services and reducing taxes.
Moreover,he says most in the City will agree with
making a priority of economic stability and fiscal
responsibility ahead of tax cuts, since they would not
want to increase borrowing.
Peter Riddell is Chief Political Commentator of The Times
C I T Y V I E W6
C I T Y P O L I C E
shaping the future of City policing
Forget crime figures, anti-social behaviour and
binge drinking. The Police Service has been
making headlines of a different kind recently.
Last Autumn, the Home Secretary announced that
police forces must merge with their neighbours to
ensure they provide a service fit for the 21st
century.This raised questions about the future of
the City of London Police, which has been
providing a dedicated service to meet the needs of
the Square Mile since 1839.
At the time of going to press, it seems likely to
retain its independence while working more
closely with the Metropolitan Police in areas such
as investigating murder, kidnap and terrorism.
However the final verdict will not be delivered until
the National Fraud Review reports in June.
This process began with a review of all forces by
Her Majesty’s Inspectorate of Constabulary to
assess the ability of forces in England and Wales to
cope with resource-intensive crimes such as
murder and terrorism.Almost all forces failed to
achieve the required rating, leading to the
announcement that ‘strategic’ – normally, larger –
forces must be created.
City of London Police Commissioner, Dr James Hart
set up a review team of senior officers to
investigate and research the available options.Their
conclusion was clear: City of London Police must
remain as a separate force if it was to continue to
provide the specialist service necessary to
effectively police the world’s leading international
business and financial centre. It already leads in
London and the South East in combating economic
crime and the City needs integrated, on-the-ground
policing for such a high concentration of world
class businesses.
Keith Knowles, Chairman of the Police Committee,
believes there are many good reasons why COLP
should remain independent.“We are one of the
highest performers in the country, have an
unsurpassed reputation in economic crime
detection and understand the needs of our
community.We work effectively in full co-operation
with the Met when necessary, as the tragic events
of 7 July aptly demonstrated.”
This view was wholeheartedly endorsed by
the City of London Corporation, which offered its
full support in producing the necessary business
case. Michael Snyder, Chairman of the Policy
and Resources Committee, added his backing
stating that “With an area as unique as the Square
Mile we need a force dedicated to its specific needs
to meet the demands of the international
businesses based here.With an outstandingly
successful record the City Police should retain
its independence.”
More information
www.cityoflondon.police.uk
The City Police
■ has 885 officers,
70 special constables
and 16 Police
Community
Support Officers
■ leads the nation
in fraud investigation
expertise
■ has an ‘Excellent’
rating from a Best
Value Review of
Counter Terrorism
■ response times
are consistently
the best in England
and Wales
■ has a satisfaction
rating of 90%
from city businesses
(MORI)
■ figures show crime
level is one of the
lowest in the country
and continuing to fall
C I T Y V I E W 7
C O M M U N I T Y S T R A T E G Y
In a partnership as large and varied as The City
Together it is important to check that it is
moving in the right direction and the only way
do this is to report back to its stakeholders –
the City itself.
The third annual City Together stakeholder event
was held in February with this in mind.People from
all areas of life across the Square Mile were invited to
Guildhall to see how the City’s different service
providers are working together to improve their
service provision.
Residents,workers,business representatives and
young people were able to view three times as many
stalls as in previous events.Lunchtime viewing was
piloted this year as well as the regular early evening
viewing.Visitors also had the opportunity to
question the different services providers about
their work.
Michael Snyder,who chairs The City Together,
opened the evening’s formal proceedings explaining
its purpose and outlining progress achieved over the
past 12 months.He then went on to introduce a
number of new initiatives planned such as
■ a Careers Open House programme to bring
13 and 14 year olds into City firms to see what
goes on and inspire them to work in the City
■ a large scale consultation on the City’s Local
Development Framework that will determine
future City land use policy
■ the development of a voluntary and
community sector providing independent
“Council for Voluntary Service-style”support
in the Square Mile.
