THE ROUGH GUIDE to

London
BARS RESTAURANTS NIGHTLIFE CULTURE

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2 LONDON

London
For the visitor, London is a thrilling place. Monuments from the capitals glorious
past are everywhere, from medieval banqueting halls and the great churches of
Christopher Wren to the eclectic Victorian architecture of the triumphalist
British Empire. You can relax in the citys quiet Georgian squares, explore the
narrow alleyways of the City of London and uncover the quirks of what is still
identifiably a collection of villages. The largest capital in the European Union,
stretching for more than thirty miles, and with a population of just under eight
million, London is also incredibly diverse, ethnically and linguistically, offering
cultural and culinary delights from right across the globe.
The capitals great historical landmarks Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, Buckingham Palace,
St Pauls Cathedral, the Tower of London and so on draw in millions of tourists every
year. This isnt a city that rests on its laurels, however. Since the turn of the millennium, all
of Londons world-class museums, galleries and institutions have been reinvented, from the
Royal Opera House to the British Museum. And thanks to the 2012 Olympics, even the
East End not an area previously on most tourists radar has been given an overhaul.
The citys pubs have always had heaps of atmosphere, and food is now a major attraction
too, with more than fifty Michelin-starred restaurants and the widest choice of cuisines on
the planet. The music, clubbing and gay and lesbian scenes are second to none, and
mainstream arts are no less exciting, with regular opportunities to catch outstanding theatre
companies, dance troupes, exhibitions and opera.
Londons special atmosphere comes mostly, however, from the life on its streets, with
over a third of its permanent population originating from overseas. The last hundred
years has seen the arrival of thousands from the Caribbean, the Indian subcontinent,
the Mediterranean, the Far East and Eastern Europe, all of whom play an integral part
in defining a metropolis that is unmatched in its sheer diversity.
THE LONDON EYE AND HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT
Brief history
The Romans founded Londinium in 43 AD as a stores depot on the marshy banks of
the Thames. Despite frequent attacks, the port became secure in its position as capital Highlights
of Roman Britain by the end of the century. Londons expansion really began, however,
in the eleventh century, when it became the seat of the last successful invader of 1 British Museum Quite simply one of the 5 Highgate Cemetery The steeply sloping
Britain, the Norman duke who became William I of England (aka the Conqueror). worlds greatest museums. See p.17 terraces of the West Cemeterys overgrown
Crowned king of England in Westminster Abbey, William built the White Tower 2 London Eye The universally loved graves are the last word in Victorian Gothic
centrepiece of the Tower of London to establish his dominance over the merchant observation wheel is now a key London gloom. See p.34
population, the class that was soon to make London one of Europes mightiest cities. landmark. See p.25 6 Shopping at Liberty Londons most
Little is left of medieval or Tudor London. Many of the finest buildings were wiped 3 Tate Modern Londons huge modern art beautiful department store, opened as a retail
out in the course of a few days in 1666 when the Great Fire of London annihilated gallery is housed in a spectacularly converted outlet for the Victorian Arts and Crafts
more than thirteen thousand houses and nearly ninety churches, completing a cycle power station. See p.26 movement, and still the place to go for
of destruction begun the year before by the Great Plague, which killed as many as a gorgeous fabrics and decorative household
4 Shakespeares Globe Theatre Catch a goods. See p.46
hundred thousand people. Chief beneficiary of the blaze was Christopher Wren, who
was commissioned to redesign the city and rose to the challenge with such masterpieces show in this amazing reconstructed Elizabethan
theatre. See p.27
as St Pauls Cathedral and the Royal Naval Hospital in Greenwich.
Much of the public architecture of London was built in the Georgian and Victorian
periods, when grand structures were raised to reflect the citys status as the financial and
administrative hub of the British Empire. And though postwar development peppered
the city with some undistinguished modernist buildings, more recent experiments in
high-tech architecture, such as the Gherkin, have given the city a new gloss.
4 LONDON LONDON 5
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6 LONDON WESTMINSTER
Westminster
Political, religious and regal power has emanated from Westminster for almost a
millennium. It was Edward the Confessor (104266) who first established Westminster
as Londons royal and ecclesiastical power base, some three miles west of the City of
London. The embryonic English parliament used to meet in the abbey and eventually
took over the old royal palace of Westminster. In the nineteenth century, Westminster
and Whitehall in particular became the heart of the Empire, its ministries ruling
over a quarter of the worlds population.
Trafalgar Square
Despite the persistent noise of traffic, Trafalgar Square is still one of Londons grandest
architectural set pieces. John Nash designed the basic layout in the 1820s, but died long
before the square took its present form. The National Gallery filled up the northern side
in 1838, followed five years later by the central focal point, Nelsons Column, topped by
the famous admiral; the very large bronze lions didnt arrive until 1868, and the fountains
a rarity in a London square didnt take their present shape until the late 1930s.
National Gallery
Trafalgar Square Daily 10am6pm, Fri 10am9pm Guided tours daily 11.30am & 2.30pm, plus Fri 7pm Free T 020 7747 2885,
W nationalgallery.org.uk Charing Cross
The National Gallery was begun in 1824 by the British government. The gallerys canny
acquisition policy has resulted in more than 2300 paintings, but the collections virtue is not
so much its size, but its range, depth and sheer quality. To view the collection chronologically,
begin with the Sainsbury Wing, to the west. With more than 1000 paintings on permanent
display in the main galleries, youll need real stamina to see everything in one day, so if time is
tight your best bet is to home in on your areas of special interest, having picked up a gallery
plan at one of the information desks. Audioguides, with a brief audio commentary on each
of the paintings on display are available for a voluntary contribution. Much better are the
gallerys free guided tours, which set off from the Sainsbury Wing.
LONDON ORIENTATION: WHERE TO GO
Although the majority of the citys sights are situated north of the River Thames, which
loops through the centre of the city from west to east, there is no single focus of interest. Horse Guards: Household Cavalry Museum
Thats because London hasnt grown through centralized planning but by a process of
agglomeration. Villages and urban developments that once surrounded the core are now
lost within the amorphous mass of Greater London.
Westminster, the countrys royal, political and ecclesiastical power base for centuries, was
once a separate city. The grand streets and squares to the north of Westminster, from St Jamess
to Covent Garden, were built as residential suburbs after the Restoration, and are now the
citys shopping and entertainment zones known collectively as the West End. To the east is the
original City of London known simply as The City founded by the Romans, with more history
than any other patch of the city, and now one of the worlds great financial centres.
The East End, east of the City, is not conventional tourist territory, but has recently emerged
as a bolt hole for artists and a destination for clubbers and of course, in its far eastern reaches,
the East End is now home to the Olympic Park. Its worth exploring south of the Thames, too,
from the London Eye, in the west, to Tate Modern and beyond. The museums of South
Kensington are a must, as is Portobello Road market in trendy Notting Hill, literary Hampstead
and Highgate, in North London, either side of half-wild Hampstead Heath, and Greenwich,
in South London, with its nautical associations, royal park and observatory. Finally, there are
plenty of rewarding day-trips in West London along the Thames from Chiswick to Windsor,
most notably to Hampton Court Palace and Windsor Castle.
WESTMINSTER LONDON 7
The paintings
Among the Italian masterpieces are Leonardos melancholic Virgin of the Rocks and Piero
della Francescas beautifully composed Baptism of Christ, one of his earliest works; from
Spain there are dazzling pieces by El Greco, Goya and Velzquez, among them the
provocative Rokeby Venus. British art is represented by important works such as Constables
ever-popular Hay Wain, while highlights of the French contingent include superb works by
Poussin, Fragonard, Boucher and David. Finally, theres a particularly strong showing of
Impressionists and Post-Impressionists in rooms 4346 of the East Wing among the most
famous works are Van Goghs Sunflowers and Picassos Blue Period Child with a Dove.
National Portrait Gallery
St Martins Place Daily 10am6pm, Thurs & Fri til 9pm Free; sound guide 3.50 T 020 7312 2463, W npg.org.uk Leicester Square
Around the east side of the National Gallery lurks the National Portrait Gallery, founded
in 1856 to house uplifting depictions of the good and the great. Though it undoubtedly
has some fine works among its collection of ten thousand portraits, many of the studies
are of less interest than their subjects. Nevertheless, its interesting to trace who has been
deemed worthy of admiration at any one time: aristocrats and artists in previous
centuries, warmongers and imperialists in the early decades of the twentieth century,
writers and poets in the 1930s and 1940s, and, latterly, retired footballers, and film and
pop stars. The NPGs sound guide gives useful biographical background information.
Whitehall
Whitehall, the unusually broad avenue connecting Trafalgar Square to Parliament Square,
is synonymous with the faceless, pinstriped bureaucracy charged with the day-to-day
running of the country, who inhabit the governmental ministries which line the street.
During the sixteenth and seventeenth centuries, however, Whitehall was the permanent
residence of the kings and queens of England, and was actually synonymous with royalty.
The statues dotted about recall the days when Whitehall stood at the centre of an
empire on which the sun never set. Halfway down, in the middle of the road, stands
Edwin Lutyens Cenotaph, a memorial to the dead of World War I and the centre piece
of the Remembrance Sunday ceremony in November. Close by are the locked gates of
Downing Street, home to Londons most famous address, Number 10 Downing Street,
the seventeenth-century terraced house that has been the residence of the prime minister
since it was presented to Sir Robert Walpole, Britains first PM, by George II in 1732.
Whitehall Daily: MarchSept 10am6pm; OctFeb 10am5pm 6 T 020 7930 3070, W householdcavalrymuseum.org.uk
! Charing Cross or Westminster
Two mounted sentries of the Queens Household Cavalry and two horseless colleagues
are posted to protect Horse Guards, originally the main gateway to St Jamess Park and
Buckingham Palace. Round the back of the building, youll find the Household Cavalry
THE CHANGING OF THE GUARD
The Queen is colonel-in-chief of the seven Household Regiments: the Life Guards (who
dress in red and white) and the Blues and Royals (who dress in blue and white) are the two
Household Cavalry regiments; while the Grenadier, Coldstream, Scots, Irish and Welsh Guards
make up the Foot Guards.
The Changing of the Guard takes place at two London locations: the two Household
Cavalry regiments take it in turns to stand guard at Horse Guards on Whitehall (MonSat 11am,
Sun 10am, with inspection daily at 4pm), while the Foot Guards take care of Buckingham Palace
(AprilAug daily 11.30am; SeptMarch alternate days; no ceremony if it rains). A ceremony also
takes place regularly at Windsor Castle.
 8

