I don’t visit the West Village all that often but I was a little surprised when I received the following email last week—I’ve never thought of the area as remotely British:
Wednesday, March 21, 2007 marks the official launch of the Campaign for Little Britain – a movement to change the map of New York City by adding a crucial new neighborhood.
Lead by Virgin Atlantic Airways and local restaurant Tea & Sympathy, the campaign seeks to rename a block of Greenwich Avenue “Little Britain.†Celebrities such as Mike Meyers, Joss Stone and Mischa Barton, Barney’s Simon Doonan and celebrated journalists Tina Brown and Sir Harold Evans have rallied for the cause, which is expected to have a great impact on tourism and financial investments in the area.
The Campaign will include an online petition, events at local hotspots such as Soho House and Classic Cars Manhattan, and a formal application to the City to change the street name. In addition, Ben Sherman has designed a limited edition t-shirt that will be sold exclusively in their New York boutique.
[...]the campaign will kick off on the 21st at 11am with a press conference in Jackson Square Park, where uniformed Virgin personnel will hand out hot cups of tea, courtesy of Tea & Sympathy.
[...]In a city famous for its cultural enclaves, where Chinatown is as much a destination as the Statue of Liberty, many feel it is time to recognize this community of Anglophiles and British ex-pats in the West Village.
Is the West Village a “Little Britain?”
What a bunch of bollocks. Although Tea and Sympathy do charge $10 for Welsh Rarebit (cheese on toast to you), which is pretty typically British.
It’s like… 3 stores. That’s weak.
If there is alot of input and new stores came in and pubs and bars, fish n chip shops, a Curry house etc…then it would be quite cool… but to rename it as it stands is a bit lame and a token effort.
When the fat bloke in the commercial says Worcester-SHIRE sauce it did it for me. Fake, pants, bollox, all rolled into one. And I bet that bull-dog was born in the US as well!
To Nikki Perry
I have just heard you on the Radio talking to Stuart Marconi on Radio 2. You sound like the Nikki I worked with at the Directors Club. If you are contact me, I would love to heard what you are up to. I am writing a book, and you will be included.
Love Josey Potter
Is there a map on your website showing the location of Greenwich Avenue. I was just listening to Radio 2. Maybe visit NY soon.
Especially for you delboy:
Click here for a map of proposed “Little Britain.”
check the map out here http://www.campaignforlittlebritain.com/
fyi the “fat bloke” is ray gardner, do a search on you tube for his British credentials, nothing fake, at all.
http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=ray+gardner&search=Search
…also if you look into the long and varied history of naming NY neighborhoods many started in similarly small ways, whether it was Carnegie Hill, Chelsea or Hells Kitchen [RIP]. Aside from being small to start with, many are also based round business. There are about 15 British businesses in the area, T&S just happens to be the heart of it and put a lot of sweat into ‘making’ it happen, so good on ‘em.
I’m all for it too, first we’ll take Manhattan…
I missed the piece on Stuart Maconie and heard about it later - I love Grennwich Village just as it is - leave it alone - there already too many places on the planet where we Brits go and expect it to be like home - if that is the case - don’t travel people…! Just stay at home so those of us who like to see different places and different cultures can see them in peace and unadulterated. And that goes for the Big Mac brigade too…. you know who you are!
All it is doing is recognising something that already exists, not changing anything. Also, its not about expats, in a country where polls consistently show Britain is viewed more positively than any other foreign country and in a city that will get 38 million domestic tourists this year it creates a destination for American Anglophiles, a business opportunity for the community and benefits the city as a whole.
Will petrol cost $7.00+ per gallon in Little Britain?
Can we at least expect a few dozen proper pubs to spring up selling REAL ALE?
Yes, I like the idea of a “Little Britain,” but, given the popularity and nature of the TV programme, another name might be better, no?
The Sceptered Neighborhood, perhaps?
After over 50 years in the USA I think this is a good idea as the British tend to fade into the woodwork - unlike the Italians and Irish, etc. I have just linked up with a small group of Brits after all these years. Your website needs to be improved in order to entice interest.
Mary Sparrow, South Dennis, Cape Cod, MA.
Hi Mary, what would you change about the web site?