As well as being a forum for feedback, the
stakeholder event includes workshops to discuss key
issues in greater depth.This year one of the major
points raised was healthcare for City residents;other
topics included the City and the 2012 Olympics,
recycling and late night licensing.The results of these
sessions,and indeed the event as a whole,will be fed
into the Community Strategy’s Action Plan which is
updated annually to form the structure for The City
Together’s work.
Alongside the many service providers already
making up the partnership,more organisations are
being encouraged to sign up as associate members.
This means that they support the Community
Strategy’s aims and pledge support for what the
Strategy is striving to achieve.This is seen as a way of
broadening involvement by the wider City in the
Strategy’s work.
Feedback from attendees after the event showed that
in general people had found it useful and informative
– both in terms of finding out more about the City
and in making new contacts.
focus on
feedback
More information
www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/
communitystrategy
C I T Y V I E W8
C I T Y I N F R A S T R U C T U R E
future perfect?
One of the responsibilities of
the City of London is to keep an
eye on the future, ensuring that the
Square Mile has everything it needs to
thrive.
Much of this work revolves around infrastructure
and,even if not directly responsible for it, the City
continues to lobby for improvement in vital areas
such as transport.
This year progress is being made on a number of
fronts that will improve that infrastructure and also
take into account the expected growth in the Square
Mile’s population in the next decade.
The last issue of cityview outlined the widespread
and ongoing building development work in the
Square Mile.This will replace older building stock
with attractive,modern and fit-for-purpose buildings
that should last well into the future. It will also make
the Square Mile a more attractive place to do
business,visit and live,as community benefits often
form part of larger developments.
Alongside this,Thames Water has announced the
start of a £500m water mains replacement
programme across the capital.This will replace
London’s oldest and leakiest water mains over the
next three years beginning in the Square Mile
in April.
The ageing,cast iron pipes,many of which are more
than 150 years old,will be replaced with new
infrastructure that will accommodate the rise in
population, the greater demand for water per head
and the increasing evidence of climate change.
The City of London is already working with Thames
Water to ensure that any local disruption to residents
or businesses is kept to a minimum.The work will be
carried out on an area by area basis. In advance of
each stage of the project, residents and businesses
likely to be affected by the work will be invited to
attend briefings on the programme.They will then
be given a chance to talk directly to Thames Water
representatives.
In keeping with the high-tech nature of business in
C I T Y V I E W 9
the Square Mile, the City of
London is also looking at
opportunities to establish a WiFi
network.This enables users of laptops
or mobile phones to send emails and
connect to the internet without the use of
plugs or sockets.This would make London the
most technologically advanced financial centre in
the world.
The WiFi network would be installed on street
furniture including lamp posts and street signs
allowing City workers and visitors with WiFi-enabled
devices to access the internet on streets and in open
spaces.Michael Snyder,Chairman of the City of
London’s Policy & Resources Committee feels “it is
important to provide this technology for City
workers to maintain our position as the world’s
leading international financial centre. City workers
will be able to use wireless broadband to work more
efficiently; staying in touch with their office via hand-
held devices while on the move.”
This would have enormous benefits for business.
Already much work is done outside office (and is
also in line with the increasing practice of hot-
desking) and working ‘in the field’.
As ever, transport remains one of the City’s biggest
concerns.Over the years it has been pressing for
better performance and improved capacity across
the whole network – especially with regard to the
Underground.Now several projects that will boost
transport across the capital, including the Docklands
Light Railway extension,are making progress.
One of the most high profile is the closure of the
Waterloo & City line scheduled for the beginning of
April.This will involve the closure of the entire line
for engineering improvements and will obviously
affect thousands of people.But it is believed that
closing the line in its entirety, rather than carrying
out work in the limited hours available after the line
closes at night and before it opens in the morning,
will allow operators Metronet to carry out the work
that much quicker.
The line is more than 100 years old and during the
closure the track will be replaced and electrical,
mechanical, fire protection and communication
equipment will be renewed.Once completed, the
improvements should deliver greater reliability, a
25% increase in capacity,quicker journey times and a
smoother ride.
In addition,the ongoing saga of Crossrail has reached
a key juncture.The Crossrail Select Committee has
begun sitting to hear petitions on the Crossrail Bill
before a recommendation is made to Parliament.The
committee period is expected to last until the year
end but will represent another hurdle crossed.
