India Lawrence

There’s no season more welcome than the start of summer. Brighter days, warmer temperatures and more time outdoors results in an uplifted mood and a general lust for life. It also helps when you have a stellar summer playlist – the kind that draws on golden classics and modern hits alike to really add a healthy dose of that feel-good feeling we all love. Here at Time Out, our team of writers and editors have you covered when it comes to the most essential summer anthems. From a Bill Withers staple to some Sabrina Carpenter sparkle, our playlist of the best summer songs captures all the fun, warmth and mood-lifting magic you want when it comes to soundtracking your summer months. RECOMMENDED: 🎤 The best karaoke songs ❤️ The best love songs🎉 The best party songs🕺 The best albums of 2025 so far

We don’t know about you, but we think we’re pretty damn lucky to have world-class festivals just a tube ride away. Forget trekking across the country to live in a field for five days. When you live in London, you can hop on a tube, and an hour later you’re listening to your favourite artists, tinny to hand, knowing that there’s a hot shower and a cosy bed waiting for you once the day is over. We Londoners love live music, so it’s no surprise that we’re absolutely spoilt for choice when summer rolls around. You’ve got festivals devoted to hip-hop, jazz, leftfield pop, disco, afrobeats, heavy rock ‘n’ roll. Whatever your taste may be, my god does London have a day festival for you. After a flurry of acts announcements in February and March, the line-ups for summer’s festivals have pretty much taken shape by early spring, which means it’s time to make some decisions about which festivals are worth your time and money. Have a scroll through our comprehensive guide – which we keep meticulously updated with all the latest line-up announcements – see what takes your fancy, and start planning a fantastic summer in 2025. But be warned, most London festivals get more expensive the later you leave it, and plenty of them will sell out long before the portaloos are installed and the stages are constructed. Grab your tickets right now if you know what’s good for ya! RECOMMENDED: ⛺ The best UK music festivals🌍 The best festivals in Europe

With a bounty of great parties happening in the capital this Easter bank holiday, you can dance till you drop. Here’s our round-up of the long weekend’s best parties from Thursday April 17 to Monday April 21 2025, from (hopefully) sun-soaked daytime soirees to late-night ragers at some of the city’s best clubs.  If you’ve got the stamina, you could turn Easter into a proper bender. Just don’t count on a quick resurrection in time for work on Tuesday. RECOMMENDED:The best Easter events and activities in LondonThe 50 best nights out in London

There’s a lot of talk about the state of London nightlife right now. Naysayers lament the fact that venues are closing at an alarming rate, blame Gen Zs for not going out and claim that it’s impossible to get a drink in central after 1am (it’s really not). With all that negativity and uncertainty, it’s tempting to just stick to what you know – or worse, stay in – rather than get out there and experience what this vast city has to offer after dark.  There are new nights popping up all the time. Heart of Soul, Jungyals and Gays, Club Stamina and Joyride are all relatively new (and totally brilliant) additions to London’s club scene. There’s also the nights that have remained classics for good reason – Rowans, the Palm Tree fridays, K-Hole – as well as more wholesome late-evening activities like life drawing, spoken word nights and supper clubs.  There’s nights out for everyone in this city. Nights for foodies, film buffs, audiophiles. Nights for marathon ravers, old-school movers and for when you need a proper good singalong. Even nights out for when you just want a nice sit down.  We curated this list by asking Time Out staff members for their favourite nights out in the city – and trust us, we know our stuff. Our list features nights in central London, east London, west London, north London and in south London. They all take place frequently, or semi-frequently, throughout the year and each offers something unique. So what are you waiting for? Start planning your next night o

We’re holding out for a sun-soaked July this summer, which means plenty of lidos, rooftop bars, beer gardens and alfresco dining. We can already taste the sunset Aperol Spritz.  This July is going to be a biggie. Drake is in town for a whopping three nights at Wireless festival, Rosamund Pike hits the West End stage starring in Inter Alia, and BST at Hyde Park is in full swing, with Noah Kahan and Sabrina Carpenter performing in July.  London music festivals are still in full swing in July, and it’s also a chance to take in the city’s lavender and sunflower fields, which are at their blooming loveliest. Here’s our guide to the best exhibitions, shows and things to do this July 2025 in London.  RECOMMENDED: The definitive London events calendar

