Pet Shop Boys London
Part of the AoU's Summer of Walking programme, taking place in central London
The AoU's Summer of Walking, part of our 20th anniversary celebrations, is a programme of tours curated and led by our members, bringing together urbanists across the UK to explore interesting, alternative, or just plain great urbanism by foot. Click here to see other tours taking place this summer.
Keep an eye on the AoU newsletter, where more tours will be announced and reminders sent out.
Date: Thursday 4 September 2025
Time: 15:00
Location: Central London
Curated by: Richard Eastham
Distance (approx): 6km
Duration (approx): 4 hours
Please check your booking confirmation for info about the meeting point for this tour.
About the tour
This walk is inspired by references to specific places in song lyrics by Pet Shop Boys. A most enduring of creative partnerships, Pet Shop Boys career now spans more than four decades making them the most successful duo in British pop music history. Their songs often mention specific places in London, and this walk connects several of these locations, creating a trail of musical memories that reveal different experiences of city life. The walk does not include locations that have been important to Pet Shop Boys recording or performing career, instead focussing on London references in their song lyrics.
Pet Shop Boys songs often provide a commentary on society, and therefore deliver cultural, musical and urbanist reference points. This walk includes an exploration of:
The early days of medical research, gravedigging and bodysnatching in 1800s London; loneliness, hopelessness, despair and the reputational damage to Tony Blair caused by the war in Iraq; the profound sadness and loss caused by the AIDS crisis of the 1980s and 1990s; the joy, celebration and belonging found in the city’s nightlife and club scene; the callousness of the Minister for Housing & Planning when asked about the homelessness crisis in the city; the cultural life of Covent Garden, once identified for demolition, now saved; and the changing economy of Soho, exemplified by a dive bar in a West End town – the building is still there but it is now a tourist restaurant.
“One thing about Pet Shop Boys is we’ve always tried to bring in subject matter outside of pop music, stuff that wouldn’t normally be there” – Neil Tennant
This is a walk for urbanists, economists, geographers, and historians. It allows for investigations into politics as well as urban and cultural policy. It is a walk for songwriters, for storytellers and for fans of Pet Shop Boys.
About Richard
Richard Eastham is an accomplished urban designer and urban planner, known for his expertise in creating design strategies and development frameworks. He is the founding director of Feria Urbanism, an award-winning urban design studio based in Bournemouth. Richard excels in working with local communities to help them shape the places where they live. He is a teaching fellow at the University of Southampton and has been recognised by the Royal Town Planning Institute as one of the profession’s most inspiring figures. He was born and grew up in Preston, Lancashire before moving to the south coast where he lives today.
To support his Pet Shop Boys London walk, Richard has prepared an exclusive digital booklet containing song lyrics, context, commentary, maps and photos. This booklet will be issued to all walk participants.
