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The Chinese presence is everywhere. Just like there is a Chinatown in Manhattan and a Chinatown in Singapore, London too has it own exclusive Chinatown located in the Gerard Street area.
History of Chinatown of London
One has to go back to the 1950's when the Chinese from Hong Kong started immigrating to UK and started making their fortune through the booming catering trade. With the passage of time, the Chinese community began to prosper. Today Chinatown London covers a stretch between Shaftesbury and Leicester Square.
Although initially the Leicester Square area was synonymous with filth and squalor, with time as the Chinese Community prospered, the British government spruced up the area and gave it a whole new look bearing in mind the mega bucks that tourism could generate through such an effort. Today as you enter London's Chinatown, designer Chinese gates, Chinese shops and of course the Chinese restaurants dot the landscape. You will be surprised to see Chinese pagodas at the entry and exit of each street.
London’s Chinatown: A Multinational Presence
In Chinatown, apart from the Chinese, there are people of other oriental countries like Japanese, Singaporeans and Koreans living in peaceful co-existence. Today, Chinatown has become a bustling place where people still practice age-old customs and traditions. Try to coincide your trip to Chinatown during the Chinese New Year when the entire Chinatown wears a festive look with glitzy lighting and people celebrating with great pomp and grandeur.
Restaurants at Chinatown
A great way to unwind at Chinatown is by dropping in at any of the Chinese restaurants, café, shops or the bars and savor lip smacking Chinese delicacies. On the hindsight, apart from Chinese snack bars and restaurants, it would be apt to point out that apart from eating joints, Chinatown London also has exclusive Chinese medical services, travel agents, bookshops, Chinese craft works and an array of Chinese cultural, philanthropic and professional organizations.
The Chinese supermarkets are also worth visiting. They sell everything from curious to culinary spices and utensils that you might need, should you want to cook traditional Chinese dishes at home.
While visiting Chinatown, you would do well to drop in at the Guang Hwa Company, which is one of London's best-known Chinese bookstore. It also sells artistic Chinese crafts. For souvenirs, visit The China Gifts Shop with has amazing Chinese art and decorative murals, wall hangings and curios.
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