What's on in London. Highlights for June, 2009. A midsummer of Royal pageantry, music, fine art and food festivals, performing arts, antiques and retro fairs, together with sporting highlights of tennis at Wimbledon, racing at Royal Ascot and Epsom, cricket at Lords. From the diary of Burlington Bertie, OfftoLondon's Man About Town.

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Household Division, Beating Retreat
Venue: Horse Guards Parade, Whitehall, SW1.
Date: 3, 4, 9 June, 2009. 6.15pm. Perfs last 1 hour.
Tickets: £12, (Concessions). Reserved seating only. Buy Online. No refund on performance cancellation.
London Transport: Nearest Tube. Westminster, Embankment, Green Park.
Description: On two successive June evenings the 300 strong Massed Bands of The Queen's Household Division perform Beating Retreat, one of the major spectacles in the capital's ceremonial calendar. The event starts at 6.16pm with the salute traditionally being taken by a member of the Royal Family. Beating retreat will also be performed by The Royal Marines on 9 June.
Beating Retreat has its origins in the early years of organized warfare when the beating of drums and the parading of Post Guards heralded the closing of camp gates and the lowering of flags at the end of the day. Orders from the army of James II of England in 1690 and William III in 1694 laid down the basis of this daily twilight ceremony.
Today the ceremony is reserved for special occasions and preceded by a display of music and marching. The participants are drawn from the bands of the two Household Cavalry Regiments and the five Foot Guards Regiments which make up The Queen's Household Division. These bands are an essential part of State Ceremonial from Changing of The Queen's Guard at Buckingham Palace to Trooping the Colour and the State Opening of Parliament. In addition to the Band, each Foot Guards Battalion has its own Corps of Drums and, in the case of the Scots and Irish Guards, Pipes and Drums.
Dress: No formal dress code.
Wheelchair Accessibility: A limited number of wheelchair spaces are available and separate applications are required for this facility. Accessible Toilets in nearby St. James's Park.

Knights of the Order of the Garter Investiture
Venue: St. George's Chapel, Windsor Castle, Windsor, Berkshire.
Date: 15 June, 2009.
Description: Investiture of Knighthood into England's most ancient and chivalrous Order of the Garter, (a closed Order), takes place at the Chapel of the Order, constituted in 1348 by King Edward III. Arrayed in their midnight-blue robes emblazoned with the Star of the Order and plumed hats, The Queen and Her Knights process through Windsor Castle to St. George's Chapel for the investiture service of Thanksgiving. The procession is preceded by a detachment of red-coated silver helmed Life Guards and the route is lined by the Queen's Yeomen of the Guard dressed in their vermilion and gold Tudor 'Beefeater' uniforms.
Tickets: Ticket applications marked accompanied by SAE to line the procession route inside the castle must be addressed to the Lord Chamberlain's Office, St. James's Palace, SW1A 1BE. The envelope should be marked "Garter Ceremony" and arrive not later than end of January. The investiture ceremony and Chapel service are by private invitation only.
Getting there: Road: The location is between junctions 5 and 6 on the M4 out of London. Rail: London/Paddingtom - Windsor Town Centre, (adjacent to the castle) or London/Waterloo - Windsor Riverside, (nearby).
Dress: Chapel service: Formal. Procession route: smart casual. The weather may be very warm.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Entry to the castle however is up a testing incline.

Tower of London
Venue: London, EC3N 4AB. Tel: 0870 756 6060.
Date: Daily. Summer opening times 9am-5.30pm, (Tues-Sat); 10am-5.30pm, (Sun/Mon), 2009.
Tickets: £16 booked online (concessions), or £17 at portcullis.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Tower Hill. DLR: Tower Gateway. Bus routes: RV1 from Covent Garden, 15, 42,78,100. All sightseeing buses. Riverboat: Regular service from Westminster, Charing Cross, Greenwich Piers.
Description: London's top tourist attraction, and the custodians of the Tower are as expert at putting on a family show today as they were at chopping off heads in earlier days of gore. The most famous attractions are the Crown Jewels, the 'Beefeater' yeomen in their ceremonial Tudor dress, and the celebrated ravens.
Wheelchair accessibility: Yes. Adapted Toilets: Yes. A limited number of wheelchairs are available at main entrance.

Hampton Court Palace. Henry VIII - Heads and Hearts
Date: Ongoing, 2009.
Venue: Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, KT8, 9AU. Tel: 0870 751 5175.
Tickets: £14, (Concessions and online discount). Book Online
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Richmond.
Description: Hampton Court Palace really comes to life this year, the 500th anniversary of Henry VIII's accession to the throne. Historic Royal Palaces, the organization which runs this and the infamous Tower of London where Henry had his cast-off wives beheaded, has marked the occasion with spectacular events, exhibitions and re-enactments here and at the Tower, (joint ticket discount available). Check for specific dates and event highlights, including archery, fencing, falconry, re-enactments, lectures, Tudor Kitchen.
Of particular interest are the River Coronation Pageant, (20-21 June), Tudor Jousting Tournament, (29-31 August), and Tudor Christmas, (28 December-3 January, 2010). See also my article Hampton Court Palace and Tudor Banquets.
Venue Hire You can hire Henry VIII's magnificent Great Hall and other Palace venues with costumed guides, etc., for entertaining, conferences, wedding and civil partnership receptions, your own sumptuous banquets, functions or film location. Check Venue Hire at Hampton Court Palace for details, 2009 special offers and bookings.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. The ground floor of the Palace is wheelchair accessible and there are limited facilities for viewing the upper floors with the use of an elevator. Accessible Toilets. See Palace Disabled Access for full details.

