Nigel Smith and Adam Scott-Goulding’s guided walks around London are the talk of the town, with a unique focus on the city’s cinematic heritage and musical history, respectively.

On Nigel’s cinema tours, visitors marvel at the old picture houses that are still a part of the city’s architectural fabric. For Adam, the theme is music, from the 60s stars of Swinging London to the intriguing life of 18th century composer, George Frideric Handel.

On this episode, Nigel and Adam divulge what led them into tour guiding. They discuss the fascinating aspects of London’s cinematic and musical past, and along the way discover how Judy Garland connects their two very different tours. As teachers of tour guiding, they finish with some useful tips to make walking tours more engaging and meaningful.

Chapters:

(00:00) Intro

(02:31) Backstories of Nigel & Adam

(09:29) Guiding cinema tours

(15:06) Music tours & guiding techniques

(27:09) Handel, Judy Garland & group interaction

(35:35) Teaching tour guiding

(39:01) Outro

Links:

NIGEL SMITH:

Book Tours: https://nigelsmithwalks.com

Cinema History: https://memorypalaces.co.uk

Instagram: https://instagram.com/nigelsmithwalks

Facebook: https://facebook.com/NigelSmithWalks

For the Clerkenwell & Islington Tour Guiding Course 2026, follow this link: https://islingtonguidedwalks.com/our-training-course/

ADAM SCOTT-GOULDING

Book Tours: https://londonmusictours.org

Instagram: https://instagram.com/londonmusictours

Facebook: https://facebook.com/londonmusictour

JEREMY JOHN:

Book Tours: https://london-with-jeremy.com

Instagram: https://instagram.com/londonwithjeremy

If you enjoyed listening to this episode of Street Historians, don’t forget to click follow/subscribe, and rate the podcast with a thumbs up or five stars!

For the past decade, Katie Wignall has been a prolific figure on the London guiding scene. Her articles and videos, along with her guidebook ‘Look Up London’, have become invaluable resources for those eager to learn the real stories behind the city’s streets and buildings. Her company specialises in original tours that explore different facets of the city and are known to sell out months in advance.

On this episode, Katie shares how she went from posting historical information online to taking groups of people across London’s old alleyways and courtyards for over ten years. She reveals the origins of Look Up London, and how returning from university allowed her to see her hometown with renewed curiosity. She also divulges what goes into doing her own research, her love of turning dry facts into juicy anecdotes, and the joys of connecting with an audience on street level.

Chapters:

(00:00) Intro (02:25) Backstory (09:20) Sharing knowledge engagingly (13:20) Growing Look Up London (19:47) Digging deeper (28:17) Visuals vs storytelling (30:14) What next? (32:50) Outro

If you enjoyed listening to this episode of Street Historians, don’t forget to click follow/subscribe, and rate the podcast with a thumbs up or five stars.

Look Up London Instagram: https://instagram.com/look_uplondon

Look Up London Website: https://lookup.london

Jeremy's Tour Instagram: https://instagram.com/londonwithjeremy

Jeremy's Tour Website: https://london-with-jeremy.com

Lauren Barnes and Bex Newell are two guides who share a passion for London’s culinary heritage. They’ve each taken thousands of visitors to taste the many flavours of the city, uncovering the connections between food and history, one bite at a time.

In well-known spots, such as Borough Market, they focus on independent traders and the old traditions of the market. They also take guests to lesser visited neighbourhoods, including Brixton, where home cook Maureen Tyne serves up nostalgic dishes from her backyard.

On this episode, Lauren and Bex share what drew them to food tours. They discuss the notable ways their role differs from other guides and they reveal the best times to visit the foodie hotspots. Chapters:

(00:00) Intro

(03:08) Backstories

(07:35) Food tours ins and outs

(14:41) Borough Market

(24:26) The recipe for a great tour

(30:58) Wearing multiple hats

(39:59) Things not going to plan

(46:51) Outro

If you enjoyed listening to this episode of Street Historians, don’t forget to click follow/subscribe, and rate the podcast with a thumbs up or five stars.

Jeremy’s Tour Instagram: https://instagram.com/londonwithjeremy

Lauren’s Tour Instagram: https://instagram.com/laurenthelondonguide

Bex's Tour Instagram: https://instagram.com/bextakeswalks