Google to Open Start-Up Centre in London's East End

Google is to open a multimillion-pound "technology community centre" in London's East End, as part of the goverment's plans to create a Tech City in the capital.Google will take on more than 25,000 square feet (2,323 square meters) of office space near Old Street until at least 2022. The company will pay about 5 million pounds ($7.8 million) over 10 years in rent, which exclude costs for refurbishment, according to an online brochure for the site.David Singleton, engineering director at Google UK, said the initiative was a first for the company. “East London is already home to hundreds of innovative British start-ups, and has huge potential for economic growth and new jobs over the coming years,” he said. The announcement comes just 48 hours after Twitter confirmed that it would not open its first European office in London, but would opt for Dublin instead. The move was seen as a huge blow to David Cameron's Tech City vision.The prime minister revealed the plans to create a rival to Silicon Valley in November last year, backed by £400m in government funding and with support from technology firms including BT, Cisco, Facebook and Google.