Top 20 Street In London According To TimeOut

I read a broadsheet article that named 20 streets one should walk along at least once in their lifetime. Thankfully, one of London's streets was on the list. Phew. Strand. Personally, I wouldn’t have chosen the Strand, but I guess historically, it’s got a lot going for it. In fact, when I was researching this article, it had a lot of history, possibly dating back to Roman Times.

Interestingly, I put a little Post-it note on my desk a while ago to remind me to write about the Savoy Hotel. I think it’s time to delve into both. By the way, Savoy is on the Strand.

Why Strand?

It’s nothing special these days, but it’s well-designed strategically and logistically. It’s close to Westminster, Pall Mall and Buckingham Palace, Trafalgar Square, Fleet Street, The Royal Courts of Justice, Temple Bar Memorial, Somerset House and King’s College London, to name a few major places of interest.

In Medieval times, Strand meant 'beach' or 'riverbank' because the street followed the edge of the River Thames. However, in the 19th Century, the River was embanked.

Interestingly, from the 12th to 17th Century, the southern side, the riverside had several royal palaces and mansions, including

✳️Savoy Palace

✳️Durham House

✳️York House

✳️Arundel House

✳️Somerset House - the Original One.

None of them survived. Somerset House is the third new building to replace the old Tudor Palace. As the aristocracy moved west to places like Mayfair and the West End, the Strand became a commercial hub.

Out went the ‘Poshos’ and in came the coffee houses, taverns, shops, printers and publishers. To this day, you’ll find the 21st-century version of all of them.

In the 19th Century, it became a popular place for theatre and music halls. Even today, the Strand hosts many theatres.

Facts About The Strand

1. During Charles II's reign between 1660 and 1685, the Strand was the first London street to have street numbers. Number 1 The Strand served as the official residence of the Secretary of State.

2. Strand is part of Theatreland, and the historic Savoy Theatre (next to the Savoy Hotel) was the world’s first public building lit entirely by electricity in 1881.

3. Three Iconic Landmarks line the Road today: Somerset House. The Royal Courts of Justice x Baroque churches like St Mary-le-Strand.

4. Remember, I wrote about Temple Bar Gate a while ago? The Strand connected the two ends of the city. One couldn’t travel from Westminster to the City of London whenever one felt like it. They had to go through Temple Bar Gate. Today, Temple Bar Memorial stands where the Gate once stood. The Gate (not the first gate) is now in Paternoster Square.

5. It once had its own underground station called Strand, then Aldwych on the Piccadilly line. The old entrance is still visible today.

6. Twinnings, the famous tea shop, was established in 1706 and is one of the oldest in the world. It was originally a coffee shop.

7. If you’ve ever played London Monopoly (a staple in Cinderella’s Household), the Strand is the first Red property on the U.K. Monopoly Board.

8. Thankfully, the once traffic bottleneck near St Mary Le Strand is now pedestrianised. It has made such a difference to the area.

9. Covent Garden is close by in walking distance.

Savoy Hotel

The iconic Savoy hotel

Built in 1889 by Richard D'Oyly Carte with profits from Gilbert & Sullivan, the Savoy revolutionised luxury as Britain's first hotel, featuring full electric lighting, lifts, en-suite baths, and hot water. Ritz and Escoffier elevated their service. It hosted royalty and stars for 136 years, with a major 2010 reopening after renovation.

Fan Girlie Moment

I’m not a fan girl, although I did ‘hang around’ outside the Theatre to see George Clooney and Ryan Gosling in Toronto many moons ago, once I heard they were inside. However, I didn’t have long enough to catch them on the way out. Both now live in England. I’m sure I’ll bump into them someday.

The last time I was at the Savoy was before COVID. My sibling was a big fan of Matt Goss (the twin brother of the pop band Bros). She asked me if I wouldn’t mind going with her to be a pretend fan girl. I did. We waited for him and his entourage to arrive, and it was a very meet-up minus the fan-girlie groupies. He’s such a nice guy; he even came over to say hello to me.

Before that, I went to have coffee with a colleague and enjoyed the silver service.

Did you know the road outside the Savoy Hotel is called Savoy Court? None of the local parking restrictions applies to the vehicles parked there.

Another interesting fact is that all cars must drive on the right-hand side of the road when entering and exiting. This is the opposite of the U.K. standard rule. It’s been like this for over 100 years. It’s the only place in the UK where driving on the right is mandated.

Why the Special Rule?

This goes back to 1889 when the hotel opened. It made it easier for horse-drawn carriages and later taxis to pull up in front of the hotel entrance or the theatre, without the driver having to walk around the vehicle to open the doors for passengers.

There’s a small roundabout/turning circle at the end that requires a specific turning radius (tied to historical taxi regulations that mandate a 25-foot turning circle).

It’s private property, so that’s why it doesn’t violate general UK traffic laws. The cars come in on the right, circle and exit the same way.

Parting Comments

Before I researched this post, I would not have included The Strand among the top 20 streets to visit. Having done the research, I can see why.

Take your time walking along the Strand and be sure to go towards the end of the road if coming from Charing Cross or Embankment Station. As you walk along, you will notice a change in the buildings, too.

If it gets too much, you could pop into the Savoy Hotel for a cup of tea and enjoy a different experience in a centuries-old hotel.

If you enjoyed reading this article and want to support my work, you can now buy me a coffee ☕️.

https://www.buymeacoffee.com/TabbyLondon

Thank you for your attention.

Best wishes,

Tabby