Well ‘ello there gov’nor!
I want to start this article off with a big thank you to my co-host of the Push the Point channel Dan Tripp, a local of London, for helping put this article together. I am a simple man who lives in the small town of Kettering, so getting his knowledge of the area was invaluable.
Thank you Tripp!
But before I waffle on (talk too much), I've put British slang in this article with the meaning behind it. I hope you find it enjoyable and maybe even learn a thing or two about how we chinwag (talk) to each other.
Also, Britain is a pretty wet and rainy country, so some warm clothing and a coat is highly advised. April can sometimes bring some fine weather, but the odds are, it'll likely rain.
Anyway, let's crack on!
Welcome to the city of dreams, the coolest area this side of the Thames. London is not just a great city; it is an inclusive and wonderful place. So, what is there to do in London? Well first things first, London is MASSIVE. The Flesh and Blood World Tour will be based in the Excel, in East London. I strongly suggest that, to make the most of your time in London, you must seek horizons far and wide across the city. Let’s start with some advice for getting round.
Trot Along
The first and most important thing to work out on arriving in the big city, is one of our crown jewels—The London Underground. We call it “the Tube”’, and although we British often whinge (get annoyed), it is actually reliable and works very well to get you where you need to go. If you’re traveling in from any of the major London airports, you’ll have a few options to get you into London itself.
For Heathrow, you’ll have access to London’s newest train line (and the debate about whether it counts as an underground line), the Elizabeth Line. You can also get the Piccadilly Line from Heathrow at cheaper cost, but this will be slower than the Elizabeth Line.
For Gatwick you’ll have the Gatwick Express, which will take you to London Victoria. From there the Tube can take you nearly anywhere you want to go.
Of course, if you want to feel like Charlie (King Charles III), you’ll travel to London City Airport. This airport is LITERALLY right next to the venue. So well done, pop the kettle on, you’re there on arrival!
Command and Conquer-ing the Tube
The London Underground accepts contactless card payments—that includes contactless phone payments—and is a very easy system to use. I recommend downloading apps like Citymapper or using Google Maps to help navigate London. There’s a preconception about the Tube that no one natters (talk) on board. But honestly, people are very happy to answer questions about which is the right tube line to get.
There are not too many rules when using the Tube that most people going to or living in capital cities around the world don't already know. Don't dilly dally (slow walking) but don’t peg it (run) either. Don’t put your bag on the seat, and let people off the train before you get on. Just don't be a plum (being rude). Some tubes run throughout the night, so look up the night tubes and put together a plan to get home. If the Tube lets you down there are many buses that run at a very regular schedule. And if in doubt, there’s always a Bolt, Uber, or a Black Cab. Happy Days!
Born Near the Bloodrush Bellows of Bow Church
Right, so let’s start with East London. The Excel is in the East, and you’ll have access to it via The Tube. The East is known for being a cool, hip, and happening place.
East London has some amazing food, summed up wonderfully by the well-known Brick Lane. The Brick Lane curry houses are world renowned. But the best place to go on Brick Lane is Beigel Bake; home of the best salt beef beigel in London. You can’t visit Brick Lane without trying one, and it’s very affordable. Don’t be put off by the long queue—they are an efficient bunch in there and it moves very fast. If you don’t eat meat there’s plenty of other options too; I’m quite partial to crème cheese. Lovely Jubbly!
While in the area you can also check out Spitalfields Market and maybe take a walk around the market stalls. You also won’t be too far from the brutalist monument that is the Barbican Centre. Well worth a visit, with regular exhibitions and shows.
While of course you should certainly spend your Sunday morning playing a good old-fashioned game of Flesh and Blood, if you or someone you’re traveling with find yourself twiddling your thumbs (got some free time), there’s no experience like heading over to Columbia Road Flower Market on… Columbia Road. A mix of beautiful flowers and hardened, east-end market stall owners is a match made in heaven. There are plenty of cafés and pubs to take your feet after working your way through the ring of roses.
Find Center
Central London is BUSY. But it’s also where you’ll find some of the more well-known tourist attractions and sites, such as Buckingham Palace, Westminster, The London Eye, and of course, Big Ben!
I highly recommend a visit to the British Museum where you can find all the artifacts we 100% legitimately acquired, no questions asked. The museum is free but can get quite busy. Try and book a tour of its Reading Room, which is honestly one of the wonders of the modern reading world.
While you’re near the British Museum you can venture down to Oxford Circus, a long street filled with shops and department stores. If you do fancy shopping I would recommend at least going to Selfridges as the store itself is quite impressive.
If you actually fancy some proper shopping, I’d instead recommend going to Coals Drop Yard which is right behind St Pancras International Station. It’s a much newer development, and very swanky (stylish). There’s lots of great restaurants there including Dishoom, Caravan, and The Lighterman. There’s also a smashing cocktail bar called Spiritland if you fancy a few (have a drink).
If instead you want to continue your museum adventures, jump on the underground and head to South Kensington. Here you’ll find the Natural History Museum, the Victoria and Albert Museum, and the Science Museum—all in basically the same area.