Crossrail is the east-west rail link that the City has
been championing for many years to solve current
overcrowding on the underground but also to supply
extra capacity to meet the expanding City population.
At the London Government dinner at Mansion House
in January the Lord Mayor summed up the need for
much of this work when he described London as the
smallest in size of the nine English regions “yet it
produces more wealth than any other region in the
whole European Union.But if we are not to keep
enough of what we raise, if we do not get Crossrail, if
we do not get upgraded infrastructure, if we do not
get the extra resources each borough needs to do
what is expected of it, then we cannot meet our
obligations, let alone prosper.”
More information
www.cityoflondon.gov.uk
Thames Water
● Beneath London and the Thames
Valley, Thames Water looks after
20,000 miles of water mains and
40,000 miles of sewers – enough to
run round the world more than
twice.
● By 2016, the equivalent of the
population of Leeds (nearly
800,000 people) are expected
to move to London
● The majority of the oldest and
leakiest pipes are situated in north
and central London
Crossrail
● Route would run underground from
Liverpool Street to Paddington
● Stations at Farringdon, Tottenham
Court Road and Bond Street
● Would help alleviate current
overcrowding
● Create capacity to accommodate
expected 10,000 additional
commuters in next 10 years
Waterloo & City Line
● Also known as ‘The Drain’
● Opened in 1898
● Carries 9.6m people every year
● Improvements will increase
capacity by 25%
WiFi
● Invented in 1991
● wireless-enabled computers or
personal digital assistant can
connect to the Internet when in
proximity of an access point
● Geographical region covered
by one or several access points is
called a hotspot.
The Waterloo and City
line will be closed for a
major line upgrade from
1 April until early
September 2006.
Question: what have Beirut, Cornwall, Tokyo,
Cardiff, New Delhi and Leeds got in common?
Answer: they, along with plenty of other
diverse destinations, are all on the Lord
Mayor’s visits schedule this year.
The main role of the Lord Mayor is to promote the
Square Mile and its services.He is a dedicated
ambassador who travels extensively to boost London’s
role as the world’s leading international financial and
business centre.
This is in line with a major policy strand of the City of
London Corporation.It means working in close
collaboration with the City’s Chairman of Policy &
Resources,Michael Snyder,and other Members in
making sure the City’s interests are reflected in
London-wide and national policy and development.
In his ambassadorial role,this also means more than
20 overseas and domestic visits and countless other
receptions at Mansion House and Guildhall at which
he welcomes visiting diplomats and business visitors
on behalf of the government.
The visits schedules are tailored to the strengths and
experience of each Lord Mayor.Alderman David
Brewer is proud of his links to Asia having set up
offices for insurance brokers Sedgwick Collins in
Tokyo and Beijing.He is also a consultant for the Asia
Pacific Region of Marsh Inc, is senior Asia Consultant
at International Financial Services,London (IFSL) and
is Non-Executive Director of London Asia Capital plc.
With this pedigree, it is not surprising that the first
guests in Mansion House on Alderman Brewer’s first
working day were from Shanghai!
March saw the Lord Mayor’s first trip of the year to
China taking in Chongqing,Chenghu,Shenzhen and
Hong Kong.Financial Services were the main focus of
the visit with a series of seminars organised for the
business community in conjunction with UK Trade &
Investment,IFSL and the China-Britain Business
C I T Y V I E W10
L O R D M A Y O R
Mayoral visits
2005
22-23 November Austria (Pre-Pres)
2006
25-30 January Algeria (25-27 Jan)
Egypt (27-30 Jan)
10-16 February Saudi Arabia (10-14 Feb)
Bahrain (14-16 Feb)
24 Feb-7 March Mongolia
China (first visit including
Hong Kong)
19-28 March India
3-5 April Finland (Pre-Pres 3-4 April)
25-26 April Belgium (EU Commission)
8-18 May Philippines (8-11 May)
Indonesia (11-14 May)
Brunei (14-15 May)
Thailand (15-18 May)
3-6 July Hungary (3-4 July)
Turkey (4-6 July)
31 Aug-16 Sept Japan (31 Aug-3 Sept)
Korea (3-6 Sept)
China (second visit: 6-16 Sept)
The Lord Mayor at the opening
ceremony of the Chongqing
International Financial Street,
‘the Wall Street’ of Chongqing
and (bottom right) meeting
Zhou Mubing, Vice Mayor
of Chongqing.