Why not enjoy your dinner with a side of strange? London is home to hundreds of amazing restaurants, but sometimes everyone hankers for a talking point with their tapas. We’ve rounded up a serious bunch of entertaining eateries: oddball decor, kooky culinary concepts and – yes – cats. Our list of unusual restaurants will delight animal lovers, garlic fans, and yodellers and more. You’ll find these joints in venues as varied as a boat, a prison and a church crypt. This is dining with a difference.  RECOMMENDED: The best weird bars in London. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Picture the scene. It’s June in London, it’s properly summer, festival season is in full swing, and you just broke up with the situationship that was weighing you down for the past six months. Feels good, doesn’t it? There are already a load of cracking events announced for June in the city, including the first edition of Lido festival (featuring Charli XCX, Massive Attack and Jamie XX), the return of London Road to the National Theatre, and the inaugural SXSW in London.  Plus, the capital truly comes into its own this month: beer gardens are at their prime, the city parks are at their prettiest, the open-air theatre season gets going and eating alfresco is on the cards at some of London’s best restaurants. Plus, expect to see long queues in south west London as tennis fans line up to bag a place at the epic Wimbledon championships.  RECOMMENDED: Plan a great summer with our guide to London’s best music fests Get ahead of the pack and start planning your perfect July in London. 

Want a drink? You've come to the right place. This is Time Out’s list of best bars in London, our curated guide to London’s drinking scene, featuring the buzziest booze dens in the capital right now. If it’s on this list, it’s excellent. These are the 50 places we'd recommend to a friend, because we love drinking in them and have done many times over. From classy cocktail joints to delightful dives, hotel bars, speakeasys, bottle shops, rooftops and wine bars, London's got them all. But what makes a truly good bar? Well, our critieria for inclusion on this list is simple; a menu of genius drinks is important, but so is overall vibe – there’s no point having the perfect paloma if you have to drink it in a bar that smells of bins. To make the Top 50 a bar has to be fun, full of lovely folk, be inclusive and also look the part.  The latest additions to our list include rowdy sports bar meets 80s horror movie set Bloodsports in Covent Garden, whisky wonderland Dram Bar on Denmark Street, the hypnotic Bar Lotus in Dalston, Below Stone Nest in Chinatown, Rasputin’s by London Fields, and Bar Lina, an Italian aperitivo spot underneath a famous Soho deli. Now go forth and drink. RECOMMENDED: Like bars? Then you'll love London's best pubs.  Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor, and she'll have a dirty gin martini if you're buying. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

Breakfast is the most important meal of the day, and luckily for London, the city caters to every possible whim. These days, London isn’t just home to the fry-up, but the ubiquitous smashed avocado on toast, bowls of shakshuka and many more besides. In fact, London genuinely might be the best place to eat breakfast in the world. Whether you’re the kind of person who favours a posh restaurant over a greasy spoon, or who champions a caff over a swanky hotel, we’ve rounded up the ultimate list. From morning mezze to croissants, udon noodle bowls and south Indian platters – it’s all here. RECOMMENDED: Breakfast’s a little too early for you? Try one of London’s best brunches instead. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines. The hottest new openings, the tastiest tips, the spiciest reviews: we’re serving it all on our London restaurants WhatsApp channel. Follow us now to tuck in.

It is already April. Where does the time go? This month things are looking exciting and varied in London’s dance scene. In the classics we’ve got Romeo & Juliet and the eternally great Balanchine at the Royal Opera House, while things are looking a bit cooler over at the Southbank Centre which welcomes music video director Holly Blakey for a double bill, including new works.  For the youngsters, there’s Danish choreographer Mette Ingvartsen’s energetic skatepark installation at Sadler’s Wells East, and an ENB performance of Swan Lake designed specifically for kids.  India is in charge of dance listings at Time Out. She was first shoved into a leotard and ballet shoes aged four, and has loved it ever since. Nowadays India prefers contemporary (or dancing in a sweaty club) to ballet, but still has a soft spot for the odd grand jeté every now and again. India has been reviewing dance all over London since joining Time Out in 2022.  MORE STAGE: Dance classes in London Best theatre shows this yearBest theatre shows this monthBest comedy shows this month

There’s nothing much better than a properly good night out. Chaotic pre-drinks, sweaty dance floors, thumping bass, the promise of running into a crush and the end-of-night kebab are some of life’s biggest joys. We know it’s hard not to feel glum about the state of nightlife in the UK right now – we can’t ignore the fact that venues are closing at alarming rates across the country (an average of 10 are closing every month, per Night Time Industries Association data). However, the UK’s late-night culture is far from dead yet. In fact, it is alive and kicking.  Our dancefloors are changing, and instead of stalwart nightclubs being the go-to places, now the hottest parties travel around to different venues. They are DIY, independent and grassroots nights out, powered by the most banging tunes, the fiercest outfits, and a genuine vigour for making sure everyone has a fantastic time in the dance.  From thriving queer scenes, to the big trance revival, and the explosion of genres like amapiano, gqom and dancehall, going out in the UK has never been more exciting or varied. Here we’ve asked local experts to compile a by no means definitive list of some of the best parties in the UK that you can dance the night away at right now. India Lawrence is Time Out’s Staff Writer, UK. She has written extensively about nightlife and festivals in London for Time Out, and thinks all Friday nights should be spent on a sweaty dance floor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guideline

