BORIS Johnson enjoyed a pint and a bike ride when he visited Hounslow last Thursday (June 2) to celebrate manufacturing in the capital.
The Mayor of London first popped into Fuller's brewery in Chiswick to wet his whistle, before heading to Brompton in Brentford to check out the firm's world-famous folding bicycles.
Mr Johnson used his visit to highlight the importance of manufacturing, and the apprenticeship opportunities provided by companies like Fuller's and Brompton, to the city's economy.
He claims to be on course to meet his target of creating 20,000 apprenticeship opportunities, including 3,000 within the GLA (Greater London Authority) by the end of this academic year.
Only last month, he announced a series of 'Business Bootcamps' in the capital, which will support around 1,000 budding entrepreneurs in gaining the skills they need to build a successful business.
"There is a vibrant and innovative manufacturing underbelly to this great capital which shows our economy is not just about the glass towers of the City and Canary Wharf," he said.
"There are companies like these across the city, driving new technologies and innovation and transferring the skills to the capital's workforce that will keep London competitive for generations to come.
"With Fuller's selling real ales to the Bud-loving Germans and Bromptons shifting bikes to the Dutch it shows there are no barriers to international markets for high quality London-manufactured goods."
Fuller's, London's last remaining traditional family brewery, has been churning out barrels of London Pride and other ales from the same site for more than 160 years. It has a chain of about 365 pubs and exports to more than 60 countries.
Fuller's chairman Michael Turner, who is descended from the company's founders, said: "The heritage of Fuller's and our beers is firmly rooted in London, and make up a huge part of the appeal our beers have abroad.
"We've been here at the Griffin Brewery in Chiswick for 160 years and we fully intend to be here for the next 160."
At Brompton Bicycle, Mr Johnson met Andrew Ritchie, inventor of the company's iconic fold-up bike. He learned how each bicycle is hand-crafted before being shipped off to one of the 38 countries to which the firm exports.
William Butler-Adams, managing director of Brompton, said: "Finance, the City, bankers and bonuses are what most people think of when asked about business in London.
"Too often the successes of our beer, biscuits and the Brompton folding bicycle are overlooked, but British businesses are making things in the capital and exporting them around the globe.
"Manufacturing is alive and kicking in London. Bright minds are coming up with fun and exciting products, rebalancing the economy and helping sort out our national debt.
"We have a long way to got but let's start by recognising what we have got."
