London/Hammersmith and Fulham

This is a large district of the inner west of London.
The most well known part of the district is perhaps Shepherd's Bush which has long been a first home in London to second and first generation immigrants. While this is less true today than in the past, the area undergoing gradual gentrification, beautification and development, there is still a substantial expatriate population (including a great many travelling Antipodeans).
Culturally, Shepherd's Bush is well known as the former home of the BBC's TV output, with the Television Centre located on Wood Lane in the White City sub-district. The Bush was also the fictional home of Steptoe & Son at Oil Drum Lane. The members of two influential British bands, The Who and the Sex Pistols, grew up in Shepherd's Bush. It is also the home of newly promoted football team Queens Park Rangers (QPR), who play in the top-level Premier League.
Elsewhere in the district, the residential riverside areas of Fulham have been hugely gentrified, and it is now sometimes difficult to determine where (previously much grander) Chelsea ends and Fulham begins. Fulham is also home to the football teams Fulham FC, Queens Park Rangers and Chelsea FC (at Fulham Broadway).

By Tube

Both Hammersmith and Fulham are served by the following Tube stations, all in Zone 2:

• Shepherd's Bush (Central, Overground lines)
• Shepherd's Bush Market (Circle, Hammersmith & City lines)
• Wood Lane (Circle, Hammersmith & City lines)
• White City (Central line)
• Hammersmith (Piccadilly, District, Circle, Hammersmith & City lines)
• Goldhawk Road (Circle, Hammersmith & City lines)
• Barons Court (District and Piccadilly lines)
• West Kensington (District line)
• Fulham Broadway (District line)
• Parson's Green (District line)
• Putney Bridge (District line)
• Ravenscourt Park (District line) – Note: The Piccadilly line does pass through Ravenscourt Park though it only stops on special occasions such as during New Year.

By bus

Bus 94 runs between Piccadilly Circus, via Oxford Street, Notting Hill, Holland Park, Shepherd's Bush and Chiswick to Acton Green (also a Night Bus service).
Buses 11, 14, 22, 28, 74, 190, 211, 295, 391, 414, 430, and night buses N11, N22 and N28, all stop in Fulham.
http://lbhf.gov.uk/Directory/Transport_and_Streets/Public_Transport/

By train

Shepherds Bush Railway Station is served by three trains per hour between Clapham Junction and Willesden Junction, and one train per hour between Milton Keynes and East Croydon.

By road

The A219 links Fulham with the A205 (South Circular) and with the A4.

• Chelsea Harbour Design Centre

  phone: +44 20 7225-9101
  address: Chelsea Harbour, SW10 0XG
  The cutting edge of British design from Furniture to Fabrics and Lighting. Some showrooms actually sell their designs (at impossible prices). There is also a nice café here.

• Fulham Palace

  phone: +44 20 7736-3233
  address: Bishop's Ave, SW6 6EA
  The former retreat of the Bishops of London until 1973 now incorporates Bishop's Park and is a lovely green area in a heavily built part of London as well as home to some important historic buildings. Also a museum which charts the history of the palace back to the 11th century (and the area itself back to prehistoric times).
  
  Of note in the museum includes an entire room dedicated to Bishop Henry Compton's botanical exploits where he would gather all kinds of plants from the North American colony and grow them in the palace garden. Sadly the garden itself was destroyed when "Cability" Brown's landscaping became fashionable and Compton's codex of plants is missing with exception of a few preserved copies of its pages.
  
  There is a small cafe.

• Gandhi's Student Accommodation

  address: 20 Baron's Court Road, W14 9DT
  A blue plaque marks to house where Mahatma Gandhi lived as a law student.

• Kensal Green Cemetery

  phone: +44 20 8969-0152
  address: Harrow Road, W10 4RA
  One of the "Magnificent Seven" Georgian-Victorian cemeteries in London.

• Queens Club

  phone: +44 20 7386-3400
  address: Palliser Rd, W14 9EQ
  hosts the traditional mens warm-up tennis competition, before the Wimbledon Chamipionship. This grand Victorian structure is home to other racquet sports such as badminton and squash. A new National Tennis Centre has been built further west at Roehampton, to hopefully end the Wimbledon English-winner drought.

