God’s Own Junkyard

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

Where to go? What to do?

Here is a collection of Insta-worthy and completely FREE things to do in London.