Blue Badge Guide and native Londoner Erica Moss has been leading bespoke tours for a mainly American clientele for nearly four years. Following a first career in journalism, Erica decided to undergo the rigorous training required to gain the London Blue Badge, considered the Gold Standard of tour guiding.
Since qualifying, Erica has created a repertoire of over 40 different tours. Each tour she gives is then refined for a particular client’s wishes and desires, with the aim of making it fun and interesting in a way they will always remember. One day she might be guiding three generations of the same family through medieval London, the Jewish East End or British rock and pop history, the next she could be leading a honeymooning couple on a chauffeur-driven foray to Windsor Castle, Oxford or Stonehenge.
As Erica tells us, “I think of myself as the London Genie: the client rubs the lamp and I am the genie that comes out of the bottle. I especially love it when clients share their own knowledge and experience or come up with new and interesting questions during a tour.” She considers it a genuine pleasure to spend time with Americans and share with them because “their openness and directness makes me more direct and open myself”.
What might clients expect on one of her tours? “Lots of walking, fun, views and sights that are not obvious-- off the beaten track stuff. I like to aim for the ‘Oh Wow’ factor. Why does she do it? “I really love sharing. London is a world city and my city; it’s brilliant and I like showing it off. It’s always personal. While a client is with me I’m their new best friend and I’m going to look after them”.
Current fees for a Blue Badge Guide start at around £158 per half day and £255 per full day.
Further information visit www.britainsbestguides.org/guides/erica-moss
Article by Judith Schrut. Email Judith at judith0777@gmail.com
