• March 27, 2007

Virgin Atlantic Airways is behind a new campaign to add another ethnic neighborhood enclave to New York City. First there were Little Italy and Chinatown, and now, hopefully, "Little Britain," if British expat entrepreneurs Nicky Perry and Sean Kavanagh-Dowsett, owners of iconic British eateries Tea & Sympathy and A Salt and Battery and shop Carry On Tea & Sympathy, have their way.

The pair has enlisted the airline of the iconic branding empire to support their efforts to rename Greenwich Avenue in Greenwich Village, as the area is home to nearly two-dozen British-owned businesses.

The campaign is being promoted at CampaignForLittleBritain.com, which features a petition that will close on May 1 when the results will be presented to a local community board, and then to Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Ironic posters with slogans like, "What's one more Queen in the Village," have been displayed promoting the campaign, and a viral video is up on YouTube.-- Emily Burg