Taxi Noir. On Your Bike
Welcome to London, and the wild West End. Last summer there was an epidemic of people whizzing around London on motorised kids’ scooters. They were getting in everyone’s way...
63rd BFI London Film Festival Review
By Dr Ricky Ghosh Dastidar The 63rd BFI London Film Festival took place recently, featuring a total of 233 screenings. This comprised 28 World Premieres, 12 International Premieres and 32 European Premieres. Many of the world’s most...
Taxi Noir: Billionaires Row
I occasionally find myself driving my cab along one of London’s most upmarket streets; The Bishops Avenue. Some people say it’s in Hampstead, others Highgate. While it’s close to...
Taxi Noir: The Truth about Cats & Dogs
I joined the B-C-ing-U team half way through the year. When asked for the favourite article I wrote in 2019, I’d probably go for the light-hearted one about carrying...
LOOKING BACK – AND AHEAD TO CRUFTS
Photos by Rob Tysall, Tysall’s Photography Ann Evans looks back to her favourite article of the year. As 2019 draws to a close, it’s fascinating to look back...
Favourite Article of the Year. Ranjit Recommends: Stem + Glory
The name of the restaurant illustrates the epitome of the Vegan cuisine; stems from plants and tastes glorious! Indeed, this is the restaurant’s inaugural London branch that is tucked...
Lyn’s Favourite Article of 2019. Trafalgar Square; London’s National Heritage Grade 1 Square.
I love exploring in London. I choose an area, then I just walk. This is my article about Trafalgar Square and the area around it from earlier this year....
Ranjit Recommends: Improv Combo
On Friday 20th December 2019, the London Improv Theatre will play host to Improv Combo. Indeed, the audience will be able to participate in creating the evening’s headlines as...
Taxi Noir: Boris Johnson’s Channel Bridge
So, Boris Johnson has been mandated to govern the UK for another four years. I shan’t be drawn into making value statements on the outcome of the recent General...
A Place To Stay. Stoke by Nayland Hotel
I’m sitting on a spacious decked terrace of a luxurious country lodge at Stoke by Nayland Hotel looking out over a landscape of undulating woodland, lakes and apple orchards....
Taxi Noir: Save the Trees
I hate working this time of year. I love Christmas, but I hate driving around London in my cab. I dread that moment in November when I’m stuck in...
Ranjit Recommends: Improv Combo
On Friday 20th December 2019, the London Improv Theatre will play host to Improv Combo. Indeed, the audience will be able to participate in creating the evening’s headlines as...
Ranjit Recommends: German Cornejo’s Tango Fire
Tango Fire at Sadler’s Wells Peacock theatre is certainly flaming hot in talent and delivery! All dancers are presented in meticulous and fussy embroidery that is most evident when...
Ranjit Recommends: Fame The Musical
30 years since its inception, Fame The Musical makes another scintillating appearance at Sadler’s Wells Peacock Theatre in London. Indeed, Fame The Musical gathers its inspiration from the 1980...
Taxi Noir: The Truth about Cats & Dogs
I’ve spoken a bit in recent articles about the passengers I pick up in my taxi, but not all our passengers are human, of course. We are obliged to...
Ranjit Recommends: Sunday Shoreditch Secret Food Tour
Shoreditch represents the past and present of London’s storied history in its decor and character. Our tour guide Joe kicks off proceedings with a timeline of how the area...
Benjamin Franklin; Monster or Mastermind?
Craven Street, London has two neighbouring Museums, but very different. Just off the Strand near Trafalgar Square is the Georgian road, Craven Street. See my article It was...
Taxi Noir: Celebrity Passengers
One category of person that I didn’t talk about in my discussion of taxi passengers was the celebrity. People are always fascinated hearing about the famous people we pick...
Ranjit Recommends: Visit Morocco
On 8th October 2019, The Amba Hotel in Marble Arch, London played host to the Moroccan Tourism Roadshow in the UK. The evening began with a drinks and...
Ranjit Recommends: Mealpal – Epic Lunches for a snip!
