Buckingham Palace in the 1920s, although judging from the clothing, probably not those balmy days of May 1922. Image: Suzy Hazelwood

Until now, the hottest daily temperature record for spring in London — 32.8°C — was on 22 May 1922, during a spell of sweltering heat. So in a world without air con and corner shops stocked with ice pops, how exactly did Londoners cope?

The heatwave came as a shock, not least because March had seen the coldest day recorded in some 40 years. "The heat trick has been sprung on us with such unfair celerity that our tempers are exacerbated almost into doing something to cope with the futility of our anti-heat precautions," sweated an Express reporter, who'd winced at a 'limp' waiter's suggestion of steak and kidney pie. "lce-cream? Not enough to be had. lce? What is it? Cool, luscious salads? All green stuff very scarce. Coats off on the golf course? Not to he heard of: simply not done, sir!"

As Londoners clamoured for lighter clothing, a Lewisham draper moaned "The public wait until the weather comes before they ask for the goods, and you cannot cope with it". Meanwhile, a group of guards marching through the city did away with their trousers altogether, opting instead for khaki shorts.

"Cool, luscious salads? All green stuff very scarce." Image: Karolina Kołodziejczak

Working from home with a bag of frozen peas on your head wasn't an option in 1922, although even smart office dress fell momentarily lax, as the Perthshire Advertiser's London correspondent (who was apparently on heat) reported:

In city offices on Monday afternoon [22 May] the male staffs worked in their shirt sleeves, and even then they cast envious eyes on their female colleagues looking so cool and comfortable in the diaphanous blouses and peek-a-bo [sic] stockings.

Many office workers would have filed into town on the Tube, back then with no air conditioning, of course, although the network was cooler than it is in 2026, and when the heatwave struck, enormous electrical fans were installed, pumping 1,000,000 cubic feet of air through the Underground system every minute. Indeed, the Hampstead News claimed that Tube stations were the coolest place to be during a London heatwave. Homeward bound, some of those office workers surely came armed with a Lyons Ice Brick, the frozen treat that'd launched in 1921, and claimed to remain unmelted for two hours. Provided, of course, it hadn't already sold out.

As Londoners stumbled around in various states of heat exhaustion — heat blisters breaking out on their foreheads — the pubs were surely packed, although parts of the West End ground to a halt: "The hot weather playing havoc with the theatres," said the Bystander, which reported that some shows in the stuffier Victorian theatres had been cancelled. They weren't the only thing off-limits; Trafalgar Square's fountains had been cut off since the war and weren't to be restored until the following year (when children happily took to the pools as giant paddling pools). The Thames was a tempting alternative for many, although tragedy struck when one 16-year-old boy got cramp and drowned in the river in front of the Tate.

A thunderstorm on brought some relief, although not to Kentish Town Parish Church, which was struck by a thunderbolt. Image: NOAA Photo Library via Public domain

Up on Bolton Road in Kilburn, three lads quenched their thirst with one too many beers, and after being warned by an officer to keep the noise down, one retorted "Come on you ——; you can have it if you want it." Finding themselves in court, one of said lads bashfully admitted 'it was all his fault. Owing to the heat he had some drink and got excited.'

Some things never change, and the complaint that rang through town was one we're familiar with now: Yes, we wanted it to be warm, but not this warm! "But what is the matter?" asked the salad-searching Express writer. "Would we have bartered yesterday for a fog? Or for a sleet-storm? Let us be honest. Let us confess at once that there are many worse temperatures in the year than — eighty-seven in the shade!"

A thunderstorm on 25 May brought some relief, although not to Kentish Town Parish Church, whose belfry tower took a hit from a thunderbolt 'resembling a great ball of crimson fire', and was badly damaged. The warm spell would last until the end of the month, when, as the London Daily Chronicle put it, "Heavy men breathe again, and there is a slump in ice-cream bricks." For the Londoners of over a century ago, 1922's heatwave was a strange blip — one that wouldn't be mirrored again for another 22 years. And even then, the record was only equalled, not broken.

For us Londoners of 104 years on, however, the next record temperature could already be warming up in the wings.

All weekend

James Campbell entertains the whole family. Image: Flavia Fraser-Cannon

HALF TERM: Find ways to keep kids of all ages, from toddlers to teenagers, entertained in our guide to things to do in London in May half term. It contains our team's curated picks of intriguing exhibitions, exciting shows and myriad other events and activities to keep boredom at bay through the weekend until they're back at school.

