London Cheap Frills (part 1)

Gone are the days when London was one of the most expensive cities in the world. There are tons of cheap or even free things to do in London. Below are my favourites.

Catch a film. The old favourite Prince Charles Cinema is showing new films, recent releases and classics with prices starting from £1.50. It’s worth getting the yearly membership (£10) to save more in tickets.

Orange Wednesdays offer two for one cinema tickets in most of the cinemas across town. All you need is a friend with Orange. 

Museums. Almost all London museums are free of charge, apart from some temporary exhibitions. The labour scrapped the entrance fees from all national galleries and museums in 2001 and they have remained free from then on. Nobody knows  what the tories are planning but it doesn’t take much to make an educated guess.

Some of cultural gems include Tate Modern, Tate Britain, British Museum, Victoria & Albert Museum, Science Museum, Natural History Museum, National Gallery and National Portrait Gallery. 

See a play in a local theatre. London’s theatre world doesn’t end in West End. The local theatres often have great quality productions, even with some well known names, with a fraction of the price of a West End musical. Admittedly, it can be a bit of a hit and miss but during all my time in London I have only walked out once during the interval. Check Off West End for more information and tips.

People watching. Head to Bricklane on Sunday afternoon. Hundreds of people come there just to be seen. Who can spot the most pretentious creature?

Old Compton Street. Try to snatch a window seat / table on the street in one of the cafes of London’s number one gay street. Spot the latest trends, fittest bodies and the most flamboyant queens. You won’t find bad B.O here. 

Get tipsy. Samuel Smiths Brewery has got several pubs in London and they are famous for their independence. The beers are all produced by the Tadcaster brewery and no large-corporation spirits or soft-drinks are available. Prices are low, with a pint of lager only setting you back around £2. Try The John Snow in Soho, The Angel in Bermondsey, Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese in Holborn, The Champion in Fitzrovia or The Earl of Lonsdale in Notting Hill. 

Free gigs. There’s always plenty of free gigs on offer in London, this is after all the promised town of wannabe rock stars. Be warned though, if you haven’t heard of the band, there might be a reason for it. The record shop gigs are also now part of the bands’ marketing strategy. Check Rough Trade East and TimeOut for listings. 

Westminster Abbey – where kings and queens are coronated, is really an impressive piece of British history. The Abbey usually charges for the entrance but it’s free during services. Get there for Evensong. The Abbey choir, educated at  Westminster Abbey Choir School is singing at 5pm on Mondays, Tuesdays, Thursdays, and Fridays, plus at 3pm on Saturdays and Sundays. 

Park yourself. London is filled with fantastic parks. Pick a sandwich and a bottle of wine from a nearby shop and enjoy the greenery and fresh air. If you like more excitement in your life, bring along a frizbee. The best parks for picnic are Greenwich (South East), St. James’s Park (Central), Hampstead Heath (North), Regent’s Park (North) and Holland Park (West). 

I've parked myself. 

More Cheap Frills coming soon!