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Beyond the Façade
From Movies to Machine Guns
An end-of-year walking tour of Holborn and Hatton Garden
Tuesday 8th December 2026, 1800 for 1815 start
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Event starts and finishes at Currie & Brown, 150 Holborn, EC1N 2NS
The nearest tube station = Chancery Lane
We are delighted to welcome you to our intriguing end-of-year social event - a professionally guided walking tour of Holborn and Hatton Garden.
This event is limited to the first thirty people - A deposit of £10 applies to all members' registrations, which will be refunded after the event to all who attended on the night. Guest registrations will be charged £30, which is not refundable.
Join London history guide Hazel Baker for a two-hour walk through Holborn, Hatton Garden and the streets of London’s Little Italy. With your work in building in mind, we’ll explore a neighbourhood shaped by reinvention, uncovering the people, industries and changing uses behind its façades.
From the grand Prudential Assurance Building to former schools, workshops, pubs and housing, we’ll look at the clues previous occupants have left behind. Along the way, meet Charles Dickens at the site of Furnival’s Inn, discover the poignant story of a young poet, and encounter the inventive minds of cinema pioneer Robert W. Paul and engineer Hiram Maxim.
Our route takes in Leather Lane, the former Bluecoat School in Hatton Garden, Brooke’s Market and St Peter’s Italian Church, weaving together architectural details, engineering ingenuity and the stories of those who lived and worked here.
Expect a fresh perspective on familiar streets, a few unexpected connections and plenty to notice above eye level. For two hours, leave the plans and drawings behind and discover the stories no measured survey can tell.
Be prepared for a walk in the usual cold and wet December weather, before adjourning to a local hostelry!
Our Guide
Hazel Baker
CEO & Founder of London Guided Walks
Hazel is the CEO and Founder of London Guided Walks. She is an accomplished and award-winning tour guide with a passion for history, theatre, walking, and the vibrancy of London. Her dedication and excellence in tour guiding have been recognised with prestigious awards such as the Tour Guiding Excellence Award and Best Christmas Tours in London.
Hazel has appeared on both television and radio on various occasions and in addition to her guided walks, Hazel is the host of the London History Podcast, where she explores the rich and often underrated history of the city with special guests or fellow guides.
Social Media
Please post about the event using: #lcecSocial #lcecEvents #LondonGuidedWalks
X/T: @LondonConExClub
LI: @london-constructing-excellence-club
IG: @londonconstructingexcellence
BS: @londonceclub.bsky.social
LCEC members and non-members are all welcome
