For those new to CabbieBlog or readers who are slightly forgetful, on Saturdays I’m republishing posts, many going back over a decade. Some will still be very relevant while others have become dated over time. Just think of this post as your weekend paper supplement.

Goldilocks Hotels are just ‘right’ (12.04.11)

The ignominy, being thrown out of a hotel for the second time; it happened to me last week quite unexpectedly. The hotel in question, which uses Scotland’s national flower for its trademark, has decided that cabbies are persona non grata.

They are, not unreasonably, fed up with a procession of cabbies traipsing across their foyer to use their own “guests” toilets; but for them, the problem they face is that their hotel is a Goldilocks Hotel.

Let me explain: Some hotels are too posh, and wouldn’t want cabbies rubbing shoulders with their well-heeled customers in rest room. At the other end of the scale are the budget hotels whose customers don’t have the luxury of anything beyond their room and in the foyer a showcase of flyers with suggestions on how to spend their time in London after their budget breakfast. Between those polar opposites fall the Goldilocks Hotels, not too cheap, nor too rich; they are just right. Here cabbies can park outside; usually, these hotels also have taxi ranks, and gratefully use the toilets facilities.

Once it was a matter of civic pride for a borough council to build public toilets, often with gleaming brass pipes and beautiful tiling, while many toilets would have an attendant on duty to ensure that high standards were maintained.

Now many London Boroughs trying to squeeze as much value from the rates, to justify their manager’s inflated salaries find that maintaining adequate toilets that non-ratepayers might use, how can I put it? An inconvenience.

If you need to leave your taxi unattended while answering the call of nature, finding somewhere to park in Central London can prove at best difficult, at night in the West End, impossible.

Overzealous parking attendants, themselves indirectly employed by the self-same councils whose toilets you are trying to use. Cameras are now employed to book you for parking if your stay exceeds the magical two minutes and one second beyond that allotted time allowed for stopping cabs. I would defy anyone to be able to answer the call of nature in that Olympic time. At night, with no parking places available, it makes bladder control a prerequisite for passing The Knowledge.

Garages would seem united in their inability to find a decent plumber, for most claim when asked, that their toilets are out of order. Some of London’s private squares are covered by CCTV cameras, so fed up are the residents with people using their beautiful gardens as a toilet.

So I (and my bladder) would like to thank all the Goldilocks Hotels who tolerate the cab trade using their facilities and would like to think my colleagues will always provide those self-same hotels guests with the cabs they might require.

For those new to CabbieBlog or readers who are slightly forgetful, on Saturdays I’m republishing posts, many going back over a decade. Some will still be very relevant while others have become dated over time. Just think of this post as your weekend paper supplement.

A no win situation (05.04.11)

When it landed with a thump on my doormat I thought the heavy manila envelope was the Census. I was soon to discover that its contents were not so benign, it was a court documents relating to a traffic accident occurring a few months previously, claiming personal injury.

Stopping late one night at traffic lights I inadvertently pulled up my handbrake insufficiently, and while distracted the automatic cab inched forward to touch the car in front. We got out, exchanged details; I took photographs of what appeared to be two undamaged vehicles and we went on our way. The next day the third party informed me that he was claiming on his insurance, although independent engineer’s report later contradicted the assertion of damage to either vehicle.

I don’t want to elaborate on my case as, at the time of writing, the case is sub judice, but I did notice that the plaintiff’s solicitors were a company well known for their remorseless “no win – no fee” advertising on local radio.

So we now have a situation that the plaintiff knows he’s not injured, his solicitor knows his client knows his claim is spurious and my solicitor knows that the other solicitor knows his client’s claim is based on a tissue of lies.

Since Legal Aid has all but been denied to anyone who has a job, leaving only convicted foreign criminals who are trying to evade deportation access to free legal representation, a whole sub-culture has built up in the legal profession, with all those involved knowing many cases on their books are works of fiction.

In most cases insurers just pay out nominal out of court settlements, as they know it’s cheaper that way, and the claimant will settle for a few thousand pounds, knowing that their claim is groundless and could not stand up to sustained interrogation in court.

The result of all this is that if you really do have a valid claim and will not be bought off for a small sum, settlement can take years. My neighbour’s daughter has suffered from an industrial injury, having waited over two years; she has no idea how long will be the wait for compensation for an injury that in later years will have a profound effect on her mobility.

