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The
Great Western Railway Museum on Farringdom Road displays many
railway relics from this facinating period in Swindon's history.
Today,
Swindon is known throughout the South of England as being
the "town of opportunity". With the re-location
of many large companies (e.g. Honda, BMW, Zurich, Wal-Mart)
to the area, Swindon attracts many people with the prospect
of good jobs and promising careers. In fact, the town moto
is "if you can't find work, you're not looking for it!"
Better
jobs means higher spending! As a result, Europe's largest
retail designer outlet centre has grown in west Swindon. Large
hyper-markets, like a ASDA Wal-Mart, can also be found on
the town out-skirts.
New
bars, cafes and night-clubs are also opening in the town centre
at an astonishing rate. They are popular places for yound
people to meet and socialise both at night and day.
With
a population of just over 180,000 people, Swindon is still
home to a close, rural community. Despite the influx of younger
people to the town, it can be difficult for new-comers, even
for those native to the UK, to settle in. The English are
renowned abroad as being "reserved", and this culture
is often reflected in many towns throughout the country.
The
high price of housing in the area means that most young people
share rented accommodation in the town centre area. As well
as saving money, it's also a good way to meet people and make
new friends from different and diverse backgrounds. Most find
that it is their house-mates and other new-comers who form
the basis of their life in the community.
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