Where are all the original Londoners going these days? There doesn't appear to be many traditional places left in London where true Londoners hang out, leaving me increasingly in the minority of those born and bred in this city.
Anywhere in London with any real character seems to have been bought out and changed beyond recognition. The heart has been sucked out of our high streets and replaced with a soulless pastiche of establishments filled with money-orientated rich-wannabe patrons where those who frequent them aspire to nothing more than having high streets lined with more over-priced artisan vanity projects.
The real Londoners must be moving out to Kent, Essex and the shires, because the bustling, vibrant high streets and community-rich markets & shops have been replaced with whoopsie wine shops and boutique delis. The once before vibrant pubs, where the landlord knew your name, are now either shut down or transformed into dull middle class 'gastros', where bugaboo pushing couples sit with their equally boring mates, discussing mortgage loan rates and their next DIY project.
I bumped into a lovely couple staying at The Merrymouth Inn in The Cotswolds this weekend. They inspired me to look for the real London again. Places that still exist where roast potatoes and shellfish are laid out on the pub bar for it's patrons to enjoy (for free), where bustling markets echo with the cry of a London trader, plying us with prices in a cockney fashion and long established eateries with traditional pie 'n' mash, eels and liquor can still be found at a price we can all afford.
Eels had seen a bit of a decline since the 70's but are now steadily returning to record numbers once again. This enigmatic creature, once the staple of the working classes, seems to be making a comeback. Maybe this marks a metaphorical return to a real and proper London - one which I'll be seeking out over the coming weeks.
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