I wrote recently about a situation where I was *almost* charged over £43 for two small glasses of wine. This was in a member’s club (that I’m not a member of) in Mayfair, London.
It got me thinking about the desire to have interesting experiences and make the most of living in one of the most vibrant cities in the world, whilst keeping a handle on the purse strings. It can be challenging, but it isn’t impossible.
I’ve lived in London for 17 years and I love it! During that time I have gathered a wealth of knowledge on how to make the most of the city without spending a fortune. Over the past year I’ve honed those skills even further due to earning significantly less.
I’ve categorised these tips under the headings of Exhibitions/Museums/Things to see, Food & Drink, Live Music and Miscellaneous Stuff.
Whether you’re planning a trip to London soon, or are a resident yourself, I hope there is something here that will appeal to your creative senses.
Half of this article is available to all, but the rest is behind a paywall. If you’re not already a paid subscriber to Chez Hanny, do consider upgrading. This is a lengthy and detailed piece which took me a long time to put together. By spending £5 on a month’s membership, you will save yourself much more than that when in London, and you’ll get to read all of the other juicy paid subscriber pieces too.
Exhibitions/Museums/Things to see
London is famous for having many free museums and galleries. They include The National Gallery, The V&A Museum, The British Museum, Tate Modern and more. You most probably already know about these so I’m going to focus on some of the lesser known spaces. Most are free, some have an entrance fee, but if they do I feel it is worth the cost and explain my justification. If you have a student card or are are a senior citizen then you are likely to get in at a reduced cost.
1. Sir John Soane’s Museum (free entry)
This is a veritable treasure trove located in a beautiful townhouse on Lincoln’s Inn Fields. Open Wednesday to Sunday, this was formerly the home of neo-classical architect John Soane. It holds a collection of many drawings, architectural models, sculptures and antiquities that he acquired over the years including the sarcophagus of Seti I (as you do).
Sir John Soane’s Museum - 13 Lincoln's Inn Fields, WC2A 3BP.
2. Garden Museum (paid entry)
Although not free to enter, I believe that this museum offers a lot of value for the entrance fee (£15 for adults, £12 for senior citizens, £8.50 for students). The exhibits are housed inside a repurposed church next door to Lambeth Palace. The design of the interior is quite something and, as well as an exhibition on gardening in the UK, there is a regularly changing art exhibition. Your entrance fee also gives you access to the tower, via a very narrow spiral staircase (131 steps), which has spectacular views over the Thames across to the Houses of Parliament and Big Ben.
Talks and events take place in this wonderful space, with June speakers including brilliant authors Kate Bradbury and
.The cafe and restaurant at the Garden Museum is well worth a visit and is situated inside a glass extension of the church with tables looking into a beautifully designed courtyard. Their sourdough bread is exemplary.
Garden Museum - Lambeth Palace Road, SE1 7LB
3. Newport Street Gallery (free entry)
Damian Hirst’s purpose built south-of-the-river gallery is worth a visit simply for the architecture of the building. The changing exhibitions offer thought-provoking and sometimes shocking displays that will leave you contemplating what you saw for a while.
Last time I visited, I saw Brian Clarke’s stunning display of stained glass. There’s a slightly mad cafe on the top floor which is in the style of a pharmacy.
Newport Street Gallery - 1 Newport Street, SE11 6AJ
4. Japan House London (free entry)
I had no idea that this existed until my husband took me to an exhibition here recently. It’s a Japanese cultural centre combining a cafe, shop, exhibition space and arguably the best toilets you will find anywhere in London.
When we visited, the exhibition in the downstairs space was celebrating Japanese design discoveries. We were there for around an hour and afterwards enjoyed browsing the beautiful products in the shop. The toilets are complete with seat warmers and rinse and dry functions. If you’re ever on Kensington High Street and need the loo, you know where to go!
Japan House London - 101-111 Kensington High Street, W8 5SA
5. Chelsea Physic* Garden (paid entry)
Open every day except Saturdays, this walled garden is a hidden gem within the bustle of London. You do have to pay to enter (£13 for adults, £5 for students) but you could easily spend several hours there. Chelsea Physic Garden is one of the oldest botanic gardens in Europe.
The old, but extremely well kept, greenhouses are my favourite thing and especially the cacti house.
Chelsea Physic Garden - 66 Royal Hospital Road, SW3 4HS
*even after several visits, I still have to phonetically say the word fi-sic in my head rather than sy-kick… A psychic garden, what would that entail, I wonder?
6. The Courtauld Gallery (paid/free entry)
Situated at Somerset House, The Courtauld Gallery is a small gallery with a vast collection. If you are a student, a teacher or a lecturer you can get in for free, otherwise it’s £14 to enter. The collection includes A Bar at the Folies Bergère by Édouard Manet, Self-Portrait with Bandaged Ear by Vincent van Gogh and many other masterpieces. There’s also a room devoted to the Bloomsbury Group and changing temporary exhibitions (at an extra cost).
The Courtauld Gallery - Somerset House, Strand, WC2R 0RN.
Food & Drink
Eating out in London can be both an immense pleasure and a way to see your money disappear quickly. There are occasions when a quick, cheap bite to eat is all that is required and other times where a celebratory meal and splashing a little more cash is more appropriate. I’ve tried to cover all bases here, and the foodie ideas increase in spenny-ness as the list progresses, but in every suggestion I believe that you get value for money.
1. Make a sandwich at home, fill your thermos and enjoy a picnic in one of London’s many parks.
Surprisingly, the UK capital is around 20% green space with around 3,000 parks within the Greater London area. There are eight royal parks so you are never far from somewhere to sit and eat your picnic.
When in central London, Hyde Park is a great place to find a bench and people watch whilst munching on your homemade sandwich. There is always something interesting going on and last time I was there a motorcade appeared followed by two royal carriages pulled by horses. We couldn’t see who was in them, but it wasn’t exactly an ordinary sight!
2. Find a greasy spoon
If I’m not organised enough to make a sandwich, but don’t want to get spenny, I might look for a fairly standard traditional cafe or ‘greasy spoon’. It’s best to move a little away from the main drag to find a good one, but there are many in the city centre. Despite the name, you’re likely to get decent sandwiches, baked potatoes (beans and cheese for me please), toasties or fry ups in places like this and you can absolutely guarantee a good cup of tea. The coffee might be less reliable.
Here are a couple of places I like:
Maestro Bar* – 41 Lower Belgrave Street SW1W 0LS
Earl’s Café Bar – 14 Endell Street WC2H 2BB – this is perfect if you are in the Covent Garden area and are looking for a straightforward lunch.
*no websites for these places, sorry!
3. Bibimbap
For something a little more interesting, I might look for a noodle bar or similar. I am obsessed with Korean food and I adore Bibimbap, so much so that we have some granite bowls at home to make our own. If you’ve not heard of Bibimbap, it is a rice dish served in a smoking hot granite bowl. The rice is topped with vegetables and/or meat fish, usually with a raw egg that cooks in the hot bowl and is finished with chilli sauce.
A favourite place to eat this is at the eponymous restaurant which now has several branches across the city as well as the original Soho branch on Greek Street. It’s not possible to book in advance but the turnaround of tables is pretty quick so you shouldn’t have to wait long if there’s a queue. Bibimbap dishes cost between £13.50 and £19.50 depending on the topping and they also serve noodles and other types of rice dishes. Last time I went there I ordered some tap water rather than an expensive drink and that can help to keep costs down in a very central location.
BiBimBap - 11 Greek St, W1D 4DJ (and three other locations across the city)