New Scotland Yard’s Environs
First thing you want to know about New Scotland Yard (NSY) is that it’s supposed to be moving from where it is on Victoria Street, heading closer to the city, nearer where it was born actually, if I understand correctly.
The other thing you want to know is the last I knew, the famous sign isn’t there any more. I’ve passed by New Scotland Yard’s office block very recently and over the last year I haven’t seen that famous rotating sign. So. If you’re going to set a story in NSY you’ll want to know those two things first and research accordingly.
Having said that, right now NSY is where it’s been for nearly half a century so here’s what’s close to it, here are the things Greg Lestrade sees and, one hopes, enjoys. Like a sandwich at Gregg’s, or a stroll in the park with the British government.
And now…the environs of New Scotland Yard.
Setting Your Watch By Big Ben
Greg probably does this a lot, because very close to NSY is Big Ben, Westminster Abbey, the London Eye, and the River Thames.
So yeah, he comes out the front door of NSY and peers round the left side of the building to have a gander at the famous clock tower, checking if his watch is right. It always is (Greg spends good money on good things when he needs them) but he checks anyway. Probably because he likes catching site of so many landmarks so close. He wasn’t born in London, and he’s tickled, yes he is, when he gets a moment to remember its beauty.
Posting Birthday Gifts
Right, after checking his watch Greg may go to the post office. If your Greg has kids or siblings or someone he cares about (ahem) and he wants to post a gift, well the post office is literally right in front of the NSY, as you can see.
That green bit next to it is a cafe but I personally think Greg is heartily sick and tired of their offerings and if he has one more coronation chicken sandwich he’s going to throw it to the ground, step on it, twist his heel, then pick up the remnants and get far more satisfaction feeding it to the pigeons that are in…
The Park ( Right Across from New Scotland Yard)
It’s pretty feeble as parks go, being right next to busy-busy Victoria Street, but sometimes you crave some greenery and wildlife, even if that pigeon wildlife sometimes looks as tired of the bustle as you do.
Even if all you’re feeding your coronation chicken to the birds, the girl who’s sweet on you at the sandwich shop gave you a nice little Bakewell tart, so there’s that.
And very, very rarely, a man with a brolly sits beneath one of the park’s trees. Lestrade always looks for him but he’s hardly ever there. Instead, sometimes he’s…
…Down at Greggs, the Other Sandwich Shop
Strutton Ground is only right across the Victoria Street but it’s often down this small, almost-quiet pedestrian road that Greg goes because that symbolic crossing of Victoria Street makes him feel he’s gone a million miles from work.
There’s no rhyme or reason to it, but sometimes Mycroft’s at the shop and he always knows what sandwich Greg wants. Last month he’d bought them both soup and a grape pot because Greg was again thinking he wanted to lose weight, but today—yeah, Mycroft’s there today—the British Government’s got them both a ham and cheese toasty and Greg is so happy he thinks he’ll kiss him.
Greg thinks that a lot.
Grafton Arms: The NSY Local
After work, everyone at the Met goes to this pub. Greg’s not the only one who needs that symbolic crossing of the street to feel he’s left work behind and despite the fact that the Grafton Arms is nearly within sight of the Met doesn’t matter.
Because on a summer night Greg loves to sit outside the pub with a pint and watch the foot traffic and the market and just…just appreciate the city he loves. When he has time to stop. And think. And see.
Yeah. London. He loves this place.
Plus Mycroft looks so good in dusk light.
(This is also published on AO3, if you want to leave a comment.)
Yes but will the new location have a sign that says ‘newer new Scotland Yard’ ?