Londonist Out Loud

Probably the most famous cricket ground in the world, the home of the MCC is where every cricketer wants to play. The centuries of the sport are so intertwined with this club, and N Quentin Woolf uncovers some of the secrets of this past at the museum, with libraries and research manager, Neil Robinson. As well as encountering artefacts such as the famous Ashes urn, he hears how cricket was used by the British Empire, and how that legacy has endured today.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Whether you know it from the song Doing The Lambeth Walk, as the home of William Blake or from the contemporary street art of the Leake Street tunnel, Lambeth has a fascinating and varied history. N Quentin Woolf meets Diane Burstein for a stroll around part of the borough.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week, N Quentin Woolf meets Dr Tom Pey from the Royal London Society for Blind People, and discovers what it's like for blind people living in the city.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

 See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

London is a fertile ground for urban myth, tall tales and legend. From the story of the corpse on the tube carriage, to the Hackney bear, N Quentin Woolf explores the truth behind the city's stories with Scott Wood of the London Fortean Society.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How much do you really know about London at night? Author of Night Walking, Matthew Beaumont, talks to N Quentin Woolf about the history of the city's life after sunset. Discover a world of nightwatchmen, prostitutes, curfews, and more - a time of moral and literal darkness.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

How do we fund 'affordable' housing and infrastructure? What is the impact of regeneration on social housing stock? Should we rethink the Green Belt? In this second of a two-part special on London's housing crisis, Londonist writers Jonn Elledge, Rachel Holdsworth and Beth Parnell-Hopkinson talk to N Quentin Woolf about the solutions being proposed and which ones make sense.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Is London in a housing crisis? How bad has it got and what can be done about it? N Quentin Woolf talks to Oxford University's Professor Danny Dorling, author of books such as Inequality And The 1%; Alex Hilton, director of campaign group Generation Rent; and David Orr, chief executive of the National Housing Federation. Featured image by Andy Worthington.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week N Quentin Woolf is at the Royal Veterinary College in Camden, where he hears how the centre has progressed the science of animal medicine, from the early days with race horses, to achieving realistic special effects in Harry Potter films. WARNING: Contains bits squeamish people might find makes them go a bit wonky.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week, N Quentin Woolf follows in the footsteps Dickens, Ruskin and Tennyson as he visits the home of Thomas and Jane Carlyle in Chelsea. He meets custodian, Lin Skippings, who actually lives in the home of the renowned 19th century social commentators. She shows him around the building, noting quite how much has changed in the area since the couple lived there - not least how salubrious the area has become.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week, N Quentin Woolf meets political activist and Levellers expert John Rees, to discuss the rise and fall of this 17th century political movement, and what their legacy is in London and the rest of the UK.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The life and times of the UK’s smallest cetacean in our busiest waterway. N Quentin Woolf goes to Ipswich to get a tour of the research vessel Song of the Whale, and learn more about our cetacean friends, the Harbour Porpoises.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

The word Bedlam conjures up thoughts of an 'asylum' and all sorts of negative connotations around the way people with mental illness were treated in the past. Today the situation couldn't be more different: the Bethlem Royal Hospital in Beckenham is a specialist in mental health matters, and home to a fascinating museum about the subject. N Quentin Woolf takes us on a tour of the new museum and hears about the history of the institution.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

Be honest with yourself - exactly how much do you know about Art Deco? You may be able to identify the style, but can you be more specific than that? This week, N Quentin Woolf goes to Bloomsbury to meet tour guide Yannick Pucci, who explains more about the style, and gives a tour of the wonderful Tavistock Court.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

N Quentin Woolf is joined by Dr Simon Chaplin, director of culture and society at the Wellcome Trust, where the renowned library has been refurbished and transformed into a place not just for serious science but furthering the trust's mission of engaging the public. In his former role as Head of the Wellcome Library, Simon oversaw the physical and digital transformation of this great medical history resource into one of the world's most innovative libraries.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week N Quentin Woolf is at Westminster Hall - the historic heart of the British parliament. He hears from Caroline Shenton, author of The Day Parliament Burnt Down, about the incredible moment in 1834 when the houses of parliament were destroyed by fire, leading to the building of the iconic Victorian gothic structures known worldwide. Westminster Hall itself was only saved by heroic firefighting efforts.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

What's the latest in London's cocktail scene? How old fashioned is an Old Fashioned? N Quentin Woolf heads up high to Aqua Shard to meet head of bars Miles Donneky and cocktail writer Janan Jay and hear about what the current trends and why London leads the world in this community.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

This week, N Quentin Woolfe meets Sheyi Bankale, editor of Next Level magazine, which highlights photography as a form of fine art. The two discuss what identifies London's photographic scene and the forthcoming Hackney edition of the magazine.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.

A listen back at the last 12 months of our podcast.  See acast.com/privacy for privacy and opt-out information.