The smog and stress of London can really take its toll on your skin. That’s why there’s nothing better than a regular facial (or a one-off treat) to give you that much-needed top-up, leaving you feeling glowing, fresh-faced and dewy.  Just thinking about what we put our skin through is enough to give you frown lines. That’s thanks to the combined efforts of pollution and air-conditioned offices, as well as the added bonuses of harsh weather, booze, sun exposure, dehydration and – our least favourite – the inevitable passing of time. Happily, there are loads of great spas, treatment rooms and estheticians in London who can give your face a break and a much-needed zhuzh. Whether you’re after a relaxing, soothing facial massage, some instant radiance, a total skincare overhaul or something a little more intense such as microneedling or laser treatment, read our pick of facials in London.  RECOMMENDED: The best spas in London. 

This is one for fans of Glastonbury’s NYC Downlow. The former Panorama Bar resident and Downlow big cheese Prosumer will bring his house and disco goodness to Phonox for an all-night-long set of pure vibes this Easter Thursday. Expect a night of euphoric house, uplifting soul and disco deep cuts, the perfect start to the bank holiday weekend. 

As anyone who has ever tried to secure a booking at the London Fields Lido on a warm summer day will know, us Londoners love a good dip. So it’s only natural that the capital’s Design Museum should stage an exhibition dedicated to our adoration of swimming.  With more than 200 objects, Splash! presents a whistle-stop tour for water babies taking us all the way from bizarre Victorian bathing carriages, to the present-day mermaidcore TikTok trend. From the politics of the pool (and who gets to learn to swim) to the evolution of swimwear and pool architecture, Splash! covers a lot of ground. The show is split into three sections – the pool, the lido and nature – and perhaps the most fun part, each section is designed to mimic different swimming spaces which feature in the exhibit, including the London Aquatics Centre and the art-deco Penzance Jubilee Pool.  In the first part, ‘the pool’, is quite the collection of stuff, focussing largely on Olympic swimming – a model for the London Aquatics Centre, a swimming cap belonging to Syrian swimmer Yusra Mardini, a jumper knitted by Tom Daley, and a 1984 David Hockney poster for the Los Angeles Olympics are all show. It also wouldn’t be an exhibition about pool design without some pretty Wes Anderson-style photography. The highly controversial LZR racer swimsuit is another gem on display – the suit designed by Speedo and NASA was responsible for 94 percent of swimming gold medals at Beijing 2008, and was subsequently banned for ‘techni

This June, Tate Britain will stage Edward Burra’s first retrospective in over a decade, and the first in London in 40 years. The 20th Century painter is best known for his vivid and surreal scenes of cafés, clubs and cabarets, capturing life in the Roaring Twenties. In more than 80 paintings, the exhibition will look back at Burra’s life, including his time spent in the cultural scenes of Paris and Harlem, and his personal experience of conflicts in Europe. A ticket to Edward Burra will also allow entry to Ithell Colquhoun, also at Tate Britain, as the exhibitions are running in tandem.   

What is a spatial audio festival, you might be wondering? If you go to Polygon Live LDN, you’ll probably find out. The gist is seeing live music in a 360-degree arena surrounded by high-tech lights and loads of crystal-clear speakers – a spectacle which event organisers actually call a ‘spaceship’. Artists on the lineup so far include dreamy Pakistani-American singer Arooj Aftab, electronic legend Jon Hopkins, and composer Cosmo Sheldrake. This is one for audiophiles looking for something a bit more immersive. 

Wake up babe, a new house and techno festival in London just dropped. Legendary house DJ Jamie Jones has announced he is bringing a brand-new festi to the capital this summer, taking over Boston Manor Park with one of his world-famous Paradise parties. Spread across four stages, Paradise in the City promises to have ‘cutting-edge sound and state-of-the-art production’, all produced by partners LWE. The line-up hasn’t been anounnced yet, but it’s going span to a variety of techno and house DJs, all hand-selected by Jones. Expect a day of four-to-the-floor belters with an Ibiza vibe. 

