London has no shortage of gorgeous venues to explore. We count an absolute plethora of beautiful bars, spectacular restaurants, awesome bookshops, and more within our capital. And now one venue in particular has been singled out as one of the most beautiful businesses in the whole world. None other than sketch, with its multitude of dazzling rooms, took the silver medal following recent research from Alan Boswell Business Insurance.
As part of the research, businesses were given a beauty score that considered such factors as reviews, social media hashtags, and mentions of being beautiful across the internet. So, who took the top spot? Coming in at number one, with a beauty score of 83.3, was the Boekhandel Dominicanen (Maastricht, Netherlands). The stunning bookstore took over a Medieval church 20 years ago, and it’s easy to see how it took the top spot. I mean just look at it! It’s a stunning blend of old and new, and no doubt attracts as many sightseers as it does bibliophiles.
The world’s most beautiful businesses
It’s perhaps no surprise that bookstores dominated the rankings, accounting for four spots in the top ten. Other businesses represented in the top ten include restaurants, perfumeries, art shops, cafes, and more. The top ten most beautiful businesses are:
- Boekhandel Dominicanen (Maastricht, Netherlands)
- sketch (London, UK)
- Serge Lutens (Paris, France)
- Prada Marfa (Texas, USA)
- El Ateneo Grand Splendid (Buenos Aires, Argentina)
- Dior Flagship Store (Seoul, South Korea)
- Cafe De La Paix (Paris, France)
- Zambezi House (Victoria Falls, Zimbabwe)
- Libreria Acqua Alta (Venice, Italy)
- Livraria Lello (Porto, Portugal)
The full list, which accords beauty scores to twenty venues around the world, favoured American and Japanese businesses the most, with six venues each. The UK, by comparison, had just three entrants in the list.
Surprisingly, among the USA’s inclusions were two McDonald’s locations: Deonton House in New York, and the McDonald’s in Butami, Georgia. Maybe it’s not a red flag when someone suggests a first date underneath the Golden Arches after all?