COMEDY 4 KIDS: James Campbell, who invented mainstream stand-up for children in 2001, brings family comedy show Reducks to the Museum of Comedy. It's a one-hour performance show of sketches, songs and silly stunts — and this month it has a football theme. 30-31 May 2026

WOMEN WITHOUT BORDERS: The final weekend of the Women Without Borders Film Festival sees three different screening events taking place at London venues, including two programmes of shorts and a feature length film, all celebrating female-led storytelling. Until 31 May 2026

PORTRAIT CARICATURE: The Cartoon Museum's brand new exhibition, Does my head look BIG in this? The art of portrait caricature, explores portrait caricature from Renaissance Italy to 18th century England and the present day, with historical prints and modern examples that examine politics, fame and society. Until 1 November 2026

A LINE FLORIST: Anna Bruder's A Line Florist brings her hand-drawn, non-perishable blooms to Battersea Power Station. Receive a token to collect a paper flower, then personalise it at workshop tables, with murals on site for inspiration. Also at Battersea Power station this week is the Luminarium, a series of softly glowing inflatable chambers waiting to be explored. Both until 31 May 2026

A Line Florist by Anna Bruder pops up at Battersea Power Station. Image: Claire Bowes

WATER PANTANAL FIRE: A free photography exhibition by Lalo de Almeida and Luciano Candisani, Water Pantanal Fire at the Science Museum displays more than 60 images contrasting the Pantanal's rich wildlife with the drought and wildfire damage threatening the region. This weekend is your last chance to see it, but as it's half term, the museum will be busy, so booking in advance is recommended. FREE, until 31 May 2026

CATHERINE OPIE: Photographic portraits by the American artist Catherine Opie are on display at the National Portrait Gallery until Sunday, the first major museum exhibition of her work in the UK. Works featured in the exhibition span her first big artwork, Being and Having (1991), her portraits of LGBTQ+ friends inspired by court painter Hans Holbein, and her Baroque-like portraits of artists. Until 31 May 2026

STUBBS: The works of visionary British painter George Stubbs — best known for his portrait of racehorse Scrub — are collected together in a free display at the National Gallery, closing this Sunday. It shines a spotlight on the 18 months Stubbs spent studying and drawing the anatomy of horses in the 1750s. FREE, until 31 May 2026

SKATE 50: A reminder of Southbank Centre's ongoing exhibition Skate 50, marking 50 years of the Southbank Undercroft skate space, featuring documentary photographs and films by Winstan Whitter, Dan Magee, Lev Tanju and the Keep Rolling Project. Until 21 June 2026

Saturday 30 May

Explore the River Roding. Image: The wub via CC BY-SA 4.0

RIVER RODING: Join the River Roding Trust for a 3.5-mile guided trek along London’s third longest river as part of London Rivers Week. Starting from Redbridge station, the route heads up to Ray Park, offering a chance to observe the waterway's shifting shape and local biodiversity, as well as recent conservation efforts by the Friends of the River Roding. Wear comfortable shoes and long trousers, as some sections of the path feature encroaching nettles. FREE, 9.30am-11.30am

VICTORIAN SURGERY: Step into the oldest surviving surgical theatre in Europe for a Surgery Talk at the Old Operating Theatre Museum. Held in the original attic space of Old St Thomas' Hospital, the session explores the brutal reality of medical practice before the advent of anaesthetics and antiseptics. Museum experts trace the evolution of healthcare from the hospital's 19th century origins to the pioneering techniques that shaped modern medicine. 9.45am

RUGBY FUNDRAISER: Battersea Arts Centre hosts a vibrant celebration of sport and heritage to support the Jamaican Rugby League UK Men's Team, the Reggae Warriors. The Roots, Rhythm and Rugby Fundraiser features a pop-up exhibition tracing the history of the league, alongside DJ sets spinning reggae and ska, Caribbean food and family-friendly craft stations. Award-winning spoken word artist DUKE AL hosts the day’s activities, which include an open mic platform for Jamaican voices and a raffle to fund the team’s journey to the 2026 Emerging Nations Tournament in Sydney. FREE ENTRY, 11am-5pm

FOOTBALL BOOK MARKET: Stanchion Books hosts an independent football publishing market at Brixton Library, featuring publishers, authors, illustrators and brands selling books, magazines, fanzines, shirts, prints and other footie merchandise. 11.30am-4.30pm

SOULFUL BRUNCH: Head to Soul Mama in Islington for the Soul Mama Soulful Saturday Brunch, a daytime event blending live music with a relaxed dining atmosphere. The venue, known for its focus on soul and community, opens its doors for a four-hour session of food and rhythmic entertainment: think African, Caribbean and South American cuisine, alongside soul, R&B and timeless musical classics. 12pm-4pm

Take a tour of Walthamstow, ending at God's Own Junkyard. Image: JRennocks via CC BY 4.0

EID ON THE SQUARE: Trafalgar Square marks the festival of Eid al-Adha with this annual afternoon of celebration. Delivered in partnership with the Eid Community Advisory Group, Eid on the Square 2026 showcases a programme of live performances, food stalls, and workshops and classes spanning calligraphy to fencing. FREE, 12pm-6pm

VEG STOCK: Signature Brew Blackhorse Road in Walthamstow hosts a brand new day festival celebrating vegan culture through music, comedy and street food. The lineup features live performances from Millie Manders and Jimbino Vegan and the Jazz Cannibal, alongside a diverse market of traders serving everything from Japanese dishes by Feed the Village to fresh doughnuts and artisanal chocolate. Every ticket includes a beer. 12pm-7pm