40FT brewery is teaming up with neighbouring ‘live fire’ restaurant Acme Fire Cult for a proper Irish knees-up this St Paddy’s Day. The Dalston brewers will be launching their Nitro Deep Stout for the occasion, with boozy Jameson Boilermaker cocktails also on offer. On the food menu? Spice bags! For anyone unacquainted, these are an Irish takeaway staple, featuring chips, fried chicken and peppers all shaken up in a paper bag with loads of spices. Chef Andrew Clarke’s take on them will feature grilled, herb-fed chicken, chicken fat potatoes, peppers, onions and chicken skin doused in a special Acme Vadouvan curry sauce. And there’ll also be DJs on from 7.30pm. 

There’s a lot going on at Dram Bar. Beneath this cool Denmark Street hangout, bartenders are making their own ferments, cordials, and low ABV wines in a basement lab. They are also whisky specialists, and there’s a vending machine packed with Dram’s homemade, pre-packaged cocktails. Vibe-wise, this 17th century, Grade II-listed building has been converted into a Bauhaus by way of Blade Runner drinking cave. It’s drenched in pink and orange neon and has a cute terrace out the back – a rare find for a venue so close to Tottenham Court Road. For drinks, you’ve got whiskys, the usual suspects of beers and wines, and a small, seasonal menu of superb, innovative cocktails. Also: they serve fantastic pickles, which are the perfect accompaniment to Dram’s well thought-out tipples.  Order this  Do not sleep on the ‘taps’ section of the menu, pre-made on site and available on tap. I started off with the Stone Fruit. Made with seasonal fruit that has been fermented in-house, my peach-y edition was refreshing and light with a hint of natty wine funkiness aka pure catnip for trendy London drinkers.  Time Out tip Dram serves 350 kinds of whisky. If you’re open to trying new things, tell the knowledgeable bartenders what you like and they’ll sort you out with something decent.

Watching Humanhood’s spellbinding new show, ∞ {Infinite}, feels a bit like being hypnotised. For one hour and 15 minutes you get to be mesmerised by dancers moving with liquid limbs; their flow is impeccable as they execute flawless spirals, their spines constantly twisting and arms almost always undulating, as they roll, dive, slide and leap across the space.  Humanhood’s directors Julia Robert and Rudi Cole are known for looking at dance through a spiritual lens, incorporating shamanic practice into their choreography. They call ∞ {Infinite} their first ever ‘dance theatre meditation’, and it certainly delivers on the meditation. There is no story or plot to the piece, Instead it’s a visceral exploration of the human body and its connection to the elements and wider universe. This isn’t just a load of mumbo jumbo – as viewers, we get to go on the spiritual journey too. A serene, echoing voice asks us to close our eyes. Breath. Listen to our bodies. The gentle sound of birdsong and crashing waves takes us deeper into the meditation. The smell of incense fills the auditorium and fog is gently pumped out across the stage, making the room smokey.  Elements of South Asian mysticism are certainly evident here. Many times the dancers sit on the floor cross-legged and stoic, eyes closed. At other times their formations and floor patterns are mapped out like a Buddhist zen garden, all spirals, swirls and perfect circles. Almost in constant flow, Humanhood’s signature fluid choreogra

All of London’s hippest and hottest people will once again be making the pilgrimage to Peckham for the tenth edition of electronic music bonanza GALA. Returning in its usual slot over the late May bank holiday, the festival is celebrating reaching double digits with a stellar three-day line-up curated in partnership with NTS radio, plus some of the city’s most acclaimed music and nightlife brands. Friday’s slightly mellowed line-up features headline sets from Floating Points, Moodymann and Theo Parrish, while Avalon Emerson, Ben UFO and KiNK get top billing on a Saturday line-up that leans towards the heavier end of the dance music spectrum, with curation from Chapter Ten and The Cause. Headlined by Caribou, Floorplan and Hunee & Antal, the festival’s closing day features artists from Rhythm Section, plus several stalwarts from London’s queer party scene. Also on the line-up across the three days are: Anz, Batu, Bradley Zero, Gideön, Heléna Star, Horse Meat Disco, Hudson Mohawke, Michelle Manetti, Surusinghe, Tash LC and many, many more. 

