Hi, my name is Derek Tarr. I have been a London 'Blue Badge' tourist guide since 1986, but I have worked in travel & tourism for over 50 years.

I  began my working life in the City of London at Lloyds of London. However in 1969 I started travelling, at first for my own interest, spending time in various parts of the Eastern Mediterranean and Middle East. I was then given the opportunity to escort others to that part of the world and over the next five years I worked in Greece, Turkey, Iran & Morocco. During the winter months I escorted expedition tours across the Sahara Desert!

On returning to the UK I was employed for several years by a leading coach tour operator as a driver/guide taking tourist groups around the British Isles (England, Wales, Scotland & Ireland) on tours lasting up to four weeks.

Being a Londoner born & breed and living in London, I then began working as a tourist guide, taking visitors on day tours around London and on day trips out of London with occasional longer tours around Britain.

In addition to being a LONDON registered ‘Blue Badge’ tourist guide, I am also a registered tourist guide for SOUTH EAST ENGLAND, CUMBRIA & NORTHUMBIA.

I am an Accredited Guide for the Palace of Westminster (Houses of Parliament), Somerset House, Windsor Castle, York Minster and Canterbury Cathedral. In 2009 I passed the 2012 Olympics guide course.

I am a member of the Institute of Tourist Guiding, the Association of Professional Tourist Guides and the Driver Guide Association.

In recent years I have escorted many specialist tours including garden tours to various parts of the UK and during the winter of 1997/8 I undertook a course on the history of gardens at the Museum of Garden History in Lambeth, London.

I now specialise as a driver-guide and I have two very nice vehicles. One is a new VW Multivan Plug-in Hybrid which can hold up to 6 passengers plus the driver and the other is a Mercedes mini-coach, which can hold up to 16 passengers in very comfortable coach seats. Both vehicle are fully licensed, the 6 seat as a Private Hire Vehicle (PCO) and the 16 seat as a Passenger Carrying Vehicle (PCV). ALL PASSENGERS ARE FULLY INSURED.