global reach for
overseas promotion
In his ambassadorial role, this means more than
20 overseas and domestic visits and countless other
receptions at Mansion House and Guildhall
Council.Topics covered included how to list on the
London Stock Exchange,advice on seeking venture
capital and financial training.
Alderman Brewer was accompanied,as on every visit,
by a senior business delegation of representatives
who are acknowledged experts in their fields.The
delegation to China included Jane Zhu of the London
Stock Exchange,Sir Thomas Harris,Vice Chairman of
Capital Markets at Standard Chartered Bank,and
Martin Bloom,Chairman of UK-China Venture Capital
Joint Working Group.
Being Lord Mayor involves meeting people at the
highest level of government and business.In Hong
Kong this meant discussions with Rafael Hui,Chief
Secretary of Administration,and Joseph Yau,the Chief
Executive of the Hong Kong Monetary Authority,to
reinforce the UK’s strong links with the country and
assess financial trends there.
But the Lord Mayor’s agenda stretches far beyond Asia.
Already he has travelled to Austria in a European
Union pre-presidency visit,Algeria,Egypt,Saudi Arabia
and Finland.In Saudi Arabia he gave a keynote address
at the Jeddah Economic Forum on the financing large
scale infrastructure projects and opened a seminar on
the UK’s experience in Public Private Partnerships.
In some instances a Lord Mayor can see how a
country has changed since his predecessors’visits.
During January,Alderman Brewer saw first hand how
Egypt is now opening up to foreign investment with
the privatisation of its banking structure, liberalised
exchange rate and the greater finance available for
public infrastructure projects.With experienced
business people now forming part of the country’s
government,the economy is diversifying and financial
services are seen as an important wealth provider.
Domestic visits are equally important.The Lord Mayor
promotes UK based financial services which,although
headquartered in the City, includes regional financial
centres such as Edinburgh,Glasgow,Leeds,
Manchester and Bristol.By touring these areas he can
exchange best practice and keep abreast of their own
issues which can then help inform the messages he
puts across to decision makers in
the UK and abroad.
Alderman Brewer is also keen to
reach workers in the Square Mile
– people mainly in their late
twenties and early thirties who
are the wealth generators for the
wider City.This is with the aim of
making them feel valued and part
of the Square Mile’s long term
future.
Strengthening academic exchange
will be another objective of
Alderman’s Brewer’s visits to
China as part of his strong belief
in the value of education – ‘you
have to learn to earn’! City
University London,of which the
Lord Mayor is Chancellor, is jointly
sponsoring an international EMBA
programme with the Bank of
China and the Central University of Finance and
Economics to train high-level Chinese talent in
economic and financial management.By offering
courses that contain both local and international
angles,the Square Mile can ensure that it nurtures and
exports the talents that these economies need.
With visits still planned for the Philippines,Indonesia,
Brunei,Thailand,Hungary,Turkey,Korea,Portugal and
Spain one thing is for sure – the Lord Mayor’s year is
starting to kick into high gear!
C I T Y V I E W 11
More information or to express an
interest in being involved in one of
the Lord Mayor’s visits
020 7332 3099
www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/
lordmayor
C I T Y V I E W12
C I T Y F I L M I N G
lights, camera, admin!
It’s a good time for filming in the City
of London.
The Square Mile proved the second most popular
destination in London for film makers in 2005.It
notched up 1,040 shooting days averaging at just
under three shoots per day!
According to Film London,this helped establish a
record number of days spent filming across the capital
last year.The total number of shooting days reached
12,655,a record-breaking increase of 18% on the
previous year.
