Southbank House, Lambeth

Doulton Pottery Building.

I am constantly surprised how, every now and again, a startling piece of architecture can survive, while all around is replaced with concrete, glass and steel. So I was completely taken when I saw this ornate and overly stylised building. I needed to find out more about it.

Glazed tiles and terracotta dressings.

The building, which stands at the corner of Black Prince road and Lambeth High Street, dates from 1876-78 and was possibly designed by Robert Stark Wilkinson. There is some confusion to the actual architect as others were also involved. It is built of red brick with polychromy, with pink and sandy-coloured terracotta dressings. Its entire facade is highly ornate.

Stunning architecture. Image © Gary Peterson

This building is the only surviving part of the Doulton Pottery Complex, which extended back behind the buildings.

Model of Old London Bridge, Church of St Magnus-the-Martyr

Inside St Magnus-the-Martyr Church, on Lower Thames Street, is a remarkable model of the Medieval London Bridge.

This four-metre long model was built by David T Aggett, a member of the Metropolitan Police. He was also a keen model maker and this model of Old London Bridge took him almost three years to complete.

The model shows how Old London Bridge would have looked in 1400 and is built, predominantly, from cardboard boxes. 

He was also a liveryman of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers, so he donated the model to the Church, which is the church of the Worshipful Company of Plumbers. 

As a little joke he placed a Metropolitan Policeman on the bridge, which people can seek to find when admiring the model. 

Besides the Policeman there are countless other figures going about their daily routines, which can bring a smile to your face.

St Magnus-the-Martyr Church was once the entrance way to the old London Bridge, before the bridge was demolished and moved 30 metres to the west. So, it is fitting that the model resides here.

Elvis Evolution: The Immersive Experience

Saturday July 26, 2025.

Elvis Evolution was first announced back in January 2024, with tickets going on sale in October 2024, just as we were about to give up hope of the experience ever happening. Then there was a setback, as one of the contributing companies went under, pushing the opening date back. This resulted in us having to change the dates of our tickets, which wasn't as simple as the website made out. Still, the tickets were swapped and the day had finally arrived.

We arrived at the venue almost forty-five minutes early, as was suggested, and entered the venue, at the Excel Centre.

With complimentary souvenir programme in hand we made our way into 'Bob's Burbank Diner', where we ordered 'Hounddogs' (Beechwood Smoked Pork with French's American Mustard & Ketchup, served with straw potatoes), and a 'Budweiser' to wash them down with. Service was quick and efficient, with the 'dogs' going down a treat.

We then went to the small gift shop, with its eye-watering prices, before exploring the diner. This 1950's style diner has authentic stools, tables and seating, with memorabilia adorning the walls. Retro televisions were set into the wall, showing various news programmes and videos of Elvis in action. This piece of Americana is based on the actual diner that was opposite the NBC Studios, where the '68 Comeback Special was recorded.

As a side note, Elvis' manager, Colonel Tom Parker, never released the tickets for the 'special', so the audience was drawn from the diner opposite the studios.

Soon we, the audience, were called to make our way through to the offices of NBC Studios. With little time to take in the decor of the studios, and with photography and filming forbidden, we are suddenly in the midst of the theatrics. An executive appears and begins giving us a briefing on what is happening. Evidently, Elvis is in his dressing room and is refusing to come out, afraid that after seven years of dodgy films he won't be able to sing as he used to.

The executive is joined by another executive, telling her to stall the audience, as they work to get Elvis out of his dressing room. Enter Sam Bell, a childhood friend of Elvis from Tupelo Mississippi. It is through his eyes that the rest of the theatrics are played.

We then leave the NBC Studios and 'board' the Mystery Train, which whisks us back in time to Tupelo, where we meet a young Elvis and Sam. For the next 35 minutes AI-rendered backdrops play on a large screen, taking us through their friendship, hopes, aspirations and dreams, while the actors bring certain aspects of their childhood to life. Church revivals, Beale Street and Elvis' recording of 'That's All Right' are shown, as we watch them grow, ending with Sam leaving to join the USAF, while Elvis tries to make it big in Memphis.

We then 'disembarked' from the Mystery Train and headed into the second bar, lovingly decked out like a Tiki bar in Hawaii. In fact this is the 'Blue Hawaii' bar, where we stop for refreshments. It will be twenty minutes before the theatrics begin again, thus ensuring that the company behind the 'Immersive Experience' can squeeze as much money from its 'audience' as possible.

Soon Sam Bell arrives and, along with the other executives, they announce that Elvis Presley is finally going to leave his dressing room. 

It is at this point we are ushered through some more doors, passing Elvis' dressing room that has been faithfully recreated, but that you can't photograph. Passing through another door we head down some steps and find ourselves in NBC Studio 4, where the '68 Comeback Special will be broadcast live, in an NBC first.

'Herd of Hope' by Gillie and Marc

The 'Herd of Hope' is a collection of 21 life-sized bronze elephants that have been exhibited in London to raise awareness of elephant poaching and endangerment, in Africa.

The sculptures are the work of Gillie and Marc Schattner.

The herd began its London journey in Marble Arch before moving to Spitalfields, where you can get up close and personal with these majestic animals.

Each elephant is modelled after a real orphaned elephant and each sculpture has a QR code, which links to videos about the orphan's rescue.

The sculptures consist of 21 elephants, led by a matriarch and 20 smaller elephants, each with its own personality.

I am unsure as to how long these wonderful creations will remain, in Spitalfields, so, if you wish to see them, I wouldn't wait too long to visit. 

You can find out more about the 'Herd of Hope' by clicking the link below.

Herd of Hope

You can view sculptures, by Gillie and Marc, that have been seen in London by clicking the link below.

Sculptures by Gillie and Marc

'Longplayer' by Jem Finer

Part of the 'Longplayer Live' instrument.

Within Trinity Buoy Wharf Lighthouse is a unique musical experience. A musical composition, entitled 'Longplayer', that will play for 1,000 years.

On the first floor you can walk around part of the 66-foot-wide orchestral instrument, which is used to perform 'Longplayer Live', while listening to 'Longplayer' being streamed into the room.

However, the Lantern Room, at the top of the Lighthouse, is the best place to hear 'Longplayer', while taking in the unique views on offer.

'Longplayer' has been running since the year 2000.

What is 'Longplayer'?

'Longplayer' is the brainchild of Jem Finer and is a 1,000-year-long musical composition that has been playing continuously since the first moments of the year 2000. It is designed to play on, without interruption and repetition, until the last moments of 2999.

Since it began, 'Longplayer' has been performed simultaneously by a number of computers around the world - from its primary location at Trinity Buoy Wharf Lighthouse to listening posts in Alexandria, Brisbane and San Francisco. It can also be heard anywhere in the world via an online audio stream at Longplayer.org.

Singing Bowls.

How does it work?

Composed by Jem Finer, 'Longplayer' is written for a set of highly resonant 'Singing Bowls', an ancient type of standing bell. These bells are sounded according to a precisely timed score, itself based on six simple algorithms. The resulting music is made up of six continuous, interlocking musical patterns whose harmonic and rhythmic interactions change gradually over hours, days, decades and centuries.