An Open Letter to Southern Railway UK

Dear Southern,

Being a Londoner, I am somewhat used to paying over the odds for most things; a pint, a glass of wine and even my daily commute. It's no secret that us Londoners, and indeed the UK in general has some of the most expensive train fares in Europe and since its privatisation; on average most fares have increased by around 22% whilst our wages just can't keep up.

I take your yearly fare increases in my stride and just accept that this is just one of the cons of working in the city. After all, living in Croydon and working in the City means that I have no choice about how I get to work, I have to use Southern Railway.

What I do have a problem with is the value for money and level of service you provide and your general use of excuses like a 5 year old child.

Despite a vastly reduced service between Christmas and New Year (a period of around two weeks) this week alone I have faced the following:

• Monday morning - train delays into London Bridge as a result of signalling failure at Purley
• Monday evening - train delays leaving London Bridge because of a signalling failure at London Bridge
• Tuesday evening - train delays leaving London Bridge due to congestion (what this means is beyond me!)
• Wednesday evening - train delays
• Thursday morning - my usual 7:39 train was delayed until 7:57 owing to a broken down train on the line
• Friday morning - my usual train was delayed and Southern trains in general faced delays of 15 minutes due to ice on the line; funny how South Eastern and South Western trains aren't reporting similar problems

The two weeks lead up to Christmas were also completely farcical having received the following excuses for train delays and cancellations:

• A technical fault on the train
• A shortage of train crew (this was particularly popular and caused complete chaos at London Bridge)
• Leaves on the line
• Overrunning engineering works
• Emergency engineering work
• A broken down train
• Congestion     
• Shorter formation trains (8 instead of 12 which meant that people were struggling to get and off)
• Signalling problems at London Bridge was used on at least 3 consecutive occasions

I also need to point out that I find it moderately amusing when I get one excuse regarding the cause for delay at my home station, a different excuse on the train itself via the conductor or driver and another when I leave the train at London Bridge. If you're going to make excuses, at least make them consistent.

Now on top of all this, even when my usual train, despite being 10 minutes late was terminated at an earlier station (which I was told about literally as it pulled into my station) due to its late running (presumably to skew your own figures) I still tried to maintain a smile and find my way into work.

Even when problems at New Cross Gate meant that your trains leaving London Victoria (a completely separate train line!) were delayed by 30 minutes despite your assurances at London Bridge that THERE WERE NO PROBLEMS WITH TRAINS LEAVING VICTORIA, I still braved the 2 hour journey home.

Well, enough is enough I say.

Providing me with compensation for delays to my journey ONLY WHEN it is 30 minutes late or more is not good enough. If I am 5 minutes late into the office, my boss doesn't simply say "it's not quite 30 minutes so don't worry you're not late at all". In most lines of work, arriving even 5 minutes late is considered to be late. Why should Southern Rail be any different?

If I cannot make it into the office due to illness or a family emergency, it's not a case of simply cancelling all of my work for the day; most businesses will ensure it's allocated out to other staff accordingly.

Southern should have contingencies in place in the event of staff illness. We, your customers, rely on the network to provide a service. For those of us who live at less well served stations, we do not have the luxury of simply hopping onto another train home, a train cancellation can lead to a tube ride, two station changes and then a bus home instead of one simple train ride.

If I am paying over £1,600 a year, which is fairly light compared to others, I need a service I can rely on. The service I received last year was worse than ever!

As an anxiety sufferer, I cannot keep being packed onto an overcrowded train like a sardine. I do not have a choice about what service I use. Thanking me for choosing Southern does not make my day and does not ease my suffering. A seat for at least part of my journey would at the very least allow me to avoid my daily panic attack!

If you must insist on having your trains packed to the rafters with commuters, at the very least please learn how to operate your air conditioning! I am forced almost daily to remove my hat, coat, gloves, scarf and/or jumper in order to cool down, short of removing my shirt and trousers and horrifying other commuters I have taken to pulling out my Chinese fan in a bid to stay cool and avoid collapsing.

And no, before you ask I cannot simply ask someone to give up their seat; it is not that easy. I have found myself on the floor on a number of occasions and have only been greeted with a query about whether I was ok. I am sorry to say, most Londoners simply do not care and will go out of their way to avoid eye contact with anyone who looks pregnant, elderly and/or disabled with a view to avoiding having to give up their seat.

It's not just me that has found their experience with Southern Railway wanting; the Government has even intervened and advised that only 58% of passengers are satisfied with your service and I struggle to believe the figures are even this high.

You need to provide customers with punctual information, provide compensation to your customers when the train is delayed by 15 minutes or more, sort out contingencies to deal with staff shortages, prevent overcrowding, service your trains more regularly to prevent technical issues and breakdowns, and perhaps consider hiring better engineers to deal with the weekly London Bridge signal failures given these seem to only remain fixed for days at a time. Do the job properly the first time.