Yes, the landmark exhibition opening Somerset House’s 2025 season is all about soil. Unless you are a pedologist, you might question if SOIL: The World At Our Feet will be worth your while. Can a topic as humdrum as the dirt beneath our feet be interesting? My answer is: sort of.  The exhibition is part science display, part art show, part anti-climate change call to action. If you think it sounds a tad confused, that’s because it is. Other than just ‘soil’, it is hard to sum up exactly what this exhibition is about. ‘Soil abounds with life,’ reads the wall text that begins the exhibition. ‘Look down’ it tells us, hoping to inspire awe at the ground we walk upon. It opens with some quite beautiful up-close images of bacteria, and planet-like photographs of microbes making patterns in earth. Not so pretty are the zoomed-in black and white photos of bugs – including a very scary ant – and grim up-close videos of slime mould. Not for the squeamish, but great if you’re into that stuff. Then there’s a nice immersive installation showing beautiful time lapses of seed germination and roots growing. After this everything gets a bit more random.  Can a topic as humdrum as the dirt beneath our feet be interesting? Sort of.  The bulk of the show is made up of artworks inspired by nature, made with natural materials (sometimes literally made with soil), or pertaining to some wider theme about the natural world. There’s definitely some cool stuff in here, including an Ana Mendieta super-

Most people will know a fair bit about the last French royals: the exuberant wealth, the massive hair, the questionably true confectionary-themed catchphrases. And perhaps the most iconic thing about the late kings and queens of France? The Palace of Versailles.  Versailles: Science and Splendour explores the marvellous scientific research and discoveries that took place at the royals’ fabulous home before all the guillotining took place. Told in chronological order, the exhibit offers up digestible and fascinating bits of information about science, art and design – with treasures of the era to match – spanning the last years of the French monarchy from Louis XIV’s ascension in 1643 to the French Revolution in 1789.  Louis, who liked to call himself the Sun King – because what is more essential to humans than the Sun? – set himself the task of giving Versailles the biggest glow-up it would ever see when he came to the throne. And to do that, he needed technology. We learn about the engineering feats that were needed to create Versailles’ symmetrical gardens (the biggest ever made in the style), and how the royals used hydraulic power to channel more water into their fountains than supplied the whole of Paris.  It does a great job paying homage to under-the-radar figures, especially women Gems on display include gilded astronomical devices, the earliest models of pregnancy, a stunningly detailed moon map and the Breguet No. 160: one of the most intricate and expensive watches

The Bell in Ticehurst is the manic pixie dream girl of boutique hotels. In Ticehurst, a sweet East Sussex village, the 16th century pub and hotel is a local legend. Its beautiful upstairs room, kitted out with bespoke baroque-style wallpaper and grandiose chandeliers, still hosts the town hall meetings. On a Sunday evening in October, the downstairs pub has a merry, community feel, with seasoned locals propping themselves up at the bar alongside the trendy down-from-Londoners who inhabit the inn’s seven rooms for weekends away.  For décor, the Bell’s interior designer, Richard Brett, has taken a whimsical page straight out of Lewis Caroll’s Alice in Wonderland. There are riddles written on the walls and pillars made entirely out of dog-eared books. The room I stayed in, one of four outside lodges, had the word ‘pretty’ written on its concave ceiling over and over again, in a hypnotic spiral (a bit weird, but also kind of fun). The place also has a mad art collection belonging to the Bell’s owner, which includes a Tracey Emin, Graham Sutherland and a Banksy.  As arty as it is, The Bell also has a quaint English charm about it, with its communal areas populated by squidgy arm chairs, low ceilings showing off exposed tudor beams, taxidermied critters and abundance of fireplaces. Inside the room was just as cosy: the bed was immense and plush, with crisp, white sheets. I was more than happy to spend an hour soaking myself in the pristine bathroom, which had a roomy bathtub and p

Have you ever seen a mysterious green pipe in London, and wondered what it’s for? You’re not the only one. These odd fixtures of the city aren’t just thicc lampposts, they actually tell quite an icky story.  Known as ‘stinkpipes’, these vertical iron tunnels were put up around the city in the Victorian era. They were essentially built to make London less stinky, and would funnel noxious gases out of the sewers and above the Victorians’ heads. Grim stuff.  The pooey pipes date back to an era known as... wait for it. The Great Stink. This was back when the Big Smoke (or should we say the Big Stink) had no centralised sewage system, meaning the River Thames was full of human excrement. More than it is now, at least.  The stench from the combination of faeces, animal carcasses and industrial waste was so bad that the government had to temporarily relocate to Oxfordshire, where it came up with the idea to make stink pipes to get rid of the awful smell. This was part of the 1858 act that deemed we needed a centralised human waste management system. Soon, the metal pipes started funnelling methane, hydrogen sulphide and ammonia out of the sewers and into the air.  Photograph: Dave Jacobs / Shutterstock.com But why do we still have them today? The simple answer is that they are just a remnant of grosser days past. Stinkpipes are no longer in use, but there hasn’t been a need to actually get rid of them. Today we can think of them as kooky landmarks, and as reminder to always be gra

