The controversial £3.4 million showcase for Britain's capital set up by the London Development Agency (LDA) in the fashionable Shi-Chai-Hai district has proved popular with local firms.

 

David Adam, the LDA's head of emerging markets, said 360 Chinese companies had already visited there to understand the film industry and infrastructure in London.

 

The House, a showcase of the best of a diversified London with pictures and a venue of a series of seminars on investment opportunities in London and Olympic heritage, is designed to encourage investment in the capital and to promote tourism to Britain.

 

Among the firms to have visited the House, said Adam, was building and architecture companies keen to get involved in building facilities for the 2012 Olympics and media and film groups who want to establish a foothold in the British and European markets.

 

On Thursday London House will host a panel discussion to examine the impact major sports events have on the infrastructure, culture and economy of host cities and regions.

 

The event will feature a keynote message by James Wolfensohn, the president of the World Bank, and panellists will include Sebastian Coe, the chairman of London 2012,  Wei Wei, the musical Ambassador for Beijing 2008, Peter Foss, the president of Olympic sponsorship for General Electric, and Raja Randhir Singh, the secretary geeneral of the Olympic Council of Asia.