Sir John
LONDON

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LONDON
9
10 LONDON WESTMINSTER
Museum where you can try on a troopers elaborate uniform, complete a horse quiz
and learn about the regiments history. With the stables immediately adjacent, its a
sweet-smelling place, and you can see the beasts in their stalls through a glass screen.
Churchill War Rooms
King Charles St Daily 9.30am6pm 14.50 T 020 7930 6961, W cwr.iwm.org.uk Westminster throne dating from around 1300 and still used for coronations.
In 1938, in anticipation of Nazi air raids, the basements of the civil service buildings on
the south side of King Charles Street, south of Downing Street, were converted into the
Cabinet War Rooms. It was here that Winston Churchill directed operations and held
Cabinet meetings for the duration of World War II and the rooms have been left pretty
much as they were when they were finally abandoned on VJ Day 1945, making for an
atmospheric underground trot through wartime London. Also in the basement is the
excellent Churchill Museum. You can hear snippets of Churchills most famous speeches
and check out his trademark bowler, spotted bow tie and half-chewed Havana.
Houses of Parliament
Parliament Square T 020 7219 4272, W parliament.uk Westminster
Clearly visible at the south end of Whitehall is one of Londons best-known monuments,
the Palace of Westminster, better known as the Houses of Parliament. The citys finest
Victorian Gothic Revival building and symbol of a nation once confident of its place at
the centre of the world, its distinguished above all by the ornate, gilded clocktower
popularly known as Big Ben, after the thirteen-ton main bell that strikes the hour.
The original medieval palace burned down in 1834, and everything you see now save
for Westminster Hall is the work of Charles Barry, who created an orgy of honey-
coloured pinnacles, turrets and tracery that attempts to express national greatness through
the use of Gothic and Elizabethan styles. You get a glimpse of the eleventh-century
Westminster Hall en route to the public galleries, its huge oak hammer-beam roof making
it one of the most magnificent secular medieval halls in Europe.
INFORMATION AND TOURS HOUSES OF PARLIAMENT
Public galleries To watch proceedings in either the takes place in the first hour (MonThurs) and Prime
House of Commons the livelier of the two or the House Ministers Question Time (Wed only), but they must book
of Lords, simply join the queue for the public galleries in advance with their local MP (T 020 7219 3000).
outside St Stephens Gate. The public are let in slowly from Guided tours Throughout the year there are also weekly
about 4pm onwards on Mondays and Tuesdays, from guided tours (Sat 9.15am4.30pm; 1hr 15min; 15), with
around 1pm Wednesdays, noon on Thursdays, and 10am daily ones during the summer opening (MonSat) in
on Sitting Fridays. Security is tight and the whole both cases its a good idea to book in advance (T 0844 847
procedure can take an hour or more, so to avoid the 1672). All year round, UK residents are entitled to a free
queues, turn up an hour or so later or on a Sitting Friday. guided tour of the palace, as well as up Big Ben (MonFri
Question Time UK citizens can attend Question Time 9.15am, 11.15am & 2.15pm; 1hr 15min; no under-11s);
when the House of Commons is at its liveliest which both need to be organized through your local MP.
Westminster Abbey
Abbey MonThurs & Fri 9.30am4.30pm, Wed 9.30am6pm, Sat 9.30am2.30pm 16 Verger tours MonFri times vary 3 Great
Cloisters Daily 8am6pm Free Chapter House & Abbey Museum Daily 10.30am4pm Free College Garden TuesThurs: AprilSept
10am6pm; OctMarch 10am4pm Free T 020 7654 4900, W westminster-abbey.org Westminster St Jamess
The Houses of Parliament dwarf their much older neighbour, Westminster Abbey, yet this
single building embodies much of the history of England: it has been the venue for all
coronations since the time of William the Conqueror, and the site of more or less every
royal burial for some five hundred years between the reigns of Henry III and George II.
Entry is via the north transept, traditionally known as Statesmens Aisle, from which
you can view the central sanctuary, site of the coronations, and the wonderful Cosmati
floor mosaic, constructed in the thirteenth century by Italian craftsmen.
ST JAMESS LONDON 11
Lady Chapel
The abbeys most dazzling architectural set piece, the Lady Chapel, was added by
Henry VII in 1503 as his future resting place. With its intricately carved vaulting and
fan-shaped gilded pendants, the chapel represents the final spectacular gasp of the
English Perpendicular style. Look out for Edward Is Coronation Chair, a decrepit oak
Poets Corner, Great Cloisters and Nave
Nowadays, the abbeys royal tombs are upstaged by Poets Corner, in the south transept,
though the first occupant, Geoffrey Chaucer, was in fact buried here not because he was a
poet, but because he lived nearby. By the eighteenth century this zone had become an artistic
pantheon, and since then, the transept has been filled with tributes to all shades of talent.
Doors in the south choir aisle (plus a separate entrance from Deans Yard) lead to the
Great Cloisters, rebuilt after a fire in 1298. Its only after exploring the cloisters that you
get to see the nave itself: narrow, light and, at over a hundred feet in height, by far the
tallest in the country. The most famous monument in this section is the Tomb of the
Unknown Soldier, by the west door, which now serves as the main exit.
Tate Britain
Millbank Daily 10am6pm; first Fri of month until 10pm Free T 020 7887 8888, W tate.org.uk Pimlico
A purpose-built gallery half a mile south of parliament, founded in 1897 with money
from Henry Tate, inventor of the sugar cube, Tate Britain is devoted to British art. As
well as the collection covering 1500 to the present, the gallery also puts on large-scale
temporary exhibitions (for which there is a charge) that showcase British artists.
The pictures are rehung more or less annually, but always include a fair selection of works
by British artists such as Hogarth, Gainsborough and Blake, plus foreign artists like Van
Dyck who spent much of their career in Britain. The ever-popular Pre-Raphaelites are
always well represented, as are established twentieth-century greats such as Stanley Spencer
and Francis Bacon alongside living artists such as David Hockney and Lucian Freud. Lastly,
dont miss the Tates outstanding Turner collection, displayed in the Clore Gallery.
Westminster Cathedral
Off Victoria St Cathedral MonFri 7am7pm, Sat 8am7pm, Sun 8am8pm Free Campanile MonFri 9.30am5pm, Sat & Sun
9.30am6pm 3 T 020 7798 9055, W westminstercathedral.org.uk Victoria
Begun in 1895, the stripey neo-Byzantine concoction of the Roman Catholic Westminster
Cathedral was one of the last and wildest monuments to the Victorian era. Its constructed
from more than twelve million terracotta-coloured bricks, decorated with hoops of Portland
stone, and culminates in a magnificent tapered campanile which rises to 274ft, served by a
lift. The interior is only half finished, so to get an idea of what the place will look like when
its finally completed, explore the series of side chapels whose rich, multicoloured decor
makes use of more than one hundred different marbles from around the world.
St Jamess, the exclusive little enclave sandwiched between St Jamess Park and Piccadilly,
was laid out in the 1670s close to St Jamess Palace. Regal and aristocratic residences
overlook Green Park, gentlemens clubs cluster along Pall Mall and St Jamess Street,
while jacket-and-tie restaurants and expense-account gentlemens outfitters line Jermyn
Street. Hardly surprising then that most Londoners rarely stray into this area. Plenty of
folk, however, frequent St Jamess Park, with large numbers heading for the Queens
chief residence, Buckingham Palace, and the adjacent Queens Gallery and Royal Mews.
12 LONDON ST JAMESS MAYFAIR
The Mall
Laid out as a memorial to Queen Victoria, the tree-lined sweep of The Mall is at its best
on Sundays, when its closed to traffic. The bombastic Admiralty Arch was erected to
mark the entrance at the Trafalgar Square end of The Mall, while at the Buckingham
Palace end stands the ludicrous Victoria Memorial, Edward VIIs overblown 2300-ton
marble tribute to his mother, which is topped by a gilded statue of Victory. Six outlying
allegorical groups in bronze confidently proclaim the great achievements of her reign.
St Jamess Park
Flanking nearly the whole length of the Mall, St Jamess Park is the oldest of the royal parks,
having been drained and enclosed for hunting purposes by Henry VIII. It was landscaped
by Nash in the 1820s, and today its lake is a favourite picnic spot. Pelicans can still be seen
at the eastern end of the lake, and there are exotic ducks, swans and geese aplenty.
Buckingham Palace
Late July to early Oct daily 9.45am6.30pm 17.50, advance booking fee 1.25 T 020 7766 7300, W royalcollection.org.uk Green Park
The graceless colossus of Buckingham Palace, popularly known as Buck House,
has served as the monarchs permanent London residence only since the accession of
Victoria. Bought by George III in 1762, the building was overhauled in the late 1820s
by Nash and again in 1913, producing a palace thats as bland as its possible to be.
For two months of the year, the hallowed portals are grudgingly nudged open. The
interior, however, is a bit of an anticlimax: of the palaces 660 rooms youre permitted to see
twenty or so, and theres little sign of life, as the Queen decamps to Scotland every summer.
For the other ten months theres little to do here not that this deters the crowds who mill
around outside, and gather in some force to watch the Changing of the Guard (see box p.7).
St Jamess Palace
Chapel Royal Oct to Easter Sun services 8.30am & 11.15am Queens Chapel EasterJuly Sun 8.30am & 11.15am Green Park
St Jamess Palaces main red-brick gate-tower is pretty much all that remains of the
Tudor palace erected here by Henry VIII. When Whitehall Palace burned down in
1698, St Jamess became the principal royal residence and, in keeping with tradition,
an ambassador to the UK is still accredited to the Court of St Jamess, even though
the court has since moved down the road to Buckingham Palace. The modest,
rambling, crenellated complex is off-limits to the public, with the exception of the
Chapel Royal, situated within the palace, and the Queens Chapel, on the other side of
Marlborough Road; both are open for services only.
Mayfair
Piccadilly, which forms the southern border of swanky Mayfair, may not be the fashionable
promenade it started out as in the eighteenth century, but a whiff of exclusivity still pervades
Bond Street and its tributaries, where designer clothes emporia jostle for space with
jewellers, bespoke tailors and fine art dealers. Regent Street and Oxford Street, meanwhile,
are home to the flagship branches of the countrys most popular chain stores.
Piccadilly Circus
Anonymous and congested it may be, but Piccadilly Circus is the nearest the city comes
to having a centre. A much-altered product of Nashs grand Regent Street plan, it may
not be a picturesque place, but thanks to its celebrated statue, popularly known as Eros
(though actually his lesser-known brother, Anteros), its prime tourist territory.
MAYFAIR MARYLEBONE LONDON 13
OXFORD STREET: THE BUSIEST STREET IN EUROPE
As wealthy Londoners began to move out of the City in the eighteenth century in favour
of the newly developed West End, so Oxford Street the old Roman road to Oxford
gradually became Londons main shopping thoroughfare. Today, despite successive
recessions and sky-high rents, it remains Europes busiest street, simply because this
two-mile hotchpotch of shops is home to (often several) flagship branches of Britains
major retailers though the streets only real landmark store is Selfridges (see p.46)
opened in 1909.
Regent Street
Regent Street, drawn up by John Nash in 1812 as both a luxury shopping street and a
triumphal way between Carlton House and Regents Park, was the citys earliest attempt at
dealing with traffic congestion, slum clearance and planned social segregation, something
that would later be perfected by the Victorians. The increase in the purchasing power of the
middle classes in the last century brought the tone of the street down and heavyweight
stores predominate. Among the best known are Hamleys, reputedly the worlds largest toy
shop, and Liberty, the upmarket department store that popularized Arts and Crafts designs.
Piccadilly
Piccadilly got its name from the ruffs or pickadills worn by the dandies who used to
promenade here in the seventeenth century. Its no place for promenading today, however,
with traffic careering down it most of the day and night. Infinitely more pleasant places to
window-shop are the nineteenth-century arcades that shoot off to the north, built to protect
shoppers from mud on the streets but now equally useful for escaping exhaust fumes.
Royal Academy of Arts
Piccadilly SatThurs 10am6pm, Fri 10am10pm 1012 T 020 7300 8000, W royalacademy.org.uk Green Park
The Royal Academy of Arts occupies one of the few surviving aristocratic mansions that
once lined the north side of Piccadilly. The countrys first-ever formal art school, founded in
1768, the RA hosts a wide range of art exhibitions, and an annual Summer Exhibition that
remains an essential stop on the social calendar of upper-middle-class England. Anyone can
enter paintings in any style, and the lucky winners get hung, in rather close proximity, and
sold. RA Academicians are allowed to display six of their own works no matter how
awful. The result is a bewildering display, which gets panned annually by highbrow critics.
Bond Street
While Oxford Street, Regent Street and Piccadilly have all gone downmarket, Bond
Street, which runs parallel with Regent Street, has carefully maintained its exclusivity.
Both halves known as Old Bond Street and, its northern extension, which followed less
than fifty years later, New Bond Street are pretty unassuming streets architecturally, yet
the shops that line them are among the flashiest in London, dominated by perfumeries,
jewellers and designer clothing stores. In addition to fashion, Bond Street is also
renowned for its fine art galleries and its auction houses, the oldest of which is Sothebys,
3435 New Bond St, whose viewing galleries are open free of charge.
Marylebone
Marylebone, which lies to the north of Oxford Street, is, like Mayfair, another
grid-plan Georgian development a couple of social and real-estate leagues below its
neighbour, but a wealthy area nevertheless.
14 LONDON MARYLEBONE SOHO
Wallace Collection
Manchester Square Daily 10am5pm Free T 020 7563 9500, W wallacecollection.org Bond Street
Housed in a miniature eighteenth-century chateau, the splendid Wallace Collection is best
known for Franz Hals Laughing Cavalier, Titians Perseus and Andromeda, Velzquezs Lady
with a Fan and Rembrandts affectionate portrait of his teenage son, Titus. The museum has
preserved the feel of a grand stately home, its exhibits piled high in glass cabinets, and
paintings covering every inch of wall space. The fact that these exhibits are set amid period
fittings and a bloody great armoury makes the place even more remarkable.
Madame Tussauds
Marylebone Rd MonFri 9.30am5.30pm, Sat & Sun 9am6pm Online tickets from 26 T 0871 894 3000, W madametussauds.com
Baker Street
Madame Tussauds has been pulling in the crowds ever since the good lady arrived from Paris
in 1802 bearing the sculpted heads of guillotined aristocrats. The entrance fee might be
extortionate, the waxwork likenesses of the famous occasionally dubious and the attempts to
relieve you of yet more cash relentless, but you can still rely on finding Londons biggest
queues here (book online to avoid waiting). You can choose to opt out of the Chamber of
Horrors Live show, a piece of hokum designed to frighten the living daylights out of tourists.
Soho
Bounded by Regent Street to the west, Oxford Street to the north and Charing Cross
Road to the east, Soho is very much the heart of the West End. Its been the citys premier
red-light district for centuries and retains an unorthodox and slightly raffish air thats
unique for central London. It has an immigrant history as rich as that of the East End
and a louche nightlife that has attracted writers and revellers of every sexual persuasion
since the eighteenth century. Today its a very upfront gay enclave, especially around Old
Compton Street. Conventional sights in Soho are few, yet theres probably more street life
here than anywhere in the city centre, whatever the hour. Most folk head to Soho to go
the cinema or theatre, and to have a drink or a bite to eat in the innumerable bars, cafs
and restaurants that pepper the area, which includes Chinatown in the south.
Leicester Square
When the big cinemas and discos are doing good business, and the buskers are
entertaining the crowds, Leicester Square is one of the most crowded places in London,
particularly on a Friday or Saturday when huge numbers of tourists and half the youth
of the suburbs seem to congregate here. It wasnt until the mid-nineteenth century that
the square actually began to emerge as an entertainment zone; cinema moved in during
the 1930s, a golden age evoked by the sleek black lines of the Odeon on the east side.
Chinatown
Chinatown, hemmed in between Leicester Square and Shaftesbury Avenue, is a
self-contained jumble of shops, cafs and restaurants. Only a minority of Londons
Chinese live in these three small blocks, but it remains a focus for the community, a
place to do business or the weekly shop, celebrate a wedding, or just meet up for meals,
particularly on Sundays, when the restaurants overflow with Chinese families tucking
into dim sum. Gerrard Street is the main drag, with telephone kiosks rigged out as
pagodas and fake oriental gates or paifang.
COVENT GARDEN STRAND BLOOMSBURY LONDON 15
Covent Garden
More sanitized and commercial than neighbouring Soho, the shops and restaurants of
Covent Garden today are a far cry from the districts heyday when the piazza was the
great playground (and red-light district) of eighteenth-century London. The buskers in
front of St Pauls Church, the theatres round about, and the Royal Opera House on Bow
Street are survivors of this tradition, and on a balmy summer evening, Covent Garden
Piazza is still an undeniably lively place to be.
Covent Garden Piazza
Londons oldest planned square, laid out in the 1630s by Inigo Jones, Covent Garden Piazza
was initially a great success, its novelty value alone attracting a rich and aristocratic clientele,
but over the next century the tone of the place fell as the fruit and vegetable market
expanded, and theatres and coffee houses began to take over the peripheral buildings. When
the market closed in 1974, the elegant Victorian market hall and its environs were restored
to house shops, restaurants and crafts stalls. Of Joness original piazza, the only remaining
parts are the two rebuilt sections of north-side arcading, and St Pauls Church, to the west.
Strand
Once famous for its riverside mansions, and later its music halls, the Strand is a shadow of
its former self. One of the few vestiges of glamour is The Savoy, Londons grandest hotel,
built in 1889 on the site of the medieval Savoy Palace. As its name suggests, the Strand once
lay along the Thames until the Victorians shored up its banks to create the Embankment.
Somerset House
Strand Courtyard Daily 7.30am11pm Free Riverside terrace Daily 8am6pm Free Embankment galleries Daily 10am6pm
6 T 020 7845 4600, W somersethouse.org.uk Temple or Covent Garden
Somerset House is the sole survivor of the grandiose river palaces that once lined the
Strand. Although it looks like an old aristocratic mansion, the present building was
purpose-built in 1776 to house government offices. Nowadays, Somerset Houses
granite-paved courtyard, which has a 55-jet fountain that spouts little syncopated dances
straight from the cobbles, is used for open-air performances, concerts, installations and, in
winter, an ice rink. The south wing has a lovely riverside terrace with a caf-restaurant and
the Embankment Galleries, which host innovative special exhibitions on contemporary art
and design. You can also admire the Royal Naval Commissioners superb gilded
eighteenth-century barge in the Kings Barge House, below ground level in the south wing.
Bloomsbury
Bloomsbury was built over in grid-plan style from the 1660s onwards, and the formal
bourgeois Georgian squares laid out then remain the areas main distinguishing
feature. In the twentieth century, Bloomsbury acquired a reputation as the citys most
learned quarter, dominated by the dual institutions of the British Museum and London
University, but perhaps best known for its literary inhabitants, among them T.S. Eliot
and Virginia Woolf. Today, the British Museum is clearly the star attraction, but there
are other minor sights, such as the Charles Dickens Museum. Only in its northern
fringes does the character of the area change dramatically, as you near the hustle and
bustle of Euston, St Pancras and Kings Cross train stations.
16 LONDON BLOOMSBURY HOLBORN LONDON 17

British Museum

Gardens
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Museum
Inn

T S T O Sir John
Soanes
1
2
3
4

Inn Fields
Great Russell St SatThurs 10am5.30pm, Fri 10am8.30pm Free T 020 7323 8000, W britishmuseum.org Tottenham Court Road,

Lincolns
MOU NT
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EH AY outside Egypt and, in addition, there are fabulous treasures from Anglo-Saxon and
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The building itself, begun in 1823, is the grandest of Londons Greek Revival edifices,

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dominated by the giant Ionian colonnade and portico that forms the main entrance. At

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roof, designed by Norman Foster. At the centre stands the copper-domed former
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The highlights
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Square
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The most famous of the Roman and Greek antiquities are the Parthenon sculptures,
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better known as the Elgin Marbles, after the British aristocrat who walked off with the

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reliefs in 1801. The Egyptian collection of monumental sculptures is impressive, but its
L

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IGH TRE the ever-popular mummies that draw the biggest crowds. Also on display is the Rosetta

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bog, and the Anglo-Saxon treasure from the Sutton Hoo ship burial, are among the
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highlights of the prehistoric and Romano-British section. The medieval and modern

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walrus ivory, to twentieth-century exhibits such as a copper vase by Frank Lloyd Wright.
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The dramatically lit Mexican and North American galleries, plus the African galleries
Drill Hall

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in the basement, represent just a small fraction of the museums ethnographic collection,
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while select works from the BMs enormous collection of prints and drawings can be seen
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WM Mon & WedFri 9.30am6pm, Tues 9.30am8pm, Sat 9.30am5pm, Sun 11am5pm Free T 020 7412 7332, W bl.uk Kings Cross
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As one of the countrys most expensive public buildings, the British Library took flak
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OY approval, and the exhibition galleries are superb. With the exception of the reading
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rooms, the library is open to the public and puts on a wide variety of exhibitions and
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events. In the John Ritblat Gallery a selection of the BLs ancient manuscripts, maps,
W I L LIAM R O A D

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documents and precious books, including the richly illustrated Lindisfarne Gospels, is
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4
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RO N ST
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on display. You can also turn the pages of various texts from the Mercators 1570s
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ET ET
TIME
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S TA NHO PE S T RE
Broadcasting

D ST
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House (BBC)

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atlas of Europe to Leonardo da Vincis notebook on touch-screen computers.
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ACCOMMODATION

Holborn, on the periphery of the financial district of the City, has long been associated
STRE
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with the law, and its Inns of Court make for an interesting stroll, their archaic, cobbled
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London Review
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precincts exuding the rarefied atmosphere of an Oxbridge college, and sheltering one of
CRESCENT

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Ridgemount
Central YHA
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Celtic Hotel

OUTER CIRCLE
Bookshop
YLEB
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Park Square

the citys oldest churches, the twelfth-century Temple Church. Close by the Inns is the Sir
NSHI

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SHOP
Gardens
Regents

MAR

DEVO

John Soanes Museum, one of the most memorable and enjoyable of Londons small
Park

