Forget Paris, forget Madrid. Outdoor entertainment has really blossomed around London in recent years. Global warming? Perhaps. Well it’s one excuse for burning old tyres I suppose. Whether you already have a skill or want to learn how to busk, the streets of london could be paved with gold and you could make money busking.     

Best places for buskers

The South Bank

Charlie Chaplin street entertainer

   Street entertainers and buskers are mainly focused along the Albert Embankment by Jubilee Gardens. Here you’ll find the biggest gathering of buskers and street entertainers in London with a couple of dozen performing every weekend. It’s also quite busy on summer weekdays as it benefits from the crowds of London Eye visitors. There are all sorts of acts here. As well as the usual living statues and mascot costume “take a photo” type there are some unique and outstanding entertainers. Of particular note is the Charlie Chaplin impersonator who does a complete act and is actually better than the original. There are actually often two Charlie Chaplins on the South Bank at the same time, though the other one doesn’t do a show. During the summer the nearby National Theatre also stage the excellent Watch This Space festival when bring together some of the best street entertainers from around the world.     

 Covent Garden

Blue guitar man. A great example of how to be unique and stand out.

Things are more organised around Covent Garden. There is a main stage area with the actor’s church, St Paul, forming an impressive backdrop. This stage is for big acts and a strict booking system is in place. Think escapologists, tight rope walkers and fire eaters. There are other pitches inside Covent Garden which are often used by more sedate acts like chamber music and opera singers. Outside Covent Garden station you’ll find many living statues and the odd magician. You’ll have to audition to perform in Covent Garden so check out the official website for more details. And good luck.     

 Trafalgar Square

A very busy square though no busking actually takes place in the main area around the fountains. Instead street entertainers are limited to the northern edge next to the National Gallery.     

 The tube

London underground is a great place for buskers with it’s massive footfall. In the past buskers risked being ejected by underground staff but now London Transport has seen the light. They realised a few years ago that it would be better to organise official busker pitches rather than trying to fight the unofficial ones. That way they are able to control the quality and behaviour of buskers. As an added bonus they realised that the presence of a busker in a tube tunnel also improved safety for passengers so it’s a win win situation. There are 39 official busking pitches on the tube system. Click here for more details on busking on the London Underground.     

 Subways and underpasses

 

Joe Strummer Subway Harrow Road 

 The tradition home of the guitar playing busker. Buskers can be found in underpasses all over central London.     

 What a busker can expect to make

Buskers are notoriously vague about how much they earn.  Certainly earning are extremely variable with hourly as well as daily and seasonal differences. Of course a bad busker could make nothing at all but a good ones claim they can make up to £40 an hour. Others talk of making £150 per day so for some it’s a full time job. The different earning achieved is particularly obvious in the case of the many mascot characters populating the South Bank.  Some have a regular stream of people wanting their photo taken with them while other stand there alone.     

 

Good and bad busking 

Of course choosing the right costume is a big factor in that instance but I would say the biggest factor is how these characters interact with the crowd. Take the photo on the left. The guy in the foreground is just standing there. He hasn’t even got his head on properly. The long arm character in the background is literally reaching out to passersby and interacting with them. Get that right and you will do well.     

 Training options

If you’ve already got a skill such as guitar playing then there’s nothing stopping you from starting right away. There are also plenty of places where you can learn juggling and other circus skills but for more specific training and inside tips and on how to become a busker check out the School of Busking which offer classes and videos and The Buskers Bible online training.

Tower Hotel London with Tower Bridge in foreground

Tower Hotel London
St Katharine’s Way
London E1W 1LD
Tel: 0871 376 9036

4 Star hotel

 The Tower Hotel is situated next to Tower Bridge on the shore of the river Thames. A short walk from the Tower of London, this modern hotel is nothing to look at but the view from it is great.

 Nearby Attractions

St Katharine’s Dock – An attractive marina with lots of bars and restaurants. Mooring is available by the day and longer term if your lucky enough to have a yacht.

 The Tower of London – This has been royal palace for over 900 years. The site of many a traitors execution not to mention Henry VIII’s wives. Well worth a visit.

 Tower Bridge – This iconic bridge is the centrepiece of the area. An amazing piece of Victorian engineering, the roadway is raised regularly to allow tall ships to pass below.

