The best family days out in London and beyond rated by kids and teens
Published: 21st November 2020
Greg McHugh is an award-winning Scottish actor and writer.
He is the creator, writer and star of the BBC1 comedy series Gary: Tank Commander.
He also played Howard in the Channel 4 comedy Fresh Meat and currently plays Eddie Scott in BBC1’s The A-Word, which has been widely praised for its honest portrayal of autism.
Greg as Howard, Gary and Eddie
I’m currently filming the third season of ‘A Discovery of Witches’ for Sky, based on the amazing global smash fantasy novels written by the super sharp and smart Deborah Harkness.
I play Hamish Osborne is a mentor to Matthew, who is a vampire
Matthew is incredibly impulsive, and has his needs as all vampires do. But when he met Hamish, he met someone he could confide in and build a friendship with. It’s not a conventional friendship in terms of daemon and vampire. But again, the series is trying to show that unexpected friendships can be built with people no matter what their background is.
Hamish is really there to settle Matthew and I think that’s a pivotal relationship because of everything that’s going on: the love story, his need to feed, his eternal life… Hamish is Matthew’s linchpin –he gives him a calmer perspective on all the things that are happening around him.
A Discovery of Witches
A young reggae-loving Greg dreaming of London’s Hackney
I grew up in Edinburgh but I remember visiting my cousins in Hackney in the summer during the 80’s. Their neighbours had reggae blasting out their windows, I LOVED IT!!!! No one ever had reggae blaring in Edinburgh. A brilliant introduction to the Capital.
Edinburgh is of course a great place to visit too. Check out some ideas and inspiration here courtesy of https://www.your-rv-lifestyle.com/
Pre Lockdown, I have to say….having tried a lot of places with two young ‘uns….Pizza Express Hove has the most consistently brilliant staff and attitude towards young children and the kids LOVE the food. We used to go their weekly.
Plockton, in the North West Highlands.
It’s a stunning place for kids to have adventures and adults to have stunningly fresh sea food and brilliant drinks. It’s somewhere distinctively Scottish but not like anywhere else in Scotland.
You’d have to go to know what I mean!!
Ashdown Forrest walk (South Downs), kids running around like crazy- finding dens, shouting as loud as they want- picnic on a tree trunk. Then they both sleep on the drive home!!!
Hove Lagoon, great park for the kids as well as trampolines and small ride park most of the year round PLUS ‘The Big Beach Cafe’ for food and drinks. Oh, and the sea’s there too!
The Duke of York’s Picture House claims to be the oldest cinema in continuous use in Britain
Pre- Lockdown, Saturday Morning kids Cinema (Odeon or Duke Of York) There’s nothing like the experience of watching film in a cinema and the kids pick up on that.
Funplex – a parent friendly venue with comfortable settees!
My kids LOVE going to Funplex soft play centre in Brighton and therefore…I LOVE going!!!
The C11 – Greg’s favourite bus. She’s a beauty isn’t she?
Bus!!
Parliament Hill Hampstead Heath
On a Sunday…get up to Parliament Fields in North London (C11 for example) Walk across Hampstead Heath and up towards Hampstead Village- aim for the Spaniards Inn for a roast….and after that, just walk down the Hill towards Camden (or with young kids)….GET THE BUS!!
Spaniard’s Inn on the edge of Hampstead Heath near Kenwood House dates back to the 16th century.
“I’ve signed up for panto at the SECC in Glasgow with Leah McCrae, who stars in Gary and River City,” said Greg. “The dynamic is so much fun being on stage with her, but who knows what’s going to happen.
“The world is on hold and has to be, and in terms of how that impacts on work for actors, well, it’s catastrophic. But that’s life.
“There are people far worse off. We can only hope there’s some light towards the end of the year.”
However, fans of the pair can enjoy some of their banter online, where they have teamed up for a series of videos for the Scottish Government, promoting the Stay At Home message during the coronavirus crisis.
