As the sun begins to break through the dense cloud that has covered London and made the city look like a place from beyond 'The Wall' for much of the year, Londoners are now getting itchy feet and the city's sunbathers are beginning to pitch up at any green space they can lay their hands on.
So it was with much joy that I managed to escape the busy, elbow japing streets of the capital and go find some green spaces a little higher up. Yes sir, this week I got to visit the rarest of London venues, the roof top bar. And although it's a bit off the usual theme of this blog I thought I would share these summer sensations and give you my top four rooftop bars in London.
In first place (forget the no particular order I know you want the hard facts here) is a Shoreditch show stopper, the Golden Bee, which was put together by a top London interior design agency and has caused a stir ever since it opened its lovely doors. The roof top bar is blummin cool and anyone working in tech will probably know it well as a home to many an industry event. But don't let us nerds put you off, come to sexy Shoreditch for a rousingly refreshing G&T this sunny season.
In second place, is an exclusive bar space which looks out over the capital from a lofty perch in Holborn. The Skybar terrace is hidden on the roof of a 5 Star hotel and is only available for exclusive hires, so find a good excuse for a party and get on up (get it!?). What's more this is the first summer that the bar is available so if you're a fiend for the being the first, book now.
Coming in third is a rooftop terrace at what is arguably the home of the great British summer, Lord's Cricket Ground. Overlooking the wicket, this is the rooftop above all others to enjoy a refreshing beer. I'm not an ale fan, but the view from here, along with the gentle summer sound of bat hitting ball could well make me one . Even if there not a Wisden subscriber, this is where the north of the capital will enjoy the summers rays.
A close fourth is a secluded gem in West London, known as The Terrace I like this venue because it filters through the sunshine whilst cutting out the sound of the street. Come here on a Sunday afternoon for a read of the paper and refreshing brew. Or pop in a little later and enjoy the last dregs of the evenings warming glow, but be warned I'd bring a date this is not the place to come to alone.
All in all London, what I'm advocating here is an escape from the indoors. We only get a couple of hours of sunlight a year until the cold winter returns and we all run back to our suburban burrows. So break with the norm, leave the dingy Weatherspoons and head for a bar in the sky and if that's not feasible check out a rooftop.