It's our weekly London
roundup starting with a quote and a few stories that caught the eye in London this week,
click the links to read the full articles…
Quote of the Week from
Rick Steves:
Just perusing the fascinating lineup of two-hour tours
offered by London Walks inspired me to stay longer. It’s hard to beat the price
of the free walking tours sweeping Europe’s cities — but be prepared for an
inexpert guide who will press you for a tip at the end. (See TRAVEL story below)
BOOKS: Booksellers Pop Up At Middle Temple – International League of Antiquarian Booksellers website
THEATRE: Branagh & Dench Unveil New Theatre Co – BBC
PUB REVIEW: Best In West London? GetWestLondon.com
ARCHITECTURE: City of London Churches – Financial Times
ARTS: Fortress Wapping Converted Into Studios – Time Out
TRAVEL: Rick Steves on London & European Cities – Syndicated
PROPERTY: Centre Point Becomes Residential – Evening Standard
London Walks Guides News
Congratulations to
Fiona who was awarded the Blue Badge Guide of the Year title this week!
Fiona, a descendant of
John of Gaunt, already had a trophy case of awards and professional
qualifications: Blue Badge, City of London Badge, Westminster Badge. Anything
else? Thought you'd never ask. She's an actress who also teaches juggling,
circus skills and escapology (she made a famous break from the London Dungeon).
Blogroll of Honour – London
Walker Blog of the Week
Big shout out to
Vanessa B of Toronto – she's coming to see us here in London soon, and dropped
us a line via Twitter to say we're on her London bucket list and she'd written
about us on her blog. Thanks Vanessa!
We had a dig a round
on her blog – the Stardust Classic Movies Blog - and liked it so much that
we've been inspired to add this new, occasional slot to our weekly London Spy
post – London Walker Blog of the Week!
Vanessa B is first up,
natch…
Here's an extract from
her post on London's own Alfred Hitchcock and his classic Dial M For Murder…
DIAL M FOR MURDER is
the kind of film that leaves the audience pretty much breathless by the time
its end credits roll. For me, this is the feeling I live for, especially when
watching a movie classic that's earned a reputation over the years for being a
prestige piece that will most likely endure for many more decades to come.
Classic films like these never fail to impress me and when I leave the cinema I
find myself walking taller with an inevitable spring in my step…
Made us want to watch
this film again! Thanks Vanessa, keep up the great work and we'll see you soon
on a London Walk. (P.S keep an ear out when we post Part Two of our Literary
London Podcast next week – we're covering London bookshops and we know you're a
fan of those too!)
Read Stardust at stardustclassicfilmblog.blogspot.ca
Are you a London Walker & blogger? Send us a link, we love a good read!
Over to Marc:
Re: Confessions of a Serial
Walker
Dear David, Richard the
III & London
Walks Guides
At Large
I write to confess my
sincere infatuation with London Walks.
About a decade ago I
happened to be in London for the weekend and having done most of the Big Onion Walks in New York City and the
Boston by
Foot Walks in
Boston, MA, in addition to various walks in other countries, stumbled upon London Walks. I took the Old Westminster Walk with Graham and, for
better or for worse, was hitched. I hasten to add that Graham introduced me to
Barrafina in Soho on his Soho In the Moring Walk a few years later and I have been
faithfully returning there henceforth.
Fast forward 10 years
and 125 walks (enumerated below and including those by your unofficial sister
company Paris
Walks)
later and one could claim with impunity that a coveted benefit of me spending
my sabbatical in the Math Department at Imperial College London is that its
provides me with an opportunity to check plenty more walks off the list.
I find the guides
without exception to be erudite, passionate, down to earth, “utterly reliable”
as claimed and downright formidable in their knowledge of London. They treat
their clients with genuine respect and an utter lack of hubris, often staying
on afterward to have a drink at a pub with them or even inviting them to join
them for a meal between walks.
Another wonderful thing
about London Walks is the more of them you take the more you find that you must
do in London. For example, a few weeks ago while on Hillary’s Eccentric London Walk, she informed us that
the quintessential view over dinner in London is to be had at the National
Portrait Gallery and, after having dinner there last week, I can attest to the
accuracy of her assessment. Your company has effectively democratized the
ability to become a London Insider. Some other things I find wonder about your Walks include
1.
