Beneath the gentrification of North Kensington and the image portrayed in the films of Hugh Grant lies a much more interesting story; the areas vibrant past beats any kind of fiction. Join professional guide Aiden for this two-hour walk to learn more.
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We will explore the history of Notting Hill on this guided walk.
From the early 50s this was London's Bohemian quarter, West Indian & Irish immigrants and the indigenous working class mixed with artists, musicians and writers, all attracted by cheap rents and the freedoms that a neglected area provided. Slummers used the local clubs and Shebeens for vicarious thrills. In 1958 there were race riots and Oswald Mosley attempted a political comeback. All this led to the founding of the famous Notting Hill carnival.
In the 60s and 70s the Portobello Road became London's answer to San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury as the hippy counterculture moved in. The end of the 70s saw the punk movement gain a foothold in the area.
More recent times have seen the area gentrified and now few people can afford to live there but the area still holds onto its roots with a busy street market and the carnival lives on.
Race Riots, Rent Racketeers, Slums, Iconic tower blocks, Hawkwind, Marley, The Beatles film locations,The Front Line, Hippies, Governments brought to their knees, The Clash and of course the Westway that slashes through the manor...these are the types of topics we will explore on this guided walk.
What will we cover?
The modern history of Notting Hill.
What will I achieve? By the end of this course you should be able to...
Evaluate Notting Hill's place in London's modern history.
What level is the course and do I need any particular skills?
Introductory - everyone welcome. You need to be able to participate in a 2-hour tour.
How will I be taught, and will there be any work outside the class?
Guided walk.
Are there any other costs? Is there anything I need to bring?
Aidan McManus is an award-winning tour guide, historian, broadcaster, and curator of music-related film events. West London-born of Irish heritage, he was a teenage participant in the city’s early punk scene and later its soul, 2-Tone and rave cultures. His first tour guiding experience came in San Francisco, where he created walks exploring the city’s bohemian subculture, literature and music. Returning to London, he went on to research and build critically acclaimed walking tours on subjects as diverse as gangland Soho, David Bowie’s early years, and the social history of West London. He served as a consultant to Westminster Council for its 2025 Joe Strummer memorial event, and he has been a featured commentator in BBC and Sky Arts documentaries and on Radio London’s Robert Elms Show. He is the host of Flipside London Radio, a fortnightly Portobello Radio programme focusing on books, music, history and youth culture. https://www.flipsidelondontours.com/
Please note: We reserve the right to change our tutors from those advertised. This happens rarely, but if it does, we are unable to refund fees due to this. Our tutors may have different teaching styles; however we guarantee a consistent quality of teaching in all our courses.
product
https://www.citylit.ac.uk/notting-hill-the-westway-walk3003787Notting Hill: The Westway Walkhttps://www.citylit.ac.uk/media/catalog/product/https://www.citylit.ac.uk/static/version1768481914/frontend/WilliamsCommerce/citylit/en_GB/Magento_Catalog/images/product/placeholder/image.jpg2929GBPInStock/Courses/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/Courses/Culture, history & humanities/History/London history & walks/Courses/vm/Courses to do around London2285117711781184167812285117711781653<p>Beneath the gentrification of North Kensington and the image portrayed in the films of Hugh Grant lies a much more interesting story; the areas vibrant past beats any kind of fiction. 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Join professional guide Aiden for this two-hour walk to learn more. </p>0000-Available|2026-03-21 00:00:00<p>We will explore the history of Notting Hill on this guided walk. </p><p>From the early 50s this was London's Bohemian quarter, West Indian & Irish immigrants and the indigenous working class mixed with artists, musicians and writers, all attracted by cheap rents and the freedoms that a neglected area provided. Slummers used the local clubs and Shebeens for vicarious thrills. In 1958 there were race riots and Oswald Mosley attempted a political comeback. All this led to the founding of the famous Notting Hill carnival.</p><p>In the 60s and 70s the Portobello Road became London's answer to San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury as the hippy counterculture moved in. The end of the 70s saw the punk movement gain a foothold in the area.</p><p>More recent times have seen the area gentrified and now few people can afford to live there but the area still holds onto its roots with a busy street market and the carnival lives on. </p><p>Race Riots, Rent Racketeers, Slums, Iconic tower blocks, Hawkwind, Marley, The Beatles film locations,The Front Line, Hippies, Governments brought to their knees, The Clash and of course the Westway that slashes through the manor...these are the types of topics we will explore on this guided walk. </p><p>Beneath the gentrification of North Kensington and the image portrayed in the films of Hugh Grant lies a much more interesting story; the areas vibrant past beats any kind of fiction. Join professional guide Aiden for this two-hour walk to learn more. </p><p>The modern history of Notting Hill. </p><p>Evaluate Notting Hill's place in London's modern history. </p><p>Introductory - everyone welcome. You need to be able to participate in a 2-hour tour. </p><p>Guided walk. </p><p>Please wear suitable clothing/footwear. </p><p>Please see the London Walks area of our website. </p>HistoryLondon history & walksvirtual232919HLW291NONESat21/03/2614:30 - 16:3014:3016:301 session1One-off onlyDaytimeWeekendOSOff SiteAidan McManusBeginners, Some experience, Advanced, Suitable for allAvailable courses2026-03-21T00:00:00+00:00Mar 2026Culture, history & humanities2929Notting Hill: The Westway Walknotting-hill-the-westway-walk/hlw291-2526<p>Beneath the gentrification of North Kensington and the image portrayed in the films of Hugh Grant lies a much more interesting story; the areas vibrant past beats any kind of fiction. Join professional guide Aiden for this two-hour walk to learn more. </p>0000-Available|2026-03-21 00:00:00<p>We will explore the history of Notting Hill on this guided walk. </p><p>From the early 50s this was London's Bohemian quarter, West Indian &amp; Irish immigrants and the indigenous working class mixed with artists, musicians and writers, all attracted by cheap rents and the freedoms that a neglected area provided. Slummers used the local clubs and Shebeens for vicarious thrills. In 1958 there were race riots and Oswald Mosley attempted a political comeback. All this led to the founding of the famous Notting Hill carnival.</p><p>In the 60s and 70s the Portobello Road became London's answer to San Francisco's Haight-Ashbury as the hippy counterculture moved in. The end of the 70s saw the punk movement gain a foothold in the area.</p><p>More recent times have seen the area gentrified and now few people can afford to live there but the area still holds onto its roots with a busy street market and the carnival lives on. </p><p>Race Riots, Rent Racketeers, Slums, Iconic tower blocks, Hawkwind, Marley, The Beatles film locations,The Front Line, Hippies, Governments brought to their knees, The Clash and of course the Westway that slashes through the manor...these are the types of topics we will explore on this guided walk. </p><p>Beneath the gentrification of North Kensington and the image portrayed in the films of Hugh Grant lies a much more interesting story; the areas vibrant past beats any kind of fiction. Join professional guide Aiden for this two-hour walk to learn more. </p><p>The modern history of Notting Hill. </p><p>Evaluate Notting Hill's place in London's modern history. </p><p>Introductory - everyone welcome. You need to be able to participate in a 2-hour tour. </p><p>Guided walk. </p><p>Please wear suitable clothing/footwear. </p><p>Please see the London Walks area of our website. </p>HistoryLondon history & walksconfigurable
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