OUTE

ST
0

RK

PA LEY
HAR museums, packed with architectural illusions and an eclectic array of curios.
18 LONDON HOLBORN THE CITY
Temple
Temple is the largest and most complex of the Inns of Court, where every barrister in
England must study before being called to the Bar. A few very old buildings survive
here and the maze of courtyards and passageways is fun to explore.
Middle Temple Hall
MonFri 1011.30am & 34pm, phone to check access Free T 020 7427 4800 Temple or Blackfriars
Medieval students ate, attended lectures and slept in the Middle Temple Hall, still the Inns
main dining room. The present building, constructed in the 1560s, provided the setting for
many great Elizabethan masques and plays probably including Shakespeares Twelfth
Night, which is believed to have been premiered here in 1602. The hall is worth a visit for
its fine hammer-beam roof, wooden panelling and decorative Elizabethan screen.
Temple Church
Usually MonFri 24pm, but times vary 3 T 020 7353 3470, W templechurch.com Temple or Blackfriars
The complexs oldest building is Temple Church, built in 1185 by the Knights Templar,
and modelled on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem. The interior features
striking Purbeck marble piers, recumbent marble effigies of medieval knights and
tortured grotesques grimacing in the spandrels of the blind arcading. The church makes
an appearance in both the book and the film of Dan Browns The Da Vinci Code.
Sir John Soanes Museum
13 Lincolns Inn Fields TuesSat 10am5pm, first Tues of the month candlelit 69pm Free Guided tour Sat 11am 3 T 020 7405
2107, W soane.org Holborn
A group of buildings on the north side of Lincolns Inn Fields houses the fascinating
Sir John Soanes Museum. Soane (17531837), a bricklayers son who rose to be
architect of the Bank of England, was an avid collector who designed this house not
only as a home and office, but also as a place to stash his large collection of art and
antiquities. Arranged much as it was in his lifetime, the ingeniously planned house has
an informal, treasure-hunt atmosphere, with surprises in every alcove.
The City
The City is where London began. Long established as the financial district, it stretches from
Temple Bar in the west to the Tower of London in the east administrative boundaries
that are only slightly larger than those marked by the Roman walls and their medieval
successors. However, in this Square Mile (as the City is sometimes referred to), youll find
few leftovers of Londons early days, since four-fifths of the area burnt down in the Great
Fire of 1666. Rebuilt in brick and stone, the City gradually lost its centrality as London
swelled westwards, though it has maintained its position as Britains financial heartland.
When you consider what has happened here, its amazing that so much has survived to
CLERKENWELL, HOXTON AND SHOREDITCH
Since the 1990s, the northern fringe of the City has been colonized by artists, designers and
architects and transformed itself into the citys most vibrant artistic enclave, peppered with
contemporary art galleries and a whole host of very cool bars, restaurants and clubs.
Clerkenwell, to the west, is the most thoroughly gentrified, whereas Hoxton (to the north of
Old Street), and to a lesser extent Shoreditch (to the south), have a grittier side to them. There
are few conventional sights as such in all three areas, though Hoxton and Shoreditch are
stuffed full of art galleries (most famously the White Cube on Hoxton Square), but their hip
nightlife and shopping scenes keep them lively.
THE CITY LONDON 19
pay witness to the Citys 2000-year history. Wrens spires still punctuate the skyline and
his masterpiece, St Pauls Cathedral, remains one of Londons geographical pivots. At the
Citys eastern edge, the Tower of London still boasts some of the best-preserved medieval
fortifications in Europe. Other relics, such as Wrens Monument to the Great Fire and
Londons oldest synagogue and church, are less conspicuous, and even locals have problems
finding modern attractions like the Museum of London and the Barbican arts complex.
Fleet Street
Fleet Streets associations with the printed press began in 1500, when Wynkyn de Worde,
William Caxtons apprentice, moved the Caxton presses here from Westminster to be close
to the lawyers of the Inns of Court (his best customers) and to the clergy of St Pauls. In
1702, the worlds first daily newspaper, the now defunct Daily Courant, began publishing
here, and by the nineteenth century, all the major national and provincial dailies had moved
their presses to the area. Then in 1985, Britains first colour tabloid, Today, appeared, using
computer technology that rendered the Fleet Street presses obsolete. The press headquarters
that once dominated the area have all now relocated, leaving just a handful of small
publications and a few architectural landmarks to testify to 500 years of printing history.
St Brides Church
Fleet St MonFri 8am6pm, Sat 11am3pm, Sun 10am6.30pm Free T 020 7427 0133, W stbrides.com St Pauls
To find out more about Fleet Streets history, check out the exhibition in the crypt of
St Brides Church, the journalists and printers cathedral, situated behind the former
Reuters building. The church also features Wrens tallest, and most exquisite, spire (said
to be the inspiration for the traditional tiered wedding cake).
St Pauls Cathedral
MonSat 8.30am4.30pm 14.50 T 020 7236 4128, W stpauls.co.uk St Pauls
Designed by Christopher Wren and completed in 1711, St Pauls Cathedral remains a
dominating presence in the City, despite the encroaching tower blocks. Topped by an
enormous lead-covered dome, its showpiece west facade is particularly magnificent.
The best place from which to appreciate St Pauls is beneath the dome, decorated (against
Wrens wishes) with Thornhills trompe loeil frescoes. The finest section of the cathedral,
however, is the chancel, where the gilded mosaics of birds, fish, animals and greenery, dating
from the 1890s, are spectacular. The intricately carved oak and limewood choir stalls, and
the imposing organ case, are the work of Wrens master carver, Grinling Gibbons.
The Whispering Gallery
A series of stairs, beginning in the south aisle, lead to the domes three galleries, the
first of which is the internal Whispering Gallery, so called because of its acoustic
properties words whispered to the wall on one side are distinctly audible over
100ft away on the other, though the place is often so busy you cant hear much
above the hubbub.
The crypt
Although the nave is crammed full of overblown monuments to military types, burials
in St Pauls are confined to the whitewashed crypt, reputedly the largest in Europe.
Immediately to your right is Artists Corner, which boasts as many painters and architects
as Westminster Abbey has poets, including Christopher Wren himself, who was
commissioned to build the cathedral after its Gothic predecessor, Old St Pauls, was
destroyed in the Great Fire. The crypts two other star tombs are those of Nelson and
Wellington, both occupying centre stage and both with more fanciful monuments upstairs.
20 LONDON LONDON 21
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THE CITY AND AROUND
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Tate Modern
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GLOBE WALK
22 LONDON THE CITY
Bank
Bank is the finest architectural arena in the City. Heart of the finance sector and the
busy meeting point of eight streets, its overlooked by a handsome collection of
Neoclassical buildings among them, the Bank of England, the Royal Exchange and
Mansion House (the Lord Mayors official residence) each one faced in Portland Stone.
Bank of England
Threadneedle St MonFri 10am5pm Free T 020 7601 5545, W bankofengland.co.uk Bank
Established in 1694 by William III to raise funds for the war against France, the Bank of
England wasnt erected on its present site until 1734. All that remains of the building on
which Sir John Soane spent the best part of his career from 1788 onwards is the windowless,
outer curtain wall. However, you can view a reconstruction of his Bank Stock Office, with its
characteristic domed skylight, in the museum, which has its entrance on Bartholomew Lane.
Monument
Daily 9.30am5.30pm 2
The Monument was designed by Wren to commemorate the Great Fire of 1666.
Crowned with spiky gilded flames, this plain Doric column stands 202ft high; if it were
laid out flat it would touch the bakery where the Fire started, east of Monument. The
bas-relief on the base, now in very bad shape, depicts Charles II and the Duke of York in
Roman garb conducting the emergency relief operation. Views from the gallery, accessed
by 311 steps, are somewhat dwarfed nowadays by the buildings springing up around it.
Tower of London
MarchOct Sun & Mon 10am5.30pm, TuesSat 9am5.30pm; NovFeb closes 4.30pm 18, less online; free guided tours every 30min
T 020 3166 6000, W hrp.org.uk Tower Hill
One of Britains main tourist attractions, the Tower of London overlooks the river at the
eastern boundary of the old city walls. Despite all the hype, it remains one of Londons
most remarkable buildings, site of some of the goriest events in the nations history, and
somewhere all visitors and Londoners should explore at least once.
The lively free guided tours given by the Towers Beefeaters are useful for getting your
bearings. Visitors today enter the Tower along Water Lane, but in times gone by most
prisoners were delivered through Traitors Gate, on the waterfront. Immediately, they would
have come to the Bloody Tower, which forms the main entrance to the Inner Ward, and
which is where the 12-year-old Edward V and his 10-year-old brother were accommodated
for their own safety in 1483 by their uncle, the future Richard III, and later murdered.
Tower Green
At the centre of the Inner Ward is Tower Green, where ten unlucky individuals were
beheaded, among them Anne Boleyn and her cousin Catherine Howard (Henry VIIIs
second and fifth wives). The White Tower, which overlooks the Green, is the original
Tower, begun in 1076, and now home to displays from the Royal Armouries.
LONDON BRIDGE
Until 1750, London Bridge was the only bridge across the Thames. The medieval bridge
achieved world fame: built of stone and crowded with timber-framed houses, it became one of
the great attractions of London theres a model in the nearby church of St Magnus the Martyr
(TuesFri 9.30am4pm, Sun 10am1pm). The houses were finally removed in the mid-eighteenth
century, and a new stone bridge erected in 1831; that one now stands in the Arizona desert,
having been bought in the 1960s by a man who, so the story goes, thought hed purchased Tower
Bridge. The present concrete structure, without doubt the ugliest yet, dates from 1972.
THE CITY THE EAST END LONDON 23
AIMING HIGH: CITY SKYSCRAPERS
Economic recession notwithstanding, the City skyline is sprouting a whole new generation of
skyscrapers. From 1980, for thirty years, the Citys tallest building was the 600ft-high Tower
42, designed as the NatWest Tower by Richard Seifert (in the shape of the banks logo).
Richard Rogers Lloyds Building, on Leadenhall Street, completed in 1984, was more
remarkable for its inside-out design than its modest height even with Norman Fosters
590ft-high Gherkin, it was the shape, not its height, that drew attention. In 2010, the NatWest
Tower was finally topped by the Heron Tower, a fairly undistinguished 660-ft skyscraper, at
110 Bishopsgate, designed by Kohn Pedersen Fox on the plus side, public access means you
can check out the shark aquarium in the atrium, and pop into the bar-restaurant on the 40th
floor. More are planned: Rafael Violys 525-ft Walkie Talkie, 20 Fenchurch St, so-called
because it will get wider as it gets bigger, will include a public sky garden on the roof; The
Pinnacle, 2224 Bishopsgate, also by Kohn Pedersen Fox, will be a swirling 945-ft helter-
skelter of a tower (with a restaurant on the top floor); and The Cheesegrater, Richard Rogers
737-ft triangular-shaped office block at 122 Leadenhall St, is due for completion in 2013.
Crown Jewels
The Waterloo Barracks, to the north of the White Tower, hold the Crown Jewels;
queues can be painfully long, however, and you only get to view the rocks from moving
walkways. The vast majority of exhibits post-date the Commonwealth (164960),
when many of the royal riches were melted down for coinage or sold off. Among the
jewels are the three largest cut diamonds in the world, including the legendary
Koh-i-Noor, which was set into the Queen Mothers Crown in 1937.
Tower Bridge
Daily: AprilSept 10am6.30pm; OctMarch 9.30am6pm 8 T 020 7403 3761, W towerbridge.org.uk Tower Hill
Tower Bridge ranks with Big Ben as the most famous of all London landmarks.
Completed in 1894, its neo-Gothic towers are clad in Cornish granite and Portland
stone, but conceal a steel frame, which, at the time, represented a considerable
engineering achievement, allowing a road crossing that could be raised to give tall ships
access to the upper reaches of the Thames. The raising of the bascules (from the French
for see-saw) remains an impressive sight phone ahead to find out when the bridge is
opening. If you buy a ticket, you get to walk across the elevated walkways linking the
summits of the towers and visit the Towers Engine Room, on the south side of the
bridge, where you can see the now defunct giant coal-fired boilers which drove the
hydraulic system until 1976, and play some interactive engineering games.
The East End
Few places in London have engendered so many myths as the East End (a catch-all title
which covers just about everywhere east of the City). Its name is synonymous with slums,
sweatshops and crime, as epitomized by figures such as Jack the Ripper and the Kray
Twins, but also with the rags-to-riches success stories of a whole generations of Jews who
were born in these cholera-ridden quarters and then moved to wealthier pastures.
As the area is not an obvious place for sightseeing, and certainly no beauty spot despite
all the fanfare around the 2012 Olympic Village most visitors to the East End come for
its famous Sunday markets: cheap clothes on Petticoat Lane (Middlesex Street), clothes
and crafts in trendy Spitalfields, hip vintage gear around Brick Lane and flowers on
Columbia Road. As for the East End Docklands, including the vast and awesome Canary
Wharf redevelopment, most of it can be gawped at from the overhead light railway.
24 LONDON THE EAST END THE SOUTH BANK LONDON 25

THE SOUTH BANK N R I VE R S I D E W A LK

THINKING BIG: OLYMPIC PARK Gabriels OXO

Tate Modern
Wharf Tower
Focus of the 2012 Olympics, Londons Olympic Park is situated in a most unlikely East End EATING

R EN N I E S T R EE T
WA R I D G E
backwater, on a series of islands formed by the River Lea and various tributaries and canals. Ev 1

TER
B
Laughing Gravy 3
The centrepiece of the park is the Olympic Stadium, surrounded on three sides by rivers, and

LO O

BRO
Marsh Ruby 2

AD W
earmarked to become home to West Ham United football club. Standing close to the stadium, Festival BFI

DU

ALL
with a birds-eye view of the whole site from its public observation deck, is the Orbit tower, a

CH
Pier Southbank ND
Royal OU

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PA R I S
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National
377ft-high continuous loop of red recycled steel designed by Anish Kapoor, and dubbed the ER

COI
Queen Theatre P
UP
Helter Skelter. The most eye-catching venue, however, is Zaha Hadids wave-like Aquatics

IELD
N
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STR
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S
Purcell
Centre, to the east, which may have cost four times its original, but at least it looks good. The

GARDEN
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other truly sexy building is the curvy Velodrome, with its banked, Siberian pine track and ET

STR
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DO RE UIN BO

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Royal Gallery ST AQ OM
adjacent BMX circuit. The nearest tube is Stratford; you can also approach from Hackney Wick HUN Festival Hall FO
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where the Jewish community was at its strongest in the late nineteenth century, and

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where todays Bengali community eats, sleeps, works and prays. If you visit just one area Waterloo
SS
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B U RR OW S M E W S
in the East End, it should be this, which preserves mementos from each wave of

WA
Young Vic Theatre

TE
immigration. The focal point of the area is Spitalfields Market, the red-brick and

SHO
RL
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RT
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RO

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system in the world. When the docks closed in the 1960s the area was generally regarded as OW

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ST
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stainless steel tower One Canada Square remains an icon on the citys skyline. The excellent

MOR
ACCOMMODATION RD Anchor & Hope 2
Tune Westminster 1 yards Kings Arms 1
Museum of London Docklands (daily 10am6pm; free), in an old warehouse in Canary 1
Lambeth North Elephant & Castle
Wharf, charts the history of the area from Roman times to the present day.
London Eye
The South Bank Daily: AprilJune 10am9pm; July & Aug 10am9.30pm; SeptMarch 10am8.30pm From 17 online T 0871 781 3000,
W londoneye.com Waterloo or Westminster
The South Bank has a lot going for it. As well as the massive waterside Southbank Centre, its Despite being little more than ten years old, the London Eye is one of the citys most
home to a host of tourist attractions including the enormously popular London Eye. With famous landmarks. Standing an impressive 443ft high, its the largest Ferris wheel in
most of London sitting on the north bank of the Thames, the views from here are the best Europe, weighing over 2000 tons, yet as simple and delicate as a bicycle wheel. Its
on the river, and thanks to the wide, traffic-free riverside boulevard, the whole area can be constantly in slow motion, which means a full-circle flight in one of its 32 pods (one
happily explored on foot. Just a short walk away lies the absorbing Imperial War Museum, for each of the citys boroughs) should take around thirty minutes: that may seem a
which contains the countrys only permanent exhibition devoted to the Holocaust. long time but in fact it passes incredibly quickly. Book online (to save money), but
note that unless youve paid extra youll still have to queue to get on. Tickets are also
sold from the box office at the eastern end of County Hall.
Southbank Centre
W southbankcentre.co.uk Waterloo or Embankment
In 1951, the South Bank Exhibition, on derelict land south of the Thames, formed Imperial War Museum
the centrepiece of the national Festival of Britain, an attempt to revive morale postwar Lambeth Rd Daily 10am6pm Free T 020 7416 5000, W london.iwm.org.uk Lambeth North or Elephant & Castle
by celebrating the centenary of the Great Exhibition. The festivals success provided the Housed in a domed building that was once the infamous lunatic asylum Bedlam, the
impetus for the creation of the Southbank Centre, home to artistic institutions such as the superb Imperial War Museum holds by far the best military museum in the capital. The
Royal Festival Hall, the Hayward Gallery and the National Theatre (see p.44). Its treatment of the subject is impressively wide-ranging and fairly sober, with the main halls
concrete appearance is softened by its riverside location, its avenue of trees, its buskers militaristic display offset by the lower-ground-floor array of documents and images
and skateboarders, and the secondhand bookstalls outside the BFI Southbank. attesting to the human damage of war. The museum also has a harrowing Holocaust
26 LONDON THE SOUTH BANK SOUTHWARK SOUTHWARK LONDON 27

