Old Lady of Threadneedle Street kept in good company...

Hold onto your seat, tighten your belt, tough times are ahead, or so some analayst would have it. Many mortgage holders coming towards the end of their existing deals are concerned about the prospect of having to try and secure a new deal.

The pound has been struggling against the Euro recently, which is good news for European visitors wanted to get the most out of a trip to London. French, German and Spanish apeaking visitors can also discover the hidden secrets behind some of the capital's most famous landmarks with a Walk Talk Tour downloadable mp3 guided tour.

The City and the Tower tour takes in some of the most important financial institutions in the UK, including the venerable Old Lady of Threadneedle Street. Visitors listening to their Walk Talk Tour podcast guided tour will hear how the Bank of England was established by a Scotsman in the 1690s. Tourists using the downloadable City and Tower travel guide will find out when the term 'Old Lady of Threadneedle Street' was first used, and how it was popularised.

The Bank of England has been the subject of some audacious fraud attempts down the years. You can learn about some of them at your leisure with the City and the Tower iPod city guide.

You will also discover how a genuine famous female once lived close to the Bank of England. St Mildred's Court, opposite the Mansion House, was once the home of Elizabeth Fry a woman who campaigned tirelessly for the welfare of prisoners in the early nineteenth century. The 'Angel of the prisons' successfully brought her influence and knowledge to bear on senior politicians at a time when most men and no women had a political voice. A likeness of her image appears on the back of the five pound note issued by the Bank of England.

To find out more about the Old Lady of Threadneedle Street and Elizabeth Fry and the route of the City and the Tower guide please click here. To listen to an audio sample from the City and the Tower tour please click here.