We challenge our contributors to reply to ten devilishly probing questions about their London and we don’t take “Sorry Gov” for an answer. Everyone sitting in the hot seat they will face the same questions ranging from their favourite way to spend a day out in the capital to their most hated building on London’s skyline to find out what Londoners think about their city. The questions are the same but the answers vary wildly.

Dan Simpson is a writer, facilitator, and creativity coach. An accomplished poet, he has been Poet-in-Residence at Glastonbury Festival, Waterloo Station, National Trust Stowe, Imperial College London, and St Albans Cathedral. His work has been featured at Southbank Centre, the Royal Academy of Arts, and on the BBC. In 2022 he created On the Cotton, a project pairing poets with London’s black cab drivers and writing poems about the historic trade. His other work can be found here.

What’s your secret London tip?

Don’t stare at your phone whilst travelling around. London is a city of architectural oddities, interesting pieces of history, and semi-hidden goings on all just there for the keen observer. I’d go so far as to say this even applies on the Underground – you never know who you might spot, or what stories you might overhear.

What’s your secret London place?

Postman’s Park. Though made a little more famous by the play and film Closer, every time I’ve visited it’s very quiet. It’s a little shrine dedicated to those who lost their lives saving others, tucked away near St Paul’s. A sombre place to reflect on the best of the human spirit – something that sometimes feels lacking in our city.

What’s your biggest gripe about London?

The seemingly never-ending knocking down of council estates and iconic places for expensive flats that force communities and local people out. That, and the cost of a pint.

What’s your favourite building?

The Natural History Museum – a Victorian cathedral to science and the natural world. Going inside and my eyes are drawn upwards, noticing the details of stone monkeys climbing the pillars, painted plant adorning the ceilings, the sheer volume of stuff from around the globe. As a building, it’s incredibly of its time, but the atmosphere is contemporary: understandable, given it’s also a research institution, and full of excited children discovering the wonders of nature!

What’s your most hated building?

The Old War Office (or The OWO, as it’s styled now). Every time I cycle past I cringe a bit at the tagline ‘The home of legends’. I can’t imagine how much it would cost to buy a place there, and who will be doing so – given the location in the heart of Westminster and political power.

What’s the best view in London?

Sky Garden. That it’s free – in this expensive city! – to go up 43 floors to look at the view is surely a mistake. Fantastic cocktails too – though those will set you back a few pounds.

What’s your personal London landmark?

Tower Bridge. During lockdowns, my partner and I (on our one legal outdoor activity per day) often jogged from her place in Stepney Green, over London Bridge, and back via Tower Bridge. We’d barely see a soul – a strange thing for the middle of a usually busy city, and a lockdown experience I’ll never forget. I also have a wonderful memory and photo of me crossing Tower Bridge – almost the halfway point – during the London Marathon.

What’s London’s best film, book or documentary?

Kraken, by China Miéville. A page-turning jaunt through the recognisable surface of London – and the weird mystical forces that are happening under the perception of the everyday. It’s a fun mash-up of London and the occult – and to me, speaks to the fact that London really works in ways most of us don’t consider.

What’s your favourite restaurant?

Mildred’s – the first one in Soho. One of the original and best dedicated vegetarian places, it felt like a treat as a veggie in the days before vegan food became available everywhere. I like that they don’t make that their selling point – they simply make excellent food (and cocktails!). They’ve quietly switched to a full vegan menu too, and I’ve never had a bad experience there. Shout out to Naifs in my area of Peckham too – it’s incredible.

How would you spend your ideal day off in London?

On a fresh and sunny Spring day, I’d start with a jog around Peckham Rye Common. Then onto my bike, off to the Tate Modern and a wander round wondering about the art. A quick dip into Borough Market for the free cheese samples before lunch at Mildred’s Soho. Then a pedal over to Cambridge Circus and Orc’s Nest to look at boardgames – probably via the huge Brewdog for a beer. Then on to Brick Lane to look at the graffiti and pick up a bag of bagels (Beigel Bake is the better of the two bakeries here!). Then the Old Hackney Baths for a dance before the Overground back to Peckham – stopping for a swift nightcap at Brick Brewery’s taproom.

