ðə fˈɔːɹmɚɹ ˌɛmpˈiː sˈaɪmən hjˈuːz hˌuː ɹˌɛpɹᵻzˈɛntᵻd bˈɜːmɑːndsi ænd ˈoʊld sˈaʊθwɔːɹk fɔːɹ θˈɜːɾi tˈuː jˈɪɹz kˈɑːmɛntᵻd ɪn hɪz pɹˈɛfəs tə ðə lˈɑːntʃ ʌv bˈɑːst dʒˈuːn tˈuː θˈaʊzənd tˈuː pˌʌblɪkˈeɪʃən "ɪn maɪ bˈækjɑːɹd ɡɹˈoʊɪŋ ɐ sˈɛns ʌv plˈeɪs ɪn bˈæŋksaɪd" ðæt lˈaɪf ɪz ɪŋkɹˈiːsɪŋli pɹˈɛʃɚd ænd ɐ ɹˈʌʃ.
The former MP Simon Hughes who represented Bermondsey and Old Southwark for 32 years commented in his preface to the launch of BOST's June 2002 publication "In My Backyard - Growing a sense of place in Bankside" that 'Life is increasingly pressured and a rush.