 801 bedrooms.

 Rooms single, double, executive, premier, 18 suites and apartments.

 Typical room tariff

• Standard double £129 + tax
• Suite and Apartment (accommodates 2 people) £329 + tax

 Restaurants

The brasserie – International cuisine

The Carvery – Traditional English Carvery

Xi bar and lounge – Great views of tower bridge and the Thames.

 Facilities

• Air Conditioning in all rooms
• Cardiovascular Gym
• 19 meeting and conference rooms for up to 600 people

 Previously known as the Tower Thistle Hotel, the Tower Hotel is part of the Guoman hotel group.

Location

 Nearest station: Tower Hill (Circle and District lines)

The Tower - A Guoman™ Hotel, St Katharine's Way, Tower Hamlets, City of London E1W 1LD, UK

Bedford Avenue, London WC1B 3GH

St Giles Hotel London is located in Bloomsbury very close to Oxford Street in London’s busy West End. This very central position makes St Giles an ideal hotel base for those who like to shop till they drop.

•  Right next to Oxford Street – Europe’s busiest shopping street! With all the big names and of course Selfridges.
•  The British Museum is also just a short walk away.

If you still have some energy after all the shopping there is a YMCA swimming pool and gym below the hotel - available to guests for a small additional charge.

Facilities

3 Star hotel

705 rooms

Restaurants

• Il Grasso Restaurant for Italian cuisine
• Chikara Asian Restaurant Malaysian and Chinese Cuisine
  Plus The Lazy Dog Bar for a drink

Example Tarriff: 

• Standard double room typically cost from £85 per night.
• Deluxe duble room £119
• Exective Suite £169

Central YMCA Club situated below the hotel.

• 25m heated indoor swimming pool
• State of the art cardio gym
• Free weights

Also available
Meeting Rooms
Conference and Event Venue

Please note the St Giles chain also includes another St Giles hotel near London Heathrow airport so don’t confuse the two or you may have a long walk.

St. Giles Hotel, Central London

Bedford Avenue
London WC1B 3GH

Nearest Station: Tottenham Court Road

St Giles Hotel and Leisure Club, Bedford Ave, Camden, City of London WC1B, UK

The London Dungeons near London Bridge

The London Dungeons uses rides, special effects and live actors to entertain, inform and frighten it’s visitors. Bedlam, The Courtroom, The Torture Chamber, The Great Plague and the Labyrinth of the Lost – something for all the family. But seriously if you can stomach the gruesome nature and bad taste the London Dungeons could be a great way for children to learn a little about London’s history.

As well as the usual visitors the London Dungeon also cater for children’s birthday parties and stag or hen parties. As if getting married wasn’t scary enough already.

A visit lasts approximately 1.5 hours.

Top attractions

Traitor: Boat Ride to Hell – A dark ride though Traitors’ Gate into the Tower of London and beyond.

Extremis: Drop Ride to Doom - An appointment with hangman.

Bloody Mary – Not the drink, though you may need one to steady your nerves afterwards, this is a new attraction featuring Mary Tudor up to her old tricks and looking for heretics. Will you get burnt at the stake?

Jack the Ripper – Terror awaits in the Ripper’s Whitechapel. Will his identity finally be revealed?

The Great Fire of London – Go back in time to 1666 and experience it for yourself.

Sweeney Todd “The Demon Barber Of Fleet Street” – Unlike the other attractions this one is based on a purely fictional character. That said I would still be careful where I got my haircut.

There are no age restrictions but some it may be too scary for some children. Also note there is a minimum height restriction on the Extremis ride of 1.2 meters.

As an alternative it’s also worth considering London Bridge Experience, a similar attraction nearby.

Location

London Dungeon
28-34 Tooley Street
London
SE1 2SZ

Nearest station: London Bridge Station

Car Parking available at NCP, St. Thomas Street and Upper Thames Street.

London Dungeon, 28-34 Tooley St, Southwark, City of London SE1 2SZ, UK

Educating Rita Review ・ Trafalgar Studios, London

Educating Rita runs as part of the Willy Russell Season alongside Shirley Valentine from Monday 9th August 2010 until Saturday 30th October 2010

Running Time : 2 Hours 15 minutes including one interval.