FABRIC REPAIR HUB: Learn to revive worn or damaged clothing, at Bell House in Dulwich. Expert stitchers and darners provide the tools needed to mend your own items, helping to reduce waste and share traditional craft skills, as part of a wider initiative to bring household objects back to life rather than discarding them. FREE, 1pm-4pm

WALTHAMSTOW HISTORY: Explore the eclectic heritage of E17 on a guided Walthamstow walk. Begin at the childhood home of William Morris before heading off the beaten track to discover a hidden open-air theatre and the historic almshouses of Walthamstow Village. The tour concludes at the neon-filled wonderland of God’s Own Junkyard. 2pm-4pm

THE CONSPIRACISTS: Bertha DocHouse in Bloomsbury screens The Conspiracists, a 2024 documentary following three women on a road trip across America. The journey centres on a MAGA supporter recently sentenced for her role in the US Capitol storming, as she attempts to lead her companions into her "5D world" of conspiracy theories. 2pm

See some impressive experiments at the Spectacular Science Show. Photo: Charlie Flint Photography

AFTERNOON OF ROCK: Head to the Flamingo Rooms at O'Neill's Wardour Street for a daytime party specifically for rock and metal fans aged 30 and over. The playlist spans decades of hair metal, grunge and nu-metal, featuring anthems from the likes of Guns N' Roses, Linkin Park and Metallica. 3pm-7pm

SIP AND PAINT: Unleash your inner artist at the London Art Bar in Holborn during a creative afternoon dedicated to the Jubilee London Skyline. Led by a professional artist, get step-by-step guidance to help you recreate a technicolour version of the city's famous landmarks on canvas. All supplies are provided alongside a themed playlist to inspire your artistic flow. 3pm-5.30pm

QUEER HOUSE PARTY: Lewisham’s Fox and Firkin hosts a day-and-night takeover featuring multiple stages and sound systems. The Queer House Party line-up includes Grove, Harry Gay, and Chiyo B2B Femmi, with artists performing in both the venue's indoor spaces and its large garden. 3pm-3am

SPECTACULAR SCIENCE: Kids think science is boring? The Spectacular Science Show at Leicester Square Theatre will show them otherwise (and entertain you adults too). Presenter Mark Thompson carries out exciting experiments on stage, in a show featuring exploding elephant's toothpaste, vortex-generating dustbins and howling jelly babies. 3.30pm

SATURDAY AFTERNOON COMEDY: Head to the Spice of Life in Soho for a matinee showcase featuring four stand-up comedians, plus a compere — no break. Exact line-up isn't announced, but past participants have been seen on Live at the Apollo, Taskmaster and Netflix. 4pm

National stars go head-to-head in the Red Bull Dance Your Style final. Image: Jake Turney, Red Bull Content Pool

HARLOTS, STRUMPETS & TARTS: 18th century London's sordid sex industry is dramatically brought to life in this immersive, theatrical walking tour. Led by a guide performing as 'The Baroness', the two-hour route ventures through Covent Garden and the atmospheric backstreets of Charing Cross to uncover the voices of Georgian sex workers and business-savvy brothel madams, concluding at the ancient Nell Gwynne pub for a tot of gin. 5pm

STREET DANCE BATTLE: The national final of Red Bull's global street dance battle returns to Central Hall Westminster for improvised 1‑v‑1 street‑dance battles where the audience decides the winner. Expect the UK’s top dancers, special performances and musical guests — plus free dance workshops and interactive sessions from 12pm before the main show. 6pm

TONY CHRISTIE: Legendary crooner Tony Christie brings his Great Farewell Tour to the atmospheric Union Chapel in Islington for an up close and unplugged performance. Accompanied by a piano, pedal steel and a string quartet, the Yorkshire veteran performs reimagined country-style versions of his biggest hits, including Avenues & Alleyways and the ubiquitous (Is This the Way to) Amarillo. 7pm

WATERLOO CEILIDH: Hampshire-based dance band Jigfoot brings a high-energy evening of traditional music and dance to St John's Waterloo. Accompanied by caller Ian Nichols, the ensemble uses fiddles, button accordion, guitar and cello to create a driving sound for an inclusive night of dancing. No previous experience is required as all moves are explained throughout the session. 7.30pm

DRACULA: Wicked actress Cynthia Erivo stars in a one-woman reimagining of Bram Stoker's Dracula at the Noël Coward Theatre, ending today. Erivo plays 23 roles in a visually bold production slathered in theatrical blood, flashing lights and other intense effects. 7.30pm

Last chance to see Cynthia Erivo in Dracula. Image: Daniel Boud

ABBA TRIBUTE: Croydon's Fairfield Halls stages the international smash-hit tribute Thank You For The Music, now celebrating its 21st year on the road. This all-star production brings ABBA’s legendary catalogue to life with authentic harmonies and dazzling costumes, featuring chart-toppers from Waterloo to Mamma Mia. Expect a high-energy party atmosphere as the cast recreates the unmistakable sound of the Swedish pop icons. 7.45pm

