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In search of Bond in London

QuarrelQuarrel
edited February 2013 in General Discussion Posts: 96
The wife and I will be in London for the first time next month. I would love to check out any Bond-related sites while there, but I'm finding it hard to find any information anywhere. Does anyone know of any shop, museum, historical site, etc, that a fan might enjoy? Heck, even a shop that might have a lot of Bond memorabilia would be nice.

(Bonus question: If anyone has a personal, not-to-be-missed, favorite thing to do in London, I'd love to hear it.)

Thanks!

Comments

  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    Get a copy of James Bond's London. Aside from that, what kind of budget do you have for memorabilia?
  • QuarrelQuarrel
    Posts: 96
    Thanks for the tip, RC7. Our overall budget it pretty nice. It's probably our last trip for awhile, due to the pending family-making plans, so we're hoping to shoot the works a bit. Of course, that being said, the exchange rate is going to kill us.

    Still, I'd like to take advantage of being in The Land of Bond while I'm there. I'm making sure to pack light, and leave plenty of space in the bags to fill up with goodies.
  • AnonAnon
    Posts: 246
    Bond has never really done London much. Until very recently.

    A boat trip up or down the Thames (get one that encompasses Vauxhall to North Greenwich) - you get the boat chase in The World is not Enough (MI6 HQ to The Dome)

    Take a stroll around Westminster and Whitehall for some iconic sights from Skyfall and bluff MoD buildings seen over the years.

    Then, if it's been fixed after the events of Skyfall take the tube to the city. The temporary HQ entrance from Skyfall is around West Smithfield and plenty of general sight-seeing to be done. OHMSS - the College of Arms is on Queen Victoria STreet in the city.

    If you do any shopping in the West End, Sotheby's is down Bond Street (Octopussy)

    All the good stuff isn't publicly accessible though. Pinewood Studios and Stoke Poges Golf Club spring to mind, but you'd have to pull strings to visit sadly.

    There's a few memorabilia stores for posters and the like, but personally I'd go for grabbing a bit of Bond lifestyle. Maybe buy a shirt from Turnbull and Asser or a polo from Sunspell. If you had a couple of months (and a few grand) you could get yourself a nice bespoke suit on Savile Row.
    Have a cocktail in Heron Tower near Liverpool Street. Worth it for the lift (or should I say elevator?) and views alone.
  • TheWizardOfIceTheWizardOfIce 'One of the Internet's more toxic individuals'
    Posts: 9,117
    Try this:

    http://www.thamesribexperience.com/

    Theres a special Bond version where they play the music as you're going along. It's the closest you'll ever get to the TWINE PTS (although I've never actually done it but it does look pretty decent as it goes past near our flat).
  • QuarrelQuarrel
    Posts: 96
    TheWizardOfIce wrote:
    Try this:

    http://www.thamesribexperience.com/

    Theres a special Bond version where they play the music as you're going along. It's the closest you'll ever get to the TWINE PTS (although I've never actually done it but it does look pretty decent as it goes past near our flat).


    Thanks! We usually avoid "touristy" stuff like that (I'd rather have a pint with a local than spend time on things like the London Eye), but this does look pretty darn cool. I think we'll have to check this one out. Now if only the boats would go underwater and cruise through the streets, they'd really have something.
  • MrcogginsMrcoggins Following in the footsteps of Quentin Quigley.
    Posts: 3,144
    Might I recommend a trip on the London Eye.
  • RC7RC7
    Posts: 10,512
    Get yourself to
    Quarrel wrote:
    Thanks for the tip, RC7. Our overall budget it pretty nice. It's probably our last trip for awhile, due to the pending family-making plans, so we're hoping to shoot the works a bit. Of course, that being said, the exchange rate is going to kill us.

    Still, I'd like to take advantage of being in The Land of Bond while I'm there. I'm making sure to pack light, and leave plenty of space in the bags to fill up with goodies.

    The reason I ask about budget is because you can get some pretty tasty merchandise here.

