London Blogged :: Pat's London Blog

Billingsgate Porters Protest

Pat — Wed, 04 Aug 2010 09:10:35 +0000

The Fish Porters at Billingsgate Market are currently protesting at plans by the City of London Corporation to deregulate the market by removing old by-laws which state how the market should be run. This will more than likely lead to the Fish Porters losing their work to cheaper, un-skilled labour.

The Fish Porters also think that this is the start of plans to sell off the market to property developers, as its in a prime location near Canary Wharf.

Here’s links to both sides of the story:-

Unite City of London Corporation

Making Tea

Pat — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:28:59 +0000

Here’s a 1941 guide to Making Tea, just in case you’ve forgotten how. And remember, don’t store your tea next to the cheese!

Vintage London

Pat — Tue, 03 Aug 2010 14:25:22 +0000

Found this excellent resource on YouTube, of old footage of London, preserved and put online by the BFI. They can be found on YouTube at the BFIfilms group. 3 picked out below and theres lots more online.

Old London Street Scenes 1903

Tower Bridge Road Market 1931

Petticoat Lane 1903

Olympics 2012 – Stadium taking shape

Pat — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 13:49:50 +0000

Its interesting to see the progress of the construction of the Olympic Stadium, the Aquatics Centre etc for the London Olympics 2012.

On the official website, you can see the latest photos and also click the photos to see a timeline, from start to now.

Progress looks good and well on track for 2012.

Evening Standard to be free paper

Pat — Fri, 02 Oct 2009 09:53:56 +0000

This story was on the BBC website just now. Apparently, the publishers of the London Evening Standard have announced it is to become a free paper, with approx. 600,000 copies to be given out in London.

This follows the recent closure of the London Paper, News International’s London free sheet.

No details on the Standard website at the moment.

Quite often they dish them out free in the evenings anyway, at least in Central London, at main train stations, tube stations etc. I assume thats to keep up the circulation/readership figures, to keep the advertisers happy.

Will be interesting to see if this leads to any further new papers being launched or if too many hands have already been burnt in this market, especially with the low levels of advertising about at the moment (except for all those poxy ‘sell your gold’ adverts on tv!)

Porsche-smashing bus

Pat — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:20:41 +0000

Check this CCTV out, a stray London bus slams into a (luckily) un-occupied Porsche and then careers into the bus stop, smashing all before it.

Mercedes Vito taking on the black cab

Pat — Tue, 29 Sep 2009 12:13:56 +0000

This article on the Evening Standard website says the Mercedes Vito is rapidly taking market share from the traditional black cab – the Manganese Bronze TX4.

According to the article, advantages of the Vito are room for six passengers and air-con and – most importantly for cabbies - better mpg.

Article: Evening Standard website

Another article on the Vito: London Daily News website

Hilton doorman loses his hat

Pat — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:46:22 +0000

Another YouTube video that always cracks me up.

And a little birdie told me that the doorman actually got his hat back in the end. Don’t know how he managed it.

News blooper

Pat — Fri, 11 Sep 2009 17:43:13 +0000

This’ll make you laugh, works every time for me. Think its a bit old, but who cares, well funny.

Trouble in the kitchen at TGI Fridays, Covent Garden

Pat — Fri, 28 Aug 2009 11:22:49 +0000

This story might put you off your lunch. Especially if its at a TGI Fridays.

Health inspectors shut down the Covent Garden branch of TGI Fridays, after they investigated customer’s complaints of spotting mice. The inspectors found ‘piles of dead cockroaches and mouse droppings’ in the kitchens!

I’ve never been a fan of the whole TGI Friday concept and this makes it worse. All a bit 1980s really.

The full story at The Metro website

And more at Bloomberg website