Samantha Willis

I moved to this city in the deep, dark depths of the pandemic. My first flat was, obviously, awful. The landlord was dodgy (shock). It was full of mould. The shower was next to the kitchen and had no door. Still, though, I look back on those days fondly. One rare sunny afternoon we climbed out of my flatmate’s window to sit on the roof, drinking homemade Bloody Marys and blasting the Bad Boy Chiller Crew from a box speaker into the sticky, polluted air of Kingsland Road. We got quite a few glares from passers-by, but also a fair amount of smiles.  Whether you’re moving here for study, work, family, or another reason, your first months in London will be challenging, but you’ll probably look back on them with such fogged-up rose-tinted glasses it will hardly matter anyway. Use this time to meet as many new people as you can and to make mistakes. Be broke, go to M&M world (don’t actually), get lost on the tube. That said, there are some things I wish I’d known before coming here. Hindsight is a blessing, as they say. But we’re not gatekeepers, so we asked Time Out staff to share their top tricks and tips for anyone moving to the capital. Some of these folks have been born and bred here. Others are adopted Londoners, like you might well be one day. Listen up, take note, and good luck. 

El señor como da, quita. Al menos eso es lo que sucedió cuando la retrospectiva de Andy Warhol se inauguró en el Museo Nacional Británico de Arte Moderno (Tate Modern) el 12 de marzo, antes de cerrar rápidamente el 17 del mismo mes debido a las medidas de cierre que se están intensificando en Londres. Solo unos pocos afortunados londinenses lograron ver la exposición durante su duración extremadamente limitada. Bueno, ahora el señor devuelve (¡decídete, amigo!). El Tate Modern subió un recorrido en línea (que se puede ver desde cualquier parte del mundo) por la muestra a través de su canal de YouTube y el sitio web de la galería, disponible desde el 6 de abril. La exposición, que presenta pilas de latas de sopa de Warhol, docenas de Marilyns y sus hiperfamosos Elvis, se presenta como una visita gratuita y guiada por un curador. El editor de arte y cultura de Time Out Londres, Eddy Frankel, visitó la galería antes de que cerrara y, aunque no le impresionó, dijo lo siguiente: "Hay un montón de trabajo ultradébil aquí: Hizo mucho arte, y mucho no fue genial. Sin embargo, el éxito de esta exposición recae en la demostración de que Warhol era político, cachondo y estaba obsesionado con la muerte". No es solo un mito del arte moderno, sino algo mucho más identificable: un humano". Los amantes del arte podrán ver virtualmente a Aubrey Beardsley apartir del 13 de abril por el canal de YouTube del Tate Britain. ¡Disfrútalo! Recomendado: Recorridos virtuales por el Museo de San I

Did you hit 30 and decide that life should now be about anti-wrinkle creams and watching Saturday night TV? We're sorry to tell you that you’ve got it all wrong. The partygoers at Hackney’s The Posh Club are keeping the good vibes going well into their eighties – and it’s all thanks to things like skydiving and line dancing, rather than skincare and rest. The weekly social club, running at St Paul’s Church Hall on Wednesdays, is always packed with glam looks, drag shows and dancing. Find out how some the event’s most legendary attendees live life to the maximum.  Find out the places Londoners go to cheer themselves up

It’s surreal meeting Daniel Kaluuya in Soho, having watched him in Channel 4’s ‘Skins’ when I was at uni, partying to the same soundtrack of Gossip and Foals that I was. He’s come a long way since then, having secured an Oscar nomination for ‘Get Out’ and a starring role in ‘Black Panther’. His US successes have made his new film, ‘Queen & Slim’, a must-see. A fugitive drama-cum-romance, it starts with an awkward first rendezvous but takes a violent jag when Kaluuya’s Slim, and his blind date, Queen (Jodie Turner-Smith), are pulled over by a racist cop. Lots of people are likening the film to ‘Bonnie and Clyde’. What do you think of the comparison? ‘Because you have this couple on the run, it’s always going to have connotations of “Bonnie and Clyde”, but the only crime our characters actually commit is being black. Structurally, it feels a bit more like “Thelma & Louise”. The crime is committed because of oppression – they are standing up for themselves. [The racial profiling is] triggering for both of them and it’s the thing that leads to their connection.’ Would you have done the same thing that Slim does in that scenario? ‘We’d have to run because of the US state they’re in [Ohio]; it would mean the death penalty.’ Lots of ‘Queen & Slim’ is filmed in a car. What was that like to shoot? ‘It’s way more difficult than it looks: each shot takes two hours to set up. The weather would affect how hard it was: if it was hot, it was good for her; if it was cold, it was good for

