When I take the rubbish out to the bin store outside my block of flats, I try to perform this necessary task as quickly as possible. Lift the lid, throw the bags in and make my getaway before the smell becomes overpowering. One thing I don’t tend to […]
The John Snow in Soho is like many other pubs in central London with people drinking knee deep on the pavement outside when the weather is good. Inside there is little that makes this establishment any different from many others in and around the city. Serving a good […]
There is no shortage of coffee shops in Stoke Newington. I counted at least 10, before settling on a café set at the back of a flower shop with a large peaceful courtyard garden. Away from the hustle and bustle, it seemed the perfect place to reflect – […]
In 1807 an Act of Parliament abolished the trading of slaves in the British Empire. While not ending slavery itself (that would come in 1833 following further legislation), it was a remarkable achievement in bringing to a conclusion a shameful trade. Some estimate that between 1662 and 1807 […]
New York’s Mayor Michael Bloomberg is not a fan of Banksy. For 20 consecutive days the graffiti artist from my home city of Bristol has revealed a new piece of artwork in the Big Apple. But Mayor Bloomberg is impressed, saying that graffiti “does ruin’s people’s property” and […]
When the British Museum opened its doors to the public on the 15th January 1753 its policy on admissions was simple – entry was free and given to ‘all studious and curious Persons’. More than 250 years on, there is still no charge for visitors to view the […]
England’s towns were once enclosed by towering defensive walls that minimised the chances of would be attackers entering and causing havoc. And they performed an important role in regulating business – meaning that only those that were part of official guilds or livery companies could trade. Looking at […]
Drive through the centre of Bristol and you can’t miss a tatty old office block completed in 1972 for the now defunct Avon County Council. Towering into the sky, this brutal piece of architecture continues to blight the city’s skyline 17 years after the authority was abolished. But […]
The railways transformed Britain when they were introduced as a mass mode of transport in the 19th century. For the first time we had a nationally integrated economy where major brands were established, professional sports leagues blossomed and seaside excursions became possible for many. Towns that were on […]
Hearing Boris Johnson’s £10 million plan today to get more commuters on the Thames made me chuckle. It’s not that I’m against the river travel – I have quite the opposite view in fact. As a Tube user and seeing how clogged up London’s streets get in peak […]
Past In The Present 