Kensington Palace
Venue: Kensington Gardens, W8 4PX. Tel: 0870 751 5170.
Date: Daily. Summer opening times 10am-6pm, 2009.
Tickets: From £11, (concessions and online discount). Book Online
London Transport: Nearest Tube: High Street, Kensington.
Description: As well as the fascinating exhibition of Court Ceremonial dress which gives us a good idea of the splendour of the British Court, (compare this with the V&A Museum Exhibition The Magnificence of the Tsars), there is a great deal worth seeing, from the Cupola Room, where Queen Victoria was baptised, to the exquisite trompe d'oeuil ceiling executed by Palladian architect William Kent for George II, (1722). While the original State Rooms have been turned into a museum, this is still a working palace and Royal Residence, housing working members of the Royal Family. Princess Diana lived here after her divorce.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted Toilets: Yes

Banqueting House Lunchtime Concerts
Venue: Banqueting House, Whitehall, SW1A 2ER, Tel: 0870 751 5187
Date: 8 June, 29 June, 6 July, plus Autumn dates. 2009. From 12 noon.
Tickets: £17.50 inc. light buffet lunch at 12.15pm preceding performance. Tickets available from the Banqueting House or by telephone 0203 166 6153.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Westminster, Embankment.
Description: The renowned monthly lunchtime concerts of chamber music and song recitals. This is the perfect way to admire the Rubens ceiling, a pictorial paean to the Stuart belief in the 'Divine right of Kings', a concept that cost Charles I his head. See website for concert details and Offtolondon's Banqueting house for descriptive details of this exquisite relic of the great Stuart Palace of Whitehall.
Venue Hire You can hire the historic and impressive Banqueting House for entertaining, conferences, wedding and civil partnership receptions, functions or film location. Check Venue Hire for details and bookings.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes for portable/standard size wheelchairs.

Buckingham Palace State Rooms
Venue: Buckingham Palace, Westminster, SW1A 1AA.
Date:. Book now for summer opening 1 August-27 September daily 9.45am-6pm, 2009
Tickets: £16.50. (timed entry). Take advantage of special online discounts and advance booking.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Victoria Rail Terminal; Hyde Park Corner; Green Park.
Description: The State Rooms form the heart of The Queen's working palace and have been lavishly decorated by succeeding monarchs and furnished with some of the greatest treasures from the Royal Collection - paintings by Rembrandt, Rubens, Poussin and Canaletto; sculpture by Canova; exquisite examples of Sèvres porcelain; and some of the finest English and French furniture; a feast of Fine Art, artifacts and historical royal heritage that should not be missed. This year's special summer exhibition mounted in the State Ballroom shows dresses, jewels, photographs and gifts presented to The Queen during 60 years of the Commonwealth, of which She is titular head, and over 170 Royal Tours made by Her Majesty to Commonwealth countries.
Time your visit to see the colourful Changing the Guard ceremony outside. This takes place daily, weather permitting, at 11.30am May through July and on alternate days thereafter. See Shophound Alexia's Free London for details.
Wheelchair accessibility: Yes. Adapted Toilets: Yes.

Clarence House
Venue: St. James's Palace, SW1A 1BS, (entry from the Mall). Tel: 020 7766 7303.
Date: Closed. Book now for summer opening. 10am-3pm, 5 August-27 September 2009.
Tickets: £8, (concessions), Take advantage of special online discounts and advance booking.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Green Park.
Description: Built by John Nash for the Duke of Clarence who became King William IV from 1830 until 1837 and used it as his palace, it was later the home of The Queen, then Princess Elizabeth and The Duke of Edinburgh following their marriage in 1947, and thereafter the London home of Queen Elizabeth The Queen Mother from 1953 until 2002. It is now the official London residence of Charles, Prince of Wales and his wife Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted Toilets: No

The Royal Mews
Venue: Buckingham Palace, Westminster, SW1A 1AA, London. Entrance in Buckingham Palace Road.
Date: Daily. Summer opening timesDaily.11am-4pm until 31 October, 2009.
Tickets: £7.50, (concessions), Take advantage of special online discounts and advance booking.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Victoria Station.
Description: The Mews houses the Queen's horses in what are undoubtedly one of the finest working stables in existence. Also on view are the Monarch's State Coach and other official vehicles.