SIZZLING HOT CIRCUS: Step inside the Fireworks Factory at Woolwich Works for an 18+ cabaret that blends high-skill acrobatics with a sultry, playful sense of humour. Aircraft Circus: Sizzling Hot Circus features a cast of aerialists and dancers performing daring feats on the hoop, straps and a rare quads trapeze. It's a strictly adult-only evening of seductive ground acts and aerial contortion. 8pm

MURDER MYSTERY PLAY: Bexleyheath’s Edward Alderton Theatre stages Blood Me Up Marjorie!, a razor-sharp two-hander pulling back the curtain on a chaotic murder mystery company. The fast-paced comedy follows a cast of eccentric characters as they struggle to keep their theatrical event on track while ensuring their "dead body" actually stays dead. 8pm

EY UP, IT'S SHOWTIME: A showcase of northern flair comes to The Other Palace in Victoria. Ey Up, It's Showtime features a cabaret-style performance by Yorkshire-born artists now living in the capital, blending West End classics with musical numbers inspired by 'God's own county'. Expect a night of charm, wit and camaraderie from a cast of over 20 performers celebrating their roots away from home. 8pm

HOT CHIP ANNIVERSARY: Celebrate two decades of the seminal album Warning at Dalston's Shacklewell Arms with A Love Letter To Hot Chip. The late-night party features a heavy rotation of the band's back catalogue alongside a mix of electroclash, disco and 00s dance-punk. Expect to hear tracks from LCD Soundsystem, Soulwax, and Justice as the Dance Yrself Clean crew commandeers the decks. 11pm

Sunday 31 May

Catch a screening of Inception at Rooftop Cinema Club tonight

JUMBLE TRAIL: The Francis Road Jumble Trail is a community street sale along the residential Leyton thoroughfare and surrounding streets, with stalls, bargain-hunting and fundraising for Cats Protection. Find all participating locations on the map. 10am-4pm

SLAVE HISTORY: Explore the financial legacy of British slavery and the history of Black resistance on this guided walk through the City of London. Organised by Black History Walks, the tour examines how institutions like Lloyds of London profited from the slave trade, and highlights the diverse strategies used by enslaved people to fight back, from cultural resistance to armed revolts. 10.30am-12.30pm

JAZZ AMONG FLOWERS: The Garden Café within the Flower Station in Finchley launches a new live jazz event, taking place every other Sunday from today. Head to the plant-filled, sunny sanctuary at the edge of Hampstead Garden Suburb for an afternoon of smooth tunes. FREE, 12pm-2.30pm

VINTAGE FURNITURE FLEA: Leadenhall returns to its market roots, hosting its monthly vintage furniture and flea market. Browse stalls from expert traders offering mid-century furniture, antiques, retro homeware, lighting, rugs and one-off pieces. 12pm-5pm

Browse for vintage furniture and homewares at Leadenhall Market

RNLI OPEN DAY: Teddington RNLI's Lifeboat Week concludes with an open day. Everyone's welcome to visit the station, climb aboard the lifeboat and tractor, watch volunteer crew lifesaving demonstrations, meet firefighters, play water-safety games and enjoy live ukulele and wind-band music. 1pm-5pm

HACKNEY WOMEN: Dalston's historic Rio Cinema hosts the premiere of Women from Hackney's History, a new film commissioned by the Hackney Society to celebrate local trailblazers. Spanning three centuries of stories, the production features pioneers such as Clara Ludski, the founder of the Rio itself, and was filmed across various borough locations. The screening is followed by a panel discussion with filmmaker Barney Snow and editor Sue Doe, plus a Q&A and book signing. 2pm

BROCKLEY MAX ALL-DAYER: Community arts festival Brockley Max celebrates its 25th anniversary with an outdoor garden show at the Fox and Firkin in Lewisham. Internationally acclaimed tuba visionary and former Sons of Kemet member Theon Cross headlines the event, bringing his unique "21st century sound-system" style to the stage. The eclectic lineup also features neo-soul from Hillarynx, electronic duo The Palindromes, and a closing indoor afterparty with DJs The DreZone and Mr Strutt. 2pm-10pm

JANE AUSTEN'S LONDON: Trace the novelist's connections to the capital on a guided tour through the streets of Mayfair and St James's. Led by a former Museum of London archaeologist, the tour visits the site of Austen's brother's bank, the location of her original publishers, and the historic shops of Old Bond Street that remain much as they were in the Regency era — as well as real-life settings that inspired the London-based chapters of Sense and Sensibility. 2.30pm-4.30pm

WAGE THEFT: Political economist Matthew Cole visits Conway Hall to discuss the "silent epidemic" of unpaid hours blighting the global workforce. The talk explores how wage theft is often a structural feature of modern capitalism rather than just the result of rogue employers. Cole, a lecturer at the University of Sussex, examines the history of these practices and offers strategies for workers to fight back. 3pm-4.30pm

Being Mr Wickham is back in the West End for one night only. Photo: James Findlay

FEARLESSLY TAYLOR: Ashleigh Stevens brings her international tribute to the "Eras" of Taylor Swift to the Millfield Theatre in Edmonton. Accompanied by a live band and professional dancers, Fearlessly Taylor spans a large part of the singer's entire discography from her self-titled debut through to the record-breaking Midnights. The full-scale production features faithful recreations of iconic tour highlights and a selection of surprise songs for dedicated Swifties. 4pm