The pamphlet is my 1 year old son Ken’s favorite toy and I take the Walks often enough (and often
with Ken) that I can quickly replace those that he tears. Apologies for
elevating your printing costs, but perhaps I am compensating by distributing
the pamphlets to all of my colleagues.
2.
Your constantly adding new Walks so the well never runs dry.
3.
The Walks are invigorating and provide a bit of exercise to get the blood
flowing,
both in the mind and in
the body.
4.
It makes reading books by English authors all the more fun.
5.
Andy introduced me to the Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese Pub.
More than anything else
London Walks has indeed taught me that what Dr.
Johnson said back is
genuinely true and, moreover, bears repeating. "Why, Sir, you find no man,
at all intellectual, who is willing to leave London. No, Sir, when a man is
tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can
afford."
Faithfully,
Marc Hodes
If You Do One OTHER Thing In London This Week…
Our weekly slot in which we point you in the direction of
other happenings and events in our great city. A new exhibition, a gig, a
museum, a pop-up-shop – the best of London within a few minutes of a London Walks walking tour.
Dan Cruickshank Speaks
To Save Norton Folgate
Norton Folgate, a
beloved corner of East London, is under threat from property developer British
Land. The Save Norton Folgate campaign is staging an event this week - Wednesday
22nd April at 6:30– to raise awareness of their protest with historian Dan
Cruickshank.
Mr Cruickshank will tell
the story of the first defeat of British Land in Norton Folgate back in 1977
and outlines the current battle to stop them obliterating the neighbourhood
under a hideous corporate plaza. Sian Phillips reads the poetry of John
Betjeman who lent his support to the 1977 campaign and Alec Forshaw, the
distinguished Conservation Consultant, dissects the inadequacies of British
Land's current scheme.
The Spitalfields
Trust's Save Norton Folgate exhibition will be on show.
Wednesday 22nd April
6:30p.m
FREE
St Leonard C Of E
Church
Shoreditch High Street
E1 6JN London
United Kingdom
Lend your support here: www.facebook.com/savenortonfolgate
Walking & Footwear News
Distracted walking.
It's a thing. Did you know that? Me either. But it is a thing.
According to the
website brandchannel.com…
Last year, a
University of Buffalo study found that distracted walking results in more
injuries per mile than distracted driving. Another study by Stony Brook
University found that people using cell phones veered off-course 61 percent
more (and overshot their target 13 percent more) than when “undistracted.”
Careful, now.
There's this from the
Canadian Underwriter Society website (full story here)…
Recent scientific
biomechanics studies have looked into the potentiality that using a mobile
phone could alter a person’s walking patterns, and ultimately increase their
chances of experiencing a slip/trip and fall.
Er… doh? And how about
this, from the Alabama News Leader…
The American Academy
of Orthopaedic Surgeons (AAOS) says distracted walkers are causing an epidemic
of fractures and other orthopaedic injuries.
Ouch.
The New Zealand Herald
chips in with some valuable advice in their article on pedestrian safety in
Auckland:
Pedestrians have the
right-of-way over vehicles on footpaths.
Thanks for clearing
that up. We do hope that the Addison Lee cab driver who practically mounted the
pavement in Wardour Street yesterday during our Rock'n'Roll London walk is
reading this.
Seen in London This Week…
Sunshine. Lots of it,
too…
Heard In London…
We're currently
working on Episode Two of our Literary London Podcast. In the meantime, catch
up with Episode One…
Read In London This Week
Via Twitter from Erica F who seems quite pleased that the new London Walks programme is now online at www.walks.com. Thanks Erica, looking forward to welcoming you!
Hooray my OCD
level planning may now commence for my June trip! https://t.co/mR1OUPE6Pu
—
EricaF (@EricaDVM) April
14, 2015
Thanks for reading. Over the next few days we've got a whole load of Literary London stuff coming
up on The Daily Constitutional. Stay in touch! London Spy will return next week.
A London Walk costs £9 – £7 concession. To join a London Walk, simply meet your guide at the designated tube station at the appointed time. Details of all London Walks can be found at www.walks.com.
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