He’s the Michael Jordan of London guides. A one-off, a superstar. I’m talking, needless to say, about Tom Hooper MBE.* Tom’s a former barrister. He grew up in Cornwall. He’s a farmer’s son (ergo the “inside joke” about “counting sheep” early in the interview. When he was a little boy on the farm that was one of his chores).
This podcast is the first half of a two-parter. Both parts are given over to Tom talking principally about The Famous Square Mile Walk – where it goes, what it covers, what you get, why it’s one of the essential walks to go on for any visitor to London. And because it’s Tom it’s a lot of fun as well as being searching, thoughtful and informative in the extreme.
*The MBE is an order of the British Empire award. The Queen honoured Tom for his “services to guiding, to tourism.”