London Walks pen and Daily Constitutional Special Correspondent David Tucker writes…
A Tale of Two Leaflets.
A Tale of Two Leaflets.
(And of two times. Back then, Mrs. Thatcher was prime
minister, Ronald Reagan was in the White House, the Soviet Union was still the
Soviet Union, the Berlin Wall was still up and running, the Compact Disc was
brand new (it was introduced in December 1983), the IRA was setting off bombs
in London, the House of Lords was about to let in the television cameras, American
football great Aaron Rodgers was in the womb (in Nov. ’83), ditto Mark
Zuckerberg, Google was 15 years in the future (Larry and Sergey were a couple
of 10-year-olds), Leonardo Dicaprio had just celebrated his 9th
birthday, Wayne Rooney wasn’t even a glint in his father’s eye, well, you get
the idea…)
At no little risk of belabouring the obvious: the difference
a third of a century makes! Both on the big stage – and the London Walks stage.
Turning to London Walks…
Back then – the Winter of 1983-84 – there were a couple of
London Walks on Saturdays, five on Sundays, none on Mondays, one on Tuesdays,
one on Wednesdays, one (or none) on Thursdays, and two on Fridays.
And today – well, you know as well – or nearly as well – as
I do.
The scan is just the front covers. The 83-84 leaflet (above) was one
A4 sheeted printed on both sides and folded to make it an A5 size. B/W of course.
Today’s leaflet is four A4 sheets printed on both sides and folded to make it a
1/3A4 size. Colour of course.
Design? Well, the 83-84 version – no way you’re going to say
that document was “designed”. It
really couldn’t have been more basic. Was crude but functional – told you what
you need to know.
Today’s London Walks leaflet still ticks that box of course
– tells you what you need to know. But crude, primitive it ain’t. Designed it
is.
And cost? Well, in real terms certainly in the same range.
If anything, a London Walk will, in real terms, be a better bargain today than
it was back then. But you can see what inflation’s done to the £ since the
early 80s.
And on that note, I’ve got to get some of Summer 2015 London
Walks leaflets down to the Café in the Crypt at St. Martin in the Fields.
Today’s curtain up on the Summer 2015 London Walks programme.
A London Walk costs £10 – £8 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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