Like many, my only previous experience of Willy Russell’s Educating Rita was the 1983 film starring Michael Caine and Julie Walters. Enjoyable though the movie version was, this play was written for the theatre and it’s only there that it really comes to life.

Educating Rita at the Trafalgar Studios

The Cast

Tim Pigott-Smith was superb as always and as expected. Totally absorbed the character of Frank, the university lecturer.

A big pre-show concern was Laura Dos Santos’ unenviable task of attempting to step into Julie Walters’ shoes. However those shoes were filled perfectly. Having played the role of Rita at the Menier Chocolate Factory and on radio before this West End transfer, Laura Dos Santos speaks Liverpudlian like a native. We knew little of Laura Dos Santos prior to Educating Rita except perhaps that she was in several episodes of The Bill. I’m sure we will be seeing a lot more of this talented actress in the future.

The Play

Educating Rita is a very funny play but also very poignant. With each mini scene the audience was drawn deeper into the relationship of this odd couple and became to care for them both. I felt Frank’s regret that Rita hadn’t walked into his study twenty years earlier. I desperately wanted Frank to stop drinking and agonised as the pairs relationship changed. At times the chemistry between the two was simple ・ electric.

Trafalgar Studio One seating

Good points: Steep ranking allow unbroken views of the stage so no worrying about a six plus footer sitting in front of you.

Bad points: No armrests and slightly cramped seats.

Nearest Station: Charing Cross

Trafalgar Studios, Stage Door, 14 Whitehall, Westminster, City of London SW1A 2DY, UK

Claridges London
Brook Street
Mayfair
London W1K 4HR
Telephone: +44 (0)20 7629 8860 

Claridges Hotel is a 5 Star hotel in the heart of London’s Mayfair. The present Grade II listed building was opened in 1898 replacing the earlier Claridges London hotel which stood at the same location from 1812. The red brick building which is Claridges Hotel today was created when Richard D’Oyly Carte purchased the old hotel in 1893 and had the hotel completely rebuilt. He already owned the Savoy Hotel at the time so was not short of somewhere to stay. Later in the 1920 Claridges interior was redesigned in the beautiful Art Deco style which still delights visitors today. During World War Two Claridges Hotel became home for many exiled royal families including Kings and Queens from Norway, the Netherlands, Yugoslavia and Greece.   

Gordon Ramsay at Claridges

Gordon Ramsay at Claridges London

Gordon Ramsay (12 Michelin Stars) runs the main restaurant at Claridge’s. His cuisine speciality is modern European dishes. A  three course meal selected from the a la carte menu costs £70 and a Diet Coke is priced at £4. Claridges Hotel London is also famous for it award-winning afternoon tea which costs around £35.  

203 rooms and Suites   

Room Tariff: A room typically in Claridges London starts from £269 per night. A one-bedroom Linley Classic Suite would cost £1650 per night. Excluding VAT.   

Famous Claridges London guests include; Mariah Carey, U2, Brad Pitt, Yul Brynner, Alfred Hitchcock, Audrey Hepburn and Cary Grant,Bing Crosby, so you will be in good company.

Claridges, 49 Brook St, Westminster, London W1K 4HR, UK

London Airport Transfer

London Heathrow Airport welcomes a staggering 70 million passengers each year. Many of them will be continuing their journey into the centre of London some 16 miles away. Others to will be landing at London Gatwick Airport which is approximately 28 miles out of London. Here’s are some airport transfer options to make your journey as easy as possible.
London Airport Transfers will now be much easier to complete from the new Terminal 5 at Heathrow Airport.

This is the UK’s brand-new flagship airport transfer terminal built for 21st Century travel. HRH The Queen reigned over the opening ceremony a couple of weeks ago.

This terminal is being used solely by British Airways from June 2008 as they will move out of terminal 1 and 4 completely (after they have streamlined their current baggage handling hiccups). This will mean that all of BA customers will be able to enjoy super fast track check-in and security clearance and be able to board their flight within minutes instead of hours in the Summer.

The same applies to incoming BA flight passengers regarding ease of Heathrow airport transfer from the plane to their cars or buses also. You should be able to exit the terminal within 15 minutes of landin at Terminal 5 with express customs clearance.

