David Beckham at Tower Bridge

Monday 30 July 2012

By The Artful Diner (@TheArtfulDiner)

Where were you on Friday night? As planned, I was at Blueprint Café with a corner table full of friends looking out at Tower Bridge. We’d heard rumours… something about James Bond, a mission, helicopters and David Beckham on a speedboat. Details might have been scant, but I’d say there was enough inspiration in that sentence to warrant hitting the waterfront.

Girls from miles around could be seen, heels in one hand, flats on, marching determinedly to Shad Thames, a bit like that Lynx advert. OK, so maybe I exaggerate a little; in fact, More London was busy, but the front felt eerily calm at this particular moment:

A few glasses of bubbly later, we’re watching the opening ceremony on the big screen and the bridge, well it starts to open…

There hadn’t been any sign of Beckham on the TV by this point, but then the fireworks started. A good sign…

And the flame arrives with Beckham at the helm! OK, so in my picture the flame may only be a flicker and Beckham a pink blur (obviously the dapper Beckham never has a hair out of place, but they were travelling very fast you know!). It was a very exciting moment and amazing to watch.

You may not be able to catch sight of the man himself again at Butler’s Wharf, but until the Games end on 12 August you can watch the Olympic Rings light up every evening at Tower Bridge.

 Further information:

Find out more about what's going on in the restaurants overlooking Tower Bridge this summer.