London Pub of the Week No 8: The King & Queen

EVERY THURSDAY! Our round-up of our favourite London pubs on or near the routes of our London Walks. We’ll be posting reviews, giving recommendations and directions and from time-to-time delving into the stories behind the pubs and pub names. As always, we want to hear your suggestions, too. Send your Best Pub In London suggestions to the usual address or leave a comment below.

The King & Queen

The King & Queen was the first venue in England ever to be played by Bob Dylan. 

This classic English corner pub is set in one largish room, with pics of – what else? – kings and queens adorning the walls. 

Beers on tap include Bombardier and the creamy thick Tribute, Premium Cornish Ale from the St Austell brewery on my last visit. An impressive array of malt whiskies line up shoulder to shoulder on the top shelf. So impressive is this parade that even the smoky delights of the mighty Laphroig were relegated down to the optic. I went for a 16-year-old Lagavulin with the merest splash of spring water. Great location, great pub.

The King & Queen,

1 Foley St, London,

London

W1W 6DL

Nearest Tube: Warren Street

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A London Walk costs £9 – £7 concession. To join a London Walk, simply meet your guide at the designated tube station at the appointed time. Details of all London Walks can be found at www.walks.com.

The Great London Movies No. 19: Seven Days To Noon

It’s The Daily Constitutional Film Festival. And it’s programmed by London Walks Guides and London Walkers. Which is the greatest London movie of them all? The best performance in a London-set film? Your favourite London movie location?

As usual, we want to hear from you – send us your favourite London movie nominations to the usual email address, get in touch with us on Twitter @londonwalks or leave a comment at the bottom of this post.

LW’s Judy adds a second choice to the list…

No. 19: Seven Days To Noon

Seven Days To Noon (1950) by Boulting Brothers. A research scientist threatens to blow up London with an atomic bomb and the race to stop him. Various locations - Whitehall, Trafalgar Sq, Cromwell Road & Westbourne Park area, Royal Hospital Chelsea

Judy

Judy, winner of the London Tourist Board's prestigious Guide of the Year Award, is a professionally qualified Blue Badge and City of London Guide.

Forthcoming Film Walks with London Walks… Alfred Hitchcock's London on September 22, from Holborn underground, both at 10.45; and London on Film on August 25, Bank underground exit 3 at 10.45.


You can also book a private London Film Locations walk by calling London Walks on 020 7624 3978 or emailing london@walks.com. 

A London Walk costs £9 – £7 concession. To join a London Walk, simply meet your guide at the designated tube station at the appointed time. Details of all London Walks can be found at www.walks.com.

The London Nightly Photoblog 22:05:13

Last orders! The Nightly London Photoblog at The Daily Constitutional takes just one last look at London before lights out.

Maybe you saw tonight’s pictured location on one of today’s London Walks. Perhaps it’s your shot, sent to us at the usual email address.

Of course some London Walks guides will still be out there, Londoning away into the small hours. For them, we borrow a famous London phrase… Goodnight, and good luck.

Between Shots

A London Walk costs £9 – £7 concession. To join a London Walk, simply meet your guide at the designated tube station at the appointed time. Details of all London Walks can be found at www.walks.com.

The Great London Movies No.18: Exit Through The Gift Shop

It’s The Daily Constitutional Film Festival. And it’s programmed by London Walks Guides and London Walkers. Which is the greatest London movie of them all? The best performance in a London-set film? Your favourite London movie location?

As usual, we want to hear from you – send us your favourite London movie nominations to the usual email address, get in touch with us on Twitter @londonwalks or leave a comment at the bottom of this post.

Street Art expert and LW guide Pepe adds…

No. 18: Exit Through The Gift Shop

I'll go for Banksy's documentary Exit Through the Gift Shop.  Loads of East and Central London locations.  

Thanks Pepe. This enigmatic classic was described thus in the L.A Times: “Subversive, provocative and unexpected, "Exit Through the Gift Shop" delights in taking you by surprise, starting quietly but ending up in a hall of mirrors as unsettling as anything Lewis Carroll's Alice ever experienced. Even when you think you've figured this film out, you can't shake the notion that maybe you haven't.”

Here’s the trailer…

Pepe

Pepe’s Rep Walk on Street Art has proven so popular that it’s going out every week from the 5th May. A savvy local, Pepe's got great connections – knows the scene as well as the artists themselves. His walk ends at a street artist's studio and gallery.

Forthcoming Film Walks with London Walks… Alfred Hitchcock's London on September 22, from Holborn underground, both at 10.45; and London on Film on August 25, Bank underground exit 3 at 10.45.


You can also book a private London Film Locations walk by calling London Walks on 020 7624 3978 or emailing london@walks.com. 

A London Walk costs £9 – £7 concession. To join a London Walk, simply meet your guide at the designated tube station at the appointed time. Details of all London Walks can be found at www.walks.com.

The London Nightly Photoblog 21:05:13

Last orders! The Nightly London Photoblog at The Daily Constitutional takes just one last look at London before lights out.

Maybe you saw tonight’s pictured location on one of today’s London Walks. Perhaps it’s your shot, sent to us at the usual email address.

Of course some London Walks guides will still be out there, Londoning away into the small hours. For them, we borrow a famous London phrase… Goodnight, and good luck.

The annual Routemaster Grand Prix is always a hotly-contested affair

A London Walk costs £9 – £7 concession. To join a London Walk, simply meet your guide at the designated tube station at the appointed time. Details of all London Walks can be found at www.walks.com.


 

I Ain't Afraid O' No Ghost…

An email and a pic from London Walker David Neeman…

"The image here attached is dedicated to the one and only Mr Adam,…

…being not only the most courageous and effective London Ghosts conjurer, but also a great story teller and a fascinating performer!