I agree with the bollocks comment.
Can anyone tell us where in New York are the following..
Little Cuba
Little Korea
Little Israel
Little Puerto Rico
Little Russia
Little Poland
In other words, what a load of old toss.
Just because a few plonkers born in England live near the Village, it does not make that area, soley comprised of a few expat households, anything remotely ethnic.
Little England would be a better title, baked beans, jam (not jelly) jelly (not jam) ‘please and thank you’ bow ties, spam, warm beer, linen handkerchiefs, european unity (only joking) tinned fruit, binge drinking, Prince Charles (optional) inter breeding (see above) proper football, gravy, pork pies, Coronation Street, tripe and onions, irony, stiff upper lips, yellow teeth and socks worn with sandals …. errr yeah! bring it on,
Little Italy and Chinatown got their names due to mass-immigration of Italians and Chinese, respectively, to those particular areas and the resulting boom of ethnic businesses that catered to that immigrant population. I’m not against calling the area Little Britain, but it seems rather false. I don’t think a Stella McCartney boutique and one over-priced cafe make the area particularly British…
Heard the story on BBC World news this morning so Googled “little britain in NY” to see what the fuss was about. Now having watched the video (quite cute) I have to say great marketing campaign & this is what capitalism is ALL about. Go for it!
Signed your petition too!
i wish you all luck as its about time us brits made a larger mark on the city.any chance of a marks and spencer or sainsburys on greenwich st? ha ha!! even though i moved to p.a from long island 2 years ago i still make trips to a salt and battery-best chippy in the states…good luck…simon
Jack,
I hate to say it, but your logic is flawed.
There isn’t a little Korea, but there is K-town (Korea town), it’s around 32nd and 6th ave. (Although there’s a much larger Korean population in Flushing)
There isn’t a little Russia, but there’s Brighton Beach, which to me is synonymous with a large Russian population.
No Little Puerto Rico, but there’s El Barrio (Spanish Harlem) which incidentally, used to be known as Italian Harlem.
The bigger issue, is that most of these changes to the area came organically, and not through some celebrity push to have an area named.
Neighborhoods in NYC have been named in many ways, one was who moved there (i.e. Little Italy,Chinatown,etc.) however the majority of names have been done by real estate agents trying to create a “homey” feel to sections of the city. The best has been the systamatic renaming of what used to be called “hells kitchen” on the west side. First a chunk was carved into Chelsa, now they are trying to go with “Clinton” for what ever reason. so having a marketing campaing to rename a section Little Britian really isn’t that bad, heck I used to refer to as “little britian” before this whole thing started and everyone knew where I was talking about.
btw, here are the ethnic enclave locatins I know about:
Little Korea (aka k-town) is located around 32/33 between 6th and 7th.
Little Brazil is located on 45 between 5th and 6th ave
Little Puerto Rico (aka Spanish Harlem) is located north of 96th street on the east side
Little Israel - (not a name, but large jewish population) Was the lower east side and williamsburg
Little Russia - (not named, but known as russian) Brighton Beach, Brooklyn
Little Poland - It’s in Broolyn, but I’m not sure where.
I loved your Metro story, “Show Us Your Brits.” I thought I was the only one who felt that way about the ridiculous “Little Britain” campaign. I know it’s just an advertising ploy, and I hate it that those people act like it isn’t! There are like three English stores, two of them owned by the same people, and they think THAT makes it “Little Britain.” All I have to say is, “Pull the other one, it has bells on it.” THANK YOU for writing that column, and for saying the emperor has no clothes! Unfortunately, those idiots will probably get their “Little Britain” street signs, cause the idiot Bloomberg will do ANYTHING for money. Hey, I was BORN AND RAISED here in the Village, and my family has owned property and real estate in the Village for a loooong time (about 100 yrs, much longer than those British shop owners!) — and we are of Hungarian heritage. Does that mean I should start my own campaign to rename St. Vincents Hospital “Little Hungary Medical Center” — I WAS born there, after all!
I am an American and 25 year Greenwich Village resident who grew up in London. To be American in England was not welcome at all. And now you want to rename my hood over a couple shops? Live here a for a few decades and learn to love it for what it is. The British Empire reborn i think.
