Are there any crusty readers out there who, like the author, recalls Roger Miller’s hit song ‘England Swings’? That was the 1965 US pop chartbuster with vivid, stereotyped lyrics, telling of bobbies on bicycles, rosy red-cheeked children and dapper gents with derby hats.
Britain’s groovy reputation in the Swinging Sixties was a magnet for American musicians and artists, as well as young tourists by the charter plane load. They came to play, sway and in many cases, stay. American celebrities who have spent significant time living here include musical icons Tina Turner, Susie Quatro and Madonna, actors Gwyneth Paltrow, Kevin
Spacey and Gillian Anderson, and writers Bill Bryson and Francesca Simon.
Jimi Hendrix, born in Seattle, was one of the greatest rock legends to live, love, write and perform in Sixties London. He also infamously died here in 1970, from an accidental drugs overdose. You can visit his Mayfair flat at 23 Brook Street, which shares Georgian walls with the former home of composer George Frideric Handel. Together these make up the fascinating Handel & Hendrix in London museum. Jimi’s carefully restored bedroom is on the top floor, complete with hippy-style decor and his favourite black hat, feather boas and acoustic guitar.
If you’re in the mood for more swinging, there are plenty of Sixties themed tours out there, like the Ultimate Swinging 60’s Experience Tour on a Routemaster Bus or Free- Tours-by-Foot’s acclaimed Rock‘n Roll London. Those with deeper pockets may prefer the luxury Rock N Rolls Tour of Swinging London, in a Rolls Royce of course.
Whether posing for selfies with Lord Nelson and his iconic pigeons, visiting nearby Buckingham Palace or spending an afternoon enjoying the treasures at the National Gallery, every American in London surely passes through Trafalgar Square at one time or another. But how many of us have ventured the few steps off those well beaten tracks to the door of Benjamin Franklin’s house?
Here, behind the 18th century façade of 36 Craven Street, one of our favourite Founding Fathers lived and worked for over 15 years. This historic building was saved from dereliction in 2006, was painstakingly restored, and is
Image Source, Alamy Stock Photo
now a wonderful small museum dedicated to the exceptional Ben’s life and achievements in history, science, philosophy and politics.
Ben truly embodied the concept of a polymath. He was a writer, newspaper publisher, oceanographer, chess player, linguist and alphabetician. He helped draft the American Declaration of Independence, served as Ambassador to France and became the first US Postmaster General. As a scientist and inventor he gave us bifocals, the lightning rod, the eco-friendly Franklin stove, the glass (h)armonica and, last but not least, the flexible urinary catheter. His is the face on the $100 bill.
Less well known were Ben’s prolific talents as a musician and songwriter. He played violin, harp and guitar, and wrote drinking songs to friends, love songs for his wife and songs of political protest. Several of these were re-created and broadcast by the BBC for an imaginative programme called ‘Benjamin Franklin’s Ipod’.
Nearly 100 miles northeast in Thetford, Norfolk is the birthplace of Ben’s friend, contemporary and fellow American Founding Father, Thomas Paine. Paine was a hugely influential writer, radical politician and revolutionary thinker who challenged authority and injustice throughout his life. Emigrating to the US in 1774, Paine arrived in time to play an important part in the American Revolution.
Probably best known as author of The Rights of Man and for giving us countless quotable phrases like “these are the times that try men’s souls”, Paine was also an imaginative inventor who designed an iron bridge and a smokeless candle. Unlike Ben Franklin, Paine was a controversial hero, panned by some in his time for advocating free thinking, votes for all, abolition of slavery and a minimum wage. Although no museum yet honours Paine in his home town, visiting fans can trek the Thomas Paine Trail or salute Thomas Paine Day with locals every June 8th.
I’ve heard this statement on numerous occasions and when one examines the neighbourhood it comes as no surprise.
Apart from the fact that NW8 is home to the American School, it is also home to the world renowned Lords Cricket Ground, a microcosm of all things British. With its elegant buildings, boutique coffee shops and vast expanses of pristine green grass, it provides visitors and residents with their very own piece of quintessential England without actually being in the midst of the hustle and bustle of London.
