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.

Jack is a London history lover. He is the founder of Living London History (www.livinglondonhistory.com); a blog with a focus on the quirky hidden history in the city. He has also recently launched guided tours to share his love of the city with others. When he is not guiding or walking around the city, Jack loves going to the theatre and a good pub quiz/pint!

What’s your secret London tip?

If open, always pop your head inside London’s churches. They often have amazing free little museums, such as the crypts of St Bride’s and All Hallows by the Tower. These are great places to see the layers of London’s history before your very eyes!

What’s your secret London place?

The City of London is full of little tranquil pocket parks and secret spots. My favourite would have to be the courtyard of St Vedast alias Foster off Foster Lane, but shush don’t tell too many people!

What’s your biggest gripe about London?

My biggest gripe would probably be the number of cars in London and the air pollution that comes along with them. If there were fewer cars, a greener public transport system and better provisions made for walking and cycling; then I think we would have a healthier, happier and more attractive city.

What’s your favourite building?

I think my favourite building is probably St Paul’s Cathedral but another, quirkier one is Two Temple Place off the Victoria Embankment. It was built in 1895 for the richest man in the world at the time, was built to the highest possible standards of the time and looks like an Elizabethan stronghold inside and out! Look out for its magnificent gold weathervane in the form of the Santa Maria; Columbus’s ship to America. They hold art exhibitions and are open for open house weekends.

What’s your most hated building?

I am not a fan of the newest member of the City of London’s skyscraper family: 22 Bishopsgate. I can see it from the window of my flat and I think it is a bit of a bland behemoth that just dominates the landscape too much.

What’s the best view in London?

For inner-city views, I would have to say the Sky Garden in the Walkie-Talkie. For seeing the city from afar I would say the majestic view you get from Greenwich Park with the Queen’s House in the foreground: it never gets old.

What’s your personal London landmark?

My personal landmark would be the Tower of London. I grew up in Essex, so when getting the train up to London, it is the first landmark you see after leaving the train. It, therefore, represents all those day trips up to the city and gives me that buzz of excitement of being in London.

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

My collection of research and local interest books for London is ever-growing. My favourite in terms of enjoyment would probably be Matthew Green’s London: A Travel Guide Through Time. It is very well written, immersive, fascinating and really sparks inspiration for London’s history.

What’s your favourite restaurant?

Currently top of the list is Dishoom. Both their breakfasts and dinners are amazing.

How would you spend your ideal day off in London?

Well, it would naturally be a day walking around London. If at the weekend I would walk around the City of London, as it is quiet and there is always something new to discover. I love being by the river so I would also walk along the South Bank and grab a drink at one of London’s historic pubs: the George in Southwark perhaps. I would finish the day off by seeing a show at the Globe; an experience that never disappoints.

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 really think about their city. The questions are the same but the answers vary wildly.

Roy Reed is a web designer and co-author of Ghost Signs: A London Story. He has been photographing ghost signs (the fading advertisements painted on the sides of buildings) since 2006. He studied documentary photography at the London College of Printing in the 1970s and then worked as a landscape and architectural photographer. His photos have been featured in exhibitions at the Hayward Gallery, the Royal Academy and many other places. His interest in writing on walls dates to the 1970s, when he began documenting political graffiti.

What’s your secret London tip?

Don’t drive. Get the tube, or better still, get a bus. And look up! It’s depressing seeing everyone walking around heads down just staring at the pavement.

What’s your secret London place?

It’s not that secret, but not many people seem to go there. It’s the Wallace Collection. It houses such an amazing collection of paintings and other artefacts.

What’s your biggest gripe about London?

People who drive into the city (unless it’s part of their job). It’s insane. Why would anyone want to drive in London? It costs a fortune to park – if you can find it anywhere – and makes the air taste foul. I used to cycle in London, but not anymore. I hate the toxic atmosphere between motorists and cyclists – and I am getting on a bit.