Heavy Industry Power Plant
One of the newest developments in London is the complete overhaul of Battersea Power Station. Accessible on the Northern Line, this area is well worth a visit with plenty of shops and restaurants—and of course the incredible Battersea Power Station itself with its massive four chimneys. I strongly recommend a bar called Control Room B; it is located within the old control room of the power station and has a two-person cocktail that you drink out of a miniature ceramic version of the power station. You Beauty (very nice)!
Evergreen
Green spaces abound in London, and it’s one of its greatest assets. To the north-east you’ll find the outskirts of Epping Forest where you can get stuck into woodland walks. To the south you’ll find Clapham Common; a parkland with a huge number of high-quality food places and bars and, for those who feel a bit fruity, the nightclub Infernos. To the north you’ll find the historic Hampstead Heath. But my favourite of all—and sadly its a trek away (far) from Excel—is Kew Gardens in West London.
Make the trek to this part of the city, however, and you’ll be rewarded with one of the finest gardens in the world—and the most incredible temperate houses too. Not to be missed is the Great Pagoda at the south end of the park and the Bamboo Garden to the north. This is truly one of the most special places in London and while the journey is a little long, it’s very simple on the district line to get there.
Soul Food
Some people claim British food is like dishwater (bland), but the restaurants and food in London takes the best of what the world has to offer and puts all in one easy to access location. There are honestly too many to mention in one article but I would recommend the following as my favourite places to eat.
Firstly, the wonderfully named Food House in Chinatown has the best hotpot in the city. You can’t go too wrong in Chinatown, but this is the one you should go to.
Secondly, if you find yourself in the north of the city you must go to Tollington’s Fish Bar, in Finsbury Park. For our Spanish friends visiting the city, you will find a place seeking to emulate the pintxo bar of northern Spain—with a North London twist. It also lays claim to having the best chips in London; I’ll let you decide on that.
London has some excellent Taco bars, one of my favourites is Homies on Donkeys in Leytonstone which isn’t too far from the Excel. You also can’t go wrong with Breddos Tacos in Clerkenwell.
London has excellent ramen joints, but my favourite at the moment is a very small place south of Borough called Tokoton Ramen. It has the benefit of being literally round the corner from Bad Moon Café, a local game store that hosts Flesh and Blood Armories!
But what if you're vegan? You’re sorted! There are THOUSANDS of vegan food offerings in London and you will be spoilt for choice. There’s lots of great advice online to where to go for vegan food, and you’ll find the quality to be really high. Most regular restaurants cater to vegans really well, and there are also loads of pure vegan restaurants as well. Highlights for me include Tokoton Ramen above which does great vegan ramen, and a place called Mallow in Borough Market.
I can’t believe I’ve only just mentioned Borough Market, but it is of course an amazing place for food. Well worth going and trying everything they have on offer!
Drink ‘Em Under the Table!
Pubs are a huge part of British culture as a meeting place of common folk. Of course, the natural state in the gaff (pub) is pint in hand, but many pubs do excellent non-alcoholic beers and there is a big industry of non-alcoholic drinks as well. London caters to all!
There are many historical pubs in London, and I will of course suggest a few. But the true pub experience is to find your local.
Perhaps the most famous of the pubs in London is the Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street. Now this is a proper historic pub, being 487 years old. Though the pub was rebuilt after the fire of London in 1666. It’s a great pub and well worth a Butcher's Hook (look around).
Many pubs in London lay claim to being the oldest but I have a soft spot for one of my old locals, the Prospect of Whitby. It can be found in East London and backs onto the Thames, allowing a good walk if the tide is out.
Another favourite of mine is the Princess Louise in Holborn with its wood panelled interiors and division; you literally have to duck under a barrier to move around each part of the pub.
All London locals will have their favourite haunt (frequent visit), so ask around and try a few out!
Of course, always remember to drink responsibly!
Throw Yourself at Them
But the best thing about London is there are so many amazing places to play Flesh and Blood!
You’re spoilt for choice with Armories. We have Darksphere in Shepherds Bush—where James White himself made a star appearance not that long ago. Spellbound Games in Elephant and Castle, P9 in Bethnal Green, and Bad Moon Café in Borough (south of London Bridge).
And, of course, being in London you have excellent transport links to Armories further afield. I have a soft spot for Dice and Destiny in Canterbury, which is just over an hour by train from the city. You also can’t go wrong with a day trip to the Brighton seaside and drop in at Dice Saloon.
Final Act
So there you have it, this still doesn't come close to everything London has to offer! Some of the best parts of London is finding your own little adventure and seeing something that not even locals will know of! I once went to Leiscter Square and wandered into a pillow fight gathering. Yes, hundreds of people brought pillows and had a pillow fight!
But I'll be honest, the small town of Kettering, home to the world champion of snooker and the great Comedian James Acaster. Roughly 97.5 miles away from London Excel and my home, is the real place to be.
We have Wicksteed Park!
COME ON MY SON!
IT'S COMING HOME!
