Clinging on for grim death to the back of the Elephant’s concrete behemoth shopping centre, the Charlie Chaplin is certainly an experience. Whether it’s one I would recommend to those of a delicate constitution is another matter, but for thrill-seekers, those intent on exploring the seamier side of London life and drinkers who can’t face going home after all other pubs in the area have long since closed, it’s the perfect venue for a bizarre night out. As soon as we walked through the door, it was clear this was no average pub. I nearly jumped out of my skin when greeted by a large mannequin with a zombie face who could have been an extra from Michael Jackson's Thriller video: surely this wasn’t Chaplin? A plaque on the corner of Walworth Road and East Street market announces that the great silent film era entertainer was born just down the road. The interior is quite run-down but there’s a pool table and a darts board. There’s also a complicated code for the ladies’ loo, which is a good bonding method with the scary, yet surprisingly friendly locals. A cat appears at closing time to shoo off stragglers complete the ‘American Werewolf in London’ ambience. You have been warned.

26 New Kent Rd, Elephant & Castle, London, SE1 6TJ
+44 207 703 6117
Nearest tube: Northern or Bakerloo Line to Elephant & Castle
Open until midnight
Google map: bit.ly/pXlWgI

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Charlie Chaplin learned to tap dance on the wooden board covering the shoot down to the cellar outside his uncle’s cavernous yet cosy Jolly Gardeners public house.
Chaplin’s dad used to tinkle the ivories at the 120-year-old inn and scenes from the film ‘Snatch’ were shot on location here
Situated in the historic Black Prince Road, London’s first German gastro-pub has 16 great German beers gushing from gorgeous ceramic draught taps and 32 bottled brews. There are lots of 'weiss' (white) wheat beers and I sampled a version called 'Hell'....which was heavenly.
The kitchen serves up lots of sausages, schnitzels and Bavarian specialities. Two big screens show the German Bundesliga and we watched a medley of Wimbledon matches and live performances direct from Glastonbury. I won’t even mention what a great atmosphere there was during the football World Cup…!

Zeitgeist @The Jolly Gardeners
49-51 Black Prince Road, London SE11
+44(0)207 840 0426
Google map: bit.ly/j19D2I

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You might have thought Boris Karloff was born in a creepy castle somewhere in Eastern Europe, but, in fact, if you go to East Dulwich you can see a blue plaque on the wall of the house where Frankenstein's monster was born William Henry Pratt on 23 November 1887.

Boris Karloff birthplace
36 Forest Hill Road, East Dulwich, London, SE22 0RR
Google map: bit.ly/kot5og

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St Barts Church is the oldest parish church in London and even though there is a small admission price of £3 from what I remember its simply stunning. It's not only atmospheric, old and beautiful but if you're a film buff like myself you'll easily recognise it from being in films like Four Weddings and a Funeral, Shakespeare in Love, Sherlock Holmes, The Kings Speech to name but a few. Check out this amazing church near Smithfield market. You wont regret it.

www.greatstbarts.com/
+44 (0)20 7606 5171
6-9 Kinghorn Street, London EC1A 7HW
Google map: bit.ly/a2urOq

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My girlfriend and I recently went on a Harry Potter bus tour of London. We weren't too sure what to expect when we booked except that we love anything to do with Harry Potter. The tour went round the locations used for filming in London and the tour guide Val was really entertaining. We learnt lots about London (both real and fictional) and also picked up stuff I'd missed in both the books and the films. It was a fun and worthwhile three hours. Would highly recommend.

britmovietours.com/bookings/harry-potter-london-tour/

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Just down the road from the mighty Shepherdess Cafe, towards Old St station and on the left-hand side of City Road, is a little street called Westland Place (there's a shop on the corner called Renaissance which sells gothic fireplaces).

This is the home of St. Jamie Oliver's original Fifteen restaurant but also featured in the execrable film, Closer. A door on the left-hand side of the street labelled Westland Place Studios, between the fireplace shop and an old piping company premises, was the Julia Roberts character's front door in the vacuous, self-regarding snorefest.

In this scene, Jude Law's character makes a reference to going to "the pub round the corner". He was talking about the Eagle, a pleasant old boozer behind the Shepherdess Cafe, that features, along with City Road, in a less well-known verse of the nursery rhyme, Pop Goes the Weasel.

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Cracking greasy spoon that attracts a high celebrity quota, possibly because of its proximity to London's once-and-future-trendy Shoreditch/Hoxton/Dalston.

Thankfully though, this is unreconstructed full English territory - irony, Day Glo and creative use of hairspray are firmly off the menu, as are the words organic and sustainable.

It's not a depressing relic, however, and its airy and cheerful design has carved it out a niche as a film location. Crews are often spotted filming in there on a Sunday when it's closed and the most recent flick to feature its hallowed interior was Notes on a Scandal.

For an added sprinkling of stardust on your gammon steak, check out the gallery of Polaroids behind the counter showing the legions of soap stars, presenters, actors and reality TV protozoa who have enjoyed a sarnie and a mug of something hot over the years.

Shepherdess Cafe
221 City Road
London
EC1V 1JN
+44 (0) 20 7253 2463

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Michael Winterbottom's tale, released in 2000, focuses on a south London family, but the city itself is the star.

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