What’s your favourite building?

I have two, St Olaf’s House next to London Bridge which I was lucky enough to photograph inside and out for the Thirties exhibition at the Hayward Gallery in 1979 and All Saints, Margaret Street, the most amazing Victorian Gothic church just north of Oxford Street. At one time I would have included Battersea Power Station, but it’s been ruined by the new development that now surrounds it on three sides
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What’s your most hated building?

St Paul’s Cathedral. I’m sorry, but I just don’t like it. It seems such a grandiose monstrosity. One of my greatest wishes would be to travel back in time and see the old Gothic St Paul’s from before the Great Fire of London.

What’s the best view in London?

The best view I ever had of London was on a flight coming back into Heathrow on a very clear evening on 5th November in the 1980s. The whole of the city was lit up with bonfires and fireworks from horizon to horizon.
But for something that you can see any day, Ray Davies had it right:
As long as I gaze on Waterloo sunset
I am in paradise

What’s your personal London landmark?

Postman’s Park – a small public garden just north of St Paul’s. It houses a series of memorial plaques to people who have sacrificed their lives to save others. I used to go and sit there for a few minutes peace and quiet when I was working around the City photographing the new developments around Broadgate.

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

My favourite films based in London would have to include Blow Up, My Beautiful Launderette, Babylon and Passport to Pimlico. Books would be Peter Ackroyd’s London: The Biography and Tom Harrison’s Living Through the Blitz. I was born in Brixton just after the war and the bomb sites were our playground.

What’s your favourite restaurant?

It’s very sad, but they’ve all closed.

How would you spend your ideal day off in London?

Flying kites on Parliament Hill. I’ve been flying kites on and off since I was 10 when my next-door neighbour’s Indian grandfather taught me how to make them. I can still remember the feeling when the first kite I’d made myself just flew out of my hand and sat against a blue sky instead of spinning and crashing like all the shop-bought ones I’d had before.

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 really think about their city. The questions are the same but the answers vary wildly.

Born and raised in Barnes, SW London, I started in the print industry back in 1982, retrained as a journalist in the mid-1990s doing gig reviews for the Birmingham Post & Mail, freelancing for BBC MOTD magazine and BBC Radio 5. I then worked on a print & paper sector magazine and spent 6 years with Haymarket Publishing, travelling all over Europe and USA & Canada. I formed my own PR Consultancy in 2006, and have been dealing with clients across a vast array of sectors, most latterly as PR & Communications for London Taxi PR, promoting and organising media campaigns on behalf of the London Taxi profession.

I’ve written 2 books. London’s Loveable Villain is about my great uncle, Chick Cocky Knight. Son of a London Taxi driver, one of the first British Wrestlers on TV in 1938, he was also the only British sportsperson to be a triple lifesaver.

Tales of a Page tells the first part of my late father’s working life as a Page at London’s Dorchester Hotel in the early 1950s.

What’s your secret London tip?

I’ve walked 8 London Bridges in a day, from Battersea upwards, across and back and along the Thames. It’s a fascinating Thameside combination of views, architecture and scenery. Well worth doing if you have the time and see how The Thames snakes through London and the architecture changes. Look up and look around. It’s amazing what you will see.

What’s your secret London place?

Mount Street Gardens off Mount Street in Mayfair and close to the Church of the Immaculate Conception. A tranquil and serene place where you can sit and ponder as the world passes by. It has its own unique history too, being the site of a former burial ground and workhouse.

What’s your biggest gripe about London?

Too many people all in a rush to get nowhere fast, be they on foot, bike or car!

What’s your favourite building?

Stationers Hall on Ava Maria Lane. A wonderful building steeped in history that I have been fortunate enough to visit and dine in on many occasions as a Liveryman and Freeman of the City of London. Its library is also one of the best in terms of ancient and rare manuscripts.

What’s your most hated building?