• Hammersmith TerraceSeveral blue plaques can be found at the historic Grade II-listed Hammersmith Terrace, including Edward Johnston (the creator of the London Underground typeface) who lived at No. 3 from 1905 to 1912.

• Emery Walker Trust

  address: 7 Hammersmith Terrace, Chiswick, W6 9TS
  A small museum dedicated to the former typographer Emery Walker who moved to No 7. Hammersmith Terrace from No. 3.

Parks

• Bishop's ParkThe area surrounding Fulham Palace was given by the Church of England as a public recreational ground.

• Hurlingham ParkA large open park which is mainly sports pitches. It does though have some lovely frontage right onto the Thames and makes for a lovely walk for that reason.

• Ravenscourt Park

  address: Padderswick Rd
  An eight-hectare park in Hammersmith with a long history. It is home to a lake, tea house, tennis courts, an all-weather football pitch, a bowling green, areas in which to just sit or play, a garden centre and some truly ancient trees, particularly cedars.

• Wormwood ScrubsOne of the largest areas of common land in London. Its sporting facilities include several football pitches (Queens Park Rangers F.C. used to play here in the Victorian age).

Cinema, theatre and concerts

• Bush Hall

  phone: +44 20 8222-6955
  address: 310 Uxbridge Rd, W12 7LJ
  Built as a dance hall, this venue now hosts regular events such as live music and burlesque performances.

• Bush Theatre

  phone: +44 20 8743-3584
  address: Uxbridge Rd, W12 8LJ
  Home of the Alternative Theatre Company, it is dedicated to breaking new plays and new writers.

• O2 Shepherd's Bush Empire

  phone: +44 20 8354-3300
  address: Shepherd's Bush Green, W12 8TT
  Built in 1903 and at the centre of the entertainment scene ever since, the Empire is one of London's premier live music venues, with an emphasis on contemporary rock and pop.

• Riverside Studios

  phone: +44 20 8743-3584
  address: 1 Crisp Rd, W6 9RL
  Riverside Studios is a production studio, theatre and independent cinema on the banks of the River Thames in Hammersmith.

• Vue Cinema Fulham Broadway

  phone: +44 8712 240 240
  address: Fulham Broadway Shopping Centre, Fulham Rd, SW6 1BW
  Modern multiplex showing the latest mainstream films.

• Vue Cinema Westfield

  phone: +44 8712 240 240
  address: Westfield Shopping Town, White City, W12 7GF
  Modern multiplex showing the latest mainstream films.

Football

Hammersmith and Fulham have three professional football league teams.

• Chelsea FC

  phone: +44 871 984 1955
  address: Stamford Bridge, Fulham Rd SW6 1HS
  Despite the name, this club is actually in Fulham. Chelsea play in the Premier League, the top tier of English football, and usually qualify for European tournaments. Stamford Bridge stadium (capacity 41,000, and not to be confused with the 1066 battlefield near York) has tours on non-matchdays. It's among the best supported teams in the country, so buy tickets early. The club plan to rebuild the stadium in 2023/24. Their women's team play in the Women's Super League, with home games at AFC Wimbledon.

• Fulham FC

  phone: +44 870 442 1222
  address: Craven Cottage, Stevenage Rd, SW6 6HH
  Fulham were relegated in 2019, so they now play in the Championship, the second tier of English football. Tours of their quirky old stadium on non-matchdays are fun.

• Queen's Park Rangers FC

  phone: +44 20 8743-0262
  address: Loftus Rd Stadium, South Africa Rd, W12 7PJ
  QPR play in the Championship, the second tier of English football. Loftus Road stadium (capacity 18,000) is a quarter mile west of White City or Wood Lane Underground stations.

Shopping in this area runs the gamut from street markets to luxury shops in the largest enclosed shopping centre (or "mall" to American travellers) in Europe.

