Alan is a qualified guide in the City of Westminster and the London Borough of Camden. From July 2016 he will be Course Director of the Camden Tour Guiding course. Having retired three years ago, he now has time to devote to studying, walking and talking about London, the city he loves. Alan is particularly interested in literature, multiculturalism, social history and popular culture and entertainment.
His walks include ‘St. Pancras in Literature, Film and Drama’, ‘Literary Soho’ and ‘Ealing, Queen of the Suburbs’. ‘European Soho through its pubs and restaurants’ reflects Alan’s fascination with cosmopolitanism, and charts how Soho’s European immigrants and short-term residents have made immense contributions to our culture, to literature, to scientific knowledge and to global political movements.
Alan is currently working on ‘Academic Bloomsbury’, for both residents of London and students new to the capital.
The London Music Explosion’ (with Chris Firmin) will look at trends in popular music through the performers and audiences at West End clubs from the 1950s onwards. He is also keen to develop walks in some of London’s less famous areas.
