You don’t have to be born in the capital to qualify, just try this totally arbitrary and subjective test to help you understand if you can claim to be a Londoner. The maximum score is about 100, unless you are very old you’re unlikely to reach those dizzy heights.

1. I was born and raised in The Smoke, even if you have since left (+5 points)
2. I live in London (+1 point per year)
3. I shop local before using Amazon or any multiple retail organisation (+1 point)
4. I know the difference between The City and the city of London (+1 point)
5. I volunteer with community groups or charities including being a pearly king or queen (+1 point)
6. My main mode of getting around is by Underground, bus, tram, bike or walking (+1 point)
7. I don’t own a car (+1 point)
8. I was here for the pandemic and never considered leaving. (+1 point)
9. I can negotiate the Underground pretty much anywhere without consulting Harry Beck’s map but will direct tourists to the correct train (+1 point)
10. I’m prepared to travel to Zone 6 even the section South of the River (+1 point)
11. I have driven an iconic London vehicle: cab, bus, tube (+1 point)
12. I’ve sat on a Boris Bike (+1 point)
13. You wouldn’t get me in a rickshaw, I’ll leave that for gullible tourists (+1 point) extra point if you’ve warned a visitor about rickshaws
14. At some time I’ve kept London safe working in the emergency services (+1 point) extra point for every life you’ve saved
15. I’ve never been to Madam Tussauds (+1 point)
16. I’ve never asked a cabbie “Had anyone in your cab?” (+1 point)
17. Yes I have actually eaten pie and mash (+1 point) extra point for consuming jellied eels
18. My bookshelf has at least five books about London (+1 point) extra point for owning Peter Ackroyd’s London: The biography
19. I went to work/school on Friday 16th October 1987, a breezy day wasn’t going to stop me (+1 point)
20. I can point to London’s official centre (+1 point)

How did you score? Let others know in the comments. Since you asked, I got 92 points, which rather pleased me.

Featured image: The View from the Shard by Benjamin Davies on Unsplash.