Of course ‘shooting’does not necessarily mean a big
budget film production.It could mean a television
shoot,a commercial or simply a photographic
assignment.But for each,this could mean the
involvement of any one of several areas –
■ City of London Police (security,traffic control)
■Technical Services (parking, licences for
camera track)
■ Environmental Services (noise levels,road
cleansing)
■ City Surveyors (property management)
■ Markets or Open Spaces (popular locations)
■ City Comptrollers (contracts)
And that’s just City of London departments.The City’s
Film Office might also have to liaise with Transport for
London,London Buses,the Port of London Authority
or the Civil Aviation Authority.
At the time of writing the Film Office team was
waiting for the traditional winter lull in filming to give
way to a busier spring,with its longer hours of
daylight,and normally manic summer.Numerous
productions that filmed in the Square Mile last year are
now awaiting release,whether on cinema or TV
screens,and location managers are already scouting
for next year’s large scale productions.
V for Vendetta (a vision of Britain as a future fascist
nation) has just been released and other high
profile productions scheduled for release in the near
future include,Basic Instinct 2 and The Da Vinci
Code starring Tom Hanks and directed by Ron
Howard.Looking ahead,Harry Potter and the
Order of the Phoenix is due to start shooting in the
coming months and is currently scouting locations -
with Burnham Beeches a possible option for
certain scenes.
While these are each one-offs,Spooks, Hustle and The
Bill are reliable and regular television productions
that come back to the City because of positive
previous experiences.According to the City Film
Office,one of the attractions of the Square Mile is that
it is quiet.Because of its small resident community
and financial focus on weekdays only,weekends are a
particularly fertile time to film.Children of Men, a
futuristic drama starring Clive Owen,required
narrow,dark streets,modern looking architecture,an
area that would not be immediately recognisable and
the need to set off an explosion! Fleet Street was
chosen to meet these different needs and the Film
Office was able to make sure that filming coincided
with a scheduled road closure of the street for
maintenance work thereby meeting everyone’s needs
and keeping disruption to a minimum.
But it was not always this way.The City of London only
set up its Film Office in the mid-1990s,one of the first
in London,with other local authorities following suit.
It came about as a result of the increasing requests to
film in the capital and from film makers who were
finding it difficult to liaise with the numerous
departments,authorities and other organisations
whose permission or help were needed.As more local
authorities have established their own film offices,the
number of productions looking to shoot in London
has increased as a direct result.
The City Film Office has shared best practice with
other London boroughs on procedures as well as with
City businesses when approached by film companies.
It can also offer advice to residents and members of
the public about filming in the Square Mile..
The City of London has also helped fund the start up
of Film London,the capital’s film and media agency
that promotes and develops London as a film making
and film cultural capital.Film London has launched ON
LOC
ATI
ON
IN T
HE
CIT
Y
Breakdown of activities
for a typical feature
film shoot
Location sourcing
Assistance from City Police
Technical vehicles
parking/private car
parking
Removal of street
signs/road markings
Rubbish removal
Fake weather
arrangements
Risk assessments
for stunts
Licensing equipment
Animal vetting
C I T Y V I E W 13
the London Filming Partnership to make filming in the
capital easier and more than 120 partners, including
the City of London and the other 32 London local
authorities,have signed up.
Location Managers tend to be employed by
production companies on a freelance basis and rely
on their reputation to gain entry into locations. Many
have come into the City enough times over the years
on different projects to have built up a reputation for
being trustworthy and responsible.This works to the
advantage of all parties as the Film Office can make
more provisions at shorter notice.The team can save
them a lot of time and effort by suggesting possible
locations or liaising with each of the City of London
departments or external organisations necessary –
making location managers’ lives a lot easier.
For the Film Office, if a production shoots in a City of
London-owned property there is a location fee.If it
is private property,the owners would charge a
location fee,but the City of London may charge an
administration fee and chances are that it would also
earn money through parking fees.At the top end of the
scale a major feature film can bring in up to £65,000 a
day to the local area.Because of this revenue
generation,filming has crept up the priority ladder for
local authorities. Several productions also pay off in
terms of attracting tourists.Bridget Jones’s Diary, The
World Is Not Enough and Closer all showed London to
its best advantage with their location work and
enhance the reputation of the capital.