Kew Palace
Venue: Kew Gardens.
Access: Daily. 11am-5pm, Mon. 10am-5pm Tues-Sun, 2009.
Tickets: £5, (concessions). This does not include entry to Kew Gardens.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Kew Gardens.
Description: The country palace of George III, (d.1820) and his Queen Charlotte, Kew Palace has recently been meticulously refurbished under Royal patronage and is a masterpiece of Georgian taste, decor and furnishings.

Palace of Westminster
Venue: Westminster, London SW1A 1AA.
Date: Summer opening 3 August- 3 October, 2009. Guided tours daily, Monday to Saturday inclusive during Parliament's summer recess.
Tickets: Book Online, (strongly recommended), or buy on the day at the Jewel Tower ticket office opposite. Check website for prices, concessions and possible security restrictions.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Westminster.
Description: This is a fascinating guided tour and an unrivalled opportunity to see the Victorian Neo-Gothic magnificence of the Palace of Westminster with its debating Chambers of the 'House of Commons' and 'House of Lords'.
Wheelchair accessibility: Yes. Adapted Toilets: Yes.

The Golden Hinde
Venue:Pickfords Wharf/Clink St., London SE1 9DG. Tel: 020 7407 7056.
Date:Daily 10am - 5.30pm, 2008.
Tickets: £7. (Concessions).
London Transport: Nearest Tube: London Bridge.
Description: This is an exact working replica of Sir Francis Drake's Naval Flagship the Tudor warship Golden Hinde in which Sir Francis Drake circumnavigated the world 1577-1580. This exact reconstruction, a fully working ship, was launched in Devon in 1973. Since then she has circumnavigated the globe and sailed over 140,000 miles - many more than the original. Her present berth is the St Mary Overie Dock on Thames South Bank, just a short walk from the Clink Prison Museum, Shakespeare's Globe and Tate Modern. This is a living history experience of particular interest to maritime history buffs and children from six to sixty! Explore the 5 decks and the 22 canons.
Venue Hire You can hire the Golden Hinde for entertaining, conferences, wedding and civil partnership receptions, functions or film location. Families can also arrange sleepovers on the gun deck. Check website for details and bookings.

The 17th Hampton Court Palace Music Festival
Venue: Hampton Court Palace, Hampton Court, East Molesey, Surrey, KT8 9AU. Tel: 0870 752 7777.
Dates: 2 - 13 June, 2009.
Tickets: Book online.
London Transport: Nearest Tube. Richmond. Bus connection from station. Rail from London/Waterloo to Hampton Court, (32 mins). Riverboat from Westminster Pier, (3 1/2 hrs), to Palace quay and return by train/tube.
Description: This year's superb line-up of talent to suit all tastes includes tenor Jose Carreras. A delightful midsummer open-air evening of music and fireworks set against the magnificently illuminated backdrop of Hampton Court Palace. Bring a picnic to enjoy in the 17th century gardens during the extended interval, or do it in style and dine like a King in the State Apartments on a gourmet meal prepared for you by Chef Gordon Ramsey.
Dress: Smart comfortable, if dining in the State Apartments, casual elsewhere.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Check website for special ticket arrangements. Accessible Toilets. See Palace Disabled Access for full details.

Opera Holland Park 2009
Venue:Holland Park, W8. 0845 230 9769
Dates: 2 June - 15 August, 7.30pm. 2009.
Tickets: £10 - £52. Book online or Box Office 0845 230 9769.
Limited ticket concessions and free tickets for students are available for specific performances only. See website and Shophound Alexia's Free London for details. Disabled carers free.
London Transport: Nearest Tube. Kensington, (Olympia); Holland Park:
Description: This is Glyndebourne in a London setting. Dress up, order a champagne picnic with reserved table in the theatre and enjoy a fabulous evening of Opera sung by top international singers in the stunning Opera Holland Park theatre.
2009 Festival programme: Gaetano Donizetti's Roberto Devereux, Engelbert Humperdinck's Hansel and Gretel, Puccini's La Boheme, Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld, Verdi's The Masked Ball, Janácek's Kát'a Kabanová. See website for dates and seating. Dress: An opportunity to dress up for a smart evening.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes to all but the Terrace. Check website for special arrangements. Accessible Toilets.

City of London Festival.
Venue:Various, including St. Paul's Cathedral, 6 historic City churches rebuilt by Wren after the 1666 fire, the Barbican, Museum of London, and Bank of England.
Dates: 15 June - 15 August, Day and Evenings. 2008.
Tickets:From £5- £45. Plus many free open air events.
London Transport:Nearest Tube: St. Paul's, Bank, Blackfriars, Chancery Lane.
Description: A summer feast of international classical, contemporary, jazz and World Music and the arts, covering orchestral and chamber music, recitals, opera, literature, visual arts, film, a student film and video competition and architectural walks and talks. In addition there is a programme of jazz, late night comedy, and other entertainment afloat on the River Thames and lots of free open air gigs and street entertainment. See website for full details, booking info, etc.
Dress:No dress code.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Check website for Wheelchair Accessibility, special seating arrangements, and Accessible Toilets at individual venues and events.