Thank you for a very rich and interesting evening walk, full of suspense and discoveries!

Sincerely yours

David Neeman, Tel Aviv."

Thanks David! Great pic! Adam is saddling up as we blog, getting ready for his Ghosts Of The Old City Walk this very night.

A London Walk costs £9 – £7 concession. To join a London Walk, simply meet your guide at the designated tube station at the appointed time. Details of all London Walks can be found at www.walks.com.

The Great London Movies No.17: The Big Sleep

It’s The Daily Constitutional Film Festival. And it’s programmed by London Walks Guides and London Walkers. Which is the greatest London movie of them all? The best performance in a London-set film? Your favourite London movie location?

As usual, we want to hear from you – send us your favourite London movie nominations to the usual email address, get in touch with us on Twitter @londonwalks or leave a comment at the bottom of this post.

Here’s LW movie expert Richard IV with another recommendation…

No. 17: The Big Sleep (1978)

I watched this film again recently and having watched the DVD extras and listened to director Michael Winner’s commentary, I’ve slightly revised my opinion of its oddness! Apparently, filming in England was not for budgetary reasons, but because Winner wanted to avoid any comparisons with the classic 1940s Bogart version. He also wanted to show an England that was seldom seen in films. Perhaps this explains why the film isn’t interested in picture-postcard views but instead showcases plenty of real locations, interestingly stitched together. The front of Eddie Mars’ ‘Cheval Club’ is in Queen Anne Street, round the corner from the Langham, but the back is down the steps from the Coal Hole, near the Savoy.

Winner claimed they had retained ‘far more of the dialogue and plot than any other [Chandler] picture, it’s practically all Chandler…’ James Stewart initially objected to his dialogue being re-written and sounding too English, only to be surprised by Winner demonstrating that all General Sternwood’s lines were original Chandler (who had studied at Dulwich).

The special edition DVD has a location featurette and an audio commentary from Winner. Victoria Grove in Kensington is the location for Geiger’s bookshop. Marlowe has a flat in Victoria, and even the interior of the Black Friar pub is featured. Though the Sternwood house is well out of London (Knebworth), the conservatory of the house is at Greenwich! There are some odd things about the film, to be sure, and it all feels a bit unreal, but Robert Mitchum and Oliver Reed are worth the price of admission any day.

Richard IV

Richard IV is an actor, swordsman and an expert on early detective fiction.  Velvety voiced and perfect timing, he makes for some awfully handsome listening! No surprise to learn that he's narrated numerous documentaries and audiobooks.

Forthcoming Film Walks with London Walks… Alfred Hitchcock's London on September 22, from Holborn underground, both at 10.45; and London on Film on August 25, Bank underground exit 3 at 10.45.


You can also book a private London Film Locations walk by calling London Walks on 020 7624 3978 or emailing london@walks.com. 

A London Walk costs £9 – £7 concession. To join a London Walk, simply meet your guide at the designated tube station at the appointed time. Details of all London Walks can be found at www.walks.com.

 

This Is Post No.2000!

This is Daily Constitutional post number 2000!


Thanks to EVERYONE who reads, comments, emails, shares, contributes and… WALKS!


Keep in touch – we're on Twiiter @londonwalks and our email address is londonwalksblog@gmail.com. We want to see your photos, read your poetry (!), hear all about YOUR London. We'll be keeping our end up, too, marching on to post number 3000 and beyond with our usual blend of regular features and photos and recommendations.


Coming this month… MORE great London films, including contributions from London Walks guides who are making their Daily Constitutional debuts!


Thanks again for helping to make it a great 2000! See you out there!





A London Walk costs £9 – £7 concession. To join a London Walk, simply meet your guide at the designated tube station at the appointed time. Details of all London Walks can be found at www.walks.com.

If You Do One OTHER Thing In London This Week…

Our Tuesday slot in which we point you in the direction of other great happenings and events in our great city. A new exhibition, a gig, a museum, a pop-up-shop – the best of London within a few minutes of a London Walks walking tour.

The Horniman Museum in Forest Hill features on so many of those “Hidden/Secret London” lists so beloved of journalists that it’s surely no secret any more. A vivid collection of musical instruments, natural history and cultural artefacts, the Arts and Crafts building in which the collection is housed is set in lovely gardens – both the gardens and the museum are free or charge.

  

Here’s what they have to say for themselves…

“We are the Horniman Museum and Gardens, an inspiring, surprising, family-friendly, free attraction in South London’s Forest Hill.

We’ve been open since Victorian times, when Frederick John Horniman first opened his house and extraordinary collection of objects to visitors. Since then, our collection has grown tenfold and includes internationally important collections of anthropology and musical instruments, as well as an acclaimed aquarium and natural history collection.

The Alaskan totem pole that greets visitors to the Horniman in Forest Hill

Unusually for such an important museum, you can see our collection up-close and face-to-face. You can even pick up, try on and play with some of our objects.

Our visitors come time and again to explore our free museum, take part in our activities and enjoy our 16-acre gardens. And they discover something fascinating and mesmerising every time.”

The Horniman Museum

100 London Road,

Forest Hill,

London,

SE23 3PQ

The nearest train/Overground station is Forest Hill. 

Open daily 10.30am - 5.30pm, except 24 - 26 December, when we are closed.

Entrance to the Museum and Gardens is free. A charge is made for the Aquarium.

www.horniman.ac.uk/

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A London Walk costs £9 – £7 concession. To join a London Walk, simply meet your guide at the designated tube station at the appointed time. Details of all London Walks can be found at www.walks.com.