Archive film, originally published on 30 July 2017. Events, food stops and restoration observations describe that summer.
July in London 2017 takes me from Canada Day and Eid in Trafalgar Square to Pride, Brick Lane poutine and a traffic-free Regent Street. This monthly film brings together several visits, with sunny street celebrations giving way to grey skies when I return to Westminster at the end of the month.
Canada Day in Trafalgar Square
I begin near the Palace of Westminster on 1 July before heading towards Trafalgar Square for Canada Day. Canada House stands beside the square, while the celebrations fill the space around the fountains with red and white, a stage and crowds of visitors.
There is plenty to look at, but I have a particular ambition: to find some poutine. The queue turns out to be a serious commitment. After an hour and a half, I finally sit down with the fries, cheese curds and gravy. My verdict in the film is that it is good, though not worth that much queuing.
Watch O Canada and the Canada Day celebrations
Published on 1 July 2017, this shorter film records the Canada Day visit on its own. It opens in Westminster before moving to Trafalgar Square for a performance of O Canada, the Canadian national anthem. The sequence also shows the Tim Hortons truck and ends with my long-awaited poutine from Poutine on the Ritz.
The film’s closing title marks the 150-year span from 1867 to 2017. It preserves the sights and sounds of that day’s London celebration alongside the fuller monthly account below.
Brick Lane poutine and hot sauce
For another version, the film moves to the Sunday market on Brick Lane. Here I visit the Poutinerie and try poutine with meat and the Rib Man’s hot sauce. The close-up shows the loaded box, and the reaction says plenty about how much I enjoy this combination.
It is a very London meeting of foods: Canadian poutine on an East End market street, with a local hot sauce added to the mix. I also stop near Brick Lane’s neighbouring bagel shops and explain my own simple way of choosing between them: whichever has the shorter queue on the day.
Eid in the Square
On 2 July, I return to Trafalgar Square for Eid in the Square. The atmosphere has changed again, with food stalls, stage entertainment and visitors gathering in the sunshine.
The film includes Sadiq Khan’s speech celebrating London’s communities and thanking the emergency services. I then try a falafel and salad wrap before continuing to watch the entertainment. The square becomes a shared meeting place, with the stage and food drawing people together.
Pride in London 2017
The next visit begins at Piccadilly Circus for the Pride parade. Rainbow flags and balloons rise above the crowds, while floats and marchers pass through central London. One float carries the message “Love Is All You Need”.
Alongside the spectacle, I reflect on how Pride has changed during my lifetime. I remember the more defiant atmosphere of earlier marches and describe the celebration I see in 2017, while recognising that the wider work for acceptance continues. The film finishes this visit with a stop at the free concert in Trafalgar Square.
Watch the short Pride parade film
First published on 8 July 2017, Pride Parade London 2017: Love Will Always Win is a separate three-minute film from the same summer. I introduce it at Oxford Circus, then share the parade’s floats, rainbow flags and crowds, including a burst of coloured smoke above the street. It closes as I head towards the free concert.
Coffee near Carnaby Street
A quieter stop follows at the Department of Coffee and Social Affairs, just off Carnaby Street. With a takeaway coffee in hand, I look around the shopping streets and talk about the restaurants, bars and places to meet in the surrounding lanes and Kingly Court.
From here, Regent Street is close by. During this visit, its Summer Streets event offers a chance to walk along a road usually occupied by traffic.
Regent Street Summer Streets
I start at the Piccadilly Circus end and walk towards Oxford Circus. The road has become a space for entertainment, food and sitting down. Temporary lawns and chairs encourage visitors to pause between the shops.
Seeing the street without its usual traffic changes the visit. There is room to look at the buildings and watch what is happening along the route. After reaching Oxford Circus, I plan to head back and explore more of the entertainment and food.
Back to Westminster
By the closing visit, the weather has turned windy and overcast. I return to the Palace of Westminster and look at the scaffolding going up around Elizabeth Tower as conservation work gets under way. The film captures the clock still running and the bells sounding at this stage of the project.
These are observations from July 2017, including the expectations voiced at the time about the restoration. Together with the festivals and food stops, they preserve a month of everyday journeys through a changing London.
Continue into the following month’s celebrations with my Notting Hill Carnival 2017 film.