16th Observer Meltdown Festival
Venue: South Bank Centre, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX.
Dates: 14 - 21 June, 2009.
Tickets: Check website for details or telephone 08703 800 400.
London Transport: Embankment, Waterloo Station
Description: A musical highlight in London's summer calendar. Unlike other music festivals it is curated by a different well-known musician every year (past curators include David Bowie, Lee Scratch Perry, Morrissey, Patti Smith). This year free jazz legend Ornette Coleman is in the driving seat, organising a week of concerts in the riverside Royal Festival Hall and Queen Elizabeth Hall - check website for details and venues.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Check website for special ticket arrangements. Accessible Toilets.
Dine before or after the event at Southbank Centre's excellent Skylon, nearby Oxo Tower or Yakitori, all overlooking the Thames and featured in Offtolondon's Dining Out.

Taste of London
Venue: Regents Park.
Dates: Lunch session,12noon-4pm; Dinner session, 5.30-9.30pm. 18 - 21 June, 2009.
Tickets: £21-£80.
London Transport: Baker Street.
Description: London's famous summer festival of gourmandise, now in its sixth gluttonously gratifying year. This is an opportunity to indulge your taste buds in samples of Michelin starred cuisine, signature dishes and fine wines prepared by 40 of London's top restaurateurs determined to give foodies the gourmet day of their lives. Over four full days of top level feasting, the chefs will dish out their signature hits, debuting new ones and sharing some of their kitchen secrets.
Dress: Casual. Cater for expanding waistlines!
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. The nearest of the Park's three Accessible Toilets are at Queen Mary's Gardens.

241st Royal Academy Summer Exhibition
Venue: Burlington House, Piccadilly, W1J 0BD. Tel: 020 7300 8000.
Dates: 8 June-16 August, 2009. 10am-6pm daily. Fridays 10am-10pm.
Tickets: £9, (Concessions). Book online or Tel:0844 209 1919.
London Transport: Nearest Tube. Green Park; Piccadilly Circus.
Description: The two centuries old Royal Academy Summer Exhibition is now world's largest open submission contemporary art exhibition, with a tradition of showcasing work for sale by unknown and emerging artists alongside that of more established and even august names. Past Royal Academicians include William Blake and JMW Turner, whose work is now permanently on exhibition at Tate Britain, (see Shophound Alexia's Free London for details), and more recently Sir Peter Blake and David Hockney,
The Summer Exhibition attracts about 9,000 paintings, sculptures, photographs, drawings, prints and architectural models, most of which you can buy, though what you may like may well have received a red sticker at the opening Private View. This event is very much a part of the London social scene and tickets to the Private View, (obtainable from the Special Events Manager), are a notable and sometimes memorable occasion.
Friday late evenings are now a popular option, with table service dining and jazz music, (advance booking recommended).
Dress: Artistically casual - or casually artistic. The opening Private View is artistically smart or artistically eccentric, or possibly an idiosyncratic and occasionally flamoyant fusion of the two.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Accessible toilets Yes. Two designated disabled parking slots. Full details Online

Olympia International Arts & Antiques Fair
Venue: Olympia Exhibition Halls, Hammersmith Road, W14 8UX. +44 (0)20 7370 8212
Date: 11am-7pm, 5 - 14 June, 2009.
Tickets: Advance booking £10.Book online, (recommended), or buy at the door, £14. (Concessions).
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Olympia.
Description: Some 250 of the art and antiques world's best-known UK and international dealers together with first time exhibitors show an exciting selection of large and small artworks for sale. Look forward to rare pieces of 18th century English and Continental furniture and Russian furniture from the Golden Period of 1780-1840. Try on some spectacular 20th century jewellery, or browse amongst paintings by Picasso, primitive sculptures from the Valdivia Culture and exquisite ceramics from China.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Accessible toilets Yes.

Frock Me at Home
Venue: Chelsea Town Hall, Kings Road, Chelsea, SW3 5EZ.
Date:11am - 5.30pm, 7 June, 2009.
Tickets: £4 at door,(Student Concession).
. London Transport: Nearest Tube. Sloane Square, South Kensington.
Description: Shophound Alexia writes: Frock Me, my favorite vintage fashion fair held every couple of months at the Chelsea Town Hall, has introduced a new event to complement this. It not only features vintage fashion finds but also vintage items such as fabrics, textiles, cushions, soft furnishings, classic retro furniture, radios, posters, lighting and all sorts of nostalgia. I shall be there to pick up some exciting pieces, buttons and bows for my award winning quilts and exclusive one-off Gipsy handbag designs. Alan Bradbury from Bordeaux is bringing his French haberdashery shop to the show. He fills the whole of the stage with a remarkable collection of antique French lace, trimming, piping, ribbons, buttons and textiles. I shall be among the many Interior designers, vintage fashion dealers, theatrical costumiers and soft furnishing designers rooting through a treasure trove of little boxes of threads, linens, tapes, buttons and fabrics not to be seen anywhere else.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Accessible toilets Yes.