Exhibition (not recommended for children under 14), which you enter from the third Shakespeares Globe
floor. Pulling few punches, this has made a valiant attempt to avoid depicting the victims 21 New Globe Walk Exhibition mid-April to mid-Sept MonSat 9am12.30pm & 15pm, Sun 911.30am & noon5pm; mid-Oct to
of the Holocaust as nameless masses by focusing on individual cases, and interspersing mid-April daily 9am5.30pm 11.50 T 020 7902 1500, W shakespearesglobe.com Southwark or London Bridge
the archive footage with eyewitness accounts from contemporary survivors. Dwarfed by Tate Modern, but equally remarkable in its own way, Shakespeares Globe
Theatre is a more or less faithful reconstruction of the polygonal playhouse where most of
the Bards later works were first performed. The theatre, which boasts the first new
thatched roof in central London since the Great Fire, puts on plays by Shakespeare and his
Southwark contemporaries, using only natural light and the minimum of scenery. To find out more
In Tudor and Stuart London, the chief reason for crossing the Thames to what is now about Shakespeare and the history of Bankside, the Globes stylish exhibition is well worth
Southwark was to visit the disreputable Bankside entertainment district around the a visit. Theres also an informative guided tour round the theatre itself; during the summer
south end of London Bridge. Four hundred years on, Londoners are heading to the season, you get to visit the exhibition and the remains of the nearby Rose Theatre instead.
area once more, thanks to a wealth of top attractions led by the mighty Tate Modern
that pepper the traffic-free riverside path between Blackfriars Bridge and Tower
Bridge. The area is conveniently linked to St Pauls and the City by the fabulous The Shard
Norman Foster-designed Millennium Bridge, Londons first pedestrian-only bridge. W the-shard.com London Bridge
Londons and the EUs tallest building, the Shard is squeezed in beside London
Bridge Station. While theres a case to be made for the Citys skyscrapers, and for those
Tate Modern at Canary Wharf, its hard to justify such a hubristic (Qatari-funded) enterprise south
Bankside SunThurs 10am6pm, Fri & Sat 10am10pm; free guided tours daily 11am, noon, 2pm & 3pm Free; multimedia guides of the river. That said, Renzo Pianos tapered, glass-clad tower block does at least have
3.50 T 020 7887 8888, W tate.org.uk Southwark a public viewing platform on the top (72nd) floor, from which, of course, there are
Bankside is dominated nowadays by the awesome Tate Modern. Originally designed as an terrific views over London, and thankfully no view of the Shard itself.
oil-fired power station by Giles Gilbert Scott, this austere, brick-built cathedral of power
was converted into a splendid modern art gallery in 2000. The best way to enter is down
the ramp from the west so that you get the full effect of the stupendously large turbine London Dungeon
hall. Its easy enough to find your way around the galleries, with levels 3 and 5 displaying 2834 Tooley St Daily: AprilJuly, Sept & Oct 10am5.30pm; Aug 9.30am7pm; NovMarch 10am5pm; longer hours in school
the permanent collection and level 7 home to a caf with a great view over the Thames. holidays 23, or 16 online T 020 7403 7221, W thedungeons.com London Bridge
Works are grouped thematically. Although the displays change every year or so, youre still Housed beneath the railway arches of London Bridge Station, the London Dungeon is an
pretty much guaranteed to see works by Monet, Cubist pioneers Picasso and Braque, orgy of Gothic horror and one of the citys major crowd-pleasers to avoid queuing, buy
Surrealists such as Dal, abstract artists like Pollock, and Pop supremo Warhol. And such is your ticket online. Young teenagers probably get the most out of the various live-action
the space here that several artists get whole rooms to themselves, among them Mark Rothko, scenarios through which visitors are herded, each one hyped up by the team of costumed
whose abstract Seagram Murals, originally destined for a posh restaurant in New York, ham-actors. Expect a Boat Ride to Hell and be prepared to shoot ghosts in the
have their own shrine-like room in the heart of the collection. Vengeance 5D Lasar Ride, not to mention endure the latest Jack the Ripper Experience.
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28 LONDON SOUTHWARK KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA
HMS Belfast
Morgan Lane, Tooley St Daily: MarchOct 10am6pm; NovFeb 10am5pm 12.25 T 020 7940 6300, W hmsbelfast.iwm.org.uk
London Bridge
HMS Belfast, a World War II cruiser, is permanently moored between London Bridge
and Tower Bridge. Armed with six torpedoes, and six-inch guns with a range of more
than fourteen miles, the Belfast spent over two years of the war in the Royal Naval
shipyards after being hit by a mine in the Firth of Forth at the beginning of hostilities.
It later saw action in the Barents Sea during World War II and during the Korean War,
before being decommissioned. The maze of cabins is fun to explore but if you want to
find out more about the Belfast, head for the exhibition rooms in zone 5.
City Hall
The Queens Walk MonThurs 8.30am6pm, Fri 8.30am5.30pm Free T 020 7983 4000, W london.gov.uk London Bridge
East of the Belfast, overlooking the river, Norman Fosters startling glass-encased City
Hall looks like a giant car headlight or fencing mask, and serves as the headquarters for
the Greater London Authority and the Mayor of London. Visitors are welcome to stroll
up the helical walkway, visit the caf and watch proceedings from the second floor.
Design Museum
Shad Thames Daily 10am5.45pm 7 T 0870 833 9955, W designmuseum.org Tower Hill
The chief attraction of Butlers Wharf, east of Tower Bridge, is the superb riverside Design
Museum, a stylish, Bauhaus-like conversion of a 1950s warehouse. The museum hosts a
series of special exhibitions (up to four at once) on important designers, movements or
single products. The shop is great for design classics and innovations, and the small coffee
bar in the foyer serves delicious cakes. Theres a pricier restaurant on the top floor.
Kensington and Chelsea
Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens cover a distance of two miles from Oxford Street
in the northeast to Kensington Palace, set in the Royal Borough of Kensington and
Chelsea. Other districts go in and out of fashion, but this area has been in vogue ever
since royalty moved into Kensington Palace in the late seventeenth century.
The most popular tourist attractions lie in South Kensington, where three of Londons top
museums the Victoria and Albert, Natural History and Science museums stand on land
bought with the proceeds of the 1851 Great Exhibition. Chelsea, to the south, has a slightly
more bohemian pedigree. In the 1960s, the Kings Road carved out its reputation as Londons
catwalk, while in the late 1970s it was the epicentre of the punk explosion.
Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens
Hyde Park Daily 5ammidnight Kensington Gardens Daily 6amdusk T 020 7298 2100, W royalparks.gov.uk Hyde Park Corner,
Marble Arch, Knightsbridge or Lancaster Gate
Hangings, duels and the 1851 Great Exhibition are just some of the public events that have
taken place in Hyde Park, which remains a popular spot for political demonstrations. For
most of the time, however, the park is simply a lazy leisure ground a wonderful open
space that allows you to lose all sight of the city beyond a few persistent tower blocks.
The park is divided in two by the Serpentine Lake, which has a popular Lido (mid-June
to mid-Sept daily 10am6pm; 3.75) on its south bank and a pretty upper section known
as the Long Water. The western half of the park is, in fact, officially known as Kensington
Gardens; its two most popular attractions are the Serpentine Gallery (daily 10am6pm;
free), which puts on contemporary art exhibitions, and the overblown Albert Memorial.
KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA LONDON 29
Marble Arch
At Hyde Parks northeastern corner is Marble Arch, erected in 1828 as a triumphal entry to
Buckingham Palace, but now stranded on a busy traffic island at the west end of Oxford
Street. This is a historically charged piece of land, as it marks the site of Tyburn gallows, the
citys main public execution spot until 1783. Its also the location of Speakers Corner, a
peculiarly English Sunday morning tradition, featuring an assembly of ranters and hecklers.
Royal Albert Hall
Kensington Gore Guided tours from door 12 daily except Wed 10.30am3.30pm; 8.50 T 020 7838 3105, W royalalberthall.com
! South Kensington or High Street Kensington
The 1851 Exhibitions most famous feature the gargantuan glasshouse of the Crystal
Palace no longer exists, but the profits were used to buy a large tract of land south
of the park, now home to South Kensingtons remarkable cluster of museums and
colleges, plus the vast Royal Albert Hall, a splendid iron-and-glass-domed concert hall
with an exterior of red brick, terracotta and marble that became the hallmark of South
Ken architecture. The hall is the venue for Europes most democratic music festival, the
Henry Wood Promenade Concerts, better known as the Proms (see box, p.45).
Kensington Palace
Palace Ave Daily: MarchOct 10am6pm; NovFeb 10am5pm 12.50 T 020 3166 6000, W hrp.org.uk Queensway or High Street
Kensington
On the western edge of Kensington Gardens stands Kensington Palace, a modestly
proportioned Jacobean brick mansion bought by William and Mary in 1689, and the
chief royal residence for the next fifty years. KP, as its fondly known in royal circles, is the
official London residence of Prince William and Kate Middleton. Its also where Williams
mother, Princess Diana, lived until her death in 1997. Visitors dont get to see Dianas
apartments, which were on the west side of the palace, but do get to view some of Dianas
frocks and also several worn by the Queen and the sparsely furnished state apartments.
The highlights are the trompe loeil ceiling paintings by William Kentand the oil paintings
in the Kings Gallery. To recover, take tea in the exquisite Orangery (times as for palace).
Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A)
Cromwell Rd SatThurs 10am5.45pm, Fri 10am10pm Free T 020 7942 2000, W vam.ac.uk South Kensington
For sheer variety and scale, the Victoria and Albert Museum is the greatest museum of
applied arts in the world. Beautifully but haphazardly displayed across a seven-mile,
four-storey maze of rooms, the V&As treasures are impossible to survey in a single visit;
get hold of a free floor plan to help you decide which areas to concentrate on, and look out
for the free tours that set off from the main information desk in the Grand Entrance.
Whatever your taste, theres bound to be something to grab your attention: the finest
collection of Italian sculpture outside Italy, the worlds largest collection of Indian art
outside India; a gallery of twentieth-century objets dart; and more Constable paintings than
Tate Britain. Among the other highlights are the justifiably popular Jewellery section, the
beautifully designed British Galleries and the fascinating Theatre & Performance rooms. In
addition, the V&As temporary shows on art, photography and fashion some of which
you have to pay for are among the best in Britain.
Science Museum
Exhibition Rd Daily 10am6pm Free T 0870 870 4868, W sciencemuseum.org.uk South Kensington
Established as a technological counterpart to the V&A, the Science Museum is undeniably
impressive, filling seven floors with items drawn from every conceivable area of science,
with hands-on galleries that appeal to adults and kids. Most people will want to head for
 30