Always wanted to know where your favourite chefs go when they’re hungry? Welcome to our new video series Food Chain. It’s your inside guide to the places London’s most clued up foodies go to eat. Wanna know how it works? First, one of London’s top chefs, Magnus Reid, will show you the place where he loves to eat most. Then the chef from his chosen restaurant, Wei Guirung, will tell you about her favourite food spot, and so it will go on until the masters of our city’s eating scene have taken you to all the holes-in-the-wall, elegant fine diners and bustling bistros you might ever want to venture into in this lifetime. Warning: it’s addictive stuff. But hopefully, by the end of your ‘Food Chain’ binge you’ll have a fair idea where our city’s top chefs and culinary insiders go when they’re hungry. Maybe you’ll even spot one of them in front of the counter on your next eating-outing.  

OFFICIAL RULES Time Out Chefs New York Sweepstakes (“Sweepstakes”) Time Out America LLC (“Time Out”)   ELIGIBILITY: The Time Out Chefs New York Sweepstakes, is open to legal residents of the United Kingdom, France, Spain and the United States, who are 21 years of age and older and who are physically located and reside in the either the United Kingdom, France, Spain or United States at time of entry ("Entrant"). Void in Puerto Rico and where prohibited. Employees, directors and officers, and their immediate families (spouse, parents, children, siblings, and their respective spouses), and their respective household members (whether related or not), of Time Out (“Sponsor”) its affiliates, subsidiaries, and divisions advertising and promotion agencies and prize partners are not eligible to enter. These Sweepstakes are subject to all applicable federal, state, and local laws. US law governs these Sweepstakes. Notwithstanding anything to the contrary, the Sweepstakes is void where prohibited. There is no purchase requirement to enter the Sweepstakes. Purchases do not improve the chances of winning.   ENTRY PERIOD: The entry period (“Entry Period”) for the Sweepstakes starts on Wednesday 10 April 2019 and ends on Wednesday 1 May 2019 at 4:00 pm Greenwich Mean Time.   MAIN METHOD OF ENTRY: An entry (“Entry” or “Entries”) will be completed once an Entrant submits an online entry via Instagram by following @timeoutchefs and @timeoutmarketnewyork and liking and leaving a comment on the

Any parent will tell you that holidaying is much harder with a child. Especially toddlers. Lots to pack, mealtimes to negotiate and ever-present boredom to navigate. That’s where New Park Manor, part of Luxury Family Hotels group, really excels: restoring the concept of a ‘holiday’ and the ability to actually, properly relax. New Park Manor itself was once an official residence, with records of the lodge dating all the way back to the fifteenth century, and its native New Forest ponies even further. Inside the hotel you’ll see evidence of royal residents, including Charles II whose coat of arms still hang above the fireplace in the dining room.  On the approach to the hotel you get a sense of just how rural the woodland is surrounding it. Wild horses amble through the trees of the expansive 230 acre grounds surrounding the manor, with the hotel itself sitting on 20 acres. The road leading up to the house exudes grandeur but the friendly waves of staff reassure you of the hotel’s warmth the moment you rock up.  There’s plenty for parents here: beautiful furnishings, a bar that delivers poolside drinks and a stunning spa with an outdoor hot tub looking out on the ponies. All of the luxuries we cherished from the ‘before times’. The amenities for kids? Even better. An outdoor pool full of munchkins in armbands sits opposite a beautifully designed playground, all overlooked by seating on a sunny patio. Inside there’s the Ofsted-registered Four Bears Den kids club, which provides

