The best family days out in London and beyond rated by kids and teens
Published: 1st January 2025
Greg McHugh is an award-winning Scottish actor and writer as well as the creator, writer and star of the BBC1 comedy series Gary: Tank Commander.
He also played Howard in the Channel 4 comedy Fresh Meat and Eddie Scott in BBC1’s excellent The A-Word, which has been widely praised for its honest portrayal of autism.
Currently he has all of us in stitches playing the long suffering Ken to his Dad (Gregor Fisher) in the new BBC comedy series, Only Child. Catch it here on Iplayer.
A young reggae-loving Greg dreaming of London’s Hackney
I grew up in Edinburgh but I remember visiting my cousins in Hackney in the summer during the 80’s. Their neighbours had reggae blasting out their windows, I LOVED IT!!!! No one ever had reggae blaring in Edinburgh. A brilliant introduction to the Capital.
Pre Lockdown, I have to say….having tried a lot of places with two young ‘uns….Pizza Express Hove has the most consistently brilliant staff and attitude towards young children and the kids LOVE the food. We used to go their weekly.
Plockton, in the North West Highlands.
It’s a stunning place for kids to have adventures and adults to have stunningly fresh sea food and brilliant drinks. It’s somewhere distinctively Scottish but not like anywhere else in Scotland.
You’d have to go to know what I mean!!
Ashdown Forrest walk (South Downs), kids running around like crazy- finding dens, shouting as loud as they want- picnic on a tree trunk. Then they both sleep on the drive home!!!
Hove Lagoon, great park for the kids as well as trampolines and small ride park most of the year round PLUS ‘The Big Beach Cafe’ for food and drinks. Oh, and the sea’s there too!
The Duke of York’s Picture House claims to be the oldest cinema in continuous use in Britain
Pre- Lockdown, Saturday Morning kids Cinema (Odeon or Duke Of York) There’s nothing like the experience of watching film in a cinema and the kids pick up on that.
Funplex – a parent friendly venue with comfortable settees!
My kids LOVE going to Funplex soft play centre in Brighton and therefore…I LOVE going!!!
The C11 – Greg’s favourite bus. She’s a beauty isn’t she?
Bus!!
Parliament Hill Hampstead Heath
On a Sunday…get up to Parliament Fields in North London (C11 for example) Walk across Hampstead Heath and up towards Hampstead Village- aim for the Spaniards Inn for a roast….and after that, just walk down the Hill towards Camden (or with young kids)….GET THE BUS!!
Spaniard’s Inn on the edge of Hampstead Heath near Kenwood House dates back to the 16th century.
