Open House London 2011
Open House London have this week announced the programme for this year’s event on the weekend of 17th and 18th September. You can order the catalogue from the site (£6.50, recommended), and this year they have introduced an iPhone app.
My tips for OHL are:
- If you’re only doing one day, probably go Saturday rather than Sunday. If anything like last year, some significant buildings open Saturday only.
- Start early. Last year I swanned into the Foreign Office early doors, by the time I got out there was a queue around the block. Secondly, time runs away with you, best to maximise this as much as possible.
- Plan your day and read the catalogue very carefully. Some items need to be pre-booked and others are open only one day (see above).
I thought about seeing who’d like to make up a group, but OHL doesn’t lend itself to this because most people have different “wants”, best to do it alone or with one or two like-minded friends or those who really don’t mind what they go to. However, it would be nice for anyone interested to hook up at a pub afterwards, late afternoon. I’m only doing Saturday this year, and I’m thinking The Anchor, a large riverside pub in Southwark with a great view of St Paul’s. Contact me or leave a comment if interested.
The Anchor an appropriate place to rendevous Mike. On site of earlier pub where Hester Thrale (wife of guy who owned the big brewery round corner) held her literary Salon that attracted the likes of Dr Johnson
Of course. I’d forgotten that. I’ve been planning to do a blog post on Mrs Thrale for some time. Will get around to it.
The list is fantastic and only two days to work through very different sort of places. I would definitely see the examples of Victorian engineering cleverness eg Abbey Mills Pumping Station and Western Pumping Station. I loved Crossness.