On The Cotton, celebrating the 200th anniversary of the first licensed Hackney Cab service in London. This short film documents a project that saw seven Black Cab drivers and seven London-based poets co-create poetry that celebrates the iconic Black Cab, London’s cabbies, passengers, and the Knowledge. The film will be introduced by Dan Simpson, who pioneered the On The Cotton project, working in partnership with London Transport Museum. After the film, enjoy a poetry performance and a Q&A with some of the poets, cabbies, and filmmaker Bilal Bounit. Performers will include Duane Colman and Abstract Benna, Adam Gaunt, and Mick O’Flynn with a voiceover by Arji Manuelpillai. Poet Shirine Shah and former cabbie Les Simpson will join the Q&A. Black Cab drivers are eligible for a concession ticket price for this event: simply show your yellow or green badge on the door. Saturday 11th March 2023, tickets are available at The London Transport Museum.

We challenge our contributors to reply to ten devilishly probing questions about their London and we don’t take “Sorry Gov” for an answer. Everyone sitting in the hot seat they will face the same questions ranging from their favourite way to spend a day out in the capital to their most hated building on London’s skyline to find out what Londoners think about their city. The questions are the same but the answers vary wildly.

Since 2001, A.M. Brune has reported and written hundreds of freelance newspaper, magazine and website articles – from pitch to print – for publications, such as the New Yorker, The Guardian, Air Mail, the Spectator and others on a variety of topics, including world affairs and culture and social justice. She moved to London in 2021 after 20 years in New York. On Substack she regularly writes A Letter from London, she also be found on her website.

What’s your secret London tip?

Buy an electric bicycle. It is so much faster and easier than public transport, Uber and — am sorry, Black cabbies, who are the oracles of the city — Black cabs.

What’s your secret London place?

I love strolling down the London canals in Islington and Hackney. It’s so cool to see all the floating homes.

What’s your biggest gripe about London?

When people from other places say “wow, you live in London — must be overwhelming,” I want to reply, “People, I lived in New York City for 20 years!” London, as busy as it may be, has nothing on New York. London is civility; New York is chaos.

What’s your favourite building?

The original Twinings Tea Shop on Strand, or the Michelin House restaurant on Fulham Road. Can’t beat the Art Deco and Nouveau architecture.

What’s your most hated building?

The Tate Modern. Such an ugly building on the outside and so annoyingly confusing inside.

What’s the best view in London?

Greenwich Park.

What’s your personal London landmark?

The All-England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club. I always dreamt of playing tennis there as a kid and I am always in awe visiting every tournament.

What’s London’s best film, book or documentary?

Film: Notes on a Scandal; Book: Julian Barnes, The Sense of an Ending; Documentary: Amy because it showed Camden in its heyday.

What’s your favourite restaurant?

Lusin, Mayfair. It’s an Armenian restaurant in the heart of “fancy” Kensington.

How would you spend your ideal day off in London?

First, brunch at a local Islington restaurant on Upper Street, where I live, then a visit to Broadway, Columbia Road or Portobello Road markets for antiques. Afterwards, I might see something at the Tate Britain if it’s rainy or walk down the Embankment, photographing pub signs around Covent Garden or Knightsbridge. I would wrap the day with an aperitivo at my local, the Angelic, and a play at the Almeida Theatre or a movie at the Castle Cinema in Hackney.

We challenge our contributors to reply to ten devilishly probing questions about their London and we don’t take “Sorry Gov” for an answer. Everyone sitting in the hot seat they will face the same questions ranging from their favourite way to spend a day out in the capital to their most hated building on London’s skyline to find out what Londoners think about their city. The questions are the same but the answers vary wildly.

