A town meticulously designed to replicate a British village has been constructed more than 5,000 miles away in China. Thames Town, which reportedly cost £530 million, sits just 19 miles from central Shanghai and was built as part of the One City, Nine Towns development announced in 2001 to address Shanghai's overpopulation crisis.
The town features cobbled streets, red telephone boxes, Victorian terraced houses, and corner shops. It also includes a church based on Christ Church in Clifton, Bristol, a fish and chip shop, a KFC, and a replica Costa Coffee. Residential properties were designed in Georgian and Victorian architectural styles.
YouTuber Ben Morris visited Thames Town and said he felt he 'could be in Milton Keynes' upon arrival. He added: 'I am from the UK, I have lived most of my life in the UK, and I feel as though I could be in the UK right now, except for the Chinese number plates and the lack of crime.' Despite torrential rain, he described the experience as 'amazing' and noted the town was 'full of activity'.
Thames Town was previously labelled a 'ghost town' due to high property prices and shuttered shops. Properties originally cost around £400,000, but many were purchased as investments, driving prices higher. The area has since become popular for wedding photography, offering an authentically British backdrop.
Fellow YouTuber Harvey in China found the town 'eerily close' to Britain but 'very, very empty' on a Saturday. He observed that most visitors were vloggers, live streamers, or photographers. On Tripadvisor, Dean called it a 'worthwhile visit' for those in Shanghai for longer than a week, while Anna said it 'really does feel like I've stepped back into the UK'.
