The area in and around Elephant and Castle is pretty grim but could soon turn around as the area is now seeing major regeneration.

This part of London has always been an important central London transport hub and a centre for shopping and entertainment. It was apparently once known as 'the Piccadilly of South London'.

However, after the area was heavily bombed during World War Two, it was redesigned to feature a large roads with two roundabouts, the country's first enclosed shopping mall and a maze of subways to move pedestrians around the area.

It probably looked great at that time, but today the shops, homes and offices at the Elephant and Castle look pretty dire and no one from outside would make a point of visiting the area for shopping or social reasons unless, that is, they are social scientists interested in the massive housing estates and the system of underground walkways.

The two major roundabouts dominate the area and the pink elephant fronted shopping centre is a bizarre sight for a driver, which looms up on the right as you head down the A2 to Kent.