--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The great expanding centre of ‘inner…" description: "\"“The great expanding centre of ‘inner Britain’, London, did not build ships but it built aeroplanes, it did not mine coal but it made electrical equipm..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1b/david-edgerton-87636_britain_the-great-expanding-centre-of-inner-brit_305660.jpg" --- # The great expanding centre of ‘inner Britain’, London, did… ![“The great expanding centre of ‘inner Britain’, London, did not build ships but it built aeroplanes, it did not mine coal but it made electrical equipment, it did not grow food but it did process it – into beer, refined sugar, Horlicks and Mars bars. It made tyres, Hoovers, films.” quote by David Edgerton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1b/david-edgerton-87636_britain_the-great-expanding-centre-of-inner-brit_305660.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1b/david-edgerton-87636_britain_the-great-expanding-centre-of-inner-brit_305660.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/b1b/david-edgerton-87636_britain_the-great-expanding-centre-of-inner-brit_305660.jpg) > ““The great expanding centre of ‘inner Britain’, London, did not build ships but it built aeroplanes, it did not mine coal but it made electrical equipment, it did not grow food but it did process it – into beer, refined sugar, Horlicks and Mars bars. It made tyres, Hoovers, films.”” David Edgerton ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. London’s industrial shift shows cities can reinvent economies by focusing on new technologies and consumer goods rather than traditional manufacturing. **In simple terms:** Cities thrive by adapting to new industries and consumer demands. Key Takeaway Embrace technological change to drive economic growth. Themes industrial transformation innovation urban development consumer culture Mood optimistic critical Type analytical strategic When to use this quote - urban planning - business strategy - policy making - education curricula Key Concepts economic adaptation technology diffusion global trade Questions to Reflect On - What industries could modern cities pivot to next? - How can innovation be balanced with sustainability? A Different Perspective Relying solely on innovation may overlook social inequality and environmental impact. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Britain](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/britain/) ## Related quotes > [Avery fine city; the four principal streets are the fairest for breadth, and the finest built that I have ever seen in one city…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/daniel-defoe/avery-fine-city-the-four-principal-streets-are-the-fairest-for/) [Daniel Defoe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/daniel-defoe/) > [“I lived in London; I did not approach strangers”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lindsey-kelk/i-lived-in-london-i-did-not-approach-strangers/) [Lindsey Kelk](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lindsey-kelk/) > [I went to LAMDA, which is a drama school in London, and we did a lot of combat there. I was quite good at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/emily-beecham/i-went-to-lamda-which-is-a-drama-school-in-london-and-we-did-a-lot-of/) [Emily Beecham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/emily-beecham/) > [In London, I did feel a pressure to be more avant-garde than I wanted.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jenny-packham/in-london-i-did-feel-a-pressure-to-be-more-avant-garde-than-i-wanted/) [Jenny Packham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jenny-packham/) > [Living in London doesnt say anything about my directional skills. I guess growing up in London I did grow up quicker, Im not sure…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/florence-and-the-machine/living-in-london-doesnt-say-anything-about-my-directional-skills-i/) [Florence And The Machine](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/florence-and-the-machine/) > [I crammed my exams in London and did fine.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rhona-mitra/i-crammed-my-exams-in-london-and-did-fine/) [Rhona Mitra](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rhona-mitra/) > [I did a lot of theatre when I started out. It was the Lyceum, the Citz, the Tron and the Traverse. I came to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ashley-jensen/i-did-a-lot-of-theatre-when-i-started-out-it-was-the-lyceum-the-citz/) [Ashley Jensen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ashley-jensen/) > [The larger an English industry was, the more likely it was to go bankrupt, because the English were not naturally corporate people; they disliked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/the-larger-an-english-industry-was-the-more-likely-it-was-to-go/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [We from every religion feel comfortable in Britain because there is a host. The Church of England is a good host, it has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/we-from-every-religion-feel-comfortable-in-britain-because-there-is-a/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [The establishment in Britain is certainly against the arts and against education. If something doesn't make a profit, it's invalid, and art doesn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maxwell-davies/the-establishment-in-britain-is-certainly-against-the-arts-and/) [Peter Maxwell Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-maxwell-davies/) > [Britain has the IRA and no one cancels concerts there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-osbourne/britain-has-the-ira-and-no-one-cancels-concerts-there/) [Sharon Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-osbourne/) > [It is time Britain put its trust back into the Labour Party. I believe I am the candidate that can