Going Up Town

July 26, 2015 by Ray Morgan

Going up town

I'm guessing that, as readers of the Leigh-on-Sea.com blog, you're probably from round here. If you've not got an SS postcode congratulations for your dedication to loving the area. Do you ever get the feeling us Leigh on Sea peeps can sometimes live in a little bubble?

We're in a microcosm of culture, music, art, the beach, coffee shops, competitive hairdressing and rocketing house prices. But sometimes, we can escape the coast and go 'up the line' to big old, smelly, busy London. I did it myself this weekend.

I'd spent the week recuperating from having a minor procedure in hospital so I felt ready to escape the four walls of my flat before I got all "The Yellow Wallpaper". It was my sister in law's 40th birthday and we'd organised to meet up with lots of her friends in a pub on the Southbank. The Founders Arms sits nestled in the lap of the Tate Modern, with stunning views of the Thames and St Pauls looking ominously over from the other side. Helpfully, they don't allow you to book an area, so my partner and I went up early to Reserve Some Seating.

(I have to just note that before this, we ate delicious authentic mezze at The Real Greek. Sitting outside, we watched the world go by while eating feta, dips, spanakopita and drinking Metaxa brandy warmed over little tumblers of hot water. Seagulls swooped the Thames and we people watched for hours. I highly recommend it.)

When we arrived at the pub, it was TEEMING. TEEMING with LONDON PEOPLE. They're all a bit cool, aren't they? They had hipster beards, their ankles showing, and slogan tshirts that I didn't understand. I was wearing a £3.50 tartan dress from Oxfam and Jo helpfully pointed out that tartan is "back" (I'm so on it and I don't even know) so I was dressed identically to several people around me but with less good hair.

She fought her way to the bar for stupidly expensive pints and instructed me to look out for a free table. My eyes darted around waiting for people to get up, but these people were going NOWHERE. I stood for ages, scanning the outdoor bit of the pub and suddenly saw a couple get up. I leapt over with the grace of a scrum half and plonked my bag on one of the two chairs at the exact same time as another woman. We locked eyes. I stared. She stared back. I didn't move. Her husband said "Come on," and walked off and she huffed so loudly it caused a breeze on my fringe. I WON! Jo came out with the £6 pints and I glowed with smugness. We had a table.

We sat there for the afternoon, watching people, getting annoyed at loud crisp eaters and talking about the amazing buildings along the Thames. We talked about how great it was, but how we couldn't live in London. Why should you have to fight for a table with someone in order to enjoy your overpriced beverage? I don't know how people do it. Even in high summer, there is always a table at the Peter Boat and you can buy a couple of drinks with change from a tenner. Us country bumpkins don't always understand the Capital...

ANYWAY. A huge table cleared about an hour later and we pounced on it like playful tiger cubs. People started arriving and we all had a fabulous time. Amazingly, after the sun had started going down as the sky was electric with pink streaks, someone, somewhere let off some NYE-style fireworks over the river. We joked to the birthday girl that we'd done it for her, and the whole group started singing Happy Birthday to the rest of the pub's amusement. It was a great night. I know we moaned about the competition for seats, and the prices, but it's sometimes important to get out of your comfort zone and dig the city that buzzes away just 40 minutes from our quiet coast.

My top 5 things from my London weekend:

1. Giant beans in herby tomato sauce at the Real Greek - MMM
2. Ordering a cup of tea and a packet of crisps at 10pm in a pub: I am so rock and roll
3. Having a drink RIGHT next to the Thames
4. Going for super-fancy lunch the next day at the Gilbert Scott
5. Having an excuse to get dressed up and go out!