In addition, it is perfectly located for quick access into the West End and the City of London where London’s businesses, theatres and restaurants can be found. A few stops on a bus or underground train from the Art Deco style St Johns Wood Underground Station gets you into the heart of London, and when you return back home from the inner London frenzy you are back in this well-established friendly community reminiscent of a Home Counties village.
Clearly for visitors from the USA, The American School here is a big draw. It was originally founded in 1951 but has undergone massive changes over the years by incorporating adjoining buildings and completely redesigning its exterior and interior creating a spectacular environment for its pupils to study in. The school has an impressive track record of success and now teaches students from more than 50 different nationalities.
Moving home is always troublesome, but moving to a new home in a different country is understandably a hugely emotional time for families. However, in my conversations with my American clients, I am told that the expat American community find that living close to other people who are in a similar situation can be extremely comforting and, of course, having the spectacular Panzers Deli round the corner, which prides itself on having a wealth of American foods, is the perfect cure for feeling homesick.
Historically, St John’s Wood was once part of the Great Forest of Middlesex, and until the end of the eighteenth century it remained in agricultural use. Apart from a small portion around Barrow Hill, which was owned by the Portland Estate, most of St John’s Wood had been acquired by the Eyre family in 1732. A second, smaller estate, nestled alongside Edgware Road, was acquired by John Lyon in 1574; the estate was later given by him to his foundation, Harrow School, on trust to maintain the roads between London and Harrow in good repair. Hence, a number of local road names reflect these links. John Lyon’s Charity is today one of London’s leading endowed educational charities.
When building began in this area at the beginning of the nineteenth century, St John’s Wood became the first part of London to move away from the typical terraced houses and instead began to showcase the semi-detached villa. This somewhat revolutionary move was later copied in other districts of London. Despite many of the original houses and gardens not surviving the Second World War bombing raids, the area has still managed to preserve its original character.
As well as its history and the aforementioned famous cricket ground, there are many other attractions which draw both tourists and local residents to the area. Regent’s Park is just a stone’s throw away and is the largest open space for sports in Central London. The park not only hosts the world famous London Zoo, but also the highly acclaimed open air theatre where popular plays are regularly performed.
In modern times, St John’s Wood became home to the most famous recording studios in the world, the Abbey Road Studios, often used by The Beatles who brought the area into the public eye with the iconic album covering featuring an image of the group on the zebra crossing outside the studios. Today tourists from all over the world dodge the traffic in an attempt to recreate this iconic cover shot.
If moving to London is on your agenda and you want to discuss the St Johns Wood location further please don’t hesitate to contact me for more in depth information or just for some local restaurant suggestions.
Article by Paul J Bennett, Proprietor, Behr & Butchoff, 105 St. Johns Wood Terrace, London, NW8 6PL Telephone: 020 7722 7222
Hard Rock Cafe,
150 Old Park Lane, Mayfair, London, W1K 1QZ Telephone: 020 7514 1700
Every time we have visited the Hard Rock Cafe London we have always had a great time as the atmosphere is lively and the food is good. It is always busy, and the day we visited was no exception. Our children were very excited to join us, and enjoyed the buzz and party vibe as we entered the restaurant. There were a number of other families around us also enjoying time out together.
As some readers may already know, it started with an Eric Clapton guitar - back in the seventies, Clapton liked to eat at this quirky American diner in London called the Hard Rock Cafe. The place was this funky old building that used to be a Rolls Royce
dealership, and it was run by a couple of young, enterprising and music-loving Americans – Isaac Togrett and Peter Morton. Clapton became friends with the proprietors and asked them to save him a regular table, put up a brass plaque or something – and one of the proprietors said “Why don’t we put up your guitar?”. They all had a chuckle, and he handed over the guitar, and they mounted it on the wall. No one thought much more about it until a week later, when another guitar arrived (a Gibson Les Paul, by the way). With it was a note from Pete Townshend of The Who, which read: “Mine’s as good as his. Love, Pete”. The young proprietors put it on the wall. After that, the guitars never stopped coming. Today there are more than 70,000 guitars, drums, pianos, harmonicas, microphones, shirts, pants, scarves, shoes, handwritten lyrics, cars, bikes, a bus and assorted rock memorabilia - by far, the largest, most valuable such collection in the world - on the walls of over 190 Hard Rock Cafes, Hotels and Casinos in 61 countries around the world.
