Texas opened a dedicated trade office in London this week, reestablishing a formal government presence in the British capital nearly two centuries after the short-lived Embassy of the Republic of Texas closed its doors there.
The new office, located on St James’s Street — about a block from the site of the original legation, which operated out of the cellars of Berry Bros & Rudd, London’s oldest wine merchant — is intended to “grow international trade and tourism and support activities that are key to the economy,” according to state officials.
Trade between Texas and the UK already totals roughly $17 billion annually, officials said, and the state is seeking to expand those ties at a moment when Texas’s capital, Austin, is raising the profile of its own stock exchange, the Texas Stock Exchange — colloquially known as “Y’all Street” — as a challenger to New York.
State Senator Tan Parker, the Republican leader of the Texas State Senate, said one goal is to explore dual listings between the Texas Stock Exchange and the London Stock Exchange. “One of the things that was very compelling to me is the opportunity to look at dual listings between the London Stock Exchange and the Texas Stock Exchange,” Parker said. He said he hopes such arrangements will create jobs and opportunities for companies on both sides of the Atlantic.
Austin Mayor Kirk Watson said the opening reflects the city’s evolution into an international hub. “Austin 25 years ago was becoming a big international city and we are doing a lot to mature our way into that international role,” Watson told BBC London. “Austin has become a focal point in a global economy.”
Watson said London’s experience with dense urban development, energy policy, and the growth of artificial intelligence and data centers made it a natural partner. He also stressed the importance of subnational diplomacy and “city-to-city relationships” amid what he described as “confusion and chaos on the world scene.”
Economist Alexander Harvey of Oxford Economics said the Texas overture comes during “a period of mixed economic fortunes for London.” While employment in the capital has outpaced the rest of the UK, Harvey said, “productivity has broadly stagnated since the global financial crisis.” He said attracting investment in productivity-enhancing technologies, such as artificial intelligence, will be essential for London to raise its trend growth rate.
The City of London Corporation, the municipal governing body for the Square Mile financial district, has welcomed the Texas initiative. The City’s mayor, Dame Susan Langley, traveled to Dallas in February to signal enthusiasm. Posting on X, she wrote: “With the launch of the Texas Stock Exchange, new dual-listing opportunities could connect British and Texan firms to fresh capital.”
Policy chairman Chris Hayward described the trade office as a “huge boost of confidence” that “highlights its role as a gateway to capital markets around the world.” He added: “London and Texas shouldn’t be viewed as competitors, rather our capital markets can complement each other for our mutual benefit.”
The original Texas legation in London dates to the Republic of Texas era. In the 19th century, the diplomatic mission operated out of Berry Bros & Rudd. After Texas joined the United States in 1845, the embassy closed and diplomats returned home, reportedly leaving an unpaid rent bill. A plaque on the wall outside the St James’s Street store commemorates the “Texan Legation.”