London Local Custom Tips by Jenniflower

Breakfast traditionally is usually between 8am and 9am, and is either continental or Full English, which in addition to the continental selection, brings a really fattening meal of bacon, fried or scrambled eggs, fried bread, sausages (affectionately called 'bangers'), toast, marmalade, with strong, white tea. Sometimes black pudding (blood sausage.... UGGGHHH) or porridge or kippers are added. To be honest, nine times out of ten, I feel quite queesy aftre eating a Full English breakfast, it is just too mcuh for me, especially so early in the morning.

Tea is usually about 11am and lunch at 1pm. Sandwiches / something light is usually the norm for lunch, except on a Friday, when people take advantage and have longer lunches at the pub.

Tea (Southern England) is at between 4pm and 5pm and consists of sandwiches, scones with jam and cream, and cakes, with a pot of weak tea. In the North of England tea is usually the main evening meal, served between 5pm and 6pm.

Dinner is usually at about 8pm - and if it is much later (what often happens in summer when the sun sets late) it's called supper, except of course on Sundays when dinner is the main lunchtime meal. This is usually a roast of some sort, with roast potatoes and at least 3 different types of vegetables..

It can get quite confusing ~ some English people call their lunch their dinner, and their dinner their tea, where I know lunch as lunch, and then tea (not a hot meal, more like a snack) in the late afternoon, with dinner/supper as the evening meal... so best to double-check the TIME when arranging a dinner/lunch/supper/tea date! :)

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Vine Street, Piccadilly ~ The first police station in London. Currently under plastic wraps as demolition goes on inside.

It had the dubious but official title of being the tenth most haunted building in London. I say 'had' because it has just been demolished! A grander, more modern glassy building is going up in its stead as part of the upkeep and rejuvenation process of Regent Street. This little road lies between Regent Street and Piccadilly Streets.

The haunted bit comes from the story that a detective seargant commited suicide in the police locker room (which lay beneath our office floor), and that he had haunted the building ever since.

I worked in this building for over a year. We then moved out to our current premesis as they wanted to demolish it. There was nothing wrong with the building, it was a warren of corridors and didnt have superb lighting. But then it was built as a police station, not business offices... hence all the corridors and cells etc.

The loo doors were the renovated police cells... large, blue, thick and metal, with gauze. haha It made working here interesting! Many people didnt want to work after hours or get there first in the morning due to the haunted title... but in all the time I worked there, and I am the first in every day, and often worked very late into the night myself, plus on weekends.. I never once heard or felt anything strange there. Maybe I dont have such a vivid imagination though?

So yes, it is sad to see it go as it has historical value as being the first police station in London, and intrigue value for being the 10th most haunted building in London.

May the detective seargant finally rest in peace x

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They are all over London, down every side street and around every corner.

London's red post box :)

Synomonous with London history and culture, they have been around for a long time! This particular post box is found in Jermyn Street, just off Picadilly Street.

Jermyn Street is a very smart street, where there are many gentleman shops.. with really expensive gentleman's things! Suits with all accessories, shaving equipment, hats, you name it, it is here.

I walk down here every day, and when the business premesis of the company I work at first moved here, I thought 'oh great! I can get presents for my husband from these shops!'... then I looked a little closer into those perfect shiney windows with brass trimmings, with the stiff-looking salesmen eyeing me out from inside... and realised that I wouldn't be doing ANY gift-buying from here anytime soon! haha

Anyway, this postbox is the one that sees all my many Christmas cards and post throughout the year.. it works hard! :)

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This is a custom that happens in most Western countries I would think.... the work End of year party/dinner.

The vibe in London is great, one gets off work a little earlier, we have our little Secret Santa pressie giving in the office, there are Salvation Army people posted at various street corners to entertain you as you go about your business in the streets of London.

All very romantic in notion, and enjoyable.

It is an enjoyable tradition, one which I look forward to as the company seldom get together socially, even though everyone hopes that they wont get to sit next to one of the bosses (because then they have to behave!) hehe

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Every morning there are deliveries that have taken place before everyone arrives for work. I am generally one of the first in the building, I get in around 8am... and say 'bye' to the cleaning team who are on their way out.

So I generally get to take the things that are left there for us... the milk, some post.. thankfully the water is ordered in bulk and comes every 2 weeks, so I dont have to lug that up the stairs too! :)

The thing that is so good about this, and, coming from South Africa, where things like these, left outside an office block, with no guards, would not last 5 MINUTES.... and here they last and havenever once been stolen.

I think that is pretty darn good! Well done London. Makes me proud.

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