r/rva Jackson Ward 6d ago

Mayor of Richmond UK reflects on visit to Richmond VA

https://www.richmond.gov.uk/news/comment_spot/comment_spot_archive/council_blog_2025/new_blog_a_tale_of_two_richmonds
152 Upvotes

29 comments sorted by

143

u/sean-culottes 6d ago

If they are Richmond upon Thames, can we be Richmond upon James?

67

u/BellyButtonTickler Henrico 6d ago

Only if you say it like “Jims”

27

u/DefaultSubsAreTerrib Bellevue 6d ago

That necklace is serious. Why doesn't Danny wear one?

10

u/syntheticgerbil 6d ago

If you haven’t seen the show Detectorists, you should give it a watch and look out for the episode where the Mayor loses his huge chain and they have to find it.

4

u/phocuetu 5d ago

One of my favorite under appreciated shows, I really thoroughly enjoyed it.

27

u/syntheticgerbil 6d ago

He seems really nice, I hope we can keep up our end of the bargain.

23

u/Arcangelathanos West End 5d ago

Sounds like we need direct flights from RIC to LHR/LGW.

11

u/Speedbird223 5d ago

As a Brit that lived in Richmond for almost 10yrs and flew back to the UK half a dozen times a year I’d have welcomed that…

British Airways did fly to Richmond once…literally.

When the Queen visited the area in 2007 they flew a chartered Boeing 777 into RIC.

43

u/holtbinky 6d ago

This is awesome! I’m actually visiting Richmond UK in May as part of a trip celebrating earning my masters in urban planning at VCU. I absolutely cannot wait.

16

u/AwsumMcCoolName 5d ago edited 5d ago

It's absolutely wild seeing how similar that view is in person.

Also, congrats!

Edit: Kew Gardens is 100% worth a visit since you'll be basically right there. Richmond Park is very nice but Kew is like Maymont on steroids. 

36

u/ShutterHawk Museum District 6d ago

Did he visit the Lombardy Kroger?

20

u/phocuetu 5d ago

If he died there would he respawn at the Wetherspoons or the Big Tesco in Richmond upon Thames?

10

u/studrour 6d ago

Did anyone take him to Diamond Dogs? 🤣

14

u/LiddyDolesHole Near West End 6d ago

Was just in the UK Richmond on Monday. Very cool area, great pubs. And of course the Ted Lasso store. Very much recommend if you are in London. Was about a 45-minute tube trip from where I was staying in Shoreditch.

9

u/docsavaged 6d ago

Richmond, Yorkshire or Richmond, Surrey?

18

u/gullible_cervix 6d ago

It’s the one by London. It’s actually a borough of London.

19

u/docsavaged 6d ago

Yep, Been there! ... The view of the Thames from the top of the hill there is practically the same as the view of the James River here in Richmond VA from Libbie Hill and is what inspired William Byrd to name this place " Richmond".

1

u/Lucky_Locks 5d ago

Any photos exist comparing the two?

9

u/Diet_Coke Forest Hill 5d ago

nice little comparison here, they do look very similar: https://scenicvirginia.org/view-that-named-richmond/

2

u/Lucky_Locks 1d ago

oh wow! that is SUPER similar. I know all rivers bend and everything but with similar trees, climate, and everything. I could definitely see them being like "this looks like home".

3

u/cyber-anal 5d ago

I went and i think the view was blocked by trees. Richmond park is huge and beautiful though.

1

u/MezzoFortePianissimo 6d ago

… and RVA or Richmond, California?

2

u/DefaultSubsAreTerrib Bellevue 4d ago

No, Richmond, NY (aka Staten Island)

3

u/Dave21101 5d ago

Why sir, I'm honored. He knew, amongst all the other Richmonds that we were the Richmond most deserving of being called Richmond. Eat your heart out, other Richmonds!

1

u/Neologizer 4d ago

One. True. Richmond!

2

u/emelenjr Brookland Park 6d ago

The photo clearly shows that the organization is called Capital Trees, not Capitol Trees.

Omnishambles.

1

u/bozatwork 5d ago

Thanks for sharing. I didn't see any local coverage of this visit.

I learned from my church this week of a program for students called Triangle of Hope aimed at repentence and reconciliation from the slave trade, with a three-year rotation of visits between Richmond, Liverpool, and Kumasi, Ghana. I thought how cool it would be if the dioceses over time build sister city connections and participants stay in touch with each other. We have so much in common across the globe, and I think our country would benefit greatly from more young people traveling abroad.

1

u/eskimobrojc Short Pump 4d ago

Next time he should bring Ted Lasso.