Any parent will tell you that holidaying is much harder with a child. Especially toddlers. Lots to pack, mealtimes to negotiate and ever-present boredom to navigate. That’s where New Park Manor, part of Luxury Family Hotels group, really excels: restoring the concept of a ‘holiday’ and the ability to actually, properly relax. New Park Manor itself was once an official residence, with records of the lodge dating all the way back to the fifteenth century, and its native New Forest ponies even further. Inside the hotel you’ll see evidence of royal residents, including Charles II whose coat of arms still hang above the fireplace in the dining room.  On the approach to the hotel you get a sense of just how rural the woodland is surrounding it. Wild horses amble through the trees of the expansive 230 acre grounds surrounding the manor, with the hotel itself sitting on 20 acres. The road leading up to the house exudes grandeur but the friendly waves of staff reassure you of the hotel’s warmth the moment you rock up.  There’s plenty for parents here: beautiful furnishings, a bar that delivers poolside drinks and a stunning spa with an outdoor hot tub looking out on the ponies. All of the luxuries we cherished from the ‘before times’. The amenities for kids? Even better. An outdoor pool full of munchkins in armbands sits opposite a beautifully designed playground, all overlooked by seating on a sunny patio. Inside there’s the Ofsted-registered Four Bears Den kids club, which provides

Despite being situated right across from the Piazza, Notto Covent Garden is bright, airy and calm. You enter through the bar, where staff wait to welcome you into the solace of the dining area. The menu is refreshingly simple but satisfying, as is the wine list. To start we tucked into a silky burrata seasoned with blood oranges and chilli, our server recommended mopping it up with a wedge of salty and warm rosemary and tomato focaccia so we did just that. The salad of baby violet artichokes and rocket leaves with parmesan and lemon dressing was tender and refreshing. Helpings were generous, especially the focaccia which made mopping up all those glorious oils and dressings nice and easy. A chilled glass of Prosecco Spumante was a delicious light accompaniment. Ravioli of osso bucco with saffron butter, chive oil and parmesan was the jewel in the crown The restaurant recommends sharing three pasta dishes between two people. We chose ravioli of ricotta and pecorino with morels and thyme, which sounded like delicate flavours yet was anything but, with a definite mushroom punch. Spaghettini with langoustine bisque, white Dorset crab, lemon zest and basil was pleasant, although the bisque lacked in flavour and the crab meat was sparse. Last but definitely not least, ravioli of osso bucco with saffron butter, chive oil and parmesan – the jewel in the crown. The butter was rich but moreish and would rival offerings from the likes of Bancone and Padella. Overall, Notto is a welcome

This show is a walk down memory lane – if the lane was a runway and your memories are strewn with stacks of Dazed, ID and Another magazines. A particularly millennial, fashion-focused memory lane.  ‘30 Years of London Fashion’ takes you on a journey through the designers, celebrities and looks of the past three decades in this city. You’ll see copies of 90s Vanity Fair alongside a  Nokia 3210, Bjork’s Marjan Pejoski swan dress and Sam Smith’s inflatable latex Harri suit. There are a few other highly recognisable ‘fits, but aside from that, you’ll need to be a certain sort of fashion lover to enjoy it.  In the entrance, there’s a chart that takes you through the years, spotlighting key moments in fashion culture. Underneath, there’s each year’s winner of the British Fashion Council’s New Gen award – and it’s these designers you’ll need to be familiar with to really get excited about this show. Think Meadham Kirchoff, Craig Green, Agi and Sam, Sibling and Nazir Mazhar. It’s about as far removed from the V&A’s Dior or Chanel shows as it’s possible to get: subtract glitz and glamour, add a bit of grubby east London club scene and multiply.  I studied and worked in fashion during the 00s, so it hit me right in the feels. It brought back poring over Fashion Week roundups and praying my favourite designers would do a (sort-of) accessible high-street collaboration. I left weepy and nostalgic for my former life, pre-toddler and comfortable shoes. This exhibition is a celebration of th

This review of ‘Ghost Stories’ is from the Lyric Hammersmith in April 2019. It transfers to the Ambassadors Theatre in October Having seen ‘Ghost Stories’ during its West End run, I happily agreed to watch it again as it returns to its original home of Hammersmith. If you’ve got a friend whose head you’d really like to fuck with, and you know what’s coming, it’s worth the journey for that reward. The format is brilliant. Our host is Professor Goodman – originally played by the show’s co-creator Andy Nyman, now by Simon Lipkin – who regales us with a series of spooky tales he deems both terrifying and unexplainable. The unexplainable bit is questionable, but still – it’s a real recipe for jokes, and jumps, as things appear unexpectedly in the dark, and it all wraps around to a smart surprise finale. (It’s better to not spoiler any of it). As with the first time I watched all this unfold, the tension emanating from my companion was palpable. She gripped my arm each time something looked to be untangling and shrieked with a mixture of fear and joy at the end of each account. She also howled with laughter when the biggest man in the room let out a ladylike scream. So there we go, mission accomplished. Jeremy Dyson and Nyman’s spectre baby may have grown up but it hasn’t grown tired. It’s still your go-to if you want to well-and-truly wig someone out. 

