Is anyone aware of a convenience store near the Royal Horseguards Hotel? And/or the closest venue that would sell distilled water?

Also could someone help me with the phonetic pronunciation of the sandwich shot Pret a Manger?

Thanks in advance…bdj

You can pronounce the sandwich bar any way you like. Most people will get confused if you ask for "Pray a manajay": it's normally called Prette.

There's a clutch of convenience stores at the SW corner of TRafalgar Square.

As far as I'm aware, the only places you can buy distilled water in London are hardware stores (there are small Wilkinson branches scattered around the centre), and it's not drinkable.

There might be some ethnic shop catering for immigrants' weird tastes. Maybe someone on this board will point one out.

The convenience stores on Trafalgar Square are expensive. If you walk up to the Strand and turn down Bedford Street, the Tesco Metro is cheaper and better. It's open from 08.00-23.59 weekdays, 07.30-22.00 Saturdays and 12.00-18.00 Sundays.

Boots (a chain of pharmacies) should sell distilled water. Your nearest branch is opposite Trafalgar Square, a few doors from Charing Cross Station). There is also a good branch at Picadilly Circus.

Any pharmacy (Chemists) will sell distilled water.

Londonres...much obliged, precisely the information sought.

Now, can you help with the pronunciation of Pret a Manger?

Thanks in advance...bdj

flanner already gave you the English pronunciation

<Prette>

that's what they say there

???

Actually, it's more or less how they would say it in France, if you're going on to say the whole phrase - because of the following vowel.

meaning Prette ah man-gee

but British pronunciations are not always like the French

buffet = buffy

Madame Tussauds = Too-sods

so it could have been = Prette a main-jur perhaps?

should have been

Prette a mawn-gee

what weird things you yanks worry about! [only joking!]

Palen Q - I can only assum you'ce been watching "brief encounter recently - buffy indeed - as in vampire slayer presumably?

seriously bdj, go to google maps, google the address of your hotel, and put in "supermarkets" and "chemists".

voila! as they say in cricklewood.

regards, ann

Pret is not the only place you'll find for a cheap sandwich or salad in London.

Say it with me now (phonetics included):

"Marx N Spen Sur" Marks & Spencer

"Tess Koh" (Tesco - rhymes with "D'Oh!" which should be familiar if you have ever watched Homer Simpson).

Not to mention ubiquitous Subway sub shops

Is Pret a Manger owned by McDonalds?

There's a smaller chain you'll see in business districts - E.A.T.

I really thot Pret had been bought by a conglomerate but their web site says one of the two young guys who started in the mid 80s still owns this privately held company with stores in england and new york

The website All In London has a section on the tube. Click on it, and you can choose a particular tube stop. Click on that tube stop, and a page will come up that lists shops, restaurants, banks, and groceries.

http://www.allinlondon.co.uk/the-tube.php

Try that!

A 33% stake in Pret (rhymes with set) has been sold to McDonalds, but nothing appears to have changed. A good branch near bdj's hotel is the one in Trafalgar Square, next to St Martin-in-the-Fields church. There's lots of room, including tables outside.

I also like Eat, and there's a small branch on Villiers St, which runs beside Charing Cross Station, between the Strand and Embankment tube station. I have a weakness for their steak & cheese toastie.

Why do you want distilled water?

The aged cheddar and tomato relish sandwich was superb, at Prette Whatever. I went back for another the next day.

wrrllw...CPAP.