Charlie and Ellie started Rebel Tours in 2021 wanting to bring something different to the walking tour scene in London. After years of experience as tour guides and historians, they didn’t want to keep telling the same old stories, instead wanted to show a different, more authentic side to London with alternative walks focused on the city’s social history. Meet the Rebels here.

What’s your secret London tip?

Ellie: The Tate Modern has a great viewing platform from their cafe on the top floor of the new building. I always send tourists there, because it’s free and it’s a nice place to have a coffee after looking at all the amazing artwork.

Charlie: Always carry a small umbrella in London, whatever the weather! As well as an extra layer. Even if the sun is shining and it feels warm, we can go from a cloudless blue sky to rain within 10 minutes. It’s hard to remember that this is a small island nation far from the equator, so our weather is very changeable! Once the sun goes down, it is often very chilly, so if you’re planning on being out for the whole day, always ensure that you have a warm layer and something for the rain!

What’s your secret London place?

Ellie: Anywhere near the river immediately relaxes me. I grew up by the sea, so when I see the water I’m always happy. There’s a pub in Wapping called the Prospect of Whitby, which claims to be the site of the oldest tavern on the river. When the weather is nice, I like to sit on one of the balconies and watch the water swish and swirl under my feet.

Charlie: The Pride of Spitalfields is probably my favourite pub in London. It is a proper East End boozer, where all sorts of people come together, and the pints are cheap for central London! It’s hidden away just off Brick Lane, so tourists rarely stumble upon it. If you’re looking to drink with the locals, this is definitely the place to go.

What’s your biggest gripe about London?

Ellie: It’s a classic, but it has to be the extortionate rents and terrible quality of the flats. That would be the only thing that gives me ideas for moving. Charlie doesn’t have that issue anymore!

Charlie: Aside from the cost of living, we are a city that really relies on public transport – and if there are signal failures, strikes, or engineering works, then the whole city shuts down. Always plan ahead, and set off earlier than you think you’ll need to!

What’s your favourite building?

Ellie: I’m always impressed by St Paul’s, no matter how many times I see it. It is one of those buildings that makes me think, wow, I live here. And that’s a privilege, not every place has a building with that effect.

Charlie: I’m going to have to agree with Ellie, nothing beats St Paul’s Cathedral. In terms of interiors though, the Painted Hall out in Greenwich is a must-see!

What’s your most hated building?

Ellie: There’s an office block in Mitre Square in Aldgate and it’s just hideous. It annoys me every time I’m doing our East End tour. It’s totally black and oppressive, like something Darth Vader or Sauron would have built.

Charlie: That’s a tricky one, I actually love all of our buildings. So I’ll say the Palace of Westminster – not because it’s not beautiful, but because I am frustrated by its inhabitants… that’s a fair reason to hate the building, right?

What’s the best view in London?

Ellie: I love to walk across the Millenium bridge and look out to the river. But then I always love to look towards St Paul’s on one end and the Tate Modern on the other. I love that juxtaposition of the old and the new, which you find all over London.

Charlie: I think the view from a bar called Aqua in the Shard is incredible. Rather than paying to go to ‘The View’ at the top, I recommend people grab a cocktail there. Or for a truly free view, you can’t really beat Parliament Hill in Hampstead Heath (less crowded than Primrose Hill), or the view from up by the Royal Observatory in Greenwich.

What’s your personal London landmark?

Ellie: It might be Hanbury Hall in the East End. It’s not a big landmark but there’s so much history in one building. It was built as a church for French Huguenots in the 18th century but in the 1880s it was where meetings were held about the matchstick girls strike led by people like Annie Besant and Eleanor Marx. It was such an interesting time, this is when we see the beginning of Trade Unionism and strike action.

