THE LONDON GUIDE: So you’ve been to Leicester
Square, Madame Tussauds and the Tower of London. Now learn about lesser known areas
of London which are well worth visiting.
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Acton
Acton has many media links and is located close to the BBC’s headquarters in White City.
There are a number of Irish pubs and good restaurants in the area. Acton Park is situated at
one end of Acton High Street - an art block, tennis courts, bowling facilities and a children’s
play area can be found here. M.I.A, the musician who performed some of the tracks in multi-award
winning movie Slumdog Millionaire, grew up in Acton.
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Balham
Balham has various trendy spots worth visiting. The Bedford pub is host to live comedy and music,
with Eddie Izzard being amongst the people to have performed there. Balham is also home to one of
the last independent bookshops in London. Past residents of Balham include a multitude of comedians,
notably John Sullivan, the writer of Only Fools and Horses.
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Barnes
Home to the former Olympic Studios building, the historic Barnes Village conservation area and the
Barnes fair held every July, this is a thriving part of Greater London. For any animal-lovers out there,
the Wetland Centre, which is committed to preserving wildlife, is a respected landmark of Barnes. There are
also a number of markets around Barnes worth visiting. Famous people who have lived in the area are Twilight
actor Robert Pattinson, Queen’s frontman Freddie Mercury and the comedian Alistair McGowan.
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Chiswick
With impressive architecture including the stunning Chiswick House, Chiswick is a picturesque part of London.
Restaurants, shops and cafés line Chiswick High Road. Chiswick lies by the Thames and a lot of competitive rowing
takes place along this part of the river. The TV presenter Davina McCall and the novelist E.M Forster are famous people associated with Chiswick.
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Clapham
Clapham lies south of Central London. A 10 minute train journey from Waterloo, Clapham has great transport links and features in the
title of the busiest station in Britain, namely Clapham Junction. Its easy commute to London, lively shopping centre and buzzing night
life make Clapham a trendy place to live, enticing new graduates to move there. Famous inhabitants of the past and present include
singer Natasha Beddingfield, Harry Potter author JK Rowling and TV personality Piers Morgan.
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Ealing
Ealing is a cosmopolitan part of London. It hosts lively cultural festivals in its many parks and is on the Piccadilly Line into Central London.
With plenty of pubs, bars and shops, Ealing is a dynamic part of London. Queen frontman Freddie Mercury and footballer Peter Crouch studied in
Ealing at various points in their lives.
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Fulham
Located very close to Central London, Fulham has wonderful transport links. Despite its central location, it boasts a number of parks in
addition to its many bars, pubs and restaurants. Notable residents include the Harry Potter actor Daniel Radcliffe and the singer Duffy.
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Hammersmith
An entertainment and media hub, Hammersmith is home to the Hammersmith Apollo concert hall and numerous companies’ headquarters.
It has fantastic links into Central London and is very close to Fulham, Chelsea and Shepherd’s Bush – where the famous Westfield Shopping Centre is situated.
Celebrities who have lived there include comedian Bill Bailey and singer Lily Allen.
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Greenwich
Greenwich is renowned for its impressive 02 Arena and the fact that it dictates
the world clock (what time it is in each country). Greenwich is also located very
close to business district Canary Wharf. Past residents include Henry VIII and Dr
Samuel Johnson, who put together the first English dictionary.
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Hammersmith
An entertainment and media hub, Hammersmith is home to the Hammersmith Apollo concert hall and numerous companies’ headquarters. It has fantastic links into Central London and is very close to Fulham, Chelsea and Shepherd’s Bush – where the famous Westfield Shopping Centre is situated. Celebrities who have lived there include comedian Bill Bailey and singer Lily Allen.
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Hampton
Hampton is home to Henry VIII’s Hampton Court Palace, where many events are held including the venue’s annual flower show in July. Hampton also has an open air swimming pool and a real community feel about it. Queen member Brian May was born in Hampton.
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Islington
Islington is often described as ‘bohemian’. This reputation is partly down to the fact that it is home to many arts and media folk. With cool bars, kooky shops and good train links, Islington is definitely worth a visit. It is not far from the football team, Arsenal’s grounds. Past and present residents include the former PM Tony Blair and the singer Lily Allen.
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Kew
Kew is situated near Richmond and is most famous for its Royal Botanic Gardens which are a World Heritage Site. Also in Kew are some good restaurants such as the Glasshouse and some wonderful little boutiques. A number of famous intellectuals and policymakers are buried in Saint Anne's Church in Kew.
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Kingston
Kingston is a buzzing suburb lying on the River Thames. With a busy town centre including the well-known Bentalls Shopping Centre, a theatre and a wonderful development along the river, Kingston is a place worth visiting in Greater London. Tom Rowlands of the Chemical Brothers fame and cricketer Alec Stewart are amongst the famous people associated with Kingston.
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Richmond
One of the prettiest parts of Greater London, Richmond boasts the world famous Richmond Park and plenty of incredible views of the Thames. Cosy cafes and swanky bars line Richmond’s town centre. Richmond is on the underground and overground train lines. Medieval author Geoffrey Chaucer and infamous King Henry VIII are among past residents.
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St John’s Wood
St John’s Wood is a fashionable, affluent part of London located near Regent’s Park. It is home to Middlesex Cricket Club and the Abbey Road Studios where legendary pop band The Beatles recorded their albums. St. John’s Wood has great underground links. Famous residents include supermodel Kate Moss and actor Ewan McGregor.
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Teddington
Teddington is a lovely suburban town on the river bank and close to Bushy Park. There are number of riverside businesses worth checking out when walking by the Thames in Teddington. The area also has good links into London. Kiera Knightly attended Teddington High School.
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Twickenham
About a 10 minutes drive from Richmond, Twickenham is most famous for being home to the magnificent Twickenham Rugby Stadium, one of Britain’s biggest stadia. It is situated right on the River Thames, with scenic walks to Richmond and Teddington. People who have lived their include athlete Linford Christie and band The Mystery Jets.
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Wimbledon
Wimbledon is located in South-West London. As well as hosting a worldwide tennis tournament every year, and its common being home to the Wombles, Wimbledon has a busy shopping centre and plenty of bars worth checking out. Restaurants in Wimbledon such as Chinese diner Confucius are regarded highly. Past residents include musician Roy Orbison and Gladiator actor Oliver Reed
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Watford
Around 20 miles north-west of London, Watford lies close to the major M1 and M25 motorways and also has train links into the centre of the capital. With a shopping centre containing over 140 shops, restaurants and cafés, and a high street full of clubs and bars, there is plenty to do by both night and day in Watford. There are a number of theatres across Watford – one of these used to be a pumping station. Geri ‘Ginger Spice’ Halliwell and Hollywood hardman Vinnie Jones are amongst the celebrities born in Watford.
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Wembley
Home to the Wembley Stadium and Wembley Arena, this part of north-west London always has events going on that are worth attending. There are lots of different ethnic communities in Wembley making it a cultural cocktail of a town. A new shopping centre is being built in Wembley at the moment. Famous people associated with the area are rapper Lady Sovereign and The Who member Keith Moon.
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