Approaching the entrance (right next door to biker apparel shop Bolt), you’re instantly welcomed by some of London’s motorbike community, who are a far less intimidating than you might imagine. They’re standing in the doorway shouting friendly hellos and beckoning you in, and in my case, offering me a beer. A little wooden staircase leads up to the salon itself, which is small but instantly feels like home. David and his wife Tera, the salon’s owners, have kept the 1960s wallpaper left behind from the previous owner and added their own touches – a little art deco booze bar, a neon ‘Salon de Coiffure’ sign, old cinema seats and a record player. It’s all sprinkled with Americana-cool: courtesy of stars and stripes banners, ‘An American Werewolf in London’ print and a little ode to Bill Murray. In fact its aesthetic is somewhere between ‘Easy Rider’ and a Wes Anderson film. You feel immediately at ease when you sit down in the uber-comfy vintage salon chairs and talk through your options with David. He’s worked for lots of big salon names, but has now settled in London after taking some time off to travel, he’s dedicated to cutting all types of hair (the pricelist is genderless – win!) for the love of the craft. The cherry on top is the vegan and all-natural products he uses, all of which are divine. You’re definitely more likely to want a cut, than to run. New customers receive 20% off all services.

I almost mistook Teatulia for another of Seven Dials’ many smart boutiques, sandwiched between make-up and shoe shops (it took a few zooms on Google Maps to confirm its unlikely location). But that’s probably because it sort of is – a fancy single-origin tea shop that doubles as a bar and sources leaves from its garden in Bangladesh. Upon entering, we were greeted by friendly staff, plus shelf upon shelf of loose-leaf teas in pretty pots and the wonderful scents that accompanied them. It looks more like a bourgeois organic shop than a bar at first glance, so you may be unaware of the tea-infused cocktails until you take a seat in one of the comfortable armchairs and have a look at the menu. It’s a short read, consisting of around seven cocktails in total, some of which are non-alcoholic but sound just as tantalising. Suffering from seasonal cold and flu symptoms during our visit, we picked the Chai Hot-Butter Rum, which came with a side of salted caramel candyfloss, and a bittersweet Ginger Snap infused with coriander, basil and cucumber – both costing £10. We’d had the bar staff pegged as tea specialists as opposed to mixologists until we tried these surprisingly delicious concoctions, each using tea leaves at their core. There isn’t a great deal of choice, but Teatulia could be a great option if you’re doing Dry January – alcohol-free cocktails like the Green Tea Ginger Cooler looked particularly palatable. Although the space is beautifully designed (complete with its own l

Directed by Dominic Shaw, Alex Oates’s story of a teenager who gets sucked into the world of online drug-trading is the very first play to be (aptly) funded by Bitcoin investments. It focuses on Bruce, an unlikely tech genius from Tyneside. Following heartbreak and a few seemingly ordinary misadventures, he finds himself at the centre of Whitley Bay’s underground drug ring after discovering the dark web. His incredibly likeable nan becomes the unwitting provider of a decoy product, her hand-knitted tea cosies, and even brings her friend Brenda on board to fulfil demand. In this one-man show, Josh Barrow not only energetically plays Bruce, but his nan, Brenda and all of the other parts in the script. So well, in fact, you wonder if dissociative identity disorder had been written into his character. Sometimes that energy leaves the audience confused about who’s speaking or whether the scene is a flashback, but generally, it makes for a humorous and exhilarating ride through one man’s descent into illegal trading. A distinct relatability to the characters and the situations they find themselves in reinforces the mission statement of the play from Shaw and Oates – to highlight the demonisation of young people who fall into the dark web’s trap. You leave Trafalgar Studios thinking one of two things – ‘that could have been me’ or ‘that could have been my son’.

