This journey of less than a mile along the South Bank between Westminster and Waterloo Bridges will consider the surviving vestiges of London’s Festival of Britain in its 70th anniversary. The tour will consider the shifting political plans for the festival that began in the mid 1930s and celebrate the planners, designers and architects employed by the then London County Council behind its success. We will explore not only the major buildings that dominate this short reach of riverbank (County Hall, and the Three Graces of the South Bank: The Royal Festival Hall, The Hayward Gallery and the National Theatre) but also find the few remnants of the year-long, postwar celebration of British Modernism that have survived. The journey will look at the history of the South Bank and contrast its industrial and entertainment traditions with Westminster’s power and politics and consider the role played by the London County Council and later the GLC in challenging these dynamics.

Route notes: There are steps to the South Bank walkways around the Hayward Gallery and National Theatre and a lift is available nearby

Guide: Stefan Cucos grew up in south London. He has a degree in history and publishing. After six years editing in-flight magazines in Hong Kong in the 1990s, he re-qualified as a solicitor specialising in construction law. He lives in Brixton, has never owned a car but instead lives as far as possible by the motto that ‘London Rewards The Walker’.

This tour is led by a participant of Open City’s Golden Key Academy – a new course training up insightful and engaging guides dedicated to explaining London and bringing its many stories to life. It is part of a wider collection of tour events created by Golden Key Academy guides for Open House Festival celebrating their conclusion of the sixth month course.

This tour will be conducted using live audio and image sharing from your guide via Zoom who will be with you in person for the duration of the tour. The use of Zoom is to enable you to keep safe, space out and still be able to hear the tour.

Attendees must download Zoom before the tour, bring a fully charged smart phone with internet connection, and headphones; and remember to stay at least two metres apart from each other where required. Zoom joining info will be sent out to bookers a day or so before the tour.

All walking tours 20 max. Pre book only.