Data-chewing whizzkid James Cheshire has imbibed a ton of facts from the 2001 electoral register to create an interactive map showing off the most common surnames in London by area.
London’s most common surnames listed by area and origin in a natty map Read More
Looks like someone’s quietly testing out a big lighting rig near the Thames tonight, ready for the London Eye’s snazzy relaunch before sunrise.
London Eye and EDF Energy lights up London, 2.30am Read More
Walking across the Brooklyn Bridge into Manhattan one November evening, we were greeted by this absolutely stunning sunset.
Into Manhattan with a stunning Brooklyn Bridge sunset, NYC Read More
Wow. I’m loving these Bladerunner-esque dystopian images and ‘work in progress’ video (below) by Kibwe X-Kalibre Tavares‘ showing a future Brixton full of robots, including a revamped Barrier Block.
Incredible sci-fi Brixton robot future imagined Read More
There was a feast of fiddles, banjos, dancing, clapping and, indeed, some falling over to be had last night at the Grosvenor in Stockwell as the No Frills Band put …
Drinking and stripping the willow at a Burns night ceilidh in Stockwell Read More
Rather cruelly dismissed as a “late building of no interest,” in the Survey of London: volume 21 (1949), the Bromley Arms used to be at 84 Cleveland Street (corner of …
The Bromley Arms, Cleveland St NW1 and the case of the bad shilling Read More
Work has started on what will be become the tallest skyscraper in the City of London (at least until the Pinnacle tower is completed). Leadenhall Building (aka The Cheesegrater) will …
The 52-storey Cheesegrater tower at 122 Leadenhall starts Read More
Although it’s a station on the busy main line from Paddington to Penzance in Cornwall, St Erth retains the air of a Victorian country junction.
St Erth for St Ives railway station – a country junction Read More
Construction has started on a new skyscraper in the heart of the City of London, and it’s certainly an odd looking thing, with the controversial top-heavy tower quickly earning itself …
Walkie Talkie tower, Fenchurch St crackles into life Read More
I’ve tried just about every hangover cure invented during my long years dedicated to imbibing the amber nectar, but scientists have discovered what they say is the ‘best hangover cure’ …
The best hangover cure of them all is…. Read More
I love walking through cities in the rain, and when it’s New York in late November, there’s rarely any shortage of the stuff.
Battery Park, New York City in the driving autumn rain Read More
Formerly the Annie McCall maternity hospital, the Stockwell Studios have provided a local cultural educational resource for the past two decades. Sadly, the studios are once again facing an uncertain future, as detailed …
Stockwell Studios under threat again Read More
The tradition of street performers at Covent Garden dates back to the 1600s, but the area has changed dramatically after the famous covered fruit and vegetable market closed in 1974.
Half naked, unicycling knife-juggling street performer, Covent Garden Read More
With Saturday night’s hangover still biting damn hard, I stumbled off in the direction of Brixton’s finest Japanese restaurant, the New Fujiyama, in a quest for hot’n’tasty nourishment.
Fujiyama Japanese restaurant, Brixton, serves up a winning meal Read More
The Blue Nile named a wonderfully melancholic album after them, Frank Sinatra was never seen without one, Tommy Copper wore a particularly fine example, and after decades in the fashion wilderness, it seems …
Pic of the day: Hats, Covent Garden Read More
Abandoned for at least 30 years is this old ‘accumulator tower’ at Royal Mint St, by Tower Hill, London E1, which had been used for storing hydraulic power. “An accumulator …
Accumulator tower, hydraulics and bonded stores, Royal Mint St, E1 Read More
Looking unlikely to ever come back from the dead is this block of derelict shops along the east side of Toynbee Street in the Spitalfields district of east London, E1.
Derelict shops, Toynbee Street, Spitalfields, London E1 Read More
Founded in 1901 as one of the first publicly-funded galleries for temporary exhibitions in the capital, Whitechapel Gallery is a free gallery, located right next to Aldgate East tube station, …
Whitechapel Gallery – buzzing light bulbs and coffee Read More
For over half a century Brixton had its own roller skating rink, located on the corner of Effra Road (opposite the George Canning/Hootenanny). Opening in 1910, contemporary reports say that dance bands …
Brixton Roller Skating Rink – memories from the late 1950s Read More
Condemned to an eternity of waiting for trains that they can never board are these life-size bronze sculptures of three passengers on Brixton railway station, south London.
Waiting passenger sculptures, Brixton railway station Read More
Situated on New York’s almost-completely gentrified Lower East Side at 152 Ludlow Street is the Cake Shop, a small cafe/music venue where we’ve spent many hours, scoffing bagels, surfing the …
Cake Shop, Ludlow Street, New York – photos and memories Read More
Standing rather forlornly on a barge at the end of a Manhattan jetty on New York’s west side is retired British Airways Concorde aircraft, number G-BOAD.
Concorde at the Intrepid Museum, NYC Read More
It’s ruddy freezing outside and I’ve got a stinky cold, so praise be for the restorative powers of a hot lunch at the Phoenix followed by coffee at the Goodbench …
Coffee at Goodbench, Brixton Read More
On Sunday, a hardy gang of urban75 walkers set off to walk the last section of the London Loop, a trip that took us into deepest, darkest Essex. As you …
Walking the London Loop – Rainham to Purfleet, Essex Read More
I’ve been fascinated by the sight of the Shard London Bridge slowly rising up, and have enjoyed documenting the various stages of its construction. I walked past the tower last …
Shard London bridge at night, Jan 2011 Read More
This was one hell of a night, with a load of DJs, vast amounts of drinking and dancing and the fabulous Stirfried Frequency rocking the Albert till 5am.
Brixton Offline NYE party photos – it was a wild one! Read More
We had an amazing Offline party at the Brixton Prince Albert last night. Here’s the drunken scene as the new year was rung in. More photos of the madness to …
Happy New Year 2011 – Offline party in Brixton Read More
Since moving over the urban75 blog to WordPress in March this year, site traffic increased massively, with the busiest week recording an incredible 10,000 page impressions. Hopefully the blog will …
Top ten most popular posts on the urban75 blog for 2010 Read More
The optimistically named Oxford and Rugby Railway managed to build a track from Oxford only as far as Banbury, with line being absorbed by the Great Western Railway before it …
Closed railway station: Aynho for Deddington, Oxfordshire Read More
A few pics taken at night around Cardiff’s city centre, showing off the festive Christmas lights. Nadolig Llawen a Blwyddyn Newydd Dda!
Cardiff Christmas lights Read More