IMMIGRANT COMEDY: International stand-ups take to the stage at The Immigrant Comedy Show for an evening of English-language performance at the Camden Comedy Club. The line-up features foreign comedians sharing their perspectives and complaints about British life, flipping the usual narrative for a night of sharp, cross-cultural storytelling. 7pm

LARA ZIFF: London-based artist Lara Ziff makes her headline debut at Next Door Records in Shepherd's Bush. Her sound is a sophisticated blend of classic soul, R&B and jazz, anchored by vulnerable and honest storytelling. This intimate performance marks the start of a new creative era for the singer, whose expressive vocals draw inspiration from the likes of Amy Winehouse and Alicia Keys. 7pm

COUNTERPOINT OF CHAOS: Counterpoint of Chaos is a solo dance‑theatre work about a woman's evolving relationship with artificial intelligence, presented at His Majesty's Theatre. The piece shifts between organic movement and machine‑like precision to examine authorship, agency and identity. 7pm

Counterpoint of Chaos comes to His Majesty's Theatre

FLEETWOOD MAC: A sensational cast of West End singers and a 13-piece live band gather at the London Palladium for a one-night-only gala performance celebrating 50 years of the band's self-titled album and the hit single Rhiannon. Expect hundreds of flickering candles and a guest appearance by Eurovision stars Remember Monday. 7.30pm

INCEPTION: Christopher Nolan's 2010 thriller Inception stars Leonardo DiCaprio as a thief who uses dream-sharing technology to steal — and implant — ideas. We'll be honest, we've watched it several times and we're still not sure we follow all the complex layers, but if that sounds like your bag, it's screened at Rooftop Cinema Club Stratford tonight. 7.30pm

BEING MR WICKHAM: Adrian Lukis reprises his BBC role as George Wickham in a one‑man play that revisits the roguish Pride & Prejudice character on the eve of his 60th birthday. The one-off, 70‑minute performance at the Garrick Theatre offers Wickham's take on events involving Darcy, Lizzie and Waterloo. 7.30pm

HUMAN JUKEBOX: Throw your musical theatre song request at Daniel Benisty — aka the Human Jukebox — and he'll instantly perform it on the piano (with vocals). You'll find him at CellarDoor. 9pm-11.30pm

Too hot in London? Read on for ways to keep cool this summer. Photo: Shutterstock

We spend 50 weeks of the year moaning about the weather, then when we DO get a taste of summer, it's just too damn hot. Here's how and where to cool down when the heatwave hits London.

How to keep cool on the Tube

Mmm.... sweaty. Image: Shutterstock

You're joking right? The Tube is London's own furnace — rumour has it the devil himself once had a cosy little lair on the Central line, but found it a little toasty and relocated to the cooler, more bearable flames of Hell.

That said, there are ways you can rework your commute to keep a bit cooler: meet the air-conditioned Tube map, as compiled by Geoff Marshall. No surprise that the Central line is absent, but you'll notice that the beautifully chilled Elizabeth line runs a similar route through Central London.

Of course, we make no promises about your fellow commuters having the common decency to wear deodorant, but one step at a time, eh?

Rooftop bars and beer gardens in London

Sabine is one of London's best rooftop bars for a summer day (or evening)

If you're anything like us, as soon as thew sun's out, your thoughts turn to al fresco supping. You've got two main options; rooftop bars, and beer gardens.

Rooftop bars can be found hovering above the streets of London, from themed hipster hangouts in the east, to Peckham's famous negroni bar, Frank's. Browse our guide to the best rooftop bars in London (updated for 2026).

When the sun's out, make for your nearest beer garden. Image: Shutterstock

Otherwise, gather your crew together and make for your nearest beer garden. From riverside terraces to sprawling open spaces, and more compact gardens in the city centre, kick back with an icy pint — just watch out for wasps.

Want guaranteed sun? Launched in 2025, the SunSeekr app offers an interactive map showing you which parts of London — including those all-important beer gardens, rooftop bars and parks — will be in the sun or shade at any given time on a particular day. Great for making the most of the rays, but also handy when it's just too hot, and you're trying to dodge the direct sun.

Lidos and outdoor swimming in a London heatwave

Parliament Fields Lido is one of the capital's many open-air swimming options. Image: Shutterstock

Year-round swimmers must dread summer, when fair weather dippers take to London's many lidos and wild swimming ponds in a bid to cool down. Aside from the famous ones — think the ponds on Hampstead Heath, Brockwell Lido and London Fields — there are plenty of lesser-swum outdoor pools. Finchley Lido, anyone?

Excellent news for outdoor swimmers: the 50m lido Sea Lanes Canary Wharf opens in June 2026, offering yet another place for al fresco dips in London.

Conversely, London's year-round, indoor pools tend to empty out a bit when a heatwave hits, so you might get more swimming space at one of these.

Willing to travel a bit? Combine swimming with a day trip at one of these outdoor pools and lidos near London.

