Learn to scale back and love a little piece of London

The capital can be overwhelming, so Robin focused on the trendy and eclectic area of Seven Dials, where he found everything needed for a top break

S amuel Johnson once declared that “when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life”. The city’s scale and diversity can actually be a problem though, as there is such dizzying choice – it can truly be bewildering planning a break to the capital.

So on my most recent visit, I decided to hone in on an area and spend time really exploring it.

I chose well with Seven Dials.

The area takes its name from its distinctive roundabout, which sports seven lanes spiriting off from it right in the heart of Central London. It doesn’t have exact borders as such, but roughly, Seven Dials stretches north from Covent Garden towards the British Museum, then west to Cambridge Circus and east to Endell Street. Handily, there is a website that highlights many of the area’s attractions, www.sevendials.co.uk

I actually spent half a year living on the northern fringes of Seven Dials in Bloomsbury in the 1990s, but never really explored it to the full.

This weekend proved that was a serious mistake. I often yomped by heading for the river, not realising there was such a treasure trove of independent shops, clothing boutiques and superb restaurants.

Our base – I was there with my wife Jenny, and two daughters, Tara, 11, and Emma, eight – was spot on. The characterful Radisson Edwardian Mercer (www.radissonhotels.com) sat right on the Seven Dials roundabout, and our room had a view out over the action. Emma enjoyed sitting up on her bed gazing out at the ever-changing street scene right in the heart of the city. London’s hotels are seldom cheap, but the four-star Radisson offers good value, especially if you snare one of their internet deals.

Our plan for the weekend was to visit as many places and enjoy as many experiences as possible.

My girls were keen on shopping, so we kicked off with a slew of wee stores. I love that, in Seven Dials, it’s not just all about huge, faceless chain stores. First up, for example, was Nappa Dori, a leather goods shop whose headquarters are in Delhi. This is their only London outlet and it’s a bit of a Tardis, with another room buried downstairs.

Clothes were our main shopping focus, though, and here, Seven Dials really came into its own. At Club Monaco, Jenny and Tara were on the hunt for a swish, classic dress and a jacket. The staff were brilliant, offering that personal service you just don’t get in the big High Street stores. This was a constant theme all weekend.

Next up was a very personal Seven Dials experience. Tara is a big fan of Superga trainers, which I’d dismissed as just a more expensive version of Vans. I stand corrected. We went in and they told us about their illustrated shoes concept. This involved talking to an artist about what your interests are and they then conjure up a hand-painted design. My brief was, unsurprisingly,