City Hall, for far too many reasons. Having been a visitor on many occasions it irks me in so many ways. The design, the wastage of space, the people, I could go on but I won’t!

What’s the best view in London?

I’m lucky enough to have been inside Tower Bridge, and the views from the top, up and down the Thames are simply superb. An amazing piece of historic London architecture.

What’s your personal London landmark?

St. Peter’s Italian Church in Clerkenwell. Opened in 1863, as an apprentice in the print at Back Hill, I often used to pass by and wander in. It’s rightly described as one of the most beautiful churches in London. One visit and you will see why.

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

Film: The Long Good Friday. A classic depiction of pre-developed Docklands and the vision portrayed by Harold Shand (Bob Hoskins) of a thriving business area that would go on to host the Olympic Games in 2012 was the frighteningly realistic prediction of what was to come.

What’s your favourite restaurant?

Used to be (Pierre) Koffmann’s in Knightsbridge, now sadly closed. I’d have to say for food, service, ambience and value The Goring is now a personal favourite.

How would you spend your ideal day off in London?

Breakfast at Pellicci’s in Bethnal Green, followed by a visit to Wapping and the fabulous old pubs of Turner’s Old Star and Captain Kidd. Pie and Mash at G. Kelly’s on the Roman Road, I’d then head to St. Katherine’s Dock for drinks and people watching, a cigar in C.Gars at Jermyn Street culminating with a meal at Sam’s Riverside Restaurant in Hammersmith and a Haymaker Cocktail, named in tribute to my great uncle Chick to round off the day whilst looking out over The Thames.

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 really think about their city. The questions are the same but the answers vary wildly.

Oliver Crane is a decade long black cab driver and founder of Discover Real London (www.discoverreallondon.com), a tour company offering private guided excursions around London and the surrounding areas, all in the comfort of an Iconic London Taxi. When he’s not navigating London’s streets on one of his tours you can find him either on the golf course or spending time with his wife and three young boys.

What’s your secret London tip?

My favourite tip is that there are actually so many free things to do in London if you know where to look! Whether it’s catching the changing of the guard, booking a free place in the sky garden, enjoying one of our world-class museums or strolling through one of London’s Royal Parks, there really is so much to experience for absolutely nothing!

What’s your secret London place?

Leake Street Tunnel. This disused tunnel nestled under Waterloo Station is truly a hidden gem. If you venture down you will be treated to some of the very best street art in the Capital. It’s abundant with street artists on the weekend and the best part is, if you bring a few tins of paint with you, then you will be free to have a go yourself – as it’s completely legal!

What’s your biggest gripe about London?

Roadworks . . . I know it’s a classic but there really is nothing worse when you’re trying to navigate your way around the Capital and getting snarled up in a ton of temporary lights . . . especially when there is no one even working.

What’s your favourite building?

The Gherkin. Norman Foster’s masterpiece is still at the top of the pile for me even after all these years. I love how brave and ground-breaking the architecture is. It really grabbed London’s skyline and dragged it kicking and screaming into the 21st century.

What’s your most hated building?

At the time of writing, it has to be the so-called ‘Marble Arch Mound’. (If you’re reading this beyond 2021 Google it and you’ll be guaranteed a chuckle). At an eye-watering cost of £6 million, this embarrassing tower of scaffold and mud is designed to be a vantage point across Hyde Park, but at 80ft it barely makes it over the trees. The last time I checked it out the plants had largely died and it seemed to be inhabited by flocks of nesting pigeons.

What’s the best view in London?

Primrose Hill. I absolutely love this place and the vista it offers over the city. It’s situated far enough away to offer a broad view of the city, but close enough to pick out the fascinating details of our urban jungle. To top it off, when it’s sunny there is such a lovely vibe at the summit; filled with locals, artists, musicians and happy people soaking up the atmosphere.

What’s your personal London landmark?