75th Grosvenor House Art & Antiques Fair
Venue: Grosvenor House Hotel, Park Lane, W.1.
Date: 11 - 17 June, 2009. Times vary.
Tickets: £16 Single; £27 Double; £65 Private View; £100 Gala Private View; Gala Private view and Dinner £350. Book Online
London Transport: Hyde Park Corner.
Description: London's longest established social and charity event in the antiques trade. This is an exceptional opportunity to purchase some of the most amazing works of art and antique artifacts on the market today from some 80 top international specialist dealers from UK, Europe and New York. Meet up with your friends and discuss your purchases in the Champagne Bar of this historic hotel or take tea in the Piano lounge overlooking Hyde Park.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Accessible Toilets Yes.

London Antiques and Art Auctions
London's major auction houses hold important sales during June to coincide with the influx of interested collectors and dealers for the annual Olympia and Grosvenor House Antiques Fairs. Log onto their website to register an interest, view online, download or buy their sales catalogues, open a bidding account and attend a sale.

Bonham's 101 New Bond Street, W1S 1SR. Tel: 0207 447 7447.
16 June: Entertainment Memorabilia.
Christies, 85 Old Brompton Road, SW7 3LD. Tel: 020 7930 6074.
10 June: Jewels. South Asian Modern & Contemporary Art.
11 June: Finest and Rarest Wine; Russian Art.
17 June: Jewels; Le Grand Gout-A Private European collection.
18 June: Arms and Armour.
Sotheby's, 34-35 New Bond Street, W1. Tel: 020 7293 5000.
10 June: Russian Paintings; Music; Continental and Russian Books & Manuscripts; Russian Works of Art, Faberge and Icons.
16 June: Indian art.
17 June: Finest and Rarest Wines.

Sadlers Wells: Ballet & Dance
Date: June, 2008.
Venue: Sadler's Wells Theatre, Rosebery Avenue, EC1R 4TN and Peacock Theatre, Portugal Street, Holborn, WC2.
London Transport: Nearest Tube. Angel.
Tickets: Book Online, in person at Box Office, or Tel: +44 (0)870 737 7737. Early booking advisable.
Description: A summer season of classical and modern dance includes performances by English National Ballet and Australian Ballet Companies, and dance maker Wayne McGregor.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Accessible toilets Yes.

Shakespeare's Globe: 2009 Summer Season
Date: Until 10 October, 2009.
Venue: 21 New Globe Walk, SE1 9ED. Tel: 020 7401 9199.
Tickets: £5 - £33. Book online
London Transport: Nearest Tube. Southwark.
Description: The 2009 summer season features new productions of Romeo and Juliet, As You Like It, Troilus and Cressida, Love's Labours Lost, A Midsummer Night's Dream. Other productions include the return of Che Walker's acclaimed Front Line and the world premiere of the classical Love and Loss by Euripides, (Frank McGuinness). Step into Tudor London at the Globe and join in the hearty audience participation!
Dine before or after the performance, at the nearby Oxo Tower Restaurant or the Yakitori.
Venue Hire You can hire the Swan at the Globe with its view overlooking the Thames for entertaining, conferences, wedding and civil partnership receptions and functions or film location. Check website for details and bookings.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Check website for special arrangements.

77th Regent's Park Open Air Theatre Summer Season
Venue: Regent's Park, NW1 Tel: 0870 060 1811
Date: Until 12 September, 2009. Morning, afternoon and evening perfs.
Tickets: £. Book online
London Transport: Nearest Tube. Baker Street.
Description: A program of Shakespeare's Much Ado About Nothing, The Tempest, Much Ado About Nothing, Oscar Wilde's The Importance of Being Ernest, and the musical Hello Dolly in the most perfect open air parkland setting. Check website for diary and details.
Wheelchair Accessibility & Toilets: Check website for special seating arrangements and discounts. Make your requirements known when booking.

Offtolondon Theatre Breaks and Offers
Date: Ongoing.
Venue: West End and City theatres
Tickets: Online booking for all seats, accommodation, etc.
Description: Your guide to London's theatre programme, concert and events with online booking facility. Top musicals Billy Elliot, Cabaret, Chicago, Gone With The Wind, Lion King, Mama Mia, Phantom of the Opera, Spamalot, Sound of Music, Stomp, We Will Rock You, and more continue to draw capacity audiences nightly. Book your tickets online now.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Most London theatres, some hotels, (such as the newly refurbished Russell Hotel near the British Museum), and many restaurants are now wheelchair accessible with Accessible Toilets in their public areas, and have special accommodation facilities for wheelchair users. It is however essential that you make your requirements known when booking.

Description The Derby has been the world's most prestigious flat race since 1780, and a trip to Epsom Downs for Derby Day has been a popular day's outing for Londoners since the advent of rail and, more recently, the motorcoach. Some £25 million in stud fees is at stake and the Derby is flat racing's betting highlight of the year. King Edward VII's horse Diamond Jubilee was a popular winner in 1900. The Queen regularly attends, although she is still waiting for that moment of joy when she leads her horse into the Winner's Enclosure. The closest she has come to emulating her great-grandfather was in 1953, her Coronation Year, when her horse Aureole, came second.
Dress: Smart for the Queen's and Grandstand, (Day 1 is Ladies Day), casual on the downs. Check website for appropriate dress codes). Don't forget your binoculars.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Accessible toilets Yes.

