Try Manze's Pie and Mash

There are three Manze's Eel and Pie Houses in Greater London. The business has remained in the same family for over 100 years and still use the same recipes today for the pies and liquor as were used when the current owner's grandfather, Michele Manze, opened his first shop.


Manze arrived in Britain from the hillside village of Ravello in Southern Italy in 1878, at the age of 3. The Manze family settled in Bermondsey, first trading in ice and ice-cream, with Michele branching out into the pie, mash & eels trade in 1902, when he acquired his first shop from the legendary Cooke family, as it had been established in 1891 by Robert Cooke. This shop, at 87 Tower Bridge Road, Bermondsey, is open to this day, and as such it claims to be the oldest eel & pie shop in the world. It was joined by a second shop at 250 Southwark Park Road, Bermondsey in 1908 (now closed), and two further shops in Poplar, which were lost during World War Two. A fifth shop at 105 Peckham High Street was opened in 1927. A final shop is at 226 High Street, Sutton. Only the Tower Bridge Road, Peckham and Sutton shops are still open today.

It is a fantastic history, but your author finds the eclectic list of celebrity endorsements equally intriguing. Did you know that Janine and Sonia from 'Eastenders' were interviewed for 'Heat' in the Tower Bridge shop? That Roy Orbison, Jim Davidson, Danny Baker, and David Beckham are named by the owners as regulars? That Jono Coleman once hosted the Heart Radio breakfast show from in the shop? and that Rick Stein once filmed a 'Rick Stein Food Heroes' here..? Did you care..? Thought not.

For more, see http://www.manze.co.uk/

_{^Picture by Leeks^}

Watch a show at the Old Red Lion Theatre

The Old Red Lion Theatre, is a small theatre above a pub close to Angel Tube Station. Whilst the theatre organisation was only founded in 1948, as a theatre club, the Old Red Lion pub is apparently one of the oldest in London, having been built in 1415, but rebuilt in 1899.


The relatively small 60 seater fringe theatre opened properly in 1979 a small studio above the main bar pub's first floor, giving the pub its present name of the Old Red Lion Theatre Pub. The theatre specialises in works by new writers.

For more information see http://www.oldredliontheatre.co.uk/

_{^Picture from Geograph by Robin Hall^}

See St Mary le Strand

At the centre of one of the oldest parishes in London, St Mary le Strand now stands on a traffic island in the middle of a roadway which since prehistory has been the main route to the west from the City of London. We are told that in early Saxon times this was the very heart of London, and from the traffic volumes which rush past the church, it appears it still is.


There is, apparently, no record of when the first St Mary le Strand was founded, but the original church was just to the south of the current site, beneath what is now Somerset House. That church was knocked down in 1549 in order to build Somerset House, and a promised replacement never materialised. Wikipedia tells us that the site of the modern church was formerly occupied by a very pagan great maypole which was used for May Day festivities in the 16th and 17th century.

It wasn't until 1714 that construction began on the new St Mary le Strand, as the first new churches built under an Act of Parliament, passed for building 50 New Churches in the fast expanding suburbs of London. Since then, notable events apparently include the renunciation of the Catholic faith by Bonnie Prince Charlie on a secret visit to London in 1750, and the marriage of Charles Dickens' parents in in 1809. The church also escaped the Blitz and plans to demolish it and widen the Strand.

For more, see http://www.stmarylestrand.org/

Stare up at Millbank Tower

Constructed in 1963 and designed by Ronald Ward and Partnerst, Millbank Tower on Millbank around half a mile South of the Houses of Parliament and just North of the Tate Britain is a 387 ft tall Grade II listed skyscraper in the City of Westminster.


The tower is well known for being the location of the offices of political parties, and the Labour Party famously based its offices there in the run up to the 1997 General Election. Nowadays, the Conservative Party have relocated their Campaign Headquarters there, hoping to repeat the success of Labour in 1997.

The United Nations also apparently had offices in Millbank Tower until 2003, when they left due to high rents. Nowadays, the various floors are occupied by the likes of The Parliamentary Ombudsman, The Specialist Schools and Academies Trust, The Local Government Ombudsman and The Ministry of Justice Records Management Service. Your author imagines they are all just as interesting as they sound.

For more information on the tower see here or visit the commercial website at http://www.millbanktower.co.uk/

Find a statue to Clive of India

Have you ever noticed how at the weekend, when less people read blogs, your author tends to do posts about boring statues? Well, on the steps between the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and HM Treasury, overlooking St James' Park, is a statue to Major-General Robert Clive, 1st Baron Clive, KB, better known as Clive of India.


Born in Shropshire, Clive was first sent to India in 1744 at the age of 19, and went on to be largely responsible for establishing the military and political supremacy of the East India Company in Southern India and Bengal. This effectively secured India for Britain and, together with Warren Hastings, he was one of the key figures in the creation of British India.

