The West End
In today's London, status is increasingly dependent on money and the earnings of one's labor, rather than the inherited wealth of the past. The up and coming Londoner looks to present himself in the best light he can afford; this has led to an increasing segregation of the class: the poor are being moved East, while the wealthy move west. The availability of ready and cheap transport – from the horse trams and busses to the new underground rail allow the wealthy to separate themselves from the poor not just socially, but in geography, as well. The neighbourhoods of London reflect these self-imposed barriers.
The West End is one of the fastest growing area of cosmopolitan London. Only a half century ago, much of the land was commons or arable, a rural area with scattered residences or mansions. Now the land is suburban, covered with paving and the terraced houses of the well-to-do and the nouveau riche.
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