• X Electrical

  phone: +44 20 8563 7383
  address: 125 King St, W6 9JG
  A pawn shop specialising in musical instruments, amps and hi-fis. Also has a retro video game collection with prices as low as £2.

Shopping centres

• Fulham BroadwaySmall shopping centre built around the tube station of the same name. Includes a supermarket, some restaurants and cafés along with its other shops, as well as a cinema and pub.

• Hammersmith Broadway

  phone: +44 20 8563 0131
  address: 1A Beadon Rd, W6 8AB
  Small shopping centre inside Hammersmith station (District/Piccadilly) with a Tesco Metro supermarket, a Costa, a Starbuck's, a McDonald's, as well as several other shops and restaurants.

• Kings Mall

  phone: +44 20 8741 2121
  address: King St, W6 9HW
  A small 1-floor shopping centre with H&M's flagship store, as well as a Primark, Sainsbury's, Wilko, The Entertainer, WH Smith, Three, Carphone Warehouse. Also has parking.

Markets

• New Shepherd's Bush Market

  phone: +44 20 8749-3042
  address: Uxbridge Rd
  Privately owned street market.

• North End Road Market

  address: Running the length of North End Rd, between Lille Rd and Fulham Rd
  A London street market that's high on character and low on tourists, this has been running since the 1880s. A good place for fresh and affordable fruit and vegetables, household goods, and other items.

• Shepherds Bush Market

  address: Between Uxbridge Rd and Goldhawk Rd
  An astonishing array of goods with Afro-Caribbean, Middle Eastern and Indian cultural influences vying for the shopper's attention.

Malls

• Westfield Shopping Centre

  phone: +44 20 3371-2300
  address: Ariel Way, W12 7GF
  The largest urban shopping mall in Europe. Vast array of stores including a designer section called The Village featuring Prada, Louis Vuitton, Hugo Boss, Jimmy Choo, Bucherer, Hogan, and Versus Versace. Along with an assortment of restaurants and a 14 Vue screen cinema at the top.

There are loads of great restaurants in Fulham along the high streets and also a distinct lack of any chain restaurants (don't worry, you can find all of these along Putney High St if you're desperate). It is often a good idea to just start walking along any of the main roads and you should have more choice of places to eat than you will ever need.

Budget

Uxbridge Road is noted for good-value and diverse restaurants.

• Abu Zaad

  phone: +44 20 8749-5107
  address: 29 Uxbridge Rd, W12 8LH
  Authentic Syrian fare. Great value.

• Raj of India

  phone: +44 20 7602-9112
  address: 46 Shepherd's Bush Road W6 7PJ
  Very reasonable prices and good service at this popular Indian restaurant.

• Red Sea Restaurant

  phone: +44 20 8749-6888
  address: 382 Uxbridge Rd, W12 7LL
  All manner of Middle Eastern food with Eritrean and Ethiopian also town in! All at very reasonable prices.

Mid-range

• Fiesta Havana

  phone: +44 20 7381-5005
  address: 490-492 Fulham Rd, SW6 5NH
  Latin themed restaurant with live DJs and staff who will give you Salsa classes in between courses! The set tapas menu for £10 is very popular.

Splurge

• The River Cafe

  phone: +44 20 7386-4200
  address: Thames Wharf, Rainville Rd, W6 9HA
  Classy Italian and modern gourmet cuisine at Rainville Rd, Fulham, (not to be confused with the cafe at Craven Cottage which is open non-matchdays and nice for a quick bite or afternoon tea). A 3-course meal will set you back from £60-100, with lovely views of the Thames, you can often glimpse a celeb or two dining here.

Shepherds Bush Green contains many large chain pubs. Uxbridge Road and Goldhawk Road have smaller, more laid-back bars and gastro-pubs. Fulham is full of highly rated, popular pubs some of them right by the Thames.

• The Dove

  phone: +44 20 8748-9474
  address: 19 Upper Mall, W6 9TA
  This pretty 17th-century riverside establishment may have London's smallest bar (room just to the right of the entrance), as well as an outside seating area with river views. The famous Doves Press was named after this pub.