With this history in mind, you would hope that the quality of the food matches the reputation of the venue, and luckily it does! The menu is extensive, with a wide range of choices, but again the friendly waiting staff are on hand to give useful advice. The starters include Nachos, Hickory Smoked Chicken Wings and Potato Skins. We started with the Jumbo Combo (£20.95) – perfect for a family of four, providing a good sample of the other starters on offer. It includes Signature Wings, Onion Wings, Tupelo Chicken Tenders, Southwest Spring Rolls and Bruschetta. This large platter was served with three delicious sauces – honey mustard, hickory barbecue and blue cheese dressing, for mixing and matching, offering a perfect accompaniment. We really enjoyed the spicy kick of the Signature Wings.
There is a mouth-watering selection of Entrees, including Steaks, Fajitas, Grilled Salmon and Beer Battered Fish & Chips – from £14.75. There is also a list of Smokehouse, Salads and Sandwich options. The Burgers are priced from £15.25 (with a variety of toppings available at extra cost), and the Veggie Leggie is £16.25. The Original Legendary Burger is excellent for burger lovers (count me in on this one!), and was successfully cleaned up by our youngest son.
I chose the St. Paddy’s Burger (available for a limited to time to celebrate St Patrick’s Day). Made with the Hard Rock signature burger patty, it was topped with Jameson bacon jam and succulent Guinness cheese sauce. What better way for me to celebrate this Irish national holiday; it was delicious, succulent and sweetened by the bacon jam, and I would definitely have this one again! Priced at £16.25 it was served on a toasted bun with lettuce, tomato and Hard Rock Fries.
Options from the Smokehouse menu are all smoked in-house. Our eldest son (a permanently hungry 15-year old), chose the Hickory-Smoked Barbecue Combo (priced at £16.75), which offered Bar-B-Que Ribs and Smoked Pulled Pork. This boy loves his meat, and unsurprisingly his meal was heartily enjoyed, proven by the empty plate! The Pulled Pork was a real hit due to its succulence and the accompanying sauce. My wife selected one of their Famous Fajitas (Grilled Shrimp, priced £18.95). Served with pico de gallo, Monterey Jack and cheddar cheese, fresh guacamole, sour cream and warm tortillas, she thoroughly enjoyed her choice. She was kind enough to let me sample one of the large, succulent Shrimps, as she knows the way to a man’s heart! Grilled to perfection, I would have been happy to sample a few more! There is also an extensive Kids menu and a whole menu dedicated to Gluten Free options.
The wine selection offers plenty of choice, and we enjoyed a few glasses of Sauvignon Blanc (£9.95 for a large glass). The large bar
also caters for a fantastic range of beverages. The boys washed down their meals with some delicious alcohol-free cocktails, recommended by our waiter.
I knew we would have to save some room for dessert - we had promised the kids after all! The dessert list offers a fabulous selection, and we sampled the Homemade Apple Cobbler (£7.75) and the Cheesecake made with Oreo Cookie pieces (£8.25) – which I must say are two of the best, and most substantial desserts, I have ever enjoyed. This was comfort food at its best - homemade, sweet and delicious. The portions, again, were huge, and I would be curious to see if one person could eat the Cheesecake on their own! Next time, we’ll give the Hot Fudge Brownie a go, as I endured food envy as I kept watching the glorious dish going past!
As you enjoy your meal there is always something to entertain you, from the music videos or dancing waiters, to the memorabilia that surrounds you. The music is loud, and there are many tracks you will find yourself rocking along to. We enjoyed a broad range of classic rock hits, including tracks from Katy Perry, Prince, and Queen, just some of the ones I can remember. Radio Ga Ga had the whole restaurant clapping in time with the video. You will find yourself tapping your feet to most of these familiar tracks, and it is impossible not to be distracted by the amazing collection of rock and pop pieces that are displayed all around the restaurant and between the tables.