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31
32 LONDON KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA
the Wellcome Wing, full of state-of-the-art interactive computers and an IMAX cinema,
and geared to appeal to even the most museum-phobic teenager. To get there, you must
pass through the Making of the Modern World, a display of iconic inventions from Robert
Stephensons Rocket train of 1829 to the Ford Model T, the worlds first mass-produced car.
The Materials gallery, on Floor 1, is aimed more at adults, and is an extremely stylish
exhibition covering the use of materials ranging from aluminium to zerodur (used for
making laser gyroscopes).
Natural History Museum
Cromwell Rd Daily 10am5.50pm Free T 020 7942 5000, W nhm.ac.uk South Kensington
Alfred Waterhouses purpose-built mock-Romanesque colossus ensures the status of the
Natural History Museum as Londons most handsome museum, both an important
resource for serious zoologists and a major tourist attraction.
The main entrance leads to the Blue Zone, which includes the ever-popular Dinosaur
gallery, with its grisly life-sized animatronic dinosaurs. Popular sections over in the
Green Zone include the Creepy-Crawlies, and the excellent Investigate gallery, where
children aged 7 to 14 get to play at being scientists (you need to obtain a timed ticket).
Little visited, compared to the rest of the museum, the Darwin Centre also known as
the Orange Zone is dominated by the giant concrete Cocoon, home to more than 20
million specimens. In the nearby Zoology spirit building, you can view a small selection
of bits and bobs pickled in glass jars, but if you want to join one of the guided tours
that take you behind the scenes, you need to need to book on the day.
If the queues for the museum are long (as they can be at weekends and during school
holidays), head for the side entrance on Exhibition Road, which leads into the former
Geology Museum, now known as the Red Zone, a visually exciting romp through the
earths evolution. The most popular sections are the slightly tasteless Kobe earthquake
simulator, and the spectacular display of gems and crystals in the Earths Treasury.
North London
Almost all of North Londons suburbs are easily accessible by tube from the centre,
though just a handful of these satellite villages, now subsumed into the general
mass of the city, are worth bothering with. First off is one of Londons finest parks,
Regents Park, home to London Zoo; Camden Town, famous for its huge weekend
market, is nearby. The highlights, however, are the village-like suburbs of Hampstead
and Highgate, on the edge of Londons wildest patch of greenery, Hampstead Heath.
Regents Park
Daily 5am to dusk W royalparks.org.uk Regents Park, Baker Street, Great Portland Street, St Johns Wood or Camden Town
Regents Park is one of Londons smartest parks, with a boating lake, ornamental ponds,
waterfalls and some lovely gardens. Under the reign of the Prince Regent (later George
IV), the park was to be girded by a continuous belt of terraces, and sprinkled with a
total of 56 villas, including a magnificent royal palace. Inevitably, the plan was never
fully realized, but enough was built to create something of the idealized garden city
that Nash and the Prince Regent had envisaged. Within the Inner Circle, the Queen
Marys Gardens are by far the prettiest section of the park.
Camden Town
For all its tourist popularity, Camden Market remains a genuinely offbeat place. The
sheer variety of whats on offer from cheap CDs to furniture, along with a mass of
NORTH LONDON LONDON 33
street fashion and clubwear, and plenty of food stalls is what makes Camden Town
so special. More than 100,000 shoppers turn up here each weekend, and parts of the
market now stay open week-long, alongside a crop of shops, cafs and bistros.
Hampstead
Perched on a hill to the west of Hampstead Heath, Hampstead village developed into a
fashionable spa in the eighteenth century, and was not much altered thereafter. Later, it
became one of the citys most celebrated literary quartiers and even now it retains its
reputation as a bolt hole of the intelligentsia and discerning pop stars. Proximity to
Hampstead Heath is, of course, the real joy of Hampstead; this mixture of woodland,
pasture and landscaped garden is simply the most exhilarating patch of greenery in London.
Keats House
Keats Grove MayOct TuesSun 15pm; NovApril FriSun 15pm 5 T 020 7332 3868, W keatshouse.cityoflondon.gov.uk
Hampstead
Hampsteads most illustrious figure is celebrated at Keats House, an elegant,
whitewashed Regency double villa off Downshire Hill at the bottom of the High
Street. Inspired by the tranquillity of Hampstead and by his passion for girl-next-door
Fanny Brawne (whose house is also part of the museum), Keats wrote some of his most
famous works here before leaving for Rome, where he died of consumption in 1821.
The neat, rather staid interior contains books and letters, Fannys engagement ring and
the four-poster bed in which the poet first coughed up blood, confiding to his
companion, Charles Brown, that drop of blood is my death warrant.
Hampstead Heath
Hampstead Heath may not have much of its original heathland left, but it packs a
wonderful variety of bucolic scenery into its 800 acres. At its southern end are the rolling
green pastures of Parliament Hill, north Londons premier spot for kite flying. On either
side are numerous ponds, three of which one for men, one for women and one mixed
you can swim in. The thickest woodland is to be found in the West Heath, beyond
Whitestone Pond, also the site of the most formal section, Hill Garden, a secretive and
romantic little gem with eccentric balustraded terraces and a ruined pergola. Beyond lies
Golders Hill Park, where you can gaze at pygmy goats and fallow deer, and inspect the
impeccably maintained aviaries, home to flamingos, cranes and other exotic birds.
Highgate Cemetery
Swains Lane East Cemetery AprilOct MonFri 10am5pm, Sat & Sun 11am5pm; NovMarch closes 4pm 2 West Cemetery
MarchNov MonFri 2pm, Sat & Sun hourly 11am4pm; DecFeb Sat & Sun hourly 11am3pm 7 No under-8s T 020 8340 1834,
W highgate-cemetery.org Highgate
Highgate Cemetery, ranged on both sides of Swains Lane, is Londons best-known
graveyard. The most illustrious incumbent of the East Cemetery is Karl Marx. Marx himself
asked for a simple grave topped by a headstone, but by 1954 the Communist movement
decided to move his grave to a more prominent position and erect the hulking bronze bust
that now surmounts a granite plinth. To visit the more atmospheric and overgrown West
Cemetery, with its spooky Egyptian Avenue and sunken catacombs, you must take a
guided tour. Among the prominent graves usually visited are those of artist Dante Gabriel
Rossetti, and lesbian novelist Radclyffe Hall.
GETTING AROUND LONDON
Londons transport network is among the most complex and expensive in the world, but you should be able to get to
wherever you want, most hours of the day or night, simply by arming yourself with a tube map . Transport for London
(TfL) provides excellent free maps and details of bus and tube services (T 0843 222 1234, W tfl.gov.uk). Except for very
34 LONDON NORTH LONDON GETTING AROUND
short journeys, the tube is by far the quickest way to get about. Avoid travelling during the rush hour (MonFri 89.30am
& 57pm), when tubes become unbearably crowded, and some buses get so full that they wont let you on.
BY TUBE
Tube lines Eleven different lines cross much of the city,
although south of the river is not very well covered. Each line
has its own colour and name all you need to know is which
direction youre travelling in: northbound, eastbound,
southbound or westbound, and the final destination.
Zones London is divided into six concentric zones, with the
vast majority of the citys accommodation, pubs, restaurants
and sights in zones 1 and 2.
Services Services are frequent (MonSat 5.30am12.30am,
Sun 7.30am11.30pm), and you rarely have to wait more
than five minutes for a train between central stations.
Fares Single fares are expensive a journey in the central
zone costs 4 so if youre intending to make more than
one journey, an Oyster card or a Travelcard is by far your
best option (see below).
BY BUS
Londons red buses some of them, but not all, double-
deckers tend to get stuck in traffic jams, which prevents
their running to a regular timetable. You must signal to get
the bus to stop, and press the bell in order to get off.
Services Some buses run a 24-hour service, but most run
between about 5am and midnight, with a network of
Night Buses (prefixed with the letter N) operating
outside this period (every 2030min).
Fares The standard walk-on fare is 2.20, but passes are
available (see below).
BY TRAIN
Large areas of Londons outskirts are best reached by the
suburban (overground) train network. Wherever a sight
can only be reached by overground train, weve indicated
in the guide the nearest train station and the central
terminus from which you can depart.
BY BOAT
Unfortunately, boat services on the Thames are not fully
integrated into the public transport system. If you have a
valid Travelcard (either in paper or Oyster form), youre
entitled to a third off, but if you have a pay-as-you-go
Oyster card, you get just ten percent off.
INFORMATION
Britain & London Visitor Centre Londons main tourist
office, at 1 Regent St (AprilSept Mon 9.30am6.30pm,
TuesFri 9am6.30pm, Sat 9am5pm, Sun 10am4pm;
OctMarch Mon 9.30am6pm, Tues 9am6pm, Sat &
Sun 10am4pm; T 0870 156 6366, W visitlondon.com;
! Piccadilly Circus).
London Information Centre This tiny window in the
Services Timetables and services are complex, and there
are numerous companies and small charter operators for a
full list pick up a booklet from a TfL information centre or visit
W tfl.gov.uk. One of the largest companies is Thames
Clippers (W thamesclippers.com), who run a regular
commuter service (every 2030min; around 5.50 single)
between Waterloo and Greenwich; an off-peak hop-on,
hop-off River Roamer on their services costs 12.60.
BY TAXI
Black cabs Compared to most capital cities, Londons
metered black cabs are an expensive option unless there are
three or more of you. The minimum fare is 2.20, and a ride
from Euston to Victoria, for example, costs around 1215
(MonFri 6am8pm). After 8pm on weekdays and all day
during the weekend, a higher tariff applies, and after 10pm
its higher still. A yellow light over the windscreen tells you
if the cab is available just stick your arm out to hail it. To
order a black cab in advance, phone T 0871 871 8710, and
be prepared to pay an extra 2.
Minicabs Private minicabs are considerably cheaper than
black cabs, but they cannot be hailed from the street. All
minicabs should be licensed and able to produce a TfL ID on
demand, but the best way to pick a company is to take the
advice of the place youre at, unless you want to be certain
of a woman driver, in which case call Ladycabs (T 020
7272 3300), or a gay/lesbian-friendly driver, in which case
call Freedom Cars (T 020 7739 9080).
BY BIKE
Boris bikes The easiest way to cycle round London is to
use the citys cycle hire scheme or Boris bikes, as theyre
universally known, after Boris Johnson, the Mayor of
London at the time they were introduced. There are
hundreds of docking stations across central London. With a
credit or debit card, you can buy 24 hours access to the bikes
for just 1, after which you get the first half-hour free, so if
you hop from station to station, you dont pay another
penny. Otherwise, its 1 for the first hour, increasing rapidly
after that to 15 for three hours. If youre going to use the
scheme a lot, you may be best off becoming a member and
getting a key for more details see W tfl.gov.uk.
tkts kiosk on Leicester Square (daily 8ammidnight;
T 020 7292 2333, W londoninformationcentre.com;
Leicester Square) offers general tourist information.
City of London Information Centre The City has its
own information office on the south side of St Pauls
Cathedral (MonSat 9.30am5.30pm, Sun 10am4pm;
T 020 7332 1456, W visitthecity.co.uk; St Pauls).
INFORMATION ACCOMMODATION LONDON 35
Maps If you want to find your way around every nook Listings magazines The most useful listings magazine
and cranny of the city youll need to invest in either an for visitors, on the newsstands every Tuesday, is Time Out.
AZ Atlas or a Nicholson Streetfinder, both of which It carries news and consumer features, along with critical
have a street index covering every street in the capital appraisals of all the weeks theatre, film, music, exhibitions,
(both 5). Stanfords, in Covent Garden at 1214 Long childrens events and more; listings themselves are even
Acre, WC2 (T 020 7836 1321, W stanfords.co.uk) is a more comprehensive on its website (W timeout.com).
good map shop.
ACCOMMODATION
London accommodation is expensive. The citys hostels are among the most costly in the world, while venerable
institutions such as the Ritz, the Dorchester and the Savoy charge guests the very top international prices from 300 per
luxurious night. For a decent hotel room, you shouldnt expect much change out of 100 a night, and even the most basic
B&Bs struggle to bring their tariffs down to 70 for a double with shared facilities. If youre not bothered about atmosphere
or local flavour then the chain hotels are a safe bet but offer far less character than the family-owned places that weve
reviewed below. Premier Inn (W premierinn.com), Travelodge (W travelodge.com), easyHotel (W easyhotel.com) and Yotel
(W yotel.com) all have hotels in central locations. Whatever the time of year, you should phone as far in advance as you can
if you want to stay within a couple of tube stops of the West End.
HOTELS (from 270) have plenty of space. Luxury details include
handpainted wallpaper, funky toiletries, fresh milk and
VICTORIA cookies, and clawfoot tubs, some of them in the bedrooms
B&B Belgravia 6466 Ebury St, SW1 T 020 7259 themselves. Free wi-fi. 120
8570, W bb-belgravia.com; Victoria; map pp.45. A Hazlitts 6 Frith St, W1 T 020 7434 1771,
B&B with flair, close to the train and bus stations. The 17 W hazlittshotel.com; Tottenham Court Road; map
rooms are boutique-style, with original cornicing, large pp.89. An early eighteenth-century building hiding a
sash windows and modern touches; those on the ground quirky hotel of real character and charm, with en-suite
floor can be noisy. They also have nearby studios from rooms decorated and furnished as close to period style as
135. Free wi-fi and bike loan. 129 convenience and comfort allow. Breakfast (served in the
Morgan House 120 Ebury St, SW1 T020 7730 rooms) is not included. 230
2384, Wmorganhouse.co.uk; Victoria; map pp.3031. A
well above-average B&B in a comfortable Georgian COVENT GARDEN
building in a pretty street on the Chelsea/Victoria borders. The Fielding Hotel 4 Broad Court, Bow St, WC2
Rooms are mostly en suite; the family room (148) crams in T 020 7836 8305, W thefieldinghotel.co.uk; Covent
a double and a bunk bed. Full breakfasts, and free wi-fi. 78 Garden; map pp.89. Quietly situated on a pedestrianized,
gas-lit court, this hotel is a hidden gem. Its en-suite rooms
MARYLEBONE are a firm favourite with visiting performers, since its just a
Lincoln House 33 Gloucester Place, W1 T 020 7486 few yards from the Royal Opera House. Breakfast is extra.
7630, W lincoln-house-hotel.co.uk; Marble Arch or Baker Free wi-fi. 140
Street; map pp.3031. Dark wood panelling and nautical
paraphernalia give this Georgian guesthouse a quirky feel, BLOOMSBURY AND KINGS CROSS
but the rooms are en suite and comfortable, with tea and Celtic Hotel 6163 Guilford St, WC1 T 020 7837 6737;
coffee facilities. Rates vary according to the size of the bed Russell Square; map p.16. No frills in this simple, clean
and length of stay; there are good online discounts. Breakfast hotel just off Russell Square, with well-equipped rooms
costs extra. Free laundry facilities and wi-fi. 75 and two comfy lounges; the cheapest rooms have shared
facilities. Rates include full English breakfast. 73
SOHO Ridgemount 6567 Gower St, WC1 T 020 7636
Dean Street Townhouse 6971 Dean St W1 1141, W ridgemounthotel.co.uk; Goodge Street; map
T 0207/434 1775, W deanstreettownhouse.com; p.16. Old-fashioned, cosy, family-run B&B, with very clean
Tottenham Court Road or Leicester Square; map pp.8 rooms (15 of the 32 have shared facilities which are
9. One of a chic set of hotels owned by the trendy Soho spotless). A reliable, basic Bloomsbury bargain. Full
House members club, this 1730s house offers a broom breakfast and free wi-fi. 66
cupboard and a few tiny rooms (from 120) OK for solo St Pancras Renaissance Hotel Euston Rd, NW1 T020
travellers, or if youre just staying one night. The small 7841 3540, Wmarriott.co.uk/hotels/travel/lonpr-st
(from 160) rooms are ample, and medium and bigger -pancras; Kings Cross; map pp.45. The old St Pancras
36 LONDON ACCOMMODATION
station, George Gilbert Scotts Gothic Revival masterpiece,
finally reopened in 2011 as a glamorous Marriott. The lofty
public spaces and colossal lobby evoke the golden era of
railway travel, but fewer than fifty of the total 245 rooms are
actually in the main building. The others, in an annexe, arent
worth the price. Theres an atmospheric bar, a restaurant and
a spa. Online deals can halve the rack rates. 385
CLERKENWELL AND THE CITY
Mint Hotel Tower of London 7 Pepys St, EC3
T 0207 709 1000, W minthotel.com; Tower Hill; map
pp.2021. Though its geared towards business travellers,
this large, modern hotel is a good option for all. Rooms
nearly 600 of them are clean, bright and comfortable,
with iMacs, and some face a verdant living wall. Look out for
excellent online promotions. Free wi-fi. 140
The Rookery 12 Peters Lane, Cowcross St, EC1
T 020 7336 0931, W rookeryhotel.com; Farringdon;
map pp.2021. Rambling Georgian townhouse on the
edge of the City, in trendy Clerkenwell, that makes a
delightful little hideaway. Rooms offer faded Baroque
glam, with antique fittings, characterful bathrooms and
creaky floorboards. 230
THE EAST END
Hoxton Hotel 81 Great Eastern St, EC2 T 020
7550 1000, W hoxtonhotels.com; Old Street; map
pp.2021. The Hox has found its niche in this trendy
neighbourhood, with exposed brick and burnished metal
in the public spaces, and simple, modern rooms. Rates
include a light Pret Manger breakfast, free wi-fi and an
hours local calls a day, and theres a bar and restaurant. The
cost as little as 90 or as much as 199 depends on location thats walking distance from Oxford Street. Free
availability; every so often they hold an online competition
selling off around fifty rooms for 1. 90
SOUTH BANK AND SOUTHWARK
Tune Westminster 118120 Westminster Bridge
Rd, London SE1 W tunehotels.com; Lambeth North or
Waterloo; map p.25. Doing away with fuss like tables,
chairs and closets keeps rates low at this London outpost
of a Malaysian cheapie chain. The pricing policy is smart
simply opt to pay for extras, including towels, TV,
hairdryers or wi-fi, on the website. Rooms are small and
modern, with comfy beds and spotless showers. 75
KENSINGTON AND EARLS COURT
Aster House 3 Sumner Place, SW7 T 020 7581
5888, W asterhouse.com; South Kensington; map
pp.3031. Pleasant, award-winning B&B, in a luxurious
South Ken white-stuccoed street; one of the thirteen
rooms opens out onto the lovely garden, and theres a large
conservatory where a buffet breakfast is served. 180
Vicarage Hotel 10 Vicarage Gate, W8 T 020 7229
4030, W londonvicaragehotel.com; Notting Hill Gate or
High Street Kensington; map pp.3031. Nicely located
B&B on a residential street a step away from Kensington
Gardens. Clean and smart floral rooms; some have shared
facilities, and quads are available. A full English breakfast
included. Rates are around 15 lower in winter. Free wi-fi
(in the lounge). 102
PADDINGTON, BAYSWATER AND NOTTING HILL
Portobello Gold 9597 Portobello Rd, W1 T 020 7460
4910, W portobellogold.com; Notting Hill Gate or Holland
Park; map pp.3031. A fun and friendly option with six basic
rooms and a small apartment above a funky pub. Rooms are
plain, and some are tiny, with miniature en suites; the homely
apartment sleeps six at a pinch and has a little roof
terrace. Breakfast not included. Free wi-fi. 75
NORTH LONDON
Hampstead Village Guesthouse 2 Kemplay Rd,
NW3 T 020 7435 8679, W hampsteadguesthouse.com;
Hampstead. Prettily located on a quiet backstreet
between Hampstead Village and the Heath, this is a
quirky guesthouse in a family home. Rooms (most en
suite) are full of character, crammed with books, pictures,
and personal mementos. Free wi-fi. 90
HOSTELS
YHA HOSTELS
Central 104 Bolsover St, W1 T 0845 371 9154,
E londoncentral@yha.org.uk; Great Portland Street;
map p.16. Excellent, friendly and clean hostel, in a quiet
Lavosh breads, tagines and patisserie. Its BYOB, but the
wi-fi, kitchen and a 24hr caf-bar. No groups. Dorms only
(48 beds).
Earls Court 38 Bolton Gardens, SW5 T 0845 371 9114,
E earlscourt@yha.org.uk; Earls Court; map pp.3031.
Better than a lot of accommodation in Earls Court, this
186-bed hostel has a kitchen and caf and patio garden.
Single-sex dorms (410 beds), triples and doubles/twins.
Oxford Street 14 Noel St, W1 T 0845 371 9133,
E oxfordst@yha.org.uk; Oxford Circus or Tottenham
Court Road; map pp.89. This small, central backpacker
hostel tends to be full year-round. Dorms (4 beds) and
doubles/twins and triples.
St Pauls 36 Carter Lane, EC4 T0845 371 9012,
Estpauls@yha.org.uk; St Pauls; map pp.2021. A 210-
bed hostel in a superb location opposite St Pauls Cathedral.
No kitchen, but it has a caf for dinner. Small groups only.
Breakfast included. Dorms (311 beds), singles and twins.
INDEPENDENT HOSTELS
Clink 78 78 Kings Cross Rd, WC1 T 020 7183 9400,
W clinkhostel.com; Kings Cross; map pp.45. This
appealing place is run by the same folk as Clink 261, with
funky decor, a hip bar, and plenty of features from the days
when it was a Victorian courthouse you can even stay in
an old cell. Dorms (416 beds) can be cramped, though
partitions on the pod bunks increase privacy; special
girls-only dorms include mirrors and hangers. Plus singles,
doubles twins and triples, some en-suite. Kitchen.
Breakfast included. Dorm 10, double 50
EATING
You can pretty much sample any kind of cuisine in London, from Georgian to Peruvian, from Modern British to fusion
you can even get yourself some Cockney pie and mash. And it neednt be expensive even in the fanciest restaurants, set
menus (most often served at lunch) can be a great deal, and the small sharing plates that are currently all the rage are a
godsend if you want to cut costs.
CAFS AND SNACKS
WESTMINSTER
Caf in the Crypt St Martin-in-the-Fields, Duncannon
St, WC2 T 020 7766 1158, W stmartin-in-the-fields
.org; Charing Cross; map pp.89. The buffet is nothing
special, but there are lots of veggie dishes, and its a handy
(and atmospheric) location below the church in the
eighteenth-century crypt. Mon & Tues 8am8pm, Wed
8am10.30pm (live jazz after 8pm), ThursSat
8am9pm, Sun 11am6pm.
MAYFAIR AND MARYLEBONE
Comptoir Libanais 65 Wigmore St, W1 T 020
7935 1110, W lecomptoir.co.uk; Marble Arch; map
pp.3031. This cheap and cheerful, kitsch and stylish
Middle Eastern deli/diner serves crunchy falafels, herby
home-made lemonades are delicious. Main around 6.
MonFri 8am10pm, Sat & Sun 10am10pm.
M 25 Heddon St, W1 T 020 7434 4040, W momoresto
.com; Piccadilly Circus; map pp.89. Reasonably priced,
tasty snacks, honey-soaked pastries and aromatic mint tea
in a wonderful Arabic tearoom/terrace stuffed with
Moroccan memorabila. The attached restaurant is good
fun, too. Daily noon1am.
SOHO AND CHINATOWN
Bar Italia 22 Frith St, W1 T 020 7437 4520,
W baritaliasoho.co.uk; Leicester Square; map pp.89.
Tiny espresso bar thats been a Soho institution since the
50s, keeping many of its original features (including the
Gaggia coffee machine) and its iconic neon sign. Closed
MonFri 46am.
Beatroot 92 Berwick St, W1 T 020 7437 8591,
W beatroot.org.uk; Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus or
Tottenham Court Road; map pp.89. Great little veggie/
vegan caf by the market, doling out savoury bakes, stews
and salads (plus good cakes) in boxes of varying sizes.
ACCOMMODATION EATING LONDON 37
St Christophers Inns T 020 8600 7500, W st
-christophers.co.uk map pp.2627. St Christophers run
seven hostels across London, with three including the
flagship Village on Borough High St, near London Bridge,
plus branches in Camden, Greenwich, Shepherds Bush and
Hammersmith. The decor is upbeat, and theres a party-
animal ambience fuelled by the hostel bars. Free breakfast
and laundry but no kitchens. Dorm 17, double 55
MonFri 9am9pm, Sat 11am9pm.
Kopi-Tiam 67 Charing Cross Rd, WC2 T 020 7287 1113,
W malaysiakopitiam.co.uk; Leicester Square; map
pp.89. Local Malays flock to this cheap Malaysian caf for
curries, coconut rice, juices and herbal soups, all for
around a fiver. Theres Thai food, too, and a karaoke room
upstairs. Daily noon11pm.
Maison Bertaux 28 Greek St, W1 T 020 7437
6007, W maisonbertaux.com; Leicester Square; map
pp.89. Long-standing, old-fashioned and trs French
patisserie, with two floors and some outdoor seating. The
decor is simple but the cakes are fabulous, and a loyal
clientele keeps the place busy. Daily 8.30am8pm.
COVENT GARDEN
Food for Thought 31 Neal St, WC2 T 020 7836 9072,
W foodforthought-london.co.uk; Covent Garden; map
pp.89. This minuscule veggie restaurant and takeaway
has been dishing up hearty veggie/vegan soups, salads, hot
dishes and desserts for some forty years, from a menu that
changes twice daily. Its a crush at peak times. MonSat
noon8.30pm, Sun noon5pm.
Rock & Sole Plaice 47 Endell St, WC2 T 020 7836 3785;
Covent Garden; map pp.89. A rare survivor; a traditional
fish-and-chip shop in central London. Eat in or at a pavement
table, or take away. MonSat 11.30am11pm, Sat & Sun
noon10pm.
BLOOMSBURY
Diwana Bhel Poori House 121123 Drummond
St, NW1 T 0207 387 5556; Euston; map p.16. On a street
lined with good Indian restaurants, this South Indian
vegetarian diner wins for its scrumptious all-you-can-eat
lunchtime buffets (7) and huge, deliciously fresh thalis
(8). Daily noon11pm.
Hummus Bros 3763 Southampton Row, WC1
T 020 7404 7079, W hbros.co.uk; Holborn; map p.16.
Hummus and toppings chicken, falafels, guacamole
with pitta, feta cheese and salads on the side, all from 5.
38 LONDON EATING
The mint and ginger lemonade is delicious. Also takeaway.
Branches on Wardour St in Soho and on Cheapside in the
City. MonFri 11am9pm.
CLERKENWELL AND HOXTON
Clark & Sons 46 Exmouth Market, EC1 T 020 7837
1974; Angel or Farringdon; map pp.2021. This
authentic old pie-and-mash shop is still going strong in
gentrifying Exmouth Market its the most central spot in
the capital to fill up on meat pies, mash with liquor
(parsley sauce) and a side of eels. MonThurs
10.30am4pm, Fri & Sat 10.30am5pm.
PINCHITOtapas 32 Featherstone St, EC1 T 020
7490 0121, W pinchito.co.uk; Old Street; map pp.2021.
From simple tapas to more elaborate Basque pintxos, this
buzzy little place all industrial steel and bare brick walls
does everything Spanish supremely well, and prices are
astonishingly low. Takeaway available. Tapas 1.506.50.
MonFri 10ammidnight, Sat 5pmmidnight.
THE CITY, DOCKLANDS AND THE EAST END
Brick Lane Beigel Bake 159 Brick Lane, E1 T 020
7729 0616; Shoreditch High Street Overground; map
pp.2021. Classic bagel takeaway in the heart of the East