Staggeringly good telly by any standards, Netflix’s ‘Baby Reindeer’ is a drama with a highly relatable sense of place. Its themes – of toxic obsession, mental illness, half-buried trauma, and, eventually, healing – play out against a recognisable backdrop of spaces that we’ve all experienced ourselves. Pubs. Bars. Clubs. Night buses. Long, gloomy walks home. The nightmarishness of the events depicted in the show is accentuated by Edinburgh and London locations too preoccupied with their own shit to take stock of one lonely man’s implosion.The series’ creator-star Richard Gadd transplants his own one-man show from stage to screen with a level of honesty best described as ‘agonising’, determined to make ‘Baby Reindeer’ a deeply personal but also universal viewing experience that transcends tired bunny-boiling stalker clichés. Those locations play a key role in that. Here’s where to find them. Warning: contains mild ‘Baby Reindeer’ spoilers. Photograph: Netflix The Hoppy – Meadowbank, Edinburgh  ‘Baby Reindeer’s time-jumping structure is one of its great strengths: stand-up comedian Donny (a near-autobiographical version of Gadd) relives his trauma and experiences at the hands of stalker Martha (played by Jessica Gunning). The younger Donny’s fateful experiences at the Edinburgh Festival aren’t tackled until episode 3. We see him walking, wide-eyed, down the Royal Mile and through the Grassmarket, before unveiling his hit-and-miss comedy show, at a pub closer to the edge of th

With temperatures rising to 33C in the city this week (*wipes away upper-lip sweat*), London Mayor Sadiq Khan has activated an emergency weather response to help rough sleepers. He has also called on councils and the public to help people sleeping rough who could be battling severe dehydration, sunstroke and sunburn in the days ahead. There are some little things you can do that make a big difference, including donating the following items directly to individuals or local charities: A bottle of water and food for hydration. Sun cream to help prevent skin damage. Hats and sunglasses to prevent sunstroke and avoid risk of eye damage. Hand-held fans to lower body temperature and prevent heatstroke. Baby wipes to help with sanitation and avoiding athlete’s foot Sadiq Khan said: ‘This ongoing heatwave could be dangerous for anyone, but for people sleeping rough, there are additional risks. That is why City Hall is working with London’s boroughs to prioritise support for some of our most vulnerable Londoners. ‘Across the capital, we are taking action to assist those forced to sleep rough in these extremely high temperatures by enhancing local outreach services, ensuring that people who are sleeping rough have access to cool spaces and, where possible, providing suitable accommodation for those most vulnerable to the effects of heat. ‘As ever, London’s councils and charities will be working hard this week to support those sleeping rough in our city, and I thank them for their tire

The last regular issue of Time Out London hit the streets last month, but we didn’t want to wave bye-bye to print without a proper send-off. So we’ve packed 54 years of London into one extremely special edition of the magazine. From iconic faces to legendary exhibitions, Andy Warhol to acid house, Carnival to Pride, fringe theatre to ’70s pubs, it’s all in here. You can read the special edition online right here, right now. Or collect a copy from a member of our street team or a stand at one of the following stations or areas: 📍Tuesday 12th July 7-10 am Wimbledon Brixton Vauxhall Camden Town Kentish Town Warren Street Finsbury Park Highbury & Islington Walthamstow Central West Hampstead Finchley Road (outside Waitrose) St John’s Wood 11.30am-2.30pm Ealing Broadway (Shopping Centre) Hammersmith Broadway Fulham Broadway 12-3 pm Camden Town Leicester Square Tottenham Court Road 3.30-6.30 pm Oxford Circus Bond Street Tottenham Court Road Holborn Victoria Waterloo Old Street Liverpool Street London Bridge Farringdon 📍 Wednesday 13th July 3.30-6.30 pm Oxford Circus Piccadilly Circus Covent Garden Charing Cross/Embankment Westfield Shepherd’s Bush King’s Cross Don’t fret: we have an amazing new daily email that’s a genuinely great read. The biggest and best beer gardens in all of London.