Kind regards

Laura

Things to do in London - Borough Market

If you're a food lover and your close to London Bridge then the famous Borough Market really is a must. It's perhaps the most renowned of London's food based markets and really does sell a little bit of everything. 

Ad and I are very fortunate in that we travel into London Bridge every morning for our commute, that makes the Market only a short 20 minute train ride from home and a super short walk from London Bridge station.

Borough Market has been an epicentre for chefs, restaurateurs and food lovers since as long ago as the 13th century. It's a had revamp fairly recently and is now home to over 100 traders.

As well as the more traditional fruit and vegetable stalls, you can also find bakers, butchers, fishmongers and of course specialist wine and beer stalls.

One of Ads favourite spots to visit is Utobeer who stock a wide range of craft products from all over the world including ale, beer, larger and even wheat beer. The people at this stall are incredibly knowledgeable and passionate about their products which is handy if you find their selection to be overwhelming. 

If you have a good idea of what you're after, they'll be able to point you in the right direction. If it's hops you're after then Ads favourites of Brew Dogs Punk IPA, anything by London brewers The Kernel or Red Mistress by Siren Craft Brew should see you right.

In fact, most of the traders here are very passionate about what they do, they're super passionate about food and some will even grow, rear or produce the products on offer themselves.

This is reassuring for me as a consumer because it means that I know exactly where my produce has come from.

You'll find that all of the produce here is of an extremely high standard having been tried and tested by a food quality panel before it can even earn itself a spot within the Market. After all, Borough is one of London's oldest fruit and vegetable markets and it's therefore important to ensure that these high standards of taste and quality are maintained. 

Again, this is what keeps me coming back to Borough on such a frequent basis! The desire to try something new, something that I know will taste good, and something that I know I'm not being ripped off for. It's always such a worry at markets that you don't really know what you're buying, but that's really not so here.

If you fancy a visit yourself, the Borough Market is open for lunch on Monday and Tuesday between 10-5 and a full market is available on Wednesday through to Saturday, albeit the opening times do vary so be sure to check online.

Friday afternoons are incredibly hectic as is a Saturday so if these are the only days you have free, please do ensure that you brace yourself for a battle with the crowds. Below I've popped some more photos from over the weekend to give you a flavour of the other produce available and the general vibe.

If all of this is making you hungry, then Borough Market also has a ton of street food vendors from you to choose from including Pie Minister (they sell pie if you weren't sure,) the German Deli, salt beef bagels, curry of all varieties and paella which is cooked up in a huge dish!

The central area is always packed full of baked goods and sweet treats.

 Delicious hand made fudge

 More scrummy sweet treats

 Grabbing some gluten free brownies

 Enormous cheesecake slices

 Clearly I was feeling the sweet treats

 There is always a ton of street food to choose from if you get peckish!

Have you been to the Borough Market? When do you find it's best to visit? Who's your favourite trader?

Fun things to do in London this Summer - Hyper Japan

I've made no secret of the fact that I'm a little bit of a geek. I love to game with the other half (Final Fantasy is one of my favourites if you're wondering), I'm a sucker for foreign film, I enjoy cooking food with a few choice ingredients and I genuinely get a kick from doing something a little bit different.

If you're like me, it might be worth you checking out Hyper Japan this summer. This summer it will be on from the 10th-12th July at the O2 and I believe that they will be touring again over Christmas as well if you're not about this time.

So, what is Hyper Japan? In a nutshell, it's an enormous celebration of  all things Japanese! So if you're a sucker for Japanese cuisine, you'll love this, think delicious food and drink ranging from a good old Katsu curry right through to bubble tea and even Saki tasting. How about Japanese culture? Then there will be martial arts demonstrations and the year I attended, there were also dance demo's and even some real Geisha!

There's also loads of weird and wonderful innovations for you to take in with artisans showing their wares and their skill such as with the mini-van above.

Of course, when you think Japan, the mind does wonder to Manga, and when Ad and I attended a couple of years ago, there were artists showing us their skills and producing some gorgeous sketches for visitors to have a peek at.

It was fascinating to watch these people at work! If you're a big fan of Manga and Anime then Hyper Japan will most definitely appeal to you. There will be stall upon stall laden with all sorts of goodies from books, figurines from your favourite shows and other paraphernalia which can often be hard to source in the UK.  

On top of this there will be live performances from many famous J-Pop stars such as May J. When Ad and I attended, the Japanese Version of the Blue Man Group Siro-A were performing. How they managed this in such huge hats, I have no frikken idea.

