EDITOR'S TAKE: Those claims of a better Scottish lifestyle just became more viable

Financial services professionals certainly don't need another excuse to leave London. High taxes, perceived over-regulation, reduced bonus potential, redundancies - and now senseless looting and riots across the capital adding to the argument that the City lifestyle just isn't appealing.

In fairness, most of the trouble in London has largely been confined to the more impoverished areas - Peckham, Tottenham, Croydon, Ealing and Hackney are not home to many high-flying City types. Now, however, the riots are reaching the less deprived areas of Kensington and Fulham.

Last night, a Tweet from one resident as the trouble threatened to hit the relatively affluent area of East Dulwich (on the border of Peckham) seemed painfully trite as boroughs of the city were engulfed in flames and filled with looters:

"I'm expecting an Ocado delivery, does anyone know if it can get down Rye Lane?"

So, why is all this relevant to Scotland's financial services sector? Quite simply, it makes a move north of the border more appealing.

While Scotland doesn't view itself as a direct competitor to London, areas such as fund management, private banking and (increasingly) investment operations have always struggled to attract people from the City.

An individual job opportunity may appeal to some, but the prospect of reduced career opportunities, lower pay and working outside the world's leading financial centre have all proved to be stumbling blocks.

The main argument for working in Scotland over the City is the lifestyle available. You could walk to work, have access to good (and cheap) schools for your children, and 500k buys you a lovely Edinburgh townhouse rather than a boxy three-bed flat in London.

This has always rung relatively hollow to the majority of City professionals, however. Most who do make the move north of the border have some sort of 'Scottish connection' - they're returning home, have family there or have lived there previously, for example.

Of course, Scotland's largest cities are not without their fair share of crime, and they certainly have economically deprived areas. So far, however, any trouble has yet to erupt north of the border.

In itself, the trouble is unlikely to spur a mass exodus from the City. However, the sight of burnt out buses and looted shops on their commute to work this morning may be the final straw for many mobile financial services professionals in London. And the lifestyle in Scotland suddenly looks a lot more alluring.