Tourists

I have just read a report from the Office of National Statistics that claims visitor numbers in the UK have dropped five per cent during April to June - another sure sign that the slowdown is here.

It is no surprise with air travel costs soaring and also hotels charging through the nose for rooms. I would say a major problem with London at the moment is the amount of building work and roadwork that is going on in the centre - it is a real eyesore and hardly a welcoming sight for tourists that have come to look at the architecture. Oxford Street in particular is probably in the worst state I have seen it since I first came to London. That certainly doesn't help.

However if tourism slows down here, it must mean less people from the UK are going abroad so hopefully are supporting the local economy a little bit more.