The Open Guide to London: the free London guide

Hay's Galleria stands on the south bank of the Thames, off Tooley Street, close to London Bridge, and More London, and was once a wharf for 19th-century tea clippers. It's now paved and has a fine arched glass roof held by soaring 60ft iron columns.

There's a very small market in the middle, with some tourist stuff, a great jewellery stall (chap + trendy), a lady who sells fluffy jumpers and some southeast Asian clothes. Close to the streetside entrance is located one of London's enduring oddities, the Christmas Shop. Yes, that's a shop that sells Christmas decorations all year long.

There are shops and eating places around the edge: Next, Boots, Starbucks, a little book store (Riverside Books), an Indian restaurant, Balls Brothers wine bar, Cafe Rouge. In the centre is David Kemp's large mechanical boat-shaped sculpture and fountain, "The Navigators" (very eccentric).

A really good place to just hang out, but not worth crossing London just to get there, unless as part of a visit including some of the other nearby attractions - such as the HMS Belfast, which is moored next to Hay's, the London Dungeon, the Tate Modern, Tower Bridge and the [Tower of London]? across the river.

• The BBC has a panorama of Hay's Galleria (requires Java).