To say that Pokémon Go has gripped the gaming world would be an understatement. Although Google and Apple don’t release their official figures, estimates suggest the app is breaking records left, right and centre.
Indeed, according to Sensor Tower, the data shows that Nintendo’s Pokémon Go hit 50 million downloads in record time and, to date, approximately 75 million people are playing the mobile game. This rapid rise in popularity has not only resulted in millions of people using tools like Google Maps to chase Pokémon characters, but also getting out and visiting places they never knew existed.
With this in mind, we’ve decided to put together a list of Pokémon Go hotspots in London where you can find some of the 151 Pokémon Go characters as well as see some of the Capital’s greatest architectural achievements.
St Paul’s Cathedral
Image Source: www.travelandleisure.com
According to the Ludgate Hill Forum, Eden Street is a spawning point of “loads of different Pokémon”, so if you’re in the area then a trip to St Paul’s Cathedral is a must.
Standing 365 feet high, St Paul’s Cathedral is one of the most recognisable landmarks in London. However, behind the facade that everyone knows, there’s a particular part of the cathedral that’s truly spectacular: the geometrical staircase. Located in the south-west tower, an area of the cathedral where visitors rarely tread, this stone-carved staircase was designed by Christopher Wren more than 300 years ago and is one of the most impressive of its kind.
As noted by The Guardian’s Phillip Davies, Inigo Jones’ stone cantilevered staircase might have been the first in England, but Wren’s “stands in a league of its own”. Spiralling towards infinity, this place is not only an aesthetic delight, but it has dozens of nooks and crannies to hide the likes of Pikachu and Bulbasaur.
The Hippodrome
Image Source: www.openbuildings.com
If you head to Leicester Square and the PokeStop near the Charlie Chaplin statue, you’ll be just a few steps away from the imposing Hippodrome.
Built, rebuilt and used for a variety of purposes over the last 100+ years, the Hippodrome was originally constructed in 1900 and initially used as a theatre and music hall.
By 1958 the interior was completely demolished so that Bernard Delfont could turn it into a new nightclub: The Talk of the Town. Today, the Hippodrome retains its musical and theatrical roots, but thanks to a 2009 takeover by Jimmy and Simon Thomas it’s also now a casino.
In addition to blackjack and roulette, the casino is also home to PokerStars LIVE. A live offshoot of the online poker site, this area is where bluffers and bettors convene to play everything from Texas Hold’em to Omaha and somewhere you could find the ever-cautious Rattata protecting his cards.
Big Ben
Image Source: www.reference.com
Where do Pokémon work out? In a Pokémon gym of course! Across London there’s reportedly a slew of fitness centres for our virtual friends, earning trainers XP. Holding a Pokemon Gym is also the only other way to get Pokecoins in-game, apart from paying real money from them. Piccadilly Circus, Covent Garden and Waterloo Station have all been mapped by players, but the one that’s really worth a visit is Big Ben.
While the gym itself is worth a look, if for no other reason than it might have some characters you need, the iconic clock tower is what really makes the trip worthwhile. Now, for those interested in the London landmark, the name Big Ben actually refers to the bell of the clock, but since its completion in 1859 the moniker has been extended to denote the entire building.
Naturally, because Augustus Pugin’s design made the tower 315 feet tall, there’s plenty of scope for some Pokémon adventures in the future. Indeed, while there might be a gym located nearby, the clock tower itself would also make a fantastic playground for the creatures.
The Cenotaph
Image Source: www.greatlondonlandmarks.com
When it comes to Whitehall, the Cenotaph is the major symbol that everyone from the war-time generation thinks of. Built in 1920 to commemorate the efforts of Britain’s soldiers during the First World War, the monument is now one of the country’s main historical landmarks and a site of immense reverence.
However, while the older generation might be familiar with its meaning due to their connections with the war, many people in the younger generation may only know it as the place where the Queen goes to lay a wreath of poppies every year. Fortunately, technology appears to be doing its bit for history and changing this as there’s now a PokeStop at the Cenotaph.
By placing a virtual hangout just by the structure, the game’s creators have made it a must-visit destination for millennials which, in turn, should encourage them to learn more about it. We just hope that no one goes Pokémon hunting during the Remembrance Sunday service.
Waterloo Bridge
Image Source: www.britainfromabove.org.uk
The final place Pokémon Go is taking Londoners at the moment is Waterloo Bridge. Home to another PokeStop, one that often has a lure module activated, the bridge is one of the city’s great achievements during the Second World War. Although you can now find the likes of Fearow or Spearow flying around, Waterloo Bridge was actually an integral part of the war effort.
Built to improve transport links across the Thames, the bridge is now a staple landmark in London but its history remains unknown to many. Despite some calling it the Ladies’ Bridge, men are often praised for completing it in 1945. However, thanks to research by construction historian Christine Wall, we now know that it was women who built the majority of the bridge.
According to the archives, 25,000 women were working on Waterloo Bridge by 1944, but because of a filing error they were never properly acknowledged. Fortunately, with people now flocking there to find some Pokémon, people might stop and consider the real history of the bridge.
Pokémon Go has certainly made us more active and with new stops popping up all the time we could soon see the little critters in all manner of places. One day we might find Arbok enjoying a drink at one of our favourite roof gardens, The Queen of Hoxton. The next there might be a Sandshrew scuttling through the monthly night market at Old Spitalfields. Wherever these virtual creators appear, one thing is for sure: Pokémon Go is opening up London’s hotspots to more people than ever.
