UK-Inspired Thames Town Opens in China

Travel Blog  •  Jim Benning  •  11.08.06 | 1:36 PM ET

Further evidence the planet will soon become one giant theme park: the opening of Thames Town, an English-inspired village in a suburb of Shanghai. It’s a $600 million development that includes a Winston Churchill statue, Victorian-style homes for sale, a fish-and-chips shop and a pub. Most of the homes have already been sold. But not everyone is pleased. According to Reuters, the owner of a pub and fish-and-chips shop in the UK feels cheated because her businesses were reproduced “almost exactly” in Thames Town. Said a representative from the development: “Maybe it’s a little bit of a misunderstanding. It’s not in any way supposed to be a replica.” Shanghaiist has more.

Tags: Planet Theme Park, Pop Culture Travel, Asia, China, Shanghai, News and Briefs


3 Comments for UK-Inspired Thames Town Opens in China

Matthew 11.09.06 | 2:03 PM ET

Don’t forget Orange County, the development in the suburbs of Beijing, I believe, which is exactly like the stucco and red-tile-roofed developments aggressively covering the hills and valleys of the real Orange County, CA.  Apparently, in a step toward a true free-market economy for China, you get to choose which shade of beige to paint your house, also like the real Orange County.

Jim 11.20.06 | 2:12 AM ET

Great point, Matthew. How could we forget the real fake OC?

-Jim

le garcon chinois 11.24.06 | 8:06 AM ET

you might want to check those out:

http://www.shanghaiblog.hochparterre.ch/architektur/anting-und-thames-town—-verwunderung-ueber-die-tagesthemen.html

or here:

http://www.shanghaiblog.hochparterre.ch/architektur/tagesthemen-die-zweite-bestandsaufnahme.html

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