Last week, the glitz and glamour of London Fashion Week basically took up permanent residence on our newsfeeds. We watch slack-jawed as celebrities jetted in to attend incredible shows like this beauty at the Olympic Pool (or London Aquatics Centre, to give it its proper name) or got glammed up for the afterparties to rub shoulders with woman-of-the-moment Emma Raducanu. For us mere mortals, it was just another week of sitting with incredibly poor posture at our home-working desks, (also known as ‘the kitchen table’). However, there is a celebration of fashion coming the East End this weekend where you can see the latest runway collections from notable designers and learn more about becoming a sustainable fashion consumer. Which we all want to do, right? It’s called the Fashion District Festival and it kicks off today with a whole bunch of cool talks, workshops and a pop-up where you can shop guilt-free for new and pre-loved clothes. If, like me, you’re time rich and cash poor, I recommend you get involved in some of the workshops, which include: up-cycling scarves into elaborate kimonos, reworking pearls, chains and waste fabrics into jewellery and crocheting a humble piece of knitwear. View this post on Instagram A post shared by FASHION DISTRICT (@fd_ldn) There is also a bonus option for those of you who want to learn about conscious consumerism, but also remain encased within ill-fitting loungewear. Time Out is streaming the main event, a showca

ロンドンのオックスフォード・サーカス、つまり、2021年初頭まで巨大なTopshop旗艦店があった辺りは人通りが多く、常に混雑していている。ここを歩く多くのロンドン市民は、いつも無事に道を渡りたいと考えているに違いない。しかし2021年6月中旬、今後数年でオックスフォード・サーカスを人々が行き来しやすい場所に変えていく計画が発表された。 この計画は、地元議会と王室所有の土地を管理するクラウン・エステートが発表したもの。ロンドンの2つの有名なショッピング通りとして知られる、オックスフォード・ストリートとリージェント・ストリートの交差点である、オックスフォード・サーカスの両側を歩行者用の「広場」にし、周辺を再整備するという。 現段階の計画では、オックスフォード・ストリート上のグレート・ポートランド・ストリートとジョン・プリンス・ストリートの間、150メートルの区間を歩行者専用区間に変更。バスとタクシーの通行も禁止にし、車はメリルボーン、フィッツロビアを経由して、オックスフォード・ストリートと並行して走るマーガレット・ストリートへ迂回（うかい）させる。 リージェント・ストリートでの車の通行は引き続き可能。横断歩道を制御して歩行時間が長くすることは計画に盛り込まれているが、そのほかのルールは未定だ。また現在の計画には、地下鉄オックスフォード・サーカス駅の入り口を新設する案も含まれている。 Photo: Westminster Council オックスフォード・サーカスの横断歩道や地下鉄駅入り口では、危険なほど人が群がる光景がよく見られる。冬のロンドンを訪れ、クリスマス直前に買い物をしている人たちの中に入ってしまい、二度とゴメンだと思ったことがある人も多いはずだ。こうした混雑が解消されるのであれば、これほど喜ばしいことはないだろう。 オックスフォード・サーカスでは2009年、今回と同じように混雑を解決するという目的で、膨大な予算をかけて人々が斜めに交差点を渡れる「スクランブル方式」が導入された。しかし、1時間に4万人もの歩行者が、信号機で「緑の人」が表示されるのを待つという現実への対処とはならなかった。 今後この計画はフェーズを分けて進められる。広場は2021年末までに設置され、地下鉄駅入り口の工事などは、2022年4月以降にスタートする見込みだ。2022年に予定されている、地下鉄エリザベス線の市内中心部までの開通が実現すると、オックスフォード・サーカスはさらに買い物客でごったがえすだろう。その時までに、混雑緩和の整備が終わることを望んでいる。  原文はこちら 関連記事 『シャンゼリゼ通り、大改修で緑豊かな場所に』 『ニューヨーク市がブルックリン橋に自転車専用レーンを整備』 『設計者が語るバンコクの新空中庭園、チャオプラヤースカイパーク』 『モントリオール市、中心部の通りを都市の森にリデザイン』 『タイムアウトが世界で最もクールなストリートを発表』

It feels like we've all been trying to cross the road in front of the ‘Big Topshop’ (RIP) safely for decades and now, all of a sudden, on the hottest day of the year so far – something's finally being done to make that intersection easier for shoppers to navigate.  The answer is a pedestrian ‘piazza’ on either side of the busy junction that links two of London's famous shopping streets: Oxford Street and Regent Street. Under the current plans, published by Westminster Council and The Crown Estate,  a 150m-long stretch between Great Portland Street and John Prince's Street will be shut to buses and taxis. They'll be rerouted around Oxford Circus through Marylebone and Fitzrovia along the parallel Margaret Street. Traffic will still be permitted along Regent Street, but will be controlled by longer green phases at crossings and other measures still to be confirmed. There will also be new entrances to Oxford Circus Tube station, to ease the bottleneck of passengers entering and leaving under the current design. Both pedestrian crossings and station entrances can become dangerously overcrowded. I mean, we've all joined the mass of late Christmas shoppers at some point and vowed never to be part of it again. Photo: Westminster Council The area was last redesigned with a distinctive diagonal format, at a cost of £5 million, in 2009 to address all of the same issues – but failed to tackle up to 40,000 pedestrians per hour waiting for the ‘green man’ at any one time. Let's hope the