The complex demands of any production mean that
the Film Office often receives many last minute
requests.The team try not to say ‘no’ to any of them
but often have to rely on a lot of good will,particularly
from Parking officers and the City Police, to get things
done.But although any film,TV programme,advert or
photographic shoot may involve hundreds of people
behind the scenes – if they are really successful you
shouldn’t be thinking about them at all!
The
Da
Vinc
i Cod
eC
hild
ren
of M
enTh
e Vi
rgin
Que
en
Most popular City locations
Tower Bridge
Millennium Bridge
Smithfield Market
Billingsgate Market
Top, Tom Hanks during a break in
filming The Da Vinci Code, and above,
Woody Allen on location in the City
V f
or V
ende
tta
More information
020 7332 3202
www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/leisure_heritage/filming
C I T Y V I E W14
A R T S F O C U S
The late 1960s saw major social
unrest, in one form or another,
across the world. The riots in
Paris, the Vietnam protests in the
United States and for Brazil it
was Tropicália – now the basis for
a ground breaking new exhibition
at the Barbican.
Unlike its counterparts in France and
America, Tropicália was a cultural
revolution taking in music, visual
arts, theatre, cinema, fashion and
architecture. “It attempted to forge
a new identity for the country by
taking in existing work from abroad
but fusing it with Brazil’s own
culture,” explained the Barbican’s
media relations manager Miles
Evans. “In doing so it gave rise to
political thought which was so
threatening to the country’s
military dictatorship.”
The movement was originally
inspired by, and took its name from,
an installation by artist Hélio Oiticica
in 1967. This allowed people to walk
through a representation of urban
life in a favela, or shanty town, with
sand on the floor, flower-patterned
vinyl curtains, macaws and a
television – all of which is faithfully
recreated at the Barbican.
Tropicália then in turn became
the title of one of the most
celebrated albums in Brazilian
music history, featuring
Caetano Veloso, Gilbero
Gil, Gal Costa and Os
Mutantes, and “began an explosion
of creative energy that transformed
Brazilian culture – making it one of
the most significant cultural
movements from South America in
the last 50 years”, Miles continued.
The art on display comes from a
previous exhibition in Chicago, but
the Barbican has chosen to open it
up to encompass all the cultural
areas that the movement helped
influence. “The sheer scale of this
exhibition, brought together under
one roof, is something only the
Barbican could do,” added Miles.
“Album covers, magazine
covers, television footage,
design work, abstract art,
fashion and performances
from artists of the time all
show the impact the movement
had in such a short space of time.”
Although shortlived as a movement
(it was crushed by the government
soon after it began) its influence can
still be found, especially in the work
of David Bowie, David Byrne and
Beck. And in a twist of irony one of
the founders of Tropicália, Gilberto
Gil is now Minister of Culture in
Brazil’s current government!
Tropicália – a Revolution in
Brazilian Culture appears at the
Barbican until 22 May. Along with
the visual art exhibition there are
also tours explaining the Tropicália
experience, a music festival, film
series and dance.
More information
0845 1207550
www.barbican.org.uk
cultural revolution
revisited
C I T Y V I E W 15
A R T S F O C U S
Another visually centred
exhibition is now running at the
Museum in Docklands. Using vast
panoramic images, Unquiet
Thames shows the mysterious,
watery world hidden beneath
London’s bridges.
It features 18 pictures, each over
two metres wide and taking in 360
degrees by stitching together eight
separate digital images. They were
taken by photographer Crispin
Hughes and show the underbelly of
the capital’s famous landmarks.
Shades of light and dark, differing
tides, debris and amalgams of timber,
steel and concrete are explored,
complemented by a soundtrack
featuring the lapping of water. Both
elements combine to give both a
surprising view of the Thames and an
unsettling atmosphere.
“The Thames in central London has
a seven metre tidal range and it is in
the enclosed spaces flooded
alternately with light and with water
that I have concentrated my
attention,” explained Crispin.
“Most of these places were not
designed to be seen by the general
public at all…Thousands of people
walk about above them every day
not knowing that beneath their feet
lurks this strange amphibious
architecture.”