For lots of people, the high cost of living in London means they are just about scraping by. But for others, ie folks with lots of dosh to spend, the capital is a playground of fancy restaurants, luxury flats and high-end shops.  Now it’s been revealed that London is one of the richest cities in the world. That’s right, while many struggle to get by, the Big Smoke is also attracting many of the planet’s most well moneyed citizens. The annual Henley & Partners World Wealth Report has just been released, and London is in the top 10. Every year the wealth migration analysts produce the ranking for the world’s 50 best cities for millionaires, analysing how many millionaires, centi-millionares and billionaires reside in each city.  London came in sixth place in the ranking, being beaten by New York City, Tokyo, Singapore and the San Francisco Bay area. The number of millionares in England’s capital actually fell from 2024 to 2025 by 12 percent, dropping from 227,000 to 215,700. Still that’s a heck of a lot of millionaires. As of now, London town is home to 352 centi-millionaires and 33 billionaires. This is down from 370 and 35, respectively, in 2024.  Compared to London, New York, which topped the global rich cities ranking, has almost double the wealth, with 384,500 millionaires, 818 centi-millionaires and 66 billionaires.  Read more about Henley’s 2025 worldwide ranking here.  The world’s 10 wealthiest cities in 2025 New York City The Bay Area Tokyo Singapore Los Angeles Londo

All winter, we’ve been dreaming about lazing on the banks of the Hampstead Heath bathing ponds, sipping a warm lager, before gently nodding off to sleep to the sounds of quacking ducks, and people screaming as they hit the cold water. This weekend, rejoice, because the ponds are officially back.  Hampstead mixed bathing pond will reopen this Saturday, April 12, just in time for a 22C warm snap. Sun’s out, buns out.  The ponds will return with a splash, opening from 7am to 4.15pm on Saturday, and from 7am until 6.15pm on Sunday.  Women have been using the mixed pond during the winter as maintenance was carried out the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond, which reopened on Wednesday, April 9. The men’s pond has been operating as normal.  But from tomorrow all genders will be able to swim together. Be prepared for a chill though. In a post on X, Hampstead Heath said the water temperature is currently around 11/12C.  A single adult’s ticket has risen to £4.80 in 2025, up from £4.70 last year. Concession rates for disabled swimmers or people on Universal Credit are now £2.90, while a six-month season ticket costs £77.50, and an annual pass is £150.50. The price for kids between 8-15 has stayed the same, with a junior swim costing £1.40.  A spokesperson for the City of London Corporation told Ham & High: ‘We remain committed to keeping the Heath’s swimming facilities affordable while preserving them for future generations to enjoy.’ Booking is open, and can be done online here.  The best lidos an

We’re hitting mid-April and spring is officially in full swing – word has it that it’s going to hit 22C this weekend, so you know, sunnies out. If you’re not planning on sunning yourself in the park, or sinking a few cold ones and one of London’s fantastic beer gardens, there are also a load of fun, free activities happening across the capital this weekend.  This April 11-13 is going to be a big one. For the music heads, it’s Record Store Day on Saturday here in the Big Smoke. Then Sunday will bring the always thrilling Oxford v Cambridge Boat Race, plus there’s a massive Easter egg hunt taking place at various locations around the city.  So, without further ado, here are five of the best free things to do in London this weekend.  Go crate-digging for Record Store Day   Anthony Coleman From Phonica to Rough Trade, most of London’s best vinyl shops will be putting something on this Saturday for Record Store Day. Whether you’re digging for rare dubplates, searching for long out of circulation ‘90s house, or simply looking to pick up your favourite album on wax, rifling through boxes of records is a fantastic day out for any music lover – and lots of artists including Charli xcx, Billie Eilish and Taylor Swift are putting out special releases for the day. Many stores will also be laying on live music, DJ sets, free drinks and more to mark the occasion. Find our full run-down of the London-wide event, including all the shops taking part, here.  Various. Sat Apr 12. Free. Be blo

Who doesn’t love a theme park? They’ve got high-speed roller coasters, live entertainment, and fast food. Now we have exciting news. Europe’s first Universal theme park is coming in 2031, and it’s opening right here in the UK.  Where will Universal UK be built? A multi-billion-pound investment has been secured to build a massive Universal theme park and resort in Bedfordshire. This years-in-the-making project will bring the enormous complex to the east of England, which Universal estimates could attract 8.5 million visitors in its first year. The new theme park is expected to provide a significant boost for the UK’s economy, generating approximately £50 billion and creating around 28,000 jobs in total across creative, hospitality and construction industries.  Mayor of Bedford Tom Wootton said: ‘This is a landmark moment for Bedford Borough. Universal’s decision to proceed with its theme park and resort in the UK brings exciting opportunities to our doorstep – thousands of jobs, new training and career paths, and a huge boost for local businesses. ‘Bedford is the perfect place for this investment – well-connected, full of talent, and ready to grow. We’re proud to be chosen as the home of Universal in the UK. I’m delighted that our residents and communities will benefit in the years and decades ahead. I will continue to work closely with Universal and local stakeholders to deliver for them.’ How long will it take to build? Planning permission is still pending on the giant ente

