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The origins of the supermarket in London
Whether you shop in Tesco Metro, Waitrose or Sainsbury's it's clear the supermarket has replaced the green grocer for the majority of our shopping needs. But, as you'll discover in our article about how London created the British supermarket, these giant companies which monopolise our spending habits had humble beginnings.
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Things to do
SWEET 'ART'S SUMMER FESTIVAL
Shoreditch is the location for a summer arts festival over three venues which starts today. Check the website for details of workshops, music, art and talks. We like the sound of the art bar crawl. Today you can see two exhibitions, Punch and Salad Days. Free, just turn up, until 13 September
HIGHGATE CEMETERY TOUR:
Spend an hour out of your day exploring Highgate Cemetery West, full of trees and ivy-clad gravestones. Look out for the Egyptian Avenue, the Circle of Lebanon as well as the monuments of many interesting and eminent Victorians. £20, prebook, 1.45pm-2.45pm
PLONK CRAZY GOLF:
Unwind with a drink and a round of crazy golf at Efes Snooker Club in Dalston. £7.50, prebook, 2pm
MAGIC:
Jermyn Street Theatre in Piccadilly Circus hosts The Side Show of Wonders. An afternoon of magical suitable for ages six and up. £10, prebook, 2.30pm
COMEDY:
Surreal comedy at the Camden Head with tales from the pet rescue centre… but not quite the critters you’d expect. £5, just turn up, 5pm
MAYFAIR TOUR:
Meet at Green Park tube before embarking on a food and drink themed tour around Mayfair with Westminster guide Joanna Moncrieff. Find out about the tradition of afternoon tea and discover hidden cafes and shops. £7.50/£10, prebook, 5pm
WINE TASTING:
Bourne and Hollingsworth is hosting an evening of wine tasting with Jane Parkinson at their buildings on Northampton Road. Four tastings for £10 isn't bad, prebook, 7pm
LIFE DRAWING:
Unleash your creative side at this traditional life drawing session with Olivia Skalkos at Rockwell House in East London. All abilities welcome and there will be guest tutors. £10, prebook, 7pm
RICH MIX TALK:
An evening of thought provoking debate which asks the question 'do genres and labels help or hinder the music business?'. This talk is part of the Rich Mix Youth Takeover Festival. Free, just turn up, 7pm
NOMAD CINEMA:
Nomad Cinema sets up shop in Coram Secret Garden in Russell Square this evening. Enjoy a screening of Singin' in the Rain, al fresco style. Let's hope it stays dry. Plus Nomad donates 100% of its distributable profits to charity. £27, prebook, 7.15pm
IMPROVISED COMEDY:
Top Secret Comedy Club in Covent Garden is the place a night of improvised comedy provided by Shoot From The Hip who create their set by way of audience suggestion, and best of all it's free! Free, prebook, 8pm
LIVE MUSIC:
Head to 606 Club in Soho for a two course meal and glass of wine accompanied by the sound of Lydian Collective, a four-piece instrumental group. £33, prebook, 8.30pm
Good cause of the day
The Totally Thames Oarsome rowing Challenge is now open. On the weekend of 19-20 September, teams of six will row just over eight miles to raise money for The AHOY Centre, a London charity which works with vulnerable young and disabled people. If you think you've got what it takes and want to raise money for a great cause, you'll need to pay a £180 registration fee and raise £1,800 per boat. For details of how to take part check the Totally Thames website.
Londonist on your phone
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Find more London events in our Free & Cheap events listings. Want to see your event in these last-minute listings? Email us at [email protected] at least 48 hours before the event, and we will consider it for inclusion. Note: due to high volumes of email, we can’t always reply.
