London’s Vauxhall is proud to be “different”, a statement that adorns the tunnels and signage around this misunderstood part of town. One of London’s main LGBTQ+ districts, it is a place where expression is encouraged and everyone is welcome.

At the heart of it all is Vauxhall Pleasure Garden, a green centre point amongst the noise and bustle of this crucial interchange. In the shadow of MI6 and Vauxhall’s ever-changing (and ever taller) skyline, the pleasure garden offers a beautifully maintained and ever-peaceful moment to breathe while keeping the excitement of the city in a clear, tantalising view.

Birds sing while trains rumble along atop the parallel railway arches, old men play boule in the shade and planes skim overhead on approach to Heathrow. Around the edges of the park bars like Mother Kelly’s, the Black Dog and the famous Vauxhall Tavern cabaret provide an atmosphere of a summertime square, the clink of glasses and gentle chatter unmissable on a Friday night.

At its centre sits the Tea House Theater, a former gentlemen’s club turned laid-back spot for a nice bite to eat and a refreshment, alcoholic or otherwise.

Take a trip, have a lie in the sun, and live life as the locals do.