up/down to London

[Jonathon Green]

Nor, and this is where class definitely comes in, is it always 'London.' A
browse through middlebrow (and middleclass) popular lit., esp. as written
between the wars by such as Agatha Christie and her bestselling peers,
London is 'Town'. And one invariably goes 'up' to Town. Or 'pops' or 'runs
up to Town'. (Of course, the London = Town equation is much older; at
least 18th century). For London's own East-enders, i.e. the traditional
working class, the West End is traditionally 'up', as in 'I'm off up
West', meaning to Piccadilly Circus, Soho, or environs.

Jonathon Green