Summer beaches in London

Viking Bay in Broadstairs is accessible from London. Image: Shutterstock

No need to hop on the train to get to the beach — although Kent, Essex and Sussex all have excellent options. London has its own beaches, which pop-up every summer to offer city dwellers the feel of sand between the toes... and in their hair, and up their nose... Anyway, if you're up for finding sand in your crevices until October, here are the details of this year's summer beaches in London.

London water fountains you can play in: Summer 2026

That looks incredibly tempting right now. Image: Shutterstock

Move out the way, kids — we're coming in. In summer, London's awash with water fountains that you're allowed to play in. Splash, paddle and whoop to your heart's content — just remember, you've got to go back to the office in that soaking shirt and tie.

Take to the ice

Ice skating's not just for Christmas — London has several year-round ice rinks, situated in dark, cool buildings. The most central rink is located at Queensway, and has bowling, arcade games and a restaurant and bar. In fact, it's located underground — ideal if you're swerving the sun's rays entirely.

Things to do outdoors in London: Summer 2026

Rooftop Cinema Club is a staple of London's outdoor cinema scene

If you're keen to make the most of summer in London, there are plenty of things to do outdoors — just make sure you follow safety advice, wear sunscreen, drink plenty of water and stick to the shade on the hottest days.

On a summer evening, few things are more delightful than watching a good film at an outdoor cinema. London's summer 2026 options take places on rooftops, in parks and gardens, and even in the middle of the Barbican estate. Most have food and drink options available on site. Just bear in mind that no matter how scorching the day has been, things can get chilly when the sun sets, so take an extra layer along with you.

Beyond cinema, there's plenty of other outdoor culture to enjoy in London, from live music to outdoor theatre to open-air art. Check out our guide to summer 2026's music festivals while you're there.

Alternatively, we've always found boating to be a cooling activity (providing you're not doing too much of the rowing or pedalling yourself that is). Here's our guide to boating lakes in London.

Works by Kawada Kikuji feature in Japan House exhibition Kyotographie. © Kikuji Kawada Courtesy PGI

LONDON CLOWN FESTIVAL: Forget clowns in a Mini. How many can you fit into Soho Theatre or Jacksons Lane? They're the two venues for the London Clown Festival, showing that there's far more to the art than a red nose and a squirting flower. Alternative comedian and kindly clown Mikey Bligh-Smith, musical duo Dan Lees and Tom Penn, and comedian Elf Lyons are among the headliners. 30 May-13 June 2026

LGBTQ+ FUNDRAISER: For one night only at the Lyric Theatre, West End performers including Alice Fearn, Danielle Steers, Kitty Scott‑Claus and the London Gay Men's Chorus will sing roles they wouldn’t usually be cast in. The evening is an LGBTQ+ IVF fundraiser, with money raised going towards self‑funded IVF. 1 June 2026

LONDON FESTIVAL OF ARCHITECTURE: A celebration of architecture and 'city-making', the London Festival of Architecture programme is packed full of more than 400 events throughout the month, from public installations to talks, tours, debates and performances — including some family-friendly events. 1-30 June 2026

UCL SUMMER FESTIVAL: Workshops, panels, markets, fitness tasters and a world-record attempt are part of the UCL200 Summer Festival, a week-long bicentenary festival run by Students' Union. Ticketed headline evening events include the Great Debate, a student film festival and the UCL Proms. 2-6 June 2026

360 ALLSTARS: A high‑energy urban circus featuring an international cast of World Champion and World Record holding artists, 360 ALLSTARS barrels its way into the Peacock Theatre. Expect BMX tricks, basketball trickery, acrobatics, beatboxing and a live drumming soundtrack, accompanied by large video projections. 2-6 June 2026

Lively show 360 ALLSTARS comes to Holborn

JAZZ FESTIVAL: National and international musicians get into their groove for the fifth annual Battersea Jazz Festival, happening in venues neighbourhood-wide. From renowned artists (think Scott Hamilton, Dave O'Higgins and Gabrielle Stravelli) to young award-winning talent (the Emily Masser-Alex Clarke Quintet and Deschanel Gordon Trio), this festival has it all. Things kick of with a 'jazz ballet' take on Prokofiev's Romeo and Juliet. 3-13 June (sponsor)

SLAUGHTERHOUSE-FIVE: So It Goes Theatre presents Eric Simonson's stage adaptation of Kurt Vonnegut's novel, Slaughterhouse-Five, following Billy Pilgrim, a soldier who becomes "unstuck in time" after he is abducted by aliens. See it at Southwark Playhouse Borough. 3 June-4 July 2026

SHAKESPEARE IN THE SQUARES: Every summer, a single Shakespeare play is performed in open-air gardens and squares across the capital. For 2026. Shakespeare in the Squares tackles Love's Labour's Lost, popping up in venues including Kensington Gardens Square and Camden Square. 3 June-12 July 2026

