I believe this was quite a common phenomenon in the South of the UK up to
maybe the 70's. I grew up just outside Gt.Yarmouth and "going up town" meant
going there. London was where 'foreigners' came from! You only went there if
you won the races / pools etc.
Mike
>
> > When I was a youngster, however, growing up in Sussex, 'going to Town'
(no
> > definite article) was commonly used to mean 'going to London'.
>
> I think that was quite pervasive at the time: I find it in British and
even
> American fiction (meaning New York, not London, of course).
>