Where are people staying in London?

[mikerob]

mikerob I may actually need accomadation now. Any decent and cheap hostels about?

No point asking me.. I'm a 4* or over type of bloke

You could check out these places: http://www.st-christophers.co.uk/london-hostels

[darkside lightside]

ok well for the benefit of those like merv who won't be in in time to sample the city proper (i.e. after Fri evening), you don't have to head west to find places open over the weekend. I think your best bets are threefold:

* go south across London Bridge (10-15 min walk from Liverpool St, or you can jump in a bus down Bishopsgate) - at the other side of the bridge, you can drop down to the right to river level, and you're on bankside, where you can stroll the whole way along the river to Waterloo, where you'll likely be getting the train to Twickenham (and even to the London Eye at Westminster). All along the way are tons of places to eat - mostly chain places, off the top of my head a Pizza Express at London Bridge, Nando's, Wagamama, The Real Greek, another Pizza Express, and then towards Waterloo there are other places of that ilk. If you fancy something posher, you can eat in a bit more style at Vinopolis(near London Bridge) or the Oxo Tower (between Blackfriars and Waterloo). There are a couple of half-reasonable pubs scattered along the river, including The Old Thameside Inn beside the Golden Hinde, and the Anchor (apparently one of the oldest pubs in London, from where Samuel Pepys watched the great fire). Posher options are the bar at the Globe Theatre, or the bars at Vinopolis or the Oxo.

* the other direction, between London Bridge and Tower Bridge there are also quite a few places to eat and drink - if you're based at Tower Bridge you can walk to London Bridge in about 10 mins. Again you can walk by the river, places to eat include Gaucho, outstanding steak restaurant, albeit not cheap, and in Hays Galleria there's a Cafe Rouge among others. There's a decent pub called the Bridge Lounge on Tooley Street, and a pub called The Horniman again in Hays Galleria (good range of guest ales). Also between Tower and London Bridges is HMS Belfast!

* the other thing you could do is walk across the city to One New Change - a sparkly new big shopping centre between Bank and St. Pauls. If you are accompanied by 'er indoors, this may be an option - also there are places to eat and drink there, as well as around St. Paul's itself, and it'll all be open over the weekend.

In terms of actually getting to Twickenham from any of these places: from Tower Bridge or London Bridge you can walk the whole way to Waterloo, it would be quite a walk, but if the weather's decent and you stop for refreshments along the way, it's a pleasant enough option. If that's too much work you can jump on the Jubilee Line from London Bridge to Waterloo and get the train from there. From New Change/St. Paul's you can get the Waterloo & City line from Bank station straight to Waterloo (however this closes at 6pm on Sat, and all day Sunday).

[BR]

...along the river ... the Anchor (..., from where Samuel Pepys watched the great fire).

No flies on him!

[spiritof99]

Staying in Kensington near to Earls Court U/G station from Fri to Monday. Don't know London at all so any info on places to eat/drink/avoid welcomed.

[mikerob]

Staying in Kensington near to Earls Court U/G station from Fri to Monday. Don't know London at all so any info on places to eat/drink/avoid welcomed.

There is nowhere I'd say you need to avoid in that area but heading towards West Kensington there are a bunch of tower blocks that aren't particularly nice.

The Atlas is a decent local pub with good food.

There are a few chain restaurants (Nandos, GBK...) near Earls Court exhibition centre.

[Bostonteax_50]

Jury's Hatton Cross

[Lanzaman]

Found this excellent guide to pubs near tube & train stations:

http://www.lastrounds.co.uk/find_london ... ons.html#e

Even gives all opening times ... 09.00 seems to be popular on my searchlist

[mikerob]

Found this excellent guide to pubs near tube & train stations:

http://www.lastrounds.co.uk/find_london ... ons.html#e

Even gives all opening times ... 09.00 seems to be popular on my searchlist

hmmm.... I'd be a bit wary of the quality of information on that website! I checked 3 tube stations I use regularly and it didn't give the closest pub for any of them.

There are a few pubs I know in East London that open before 9am on Sunday - they are meant to be for the market traders at Colombia Road flower market but in reality, they are full of clubbers who have managed to last right through the night

[spiritof99]

Staying in Kensington near to Earls Court U/G station from Fri to Monday. Don't know London at all so any info on places to eat/drink/avoid welcomed.

There is nowhere I'd say you need to avoid in that area but heading towards West Kensington there are a bunch of tower blocks that aren't particularly nice.

The Atlas is a decent local pub with good food.

There are a few chain restaurants (Nandos, GBK...) near Earls Court exhibition centre.

Cheers Mike. Atlas looks good. Hoping to get tickets for Lords now on Sunday - may as well make the most of it!

[ulsterroar]

Two for Heathrow Premier Inn Bath Road Friday and Saturday night.
Arriving in Gatwick around 20.30 and train to Hounslow via Clapham and hopefully a few nightcaps in the local vicinity.
ONE WEEK TO GO!!!!!!!!

[big mervyn]

Two for Heathrow Premier Inn Bath Road Friday and Saturday night.
Arriving in Gatwick around 20.30 and train to Hounslow via Clapham and hopefully a few nightcaps in the local vicinity.
ONE WEEK TO GO!!!!!!!!

Sounds as if you're on the same flight as me - Easyjet from the International?

[ulsterroar]

That's the one BigM.
I would hazard a guess there might be a few supporters on this flight.
I think there is also a sizeable contingent staying at the same hotel as my mate and I. Could get messy.

[big mervyn]

That's the one BigM.
I would hazard a guess there might be a few supporters on this flight.
.

Sing-song on the way over and a whip-round for the "driver"?

[wriggley]

managed to get tickets. im travelling up from north devon, trying to decide whether to stay somewhere or go up and back same day. all depends on whether i find someone to go with.

Afraid of getting stuck in london on my tod as im not the steadiest on my feet.

getting excited now anyway!!!

[darkside lightside]

If the east London/Tower Bridge/Liverpool St brigade are around on Fri, invade the city! I had a bite just opposite Liverpool St on Friday night, and the thought of an invasion of Ulstermen amused me greatly! the after-work crowd is a bit of a mix, you get normal city workers obviously, but also quite a few builders etc from sites around the place, an influx of totty from 5-6pm on, and a sprinkling of Essex spiv types, who probably work in dodgy boiler-room operations, or maybe don't work in the city at all, just dress up in pinstripes on friday, wear pointy shoes and slick their hair into oily side partings!

Most of the pubs spill over into the street, and you don't have to walk far to stumble over one. I recommend: the Lamb and the New Moon in Leadenhall Market, or there's a tiny little pub called the Swan just up Gracechurch St a bit from Leadenhall Market (there are also places to eat in Leadenhall Mkt). My favourite one is the Jamaica Wine House, in a warren of old streets off Lombard St - it's beside an old church, and people stand outside, even through to the courtyard towards Lombard St. Or else the Vintry on Sherborne Lane off King William St.