I always thought that when studying to join the legal profession, apart from wanting to receive a reasonable income, the student hoped when qualified they could improve people’s lives with their learned and impartial advice. What must it be like on graduating with a law degree to find yourself processing – and that is what it is – claims, many of which you know are invalid? The newly qualified solicitor must suspect that previous generations in the legal profession wouldn’t have touched many of these cases for fear of being accused of malpractice.

If the plaintiff in my case does receive compensation he will probably put it towards his insurance premiums, for the irony of all this is that we are all paying on average 25 per cent more for motor insurance to cover these unreasonable claims, and as young inexperienced drivers claims are rising more steeply than other more experience motorists so are their premiums – as a result we all lose out.

For those new to CabbieBlog or readers who are slightly forgetful, on Saturdays I’m republishing posts, many going back over a decade. Some will still be very relevant while others have become dated over time. Just think of this post as your weekend paper supplement.

The Village People (29.03.11)

I’ve often thought that successful estate agents have been blessed with as fertile imagination as that possessed by J. K. Rowling. First we had such euphemisms as Pied à Terre, no lift; compact, no room; walking distance, get stout shoes; in need of modernisation, dump; conveniently situated, above a 24 hour corner shop; popular, with rowdy teenagers.

For long cabbies have been directed to Dulwich when the destination is in fact Peckham, Islington for Dalston and South Chelsea – well, anywhere south of the River.

Now a new type of creative advertising has been creeping in. An article in the leading taxi trade paper drew my attention to the many times that I’ve been asked for a village of late.

In recent years estate agents have taken the expression that London is just a series of villages to a whole new level. In an effort to make properties more marketable in downmarket areas, at the same time pushing up house prices, and therefore their commission a series of “villages” have been created.

Their customers have believed the hype and are now calling their neighbourhood a village. Chepstow Village appears to be in a rather downmarket area of Notting Hill, I was given Chelsea Village once that turned out to have a village green the size of a triangular traffic island, which in fact it was.

Victoria Park Village is a favourite with its proximity with the City, as someone who was brought up there; the trade journalist described it as “a dodgy 1960’s roundabout”. It has its obligatory organic shops and a baker that caters for the ladies who lunch. Yesterday I went to Millennium Village that turned out to be in the middle of the empty space that is the Greenwich Peninsular.

I’m just waiting for 2013 when the Olympic Village will feature on east London’s estate agents brochures as village life in the heart of an industrial wasteland. I bet they are sharpening their pencils now.

For those new to CabbieBlog or readers who are slightly forgetful, on Saturdays I’m republishing posts, many going back over a decade. Some will still be very relevant while others have become dated over time. Just think of this post as your weekend paper supplement.

The A to Z of London – Parts 1 and 2 (18.03.11 and 25.03.11)

I could have subtitled this 26 places to see in London before you die, OK it’s a bit dramatic but for tourists and Londoners alike the City should be explored but with so much choice can be a little bewildering. Covering an area of over 610 sq miiles and a population of over 7 million there’s an awful lot to choose from. It’s tempting to go for the most famous tourist hot spots, many of which will be both crowded and expensive. So what criteria should be applied to the top 26? The common denominator is a simple one; each place must impress the visitor or Londoner – and I hope you dear reader – it should give some sense of the City’s magic, integrity, wonder or legacy and offer value for money.
So here it is – Your Handy Cut Out and Keep Guide to London:

A walk along the South Bank of the Thames is one of the best ways to see the City. Christopher Wren rented a house here to watch his St. Paul’s rising from the ashes after the Great Fire, and you can too. London’s skyline is continually changing and from this vantage point, many landmarks are visible. Visit the Anchor Inn for refreshments.

British Museum is one of the largest collections of human artefacts in the world. So many exhibits are on display pick the best: the Rosetta stone; Elgin Marbles; and the Egyptian Gallery. Richard Rogers covered the courtyard with a dramatic roof; enjoy your coffee break there.

Claridges for partaking in the English tradition of taking afternoon tea. Elegant, with its green crockery, delicious and efficient. The clientele tends to be regulars and more refined than the Ritz which has at times had the nouvelle rich being a little brash.

Drive a London cab. Alright a little self-promotion here, but take a taxi tour and have yourself photographed “driving” a London cab with Big Ben in the background.