At terminal 5 the planes actually allow the passengers to disembark right by the terminal instead of hundreds of yards away. In addition the automation and staff set up will mean fast track clearance of all incoming travellers into terminal 5.

London Black Cabs will charge the same amount to carry unaccompanied excess luggage as they will to carry passengers, which is not a forced cost that you will want to bear. If you prebook the car or minibus service and select the correct vehicle, then you will not be surprised with a large additional cost if you have too much luggage for a black taxi to cope with!

For your transport requirements in London, you have a large range of vehicles to choose from such as top of the range 3/4 seat Mercedes sedans, 8 seat stretch limos, 16 seat minibus and super long body Navigator Limousines, 34 seat coaches and also 53 seat coaches as well.

Choose a company to place your order with that has been around for several years thus ensuring a reliable service from the drivers and management of the transport firm.

Whether you are leaving from Heathrow, Luton, Gatwick or Stansted you or your group will be able to travel for personal or company use. When you pick an estblished hire company, they will also be able to assist you with you tours in London and the rest of the UK.

How about a sightseeing tour in one or more of the following great places: Centre of London, London Eye, Kensington Palace, Westminster Abbey, Piccadilly Circus, Dover, Brighton, Cambridge, British Museum.

Really popular with American clients are the frequent cruises leaving from Dover, Harwich and Southmpton to all parts of the world. It shows the modern attitude to world travel that this sector of the market is growing very nicely and the fact that more people can afford it.

With regard to the rates for Heathrow or Gatwick Airport transfer to London or cruise ship ports, you will find that most firms are competitive and so you will not need to shop around, just go with a company that handle your enquiry speedily and efficiently.

Whether it is for a shopping spree in London’s Knightsbridge or to treat your Loved One’s to a West End restaurant, theatre and/or club night out, you can do it all online these days with the right company.

Have fun on your next UK visit.

Source: http://www.submityourarticle.com

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London Heathrow Airport, Greater London, UK

Are you looking for cheap London hotels?

Don’t despair, yes it’s true to say that London has previously been the third most expensive capital city in the world but the current weak pound has dropped London to sixteenth place in the expensive cities list. That’s great news for visitors to London with London’s hotel rooms available at discount prices. 

London Hotel locations

Many London hotels are located in the central areas such as Piccadilly, Kensington and Knightsbridge. Savings can be made by staying outside of the city centre for example in suburbs. Consider places like Wembley and Harrow; they have fast tube connections to London on the Metropolitan Line. Harrow to Baker St takes only twenty Two minutes. But remember savings on hotel prices have to be weighed against the additional costs of travel not to forget the inconvenience of the extra journey into the centre daily to visit the attractions.

Budget Hotels and Bed and Breakfast Accommodation

Budget Hotel chains such as Travelodge and Easyhotel offers regular discounts, often the trick is to book at least twenty-one days in advance to get the cheapest prices. Bed and Breakfast accommodation, B&B’s, is another option. These are generally small family run hotels and can be a welcome change from the impersonal hotel chains as well as being reasonably priced. And of course you get your breakfast included in the price.

Hostels and Dormitories

Even cheaper are the backpacker style hostels and dormitories. If you think that youth hostels are just for the young, think again. It’s true that the YMCA caters for people under thirty but The Youth Hostel Association is open to people of all ages. They have seven hostels in London and a bed in a shared room starts from £22 ($36 USD). There are also many privately run hostels in London. Many are located in the Earl Court area, a favourite spot for backpackers.

Halls of Residence

This is another option worth considering. Some universities let out their student accommodation from July to September. University of Westminster for example, offers a single room for just £27 per night., King’s College London and University College London are also recommended and won’t cost a fortune.

London Camp Sites

Believe or not London also has eight camping sites! They are situated quiet a long way out of town but could be an option worth considering during summer months. A couple of well established ones are Abbey Wood Caravan Club Site and Crystal Palace Caravan Club Site. Both have tent pitches as well as hard stands for campervans.

Duke of York Theatre, St Martin's Lane

 On my way in to Ghost Stories  to write this review a slightly nervous looking couple asked the usher “is it really scary?” When the usher assured them that it was they looked suitably worried and yet at the same time pleased. I think this sums up what makes Ghost Stories work. Those in the audience who come expecting to be terrified will be. Like a Hitchcock movie it’s all in the suspense.    