Naturally, the most exciting bit for me was the opportunity to dress up and embrace my love of cos-play! It's so much fun and in all honesty, you'll feel a little left out if you don't embrace the inner urge to dress up.

My costume was fairly basic considering, there were some serious cos-play enthusiasts and if you're looking to grow your costume collection, then you'd be in luck! This year there will be cos-player tables which allow you to pick up hints and tips such as sourcing materials for your costume from professional cos-players.

What was amazing was seeing just how much effort people put into their costumes. Don't worry if, like me, your outfit is cobbled together from bits and pieces or it's been hand sewn, there's such a sense of community that it's only the effort that counts (unless you're entering the cos-play competition of course, you've got to go all out if that's the case!).

If cos-play isn't your thing, then how about some kawaii Japanese fashions? Namely some serious j-style in the form of wigs, accessories, dresses and make-up. There are even stalls which will show you how to apply your make-up to embrace the trend. I'm not sure Amy would manage though!

If none of the above sounds like something you'd like, then perhaps you'd be better of sticking with the Game Park. In this area you'll have the opportunity to play some gaming gems and even some new releases which are yet to hit the high street!

If this sounds like something you'd enjoy, then please do make sure you grab a couple of tickets which you can get HERE. It really is such great fun and if you're a bit of a geek then this will be an absolute riot!

Have you been to Hyper Japan before? What's your favourite section? Did you dress up?

Villiers Afternoon Tea - A Review

I'm a sucker for an Afternoon Tea, but I really don't like all the pompous behaviour and sometimes overly formal setting that comes with them. Especially when I plan on taking Ad with me to share the experience.

Enter Villiers, a gorgeous little dining room which is tucked away on Villiers Street in close proximity to Charing Cross Station.

Inside, there's a scrummy selection of hand baked cakes, wines and lots of seasonal small plates. Whilst I was only there for the Afternoon Tea, I can safely say I'll be back to try some of the other fare on offer!

What I loved about this Afternoon Tea is that it's probably the only Afternoon Tea I've had that didn't feel gluttonous but it was still incredibly satisfying!

For round one, we were given some open avocado and smoked salmon sandwiches, some sticky sausages and scones with jam and clotted cream.

Oh, and lets not forget some champagne! On our arrival we were told the champagne was on 2-4-1 which meant that more than one glass was happily guzzled down during our time here.

The open sandwiches were delicious, the bread was lightly toasted and the avocados were some of the creamiest I've had in a long while. The squeeze of lime really helped to cut through the richness of the salmon and made for a lovely start.

The sausages were juicy, sweet and had a little hint of heat. My only complaint is that there were an odd number which meant we had to share the last one. When food is this tasty, we hate having to share.

The final part of round one were these scones with clotted cream and strawberry jam. They were lovely, crumbly and the raisins were juicy and plump. Absolutely delicious.

For the final part of our Afternoon Tea, we were given a choice of cakes. Ad naturally opted for a chocolate brownie, which, whilst a little dry was incredibly chocolatey and all come together in a gooey mess whilst he was munching. I opted for a slice of coffee and walnut cake which was, as I'm sure you can guess by now, delicious.

All in all, I was one happy bunny and well and truly enjoyed my sweet treat for the week. I left Villiers feeling satisfied but not overly full which is often the case with this kind of treat.

I loved the aesthetic of Villiers, everything from the rustic style food to the countryside feel of the furniture really worked together to create a very homely feeling little dining room.

Afternoon Tea at Villiers with Champagne costs £27 and includes all of the goodies which you can see on the menu board above. I'll certainly be back to try the other wares on offer!

Pet Peeves of a Londoner...

Being a Londoner (and British), there are a few things which really do grind my gears, all of this is obviously meant to be taken with a pinch of salt and is all for a good fun!

• I work in the Insurance district, right by the Tower of London. I get one whole hour for my lunch and I like to take this time to go for a wander and a breath of fresh(ish) air. There's nothing more frustrating than when HUGE groups of tourists take this sacred time to walk as slow as humanly possible in large groups taking up the entire pavement (forcing me to walk in the road) talking about where to go for their lunch and then complaining everywhere is full.

• This leads me straight onto my next point tourists who walk at less than 5 mph are one of the most frustrating things ever. Something I've learnt from when friends and family who visit us is that Londoners seem to be perpetually in a rush. I don't notice it because I'm used to it but I walk incredibly quickly now I live here. Anyone who dawdles, or just generally dithers around will be walked into.

• Tourists who insist on travelling into and out of London on a commuter train...REALLY?

• Londoners who won't wait more than 3 minutes for their own train. Case in point, I get the 7:19 to London Bridge in the morning which calls at East Croydon, there is also a 7:23 which also calls at East Croydon however goes to Victoria. There are numerous people who will literally cram onto my train in the morning (potentially meaning I can't catch my own train) and pile off again at East Croydon...JUST WAIT!