End very cheap, even for your top-end filling, smoked
salmon and cream cheese. Daily 24hr.
Caf Below Church of St Mary-le-Bow, Cheapside,
EC2 T 020 7329 0789, W cafebelow.co.uk; St Pauls or
Bank; map pp.2021. A City gem: a cosy, good-value
caf-restaurant, in a Norman church crypt, serving modern
Mediterranean food, with lots of veggie choices, and sticky
breakfast pastries. Mains from 6.50 at lunch, more in the
evening. MonFri 7.30am9pm.
De Gustibus 5355 Carter Lane, EC4 T 020 7236 0056,
W degustibus.co.uk; St Pauls or Blackfriars; map
pp.2021. Award-winning artisan bakery that creates
sandwiches, bruschette, croques-monsieurs and quiche to
eat in or take away. Theres another branch in Borough
Market. MonFri 8am5pm.
THE SOUTH BANK
Ev 9799 Isabella St, SE1 T 020 7620 6191,
W tasrestaurant.com; Southwark or Waterloo; map
p.25. An organic Middle Eastern deli/caf in a pretty spot
tucked under a railway arch. Genuinely relaxing, with a
lofty barrel-vaulted ceiling, rustic wooden seats, hanging
plants and a leafy terrace on a pedestrianized street. Great
breads, salads and sweets, with an array of Turkish delight.
The attached restaurant is good, too. MonSat noon
11.30pm, Sun noon10.30pm.
Marsh Ruby 30 Lower Marsh, SE1 T 020 7620 0593,
W marshruby.com; Waterloo; map p.25. Terrific filling
lunchtime curries for around a fiver: the food, on seasonally
changing menus, is organic/free range and the communal
dining is basic but cheery. MonFri 11.30am3pm, Thurs
& Fri 6.3010.30pm.
KENSINGTON, CHELSEA AND NOTTING HILL
Books for Cooks 4 Blenheim Crescent, W11
T 020 7221 1992, W booksforcooks.com; Ladbroke
Grove or Notting Hill Gate; map pp.3031. Tiny caf
within Londons top cookery bookshop. Just wander in and
have a coffee while browsing, or get there in time to grab a
table for the set-menu lunch (noon1.30pm). TuesSat
10am6pm.
Lisboa Patisserie 57 Golborne Rd, W10 T 020
8968 5242; Westbourne Park; map pp.3031.
Portuguese pastelaria, with the best custard tarts this side
of Lisbon also coffee, cakes and a friendly, crowded
atmosphere. Caf Oporto at 62a Golborne Rd is a good
fallback if this place is full. Daily 8am7pm.
NORTH LONDON
Brew House Kenwood House, Hampstead Lane,
NW3 T 020 8341 5384; Highgate. Splendid caf serving
everything from full English breakfasts to gourmet
sandwiches, cakes and teas, either in the houses old
servants wing or in the huge, sunny garden courtyard.
Daily 9am6pm.
Marine Ices 8 Haverstock Hill, NW3 T020 7482 9003,
Wmarineices.co.uk; Chalk Farm; map pp.45. Midway
between Camden and Hampstead, this is a splendid and
justly famous old-fashioned Italian ice-cream parlour; pizza
and pasta are served in the cheery, kiddie-friendly
restaurant. Ice cream parlour: TuesSat noon11pm, Sun
noon10pm; restaurant: TuesFri noon3pm &
611pm, Sat noon11pm, Sun noon10pm.
RESTAURANTS
MAYFAIR AND MARYLEBONE
Dehesa 25 Ganton St, W1 T 020 7494 4170, W dehesa
.co.uk; Oxford Circus or Piccadilly Circus; map
pp.89. Spanish-Italian charcuterie/restaurant serving
really excellent tapas (310) try deep-fried courgette
flowers with goats cheese and honey, or salt cod
croquettes, or just enjoy a plate of melt-in-the-mouth
jamn Iberico and a glass of Albario. MonFri noon
3pm & 511pm, Sat noon11pm, Sun noon5pm.
The Providores and Tapa Room 109 Marylebone
High St, W1 T020 7935 6175, Wtheprovidores.co.uk;
!Baker Street or Bond Street; map pp.3031. Outstanding
fusion restaurant, run by the New Zealand chef Peter Gordon,
with the more casual, cheaper Tapa Room downstairs. Mon
Fri 9am11pm, Sat 10am11pm, Sun 10am10pm.
SOHO AND CHINATOWN
Mildreds 45 Lexington St, W1 T 020 7494 1634,
W mildreds.co.uk; Oxford Circus or Piccadilly Circus;
map pp.89. Mildreds has a fresher and more
contemporary feel than many veggie restaurants, and
serves creative global cuisine. Its tiny, and can get very
busy, but takes no bookings. Mains 810. MonSat
noon11pm.
Polpetto 49 Dean St, W1 T 0207 734 1969,
W www.polpetto.co.uk; Leicester Square; map pp.89.
Cosy, hugely popular and rather hip hideaway above the
beloved Soho boozer The French House. The food, hearty
Italian tapas and Venetian-style bar snacks, is great value.
Reservations for lunch only. MonSat noon3pm &
5.3011pm.
Wong Kei 4143 Wardour St, W1 T 020 7437 8408;
Leicester Square; map pp.89. Beloved four-storey
Chinatown staple, seating around 500. Its as notorious for
brusque service though this is largely for show nowadays
as for the huge portions of cheap, hearty (but not
gourmet) food. MonSat noon11.30pm, Sun
noon10.30pm.
COVENT GARDEN
Dishoom 12 Upper St Martins Lane, WC2 T 020 Laughing Gravy 154 Blackfriars Rd, SE1 T 020
7420 9320, W dishoom.com; Leicester Square or Covent
Garden; map pp.89. Recreating the atmosphere of the
Persian cafs of Old Bombay, Dishoom is witty and stylish,
but most importantly, serves delicious food dont miss the
black dhal. Mains from 6.50, small dishes for less. Mon
Thurs 8am11pm, Fri 8ammidnight, Sat 10am
midnight, Sun 10am10pm.
Wahaca 66 Chandos Place, WC2 T 0207 240 1883,
W wahaca.co.uk; Charing Cross, Leicester Square or
Covent Garden; map pp.89. No bookings are taken at
this big, brash modern Mexican restaurant, so everyone
ends up getting merry on Margaritas at the bar before
being ushered to shared tables and tucking into hearty,
inexpensive food. Dishes from 3. MonSat noon11pm,
Sun noon10.30pm.
CLERKENWELL AND HOXTON
The Hawksmoor 157 Commercial St, E1 T 020 7247
7392, W thehawksmoor.co.uk; Liverpool Street or
Shoreditch High Street Overground; map pp.2021.
Carnivore heaven, dishing up succulent charcoal-grilled
cuts of meat sourced from the famed Yorkshire suppliers
Ginger Pig. The Sunday roasts are a hit, while the blowout
breakfasts (35 for two) include dripping toast, black
pudding and grilled bone marrow. Full meals around 40.
MonFri noon3pm & 610.30pm, Sat 11am4pm &
610.30pm, Sun 11am5pm.
Moro 3436 Exmouth Market, EC1 T 020 7833 pp.3031. While it has kept some of its old, rustic
8336, W moro.co.uk; Farringdon or Angel; map pp.20
21. Gorgeous, welcoming restaurant thats a place of
pilgrimage for disciples of Sam and Sam Clarks Moorish/
Iberian cookbooks. The lamb dishes and the yoghurt cake
EATING LONDON 39
are perennial hits, but all of it is good, prepared with lots of
unusual ingredients. Booking essential. Tapas (around 5)
are served all day, and they have a simpler tapas bar,
Morito, next door (where no reservations are taken). Mains
1619. MonSat 12.3010.30pm.
Sng Qu 134 Kingsland Rd, E2 T 020 7613 3222,
W songque.co.uk; Hoxton station; map pp.2021. In a
street crammed with budget Vietnamese restaurants, this
simple place consistently has the edge, with very good ph
(3.607) and spicy seafood dishes. MonSat noon
3pm & 5.3011pm, Sun noon11pm.
THE EAST END
Tayyabs 8389 Fieldgate St, E1 T 020 7247 9543,
W tayyabs.co.uk; Whitechapel; map pp.2021. For
more than thirty years Tayyabs has been offering
straightforward Pakistani food: good, freshly cooked and
served without pretension. Prices (mains from 6) have
remained low, and booking is essential. Daily 511.30pm.
SOUTHBANK AND SOUTHWARK
7998 1701, W thelaughinggravy.co.uk; Southwark;
map p.25. Welcoming, cosy brasserie serving robust
modern English and Mediterranean food in a brick-lined
dining room; a great find in this neck of the woods. Mon
Fri 11am11pm, Sat 5.3011pm, Sun noon6pm.
Zucca 184 Bermondsey St, SE1 T 020 7378 6809,
W zuccalondon.com; London Bridge; map pp.2627.
Prices for the superb modern Italian food in this lovely
restaurant fresh pasta, creamy risottos, grilled shellfish, all
made with the freshest, simplest ingredients are
surprisingly low. Mains from 9. TuesSat 12.303pm &
6.3010pm, Sun 12.303pm.
KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA
Dinner by Heston Blumenthal Mandarin
Oriental Hotel, 66 Knightsbridge, SW1 T 020 7201
3833, W dinnerbyheston.com; Knightsbridge; map
pp.3031. Blumenthal doesnt actually cook here the
head chef worked with him at the Fat Duck and there is
less emphasis on flashy molecular cuisine, but the quirky
English food, using recipes from as far back as medieval
times, is as wonderful as you would expect try the meat
fruit and the taffety tart. The three-course weekday lunch
menu (28) is a bargain thats if you get a reservation.
Mains from 25. Daily noon2.30pm & 6.3010.30pm.
Gessler at Daquise 20 Thurloe St, SW7 T 020 7589
6117, W gesslerlondon.com; South Kensington; map
atmosphere, this old-fashioned Polish caf, a South Ken
institution since 1947, has gone rather upmarket the
food remains superb, with tasty pierogi and a splendid
beetroot soup. Daily noon until the last guests leave.
40 LONDON EATING DRINKING
NORTH LONDON
Jin Kichi 73 Heath St, NW3 T 020 7794 6158, W jinkichi
.com; Hampstead. Jin Kichi is a cramped, homely and very
busy (book ahead) neighbourhood Japanese place that
specializes in charcoal-grilled skewers of meat. Mains
812. TuesSat 12.302pm & 610.45pm, Sun 12.30 6.3010.30pm, Sat & Sun noon3pm & 6.3010.30pm.
2pm & 610.45pm.
DRINKING
WESTMINSTER
The Chandos 29 St Martins Lane, W1 T 020 7836
1401; Charing Cross; map pp.89. If you can get one of
the booths downstairs, or the leather sofas upstairs in the
more relaxed Opera Room Bar, then youll find it difficult to
leave, especially given the cheap Sam Smiths beer. Mon
Sat 11am11pm, Sun noon10.30pm.
St Stephens Tavern 10 Bridge St, SW1 T 020 7925
2286 Westminster; map pp.89. A beautifully restored,
opulent Victorian pub, built in 1867, wall to wall with civil
servants and MPs (theres a division bell), and serving good
real ales. MonFri 11am11pm, Sat 11am8pm, Sun
noon6pm.
ST JAMESS, MAYFAIR & MARYLEBONE
Guinea 30 Bruton Place, W1 T020 7409 1728, Wthe
guinea.co.uk; Bond Street or Oxford Circus; map
pp.89. Pretty, old-fashioned, flower-strewn mews pub,
serving good Youngs bitter and excellent steak-and-
kidney pies. Invariably packed to its tiny rafters. Closed
Sun.
ICA Bar The Mall, SW1 T020 7930 3647, Wica.org.uk;
Piccadilly Circus or Charing Cross; map pp.89. Cool late-
opening drinking venue, popular with an arty crowd. Wed
noon11pm, ThursSat noon1am, Sun noon9pm.
SOHO
Dog & Duck 18 Bateman St, W1 T 020 7494 0697;
! Tottenham Court Road; map pp.89. Tiny Soho pub
that retains much of its old character, beautiful Victorian
tiling and mosaics, a good range of real ales and a loyal
clientele. If it gets too busy downstairs, head upstairs to
the George Orwell Bar (he used to drink here). MonSat
11am11pm, Sun noon10.30pm.
The Social 5 Little Portland St, W1 T 020 7636
4992, W thesocial.com; Oxford Circus; map p.16.
Industrial club-bar and diner, with great DJs playing
everything from rock to rap, and a genuinely hedonistic-
cum-alcoholic crowd. Sun & Mon 5pmmidnight, Tues
&Wed noonmidnight, Thurs & Fri noon1am, Sat
5pm1am.
COVENT GARDEN AND STRAND
Cross Keys 31 Endell St, WC2 T 020 7836 5185;
! Covent Garden; map pp.89. Stuffed with copper pots,
Manna 4 Erskine Rd, NW3 T 020 7722 8028, W manna
-veg.com; Chalk Farm; map pp.45. Upscale veggie
restaurant, full of Primrose Hill yoga bunnies, serving large
portions of mostly organic food, much of it vegan, from
around the world. Mains 1114, less at lunch. TuesFri
character. Better still, the excellent draught beers are from
brass instruments, paintings and memorabilia, this most
welcoming of West End pubs attracts an appealing blend
of older Covent Garden residents, young workers and
tourists. MonSat 11am11pm, Sun noon10.30pm.
Gordons 47 Villiers St, WC2 T 020 7930 1408,
W gordonswinebar.com; Charing Cross or Embank
ment; map pp.89. Cavernous, shabby, atmospheric wine
bar specializing in ports, sherries and Madeiras. The genial
atmosphere makes this a favourite with local office workers,
who spill outdoors in the summer. MonSat 11am11pm,
Sun noon10pm.
The Salisbury 90 St Martins Lane, WC2 T 020 Carefully dishevelled and appealing but extremely
7836 5863; Leicester Square; map pp.89. One of the
capitals most beautifully preserved Victorian pubs, with
etched and engraved windows, bronze figures and Art
Nouveau light fittings. MonFri 11am11pm, Sat
noonmidnight, Sun noon10.30pm.
BLOOMSBURY
The Duke 7 Roger St, WC1 T020 7242 7230, Wdukepub.
co.uk; Russell Square; map p.16. Lovely little neighbourhood
gastropub, without the pretensions often associated with the
breed, and an unusual Art Deco bent to the decor. Its discreet
location keeps the crowd in the small bar manageable. Mon
Sat noon11pm, Sun noon10.30pm. Sat 11am11.30pm, Sun noon10.30pm.
The Lamb 94 Lambs Conduit St, WC1 T 020 7405
0713; Russell Square; map p.16. Marvellously well-
preserved Victorian pub, with mirrors, polished wood and
etched glass snob screens. Deep green leather banquettes
and small circular tables with dinky brass balustrades
round things off splendidly. MonSat 11ammidnight,
Sun noon10.30pm.
HOLBORN
Princess Louise 208 High Holborn, WC1 T 020 7405
8816; Holborn; map p.16. Architecturally, one of Londons
most impressive Victorian pubs, featuring gold-trimmed
mirrors, gorgeous mosaics and a fine moulded ceiling.
Even the toilets are listed for their historic features. Mon
Fri 11am11pm, Sat noon11pm. unrivalled views over to the Dome. MonSat 11am
Ye Olde Mitre 1 Ely Court, EC1 T020 7405 4751;
Farringdon; map pp.2021. Hidden down a tiny, this
wonderfully atmospheric pub dates back to 1546; the low-
ceilinged, wood-panelled rooms are packed with history
and the real ales are excellent. MonFri 11am11pm.
CLERKENWELL
Jerusalem Tavern 55 Britton St, EC1 T 020 7490
4281; Farringdon; map pp.2021. Something special: a
tiny, converted Georgian coffee house the frontage dates
from 1810 that has retained much of its original
Southwark; map p.25. The Anchor gastropub dishes up
St Peters Brewery in Suffolk. MonFri 11am11pm.
HOXTON & SHOREDITCH
Loungelover 1 Whitby St, E1 T 020 7012 1234,
W loungelover.co.uk; Shoreditch High Street Over
ground; map pp.2021. Behind the unprepossessing
facade of this former meat-packing factory lies a bizarre
array of opulently camp bric-a-brac, expertly slung
together to create an extraordinary-looking and unique
cocktail bar. MonThurs & Sun 6pmmidnight, Fri
5.30pm1am, Sat 6pm1am.
The Owl and the Pussycat 34 Redchurch St, E2
T 020 3487 0088, W owlandpussycatshoreditch.com;
Shoreditch High Street Overground; map pp.2021.
3120; Sloane Square; map pp.3031. Decent, spacious
popular, so approach with care on the busiest evenings.
There are plenty of alternatives on its doorstep try the
American-style Redchurch bar with its excellent Sierra
Nevada beer. Daily noonlate.
THE CITY
The Black Friar 174 Queen Victoria St, EC4
T 020 7236 5474; Blackfriars; map pp.2021. Utterly
original place with Art Nouveau marble friezes of boozy
monks and a highly decorated alcove all original, dating
from 1905. A lovely fireplace, and an unhurried atmosphere
make this a relaxing place to drink. MonFri 11am11pm,
Located in a private mews, this quaint little pub was
Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Wine Office Court, 145
Fleet St, EC4 T 020 7353 6170; Temple or Blackfriars;
map pp.2021. A famous seventeenth-century watering
hole chiefly because of patrons such as Dickens and
Dr Johnson with several snug, dark-panelled bars
and real fires. Popular with tourists, but by no means
exclusively so. MonFri 11am11pm, Sat noon11pm,
Sun noon5pm.
EAST END & DOCKLANDS
The Gun 27 Coldharbour, E14 T 020 7515 5222,
W thegundocklands.com; Canary Wharf, South Quay or
Blackwall DLR. Legendary dockers pub, once the haunt of
Lord Nelson, The Gun is now a classy gastropub, with
bus #210 from Archway. Ideally situated at the heart of
midnight, Sun 11am11pm.
Ten Bells 84 Commercial St, E1 T 020 7366 1721;
Shoreditch High Street Overground; map pp.2021.
Stripped-down, pleasantly ramshackle pub, with some
great Victorian tiling. Attracts a relentlessly hip and young
DRINKING LONDON 41
crowd these days. MonThurs & Sun noonmidnight,
Fri & Sat noon1am.
SOUTH BANK AND SOUTHWARK
Anchor & Hope 36 The Cut, SE1 T 020 7928 9898;
excellent, simple grub: soups, salads and mains such as
slow-cooked pork with choucroute, as well as mouth
watering puds. You cant book a table, so the bar is
basically the waiting room. Mon 511pm, TuesSat
11am11pm, Sun 12.305pm.
Kings Arms 25 Roupell St, SE1 T 020 7207 0784;
Waterloo; map p.25. Terrific local divided into two
sections; a traditional drinking area in the front, with a
tastefully cluttered, conservatory-style dining space at the
rear, where good Thai food is served at long wooden
tables. MonSat 11am11pm, Sun noon10.30pm.
KENSINGTON AND CHELSEA
Coopers Arms Bar 87 Flood St, SW3 T 020 7376
neighbourhood pub, which may not be more than the sum
of its parts reasonable food, a good range of beers,
plenty of spots to choose from but is still a good find so
close to the Kings Road. MonSat 11am11pm, Sun
noon10pm.
The Elgin 96 Ladbroke Grove, W11 T 020 7229 5663;
Ladbroke Grove; map pp.3031. Enormous pub on
Ladbroke Grove where the buzzy vibe, lovely original
features and funky decor bring in the cool Portobello
crowd. MonSat 11am11pm, Sun noon10.30pm.
Grenadier 18 Wilton Row, SW1 T 020 7235 3074;
Hyde Park Corner or Knightsbridge; map pp.3031.
Wellingtons local (his horse block survives outside) and his
officers mess; the original pewter bar survives, and theres
plenty of military paraphernalia. Classy but pricey bar
food. MonSat noon11pm, Sun noon10.30pm.
NORTH LONDON
Lock Tavern 35 Chalk Farm Rd, NW1 T 020 7482 7163,
W lock-tavern.co.uk; Chalk Farm; map pp.45.
Rambling pub with large, battered wooden tables, comfy
sofas, a leafy upstairs terrace and beer garden down
below, as well as posh pub grub and DJs playing anything
from punk funk and electro to rock. MonThurs noon
midnight, Fri & Sat noon1am, Sun noon11pm.
The Flask 77 Highgate West Hill, N6 T 020 8348 7346;
Highgate village green with a rambling, low-ceilinged
interior and a summer terrace and, as a result, very, very
popular at the weekend. MonSat noon11pm, Sun
noon10.30pm.
42 LONDON NIGHTLIFE
NIGHTLIFE
LIVE MUSIC VENUES
GENERAL VENUES
Academy Brixton 211 Stockwell Rd, SW9 T 020
7771 3000, W o2academybrixton.co.uk; Brixton. The
Academy has seen them all, from mods and rockers to
Chase and Status. The 4000-capacity Victorian hall doesnt
always deliver perfect sound quality, but remains a
cracking place to see mid-level bands.
Cargo 83 Rivington St, EC2 T 020 7749 7840,
W cargo-london.com; Old Street or Shoreditch High
Street Overground; map pp.2021. Small, groovy venue
in what was once a railway arch, with an attached
restaurant and chilled garden area. Hosts a variety of live
acts, including jazz, hip-hop, indie and folk, and excellent
club nights.
Hammersmith Apollo 45 Queen Caroline St, W6
T 020 8563 3800, W hammersmithapollo.net;
Hammersmith. The former Hammersmith Odeon is
a cavernous, theatre-style space (downstairs is seating
or standing, depending on the occasion), featuring
everyone from Lou Reed to Olly Murs, plus stand-up and
popular theatre.
Shepherds Bush Empire Shepherds Bush Green,
W12 T 0844 477 2000, W shepherds-bush-empire.co
.uk; Shepherds Bush. Yet another grand old theatre, the
Empire now plays host to a fine cross-section of mid-league
UK and US bands. Theres often a great atmosphere
downstairs, while the vertigo-inducing upstairs balconies
provide great stage views.
ROCK, BLUES, INDIE AND FOLK
12 Bar Club Denmark St, WC2 T 020 7240 2622,
W 12barclub.com; Tottenham Court Road; map pp.8
9. Tiny, atmospheric bar and venue offering up-and-
coming, cheap and often pleasantly eccentric indie gigs as
well as blues and folk.
KOKO 1a Camden High St, NW1 T 0870 432 5527, W koko
.uk.com; Mornington Crescent. An institution since its days
as the Camden Palace, this venues grand interior hosts clubs
(Fri & Sat) and gigs (the rest of the time), with a hip
assortment of indie-pop types dominating proceedings.
Underworld 174 Camden High St, NW1 T 020 7482
1932, W theunderworldcamden.co.uk; Camden Town.
Shouty, scruffy warren under the Worlds End pub a great
place to check out metal, hardcore and heavy-rock bands.
JAZZ AND WORLD MUSIC
Jazz Cafe 5 Parkway, NW1 T 020 7485 6834,
W jazzcafelive.com; Camden Town; map pp.45. Theres
the odd cheesy pop night here, but a combination of big
names (at big prices) and acts from the clubbier end of jazz
keep the dancefloor and balcony buzzing. You can dine, too
though the service gets mixed reports.
Ronnie Scotts 47 Frith St, W1 T 020 7439 0747,
W ronniescotts.co.uk; Leicester Square; map pp.89. The
most famous jazz club in London, this small and atmospheric
Soho stalwart features all the jazz greats. Many people opt for
the dinner package, but you dont have to.
CLUBS
Fabric 77a Charterhouse St, EC1 T 020 7336 8898,
W fabriclondon.com; Farringdon; map pp.2021.
Despite big queues (arrive early or late) and a confusing
layout that means you may take hours to find friends,
jackets and some of its numerous rooms, this 1600-capacity
club remains one of the worlds finest, playing drumnbass
and dubstep (usually Fri), techno and house (usually Sat &
Sun), live bands and quality DJ line-ups. Some Thurs
9pm4am, Fri & Sun 10pm6am, Sat 11pm8am.
Madame JoJos 810 Brewer St, W1 T 020 7734
3040, W madamejojos.com; Piccadilly Circus; map pp.8
9. Louche, enjoyable and ever-so-slightly battered Soho
institution. Alongside burlesque and magic shows, youll
find electronica, disco and rock the big nights include funk
(Fri), and indie (Tues). Usually TuesSun 10pm3am, with
shows earlier in the evening.
Ministry of Sound 103 Gaunt St, SE1 T 020 7378
6528, W ministryofsound.com; Elephant & Castle; map
pp.45. The vast headquarters of the brand may
sometimes seem peopled largely by corporate clubbers
and gawping visitors, but the sound system is exceptional
and it gets the pick of visiting house and trance DJs.
Usually Thurs 10pm4am, FriSat 11pm6am.
Notting Hill Arts Club 21 Notting Hill Gate, W11
T 020 7460 4459, W nottinghillartsclub.com; Notting
Hill Gate; map pp.3031. Groovy, arty, dressed-down
basement club/bar thats popular for everything from Latin-
inspired funk, jazz and hip-hop through to soul, house and
indie; Saturday afternoon has free gigs courtesy of Rough
Trade records. Usually WedSun 7pm2am.
Plastic People 147149 Curtain Rd, EC2 T 020
7739 6471, W plasticpeople.co.uk; Old Street; map
pp.2021. Thumping basement club whose broad
booking policy stretches through techno, rocknroll, Afro-
pop and splendid dubstep night FWD>>. Usually Thurs
10pm2am, Fri & Sat 10pm4am.
Rhythm Factory 1618 Whitechapel Rd T 020 7375
3774, W rhythmfactory.co.uk; Aldgate East or
Whitechapel; map pp.2021. This textile-factory-turned-
cutting-edge club houses a bar and separate, often fairly
packed, dancefloor. Live bands appear fairly regularly
during the week; drumnbass and techno dominate the
weekends. MonThurs usually 711pm when open; Fri
& Sat 10pm6am.
Proud Camden Stables Market, Chalk Farm Rd, NW1
T 0207 482 3867, W proudcamden.com; Camden
GAY AND LESBIAN NIGHTLIFE THEATRE LONDON 43
Town; map pp.45. Indie, rave, live bands, costume decent food early on and an outdoor terrace in summer.
parties, exhibitions and more Proud Camden is as mixed Hours vary clubs usually till 2.30am.
up as youd expect a former horse hospital to be, with
GAY AND LESBIAN NIGHTLIFE
Soho remains the spiritual heart of Londons lesbian and gay scene, with a mix of traditional gay pubs, designer caf-bars
and a range of gay-run services. Details of most events appear in Time Out, while another excellent source of information is
the London Lesbian and Gay Switchboard (T 020 7837 7324, W llgs.org.uk). The outdoor event of the year is Pride
London (W pridelondon.org) in late June/early July, a colourful, noisy march through the city streets followed at the end
of the month by a huge, ticketed party in a central London park.
BARS AND CLUBS T020 7582 4180, Wbar-code.co.uk; Vauxhall; map pp.4
5. Slick, spacious cruisey gay mens bar in the heart
MIXED BARS of Vauxhalls clubbing quarter, convenient for the clubs
Freedom 66 Wardour St, W1 T 020 7734 0071, Area and Fire (see below). MonWed 4pm1am, Thurs
W freedombarsoho.com; Piccadilly Circus; map pp.8 4pm2am, Fri 4pm5am, Sat 4pm7am, Sun
9. Hip metrosexual place, popular with a straight/gay Soho 5pm1am.
crowd. The basement becomes an intimate club at night, The Kings Arms 23 Poland St, W1 T 020 7734 5907;
complete with pink banquettes and glitter balls, Oxford Circus; map pp.89. Londons best-known and
that plays home to cabaret and comedy. MonThurs perennially popular bear bar, with a traditional London
4pm3am, Fri & Sat 2pm3am, Sun 2pm10.30pm. pub atmosphere, with a karaoke night on Sundays. Mon &
Ku Bar 30 Lisle St, WC2, T 020 7437 4303, W ku-bar Tues noon11pm, Wed & Thurs noon11.30pm, Fri &
.co.uk; Leicester Square; map pp.89. The Lisle St original, Sat noonmidnight, Sun 1pm10.30pm.
with a downstairs club open late, is one of Sohos largest and
best-loved gay bars, serving a scene-conscious yet low-on- CLUBS
attitude clientele. It has a stylish sibling bar on Frith St. Lisle Duckie Royal Vauxhall Tavern, 372 Kennington Lane,
St MonSat noon3am, Sun noon10.30pm. SE11 T 020 7737 4043, W duckie.co.uk; Vauxhall; map
Retro Bar 2 George Court (off Strand), WC2 T 020 pp.45. Duckies mix of regular live art performances and
7839 8760; Charing Cross; map pp.89. Friendly, indie/ theme nights, as well as cult DJs The Readers Wifes playing
retro bar playing 1970s, 80s, rock, pop, goth and alternative everything from Kim Wilde to the Velvet Underground, has
sounds, and featuring regular DIY DJ nights. MonFri kept this splendid night going strong for 15 years.
noon11pm, Sat 211pm, Sun 210.30pm. The Eagle 349 Kennington Lane, SE11 T 020 7793
0903, W eaglelondon.com; Vauxhall; map pp.45.
LESBIAN BARS Home to the excellent disco Sunday-nighter Horse Meat
Candy Bar 4 Carlisle St, WC2 T 020 7287 5041, Disco, the vibe here is a loose, friendly re-creation of late
W candybarsoho.com; Tottenham Court Road; map 1970s New York, complete with facial hair, checked shirts
pp.89. Now part of the Ku group of gay bars, this Sapphic and a pool table. MonThurs 9pm2am, Fri & Sat
magnet has been operating since 1996 and still has the 9pm4am, Sun 9pm3am.
same crucial, cruisey vibe that makes it the hottest girl bar Fire South Lambeth Rd, SW8 T 020 3242 0040,
in central London. Mon, Wed & Thurs 5pm3am, Tues W fireclub.co.uk; Vauxhall; map pp.45. Fire is Londons
7pm3am, Fri & Sat 4pm3am, Sun 5pm12.30am. superclub of choice for a mixed though mostly male crowd
Star at Night 22 Great Chapel St, W1 T 020 7494 of disco bunnies and hardboyz. The party runs from
2488, W thestaratnight.com; Tottenham Court Road; Saturday morning to Monday morning. Sat 311am, Sun
map pp.89. Comfortable, mixed but female-led, venue. noon7pm & 11pm9am.
Its popular with a slightly older crowd who want Heaven Villiers St, WC2 T020 7930 2020, Wheaven
somewhere to sit, a decent glass of wine and good nightclub-london.com; Charing Cross or Embankment;
conversation. TuesSat 611.30pm. map pp.89. Said to be the UKs most popular gay club, this
2000-capacity venue is now home to G-A-Y (ThursSat), the
GAY MENS BARS queen of Londons scene nights, with big-name DJs, PAs and
BarCode Arch 69, Albert Embankment, SE11 shows. More Muscle Mary than Diesel Doris. ThursSat.
THEATRE
London has enjoyed a reputation for quality theatre since the time of Shakespeare and, despite the continuing dominance
of blockbuster musicals and revenue-spinning star vehicles, still provides platforms for innovation and new writing. The
44 LONDON THEATRE CINEMA CLASSICAL MUSIC OPERA DANCE SHOPPING LONDON 45

