*End of Year Review 2021 – looking back at ‘London Shoe’s’ activities throughout 2021

At the end of any year, it’s often customary to take a look back on where you’ve come from and where you’ve got to – and my little  ‘London Shoes’ initiative is no exception to that approach.

It goes without saying that 2021 as with 2020 – has been another extremely challenging year for everyone – a time when once again,  our mental resilience has often been tested to its limits.

From a personal perspective I have, as always, sought great comfort in my London Shoes work, where I have strived to continue publishing ‘weekly’ blogs onto Shoe’s Website – Facebook & Twitter & now Instagram social media portals – even during times when adherence to the Government’s Covid19 restrictions, prevented Shoes from using public transport to travel to and from the ‘Smoke’, as I normally would have done.

Throughout 2021 – rather annoyingly, it has not been possible for me to hit my aspirational strike rate of 1 blog per week – because a health issue, its treatment and the side effects of that treatment – hampered my ability to get ‘out there’ and do my ‘swag’ – and will probably continue to do so for the ensuing months. As with a lot of other people, its fair to say that Covid 19, whether it be the Delta variant or the Omicron variant – is not the only invisible enemy out there.

For those weeks when ‘Shoes’ was unable to get out ‘on-the-road’, because of non-essential travel directives or where I wasn’t fit enough to do it-  I ventured out by foot to ‘local’ historic landmarks on my doorstep, such as the ‘Romford Greyhound Stadium’ or ‘The Becontree Estate 100th Anniversary’ or the ‘Hinds Head’ lost music venue in Chadwell Heath. When restrictions eventually started to ease, ‘Shoes’ ventured further afield, but never too far.

I’m sure that there are people out there who possibly think that I’m some sort of geek, and they don’t really understand what London Shoes is all about, and why I actually bother – but, for me, when I look and see that the London Shoes website currently has accumulated a bonkers total of 137, 796 ‘followers’ since its first posting in 2017– and that throughout 2021 the website has averaged 171 ‘hits’ per day plus 1,307 viewer comments posted – and then there’s the 10 to 15 e-mails I receive daily from all over the world, from people either commenting/enquiring about specific blogs posts or themes, or just simply complimenting my work – then I know that this little ‘hobby’ that I took up upon my retirement in Jan 2017 – has all been worthwhile. Long may it continue!!!

I actually felt that I hadn’t really done much Shoes work this year, and it wasn’t until I actually sat down and analysed London Shoes’ activity over the past 12 months, did I realise just how much material ‘Shoes’ had knocked-out in 2021……….24 published blogs in total !!!

Below is a little gallery of the blogs published on the London Shoes website throughout 2021. All of these can be viewed in full from the ‘Archives’ section of the London Shoes website ( www.londonshoesblog )

It currently looks like 2022 will be as equally challenging and traumatic, as it has for 2020 & 2021 – whilst we continue to battle this Covid19 pandemic situation – and in some cases I am sure that for some, Covid won’t always be the only invisible enemy next year – but we must keep on keeping on.

Hope you enjoy this little ‘look-back’ – unfortunately, Facebook only allows a total of 40 photos per posting – so I’ve attempted to put together the ‘best of’ to accompany what I amusingly entitle “Now That’s What I Call London Shoes-2021” compilation.

Wishing all London Shoes followers a very Happy & Healthy New Year – take care of yourselves & others and stay safe – and thanks again for following the ‘Shoes’.

January 21

London Street Art-Pt.2 – The Tower Hamlets Landmarks-Mural – Aberavon Road-Bow-E3

February 21

London Street Art-Pt.3 – The Bow Bells Pub-Mural-Bow Rd-E3

London’s Lost Music Venues-Pt.6 – The Hinds Head – Chadwell Heath

March 21

all about the……”Romford Greyhound Stadium”

April 21

the Olympic Park – Stratford-London-E20

the Horse Hospital – Bloomsbury-London WC1

May 21

Pelican Cottage-Fairfield Road-Bow E3 – “Marion’s Story”

the….Ronan Point tower block disaster of 1968-Canning Town-London-E16

London’s very first….Pavements & Kerbs

the….Huguenots of Spitalfields

June 21

London’s Lost Recording Studios Pt.1 – Joe Meek’s Holloway Rd Studio/ Wessex Sound Studios / Britannia Row Studios

July 21

Denmark Street – London’s very own Tin Pan Alley

Elephants on Parade – in London’s Green Park

August 21

the Ronnie Wood Art Exhibition-Carnaby Street-W1

the 50th anniversary of George Harrison’s – 1970 released-All Things Must Pass album-Kings Rd-Chelsea

the colourful….Lions of London

September 21

London’s controversial – Marble Arch Mound

the Boundary Estate-London-E1

October 21

Battersea Power Station….Station

• London’s Lost Recording Studios Pt. 2 – Trident Studios / Regent Sound Studios / Command Theatre Studios

November 21

Jools Holland & his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra – at the Cliffs Pavilion – Southend-on-Sea

the 100th Birthday of the Becontree Estate

December 21

Barons Court-London-W14 & its historic St. Paul’s Studio houses

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