Small businesses are the heart and soul of our cities and this Asian Pacific American Heritage Month, we’re celebrating the diversity and impact of Asian and Pacific Islander (API) small businesses.  A recent study that revealed API-owned businesses have been the most negatively impacted of all demographic groups, with a 20% decrease of working business owners from February to December last year.  Join Time Out, in partnership with Facebook and Instagram, for a special day of live programming on Thursday 20 May 2021 spotlighting API-owned small businesses. Throughout the day, small businesses will take over Time Out’s local Facebook and Instagram channels for Live demos and an intimate look at API culture. The one-day Festival will feature businesses from New York, Chicago, Los Angeles and London. The full schedule is as follows: ⏰ 10AM GMT/3PM EST on @timeoutlondon's Instagram: Founder of Omni Na-Na Esha Ahmed will be talking all things sustainable fashion with Zeena Shah ⏰ 1PM EST on @timeoutnewyork's Instagram:  Asian pantry staple Omsom will be doing a live tutorial for their latest collaboration with Pepper Teigen ⏰2PM EST on @timeoutnewyork's Instagram:  Chef and owner of Mōkbar and Ms.Yoo Esther Choi provides a cooking demonstration and shows how she is elevating Korean culture with her food ⏰3PM EST on @timeoutchicago's Instagram:  Aloha Eats will provide a cooking demonstration of the ‘loco moco’ ⏰4:30PM EST on @timeoula's Instagram:  KESTAN is a sustainable fash

Ah, takeaway pints. I have consumed many in the months where regulations have allowed them, and while nothing compares to the traditional Glass On Lips, I’ve kind of developed a special fondness for the freedom they offer. Sipping a cold one while wandering around a pretty park or unlit back alley is a luxury I didn’t know I craved until now.  You’ve got two kinds of pubs doing them. The ones that have really considered packaging: some with lids and branding, others with eco-conscious cups (knowing that today’s pints are tomorrow’s London Fields litter). Then you’ve got the rustic folks, they’ve cash ’n’ carried a load of creaky plastic pint glasses and they’re serving lagers in them with a bit of cling film to curb spillage. Both are brilliant. I’m not picky. I love sloshing along in various London parks, savouring each sip of glorious nectar. In fact, I reckon that when it comes to takeaway pints, I’ve drunk my way through hundreds now. What I’ve learned from my commitment to the boozy art form? The surroundings very much make or break it. Here’s a couple of my fave places to grab a bev and go.  For a ‘catching up with friends’ pint: The People’s Park Tavern My partner and I have had a few, er, messy nights here over the years and for that reason we avoid a sit-in situation at all costs. I do, however, have a group of dear friends that I like to meet at Victoria Park for a few laps, a catch up and often a quick drink. Just a little one, mind. There’s always a group of peopl

Following the news of Prince Philip’s death today, aged 99, Londoners have taken to Twitter to express their sadness. The Duke of Edinburgh’s passing follows a four-week stay in hospital earlier this year, during which he underwent heart surgery. In a statement released by the Palace, he’d been recovering at his home in Windsor, alongside Her Majesty the Queen. In a statement shortly after noon, the palace said: ‘His Royal Highness passed away peacefully this morning at Windsor Castle.’   Boris Johnson: On the death of HRH The Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh. pic.twitter.com/rZlbY1matF — Boris Johnson (@BorisJohnson) April 9, 2021 Sadiq Khan: Today, we mourn the loss of an extraordinary man, who devoted his life to public service and helping others. I extend my deepest sympathies to Her Majesty The Queen and the entire Royal Family at this sad time. pic.twitter.com/4mhQob0SVT — Sadiq Khan (@SadiqKhan) April 9, 2021 Keir Starmer: The United Kingdom has lost an extraordinary public servant in Prince Philip. Prince Philip dedicated his life to our country - from a distinguished career in the Royal Navy during the Second World War to his decades of service as the Duke of Edinburgh.— Keir Starmer (@Keir_Starmer) April 9, 2021 David Lammy: Rest in peace Prince Philip. The nation mourns the loss of an extraordinary character who served the country in World War Two and for a lifetime afterwards as the Duke of Edinburgh. Sincere con