Following a number of trips, Clive eventually returned to Britain permanently in February 1767, subsequently moving to Claremont, a large house in Surrey, in 1769. In November 1774 he committed suicide at number 45 Berkeley Square, where he then lived, by stabbing himself with a pen-knife. This was thought to have been linked to his history of depression and to opium addiction, as well a more immediate illness which left him in excruciating pain.

For more on Clive, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Clive,_1st_Baron_Clive

Buy a newspaper from the MPs Newsstand

Even MPs need to buy a newspaper, and the tiny news stand, on Bridge Street, SW1, provides all the newspapers daily for MPs in the Houses of Parliament, as well as passing civil servants, and serves a dual role supplying inane tourists with directions and pieces of tat.


It's a mammoth operation, and so is the invoicing of the 600 odd MPs who order papers daily and need to ensure they are properly invoiced.

For a while the stand was temporarily relocated onto the South footway of Bridge Street, but was returned to its natural home on the North side in 2005. So whether its a novelty postcard of the Queen's face, a copy of the Wall Street Journal (selected stockists only) or a copy of any bog standard daily paper you're after watch out whilst your in the queue, as you might spot a Minister of the Crown queuing up to change his paper order.

Search out Eine's Alphabet

Your author doesn't usually go in for boring graffiti posts, but there will always be exceptions. So today, let's look at the work of the graffiti artist Ben Flynn (aka Eine), or more specifically, some work he did quite a few years ago, in Shoreditch, Hackney and Brick Lane. For it was Eine who covered dowdy shop shutters with vibrant letters.


They've been around for about five years now (probably) and Eine has also taken the concept to Paris, Stockholm and Newcastle upon Tyne, as well as Hastings in East Sussex, where your author was pleased to find some last weekend. Eine has also been involved in some larger lithography projects such as the larger-type SCARY, which adorned the wall on Rivington Street in central Shoreditch.

For more about the letters, see an interview at http://www.ishotthedeputy.com/?q=node/570.

_{^Picture by bixentro^}

Drink at Pepito, London's only specialist Sherry Bar

Your author was invited to the opening of Bar Pepito, London’s only dedicated sherry bar, last week, and it was jolly pleasant. The tiny bar bills itself as 'a must visit for any sherry lover' and stocks plenty of different types of sherry.


The focus of the bar is, we are told, on bringing an authentic spirit of Jerez to Kings Cross, and it is nice enough. Calling it a bar in its own right is a bit of spin as the space, sat in shiny Varnishers Yard, is technically an offshoot of Spanish restaurant Camino. However, it just about holds its own (even if you do have to pop over to the restaurant to use the toilets), serving sherry and tapas from a menu designed by Camino head chef Nacho del Campo.

Your author must admit he was basically a sherry novice on arrival but the experience was rather pleasant even if he couldn't hack the sweet sherries for long. In order to help you to experience all the different types of sherries, they've even installed one of those new Enomatic machines (like at the Sampler and Bottle Apostle). It's an open stainless-steel chiller cabinet holding eight bottles of sherry, allowing you to try a tasting amount of several different types, without having to take on a full glass.

In the press release, Camino owner, Richard Bigg optimistically bleats that "Sherry is cool again". Your author will need a little more convincing, but Bar Pepito will certainly help it along. The bar is open Wednesday to Saturday, 5pm - midnight. For more see http://www.camino.uk.com/pepito

Discover the Musical Museum, Brentford

The Musical Museum, in Brentford, is, apparently one of the world’s foremost collections of automatic instruments. Your author has never been, but if you're into that sort of thing this is for you. From the tiny music boxes to the self playing ‘Mighty Wurlitzer’, the collection brings together the best in reproducing pianos, orchestrions, orchestrelles, residence organs and violin players.


The Museum was founded in 1963 by the late Frank Holland MBE who wanted to preserve the self-playing musical instruments. It reopened in late 2007 in a three storey building on Brentford High Street, complete with 230-seater concert hall and the world's largest collection of historic musical rolls.

The museum is open from Tuesday to Sunday from 11am - 5.30pm. Entry is £8. For more, see http://www.musicalmuseum.co.uk/

_{^Picture by Jim Linwood^}

Eat at the Princess Victoria, W12

The Victoria, on Uxbridge Road in Shepherds Bush, is a former Victorian Gin Palace, Princess Victoria, restored by Matt Wilkin and James McLean and named ‘Timeout Best New Gastro Pub 2008’.


Considering the location, its a surprise that only on half of the duo is from the Southern Hemisphere and it is Matt, originally from Adelaide, and previously Executive Sommelier at the 2 Michelin starred Capital Restaurant, Matt has won awards including UK Sommelier Of The Year 2005. Head Chef, James, meanwhile won ‘Young Chef Of The Year 1997’, formerly worked at of The Greenhouse and The Goose in Oxfordshire, and is now focussing on good British food.

