For those who know their history, the streets of London can be like a time portal. But these days, you're more likely to see people rushing around tuned into their music players than looking up and drinking in their storied surroundings. Jo Bryan and a couple of friends made this same observation, and came up with a business plan. SOUNDBITE: Jo Bryan, co-founder, Soundmap, saying (English): "We saw people listening to their headphones, listening to their music, completely switched off to their surroundings and we thought how great it would be if they could be learning about these buildings and places they're passing. And that's how the whole thing evolved really." Soundmap sells its audio tours through its website for just under 6 pounds per download. There are currently four on offer - for Soho, Camden, Brixton and the King's Road - which looks pretty posh to the naked eye, but has a history that's both swinging NAT SOUND OF AUDIO TOUR OF KINGS ROAD and somewhat subversive. NAT SOUND OF AUDIO TOUR OF KINGS ROAD I asked Bryan to show me a few of the highlights of Soundmap's Soho tour. SOUNDBITE: Jo Bryan, co-founder, Soundmap, saying (English): "The building behind us is the Windmill Theatre and it's a very famous location. Obviously a lot of people will know it from the film Mrs. Henderson Presents because it actually stayed open during the war. Even when the bombs were falling, the shows were still playing." The tour tells us that both Marx and Mozart once lived there. That William Blake was born here. And that the cholera epidemic was sidelined here: SOUNDBITE: Jo Bryan, co-founder, Soundmap, saying (English): "It was John Snow, a local physician, who discovered the cholera epidemic of 1854 was actually being spread through water contamination. He had the idea to remove the handle from the water pump on this street which was the centre of the outbreak." Though the stories on each of soundmap's tours reach back in time for inspiration and atmo...
For those who know their history, the streets of London can be like a time portal. But these days, ...