Royal Ascot
Venue: Ascot Racecourse, Ascot, Berkshire, SL5 7JN.
Dates: 16 -20 June, 2009.
Tickets: From £41.11 plus extras.Book online for carpark, Stand, dining, etc. Early booking discounts.
Getting there: Road: Ascot is 45 miles from London. Approach from M4 via A332, (Junction 6), or from M3 via A332, (junction 3). Car parking available. Rail: Join the crowd of toffs in top hat and tails, (a remarkable sight), on the train from London/Waterloo - Ascot.
Description: Unbeatable racing and socialising in the Turf's most elegant thoroughbred surroundings, (Ascot racecourse is owned by the Sovereign who has recently spent a bundle of money in upgrading both course and facilities). The Queen and members of the Royal Family, together with Her select invited castleguests, attend Tuesday through Friday. The Royal party arrives each day before the first race in open carriages drawn by Windsor Greys, driving down the course to the royal box in the main stand. Between races they mingle with jockeys, horses and owners in the paddock. Entrance to the 200 year old 'Royal Enclosure' (originated by King George IV) is strictly controlled from St. James's Palace by the course administrator and first time applicants require sponsorship from someone who has been present in the Royal Enclosure at least four years previously. There are however excellent facilities for those denied entry to hobnob with royalty, though advance booking is essential for this popular society event. There are superb restaurant facilities and plenty of opportunity to celebrate a win with a bottle or two of champagne. Advance booking for dining is essential.
Dress: Top Hat and Tails for him and an excruciatingly expensive outfit for Her, (topped by a milliner's confection that will cost the earth but catch the eye of the Society photographers on Thursday's Gold Cup Ladies Day). Morning dress is strictly enforced in the Royal Enclosure.
Wheelchair Accessibility Yes. Accessible Toilets Yes. Considerable attention to mobility issues has been given and wheelchair users are very well looked after at Ascot Racecourse. Check Ascot Access for full information and help.
Burlington Bertie's Accommodation Choice: Cliveden House Hotel, Cliveden, Taplow, Berkshire, SL6 0JF. If you decide to see Ascot in grand style, stay at the truly magnificent Cliveden House Hotel nearby. This is the former Thames-side pad of the Astor family, where pleasure, power and politics were mixed in sometimes in equal and sometimes scandalous proportions for over 300 years. Warn your bank manager or have a good win on the last race before you check out however.

Wimbledon Lawn Tennis Championships Venue:All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club, Church Road, Wimbledon, SW19 5AE. Tel: 020 8946 2244.
Dates: 22 June - 5 July, 2009
Tickets: Although some tickets are available for all courts at the gate for the first week, expect to queue all night. Ground tickets to watch games on courts 3 - 17 are available at the gate only on the day of play. Demand exceeds supply so early arrival is essential. Offtolondon.com has online booking arrangements for all games on Center Court and Court No.1 including the Finals, though availability is limited so early booking is essential. Overseas visitors should consider an Offtolondon Wimbledon accommodation package.
London Transport:Nearest Tube: Wimbledon. The courts are seven miles southwest of central London. We recommend you travel by public transport as parking is extremely limited.
Description: Tennis has been England's most popular social summer sport since it superceded croquet when fashions freed ladies from long Edwardian skirts and restrictive corsets. The green lawns of Wimbledon are its pinnacle. King George VI, when Duke of York, set the royal seal of approval on the Wimbledon Championships when he competed in 1921 in the Men's Doubles. The Wimbledon atmosphere is unrivalled by any other tournament on the world curcuit; emerald green courts, the Royal Box graced my members of the Royal Family, the polite and decorously clad Center Court spectators, the social ritual of champagne and fresh English strawberries, the inevitable "rain stopped play", (no longer a problem now on Centre Court). And of course there are the players, for whom winning at Wimbledon is the ultimate dream.
Dress: Center Court visitors are likely to be expensively dressed in smart casual wear.
Wheelchair Accessibility Yes, though some areas are challenging, and wheelchair users are recommended to bring an able bodied helper. Check Easy Access for full details.

Lords Cricket
Date: Throughout June, 2009.
Venue: Lords Cricket Ground, St. John's Wood, NW8 8QZ. Tel: 020 7432 1000.
Tickets: Book online, (essential), or at gate.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Wembley Park.
Description: Lord's is the setting for some of the best cricket in the world and 2009 will be a bumper year. . It hosts one and five day international matches, plus most of Middlesex county's home games, some historic fixtures (such as Oxford v Cambridge, Eton v Harrow) and the village and club finals. Many international Test Matches are televised live.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Accessible toilets Yes.