Having said all this, your author has only actually ever been in for a pint but it was a very pleasant spot and considering the above, it could be worth investigating the menu next time, and as if that weren't already enough, we are also told there is a courtyard herb garden, a wine & cigar shop and a weekly artisan market. Let's just hope they're not over-stretching themselves.

The Princess Victoria is at 217 Uxbridge Road, London W12. For more information, see http://www.princessvictoria.co.uk/, or for perspective, see fancyapint.

Wander the Royal Arcade, Old Bond Street

Built in 1879, the Royal Arcade in Mayfair links 8 Old Bond Street with 12 Albemarle Street. Originally known as "The Arcade", it was renamed "The Royal Arcade" after Queen Victoria bought some items from a shirtmaker named H.W. Brettell, who had opened his Shirtmakers at Number 12 the Arcade in 1880.


The arcade's freehold is apparently owned by a trust in the name of Reginald M Phillips, who was a Brighton based property developer, philanthropist and award winning stamp collector who donated his collection to the nation.

For more information, and a list of shops, see http://www.mayfair.org.uk/shopping/royal-arcade

_{^Picture by garryknight^}

Visit Grosvenor Chapel

Constructed in the 1730s, Grosvenor Chapel, on South Audley Street in Mayfair, was apparently the inspiration for many churches in North America. It is also notable for the transformation of the interior which was carried out by John Ninian Comper in 1912-13.


The first stone was laid on 7 April 1730 by Sir Richard Grosvenor, who owned most of the buildings in the area, as his descendants continue to do by birthright. Grosvenor leased the site for 99 years at a peppercorn rent to a syndicate of four “undertakers” led by Benjamin Timbrell, a prosperous local builder. When that lease ran out in 1829, the chapel was brought within the parochial system.

During the Second World War, the chapel became a notable place of worship for members of the American armed forces, who were welcomed to the Chapel for their Sunday services. Following the War regular members of the congregation also included the writer Rose Macaulay and the poet laureate Sir John Betjeman, Poet Laureate from 1972 until his death in 1984.

For more, see http://grosvenorchapel.org.uk

Find out what the rest of Britain and Ireland has to offer

As regular readers will have probably noticed by now, your author is a bit of a tourism geek, and loves to make the most of wherever he finds himself. So what better place to indulge that passion than the Best of Britain and Ireland show at Kensington Olympia this weekend.


The show gives regional tourist boards and travel operators an opportunity to let you know about what they have on offer and aims to bring together the best of the tourism offering in England, Ireland, Scotland and Wales.

If you're looking to make sure you make the most of a domestic holiday later in the year it could be worth a visit. Last year 10,000 people came in search of new holiday ideas, and, we are told, tasted both modern and traditional cuisine and met with (people playing) Henry VIII, Sergeant Pepper, Rabbie Burns and ballerinas from English National Ballet, and that one was at ExCeL. This year it is in the rather more atmospheric setting of Kensington Olympia.

Your author popped along earlier in the week and things were in full swing for the trade leg, and the annual show is on today and tomorrow. It's open to everyone, as long as your willing to stump up a tenner. For more, see http://www.britainandirelandevent.co.uk/consumer/visitors

Remember John Wilkes

The radical, journalist and politician, John Wilkes, is remembered by a statue on Fetter Lane in the City of London.


Wilkes was recognised as a champion of English Freedom. In 1774 he was elected Lord Mayor of London, an in 1776 he introduced the first motion for parliamentary reform.

Wilkes was also the first MP to propose universal suffrage in the Commons and during the American War of Independence Wilkes he took the forward step of even condemning British policy on America. He argued for yearly elections and called for the abolition of rotten boroughs, and it is even said that he established freedom of the press as we know it.

For more, see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_Wilkes

_{^Picture by ell brown^}

Visit Pollock's Toy Museum

Pollocks Toy Museum began in 1956 in a single attic room at 44 Monmouth Street, near Covent Garden, where Pollock's Toy Theatres were also sold. It takes its name from Benjamin Pollock, the last of the Victorian Toy Theatre printers, and was established by Marguerite Fawdry, who bought up the stock of Benjamin Pollock Ltd, after trying to buy something for her son’s toy theatre. This woman clearly had means.


Pollock's moved to Fitzrovia in 1969, where it now occupies two houses on Scala Street, one dating from the 18th century, and the other from the 19th, with rooms are small and connected by narrow winding staircases. The museum claims to have nearly every kind of toy imaginable from all over the world and different periods, including toy theatres, teddy bears, wax and china dolls, board games, optical toys, folk toys, nursery furniture, mechanical toys and doll’s houses.

The museum is open Monday to Saturday 10am – 5pm. For more, see http://www.pollockstoymuseum.com/

_{^Picture by the ever-fantastic Ewan Munro^}