St Dunstan’s in the East – A slice of tranquillity in the heart of the square mile. Originally, only known to locals this place is now a mecca for Instagrammers! Check it out and you’ll understand why.

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

Battersea Girl: Tracing a London Life by Martin Knight. A fascinating book that portrays an incredibly human tale of London life in 20th century London.

What’s your favourite restaurant?

Hawksmoor, Air Street – Steak and Art Deco . . . what’s not to love?

How would you spend your ideal day off in London?

It would have to be a bite to eat in Borough Market, a pint in one of London’s old pubs such as the Prospect of Whitby in Wapping, accompanied with the Sunday Papers. Then finally a wander down the Thames to catch the sunset over Waterloo bridge.

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 really think about their city. The questions are the same but the answers vary wildly.

Jennifer is a musician, magician and award-winning London Blue Badge Tourist Guide. A bit dreamy, often happy, always hungry for new experiences, new encounters, new adventures… Originally from Belgium, she fell in love with London on her first visit at the age of 15 and never looked back! She designed the London Magic Tour (www.londonmagictour.com), a walk about the real history of magic from medieval witches and alchemists to tales of great illusionists past and present, interspersed with magic tricks. As a musician, she regularly performs with her duo “One Voice, One Cello & A Mad Belgian” (www.onevoiceonecelloandamadbelgian.com), where she sings and plays soprano saxophone and melodeon. You can contact her at her website (www.amadbelgian.org).

What’s your secret London tip?

Don’t be afraid of getting lost! London is wonderfully full of hidden gems, mysterious alleyways and secret courtyards only accessible to those who explore. So be curious and adventurous, and don’t be afraid to get lost: that’s when the interesting discoveries occur!

What’s your secret London place?

Temple, just off the Strand. It’s only a minute away from the hustle bustle of modern London but you feel transported in another world, beautiful, quiet and just mysterious enough. For a second, you can feel you’ve travelled in time!

What’s your biggest gripe about London?

There are too many cars! Despite the very efficient public transport system, too many people drive into town on their own, which creates traffic jam, pollution, accidents and makes life harder for pedestrians, cyclists, busses… and cab drivers!

What’s your favourite building?

The London Library, a stunning place made up of four separate buildings. Tucked away on the corner of St James’s square, with books from floor to ceiling and large desk spaces for members to work on, it is a place of inspiration and talent which never ceases to amaze me. It is full of interesting (and quirky) characters, too!

What’s your most hated building?

Centre Point, this tall tower that looms over Tottenham Court Road Station, creating wind tunnels and overpowering smaller nearby landmarks such as St Giles’s Church and Denmark Street.

What’s the best view in London?

The Thames at night, from a bridge or, even better, from a boat! Go through central London on the Thames Clipper at dusk, you will fall in love with it all over again.

What’s your personal London landmark?

The Houses of Parliament and its incredibly detailed and intricate Victorian Gothic architecture. The best way to admire it in full is from the other side of the river. I have known it for years yet I am still in awe each time I cycle past it — especially when it is beautifully lit at night.

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

John Lanchester’s Capital. A London-based novel that spans an incredibly large range of characters and gives a real sense of London seen from a multitude of different perspectives. Beautifully written, it shows the human side of London: a great read to accompany your discovery of its history and architecture!

What’s your favourite bar, pub or restaurant?

Bar Italia, in Soho. Just opposite the prestigious Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Club, Bar Italia is a Soho institution, usually open until 5am. The best late-night coffee in town and a true part of London’s history, I love how unassuming it is, whilst still providing very high-quality coffee and Italian treats?

How would you spend your ideal day off in London?

Wandering around Soho, its hidden alleyways and ever-changing range of cafes and shops. Then I would pop by the Harp pub for a good beer and a chat with the regulars, before going to see a show, maybe a good old-fashioned musical with a lot of happy, cheesy songs and good tap. And I would end the night at the Phoenix Artists Club for good music and interesting encounters before cycling back home.