Shah AbbasBritish Museum
Venue: British Museum, Great Russell Street, WC1B. Tel: 020 7323 8299.
Tickets: £12, (Concessions). Book online or at ticket desk in the great Court. Special offer if you also book for the forthcoming exhibition Montezuma, Aztec Ruler, (24 September 2009-24 January 2010), at the same time.
Date: Until 14 June, 2009. 10am-5:30pm. Thurs/Fri 10am-8:30pm..
London Transport: Nearest Tube. Tottenham Court Road.
Description This major exhibition explores 17th Cent. Iran through the reign and legacy of one of its most influential rulers, Shah 'Abbas I (reigned AD 1587-1629). His colossal social, religious and artistic influence on Iran is shown through the gifts he endowed to major shrines in Mashhad, Ardabil and Qum, and his magnificent new capital at Isfahan. The objects, many of which have not been seen outside Iran, will include exquisite Qur'ans, mosque lamps, paintings, carpets, calligraphy, porcelain and silks.
Wheelchair accessibility: Yes. Use side entrance. Adapted Toilets: Yes.
See also Shophound Alexia's FREE London.

Sherlock Holmes Museum
Venue 221b Baker Street, NW1 6XE. Tel: 020 7935 8866.
Tickets Adult £6, Child £4. Daily 9:30a.m. - 6:00p.m. Discount Group admissions for 10 + persons. Advance booking telephone: 020 7738 1269, Online or email: info@sherlock-holmes.co.uk
London Transport Nearest Tube. Baker Street. Nos 13 and 139 buses run between Baker Street and Trafalgar Square. The trams and horse drawn hansom cabs of Holmes's day are regrettably a thing of the past.
Description Permanent Exhibition. Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson lived at 221b Baker Street, (built 1815), between 1881-1904, according to Holmes's biographer Sir Arthur Conan Doyle. The famous 1st floor study, where the world's most illustrious detective played the violin while pondering and solving those mystifying cases before the use of fingerprints or DNA made detection so much easier, is still faithfully maintained as it was kept in those late Victorian and Edwardian days of gaslight, horse drawn Hansom cabs and London fogs. Nothing has changed. The rooms are exactly as described by Conan Doyle. Sherlock Holmes's possessions are in their usual places: his deerstalker, magnifying glass, calabash pipe, violin, chemistry equipment, notebook, Persian slippers and disguises, soda water gazogene on the sideboard. Dr Watson's hand-written notes made at the time of the famous case of the Hounds of the Baskervilles may be perused and visitors will be interested to admire a waxwork in the likeness of the infamous Moriarty. Strongly recommended to all admirers of Holmes.
Wheelchair Accessibility: No.

Churchill Museum and Cabinet War Rooms
Venue: Clive Steps, King Charles Street, SW1A 2AQ.: 0207 416 5320.
Date: Daily, 9.30am-6pm.2009.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Westminster; St.James's Park..
Tickets: £12.95.(Concessions). Book online. The rest of the museum is FREE.
Description: Experience the Cabinet War Rooms, housed beneath London's streets, where Winston Churchill and his War Cabinet led the country throughout the Blitz and through the Second World War. This is also a museum devoted to the life and work of Winston Churchill.  .
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted Toilets: Yes, Accessible cafe.

Leighton House Museum and Art Gallery
Venue: 12 Holland Park Road, W14 8LZ.
Date: 11am-5.30 pm daily except Tuesdays, 2009.
Tickets: £3, (Concessions). Pay at door.
London Transport: Nearest Tube: Kensington; High Street, Kensington. Carparking: Olympia Hylton NCP.
Description: Permanent Exhibition. Victorian opulence in art and architecture shown at its best and most spectacular, (or worst and most decadent if your taste is for modern minimalist). The former studio-house of the great Victorian artist Frederic, Lord Leighton (1830-1896), who designed and decorated it between 1864 and 1879, the house is one of the most extraordinary buildings of the nineteenth century. Filled with golden mosaics, gilded walls, elaborate paintwork, domed ceilings, trickling fountains, cool marble and peacock blue tiles. Leighton House also became home to the owner's extensive collection of Victorian paintings, 81 of which are exhibited here together with a fine collection of ceramics and lustreware. Over 1000 Islamic tiles adorn the Arab Hall, reflecting the influence the East had on Lord Leighton following his travels. It forms the centrepiece and focal point of the house. The Arab Hall, Dining Hall or Studio are available to hire for receptions and functions.
Wheelchair accessibility: No.

Tate Britain: Van Dyck and Britain
Date: 10am-5.40pm.
Venue: Tate Britain, Millbank, SW1P 4RG. Tel: 020 7887 8888
Tickets: £12.20. (Concessions), Online booking or at the door. Other parts of the Tate have free entry.
London transport: Nearest Tube: Embankment. Also Riverbus between Tate Britain and Tate Modern via Westminster.
Description:. Sir Anthony van Dyck (1599-1641) was the greatest painter in seventeenth-century Britain. Though trained in Flanders, he had a huge impact on British cultural life as the principal painter at King Charles I's ostensibly elegant court, where his impact was similar to that of Hans Holbein at the court of Henry VIII. This visually sumptuous exhibition brings together some of the finest and most magnificent paintings that van Dyck produced during his years in Britain. It also reveals his continuing visual legacy through portraits by artists from the eighteenth to twentieth centuries, including Sir Joshua Reynolds and John Singer Sargent. Featuring loans from The Royal Collection and The National Trust, this exhibition explores the context of van Dyck's key English works, examining his innovative approach to painting the British elite. It also looks at his use of costume and his luscious, sparkling depiction of the rich fabrics of the period, and how his art was itself influenced by more local British painting.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Yes. Adapted Toilets: Yes. See also the Tate's special programme for disabled visitors.
See also Shophound Alexia's FREE London.