Can anybody help?
I’m a journalist based in Hong Kong and am researching a story on “Around the world in One Day” … basically about using the subway in NYC to many of the neighbourhoods talked about in this blog. Is there any one train that would take a visitor to these places … such as the M train? Or would there be lots of changes to other lines?
Your help and advice is much appreciated!!
I see the City forgotten that during the American Revolution she was occupied by British Troops throughout the conflict,and NYC really didn’t become an American city till after the British were defeated at Yorktown and no not the Neighborhood in Manhattan.
I wonder how many of the old and pretigous families that still currently reside in New York City are open too the fact that their decendants further advanced themselves by complying with the British occupation forces during our freedom from British tyranny and have propagated themselves too the twenty first century on such ill-gotten wealth. Yet these are the same people whom drive the message that ” It is un-patriotic to speak the truth of the effects that America is facing under another ” Mad George ” the major difference between King George of England and our Mad George is that King George was due to low levels of Mercury Poisoning and our Mad George it is a natural and heritage that plays a great roll in his lack of foresight and knowledge. I suppose you also expect that this neighborhood to enter a float into the next Saint Patrick’s day parade? That will go over great with representatives of neighborhoods such as Hells Kitchen. Boy I am glad I’m a Welshman, I would hate to be the Englishman whom wind’s up in the emergency room during Saint Patricks day
and mistakenly tells the patrons of the pub on that day he resides in Little Britian. Besides wasn’t that a television show on the BBC?
I find it funny when Americans talk freely about not having the freedom to talk freely. But didn’t they just do that??!! Under a true tyranny, you are imprisoned just for saying you can’t speak openly. No one prospers in the United States more than Lefties. Just ask 90% of Hollywood and Michael Moore. Too bad too few show any appreciation for that fact.
If they rename the hood “Little Britain” does that mean no dentists will be allowed to set up shop there?
Who cares what it’s called. It might aswell be renamed little Britain as the City/State itself is named after a a place in the North of England, and Greenwich is a place in South London. So technically they’re wanting to rename a British named area (Greenwich) afetr the country the place is in Britain. Think there is also a SOHO in NY too, again another area of London. Actually it should be named Little Britain just for the fact that we are the only country that support the US in their war on terror. You have a little Italy etc (don’t see many Italians in Iraq or Afghanistan), even less Irish (and there is more Irish in NY than in Dublin.
Finally. Maybe they should set up prices in Little Britain the same as prices in Great Britain. With the pound so strong against the dollar (around $2 to £1) that will make the petrol (Gas) around $10 a gallon. Novelty will soon wear off.
I agree with Mike thinking about it. The city is made up of Italians,Irish,Polish etc etc yet none of them seem to help us. The country with the least no of its citizens (British) living here back us more than any of the countries who’s citizens make up our city/country.
Since when do the British “help” us? I consider it more like riding on our coat tails. Furthermore, opinion polls show that the average British subject is more anti-American than the average Middle Easterner. A recent poll conducted in Britain showed that a mere 22% look favorably upon Americans. On the other hand, an Iran poll showed that 75% of Iranians look favorably upon Americans. (BTW, the Iranian who conducted the poll was jailed for the outcome.)
Should they rename Nashville “Little Kurdistan” for having the largest Kurd population outside of native Kurd lands? Why not rename the entire United States “Little Earth”….
Hi im James from england and 16 years old. I think it would be a good idea to have somethere like home. i mean I hope u can go bing drinking lol. and i think i should drink at 18 insted of 21.
And english so not all have yellow teeth. Heck Take a look at your selfs. most usa peeps use plastic surgary to make them selfs look better.
and aslo i dont like the food in america then i went to orlando. so if i visit new look i may be able to visit Tesco’s haha! and get some nice chocolate.
And i laff is the Prices was like in england then your all be shocked. you lot are so lucky every thing is cheap over there like we got a Median size 4 bed house ands its over three hundred thousand pounds thats Medain size in ingland in usa it would be small house lol so i laff if house prizes are like that too.
BTW. The name little Britain* just remends me of the tv show lol i dont know if u get it over there if not u should buy it look in ebay. i tell u its soooooooo funny best comady i think.!
call it ether Little England or Little london.