For all its greatness, some things about London are just unavoidably crap. Commuting, for example. There’s not much worse than being crammed into a train like a sardine, having your nose squished into the armpit of a stranger.  So wouldn’t it be handy if there was some sort of technology that could show you which train carriages are the most busy, and which are the ones where you are most likely to get a seat? Our prayers have been answered, because TfL is rolling out new tech across the Elizabeth line which does just that.   Now, at some Lizzie line stations the train boards feature a graphic showing the most and least crowded carriages. Why didn’t anybody think of this before? The technology measures the weight of the load in each carriage, which is then displayed in the helpful visual that appears on the announcement board.  This isn’t available everywhere, and is currently only shown at the above ground sections of the Elizabeth line on either side of London, not in the core tunnels. Stations including Ilford, Ealing Broadway, Paddington, Stratford and Custom House are displaying this information, according to London transport expert IanVisits.  It’s not clear whether this exciting addition to the Lizzie line will be rolled out across the whole service, but its expected that the information will soon be available to see on third party apps such as National Rail Enquiries.  ICYMI: Two sections of London’s DLR are now free to ride for 12 months.  The north London borough th

If you’re looking to buy a house in London, you’ll probably be aware that property prices vary vastly from borough to borough.  While most of London’s most expensive postcodes will be closer to the city centre – we’re looking at you, Hampstead – it turns out that some of the priciest are also on the city’s outskirts. Barnet in north London has been revealed as one of not only the capital’s, but the UK’s, most spenny neighbourhoods, according to Mansion Global. The north-northwest borough is right on the edge of the city – so far out that it’s debated whether it’s part of London or Hertfordshire. So why is it one of Britain’s most expensive places to buy? RECOMMENDED: The 7 best places to live in London, according to the Sunday Times. In 2024 the average sold price for properties in Barnet was a mega £1.875 million, according to property broker Jefferies James, who analysed Land Registry data. Its proximity to the countryside means Barnet is home to a number of massive mansions and historic homes with sprawling gardens. The Hadley area of Barnet is particularly popular with high-net-worth buyers, offering large properties with big gardens but also within walking distance of Barnet town centre. Dury Road, Hadley Green Road, Camlet Way and Beech Hill are some of the most in-demand streets, offering the area’s biggest homes which can sell for up to £8 million.  Barnet is also home to a number of rich and famous people, with the likes of Zayn Malik, Arsène Wenger, George Michae

In 2024 we got to witness the astronomical rise of pop superstar Chappell Roan. The ‘Good Luck, Babe!’ singer played a whistlestop tour around the UK, including three nights at the O2 Academy Brixton, and ended up top of Time Out’s list of the best songs of 2024. After announcing a headline show at Reading Festival 2025, it was looking like that would be the only chance to see Chappell in Britain this year. But... that has just changed. The Midwest Princess has just announced another huge UK show this summer, and will be performing at the Edinburgh Summer Sessions this August.  Grab your pink cowboy hat and get learning the ‘HOT TO GO’ dance – this is all the information you need to know about Chappell Roan in Edinburgh.  When is Chappell Roan playing the Edinburgh Summer Sessions? Chappell will hit the Scottish stage on Tuesday, August 26 2025.  When do tickets go on sale? The general sale kicks off on Friday, April 11 at 9am. You can get tickets directly on the Summer Sessions website, or through Ticketmaster. How much do tickets cost? Chappell Roan ticket prices have been confirmed at £72.80 (including fees) with a per order handling fee of £3.25, according to Ticketmaster. Is there a presale? There are a couple of presales to be aware of.  April 10, 9am, Gigs in Scotland presale. Register on the Gigs in Scotland website to gain access.  April 10, 9am, Ticketmaster presale. Customers with a Ticketmaster account who have bought previous Chappell Roan tickets will have been

