You don't get much for free in London... maybe the occasional bag of crisps or can of coke at Victoria station if there's a promotion of some kind going on or the Standard Lite if you need something to clean your shoe with after treading in something nasty...
Come the first of May though and you can head to Covent Garden and the South Bank for free human contact: free hugs to be exact. The idea is that Londoners will be in need of a big squeeze as election fever gets worse.
Random Huggers Day founder Mayella Johnstone said that although "some people are reticent to be hugged at first, they soon get the idea and find it really refreshing". Yeah, right. Are these the same people that turn white with fear if you strike up a conversation with them on the tube? Londonist envisions professional huggers dropping in droves, clutching their freshly maced faces while stressed Londoners kick them in the groin screaming "Mind the gap!"
I mean did you take the Piccadilly Line last night? It was like the circle of hell specifically designed for the impatient. We met one guy down there who asked if rationing was over yet.
