Harry Potter: “Can we find all this in London?”
Hagrid:           “If yeh know where to go.

So where do you start? Platform 9 3/4 of course. Head on over to Kings Cross Station and you will find the new Harry Potter shop situated somewhere between platforms 9 and 10. Here you can find all manner of Harry Potter souvenirs, from the famous wand to wizards gowns. On leaving the station you will notice that the outside of the station does not look like the one in the movie. That’s because the outside scenes were filmed at St Pancras Station next door. The grand gothic building is now a hotel while the station has been  moved behind the old building.

Next stop: Leicester Square, just a quick ride on the underground. Exit the station onto Charing Cross Road. Remember that the Leaky Cauldron and Diagon Alley are to be found on this road and I’m sure that if you let your imagination run wild you will find the same inspiration that J K Rowling had walking up this road.

A short walk away back past Leicester Square (which is where all the movies were premièred) is Piccadilly Circus. This was featured in a few of the movies; during the attack of London by the death eaters and also the scene where Harry, Hermoine and Ron almost get run over by a bus. Leading away from Piccadilly Circus is Shaftesbury Avenue, which is mentioned by Hermoine when she says that her parents used to bring her to the theatre there. Well there is certainly quite a choice of theatres along this road. Which one will you see?

Jump back on the underground and head to Westminster Station. As you exit you might recognise the ticket hall and the barriers which fascinated Ron’s father. As you exit the station you will see Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, the backdrop to several of scenes in the movies. Walk down towards Westminster Bridge and the River Thames. Many of London’s bridges have featured in the movies:

Lambeth Bridge: the Knight Bus from the 3rd movie is shown crossing this bridge

Westminster Bridge and Blackfriars Bridge: Harry and friends fly under these bridges in the “Order of the Phoenix”

Millennium Bridge: this is London’s newest bridge opened in 2000. It is a foot bridge which links St Paul’s to the Tate Modern Gallery. Famously, when it first opened it swayed around as people walked over it making it unsafe. The Bridge was promptly closed and repaired, but it seems J K Rowling took the swaying bridge as inspiration for the scene in “Half Blood Prince” when the death eaters violently shake the bridge and destroy it. Have fun walking across it!

Tower Bridge is London’s most iconic bridge and is featured in the background of more than one of the movies.

Next head on over to the City of London – Bank or Monument Station. Look for Gracechurch Street and you will find Leadenhall Market. This is  a beautiful market and where some of the scenes showing Diagon Alley were actually filmed.

Next stop Aldwych ( Temple or Holborn Station). Here you will find the Australian High Commission, this building is not open to the public, but was used to film some of the shots of the interior of Gringotts Bank.

Finally no Harry Potter fan should leave London without visiting the Harry Potter Studio Tour at Leavesden Studios near Watford. Several sightseeing companies offer all in one transport and entry tickets to the tour or you can take the overground from Queens Park or Euston Station to Watford Junction station. From here you can take a  shuttle bus to the Studios, but make sure you book your ticket in advance as no tickets are available at the Studio.

The Studio Tour features many of the actual props from the films. There is so much to see and you will certainly be amazed by detail that went into creating the movies. Enjoy the pictures I took, but there is nothing to beat visiting it yourself.

Book tickets to Warner Brothers Studio Tour – The Making of Harry Potter

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Come celebrate Chinese New Year in London.

This year 10 February, welcomes in of the Year of the Snake. London’s will be the largest Chinese New Year celebrations outside Asia.

Join the Parade from Trafalgar Square from 10am
12pm-5.30pm Entertainment in Trafalgar Square followed by a great fireworks display.

See the video of last years celebrations.

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View this video to get an idea of the range of free London attractions.

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Selfridge’s was opened in 1909 and soon after changed the way that women shopped for cosmetics by opening the world’s Beauty Hall, which is the main feature of almost all modern departments stores. This was all part of the vision the founder of the store Mr Selfridge. It was he that coined the phrase “The customer is always right”, thereby changing retail forever.

No doubt Oxford Street has changed dramatically over the years, but the grand building of Selfridge’s is the stand out feature of the Street. However, if you venture  through the traditional revolving doors into the store you will find one of the most modern department stores in the City. The contrast between the exterior and interior is indeed astonishing. Striding through the ubiquitous Beauty Hall towards the room of Wonder, where you will find some of the world’s finest watches and jewellery, you might well feel as though you have been through time machine.

The store has also recently been expanded to house the world’s largest shoe store. Indeed heaven for most women, my wife included! Where you can browse the latest creations by Jimmy Choo and Prada as well as a few more affordable brands. However, on my last visit it was intrigued to see that men have not been forgotten and now the store also houses the largest collection of men’s shoes as well.

I suppose the futuristic vision of the Selfridge’s company has been reflected in the store’s branch in Birmingham in the West Midlands. This store certainly looks like a space ship has landed in the middle of the Bull Ring Centre of the City with it’s silver exterior and metallic balls positioned symmetrically all over.

Anyway I can’t wait until the weekend for the next installant of the Mr Selfridge programme, and I’m sure it won’t be long before I take the short walk from here at Barry House to Selfridge’s. Maybe I will treat myself to a new pair of shoes!

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