Do you know where this is in London?

[SundayBells]

This is a really odd one I know.

This is a (blurred out) photo of my husband and his friend when they were teenagers. They'd hitched to London in the 1970s to see a band and had the time of their lives.

This is the only photo they have of the trip. Neither of them know where this photo was taken and, as they have a special occasion coming up, I would love to be able to tell them.

I've tried reversing the image and everything else I can so I'm throwing myself on the collective wisdom on MN. Can anyone help please?

This looks right to me, particularly if you look at the buildings around it.

This looks like it

@blarn is right

I think we've found it! The shape, scale, colour and the brickwork look right to me. Well done @Blarn

Not Trafalgar Square? The base of the lions or Nelson?

I don't think I have ever in my life so confidently thought, "I know that plinth!" And probably never will again!

It's definitely this. The building in the background is Marlow's. Still has the stone ballusteade around the base and the same shaped windows. Visible on Streetgoogle

National portrait gallery.
Sorry - I've just seen it's been found!

Very impressed @Blarn that's absolutely it.

(My first instinct was Bank, but that makes no sense in terms of why two teenagers who'd hitched in for a gig would be there. No venues near there, no venues were near there in the 70s afaik.)

I love the irony of their username when all I’ve ever seen them doing is being negative and shitty on here

How rude!

Did you know because you've gone through or hung around Waterloo Place a lot, or do you just have an uncommon interest in/memory for London plinths?!

(And to combat the one killjoy voice on this thread, I think this is a LOVELY idea and hopefully I'll remember it when I unearth photos of my friends' 00s party days...)

Thought the same.

Another one thinking Bank, glad to be corrected

Top work @Blarn

I was wondering that too!

What are you going to do now you've found the location of the photo @SundayBells? I hope that it will involve a trip back there for your husband and his friend!

Do they know you age trying to identify the location?
I ask because if they do then you could sit with them and try and retrace their movements.
eg did they get a tube and then walk to venue.
Did they eat out?
That might narrow it down a bit.

Oh…I see I had to read more than OP’s posts for the update (so don’t shoot me!).
I see MN now has a resident plinth expert. Always useful!

Brilliant!!

One of the bronze statues in Whitehall - George, Duke of Cambridge

I agree!

I also agree with others that it looks a bit like Bank of England area but I also doubt that a couple of young lads would be in that area.

My first thoughts were Whitehall or near Horse Guards (due to the arches) but I think the arches look wrong.

@Blarn Are you going to apply to be a contestant on “ Name That Plinth”?!!

Agree - near Bank of England, Poultry / Princes street, The Ned. Good luck!

I also thought Bank initially, but it looks like Blarn has it. And that area would make more sense for two lads coming in for a gig.

Waterloo Place is a good fit with two lads going to the big smoke for a gig
and wandering up to Carnaby Street and then across to Wardour Street