Mealpal offers customers a plethora of over 100 meal selections across the city of London on weekdays for less than £5, thereby resulting in a saving of at least...
Ranjit Recommends: Brick Lane – Flavours of India & Beyond
Located in a melting pot of some of London’s most storied landmarks, Brick Lane is the focus of the afternoon during this London Food Tour. Indeed, this street is...
Taxi Noir: Cab Passengers
This week I’m going to talk about relations with the passengers I get in my taxi. I’ve talked a fair bit about the Knowledge of London and the part...
Ranjit Recommends: Fame The Musical
30 years since its inception, Fame The Musical makes another scintillating appearance at Sadler’s Wells Peacock Theatre in London. Indeed, Fame The Musical gathers its inspiration from the 1980...
Ranjit Recommends: Cheese+Fromage
Cheese+Fromage offers a plethora of Grower Champagnes from across France that each have a storied history attached to them. Indeed, you can savour this luxurious beverage in congenial company...
Taxi Noir: Starting Out as a London Cab Driver
Cab driving in London is one of the most democratic occupations known to man. How many other occupations allow you to start training with no previous qualifications, then offer...
Ranjit Recommends: Leon’s West End
The restaurant chain Leon is synonymous with tasty health conscious fast food. However, on 13th February 2017 they opened their all-singing Leon branch in the West End of London...
Taxi Noir: The Knowledge (Part 2)
Welcome to Part Two of a run-through of the Knowledge of London, the training that London taxi drivers have to go through to get licensed. The first part is...
Welsh Witterings: Busy Times
The chaotic rhythm of my life continues this week as I try to complete deadlines, raise four girls, deal with the washing mountain and prepare for my television appearances...
Ranjit Recommends: The Bothy
The Bothy is the latest addition in a host of successful bar & restaurant chains by Drake & Morgan. Situated in the epicentre of West India Quay, The Bothy...
Taxi Noir: The Knowledge
Last time I promised to say more about the training that prospective London taxi drivers have to go through: the Knowledge of London. Right, fasten yourself in, it’s going...
Ranjit Recommends: MiniMix
As Oscar Wilde famously said “there is only one thing worse than being talked about and that is not being talked about”. Well, possibly the world’s largest mini bar...
Taxi Noir: An Introduction
I offer a warm welcome to anyone about to read my first introductory piece – and of course a big Hello to my fellow contributors. My name is Chris...
Bank of England Museum; England’s Financial History.
The Bank of England is in Threadneedle Street, in the Finance area of London. It’s known as the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street. It covers 3 ½ acres of...
There’s Lots to see Around Piccadilly.
I love exploring London. There are surprises tucked away around every corner. This trip I concentrated on the Piccadilly area. Piccadilly is supposedly named after the lace collars called...
Ranjit Recommends: All Star Lanes
Bowling for culinary delights under the same roof? That’s exactly what you can experience at All Star Lanes. The bowling lanes come with the presence of American 50s retro...
Holland Park’s Safestay Hostel. Is it London’s Cheapest Place to Stay?
I was surprised to find a hostel right in the middle of Holland Park. It seemed to have been dropped there one dark night. It just didn’t belong there....
Holland Park, Leisure & Pleasure hidden in the Heart of London.
London must be one of the greenest cities in the world. There are parks and gardens everywhere, if you know where to look! Sometimes you get a nice surprise...
London Cabman’s Shelters, Benny Hill & Jack the Ripper!
If I have an appointment in London, I always spend the whole day there as I love discovering new things to write about. This time I decided to visit...
Ranjit Recommends: Lord’s Afternoon Tea
On a crisp winter afternoon the home of cricket, Lord’s demonstrates that there are alternative ways to marvel at the 22 yard wicket during the off-season. Indeed, their...
Ranjit Recommends: German Cornejo’s Tango Fire
Tango Fire at Sadler’s Wells Peacock theatre is certainly flaming hot in talent and delivery! All dancers are presented in meticulous and fussy embroidery that is most evident...