• Duke on the Green

  phone: +44 20 7736-2777
  address: 235 New King's Rd, SW6 4XG
  Very popular Young's pub at the Fulham end of the King's Rd.

• The White Horse

  phone: +44 20 7736-2115
  address: 1-3 Parson's Green, SW6 4UL
  It offers an extensive choice of local and imported beers, both draught and bottled. It also serves restaurant grade meals. Particularly interesting, each one of them is matched with a beer. Somewhat expensive, but it is a must.

Shepherd's Bush and Hammersmith are well known as the home of many discount hotels (some of low quality, unfortunately) and B&Bs. With the gradual gentrification of the area, more comfortable and expensive options are appearing.

Budget

• Abbey Hotel

  phone: +44 20 8749-8780
  address: 23 Wood Ln, W12 7DP
  Budget hotel close to the BBC Television Centre. Discounts for long stays.

• Adria Hotel

  phone: +44 20 8742-6674
  address: 44 Glenthorne Rd, W6 0LS
  A four generation family run hotel with excellent transport connections and good value for money. Regularly refurbished.

• Grantly Hotel

  phone: +44 20 8743-4345
  address: 50 Shepherds Bush Green, W12 8PS
  No-frills budget hotel in an converted Edwardian house. Single, Double and Family rooms available.

• Hotel Sergul

  phone: +44 20 7603-5400
  address: 87 Shepherds Bush Rd, W6 7LR
  Affordable smart hotel with excellent links to West End and close to Olympia and Earls Court exhibition centre.

• Jim's Guest House

  phone: +44 20 8743-0456
  address: 26 Aldine St, W12 8AN
  Good value bed and breakfast. Family suite available.

• Plaza Hotel

  phone: +44 20 7603-2667
  address: 53 Shepherds Bush Rd, W6 7LU
  Actually three hotels all run by the same company - The Plaza, The Rex and The Acropolis. All similar standard and nearby to each other.

• Royal Guest House

  phone: +44 20 7603-4528
  address: 47 Shepherds Bush Rd, W6 7LU
  Very cheap guesthouse within walking distance of Shepherd's Bush and Hammersmith. Triple rooms available.

Mid-range

• Jurys Inn Chelsea Hotel

  phone: +44 20 7411-2200
  address: Imperial Rd, Imperial Wharf, SW6 2GA
  Affordable hotel of one of the better hotel chains. All rooms are ensuite and large by London standards.

• La Reserve Hotel Chelsea

  phone: +44 20 7385-8561
  address: 422-428 Fulham Rd, SW6 1DU
  Small hotel offering 43 en-suite bedrooms in the extreme south-east of the district bordering Chelsea. The hotel overlooks Chelsea Football Club.

• Novotel London West

  phone: +44 20 8741-1555
  address: 1 Shortlands, W6 8DR
  Very large business-class hotel. The rooms are reasonably priced with basic amenities in each room. Wireless internet available, or basic internet through the room's television. English breakfast available at extra charge. Restaurant/bar/lounge, massage center, concierge, cash machine, shoe shine machine, tourist information desk, porter, dry cleaning/ironing available, currency exchange, pets allowed with deposit.

• Premier Inn

  phone: +44 870 238 3302
  address: 3 Putney Bridge Approach, SW6 3JD
  In the extreme south of the district close to the Thames

• The Ville's B&B

  phone: +44 20 7381-2093
  address: 39 Brookville Road, SW6 7BH
  In the friendly area with fashionable restaurants, cafes, pubs and antique shops

Splurge

• K-West

  phone: +44 20 8743-3206
  address: Richmond Way, W14 0AX
  Modern, fashionable hotel with a day spa.

• Lamington Serviced Apartments

  phone: +44 20 8748-2645
  address: 109 Hammersmith Gr, W6 0NQ
  Luxury short term serviced apartments for business and leisure guests. Spacious and modern apartments in a quiet residential area, with local restaurants, delicatessens, and amenities, and in walking distance of major transport links.