Dr. Chris van Tulleken reflects on his life in London, sharing details about living in De Beauvoir with his family and fond memories of the area. He recounts his early job experiences at Harrods under Mohamed Al-Fayed’s management, describing it as unpleasant due to poor wages and working conditions. Van Tulleken recommends local spots like Sweet Thursday for pizza and Turner and George butcher shop for meat, and suggests the Grant Museum of Zoology at UCL as an ideal first-date location. He also proposes policy changes such as electronic speed limiters on cars to improve road safety in London.
Written locally by qwen2.5:14b on 2026-10-09,
using this article's own text rather than the other coverage of the
same event (that is the story summary below).
Story summary
Dr. Chris van Tulleken, a scientist and author living in De Beauvoir, Hackney for over 10 years, recently discussed his experiences growing up in Hammersmith, west London. He highlighted the stark contrast between how he is perceived in Hammersmith compared to Hackney: while he feels like an outsider in Hammersmith, he enjoys and takes pleasure in being in Hackney. Van Tulleken's first job was at Harrods during his summer holidays, where he worked in the golf clothing department under Mohamed Al-Fayed's management; this experience included low pay and absurd rules, such as having to pay for toilet use. His favorite restaurant is Sweet Thursday in De Beauvoir, known for its locally sourced, healthy, and delicious pizza. Additionally, Van Tulleken mentioned he's collaborating with the World Health Organization on a scientific paper that challenges current definitions of unhealthy food in the UK.
Written for “My London Tour” on 2026-10-09,
grounded in this article and the 0 other(s) covering the same event.
I live in De Beauvoir in Hackney, which is French for Dalston.
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which → live → Dalston
I’ve lived here for just over 10 years, in the house my wife grew up in with her mum, who now lives in the garage (which we’ve tarted up).
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we → live → which
We have three kids, who are nine, six and two.
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who → have → kids
It’s a good hobby.
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It → ’ → ?
Where did you grow up?
In Hammersmith, on Brook Green.
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you → grow → Green
My parents still live in the house I grew up in.
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I → live → house
One of the big differences is that when I go back to west London and cycle around, I feel like the enemy, whereas in east London it’s a joy and a pleasure.
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it → go → London
I worked at Harrods during the summer holiday, in the golf clothing department, and it was comically horrible.
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it → work → department
It was during the reign of Mohamed Al-Fayed and he would go around firing people.
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he → go → people
We were paid virtually nothing and had to pay to use the toilet.
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We → pay → toilet
I think it cost about an hour’s wage to go for a pee.
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it → think → pee
What’s your favourite restaurant?
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restaurant → ’ → ?
My go-to restaurant is Sweet Thursday in De Beauvoir, which is family-run and makes the best pizza in London — maybe even the world.
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which → go → world
It’s healthy and delicious, with ingredients sourced locally; just what food should be.
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food → ’ → ingredients
Which shops do you rely on?
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you → rely → shops
The place I spend more money than I can really afford is Turner and George, a butcher on St John Street.
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I → spend → Street
We don’t eat very much meat for lots of reasons, but when we do it’s from there.
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it → eat → reasons
St Vincent’s charity shop on Kingsland Road often has gems, including some very nice Rise and Fall T-shirts.
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shop → have → shirts
The Flower Appreciation Society is great if you need a gift, homeware or local flowers.
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you → need → gift
Where do you recommend for a first date?
The Grant Museum of Zoology at UCL.
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you → recommend → UCL
It’s a two-room museum and there is a higher density of fascinating stuff than any other museum on planet Earth.
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It → ’ → Earth
Then I would go cold-water swimming at the reservoir in Stoke Newington and to the Scolt Head pub to finish off the evening, so I could stagger home.
What would you do if you were Mayor for the day?
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you → go → day
I would extend what the Mayor is already doing, which is making London a better city for walking and bikes.
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London → extend → walking
Seventy per cent of people in Hackney don’t have access to a car and we have built this city for cars.
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we → have → cars
It’s just not safe.
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It → ’ → ?
If there was one really dictatorial thing I could do, it would be to require all cars in London to have electronic speed limiters so they could only drive at 20 miles an hour inside the city.
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they → be → city
I’m not endorsing him as a mayoral candidate, but he’s made things better for people who hated him
Who is the most iconic Londoner?
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Who → endorse → him
I don’t say that with a party-political hat on.
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I → say → hat
But what he’s done against enormous power to make life better for all Londoners, rich and poor, is just astounding.
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life → do → Londoners
Crime, air quality, traffic — everything has got better.
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everything → get → ?
I’m not endorsing him as a mayoral candidate, but he’s made things better for people who hated him, opposed him and made it difficult every step of the way.
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it → endorse → way
What do you do to have fun?
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you → do → fun
Did you not listen to my answer about having kids…?
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you → listen → kids
My brother-in-law is in a small indie band called Video Shop — it’s much more than a dad band.
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it → call → band
One of my most exciting recent nights out was going to see them at a bar under the Haggerston Arches.
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One → go → Arches
Another was Jesse Welles at the Electric Ballroom — he’s the new Bob Dylan.
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he → ’ → Ballroom
What’s your favourite work of art?
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work → ’ → art
Oh, that’s easy.
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that → ’ → ?
He taught art at Wormwood Scrubs prison and his portraits of the people he worked with, which hang on our living room wall, are also very special.
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which → teach → wall
Who do you call when you want to have a good time?
We’ve got friends who live nearby who run the Instagram account called De Beauvoir Home, which is very beautiful.
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which → call → account
…and 9 more, not listed.
The Aporia
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