The service throughout was very good, and seems to work as a well-oiled machine. Staff are cheerful, pleasant and helpful with menu choices, and cater very well to the kids.
Hard Rock Cafe undoubtedly houses some of the most fascinating and important pieces of rock and pop history. The Vault, in the basement of the Hard Rock Store over the road, is a must. They seemingly offer tours every 20 minutes or so. It is housed in an old Coutts bank vault (the vault doors and some of the safes are still in place). Whilst the kids hadn’t heard of some of the artists whose memorabilia is housed here, they were very interested to learn more. There are some fascinating original lyrics by John Lennon, one of Madonna’s bank cards, and a guitar used by Slash from Guns N’ Roses. Take your camera.
It is a fun venue, which is more than just a restaurant. If you haven’t yet visited, add it to your list – either book before or get there early, as the queues can be long.
Whether you’ve lived in the UK for the proverbial donkey’s years, or arrived here more recently, you’ll be familiar with that national treasure known as the BBC, short for the British Broadcasting Corporation. Many of us enjoy or, let’s be honest, need a fix of our beloved Beeb on a daily basis, whether via television, radio, iPlayer or online.
But there are many other ways to get upfront and personal with ‘Auntie Beeb’. One of the very best is to join a behind the scenes tour at the amazing BBC Media City in Manchester, or at one of many outstanding regional studios including BBC Bristol Centre, Birmingham’s The Mailbox, Newcastle’s Pink Palace and Pacific Quay in Glasgow, riverside headquarters of BBC Scotland. You’ll have
the opportunity to walk in the footsteps of your favourite stars, visit backstage studios and have a go at making your own news or weather bulletins in interactive studios. Media City is also home to Children’s BBC and has created a fab CBBC tour especially for young people. Tours are free or reasonably priced but very popular, so be sure to book well in advance.
If you’ve always dreamed of seeing your favourite show filmed or broadcast live, why not sign up to the BBC’s online mailing list and apply for free tickets to dozens of popular TV and radio shows? Favourites include Strictly Come Dancing, the Now Show, the Dog Ate my Homework and Friday Night is Music Night, the world’s longest running live radio programme.
Those with chutzpah may prefer to take part as contestants. If so, you can apply to pitch your wits or test your quizzability IQ in quiz shows Eggheads, Impossible, Mastermind and Only Connect or competitions like Who Dares Wins. Consider having your house renovated by the DIY SOS: Big Build team or your garden made over by the flowery folks at Garden Rescue. Bring your heirlooms and car boot bargains to the Antiques Roadshow. Or nominate your Mammy for Mrs Brown’s Mammy of the Week award.
Are there any crusty readers out there who, like the author, recalls Roger Miller’s hit song ‘England Swings’? That was the 1965 US pop chartbuster with vivid, stereotyped lyrics, telling of bobbies on bicycles, rosy red-cheeked children and dapper gents with derby hats.
Whether posing for selfies with Lord Nelson and his iconic pigeons, visiting nearby Buckingham Palace or spending an afternoon enjoying the treasures at the National Gallery, every American in London surely passes through Trafalgar Square at one time or another. But how many of us have ventured the few steps off those well beaten tracks to the door of Benjamin Franklin’s house?
I’ve heard this statement on numerous occasions and when one examines the neighbourhood it comes as no surprise. 
Hard Rock Cafe,
150 Old Park Lane, Mayfair, London, W1K 1QZ Telephone: 020 7514 1700 
I chose the St. Paddy’s Burger (available for a limited to time to celebrate St Patrick’s Day). Made with the Hard Rock signature burger patty, it was topped with Jameson bacon jam and succulent Guinness cheese sauce. What better way for me to celebrate this Irish national holiday; it was delicious, succulent and sweetened by the bacon jam, and I would definitely have this one again! Priced at £16.25 it was served on a toasted bun with lettuce, tomato and Hard Rock Fries.
Whether you’ve lived in the UK for the proverbial donkey’s years, or arrived here more recently, you’ll be familiar with that national treasure known as the BBC, short for the British Broadcasting Corporation. Many of us enjoy or, let’s be honest, need a fix of our beloved Beeb on a daily basis, whether via television, radio, iPlayer or online.
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