Issue 219 is now on sale

From British heraldry to St Paul’s Cathedral and the capital’s strange street names, we shed light on some of Britain’s quirky traditions and secret histories

If you travel to certain parts of the world, it can feel as if every second bar was frequented by Ernest Hemingway. Even in death, the great American author continues to make a significant contribution to the takings at drinking establishments from Paris to Venice, Florida to Havana. In Britain, however, we tend to celebrate famous clientele not via the renaming of bars but hotel rooms.

We decided to celebrate that fact in this issue with a look at seven suites dedicated to unlikely former guests. You’ll uncover favourite haunts of Charles Dickens and Queen Elizabeth I, as well as learn why Mahatma Gandhi found himself in Lancashire’s Ribble Valley.

Our fascination with historic names continues in the London section with a look at the stories behind the British capital’s many oddly-named roads. Like the issue as a whole, we hope you find it right up your street.