KYOTOGRAPHIE: Japan House London stages Kyotographie, a joint exhibition of work by two exciting Japanese photographers, Kawada Kikuji and Iwane Ai. Works include Kawada's Chizu (The Map), selections from The Last Cosmology, and Iwane's Kipuka and A New River series. The show, organised with Kyotographie International Photography Festival is the gallery's first major photography exhibition. FREE, 3 June-18 October 2026

MAKE A MESS: Anna, newly bereaved and estranged from her mother, immerses herself in Nigella Lawson's How To Eat and summons an imagined Nigella as a guide. Theatre show How To Make A Mess explores grief and comfort through recipes and memory, and takes place Upstairs at the Gatehouse in Highgate. 4-28 June 2026

MARILYN MONROE: Portraits and photographs of Marilyn Monroe by renowned artists and photographers go on display at the National Portrait Gallery to mark what would be the star's 100th birthday, along with personal belongings such as books, scripts and clothes. 4 June-6 September 2026

Celebrate the Women's Prize 2026. Image: Twiggles © Women's Prize Trust

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS: 1992 dark comedy film Glengarry Glen Ross comes to the stage at the Old Vic, in a new adaptation, and with an all-female cast. 4 June-18 September 2026

BRANDING BRITAIN: The Museum of Brands' new exhibition Branding Britain explores how Britain’s identity has been built and exported. It pairs data visualisation from the Ipsos and JKR 'Be Distinctive Britain' report with objects from household names including Yorkshire Tea, Marmite and Burberry, also highlighting design figures such as Vivienne Westwood and Paul Smith, and cultural moments from the 1966 World Cup to London 2012. 4 June-October 2026

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A £10 orchestral concert inspired by nighttime in New York

This month, whisk yourself away to the city that never sleeps, with the help of Chromatica Orchestra and BBC Young Musician of the Year-winner Ryan Wang.

On 17 June at Battersea Arts Centre, they're treating Londoners to an evocative programme that encapsulates New York after dark, from its hushed backstreets to the glitz and glamour of its nightlife.

Your evening begins with Aaron Copland's melancholic Quiet City. Originally written for an NYC-set play, this atmospheric nocturne is laden with urban loneliness and abandoned dreams. After that, there's a big vibe shift, in the form of George Gershwin's exuberant Rhapsody in Blue. Even if you're not well-acquainted with jazz/classical, chances are you'll recognise this masterpiece which celebrates New York's bustling Jazz Age nightlife with brio (the opening clarinet glissando alone is enough to awaken your inner flapper).

The concert also features Charles Ives' daring, dreamlike Central Park in the Dark, and Leonard Bernstein's vibrant ballet score, Fancy Free. The whole thing is brought to life by Chromatica Orchestra's incredible early-career professional musicians plus pianist Wang, the latest in a series of talented soloists that the collective has teamed up with to create an extraordinary musical experience.

New York, New York takes place on Wednesday 17 June, 7.30pm at Battersea Arts Centre. Tickets usually start at £15, with a pay-what-you-can pricing structure, but our readers can get them for just £10 with the code LONDONIST.

CENTRE FOR ILLUSTRATION: After a couple of delays, the Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration finally opens its doors in a former waterworks building in Clerkenwell. The world's largest space dedicated to illustration opens with a debut trio of exhibitions, including one showing off Blake's own work. From 5 June 2026

COMEDY FESTIVAL: A new summer comedy weekend in a big top, the Battersea Park Comedy Festival attracts headliners including Sara Pascoe, Joe Lycett, Simon Brodkin, Lucy Beaumont and Simon Amstell plus curated nights from Wise Fools and family shows such as Comedy Club 4 Kids. The festival garden offers street food, beers and live music before, during and after shows. 5-7 June 2026

JAIPUR LIT FEST: Authors Namita Gokhale and Sheena Kalayil, and playwright Samantha Ellis are among the speakers on the line-up for the London Jaipur Literature Festival at the British Library, a satellite event of the huge Jaipur Literature Festival which takes place in India each January. 5-7 June 2026

Live at Chelsea brings big acts to the Royal Hospital Chelsea.

ZOO NIGHTS: London Zoo's late-night openings are back, for adults only on Fridays in June and July. Zoo Nights is a rare chance to see the animals at dusk, and enjoy tours, acoustic music, street food and live performances. London Zoo also unveils a special blue plaque trail this summer, marking ZSL's 200th anniversary. 5 June-24 July 2026

PROJECT A BLACK PLANET: Barbican Centre launches both an exhibition and a season of events called Project a Black Planet, celebrating the art and culture of Panafrica. Over 300 works — from paintings and installations to posters, journals and film — explore the impact of Pan-Africanism on artistic and cultural production from the 1920s to the present, alongside live music, film screenings and talks. 5 June-6 September 2026 (exhibition opens 11 June)

GAME MUSIC FESTIVAL: Hear three decades of music from video game series Diablo, performed by an orchestra and choir at the Royal Festival Hall. The concert features themes from across the series, and special guests Ted Reedy (lead composer) and Derek Duke (music director) are present. It's the opening event for the Games Music Festival 2026. 6 June 2026

