The St Bride Foundation is the home of the St Bride Library, an incredible resource of printing history, in the form of books, printed ephemera, and tools from the trade. It also hosts many fantastic talks each year – check their website for details.
I love this building and always visit if I’m in the area to look at their great window displays, travel up in the beautiful wood paneled lift and wander down the creaky oak staircase. The exterior and interior woodwork is from two old Men-of-War ships, the flooring made from their deck timbers. I normally head straight to the fabric department to see what new seasonal prints they have in, though only buy a metre’s worth so not quite sure what I’ll ever make from them. My most treasured prints are those designed by Grayson Perry of polluted factories, teddy bears, knuckle-dusters and hand grenades. They also sell oversized gift coins produced by the Royal Mint and packaged beautifully in a velvet pouch, which appeal to my love of all things out-sized.
London institution, a magical place to have tea and cake and a perfect spot to watch London Soho life unfold before your eyes. The quality is always superb, the staff are friendly and human and the landladies Michelle and Tanya are part of what make this place and London so magical. A little gem that is a must on anyone's visit to London.