Eros in the heart of the West End. The statute is in fact a memorial to the 7th Earl of Shaftsbury and is intended to represent the angel of Christian charity. OK, it’s not Times Square but the illuminated adverts are worth watching.

Fly the London Eye. This elegant modern piece of engineering was built by David Marks and Julia Barfield for the Millennium; it’s Europe’s tallest observational wheel. Buy advanced tickets and enjoy the 40-minute flight soaring 412 feet into the sky, worth every penny for the unparalleled views – and surprisingly no vertigo.

Globe Theatre. The original was built in 1598 and saw many of Shakespeare’s plays performed there. Cannon fire during a performance in 1613 of Henry VIII set the thatch alight, rebuilt it eventually closed in 1642. It took an American, Sam Wanamaker, whose inspiration and drive got this perfect replica built, a perfect except that is for the fire sprinklers, where’re taking no chances this time. Visit in summer and watch the theatre like you have never experienced before. Simply brilliant. The good interactive museum next door.

Houses of Parliament. Tours are possible during summer months or if you are a UK resident contact your MP to be booked into a conducted tour, be warned though; you might have to endure your MP’s waffle afterwards. Alternatively, it is best seen at night from the Albert Embankment on the south bank of the Thames. Stunning.

Ivy Restaurant. Book a table at London’s best-known celebrity restaurant, just don’t stare if you see a celeb, it’s not done. Described as “modern eclectic” the Welsh rarebit is to be recommended. Failing to get a table try Rules Restaurant London’s oldest eatery, serving traditional fare in its present location since 1798.

Jack the Ripper tours most evenings in East London during summer. He murdered at least five prostitutes at the end of the 19th century. The case remains unsolved, but a small industry has built up catering for the less squeamish.

Kew Gardens are worth a trip into West London. The gardens are a convergence of three 17th-century projects. The Palm House is worth the trip alone. Pop into The Maids of Honour Tea Room opposite for a delicious tea before you go home.

Librarians in the British Library try to keep a copy of every book that has been published in the United Kingdom and the building contains over 14 million books. Forget the academia head for the museum with its exhibitions on how early printing was done. Also, early editions of English classics are on show.

Music played in St. Martin’s in the Fields church by Trafalgar Square. Performed in 18th-century costume and illuminated by candlelight. Romantic and ethereal.

This is the second part of “the 26 places to see in London before you die” to cut out and keep. The choice of what is best in London is by its nature subjective, and inevitably I’ve left some places out, I have not, for obvious reasons, been on the Big Bus Company’s excellent tour of London. More importantly at the end, I have included some popular tourist activities you should, in my opinion, avoid.

National Gallery’s collection of French Impressionists is one of the finest in the world, but if you want to examine some of the collection in more detail then join one of the evening lectures conducted by an art expert. When you have seen enough of the world’s masterpieces the restaurant at the top of the Sainsbury Wing has tremendous views towards Buckingham Palace.

Opening approximately 500 times a year Tower Bridge should be on everyone’s itinerary. But don’t just take a picture and move on, go on the Tower Bridge Tour and experience one of the world’s most iconic bridges. Best photographed from the car park of the Gouman Hotel and not standing on the bridge like most tourists seem to favour.

Phantom of the Opera was first performed 25 years ago and still pulls in the crowds, particularly liked by the Japanese. When you see it you’ll understand just why Lloyd Webber is simply the greatest living writer of musicals. The stage design by Maria Björnson is worth the price of the tickets.

Queen’s official residence in London is Buckingham Palace and from the outside, it is probably the most boring palace that you’ve ever seen. Come in August and take the tour inside to see its magnificence – every room designed to proclaim you are in the presence of royalty.

Routemaster Bus Ride, take a bus ride on a piece of London history. You can take a ride on one of those iconic red double-decker buses, it beats me why all those tourists that get excited every time they watch one go past, never actually go for a ride on it. Only two Routemaster routes exist nowadays, on what are known as ‘Heritage Routes’ numbers 9 and 15. Take the ride you know you want too . . . a real piece of nostalgia.

St. Paul’s is Christopher Wren’s masterpiece a tour will show you why Londoners just love this building. Wren was one of the first to have been buried in the crypt, his tomb marked by a simple black marble slab that reads “Lector, si monumentum requiris, circumspice” (Reader, if you seek his monument, look around you) – precisely.