make this happen precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/it-is-time-britain-put-its-trust-back-into-the-labour-party-i-believe/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [If we don't like modern Britain, then it is very unlikely that modern Britain will like us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-green/if-we-don-t-like-modern-britain-then-it-is-very-unlikely-that-modern/) [Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/) > [In Britain, the press want to kill a show by revealing what's coming up and spoiling the pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-bonneville/in-britain-the-press-want-to-kill-a-show-by-revealing-what-s-coming/) [Hugh Bonneville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-bonneville/) > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) ## More by David Edgerton > [“Thus, a battleship cost around £10m in 1940. Building that battleship today might cost £500m, but to build a battleship representing the same proportion…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edgerton/thus-a-battleship-cost-around-10m-in-1940-building-that-battleship/) David Edgerton > [“British battleships were driven by between 30 and 100 megawatts of power.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/david-edgerton/british-battleships-were-driven-by-between-30-and-100-megawatts-of/) David Edgerton Explore all 3 David Edgerton quotes ## More Britain quotes > [We can find common qualities and common values that have made Britain the country it is. Our belief in tolerance and liberty which shines…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gordon-brown/we-can-find-common-qualities-and-common-values-that-have-made-britain/) [Gordon Brown](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gordon-brown/) > [In Britain, the press want to kill a show by revealing what's coming up and spoiling the pleasure.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/hugh-bonneville/in-britain-the-press-want-to-kill-a-show-by-revealing-what-s-coming/) [Hugh Bonneville](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/hugh-bonneville/) > [If we don't like modern Britain, then it is very unlikely that modern Britain will like us.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/damian-green/if-we-don-t-like-modern-britain-then-it-is-very-unlikely-that-modern/) [Damian Green](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/damian-green/) > [It is time Britain put its trust back into the Labour Party. I believe I am the candidate that can make this happen precisely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/diane-abbott/it-is-time-britain-put-its-trust-back-into-the-labour-party-i-believe/) [Diane Abbott](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/diane-abbott/) > [Britain has the IRA and no one cancels concerts there.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sharon-osbourne/britain-has-the-ira-and-no-one-cancels-concerts-there/) [Sharon Osbourne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sharon-osbourne/) > [The establishment in Britain is certainly against the arts and against education. If something doesn't make a profit, it's invalid, and art doesn't make…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/peter-maxwell-davies/the-establishment-in-britain-is-certainly-against-the-arts-and/) [Peter Maxwell Davies](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/peter-maxwell-davies/) > [We from every religion feel comfortable in Britain because there is a host. The Church of England is a good host, it has been…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jonathan-sacks/we-from-every-religion-feel-comfortable-in-britain-because-there-is-a/) [Jonathan Sacks](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jonathan-sacks/) > [The larger an English industry was, the more likely it was to go bankrupt, because the English were not naturally corporate people; they disliked…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-theroux/the-larger-an-english-industry-was-the-more-likely-it-was-to-go/) [Paul Theroux](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-theroux/) > [I think the first person to call me 'Britain's Obama' was Martin Bright at the New Statesman. Harriet Harman made the comparison once at…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chuka-umunna/i-think-the-first-person-to-call-me-britain-s-obama-was-martin-bright/) [Chuka Umunna](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chuka-umunna/) > [I am the last of Britain's stately homos.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/quentin-crisp/i-am-the-last-of-britain-s-stately-homos/) [Quentin Crisp](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/quentin-crisp/) > [ As for whether what happened in Britain improves\[Donald\] Trump's chances of winning, I don't think so. He has the same chances; we may just… ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/christopher-michael-cillizza/as-for-whether-what-happened-in-britain-improves-donald-trump-s/) [Christopher Michael Cillizza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/christopher-michael-cillizza/) > [Britain, like other European states, is not and never will again be in the top-world-power league, so its male leaders can afford to play…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/linda-colley/britain-like-other-european-states-is-not-and-never-will-again-be-in/) [Linda Colley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/linda-colley/) > [When you go away, you see where you come from in a different light. I see Scotland, and the rest of Britain, as much…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/irvine-welsh/when-you-go-away-you-see-where-you-come-from-in-a-different-light-i/) [Irvine Welsh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/irvine-welsh/) > [It was very hard breaking into the film industry in Britain. 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