London calling past and present

This might have been a tad optimistic, but if you base yourself in an arty London postcode and dedicate yourself to exploring on foot, the crowded metropolis feels much more manageable.

We picked Bankside along the South Bank of the River Thames in the London borough of Southwark as our home from home, a kind of Stockbridge with the Thames replacing the Water of Leith as the somewhat larger water source. Granted, Tate Modern is also on an altogether different scale from the galleries in our Edinburgh locale, and the neighbouring Globe Theatre is out of this world, but the point is, these attractions are within walking distance of each other.

Bankside and this area of Southwark has changed so much over the years, with the current development of Bankside Yards creating flats, offices and entertainment spaces, in the same forward-thinking spirit that saw prehistoric forest become Tudor playground, then industrial heartland for the Victorians before food, drink, the arts and performance were re-established.

The history feels close at hand and while we did our exploring on the Thames Path we were intrigued by the amateur archaeologists who were working their way along the foreshore at Bankside, navigating mud, sand and rubble and goodness knows what extras, in search of treasure. If you want to pick up a souvenir in this way you need a permit from the Port of London authority and before setting out you must check the tide times for London Bridge. And buy some gloves. The most common finds are clay pipes, the fag butts of history, animal bones and fragments of medieval and Tudor ceramics.

Our accommodation at Bankside Hotel London, a Marriott Autograph Collection property, fits right into this vibrant area. The hotel had a softer launch than it might have expected by opening during Covid and it has taken time to establish itself, but it turns out that the relaxed South Bank artistic vibe is as attractive to locals as it is to visitors and as office workers make their return to the city, at least for some days of the week, the spacious colourful meeting rooms and event spaces on the lower floor, complete with a working Art Makers Studio, are also bringing in business.

There are 161 bedrooms including seven suites, but in the Big Smoke a six-storey hotel can easily be classed as intimate and its boast of providing a “casual yet refined atmosphere” stands up to scrutiny as it's filled with personal touches from the lobby onwards. Handpicked furniture and eclectic artwork, plus coffee table books on low tables you are encouraged to handle, contrast with hidden hi-tech touches and sleek service, from the front desk to the restaurant. For those who like to know these things, there are Alchemist products in the bathrooms.

The restaurant is called Art Yard Bar and Kitchen and while diners were still mainly hotel guests, word is getting out about the location and the food, with weekend brunches in particular attracting a different crowd, one younger and more likely to be living in London than visiting as tourists.

It was the cocktail list that first got us buzzing about this place. The Bee's Knees (£15) is a refreshing serve with the perfect balance of sweet and sour thanks to the three simple ingredients of Bankside Honey syrup, East London gin and lemon juice. We didn't make it onto the roof to check out the hives in person, but the evidence of the rather moreish nectar they have helped create suggests a very happy colony of bees indeed.

The summer dinner menu included pan-fried bream fillet, sauce Antiboise, tomatoes, olives and capers, a fish lover's dream of a main course. Starters, including Cornish crab, brown sauce, apple gel and rice cracker, also hit the spot.

We had spent the best part of the day thinking about food after a morning visit to Borough Market, the London Bridge foodie paradise which has operated on this spot for around 1,000 years. It's a bit of a shuffle on a busy Saturday but we do the Royal Mile during the Fringe and no one feeds you on that thoroughfare, so we cope with the crowds, tempted by stalls like Humble Crumble promising vanilla custard and their signature twice-baked crunchy shortbread crumble. Shortbread?

A tasty reminder of home on our London adventure.

Bankside Hotel offers stays from £329 per room, per night. For more on Bankside London, see www.banksidehotel.com