Tate Britain, not to be confused with Tate Modern. By all means, go to Tate Modern to catch the boat which runs between the two “Tates”, then head for the Clore Gallery, which is dedicated to the work of England’s greatest painter J. M. W. Turner.

Underground or the Tube as Londoners call it, among other things. It was the world’s first subway system and many of its regular users would say that it still retains much of its original charm – and infrastructure. Don’t let that put you off, when it’s working the tube is by far the easiest way around London. The iconic signage with the roundel, Art Deco stations like my favourite Southgate and the much-copied underground map is worthy of attention.

Victoria and Albert Museum have a representation of cultures from around the world. That said it is “acquired” from Great Britain’s Dominions or in modern parlance, taken from its subjected peoples. It’s free and whatever civilization you have an interest in you’ll find it represented here. If you have children then take them to the Science or Natural History Museum nearby – both are great fun for children and adults alike.

Wolf’s Statute high up in Greenwich Park gives you the most commanding view you will find of London. Nearby Maritime Greenwich is a world heritage site. Only a short ferry trip away from central London, yet many of its inhabitants have never bothered to visit. Home to Greenwich Mean Time (have yourself photographed standing astride the meridian line), Maritime Museum, Royal Observatory, Christopher Wren’s Old Naval College, Inigo Jones’ Queen’s House and presently being restored after a fire the Cutty Sark once the world’s fastest tea clipper. Spend the day but wear sensible shoes for the hill is quite a climb.

X marks the spot where all measurements from London are taken. King Charles’ Statute on Trafalgar Square should be the start of a walk through Admiralty Arch and into St. James’s Park, London’s prettiest open space, head towards Buckingham Palace at the other end of the park. Double back to the Houses of Parliament nearby.

Ye Old Cheshire Cheese, located on Fleet Street is probably the most popular tourist attraction pub in all of London. Famed for being one of the oldest pubs in London and what I like about the place is that it still retains much of its old-world charm. The pub is said to have been frequented by numerous famous literary figures, including Charles Dickens, Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Mark Twain, Alfred Tennyson and William K Wallace! I constantly hear people whining on about the Ye Old Cheshire Cheese being a tourist trap, but if a tourist trap is a bar full of people from all around the world, having a few drinks enjoying themselves, it is a good place to be if you ask me!

Zoo in Regent’s Park is one of the world’s oldest menageries. Now dedicated to conservation and education. I spent much of my childhood there and loved watching the penguins in their beautiful pool. Alas, the penguins have been moved into a new enclosure, but the pool designed by Berthold Lubetkin is a Grade I listed building in the UK Government scheme for protecting important buildings. Don’t miss the new rainforest constructed in the old mammal house – fascinating.

There you have it my personal favourites. And here to save you time and money is a selection of the things you should avoid.

Madam Tussauds. Yes I know it’s London’s most popular tourist destination, and the queue outside is a testament to that. Not cheap a combined family ticket with the next choice on my list to avoid costs £159.60. The only realistic waxwork is Colonel Gadaffi and he looks like a waxwork in real life.

London Dungeon, the personal choice here, if you like blood and gore under a Victorian railway arch this is for you. I found it depressing.

Steak Houses. Two chains of tourist trap steak houses are scattered around London, not an all-inclusive price, you pay for the “extras”. And Hey! Who wants to eat black forest gateaux these days it’s a relic from the 1970s.

Mini-cabs, if you take just one thing away after reading these posts, it should be this: Don’t get into a vehicle that the driver claims are a cab, many are expensive, dirty and dangerous. Hail a black cab or go to a minicab office registered by the PCO and stay safe.

London Aquarium. I’m probably being unfair here, the kids seemed to enjoy it, but London’s aquarium isn’t a patch on many others around the world. It also is quite dark in there, but if it’s raining, there are worse places to go – no restaurant or tea room though.

Oxford Street. If you took out Selfridges and John Lewis this mile-long shopping thoroughfare would have nothing to commend it – except a traffic jam of buses and road works. Try Regent Street or Knightsbridge.

Billed as the world’s longest-running theatre production, the Mousetrap seems to be a must with American tourists. London has over 100 other theatres each providing better drama and entertainment. Ask me nicely and I’ll tell you who has done it.