Charlotte: I think I’d say Cross Bones Graveyard in Southwark. This is the final resting place of medieval prostitutes who effectively worked for the church/Bishop of Winchester. They were known as the Winchester Geese. In more recent centuries, the graveyard was used as a general pauper’s burial ground for poor people in the area. The site is prime real estate, and developers have been trying to get their hands on it for years, but the locals have ensured that this does not happen. The fences of the graveyard have been transformed into a shrine: there is a memorial to the Winchester Geese, but also names written on ribbons, of other unfortunate souls buried there, who would otherwise be forgotten – as well as some modern-day sex workers who have been murdered or gone missing. It’s a sombre place, but well worth a visit. There is also an excellent wine bar across the road from it, called the Boot & Flogger.

What’s London’s best film, book or documentary?

Ellie: I absolutely love the Shardlake series by C.J Sansom. It’s set in Tudor times and the protagonist is a lawyer called Matthew Shardlake who always gets himself involved in plots or conspiracies. I think the author is incredible at bringing Tudor London to life. One of my favourite historians is David Olusoga and although it’s not about London specifically, his book Black and British does feature a lot of the capital and it’s really an amazing read.

Charlie: London’s Strangest Tales by Tom Quinn is a great one, full of some of the more unusual and fascinating stories about the history of the city.

What’s your favourite restaurant?

Ellie: Charlie and I often eat in the Halal Restaurant in Aldgate after a tour. It was opened in 1939 and is still run by the same family. The food is great, the prices are very reasonable and they have loads of vegan options.

Charlie: There’s an excellent Mexican restaurant in Euston called Mestizo – it’s proper authentic Mexican, rather than Tex-Mex or other American-style. One of the owners is vegan, so again, they do have a separate vegan menu available. The cocktails are also incredible!

How would you spend your ideal day off in London?

Ellie: A trip with my partner and the dogs to Hampstead Heath with a nice picnic. When they’re all tired from chasing sticks, we drop them off at home and go to our local cinema, The Genesis to watch a film. If I’m not full from all the popcorn, we would go for dinner at the Unity Diner in Spitalfields. Perfect!

Charlie: I live on a narrowboat on the Regent’s Canal; I quite enjoy walking along the towpath to Camden, or around Little Venice. Or I might even drive my boat up to Kensal – there is a great pub there, that you can moor up next to!

We challenge our contributors to reply to ten devilishly probing questions about their London and we don’t take “Sorry Gov” for an answer. Everyone sitting in the hot seat they will face the same questions ranging from their favourite way to spend a day out in the capital to their most hated building on London’s skyline to find out what Londoners think about their city. The questions are the same but the answers vary wildly.

Jane Northcote (JaneSketching.com) is an urban sketcher and printmaker based in the City of London. She sketches in pen and ink and watercolour. She aims to show the changing city: new and old structures together, the often surprising juxtapositions that result from patchwork planning decisions and historical changes of use. Drawing a building is a good way to notice it. Jane’s drawings take about 1-2 hours, done mostly on location. Looking at a building for that length of time reveals architectural details and odd quirks of design, which enriches the experience of the city. Image above shows The Globe Moorgate, sketched 29 August 2022, details can be found here.

What’s your secret London tip?

It’s often quicker to walk. Look at a street map, not the Tube Map. For example, St Pauls to the Barbican is a 5 min straightforward walk north, but a complicated and lengthy Tube journey. It looks a long way on the Tube Map, but the two locations are really close.

What’s your secret London place?

Cleary Gardens off Queen Victoria Street. This garden is almost invisible from the street, it looks built up. But go inside and you find a terraced garden, sheltered by vines and trees, with benches. A lovely quiet sanctuary in the City.

What’s your biggest gripe about London?

The air quality. Cars running their engines when stationary. People leaving rubbish, especially takeaway food containers, in public places. Often they stack them neatly, or line up the discarded cans, as though that makes it better! Bicycles jumping the lights. I am a cyclist. A minority of cyclists zip through red lights and onto pavements, often at unexpected angles. This scares pedestrians and irritates motor vehicle drivers. As well as this being unbelievably dangerous, these selfish miscreants give all cyclists a bad name, and drivers get angry at all of us. I’m in favour of bike registration, as in the Netherlands.

