The Unauthorised Guide to Paddington’s London
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3 months ago
From filming locations to themed shops and interactive experiences
With everybody’s favourite sentient bear set to return bombastically to the big screen next month in Paddington in Peru, it’s a great day to be a Paddington fan and a terrible day to be a marmalade sandwich. And with its rainbow townhouses, quirky characters and ambience of warm cosiness, it’s hard not to fall in love with Paul King’s whimsical storybook rendering of our capital city.
To this end, Country & Town House has compiled a definitive list of choice locations featured in the soon-to-be trilogy – whether you’re a London resident hoping to fill an afternoon, or a family looking to take a unique day trip around the capital, read on for our guide to Paddington’s London.
Paddington’s London: Must-See Spots For Paddington Fans
Paddington Station
Image credits: gettyimages, chrisdorney
Where better to start than the station for which our ursine friend was named? Families travelling via Great Western Railway will be delighted to know that their gateway to London is the first stop on our Paddington checklist, but locals or tourists from elsewhere will be happy to discover the station is accessible by the Bakerloo, Circle, District, Hammersmith and City and Elizabeth lines.
In Paddington lore, the bear is found at the station by the Brown family, having come from deepest, darkest Peru with little more than a hat, a duffel coat and a note reading ‘please look after this bear, thank you’.
Of particular interest to Paddington fans will be the Paddington Bear life-size statue by Marcus Cornish (which can be found beneath the clock on platform one) and the official Paddington Bear store, where one can purchase all manner of Paddington-related paraphernalia and souvenirs. This shop can be found in the upstairs section of the station.
The Browns’ Home
The home of the Brown family, near Primrose Hill. Image credit: Getty images, domsender.
Paddington diehards will be well aware that the Brown family canonically live at 32 Windsor Gardens, near Notting Hill. However, whilst there is a real Windsor Gardens between Notting Hill and Maida Vale, one might be disappointed to find that the real road does not resemble the fictitious location whatsoever.
Fear not, Paddington fans: you should instead journey to the filming location: Chalcot Crescent in Primrose Hill, London (pictured).
The Natural History Museum
Image credits: gettyimages, gianliguori.
Who could forget the climactic roof standoff between the Browns and the nefarious taxidermist Millicent Clyde at the denouement of Paddington? Turns out Clyde’s place of work was filmed on location – alight at South Kensington Station to see the museum in person.
Mr Gruber’s Antiques Shop
Image credits: gettyimages, Alla Tsyganova.
You will be delighted to find out that whilst Mr Gruber (played by Jim Broadbent in the movie) is – unfortunately – fictional, the stand-in used in Paddington is very much a real antiques shop that can be visited. It’s called Alice’s Antiques, located at 86 Portobello Road in Notting Hill, and is the perfect place to pick up a unique or vintage souvenir from your travels.
The Paddington Bear Experience
Image credits: gettyimages, SHansche.
Though not technically featured in the movies, it goes without saying that the Paddington Bear Experience on South Bank is a must see for any Paddington fan. It’s a short walk from Westminster and Waterloo underground stations, making it perfect for families traveling from anywhere in central London. Adult tickets are from £34, under 16s are from £24 and babies go free. The whole experience is fully interactive and roughly 70 minutes long.
Paddington Bear FAQs
When is Paddington in Peru hitting cinemas?
Paddington in Peru will be in UK cinemas from 8 November 2024.
What can we expect from Paddington in Peru?
The movie will follow Paddington and the Browns as they travel to South America to visit Paddington’s Aunt Lucy. In a fashion characteristic of the bear, humorous misadventures will surely follow.
What type of bear is Paddington?
Paddington can be identified as a spectacled bear, also known as the Andean bear, or, in the indigenous Quechua language, ‘jukumari’. The largest land predator in South America, fans uncomfortable with the notion that a real-life Paddington Bear might be more inclined to eat the Brown family than greet them will be relieved to find out that the animals are docile around humans, and indeed mostly herbivorous.
It is unknown, as of October 2024, whether the species has any unusual proclivity towards marmalade sandwiches. This may change as more research is conducted.
Fans might not know that Paddington is a spectacled bear. Photo credit: gettyimages, slowmotiongli
