My London - South Mimms

South Mimms was originally know for being the site of the worlds first underground drainage system. The system extended over 15 miles until its collapse in 1347 which resulted in the lost of north mimms, just to the east. Most villages would have disappeared in to obscurity. However since the induction of the parish of south mimms into the metropolitan police region in 1840. A rich and vibrant community has grown up around an area know locally then internationally as 'the services'. Originally home for highwaymen and coachmen in a strange form of truce away from the open road, south mimms soon grew in to a bustling region of London. Where anything was available from women of questionable virtue to travel rugs of questionable warmth. One of the great mysteries is when shortbread became a local delicacy, this however has been lost in the mists of time. In the modern age as highwaymen were made obsolete by the congestion charge and coachmen developed larger bladders the services were in a lull. The invention of prepacked sandwiches, soon saw south mimms enter its golden age. Families on route to the north , truckers ( looking for a place to forget buried hitch hikers) and sales reps reveled in an ecstasy of coming together for a ginsters. Through out the 90's ravers passed through more than once trying to find fabled free parties. With a ready supply of soft porn, spud u like and lax cctv on the car park many never left. However the continuous supply of piping hot potatoes were to end this golden era . Mavis Roundtree (pictured above) fuelled by insomnia and cheap amphetamine worked continuously from 14th June 1985 till that fateful day in 1999 when she spontaneously combusted. The 13th century thatch did not stand a chance, south mimms as we knew it was lost to myth. However the community came together in a spirit reminiscent of the blitz, in a frenzy of building managed to knock up a new services in four short years. So today a vibrant fusion of cultures ( fried chicken and paini's) prosper in a spirit of internationalism not seen since Danzig between the wars. Well to close as Samuel Johnson once said if you are tired....Take a break and stretch your legs.