What’s your favourite building?

The ruined church of St Mary Aldermanbury, North of the Guildhall in the City of London. The truncated columns of the church are still there, and the old walls are covered in moss. I like to imagine the church. Sometimes the best buildings are those of the imagination.

What’s your most hated building?

122 Bishopsgate. It’s huge, bland, and has a forbidding entrance at street level. Perhaps it’s nicer on the inside?

What’s the best view in London?

From the Millennium Bridge, early in the morning, looking east.

What’s your personal London landmark?

The Post Office Tower, now the BT Tower. It is often visible from the most surprising places. A sudden view of the BT Tower helps me orient myself.

What’s London’s best film, book or documentary?

There are many. My current favourite is the Slough House series by Mick Herron, starting with “Slow Horses”. He evokes the enormity and the detail of London.

What’s your favourite restaurant?

Am I allowed two? The Turks Head Wapping: a great restaurant, tables in amongst the trees. The Wren Café in St Nicholas Cole: wonderful views of stained glass windows inside, wonderful views of St Pauls outside.

How would you spend your ideal day off in London?

A walk up the river to the Turks Head, lunch outdoors under the trees, a walk back, sketching on the river foreshore, a stroll around exploring city lanes, tea at the Barbican lakeside.

We challenge our contributors to reply to ten devilishly probing questions about their London and we don’t take “Sorry Gov” for an answer. Everyone sitting in the hot seat they will face the same questions ranging from their favourite way to spend a day out in the capital to their most hated building on London’s skyline to find out what Londoners think about their city. The questions are the same but the answers vary wildly.

Joanna Moncrieff is a qualified tour guide in both the City of Westminster and Clerkenwell and Islington and has been leading guided walks in these areas and further afield since 2009. Apart from guiding in Central London she also regularly guides in Walthamstow and has delved quite deep into its history and that of neighbouring but very different Chingford where she lives. Her Walthamstow walk ‘From Monoux and Morris to Beer and Bacon Jam’ is a best seller alongside her West End based ‘Foodie themed Christmas Lights’ walk. Joanna has a number of half-finished research projects which she hopes in time to write-up on her blog. Her upcoming public walks are marketed via Footprints of London and can always be found on the following link. Any of these walks can also be offered for private groups and some of them have virtual versions too.

What’s your secret London tip?

Attending lunchtime concerts in City churches. A bit of culture in a beautiful setting. St Bride’s, St Dunstans in the West, St Stephen Walbrook are just a few that offer these on weekday lunchtimes.

What’s your secret London place?

Canonbury Tower. I’m sure people walk past this Tudor building all the time without noticing it. It has a fascinating and rather mysterious history. You can go inside too; Clerkenwell and Islington Guides lead regular tours of it.

What’s your biggest gripe about London?

People riding scooters and electric bikes who seem to have no consideration or awareness of other road or pavement users.

What’s your favourite building?

St Paul’s. I used to work in an office job close by and took a photo almost every time I walked past! Tower Bridge also falls into this category!

What’s your most hated building?

The Strata Tower; it is just so ugly!

What’s the best view in London?

Not very original but from Waterloo Bridge in both directions.

What’s your personal London landmark?

The series of reservoirs along the River Lea close to where I live which I love looking out for when flying home from overseas.

What’s London’s best film, book or documentary?

At the moment the Rivers of London book series.

What’s your favourite restaurant?

Gotto at Here East, Hackney Wick but Zedel Brasserie is a close second.

How would you spend your ideal day off in London?

A random amble which I do quite often with London obsessed friends. We pick an area or a theme and then spend a day wandering about the streets seeking out things of interest and stopping in a pub or two along the way. We have recently been trying to follow routes from an 1887 guide book.