The City is slowly waking up after pandemic. Shops, restaurants, bars and exhibitions have started to re-opening with safety measures.
Here are a couple of shops, ships, cafés, antient temples and more you can either visit now or worth to put them on your list.
God’s Own Junkyard
God’s Own Junkyard is an Instagram heaven. The neon sign jungle is actually a family business. They collect and manufacture neon signs even for Hollywood super productions such Eyes Wide Shut with Tom Cruise or Avengers. (remember the neon “STARK” sign from the film. That’s it.)
Perfect Instagram backdrop.
To make this hidden gem even more extraordinary, I tell a secret: the place is regularly hired for filming and by magazines like Vouge for photo shoots. So, if you want photos of yourself like a star, God’s Own Junkyard is the place. Cool, huh?
The Rolling Scones Cafe
When you are there, please, make sure you support this extraordinary local business by buying a café or a yummy cake at their cool café, The Rolling Scones.
Alternatively, you can now order their recently launched book, Steel Dogs which is about “a family memoir, a journey in neon, from the seedy Soho sex shops to the movie industry.”
Opening Hours:
Friday – 11am to 9pm
Saturday – 11am to 9pm
Sunday – 11am to 6pm.
The Rolling Scones Cafe is open for food and drinks all weekend.
Gods Own Junkyard, Unit 12 Ravenswood Industrial Estate, Shernhall Street, London, E17 9HQ
Take a Virtual Ride in a McLaren
Did you know, you can sit into a blue McLaren and take it for a virtual ride in Microsoft Oxford Circus shop? All for FREE. And you will even get a “driving licence” to help you preserve the memory.
If you arrive alone but want a photo or video of your ride, don’t be shy, just ask a staff member. They are happy to capture your special moments.
253-259 Regent Street, London, England W1B 2ER
Japan House
Japan House is a cultural home of Japanese culture, heritage, art, technology, gastronomy and design.
Japan House constantly hosts events, FREE exhibitions, talks and immersive experiences.
AKIRA Restaurant & The Stand
While there, why not drink a matcha tea at The Stand or try one of their authentic dishes at AKIRA Restaurant.
Doughnut Time World
A quirky colourful doughnut themed playground for adults. Doughnut swing, ball pit, neon wall, sun bed and more.
306 High Holborn, Holborn, London WC1V 7JY
London’s Oldest Church that Survived the Great Fire
London’s oldest church was founded in the 7th century It witnessed the Viking invasion and the Great Plague, watched the Tower Bridge and The Tower of London being built and survived the Great Fire and two world wars.
Samuel Pepys the famous writer, thank to whom we have detailed information about the period of 1660s, stood on All Hallows by The Tower’s stairs, watching the deadly flames.
Under the antient staircase there is a crypt museum with a perfectly preserved Roman pavement, a wooden barrel used by Sir Ernest Shackleton on his last Antarctic expedition, documents of marriage and burials including names of well-known people and a three chapels with coffins from the Saxon period buried under them.
Entry in FREE to both the church and the crypt museum
Byward Street, London, EC3R 5BJ
The Golden Hinde
Although, stepping on the board is not free, The Golden Hide is definitely a unique place to visit.
Admission fee is as little as £5
Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the planet in a similar ship like this between 1577 and 1580. The ship’s name originally was Pelican, Drake ordered the ship to be renamed in honour of his patron Sir Christopher Hatton (the golden hind was a feature of Hatton’s family heraldry).
Sadly, The Golden Hide was destroyed 300 years ago. A replica was constructed in the 1970s and has had likewise adventurous life its original twin. The replica itself has sailed round the world and even appeared in movies such as Swashbuckler (1976) and Shogun starring Richard Chamberlain (1979).
St Mary Overie Dock, Cathedral Street, London, SE1 9DE
The Clink Prison dates back to 1144 and is one of the oldest prisons in England.
Clink not only witnessed remarkable changes in history, but also saw famous historical people being imprisoned within its walls: Sir Thomas Wyatt The Younger (son of the famous Renaissance poet), imprisoned for rebelling against Queen ‘Bloody’ Mary I, John Rogers who was responsible for translating the English Bible from Latin to English or John Duke, a famous actor, imprisoned for a debt of £8.
Maybe you didn’t know but Clink Prison Museum is a family owned museum and 100% of their income come from ticket sales, school booking and gift shop sales.
To keep local history alive, Clink needs your help. They have started a campaign on Crowdfounder to be able to stay alive and avoid permanent closure.
Please donate and help the oldest tourist attraction of Bankside survive.
Charles Dickens and his wife Catherine moved to 48 Doughty Road, London just before Queen Victoria begun her reign in 1837.
Dickens and his wife raised three of their eldest children there, and the famous storyteller wrote Oliver Twist, Pickwick Papers and Nicholas Nickleby within those walls.
Before Coronavirus pandemic outbreak Dickens Museum was about to announce the acquisitions of Dickens rarities, install a ‘lost portrait’ of Dickens following its disappearance of 170 years and open a new exhibition.
