First .London Addresses Go Live

The first few websites using the new .london (dot london) domain have gone live, as part of a pilot programme to promote the London-centric web addresses, which officially went on sale on Monday.

Some of the new addresses include city guide TechHub, Metro Bank, Meantime Brewing, Fortnum & Mason and Scoff and Banter.

Address sale

Monday marked the first day businesses, organisations and individuals could apply for a web address using the .london suffix, one of more than 1,000 “.anything” top-level domains (TLDs) being rolled out by ICANN over the next few months.

For the next three months, Londoners, along with trademark holders, are to be given priority in .london address purchases.

Internet registrars have said they have already registered more than 50,000 expressions of interest in the domains ahead of the launch, according to Dot London, the organisation set up by London & Partners, the Mayor of London’s promotional body for the city. London & Partners obtained authorisation for the domain from ICANN last year and is working with commercial partner Minds + Machines on promoting the domains, which it is targeting at individuals, businesses, museums, shops, theatres and galleries.

Bespoke registration

Minds + Machines has set up a bespoke registrar site, http://www.makeit.london, to ease purchases of the domains, which are also available from other domain registrars.

“The introduction of new domains presents an enormous opportunity for businesses to overhaul their branding and become more relevant to their customers,” said Minds + Machines chief executive Antony Van Couvering in prepared remarks. “A Dot London web address captures the essence of London as a powerhouse of business and innovation.”

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