    I'd also suggest a trip to Dukes in St.James, and Floris on Jermyn St, to pick up a bottle of their no.89.
  • dundadunda
    Posts: 116
    Duck Tours have a James Bond Tour...http://www.londonducktours.co.uk/tours/james-bond-tour
    They are tourist stuff, but pretty fun...
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    edited May 2013 Posts: 12,480
    I found this online, they have about 4 or 5 James Bond tour options, from the regular walking tour at only 10 pounds to VIP and studio tours etc. Brit Movie Tours ...
    http://britmovietours.com/bookings/james-bond-walking-tour-of-london/

    Has anyone been on any sort of official James Bond tour?
  • 007InVT007InVT Classified
    Posts: 893
    Check out the beautiful Burlington Arcade (mentioned in Casino Royale I think?)

    6f141ebfbf2c220661f38b1e62dabfee.jpg
  • JWESTBROOKJWESTBROOK
    Posts: 5,745
    Looks like something from Harry Potter
  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    That is gorgeous!
  • Baltimore_007Baltimore_007
    Posts: 5,634
    Mrcoggins wrote:
    Might I recommend a trip on the London Eye.

    Don't forget Buckingham Palace

  • 4EverBonded4EverBonded the Ballrooms of Mars
    Posts: 12,480
    I'll definitely do London Eye when I get there (no time soon)). I was thinking about taking a Bond walking tour, and just wondering if anyone has taken one? There are several on offer apparently.
  • TriggerTrigger
    Posts: 183
    Thanks for the link and info @4EverBonded, I love things like this and will be doing one of these walks when next in London!
  • NapoleonPluralNapoleonPlural
    Posts: 512
    There are two movies shops, one is Visimag (I think) in Soho's Old Compton Street, the other is in St Martin's Lane, near Leicester Square and opposite Stringfellows.
    Within 15 mins walk of one another. Stills, memorabilia, posters etc

    The area around St Paul's Cathedral is great for iconic architecture such as Tate Modern, Tower Bridge and Tower of London downriver, the Shard and so on.
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,246
    Anon wrote:
    Bond has never really done London much. Until very recently.

    A boat trip up or down the Thames (get one that encompasses Vauxhall to North Greenwich) - you get the boat chase in The World is not Enough (MI6 HQ to The Dome)

    Take a stroll around Westminster and Whitehall for some iconic sights from Skyfall and bluff MoD buildings seen over the years.

    Then, if it's been fixed after the events of Skyfall take the tube to the city. The temporary HQ entrance from Skyfall is around West Smithfield and plenty of general sight-seeing to be done. OHMSS - the College of Arms is on Queen Victoria STreet in the city.

    If you do any shopping in the West End, Sotheby's is down Bond Street (Octopussy)

    All the good stuff isn't publicly accessible though. Pinewood Studios and Stoke Poges Golf Club spring to mind, but you'd have to pull strings to visit sadly.

    There's a few memorabilia stores for posters and the like, but personally I'd go for grabbing a bit of Bond lifestyle. Maybe buy a shirt from Turnbull and Asser or a polo from Sunspell. If you had a couple of months (and a few grand) you could get yourself a nice bespoke suit on Savile Row.
    Have a cocktail in Heron Tower near Liverpool Street. Worth it for the lift (or should I say elevator?) and views alone.

    Funny, I've easily been to Pinewood: all it took was an invitation to a job interview. I was even offered the job, but had to turn it down.

    To reply to the OP, there are many places outside London that are Bond related. Burnham Beeches was used in Goldfinger, for instance.
  • Sir_James_MoloneySir_James_Moloney
    edited May 2013 Posts: 388
    Ludovico wrote:
    Funny, I've easily been to Pinewood: all it took was an invitation to a job interview. I was even offered the job, but had to turn it down.

    To reply to the OP, there are many places outside London that are Bond related. Burnham Beeches was used in Goldfinger, for instance.

    It's also easy to get in if you purchase or hire anything from one of the businesses on site (e.g. Technicolor) and need to pick it up. Once you sign into Pinewood you're free to look around. There's not a huge amount to see but the roads used for the DB5 chase in GF and the SPECTRE gardens from FRWL is still recognisable.

    Beaconsfield is also nearby. There's a scene from Thunderball shot there (where Lippe makes a call in a telephone box.) Probably not worth going out of the way for but I used to work there so thought it was pretty cool.
  • RogueAgentRogueAgent
    Posts: 12,526
    JWESTBROOK wrote:
    Looks like something from Harry Potter

    You read my mind! I thought that too!
  • LudovicoLudovico
    Posts: 15,246
    Interestingly enough, Burnham Beeches were used for the Harry Potter films and... Goldfinger. A bit out of the way unfortunately.
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