I vaguely thought about leaving London recently and the British Library came to mind as somewhere I’d miss. It’s an essential resource because it has almost everything. It also has some interesting exhibitions.

This may not be much of a secret but deserves a mention. I find it hard to go anywhere near this place without having to go there. Freshly baked Beigels hot salt beef and it never closes, 24 hours a day 7 days a week.

I worked at the Barbican for several years and during that time became very fond of its architecture. One of my favourite spaces within the centre is the conservatory, a giant tropical garden in the middle of a concrete city.

Best place to go for simple pasta dishes.

Paul Rothe n Son has been there 120 years, bang in the middle of town. Hard to find a proper old-school deli in central London nowadays, n none more proper than this place. Great jacket potatoes, soup, sandwiches. It looks the part too. And the service is always great. Try and avoid the lunch queue.