City Hall - London

BBY O.

Shiny new hall, clean and spacious
Very kind safe guard and friendly staff.
You can also spot on some employees or civil servants as if working or planning or in meeting. Very well performed so to make your think public money is well spent. 🙂

Suzanne I.

So incredibly difficult to find if you're exiting from Canning Town jubilee station.. There is very little signage to guide you in the public realm. Even this map app struggles to direct you. I advise people to catch the extra train for 1 or 2 stops on the DLR or Elizabeth line to exit within the 4 minutes walk to City Hall at River level where it's facade is clearly visible and the signage is more evident. My way meant l had to constantly ask passersby where it was because all l could see was a roof.
When you reach reception prepare to be grilled security wise to the same standard as an airport. Take your jewellery off everyone. I did ask if l should and they said no yet it set the security arch off. I was then subjected to the checking wand with the comment that it WAS my rings that had set it off. It was embarrassing. As you know lm Autistic and l don't think they took my level of discomfort into account. You will then have to exit security via a double door booth which seemed to take forever before it activated. Allow a good ten extra minutes for all this processing.

I didn't find the building very hospitable at all. Your visitors pass is hung on a rubber lanyard which l found an unpleasant texture to hang round my neck. I ended up wearing it round across my hip instead. There was no drinks other than water offered in the assembly hall or other refreshments. You are obviously expected to spend money in their cafe instead. Fortunately l had a banana with me and l managed to get hot water to make my own tea to take into the 2 hour plus meeting. I hope our new Civic campus looks after visitors better than City Hall. If you're there for a specific purpose the blank bureaucratic facing atmosphere in the building can be overlooked. The most interesting feature l saw was the 2012 olympic torches in a display case.

Deepa M.

Lucky to be given a personal tour of the old City Hall.

Great architecture inside. The London street maps embedded on the floor were a great touch; children tried to find our home! The gentle sloping spiral path was interesting, and it felt like a giant walking helta-skelter. Great views of London from the top!

K J.

I was in London in June 2014 and August 2024 - what a difference. I loved the city but it's now turned into a filthy scary place. I couldn't believe the trash, the graffiti, the broken windows; it was so run down and unappealing. I was scammed, and also scanned for credit info twice (thankfully I had RFID blocking), one nice delivery driver in Trafalgar square warned me to put away my camera or it would be ripped from my neck. I decided not to go out at night all so cancelled plans for a show because I was just so scared to be out alone in the dark. It's too bad because I would have loved to go back and see more but after returning I heard how lucky I had actually been and don't wish to temp fate again.

jael O. L.

A short walk from London Excel Center, on the Elizabeth line.
Expect high security, airport style.
We were only in the foyer/media room. Lots of meeting rooms. Very polite and diverse staff which reflects London's population. We were offered a light lunch which was very considerate.
The yacht hotel isn't far, lots of other hotel chains too. Easy access., lots of food and drink places to have a bite.
The site has a café/lounge.
The infrastructure is massive and space isn't used to its full potential. Could provide more services for Londoners.

Fraser A.

A building open to the public in only the most formalistic sense. An intimidating security gate as soon as you enter, looks for not being in formal dress and no real presence of the public unsurprisingly. The overdone early 2010s 'neofuturist' shape of the building matches the period's general air of public stagnation.

Festus I. J.

If you like modern architecture you'll love this beautiful modern building. It's captivating in its simplicity.
I live in the area so I'm happy that the London mayor has chosen east London to be his base. Hopefully money, jobs and recreational facilities will be pumped into Canning town and the surrounding areas.

Ethan H.

If I was a city hall I'd want to look like this one.