I’ve lost count of the number of people who wanted to see Notting Hill in my cab. Trust me all are disappointed, it’s nothing like the film. Having said that the writer of Notting Hill, Richard Curtis still lives there, but you won’t see Hugh Grant or Julia Roberts.

Abbey Road pedestrian crossing was made famous by the Beatles’ last iconic LP cover. But it is just that – a pedestrian crossing. If you do get run over by a frustrated motorist who is fed up with tourists just standing in the middle at least it’s on CCTV as a live feed is to be found on the web.
London Bridge is on the site of the Thames’s earliest crossing, don’t confuse it with Tower Bridge, it is what it calls itself – just a bridge.

Pedicabs or rickshaws – It’s not a matter of “if” rather than “when” a serious accident or fatality involving a London rickshaw takes place. The rickshaw drivers do not have criminal record checks and are not tested on road safety or their knowledge of London streets, with the result that the streets of Soho and Covent Garden have become a dangerous free for all with over 400 plying for hire and already one London pedicab driver has been convicted of raping a passenger, they are also the dearest way to get around London – you have been warned.

Mobile hot dog stands. Why anyone would buy food from the itinerant food venues is beyond me, the man preparing the food hasn’t the facilities to even wash his hands. So don’t blame me if after eating one you spend the next day using the en-suite in your hotel room.

So there you have it – The Good, The Bad and The Ugly of London – the list isn’t comprehensive but I hope at best the selection has given a flavour of what can be found in our Capital City. As the great Londoner Samuel Johnson said: “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.”

For those new to CabbieBlog or readers who are slightly forgetful, on Saturdays I’m republishing posts, many going back over a decade. Some will still be very relevant while others have become dated over time. Just think of this post as your weekend paper supplement.

Bog standard (16.03.11)

No matter how glum I may feel driving around London the sight of a Pimlico Plumbers’ van with their amusing number plates: W4TER, DRA1N, BOG 1 or my favourite 701LET is guaranteed to put a smile on my face, and if you want one for your home they have now even produced a diecast model of their iconic blue and white livered vans that you can buy. I doubt if these miniatures announce “This Pimlico Plumbers van is reversing” as the full sized version does but I guarantee that when you purchase the model it will be as immaculately clean as the originals are maintained.

The company’s founder and Managing Director, Charlie Mullins, is the archetypical London boy made good. Bunking off school at the age of nine to help a local plumber, he couldn’t wait to stop his education early to become an apprentice plumber.

Once he became a journeyman plumber, and after a couple of false starts, he founded Pimlico Plumbers. His the success, and this should be memorised by every aspiring business leader, isn’t through any special business plans, strategies or forecasts, the core values established from the outset are still the key drivers to the business’ success today. Quality of service.

Charlie looked at all the bad things people think about the plumbing industry: the ripping off, looking scruffy, dirty old van, making out that you can’t get the part, not finishing the job, never turning up on time. He reckons that if you just do the opposite to all the bad things you can’t fail.

Another unusual aspect of Pimlico Plumbers is their willingness to employ older staff; something that many of my generation have found to their cost, that employers are unwilling or unable to take on middle aged staff. Pimlico’s have gone way beyond that age demographic. George Gibbs, aged 83 of Snodland, sent an appeal out in his local newspaper and some of Pimlico Plumbers employees who lived in the area brought the paper in for Charlie to read. The boss, who has appeared on Channel 4’s The Secret Millionaire, was impressed and hired Gibbs as a van driver. Pimlico’s have in the past employed even older staff, Buster Martin, who sadly passed away in April, was Britain’s oldest employee at 104.
Now Pimlico Plumbers is on the search for classic ‘Crappers’ and plumbing icons for its new museum featuring bathrooms from the past 150 years; Victorian toilets, art-deco basins from the 1930s and of course Thomas Crapper originals.

Charlie Mullins whose client list includes Harry Hill, Jack Dee and Helena Bonham Carter is always keen to promote his trade, claims that plumbing is the world’s second oldest profession and the skills and innovations of the industry have touched everyone’s lives. His new museum intends to showcase a range of quirky exhibits that will demonstrate the ingenuity of pluming engineers and bring back memories for visitors.

Entry to the museum in Sail Street will be free with a collection box for nominated charities and it has to be near the top of London’s most quirky museums.