This week’s blog should need no introduction, a heavyweight of the London online landscape for nearly 15 years Urban75 displays the kind of personality and community that makes London great. We were able to grab some time with the founder to discover a bit more about the organic, dynamic nature of the site which so reflects its Brixton birth.

If you had to describe Urban 75 in less than 15 words how would you do it?
A great seething mass of photos, features, obsessions and pisstakes held together by a lovely community.

How and why did the site come about? What about London inspires your site?
The site’s roots lie in an early 90s political football comic called Bluebird Jones, based around the lives of hedonistic, drug taking Cardiff City fans. The strip tries to take on the (then) widespread belief that all football fans were knuckle dragging Neanderthals and used humour to challenge the prevailing stereotypes.

The comic moved on to the web when it became apparent that footie fans would also be impacted by the Tory’s dastardly Criminal Justice Bill. To draw attention to what was going on, I drew a strip showing what might happen to football fans, got it published in loads of fanzines across the UK and unilaterally declared myself the leader of the mighty Football Fans v the CJA campaign group (total membership=1). I figured having one of those new fangled web sites would make the campaign more credible and incredibly it did, with the mainstream media immediately taking an interest in the campaign. Learning the lessons from the comic, we added daft games to attract traffic (games like ‘punch a politician‘ and ’slap a Spice Girl’) and starting adding our own reports from demos and marches, along with legal information about protesters rights etc. From there the site grew organically, adding a comprehensive photography section, London features, Brixton ‘then and now’ archives, drug info – even a section on old railways – while the bulletin board community slowly grew to hit over 45,000 members. London, and specifically Brixton, has been a constant inspiration for the site – as a photographer, how can I not fail to be inspired by the energy of such a remarkable city?!

Read the rest on Londonist.

After a summer break the London Blogger Interviews are back with a blog who’s theme is close to many of our hearts – cycling in London. Andreas’ excellent London Cyclist is a great resource for cyclists in London, as well as brimming with news, personality and passion for cycling.

If you had to describe your blog in less than fifteen words how would you do it?
A blog about the best way to travel around London containing inspiration for those who already cycle and guidance for those who want to start.

Why did you start blogging?
Cycling has always been a major passion of mine. So when I moved to London to work I knew it was going to be the way I got around. I soon fell in love with the London cycling scene and noticed there were not many blogs out there covering the information I wanted. I was looking for more lifehack/improvement style posts such as how to lock your bike, which bike maintenance book to buy and things that may interest me as a casual cyclist. So I thought, if I can’t find it, I’m going to start it. I’m glad I did because the site has proved very popular.

Read the rest on Londonist.

Bright One Case Study: Refugee Week 2009

This week’s blog is Ornamental Passions – “Devoted to the unexpected details that help to make life in the city worth living” and often cited as a blog, other interviewees in this series enjoy. From the battle between good and evil carved into Grosvenor Place to the Bishop commemorated on Dirty Dicks, this blog is fulll of gems we could all easily miss.

If you had to describe your blog in less than 15 words how would you do it?
A celebration of the architectural frills and furbelows that liven up London’s streets.

Why did you start blogging?
So I can claim to be a streetwalker when people ask me what I do at vicarage tea parties.

What about London inspires your blog?
Architects and sculptors have been adding wonderful details to London’s buildings for hundreds of years – it is the world’s finest free art gallery.

What’s your favourite find so far to date – and is there anything you’re still hunting for?
I almost cracked up when I focused my telephoto lens on a statue hundreds of feet above Portman Street to discover it was the Hunchback of Notre Dame. I don’t really hunt for things, more cycle around with my eyes open, but identifying some of the sculpture is sometimes frustratingly difficult. I have so far failed to find anything about the line of portrait busts in Mount Street, for example.

Read the rest on Londonist.

If you had to describe your blog in less than 15 words how would you do it?
A thriving community based and owned source of news and views for Shepherds Bush residents

Why did you start blogging?
Because I was frustrated that there was no on or offline W12 based source of news that wasn’t either a couple of pages at the front of an Ealing paper (the next borough) or an advertiser led website with the odd out of date article. There was and is so much going on in W12, I honestly believe this is one of the most diverse and vibrant areas of London, and this just wasn’t reflected anywhere, meaning that many residents were really missing out on what was on their doorstep.

There are also of course lots of things wrong with the area and I suppose it’s a place for me and contributors to give a voice to how we feel about those. From time to time local political leaders respond to that on the blog too.

Read the rest on Londonist.

Epicurienne is this week’s blogger, a dedicated documenter of London’s food – and the world cuisine on her travels. As well as selflessly eating on our behalf, she includes a splash of London transport and weather and general commentary to top up this lovely London blog.

If you had to describe your blog in less than 15 words how would you do it?
Tales of travel and culinary adventure in London, Paris and Auckland (and the places in between).

Why did you start blogging?
I’ve always been one of those people who suffers irrational panic attacks if I don’t have a notebook and pen with me at all times. For that reason I wouldn’t last a day in the Big Brother house. I’ve been keeping journals since I was about nine years old, mostly filled with jottings about travels and restaurants and recipe ideas and inspirational quotes… A blog seemed like the logical next step to take.

What about London inspires your blog?
London full stop inspires my blog. I love the melting-pot atmosphere and the fact that if you can’t be it/ wear it/ try it on the streets of London, then you might just say it’s impossible. I particularly appreciate the fact that it’s possible to eat a different cuisine from a different part of the world every night of the month if you were really so-inclined. And I love the parks and green spaces all over London. Come rain or shine they’re a great place to go and observe Londoners and visitors to London, undertaking all manner of activity from picnicking to roller-blading or sitting quietly under a tree with a book.

Read the rest on Londonist.