London Walking Tours
Venue: Various, depending on the City Walk itinerary. Check website.
Date: Daily. 11am, 2pm or 7pm, depending on the itinerary. Check website.
Tickets: £7. Online Booking or telephone 020 8530-8443.
London Transport: Check website.
Description: Delve into the city's hidden past with Richard Jones the noted author, master story teller and social historian; film and TV producer Mark Ubsdell, and Jenny Phillips the London historian and researcher. They will describe the lives and legends of old London. Join them as they open the doors to the historic London of Shakespeare, Wren, Dickens, Jack the Ripper and more. Discover ancient hostelries, taverns and the old coaching inns from a time before the advent of rail and automobile when the Thames was still London's major thoroughfare. A comprehensive list of DVDs including Shakespeare in London, Dickens' London, Jack the Ripper, Haunted City, Secret City are available at special discount price with each booking. Both walks and DVDs are strongly recommended.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Tours are wheelchair accessible but require a fit companion. Seek advice when pre-booking your walk. Tel: 0208 530 8443 or email: rippertour@aol.com.

Jack the Ripper Walk
Venue: Aldgate, Whitechapel, Spitalfields. EC. Tel: 020 8530 8443
Date: Daily. 7pm-9pm. Closed 23-27, 30/31 December, 2008.
Tickets: £6.50. Online Booking
London Transport: Aldgate East, (District, Hammersmith and City Lines).
Description: Guided Exploration of the Whitechapel and Spitalfields alleys and pubs where serial killer Jack the Ripper murdered at least five and possibly many more prostitutes in a reign of terror during 1888. Your guide, Richard Jones, author of the much acclaimed DVD Jack the Ripper looks as if he has stepped straight out of a Dickens novel. He will lead you on the bloody trail of London's most infamous murderer. Strongly recommended as the spookiest of all the London Walks.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Tours are wheelchair accessible but require a fit companion. Seek advice when pre-booking your walk. Tel: 0208 530 8443 or email: rippertour@aol.com.

London Ghost Walks
Venue: Departs from Bank or Blackfriars Underground station.. EC. Tel: 020 8530 8443
Date: Fridays 7pm. Saturdays. 7.30pm.
Tickets: £7.50 Online Booking
Departure points: Lord Raglan Pub, St.Martin Le Grand, (Fris); Exit 3, Bank Undergroumnd Station, Sats.
Description: Two great walks that'll shiver your timbers...Fridays: Ghosts, Ghouls and Graveyards; Saturdays: Alleyways and Shadows Old City Ghost Walk. The titles of these walks, painstakingly researched by author and historian Richard Jones, perfectly conjure the haunting atmosphere of these deliciously spooky tours that venture beyond the busy main roads and twist their eerie way through forgotten medieval and Victorian London. Let Richard Jones lead you to places where the disembodied voices from London's eerie past may just whisper in your ear, as their icy fingers stroke lightly down the back of your neck. Check website for full description.
Wheelchair Accessibility: Tours are wheelchair accessible but require a fit companion. Seek advice when pre-booking your walk. Tel: 0208 530 8443 or email: rippertour@aol.com.

Jack The Ripper's Sinister London
Venue: Selected departure points by coach.
Date: Fridays, Sundays. from 6.40pm
Tickets: From $50.13 per person. Pay online.
Description:Tread in the footsteps of the infamous Jack The Ripper down the dark, narrow, gas-lit alleyways immortalized in such films as "From Hell". Led by one of the renowned London Blue Badge Guides, you will visit four murder sights. Your "Ripperologist" will run through some of the suspects who sparked a Victorian Whodunit that will leave you as gripped as its victims. Approx. 4 hours.
Wheelchair Accessibility: No.

Choose your Hotel OfftoLondon provides expert advice and secure booking facilities for your overnight, 'City Break' or long term London accommodation requirements; from de-luxe 5-star hotels to comfortable backpacker's hostels.

Burlington Bertie's Highlights Memo
Book tickets and hotel accommodation for the RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show, (7-12 July, 2009), and the Charity Gala Preview on 6 July. For my description of this delightful event see Hampton Court Flower Show.

Choose your Hotel OfftoLondon provides expert advice and secure booking facilities for your overnight, 'City Break' or long term London accommodation requirements; from de-luxe 5-star hotels to comfortable backpacker's hostels.

OfftoLondon's Travel Recommendation. The Central London congestion charge zone for visitors driving in London now covers all main areas of attraction on the north side of the Thames. It makes sense to travel by London Transport bus or Tube. Buy a multi-journey London Transport Travelcard or Oyster Card before you arrive, (available in most countries), and save money, time and hassle.