London Tourism/Pubs/Restaurants

InglebyUTB

InglebyUTB

Well-known member
Know many of you live in the capital.

What's it like down there at the moment? Obviously face coverings required on public transport etc.

Every year me and the Mrs go to London and have a weekend in a hotel and just go around the bars, restaurants, etc.

Do you reckon it would be worth doing this year or is it a write off?
 
I haven't been more than 2 km from where I live (just south of centre) and haven't even been north of the river since it all started, but the word is that the centre of London is very quiet indeed with the possible exception of Soho at weekends. I've also heard that you can get a room in a posh hotel for approximately half of the normal cost. Most museums and galleries are open - you need to book for the free ones but by all accounts it's a great experience as the numbers of visitors allowed is much smaller than you would get in 'normal' times. It should be a great time to visit.
 
It's very quiet. The suburbs are busy and I was in Greenwich last week and you wouldn't have thought there was a pandemic other than the face masks. However, central London seems quiet although I haven't been in for a couple of weeks so it may now be getting busy. I went to London Bridge a few weeks ago on a Saturday afternoon and it was a completely different experience walking around Borough market and the south bank - it was deserted, however in some ways maybe that's a good reason to visit.
 
SE4 Red said:
It's very quiet. The suburbs are busy and I was in Greenwich last week and you wouldn't have thought there was a pandemic other than the face masks. However, central London seems quiet although I haven't been in for a couple of weeks so it may now be getting busy. I went to London Bridge a few weeks ago on a Saturday afternoon and it was a completely different experience walking around Borough market and the south bank - it was deserted, however in some ways maybe that's a good reason to visit.
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I've been in to the west end a few times in recent weeks. It's VERY quiet, although it does mean you can get into pretty much every restaurant you fancy at the moment.

If the weathers nice then most places are seating people outside which feels pretty safe. Some places (The Ivy for example) are checking temperature before they'll let you in using Ipads and if you're too hot they ask you to wait outside and test again in 10 minutes (they did to me) which is pretty reassuring.

Careful though as some of the hotels yet open yet.
 
I've been into the centre a couple of times and found it very quiet. I've been to both Tates and not found them overly busy, though most visitors while I've been there have been foreign, which is nice. I've eaten out around Leicester Square, Victoria and Pimlico, areas I don't usually spend much time in and it's been great, really friendly and like visiting a new city.
 
As above, the suburbs are busy where people live but Ive been going into the centre 2-3 days a week to work and its dead. Lots of the sandwich type chains are still shut, very few pubs open. I went to the cinema the other night near where I live and there was 4 people in - and it was only £5 a ticket (normally £15)

The bulk of people who work in London commute in from the home counties or the outlying suburbs - its expensive and not a pleasant experience tbh so if they are given the chance to wfh even a few days a week they are going to take it - Im saving £60 a month on travel and Im only in zone 3
 
InglebyUTB said:
Know many of you live in the capital.

What's it like down there at the moment? Obviously face coverings required on public transport etc.

Every year me and the Mrs go to London and have a weekend in a hotel and just go around the bars, restaurants, etc.

Do you reckon it would be worth doing this year or is it a write off?
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Ingleby if you are after a different experience in London try Le Dance Noir it is a restaurant run by blind people, and the service is conducted in absolute darkness. It is quite an experience.
 
Ironops said:
The bulk of people who work in London commute in from the home counties or the outlying suburbs - its expensive and not a pleasant experience tbh so if they are given the chance to wfh even a few days a week they are going to take it - Im saving £60 a month on travel and Im only in zone 3
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That's me, and I'm saving over £600 a month !
 
I did a great 15 mile walk along the thames path thru london from chiswick last weekend. Really nice atmosphere & far fewer people around than normal. loved it.
 
Off to London next weekend
Going south to Brockley Brewery then up to Hackney Wick for Dinner at barge east.

Looking forward to it
 
1finny said:
Off to London next weekend
Going south to Brockley Brewery then up to Hackney Wick for Dinner at barge east.

Looking forward to it
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Brockley Brewery is my local. Love it. Presumably you're going to the taproom in Brockley? They've now moved the bulk of the actual brewing to a larger industrial unit in Hither Green which is a bit more difficult to get to but also has a tap room.

The tap room in Brockley opens its doors for the first time since lockdown tomorrow (they have been doing take aways) and they've fitted it out with a new bar. Looking forward to trying it out. Anyway enjoy your trip to SE4.

P.s. Crate brewery and beer merchants tap are good shouts for a drink over in Hackney Wick.
 
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SE4 Red said:
Brockley Brewery is my local. Love it. Presumably you're going to the taproom in Brockley? They've now moved the bulk of the actual brewing to a larger industrial unit in Hither Green which is a bit more difficult to get to but also has a tap room.

The tap room in Brockley opens its doors for the first time since lockdown tomorrow (they have been doing take aways) and they've fitted it out with a new bar. Looking forward to trying it out. Anyway enjoy your trip to SE4.

P.s. Crate brewery and beer merchants tap are good shouts for a drink over in Hackney Wick.
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Small world eh?
The original plan was to go to Hither Green and sit in the deck chairs. Went there for a party when it first opened - had a great time.
Not sure now - going down to meet a mate and he’ll decide what’s best for us. He is one of the founders of the brewery and a Director. Good Boro lad too.

Thanks for the Hackney Wick recommendation too (y)
 
I didn't realise there was a boro link. I'll ham up my teesside accent next time I'm in!
The session IPA is 👌 and you should tell him to start doing the munchen lager again - that stuff was great!
 
there’s lots of pluses with the current state of affairs — it’s not all gloom and doom with so many people opting to stay inside or closer to home. I also visited downtown Los Angeles yesterday — traffic congestion was non existent while picking up things or even strolling around felt good for a change without the need to scramble for a parking space— even the meter maids have gone! Nonetheless I’d still rather have us back to pre pandemic scenario than where we are now.
 
SE4 Red said:
I didn't realise there was a boro link. I'll ham up my teesside accent next time I'm in!
The session IPA is 👌 and you should tell him to start doing the munchen lager again - that stuff was great!
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I sent him his Boro face mask the other week - got a pic back from him wearing it at the new place
 
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