​Join us as we take A Continued Stroll Along the Thames

A Continued Stroll Along the Thames

Thank you if you are re-joining us to continue our “stroll along the Thames” and “greetings” if you’ve just caught up with us, as we continue on from our last stop at Bankside Gallery! As we head Eastwards following the route along the southside of the Thames, our next stop is an eight-minute walk that takes us under Blackfriars Bridge. Oxo Tower Wharf’s most striking feature is its tower which has the Oxo name incorporated into its design. Circa 1900, a power station was built on the site. Its purpose was to supply energy to the Post Office. This building was largely demolished and purchased by the Liebig Extract of Meat Company in the 1920s. The company was most well known as the producer of the Oxo Cube and in a very clever move, they built the windows at the top of the tower to read “OXO” as a way to get around a ban on skyline advertising. Being the second highest commercial building in London at the time, this was a genius move and an excellent piece of advertising. After several phases of redevelopment Oxo Tower Wharf is now an award-winning mixed-use development and home to residential flats, shops, restaurants, retail design studios and exhibition spaces. With over thirty retail design studios open to the public where makers can be seen at work and the Exhibition space at the Oxo Gallery, it is a hub of creativity and well worth a visit! On the top floor there is the Oxo Tower Restaurant, Bar and Brasserie which has truly iconic views across the Thames. There is also a viewing gallery which is open to the public daily and admission is free.

The great thing about a walk along this side of the Thames is that there is such an abundance of things to see and do in a relatively small area. A mere two minutes from the Oxo Tower is Gabriel’s Wharf. This is another arty area that attracts visitors who enjoy independent designer shops. There’s also a good range of dining available including Caribbean, Mexican, vegan and gourmet pizzas.

Four minutes from Gabriel’s Wharf we pass the National Theatre. The Brutalist building it inhabits was once described by Prince Charles as being like “a nuclear power station”. This is one of London’s most well-known buildings in this architectural style that opened in 1976. The building is home to three theatres, bars and restaurants. The highly textured concrete, of which the building is constructed, was created when the planks of wood used in thecasting process left an imprint. I guess it’s like marmite, you either love it or hate it. In fact, in a poll devised by the Radio Times in 2001, the National Theatre Building was in the top five most loved and the top five most hated British Buildings simultaneously!

A short distance from the National Theatre is the Southbank Centre home to the Royal Festival Hall, Hayward Gallery, Purcell Rooms, Queen Elizabeth Hall and the Poetry Library. A hub for artistic endeavours, there are over 5000 events held here every year (pre-covid, of course)! There are often street performers outside to entertain the crowds that regularly gather and lots of cafes and restaurants to choose from. During the festive season there is a Winter market where stall holders entice with a range of gifts, clothing, mulled cider and tempting street food. Christmas decorations and fairy lights all enhance the festive feel.

The Undercroft skateboard park is a space under the Queen Elizabeth Hall which has been used by skateboarders since the 1970’s. Although not designed for this purpose (it was, in fact, an unused space) it is now considered to be the birth place of British skateboarding. Graffiti artists have also made it their own decorating the mushroom shaped pillars that support the building above. This is one of my favourite parts of our walk along the river. I, along with countless other people, enjoy watching the skateboarders and being a fan of street art too, it is a visual feast. Although under threat of development at one stage the skate park was saved as the result of a campaign and is now viewed by the Southbank Centre as “the worlds longest continually used skate spot”.

If you’re feeling peckish, you could always visit the Southbank Centre Food Market. Although closed as present due to Covid-19 restrictions, there is a huge variety of food on offer when it is open. Delights range from crepes, BBQ, heritage meats, burgers and sea food to Asian, Polish and Mediterranean cuisine. The smells alone are enough to entice!

A further five-minute walk from the Southbank Centre is a firm tourist destination, the London Eye! Although we like to think of it as a tourist attraction, I am sure a lot of London residents have also been on it, as it’s got to be one of the best ways to see the city that we call home. The London Eye, or the Millennium Wheel as it was originally called, is the tallest cantilevered observation wheel in Europe. At a height of 135m the views are amazing! 

A complete rotation takes approximately thirty minutes and with a maximum of 25 people per capsule, 1600 people can enjoy the ride within an hour. On a fair day it’s amazing how far you can see and the amount of detail that you can pick out!

As we’ve progressed along the Thames the view across the river now includes fabulous views of the Houses of Parliament. This seems to be a good place for us to go our separate ways. I hope you’ve enjoyed our walk together!

Useful links: Oxo Tower Wharf https://coinstreet.org/oxo-tower-wharf Gabriel’s Wharf https://coinstreet.org/oxo-tower-wharf National Theatre https://coinstreet.org/oxo-tower-wharf Southbank Centre https://coinstreet.org/oxo-tower-wharf London Eye https://coinstreet.org/oxo-tower-wharf