Poet’s Corner, in the grounds of Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park, Richmond, London. The supplied source row gives TW10 5HX
Ian Dury Memorial Bench
Battle & memorial
Place photograph
5.2
Wildland
Under 1 hour
Time
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Cost
Peaceful
Feel
Why it's Wildland
5.2A memorial bench that turns a pause in Richmond Park into a listening visit: its QR code links to nine Ian Dury and the Blockheads songs and a recording of Dury’s Desert Island Discs interview.
This is a small, specific memorial rather than a destination for a day in its own right. Its appeal lies in the unusual idea behind it: a park bench designed to let visitors hear Ian Dury’s music while enjoying the park he loved.
Peaceful
Find your way
Open mapPoet’s Corner, in the grounds of Pembroke Lodge, Richmond Park, Richmond, London. The supplied source row gives TW10 5HX
Opening map…
Know this place a little better?
The experience
A brief stop at Poet’s Corner to find the memorial bench and, if its QR code and your phone are working, listen to music and an interview associated with Ian Dury.
Things to do
Listen at the Sonic Vista bench
Scan the bench’s QR code, if present and working, to access nine Ian Dury and the Blockheads songs and his Desert Island Discs interview.
Read the “Reasons to Be Cheerful” inscription
The Royal Parks identifies this as the wording on the bench, referencing one of Dury’s songs.
Make a day of it
Quick escape · Under 1 hour
Quick Escape: the listening bench
- 01
Make your way to Poet’s Corner in the grounds of Pembroke Lodge.
- 02
Find the bench and its “Reasons to Be Cheerful” inscription.
- 03
If the QR code is available, scan it to access Ian Dury and the Blockheads recordings and Dury’s Desert Island Discs interview.
Verified history
Ian Dury’s family, the Blockheads and Warner Chappell Music Ltd donated the bench to Richmond Park in 2002. Product designer Mil Stricevic created it as part of the Sonic Vista project. Its original solar-powered players and headphones were vandalised or damaged by the elements. In 2015, Dury’s family and the Royal Parks planned a refurbishment, replacing that system with QR-code access via a phone. The recordings listed by Ian Dury’s official site include nine songs and his Desert Island Discs interview, first broadcast on 15 December 1996. The Royal Parks says Dury regularly visited the park.
Hidden details
A bench with a changing listening system — The original version used solar-powered MP3 players and headphones built into the bench. After those were damaged, QR codes became the access method. The official Ian Dury site says visitors should bring headphones to listen privately.
What to look for
Look for the bench inscription, “Reasons to Be Cheerful”, and the QR code used to access recordings.
The story
Music and memorial
Best time to go
No season-specific advantage is established by the supplied sources.
No best time of day is established by the supplied sources.
How long to spend
Under 1 hour
Perfect for
Music lovers · History lovers
Before you go
Address
Website
Google rating
Practical information
Opening & access
The Royal Parks lists Richmond Park pedestrian gates as open 24/7. The bench is identified as being in the grounds of Pembroke Lodge. Check current park information before travelling.
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Parking
Check before visiting; the supplied sources do not confirm parking at the bench.
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Toilets
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Food & drink
The Royal Parks lists food and drink as available in Richmond Park; it does not specify provision at the bench. Check current details before visiting.
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Dogs
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Accessibility
The source row reports a wheelchair-accessible entrance, but does not establish the route or surface to the bench. Check before visiting.
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Cost
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Gallery
Place photographsKeep exploring
Around Ian Dury Memorial Bench
Within 50 km · approximate straight-line distances