“Little Poland” is Greenpoint in Brooklyn.
Get off at the Bedford stop on the L line.
And to the Hong Kong journalist,
there is no single train to take a person to every one of the aforementioned neighborhoods; however, many say that the 7 train is the “International Express”.
Here are some helpful sites:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/IRT_Flushing_Line
http://www.geocities.com/R36redbird/7Train.html
Good luck with the article.
Die Hard New Yorker said:
“I am an American and 25 year Greenwich Village resident who grew up in London. To be American in England was not welcome at all. And now you want to rename my hood over a couple shops? Live here a for a few decades and learn to love it for what it is. The British Empire reborn i think.”
I couldn’t have put it better myself. I’m half English and my mom was born and raised in London and the English are some of the most nasty,bigoted and gratuitously anti-American people on earth (not my mom who’s wildly patriotic.)Why some Americans put up with their crap is beyond me…low self esteam??? I never, ever hesitate to put a loud mouth obnoxious englishman or woman in their place. They have zero business looking down their nose at Americans or anyone else.
Mike said: “You have a little Italy etc (don’t see many Italians in Iraq or Afghanistan), even less Irish (and there is more Irish in NY than in Dublin.”
Seriously Mike, the Armed Forces of the United States are full of Americans of Irish and Italian decent. Now I know most “real” Irish and Italians cringe when an American describes themselves as “Irish” or “Italian” but F them. If I described myself as English it would sound silly and the “real” english would snigger. Then again, like I said, in my own very wide-ranging experience, the average Englishman and woman without a doubt dislikes and looks down on Americans. No question about it. Why the two countries are allegedly such close allies is weird. Certainly the US pulls the weight by far militarily so I’m not sure what it really gains from it other than a foothold in Europe.
no point in naming the area “Little England” aside from the marketing and potential tourist trap that can form there. Lets not forget neighborhoods get their nicknames like all things get their nicknames, through traits and features unique to them that catagorize them. even so not all areas recieve names and are still known for their populous/traits non the less. Washington Heights in uptown manhattan, has been known to have a larger dominican population than the dominican republic itself, but its not “Little D.R.”. so do 3 stores merrit a name change? no, leave greenwich village, as greenwich village. besides its all ready a well known new york location as greenwich village.
James: “Hi im James from england and 16 years old. I think it would be a good idea to have somethere like home. i mean I hope u can go bing drinking lol. and i think i should drink at 18 insted of 21.
And english so not all have yellow teeth. Heck Take a look at your selfs. most usa peeps use plastic surgary to make them selfs look better.
and aslo i dont like the food in america then i went to orlando. so if i visit new look i may be able to visit Tesco’s haha! and get some nice chocolate.”
Your parent’s should send you away to a boarding school, because clearly, your present pastoral English education is not working out for you. And by-the-way, when visiting Orlando, the quality of food is not the first mentioned, especially since, WE, are in NYC, which is the subject matter. If your going to add your two pence, keep it within the topic of discussion please and use spell check and formed sentences dear.
To JOhn and Die Hard New Yorker:
I couldn’t have said it better.
We shouldn’t even be mentioning the war and whether or not a neighborhood should be “culturally” labeled. “Little Italy” or “China Town”, “Hells Kitchen”, etc. had nothing to do with a devotion to any particular war. So, mentioning Irish, Italian, English loyalty is a bunch of bull, and we should only address the obvious and not the far-fetched. Comparing any of this discussion to the present war is a bit far-fetched. Unless your speaking of the American Revolution, than by all means!
I find it sad that this topic has turned into a forum for brit-bashing. I myself am english and am currently living & working in NYC, while i’ve been here have not belittled anyone or been ignorant or agressive towards american culture one bit, nor have i been rude to people.
please don’t generalise on such a scale to presume you know all english people. some of us have good educations, are open-minded, live life with a spirit of adventure, are curteous and like to be nice to people. When you presume to know the characteristics of all brits you’re also treading on those with manners too.
Please don’t forget that i’m sure there are some american people that aren’t exactly the antithesis of good manners or open-minded appreciation of other cultures & ways of life, but that doesn’t mean i presume all americans are that way.