News

Pints, pies and Fred Perry: everywhere in London you’ll find peak ‘Britishcore’

From the darts to giant Greggs, here’s how to live out the TikTok trend in the Big Smoke

India Lawrence
Written by
India Lawrence
Staff Writer, UK
A collage of different British things
Image: Jamie Inglis for Time Out
Advertising

Step aside brat and demure, because there’s a new TikTok trend in town. This time, people on the internet are embracing being Bri’ish. Britishcore, not to be confused with the music genre Britcore, celebrates some of the more humdrum aspects of life in old Blighty. The trend has been brewing over summer and is thought to have been accelerated by the buzzy Oasis reunion tour, which means if you haven’t already, you’ll soon start to notice it all over your Insta feed and For You Page. 

Sausage rolls from Greggs? That’s Britishcore. A pint at an old man pub? Britishcore. Playing darts? You guessed it, that’s quintessentially Britishcore. Essentially, the trend is taking certain components of white, British working class culture and aestheticising them for online. We didn't come up with it, but here is where to go should you want to live out the Britishcore trend yourself, right here in the big smoke.  

Blue Posts Pub
Photograph: Shutterstock

Blue Posts Berwick Street

Before the Blue Posts pub was taken over by fashion darlings, it was a proper British boozer. And if you can look past all the bright white socks with loafers and jorts, its unapologetic UK essence still remains. With sticky red carpets, handsome wood paneling and lager’s greatest hits on tap, you can’t go wrong. We recommend rocking up in a Burberry trench coat. 

22 Berwick St, W1F 0QA. 

Fred Perry store
Photograph: @CHAZZADNITT

Fred Perry Covent Garden

Didn’t you know? Indie sleaze and Britishcore go hand in hand. Channel your inner Camden rocker by picking up a few Fred Perry polos at the store in Covent Garden before swaggering around with a cigarette in hand, dropping ash on people as you go. Pete Doherty, eat your heart out.   

9 Henrietta St, WC2E 8PW.

Regency cafe
Photograph: Shutterstock

Regency Café

If you want to truly channel Britishcore, you’re going to have to order youself a fat ’ol fry-up (none of that vegetarian nonsense is allowed). The place to scoff eggs, sausage and beans is Regency Café in Pimlico: as the pinnacle of greasy spoons, this proper old-school caff serves up stodge-tastic eats like steak pie with chips and gravy as well as the classic Full English breakfast. Also, other London fry ups are available. 

17-19 Regency St, SW1P 4BY.

Darts
Photograph: Lloyd Winters

The Darts at Ally Pally

Silly costumes, screaming lads and thousands of pints. Can it get more British than that? Watching heavyset men lob sticks at a board is a sport so strangely boring yet thrilling that obviously only Brits could be behind it. And the World Darts Championships at Alexandra Palace is where the crème de la crème of the sport gather once a year. Obviously, it’s best enjoyed with lots of beer – and you’ll have to plan ahead for this one. The next Paddy Power World Darts Championship will take place from December 15, 2024 until January 3, 2025.

Alexandra Palace Way, N22 7AY.

Greggs flagship store
Photograph: Shutterstock

Mega Greggs

Brits take their sausage rolls very seriously. And where else to cop one but Greggs, the everyman’s bakery where you can get your hands on a warm, flaky and wonderfully salty meat-stuffed pastry for just more than a quid? We imagine the guy who invented ‘bosh’ was chomping down on a Greggs saussie roll when the genius struck him. 

ICYMI Here are five ways to have a very demure time in London

Popular on Time Out

    More on city identity
      You may also like
      You may also like
      Advertising