There is a £5 annual entry fee to the
Museum in Docklands for adults but
bring along this copy of cityview
and you can get two tickets for the
price of one! Kids get in free.
Satirical London runs until 3 September at the Museum of London.
More information 0870 444 3851
Unquiet Thames runs until 4 June at the Museum of Docklands.
More information 0870 444 3857
www.museumoflondon.org.uk
With a launch date of 1 April the
Museum of London clearly has its
tongue in its cheek with its new
exhibition Satirical London.
Because of its sheer size and variety
London has always offered plenty of
potential for satirists to get their
teeth into – from etchings of
George III right up to Tony Blair’s
current political
headaches.
Although satire grew out of the
Italian art of caricature, London
lampooned subjects as the
monarchy and the church in a way
that was unthinkable on the
Continent.
This exhibition celebrates the
capital’s rich history in poking
fun at the rich and famous
and includes copies of
Punch magazine and the
latex puppets from TV’s
Spitting Image. More than 350
social and political satires dating
back 300 years are on display
ranging from light-hearted
mockery to scathing and libellous
attacks.
Sketches, ceramics, snuff boxes,
Toby jugs and chamber pots all
provide material for satirising the
City and its people in a unique way.
a tale of two exhibitions
Not just a load
of hot air
Household names such as
Sainsbury’s Supermarkets and Royal
Mail, as well as the small family-run
Kent Art Printers, were among the
winners of this year’s City of London
Liveable City Awards.
The awards, presented by John
Gummer MP and world-renowned
ecologist Professor Norman Myers
(pictured at right with Paul Anderson
of Kent Art Printers), recognise and
reward outstanding achievement
across sustainable development,
the environment, social issues and
the economy.
The overall winner of the Liveable
City Awards Trophy 2006 was
announced as the Carbon
Disclosure Project which
represents the world’s largest
collaboration by institutional
investors on climate change. The
project collates detailed information
from FT500 companies on their
greenhouse gas emissions and
publishes them on its website. It
was praised by the judging panel for
having a tangible impact on global
efforts to combat climate change.
For the first time this year, the
awards are one of six national
feeder schemes so all category
winners will be put forward to
represent the UK in the European
Business Awards for the
Environment, giving them chance of
international recognition.
More information
www.cityoflondon.gov.uk/
living_environment/sustainability
Asian flavour for festival
Although it seems some way off,
summer is only just around the
corner and with it the 2006 City of
London Festival.
The Festival runs from 26 June to
13 July and continues the theme of
Trading Places. This celebrates the
links between London and trading
cities around the world, this year
turning to Tokyo. The programme
will include the creative output and
performances of a number of
Japanese artists alongside their
European counterparts and the
Ambassador of Japan, His
Excellency Mr Yoshiji Nogami, is
Festival Patron.
World-class performances, music of
various kinds, drama and poetry,
installations and exhibitions of
visual arts, film screenings,
architecture walks and talks will all
be on offer in the City’s unique
range of halls, churches and open
spaces offer so look out for more
details in the near future.
More information
www.colf.org
C I T Y V I E W16
N E W S I N B R I E F
...and finally
A new public space has been
opened by the Lord Mayor at
Old Bailey, reclaimed from traffic
as part of the City of London’s
ongoing Street Scene Challenge
initiative.
Road works at Old Bailey have
resulted in a reduction in
carriageway width. The redundant
road space has been redesigned by
landscape architects Burns + Nice
to create a pleasant and welcoming
public space which includes an
oval water feature as the central
focal point, three raised granite
terrace areas, stone and wood
seating, lighting and the planting of
London plane trees.
The Street Scene Challenge
initiative was set up in 2003 to
manage the appearance of streets,
enhance the public realm and street
level environment and facilitate the
flow of both pedestrian and motor
traffic around the City of London.
Traffic has been reduced in the City
by 25% overall, with a 40%
reduction in the central City area as
a result of the City’s management of
vehicular movement.
Through Street Scene, the City of
London is continually working to
improve the appearance, function
and safety of the City’s streets, to
provide a high quality environment.
Old Bailey, new public space