• People who insist are taking teeny tiny dogs down Oxford Street on a Saturday afternoon. Oxford Street is one of busiest streets in London and most people aren't looking at what their feet are doing, we're too busy focusing on not walking into other people. If I trample on your dog, it's probably your fault.

• The same as the above, but buggies and parents who insist on dragging their kids into me also fall into this category, especially when, as with point one, two or three parents insist on pushing their buggies side by side.

• Numb walking, namely people who are surgically attached to their phones. I'm sure London isn't the only place with this phenomenon, but I've walked across London Bridge many a time only to have people who are either watching a movie on their phone or are so engrossed in texting  that they've literally walking right into me or into a lamppost.

• People who sit in the aisle seat on the train and then huff and puff when you ask them to move so you can sit next to the window. Just move over please! You will only gain seconds by refusing to move.

Anything that frustrates you with city living?

Warner Brothers Studio Tour - The Making of Harry Potter *SPOILERS*

If you're planning a visit to the Warner Brothers Studio Tour in London and fancy a wee insight about what to expect then please do keep reading. I will give you some handy hints and tips which I picked up during my visit and share some of my own pictures from our recent visit.

If however, you don't to know what to expect then please stop reading now!

So, first of all, I should preface by saying my lovely little sister bought me two gift tickets for Christmas. Before we were able to go, we had to pre-book our tickets (TIP: Make sure you pre-book your tickets, you cannot just turn up on the day and expect to get in!!) so we had a look online and saw that until the 1st February, they were doing Hogwarts in the Snow.

This meant that the Hogwarts Castle would be covered in snow, the Great Hall would be decorated for Christmas with Christmas trees and their would be seasonal feasts lining the tables. We'd also be able to see the hand-knitted jumpers that Mrs Weasley gave Ron and Harry for Christmas in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Before you book your trip, it's well worth checking online to see what's on, in March, the Hogwarts Express will be paying a visit to the studio which sounds pretty exciting!

We pre-booked our tour to start at 11:30 (TIP: the website says to get there 20 minutes before your tour starts) and decided the best way to get there was to hop on a train from Euston to Watford Junction, the train cost about £10 ish return for each of us. 

From Watford Junction you get a shuttle bus to the Studio which costs £2 for a return ticket, they don't tell you this and I stupidly binned my ticket and had to pay another £2 to get back to the train station. The driver wasn't having my excuse of "look I've lost my ticket but how else do you think I got here??" so please put your ticket somewhere safe. The buses are fairly frequent and leave every 10 minutes or so.

The bus trip was about 10 minutes tops and when you arrive, there are some little tickets machines to the right of the main doors where you can grab your ticket to get in. If you have a voucher for a Souvenir Guide, you'll need to pick this up from the Information Desk inside. They recommend doing this after the tour but I grabbed mine before as I knew I'd forget to pick it up before I left.

Once inside, there's a large cafe to the left, the gift shop is to the right and there's a cloakroom for storing any large suitcases/pushchairs or generally anything you don't want to lug around with you. As the tour was fairly quiet, we were told we could start our tour early and so happily joined the queue.

There are some bits and pieces to look at while you're queuing, so don't worry you won't get bored. I'd strongly recommend nipping to the ladies/gents before you start as there isn't another one for a little while. Once you're in, there's a couple of movies which you'll watch with everyone, and a pretty cool cinema section. Then it's on to the Great Hall.

The Great Hall and Cinema Section are the only aspects of the tour which are guided, the rest you can do at your own pace. There are two 'lots' the J Stage and K stage, in the middle of the tour, there's the Back Lot which is where you can buy the famous Butterbeer and take break for lunch (TIP: It took Ad and I around 3 1/2 hours with lunch, so leave yourself a good 3 hours at least to enjoy the whole experience.)

All of your favourite bits and pieces are available to view, and there's even the opportunity to ride a broomstick or have a go in Ron's little blue car. Rather than setting everything out blow by blow, I thought I'd just pop some pictures below for your viewing pleasure, including some of the extra bits which were about for Hogwarts in the Snow.

 Just some of the wigs used.

 The Ministry Of Magic Fireplaces.

 Someone's very pink office!

 Some gorgeous artifacts used in the movies.

 The lovely knitting skills of Mrs Weasley.

The Gryffindor boys dormitory. 

Sipping a Butterbeer.

 Just wandering about on Set.

 The Knight Bus

Privet Drive

 Dobby

 The Basilisk

 Hanging about in Diagon Alley.

 The Hogwarts Castle

An edible momento.

I hope you enjoyed my sneak peek and that some of my tips prove to be helpful in arranging your own visit to the Warner Brothers Studio Tour.