Hi,

my boyfriend's taking me shopping and london eyeing on 31st in london. However, things are getting complicated as we can't afford a hotel, are struggling to find london friends who'll be around to put us up and cant get back to ipswich (where we'll be leaving from) on the train after midnight. So looks like we'll be driving down, and driving back up sometime after midnight.

I'm worried about parking though - anyone know if we'll be able to park all day till after midnight somewhere, preferably for free like on a residential st nr a tube station?

Also, we're going on the london eye around sunset time (finger crossed!), and then want to go for a meal before heading back down to watch the fireworks at midnight - will we be able to find somewhere decent to eat on the night or do we need to book in advance? as you may be able to tell, i'm a london novice! dont really want to book somewhere i dont know anything about either!

Any advice greatly appreciated!

Thanks.

hmmm ... london ... nye ... meal out ... book in advance ... how many seconds of chin rubbing will it take for our hero to assemble the jigsaw puzzle into a bigger picture ... ?

although i suppose you could go for the traditional "chippie" option, it's nice & romantic, eating in the open air, you know

Drive down to Stanmore which is M1 J4. Park for free on a residential street. Buy an all day rail card and catch the tube into central London.
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That's what I do when I go to london for a day.
If it's a couple of days I stay in a cheap hotel I have found.
It's close to the tube to take you into london and has parking on the grounds.
I will PM you the number if you want to check the price but I think it was about £40 for a clean en suite room.
Run by an irish guy called jim, the place has many long term residents who are very friendly. Sort of a chin wag club in the common room of an evening and a very handy pizza shop or two close by.
Stay away from the orthodox jewish pizza place. Miserable gits to a man in that place. I told the ignorant sods to stick their pizzas where the sun don't shine. :hihi:

Thanks for the advice, guys. As i'll be driving down from ipswich, i'll hit east london and my mum says she normally parks on a residential street in wanstead and gets the tube from there. will prob give that a try. We're heading down early to get a good few hours of shopping in (my boyfriend can't wait! ;) ) so hopefully we'll be ok. I've read online that the tube is free from 12.15 - 4.30 am, which is good even thought they'll be absolutely rammed! We'll either head straight back or try and stay at a friends to watch the parade on new years day - anyone seen that? prob rubbish, but could always get a bit more shopping done on new years day - and january sales too - even better!