London’s Holi celebrations are somewhat on hold this year, thanks to our old pal the roadmap. Ordinarily, the capital’s Hindu community would come together to celebrate the end of winter and the triumph of good over evil – often characterised by street parties and large gatherings exploding with colour (you’ve likely seen the resulting rainbow commuters). In the new normal, we saw Diwali celebrations take on new forms, like Kumari Burman’s amazing light installation for Tate Britain and the floating flower inspired by rangoli patterns at Canary Wharf’s Jubilee Park fountain – both of which could be enjoyed at a safe distance, using only your eyeballs. We also saw people from across the UK coming together to celebrate virtually, like those who took the #ShareYourLight challenge to share positivity and light with their communities on Instagram. This got us (and when we say us, we mean Time Out and Instagram) thinking – is there a way we can help Londoners safely celebrate the holy day of Rangwali Holi at home this Monday March 29? Yes, yes we can: by letting them enjoy and learn about its traditions, delicacies and dancing through some of Instagram’s inspiring Creators. Ahead of going Live with our virtual mini-fest, we caught up with the three Londoners who’ll be our hosts to find out exactly what to expect.  @cookinboots on Instagram @cookinboots – Chef, columnist and author As chef at Jikoni London, Ravinder Bhogal creates ‘immigrant cuisine’ by taking a playful approach t

Ah, los principios de los 2000. En un momento en que las bandas de chicos reinaban a nivel planetario, una mujer logró abrirse paso entre las listas de éxitos dominadas por hombres del pop y ganarse un ejército de fans que incluía a mujeres y hombres heterosexuales así como miembros del colectivo LGBTQ+. La imagen de la dulce Britney Spears se volvió más picante, violenta y controvertida, y fue un anuncio de lo que iba a pasar: su éxito y su caída. 'It’s Britney, bitch.' Pero, ¿cómo podría la vida de una mujer, tan importante en el mundo del pop como en el empoderamiento de las mujeres y su sexualidad, acabar en un centro psiquiátrico, en contra de su voluntad, y sin tener voz ni voto en su futuro? El movimiento #FreeBritney comenzó a ser tendencia en 2009, cuando sus fans empezaron a plantear preguntas sobre su tutela legal y este documental, producido por 'The New York Times', pretende ofrecer las respuestas. Una tutela es una ley que permite que una persona –normalmente un familiar directo o un abogado– administre la vida diaria y las finanzas de alguien que esté incapacitado mental o físicamente para tomar sus propias decisiones: en el caso de Britney, fue su padre, Jamie. Después de haberse emitido en Estados Unidos a través de Hulu y en Reino Unido en Sky Documentaries, 'Framing Britney Spears' se estrena en España el lunes 22 de febrero a las 22 horas en el canal Odisea, disponible en Movistar+, Vodafone TV, Orange TV, Grupo Euskaltel y Cable Local. Un doc

Time Out’s social media editor – and Britney superfan – Samantha Willis digs into The New York Times’s new documentary on the pop superstar. Ah, the early noughties. At a time when boy bands reigned supreme, one woman managed to cut through pop’s male dominated charts to foster a fanbase that spanned straight women, straight men and LGBTQ+ people. Britney Spears’ sweet, girl-next-door meets spicy, writhing vixen image was an overnight recipe for both her success and her downfall. It’s Britney, bitch. But how could the life of a woman, so instrumental not only in pop, but in the empowerment of women and their sexuality – land herself in a psychiatric facility, against her will, and without any say in her future? The #FreeBritney movement began trending in 2009, when her fans started to raise questions about her conservatorship and this documentary, produced by The New York Times, seeks to provide the answers.   A conservatorship is a US law which allows a guardian to be appointed in managing the daily life and finances of someone who is mentally or physically unable to make their own decisions: in Britney’s case it was her father, Jamie. (The closest thing to a conservatorship here in the UK is a deputyship, although it's far less common.) Having already aired in the US on Hulu, ‘Framing Britney Spears’ lands on Sky Documentaries (and therefore, NOW TV) with important questions to ask about Jamie’s motives and Britney’s mental stability. But as with any good documentary, it al