West End is the heart of Theatreland, with Shaftesbury Avenue its most congested drag, but the term is more of a two-seater sofas. The programme concentrates on One of the capitals most cutting-edge programmes
conceptual pigeon-hole than a geographical term. Some of the most exciting work is performed in what have become mainstream hits, with more offbeat offerings on Sundays. offering world, documentary and underground movies on
known as the Off-West End theatres,while further down the financial ladder still are the fringe theatres, more often ICA Cinema Nash House, The Mall, SW1 T 020 7930 two tiny screens (no armchairs here!) in the avant-garde HQ
than not pub venues, where ticket prices are lower, and quality more variable. 3647, W ica.org.uk; Piccadilly Circus or Charing Cross. of the Institute of Contemporary Arts.

THEATRES Lovely alfresco space in Regents Park hosting a tourist- CLASSICAL MUSIC
Barbican Centre Silk St, EC2 T 020 7638 8891, friendly summer programme of Shakespeare, musicals, On most days you should be able to catch a concert by one of the five major orchestras based in the capital or one of the
W barbican.org.uk; Barbican or Moorgate. The plays and concerts, some of which are geared especially more specialized ensembles. Unless one of the worlds high-profile orchestras is giving a performance, full houses are a
Barbicans two venues the splendid Barbican Theatre and towards children. rarity, so you should be able to pick up a ticket for around 15 (the usual range is about 1250). During the week there
the much smaller Pit put on a wide variety of spectacles Roundhouse Chalk Farm Rd, NW1 T 0844 482 8008, are also numerous free concerts, often at lunchtimes, in Londons churches (W cityevents.co.uk), or given by the citys
from puppetry and musicals to new drama. W roundhouse.org.uk; Chalk Farm. Camdens exciting two leading conservatoires, the Royal College of Music (W rcm.ac.uk) and Royal Academy of Music (W ram.ac.uk).
Menier Chocolate Factory 5153 Southwark St, SE1 cultural venue, in an old round engine repairs shed,
T 020 7378 1713, W menierchocolatefactory.com; puts on cutting-edge theatre, circus and cabaret, with CONCERT VENUES or Embankment. The SBC has three spaces, none
! London Bridge. Great fringe venue in a former Victorian regular shows from the RSC (Royal Shakespeare Company). Barbican Centre Silk St, EC2 T020 7638 8891, of which is exclusively used for classical music. The 3000-
factory, with a decent bar and restaurant attached; the Shakespeares Globe New Globe Walk, SE1 T 020 7401 Wbarbican.org.uk; Barbican or Moorgate. With the seat Royal Festival Hall (RFH), home to the Philharmonia
shows are consistently good. 9919, W shakespeares-globe.com; London Bridge, resident London Symphony Orchestra (Wlso.co.uk), the BBC (W philharmonia.co.uk) and the London Philharmonic
National Theatre Southbank Centre, South Bank, Blackfriars or Southwark. This open-roofed replica Symphony Orchestra (Wbbc.co.uk/orchestras) as associate (W lpo.co.uk), is tailor-made for large-scale choral and
SE1 T 020 7452 3000, W nationaltheatre.org.uk; Elizabethan theatre uses only natural light and the minimum orchestra, and top foreign big-name soloists in regular orchestral works, while the Queen Elizabeth Hall (QEH) and
Waterloo. The countrys top actors and directors produce of scenery, and puts on fun Shakespearean shows along attendance, the Barbican is an outstanding venue. intimate Purcell Room are used for chamber concerts, solo
shows ranging from Greek tragedies via experimental new with works from the Bards contemporaries, including Southbank Centre Belvedere Rd, South Bank, SE1 recitals, opera and choirs.
writing to Broadway musicals in three separate theatres. Christopher Marlowe, and modern works on Elizabethan T 0844 875 0073, W southbankcentre.co.uk; Waterloo
Some productions sell out months in advance, but day themes from April to mid-September. Seats are around 15,
tickets, for the lowest-priced seats available, go on sale on with Yard tickets (standing-room only) for around a fiver. OPERA
the morning of each performance get there by 8am (two Tricycle Theatre 269 Kilburn High Rd, NW6 T 020 Londons Little Opera House Kings Head, 115 Upper Royal Opera House Bow St, WC2 T 020 7304 4000,
tickets per person only). Look out, too, for special Travelex 7328 1000, W tricycle.co.uk; Kilburn. One of Londons St, N1 T 020 7478 0160, W kingsheadtheatre.com; W roh.org.uk; Covent Garden. Lavish operas, with some
performances, when half the seats go for 12. most dynamic venues, showcasing a mixed bag of new Angel or Highbury & Islington. Old pub theatre that experimental productions. All are performed in the original
plays, often with a multicultural bent, and usually with a reinvented itself in 2010 as an opera house. The small language with surtitles. Ticket prices reach 900, though
Open Air Theatre Regents Park, Inner Circle, NW1 sharp political focus. space just 100 bench seats now hosts an exciting there is restricted-view seating (or standing room) from
T 0844 826 4242, W openairtheatre.org; Baker Street. programme of new writing, experimental pieces and around 15, and some of the Linley Studio shows are less
classics with a twist from resident company Opera expensive. In summer, some performances are relayed live
CINEMA Up Close. to screens in Trafalgar Square and Canary Wharf, for free.
There are a lot of cinemas in London, especially the West End, with the biggest on and around Leicester Square. A few
classy independent chains show more offbeat screenings, in various locations check out the Picturehouse DANCE
(W picturehouses.co.uk), Curzon (W curzoncinemas.com) and Everyman (W everymancinema.com) and there even Royal Opera House Bow St, WC2 T 020 7304 4000, Sadlers Wells Theatre Rosebery Ave, EC1 T 0844 412
exist a number of one-off arthouse cinemas. Tickets at the major screens cost at least 11, although afternoon shows are W roh.org.uk; Covent Garden. Based at the Opera House, 4300, W sadlerswells.com; Angel. Sadlers Wells hosts
usually discounted, and concessionary rates are offered for some shows at virtually all cinemas, usually all day Monday or the Royal Ballet is a world-renowned classical company Britains best contemporary dance companies, including
at other off-peak times. Anyone with an Orange phone can make use of the half-price Orange Wednesday tickets. with some outstanding principals. Tickets for the main the Rambert, and many of the finest international
house are cheaper than for opera (7400), and there are companies are regular visitors. The Lillian Baylis Theatre,
BFI Southbank Belvedere Rd, South Bank, SE1 screen is not recommended for anyone with vertigo. two smaller performing spaces, the Linbury Studio Theatre tucked around the back, puts on smaller-scale shows,
T 020 7928 3232, W bfi.org.uk; Waterloo. Splendid Electric 191 Portobello Rd, W11 T 020 7908 9696, (820) and the Clore Studio (1015). Sell-outs are while the Peacock Theatre near Covent Garden adds some
themed seasons, showing between seven and fourteen W the-electric.co.uk; Notting Hill Gate or Ladbroke frequent so book early. populist shows, including street dance, to the mix.
films daily on four screens. The BFI also runs the IMAX Grove. One of the oldest cinemas in the country (opened
(T 020 7199 6000, W bfi.org.uk/imax), a huge glazed 1910), the Electric keeps much of its lovely old interior, but SHOPPING
drum in the middle of Waterloo roundabout. The colossal has added trendy leather armchairs, footstools and DEPARTMENT STORES fashion. MonSat 10am9pm, Sun noon6pm.
Harvey Nichols 109125 Knightsbridge, SW1 T020 Selfridges 400 Oxford St, W1 T 0800 123 400,
7235 5000, Wharveynichols.com; Knightsbridge; map W selfridges.com; Bond Street; map pp.3031. Londons
THE PROMS pp.3031. Harvey Nicks has all the latest designer first great department store. The vast mens- and
The London Proms (Royal Albert Hall, T0845 401 5045, Wbbc.co.uk/proms; South Kensington), collections and a food hall offering frivolous goodies at high womenswear departments offer mainstream designers and
provide a feast of classical music at bargain-basement prices. Uniquely, there are more than five prices. MonSat 10am8pm, Sun noon6pm. casual lines alongside hipper labels. The food hall is superb,
hundred standing places 5, even on the famed last night which must be bought on the door,
on the day; seated tickets cost between 7.50 and 90; last-night tickets start at 55. The acoustics Liberty 210220 Regent St, W1 T 020 7734 1234, too. MonSat 9.30am9pm, Sun noon6pm.
W liberty.co.uk; Oxford Circus; map pp.89. A fabulous
may not be the worlds best, but the calibre of the performers is unbeatable, the atmosphere superb,
and the programme a creative mix of standards and new or obscure works. And the hall is so vast emporium of luxury, this exquisite store, with its mock- BOOKS
that even if you turn up an hour or so before the show starts you are unlikely to be turned away. Tudor exterior, is most famous for its fabrics, design and Hatchards 187 Piccadilly, W1 T020 7439 9921,
accessories, but is also great for mainstream and high Whatchards.co.uk; Piccadilly Circus; map pp.89. A little
46 LONDON SHOPPING DIRECTORY

NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL

The two-day free festival (W thenottinghillcarnival.com) in Notting Hill is the longest-running,
best-known and biggest street party in Europe. Dating back more than forty years, the
Caribbean carnival is a tumult of imaginatively decorated parade floats, eye-catching
costumes, thumping sound systems, live bands, irresistible food and huge crowds. It takes
place on the Sunday and Monday of the last weekend of August.

overshadowed by the colossal Waterstones down the road, and
actually part of the Waterstones group, the venerable Hatchards
holds its own when it comes to quality fiction, history and
travel. MonSat 9.30am7pm, Sun noon6pm.
London Review Bookshop 14 Bury Place, WC1
T 020 7269 9030, W lrbshop.co.uk; Tottenham Court
Road; map p.16. All books reviewed in the august literary
journal and many more in this superb, tranquil Bloomsbury
bookstore. MonSat 10am6.30pm, Sun noon6pm.
MUSIC
Revival Records 30 Berwick St, W1 T 020 7437 4271,
W revivalrecords.uk.com; Tottenham Court Road; map
pp.89. New, used and rare vinyl and CDs, specializing in
rock, soul, dance, punk and reggae. MonSat 10am7pm.
Rough Trade 130 Talbot Rd, W11 T 020 7229 8541,
W roughtrade.com; Ladbroke Grove; map pp.3031.
The musos favourite, this historic indie specialist has
knowledgeable, friendly staff and a dizzying array from
electronica to hardcore and beyond. MonSat
10am6.30pm, Sun 11am5pm.
MARKETS
Borough Market 8 Southwark St, SE1 T 020 7407
1002, W boroughmarket.org.uk; London Bridge or
Borough; map pp.2627. Foodie heaven with suppliers
from all over the UK converging to sell delicious goodies.
Thurs 11am5pm, Fri noon6pm, Sat 8am5pm.
DIRECTORY
Hospitals For 24hr accident and emergency: St Marys
Hospital, Praed St, W2 (T 020 3312 6330; Paddington);
University College London Hospital, 235 Euston Rd, NW1
(T 0845 155 5000; Euston Square or Warren Street).
Police Phone T 999 in emergencies, otherwise T 0101
(W met.police.uk). Central police stations include: Charing
Brick Lane Brick Lane, Cygnet and Sclater streets, E1;
Bacon, Cheshire and Chilton streets, E2; Aldgate East or
Liverpool Street; map pp.2021. Huge, sprawling, cheap
and frenzied, this famous East End market has become a
fixture on the hipster circuit. Sun 9am5pm.
Camden Market Camden High St to Chalk Farm Rd,
NW1 W camdenlock.net; Camden Town; map pp.45.
Once beloved of hippies, punks and Goths, and now a firm
favourite with European tourists, Camden is actually a
gaggle of markets, segueing into each other and
supplemented by lively stores and restaurants in the
surrounding streets. Daily 9.30am6.30pm, but most
action ThursSun.
Portobello Road Market Portobello and Golborne
rds, W10 and W11 W portobelloroad.co.uk; Ladbroke
Grove or Notting Hill Gate; map pp.3031. Approach
from the Notting Hill end, work your way through the
antiques and bric-a-brac down to the fruit and veg stalls,
and then head under the Westway to hip new and
secondhand clothes stalls. The Golborne Rd market is
cheaper and less crowded, with some attractive antique
and retro furniture. Antique market Sat 4am6pm.
Spitalfields Commercial St, E1 W visitspitalfields.com;
Liverpool St; map pp.2021. The East Ends historic
Victorian fruit and veg hall now houses a fashionable
organic food, crafts and secondhand goods market. Thurs
(antiques & vintage) & Fri (fashion & art) 10am4pm;
Sun (all stalls) 9am5pm.
Cross, Agar St, WC2 (Charing Cross); Holborn, 10 Lambs
Conduit St, WC1 (Holborn); Marylebone, 19 Seymour St
W1 (Marble Arch); and West End Central, 27 Savile Row,
W1 (Oxford Circus). The City of London has its own police
force, 182 Bishopsgate, EC2 (T 020 7601 2222,
W cityoflondon.police.uk; Liverpool Street).