OK, you've found Londonist, and you already know Time Out London, but who else has a London-themed website worth following? In no particular order, here are some of our favourites. Note, for this roundup, we're focussing on sites that cover the history, news and development of the capital. Sites that focus almost exclusively on socialising, like LeCool, BarChick and Design My Night, will be covered in another article.
General sites
Diamond Geezer: DG's been covering the capital, and beyond, for over a decade. His posts cover everything from forgotten rivers to TfL's communication strategies. Often acerbic and always well-researched, his insights can put bigger publications to shame. You're always guaranteed to learn something new about the city. @DiamondGeezer
Ian Visits: Ian Mansfield specialises in the geeky side of the city. His regular posts include forgotten development plans, unusual events, site visits to parts of London the public rarely get to see, and much more besides. Ian also maintains an excellent calendar of intellectual events. @ianvisits
London Reconnections: For almost a decade, London Reconnections has published in-depth, long-form articles about London's transport infrastructure. This is often really nerdy stuff, like signal specifications and track layouts, but there's also plenty for the more general reader, and all beautifully written. At the time of writing, a spin-off magazine is about to hit the printers. @lonrec
London Remembers: This memorial-collecting website dates back to the mid-1990s — antediluvian by web standards. It's still going strong, and now boasts over 4,000 photographs and transcriptions of London memorials, from blue plaques to commemorative busts. Be careful: once you start you'll be browsing for hours. @LondonRemembers
EastLondonLines: This news-focused site is ran by Goldsmiths' journalism students, with assistance from professional journalists. Since 2009, they've been doing a top-notch job of covering stories for parts of London along the eastern arm of the Overground network (i.e. Dalston to Croydon). @eastlondonlines
A London Inheritance: A relative newcomer that has swiftly established itself as a crucial bookmark for anyone with an interest in the city's history. The author has a seemingly inexhaustible cache of London photos from the 1940s and 50s, taken by his father. The blog tracks down their locations, with modern recreations, old maps and historical insight. @vanishedlondon
Mapping London: A self-explanatory site that highlights the best London maps, from artistic fancies to data-driven visualisations. It's compiled by Ollie O'Brien and James Cheshire, both academics at UCL specialising in mapping technology. @maplondon
View From The Mirror: A London black cab driver provides eloquent and image-heavy posts on the history of specific locations. His recent articles include a look at what might have been for Portcullis House in Westminster, and the secret history of Craig Court, but look back through the archive for some superb pieces on the mainline stations. @cabmirror
London Historians: We're good friends with this bunch — a membership organisation devoted to exploring the capital's past with site visits, meetups and newsletters. The blog is a good way to keep up with new historical exhibitions, books, anniversaries and more. @londonhistorian
Local sites
Spitalfields Life has carved out a considerable following, with tales of east London characters and buildings. The Gentle Author has become slightly less gentle of late, supporting and instigating a number of campaigns to preserve the fabric of the East End. The blog has also spawned several books, exhibitions, events and workshops. @TheGentleAuthor
There are dozens of other excellent local sites out there, too numerous to mention. Our particular favourites include (but are not limited to) 853 (Charlton, Greenwich and environs), Brixton Blog, Deserter (south east London), Dalstonist (no relation), Kentishtowner, Peckham Peculiar and Transpontine (New Cross, Deptford and environs). Please share your own favourites in the comments below.
Forums and discussion groups
Skyscrapernews and Skyscrapercity offer news and discussion about London's skyline. Despite the names, these sites cover all types of city development, including bridges, tunnels and low-rise buildings.
DistrictDave is the equivalent forum for those interested in discussing the technicalities of the tube network.
Reddit London is a pin-board for anything of interest to Londoners. There's usually a good mix of lighthearted photos and links to heavyweight journalism.
Every corner of London also has its own community-led discussion forum — too many to link up here. Daddy of them all must be Urban75, which has served Brixton well since as long as anyone can remember.
We know we're only scratching the surface of our smartphone here, so let us know your own favourites in the comments below.