The Duke of York theatre have really gone to town to create the right atmosphere. The stairs leading to the stalls has been decorated to look like the old warehouse where the first scene is set. As a makeover it’s not so much Laurence Llewelyn Bowen as Jim Bowen. It’s a nice touch though.    

I suspect the 9.30pm start has less to do with the show being relatively short at one hour twenty minutes with no interval but more to encourage the audience to have a drink or two beforehand. Indeed the bar opens an hour before the show. The odd spirit of the liquid kind certainly adds to the atmosphere.  

 Sat besides me there was a small suitably merry group. The nice young man next to me who was extremely camp said hello adding “please be warned if it gets too scary I may grab hold of you.” Now I was scared.    

Why is Ghost Stories scary?

1. The effects are good. Not surprising as writer/director Andy Nyman is a magician who has worked for many years with Derron Brown.
2. The ghosts are contemporary and personal. In so many ghost stories the spectre is a medieval monk or headless nobleman but here the ghosts are real people we can relate to. The photos shown during the lecture are similar to those we all have in our family albums. That makes it personal and unnerving.
3. It’s simply a well written play with a totally unexpected plot twist.

Ghost stories is structured as a lecture which leads into each scene. However I won’t say any more as that would spoil it for you. Indeed at the end of the play the audience are asked to keep the secrets rather like at the end of Agatha Christie’s Mousetrap.    

Would I recommend Ghost Stories? Yes. Come in the right spirit (forgive the pun) and enjoy it. Do sleep well and don’t have nightmares.    

Ghost Stories    

written and directed by  

Jeremy Dyson(League of Gentlemen) and Andy Nyman. Also directed by Sean Holmes  

Andy Nyman also stars as the professor of parapsychology  

Other cast members  

• David Cardy who plays a completely believable night watchman.
• Nicolas Burns Recently seen on TV in Benidorn alongside Jeremy Dyson’s fellow gentleman Steve Pemberton.
• Ryan Gage

 Duke of York’s Theatre, WC2
Friday 25 June 2010 to Sunday 7 November 2010

Prices

£15, £19.50, £25, £29.50, £35, £42.50
Concessions £19.50 for best available seats.  

Box Office – 0844 871 7623

Performance Times

Tuesday – Thursday 8pm
Friday and Saturday 7pm and 9.30pm
Sunday 5pm  

Nearest Stations: Leicester Square, Charing Cross  

Duke of York's Theatre, 105 St Martin's Ln, Charing Cross, Westminster, City of London WC2N 4BG, UK

Welcoming 3.5 million visitors a year, the London Eye is Britain’s most popular paid attraction.   

The London Eye on the South Bank of the Thames

The London Eye is situated next to the old County Hall building which now houses the London Aquarium and a hotel.  There’s plenty do to along the South Bank so you could combine a trip on the London eye with a walk along the South Bank from the London Eye to Tower Bridge.  It’s traffic free and passes many attractions along the way including Tate Modern and the Globe Theatre.   

Is the London Eye accessible for wheelchair users?  Yes. The London Eye has full disabled access. Guide dogs are also welcome onboard.   

Various London Eye tickets are available including a combined flight and river cruise. Feeling romantic? You can book a special Champagne flight. It’s a great place to propose marriage but do be aware that champagne trips are shared with other visitors. It could be embarrassing if the answer is no. If you have very deep pockets you could always book a private pod.   

The London Eye was built on the south bank of the river Thames to celebrate the Millennium and initially it was called the Millenium Wheel. Originally it was only meant to stay there for 2 years but it proved so popular that it looks like it’s there to stay. Yet when plans for the London Eye were first introduced many people opposed it including Prince Phillip who feared that it would spoil the view from Buckingham Palace and allow tourists to overlook the palace and see the Queen in her nightdress.   

London Eye Facts   

• 32 pods – each one can hold up to 25 passengers 
• Each pod weighs 10 tons 
• Each rotation takes 30 minutes 
• At 135 metres tall it is the fourth highest building in London

The London Eye, County Hall, Westminster Bridge Rd, London SE1 7PB 

Nearest Stations: Waterloo, Embankment, Charing Cross and Westminster. 

London Eye, Minster Court, Westminster Bridge Rd, Lambeth, City of London SE1 7JB, UK