London’s saunaverse just keeps on growing. On top of the new community saunas in Camberwell and Walthamstow, and the reopening of the Porchester Spa and York Hall, another new sauna has just been announced for London.  This sweaty box will be inside the newly renovated Kings Hall, once known as Hackney Public Baths, which plans to reopen to the public after a major restoration in 2028. Once a Victorian bathhouse, the leisure centre in Clapton has fallen into disrepair over recent years. Now the 1890s bath house is going to be brought back to its former glory, with a new swimming pool, fitness suite, sports halls and sauna and steam room. Image: Faulkner Browns The Grade II-listed building will be renovated but keep many of its Victorian accents. The plans were developed by FaulknerBrowns, who designed Hackney Council’s award-winning Britannia Leisure Centre, and incorporates input from more than 250 local residents and leisure centre users. Image: Faulkner Browns Caroline Woodley, Mayor of Hackney, said: ‘Over generations, thousands of people have learnt to swim or use the gym at Kings Hall, and it has been difficult to see such a beautiful building deteriorate as it has aged. ‘Despite challenging financial times, it is right that we’re investing to bring the leisure centre back to its full glory – protecting a historic building for future generations, but more importantly providing modern leisure facilities that our communities deserve in a part of Hackney that is curre

Want to live the life of a rockstar? Mick Jagger’s former Marylebone flat has hit the property market for £5.5 million.  The famous party pad, where Jagger held blowouts with his girlfriend Marianne Faithful and bandmate Keith Richards, has gone up for sale for the first time in 30 years.  The 2,495 square foot, four bedroom sub-penthouse, located at Harley House in Marylebone, is right next to to Regent’s Park. The Rolling Stone lived there between 1966 and 1968, just as he was reaching mega stardom after the release of ‘(I Can’t Get No) Satisfaction’.  Photograph: Beauchamp Estates/GOLDLENS Mick Jagger chose to rent the fancy digs in the ’60s thanks to its proximity to his doctors on Harley Street – the rocker was a regular visitor to Harley Street medical centres after his binges. What goes up must come down, as they say.  During Jagger’s time at Harley House, the Rolling Stones released ‘Paint it Black’, ‘Aftermath’ and ‘Ruby Tuesday’. It’s also where he held some of his most famous bashes, often attended by A-listers including the famous party princess, Princess Margaret. Photograph: Beauchamp Estates/GOLDLENS Now you could get your hands on the bougie flat that resides within an Edwardian mansion building on the Marylebone Road, completed in 1904. The swanky abode has two reception rooms, four bedrooms, a home cinema, study and kitchen with all the latest gadgets. Would we expect anything less?  Photograph: Beauchamp Estates/GOLDLENS The property is being sold joi

A giant quilt created to remember the people who died in Britain during the AIDS epidemic will go on display at London’s Tate Modern later this year. This is the first time the giant blanket will go on show at a major British cultural institution.  Made in the 1980s, the UK AIDS Memorial Quilt was created at the height of the epidemic to raise awareness and remember the people who lost their lives to the illness. The sewing project, organised by Scottish activist Alistair Hume, was inspired by the 1987 US AIDS Quilt.   After being displayed in the late ‘80s and early ’90s the British quilt was put into storage. It was last showed in London in 2021 at the European AIDS conference at the ExCeL centre.  The enormous blanket is made up of 42 12 foot by 12 foot panels, each comprising eight smaller panels. The small panels are six foot by three foot, size used because it represented the average size of a grave plot. Each panel represents an individual who died of AIDS at the height of the epidemic, representing around 384 people from around the UK. By the end of 2011, 20,335 people diagnosed with HIV had died in the UK. From June 12-16 2025 visitors will be able to see the quilt at the Turbine Hall at the Tate Modern. Fashion critic Charlie Porter, who helped organise the exhibition, said being in the presence of it was a ‘humbling experience’.  Porter told the Guardian: ‘There is a precedent of placing the quilt in iconic locations to really send the message home about HIV/Aids,

If you’ve been following the Liverpool Street development saga, we have an update for you.  But first, some back information. Livvy Street station’s mega renovation was first announced in 2023, with a proposed £1.5 billion redevelopment that would see a 16-storey tower built on top of the current station. However, the plans were controversial as they would involve partly rebuilding the neighbouring Grade II-listed Victorian hotel, the Andaz (formerly known as the Great Eastern Hotel). The renovation received 2,100 objections, with celebs like Stephen Fry and Tracey Emin joining a campaign to have them halted.  Now a revised plan for the redevelopment has been revealed by Network Rail. The transport authority has submitted a planning application to develop the site into a new retail, leisure and workspace destination. The new application features amendments including reducing the size of the office block above the station, realigning the building to avoid interfering with the site of the Great Eastern Hotel, redesigning station entrances, and landscaping and benches around the Kindertransport statue. Image: Network Rail The plans also involve making the station fully accessible with new lifts and escalators, increasing the size of the concourse, adding new ticket barriers, and increasing the number of toilets.  Previous architects Herzog & de Meuron have been replaced with ACME, and the original development partner Sellar (which was also behind the Shard) has been dropped, a