Due to the fact that Dickens Museum has been operating as a self-founding charity (they rely on visitors) since its foundation (95 years ago), the museum is not receiving funding from the government. This means, Dickens Museum has lost almost all of their income after Coronavirus outbreak.
Work at the museum, however, cannot stop. They have to continue to take care of their precious collections.
They need to raise £30,000 every month to cover the basic cost of looking after and take care of the house itself and the collections in it.
How to Support?
Use this link to learn how you can donate (every penny counts)
Visit Dickens Museum and enjoy their amazing collections
Pop in for a coffee and a slice of cake or a light lunch to their Garden Café. The café is FREE to visit. NO admission fee to pay.
Consider hiring one of their beautiful rooms in the historical building for either formal or informal event
Participate in a ‘Dickens Walk’ and discover streets Dickens knew intimately, follow Dickens to streets he often passed as a child and visit a secret garden which the adult Dickens influenced.
God’s Own Junkyard
This absolutely wonderful neon sign jungle has the largest vintage neon sign collection in Europe. In addition, God’s Own Junkyard is the oldest neon signmaker in London.
You probably didn’t know but their neon signs have appeared in Hollywood super productions such as Avengers, or Eyes Wide Shut with Tom Cruise and Nicole Kidman. God’s Own Junkyard has been hired by the most famous magazines for photo shoots (e.g. Vouge) and by singers to record video clips.
Hire their neon signs (prices are vary depending on style and size)
Once lockdown is over…
Buy a nice coffee and a slice of cake at their lovely café: The Rolling Scones Café (Psst…their carrot cake is legendary)
Café Van Gogh
Café Van Gogh is a not for profit social enterprise and they are working together with three charities to run an on-the-job training programme for people with disabilities or mental health problems.
In addition, Café Van Gogh is a zero-waste business and 100% vegan. Oh, and dog friendly. Wow!
Tobo Café is a family run café with three shops in London.
They offer healthy authentic Japanese food and drink in a modern accessible way. They believe in the health benefit of green tea. That’s why we can recognise the influence of green tea in their entire menu.
Tombo is the first Japanese kawaii character themed café in London.
How to Support?
Purchase tea selections, teaware and Sanrio themed goodies online
Once lockdown is over…
Order sandwiches, wraps, treat boxes or hot food for small meetings or home
Try their delicious character themed Japanese sweets or desserts
Choose from their wide variety of soups and dishes (their katsu curry is an absolute winner)
Purchase some exclusive Sanrio and Hello Kitty goodies from the shop
Attendant
Attendant is a small business with three shops each of them offering different experience and focusing on local community.
They offer delicious seasonal menu and coffee all from sustainable and ethical source.
Probably their quirkiest shop is in Fitzrovia where they renovated a disused Victorian toilet. They preserved the original green Victorian style tiles and restored the Victorian style urinals to make your café experience as quirky and unique as possible.
How to Support?
Support their awesome team by purchasing gift card from as little as £5
Orderexclusive coffee blends or reusable stylish ceramic coffee cups online
Once lockdown is over…
Choose one from their endless coffee menu. They have such specialities like Babyccino, Turmeric Latte, Matcha Latte or Chai Latte
Have your breakfast or lunch at a Victorian style urinal
Hire the place for private or corporate events
Crypt Café
Located under the ground near Trafalgar Square, Café in the Crypt is a unique place with historic tombstones and brick-vaulted ceilings.
All profit from Café in the Crypt go to St-Martin-In-The-Fields church.
How to Support?
Donate online to help the homeless, the church services in the future or to help providing safe and secure place to the vulnerable
Once lockdown is over…
Pop in for a coffee or a meal and enjoy the thrillingly unique atmosphere of the crypt café
Make a booking and enjoy the company of cute rescue cats with a coffee, afternoon tea or choose something yummy from their al a cart menu
Private hire the café or part of the café
Adopt a cat
Participate in their Pet First Aid Course
The Knot Churros
The Knot Churros is located in South Kensington and has only one but truly extraordinary shop with giant gummy bears, floral ceiling and a swing chair and pinky flamingos.
They sell beautifully designed themed ice creams, hot churros, cotton candy burritos and much more.
How to Support?
Visit their physical shop between and order something yummy from their full menu list for takeaway
Once lockdown is over…
Drop by and try one of their Disney themed ice cream creations and don’t forget to take a selfie with it while sitting in the swing chair surrounded by flamingos
Book for a Dumbo inspired magical afternoon tea
Mamasons Dirty Ice Cream
London’s first Filipino ice cream parlour, Mamasons has two tiny yet Insta-worthy shops in Kentish Town and China Town.
They sell traditional Filipino ice creams, shakes and hot and cold drinks.
How to Support?
Pop in for a delicious Filipino ice cream to their Kentish Town store. Now open Mon-Thurs 1pm-10pm and Fri-Sun 12pm-10pm
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