Thread: Let's talk London.

Hello all, I recently finished my first novel and primary editting (structural stuff) and now I am beginning to rewrite certain sections. The part I'm looking to rewrite takes place on a family vacation to London during Christmas and New Year.

The problem is I know nothing of London. Knowing I would eventually rewrite these scenes I used only the most stereotypical knowledge on hand to get the thing written. I'm not looking for exact detail but would like to be somewhat accurate in my depiction of the city.

Here are some of the questions I have:

Generally what is it like during the holidays?

My characters stay at a brand new and completely fictional luxury hotel but I was wondering if there was any specific area known to have a collection of luxury hotels?

Any major roads I should know about?

The family also stays at a mansion just outside the city, does any such place exist for having a bunch of mansions in close proximity?

Where do people go to countdown New Year's?

What is the commute to Paris like?-

I know I could look this stuff up on the internet but I would like firsthand accounts by fellow writers. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Originally Posted by Beja-Beja

Hello all, I recently finished my first novel and primary editting (structural stuff) and now I am beginning to rewrite certain sections. The part I'm looking to rewrite takes place on a family vacation to London during Christmas and New Year.

The problem is I know nothing of London. Knowing I would eventually rewrite these scenes I used only the most stereotypical knowledge on hand to get the thing written. I'm not looking for exact detail but would like to be somewhat accurate in my depiction of the city.

Here are some of the questions I have:

Generally what is it like during the holidays?

This is a bit vague a question. Which holidays? Whose holidays? London is a huge multi-racial, multi-cultural place. Some parts are like NY, some places are like....Penge.

My characters stay at a brand new and completely fictional luxury hotel but I was wondering if there was any specific area known to have a collection of luxury hotels?

Most high-end London hotels are well known to most people. Have a look on the internet and pick one you like the look of and make the most of the famous landmarks. A fictionalised luxury hotel would need to be small and exclusive to convince anyone who knows London.

Any major roads I should know about?

Again the place is huge. Many major roads. Many famous ones.

The family also stays at a mansion just outside the city, does any such place exist for having a bunch of mansions in close proximity?

Depends what the term Mansion means to you. There's a ton of exec houses. If you mean butlers and crap, not so much.

Where do people go to countdown New Year's?

Our Times Square is Trafalgar Square. Some people like to get drunk, kiss a policeman then go swimming in the fountain. Most people go to house parties and put the TV on to wait from the chimes from Big Ben.

What is the commute to Paris like?-

Eurostar from St Pancreas. Two and a half hours, I think.

My gosh, you are making life very difficult for yourself. Good luck.

Personally I would have whacked out most of those questions on google and scanned some London forums.

THEN asked questions here about the stuff you don't get that way.

Thanks for all your help. I'm off to google, cheers!

It takes place in 1999, FYI

Originally Posted by Beja-Beja

It takes place in 1999, FYI

That makes it just before Millenimumuenmum celebrations. You're into a whole different territory.

See Pandora’s head. I would add that if you used St.Pancras Station, you would have to comment on it or nobody would believe you have been there, is an amazing structure; Google it.

During the war they took all the identifying notices down in case of invasion. My father was stopped outside St. Pancras by a visiting GI and asked which cathedral it was?

Thinking about Ox's post, Whitechaple and Deptford are very down market, working class areas, if you look at a map the river below the pool (Between london and tower bridge) was the dockland area, so areas to the south and east are generally working class places, Edmonton, Tottenham, Eastham, Deptford, Newcross, Elephant and Castle. Your visitors would probably never visit this part of London. When you get up river past the bridges commercial traffic did not visit so it became much more up market, starting with Chelsea it is progressively more so as you move westwards to places like Wimbledon, Richmond and Kingston. Generally it is more middle class to the north and on the outskirts to the south, Places like Southgate, Woodgreen, Cricklewood in the north and Dulwich, Beckenham, Penge, Mitcham and Morden to the south tend to be middle class commuter suburbs.

Originally Posted by Olly Buckle

During the war they took all the identifying notices down in case of invasion. My father was stopped outside St. Pancras by a visiting GI and asked which cathedral it was?

They did that out here too, with road signs and the like. And even thirty-some years later hadn’t got around to replacing them all, around Sydney. Which occasionally provided we western suburbs-based cabbies the opportunity for some fun at the expense of one of your, shall we say ethnic, city-based colleagues. You’d have Achmed or Ishmael dropping off a fare in our district then asking a local cabbie the quickest way back to Sydney. Invariably we’d point towards the Blue Mountains, twenty-five or so miles further west, and say “Thataway.”

Ugh all this searching is giving me a headache. Did they have the Christmas Market in Hyde Park back in '99?