OPEN GARDENS WEEKEND: London Open Gardens Weekend is a chance to explore the city's green spaces via open days, tours and talks. They range from allotments to small private gardens — to the larger gardens in the likes of Eaton Square, usually only accessible to local residents with a key. 6-7 June 2026

LONDON MAP FAIR: The Royal Geographical Society hosts around 40 national and international antiquarian map dealers selling original maps from the 15th to the 20th century, with prices starting from about £10 (and going much higher, if you happen to have deep pockets...). The London Map Fair also features lectures including Rose Mitchell on historic mapmakers and talks by Ashley Baynton-Williams on starting a map collection. 6-7 June 2026

Harry Styles curates this year's Meltdown. Photo: Laura Coulson

BARNET MEDIEVAL FESTIVAL: See re-enactments of 1471 the Battle of Barnet, as well as displays by the gunners, archers and mounted knights at this year's Barnet Medieval Festival. There's also a medieval market, craft displays and an exhibition of medieval art, all taking place at Lewis of London ice cream farm, just north of Barnet. 6-7 June 2026

SERPENTINE PAVILION 2026: 'a serpentine' (their lower case, not ours) is the apt name and design of this year's free Serpentine Pavilion, erected in the grounds of the Serpentine South gallery in June. Mock-ups show the interior will provide an irregular-shaped courtyard with spaces for sitting, and a brise soleil roof propped with thin brick columns. FREE, 6 June-25 October 2026

HEAVY HORSE SHOW: Capel Manor Gardens in Enfield hosts the Herts Heavy Horse Show and Country Show. See heavy horse breeds in action, taking part in various events in the show ring. There's also a dog show, farrier demonstrations, a mini zoo and children's rides. A great excuse to explore the venue's 30-acre gardens. 7 June 2026

MITCHAM CARNIVAL: After a successful return last year, a parade takes place as part of Mitcham Carnival again this year. The mile-long route starts in the town centre and finishes at Three Kings Piece, where you'll find live performances, wrestling demos and funfair rides. FREE, 7 June 2026

MAKING IT FESTIVAL: Making It Festival 2026 at Guildhall School brings together student work from music, drama, production and design across the school's venues. The programme features final-year productions, ensemble concerts, new writing, installations and workshops presented in spaces such as Silk Street and Milton Court. Some (though not all) events are free. 8-26 June 2026

Have a tipple or two at The Wine Circuit. Image: Charlie Round-Turner

LONDON CONCOURS: Luxury cars meet garden party vibes at the London Concours, taking place at the Honourable Artillery Company in the City. The classic car show brings together dozens of the world's most beautiful motors, with special categories for Dream Cars, Hypercars and American Muscle Cars. 9-11 June 2026

WOMEN'S PRIZE LIVE: Enjoy a day festival of author talks, shortlist readings and workshops in Bedford Square Gardens to celebrate literary award The Women's Prize 2026. Authors including Candice Carty-Williams, Thangam Debbonaire, Julia Gillard, Vick Hope, Anita Rani and Kathryn Stockett take part, with readings of the 2026 Women's Prize shortlists, a pop‑up bookshop and signing station, plus workshops and other events throughout the day. 10 June 2026

LIVE AT CHELSEA: The legends keep coming at the newcomer Live At Chelsea festival, which pitches up in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea: over the course of five nights, acts include Holly Johnson, The Proclaimers, The Beach Boys (Mike Love's iteration at least), and Sparks. To paraphrase the latter, this festival is big enough for all of them. 10-14 June 2026

HAMPTON COURT PALACE FESTIVAL: Want a taste of pop royalty? Hampton Court Palace Festival's two-week shindig is back this June (it's individual shows rather than a festival), ready to welcome you with a flute of champagne and space for a picnic, before performances from Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Nile Rodgers & Chic, and David Gray, among others. 10-19 June 2026

RETURN OF THE GODZ: Return of The GODZ brings the troupe's mix of comedy, circus and acrobatics to the Peacock Theatre, following mythic figures such as Cupid and Hercules as the show stages a hedonistic Mount Olympus party. Prepare to witness gravity-defying stunts, feats of strength and comic twists in the adults-only show. 10-20 June 2026

Adrian Lester stars in Cyrano de Bergerac

KINGSTON BEER FESTIVAL: Over 100 cask and craft beers, ciders and perries are promised at the Kingston Beer Festival, with more details on what they are to come soon. 11-13 June 2026

HARRY STYLES' MELTDOWN: Harry Styles is the curator of this year's Meltdown at Southbank Centre, ahead of his run of shows at Wembley Stadium. Among the acts he's chosen to perform are Warpaint, Kamasi Washington and Erika de Casier. 11-21 June 2026. Styles also begins his run of shows at Wembley Stadium on 12 June.

2026 WORLD CUP: The USA, Canada and Mexico are the hosts for the 2026 World Cup. If you're watching from this side of the Atlantic, book yourself a spot at these London pubs and bars which are showing World Cup games. 11 June-19 July 2026

PRIDE: The National Theatre's headline Summer 2026 production is Pride, set during the miners's strike of 1984, when Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM) quickly finds itself entwined with a small pit village in South Wales. 11 June-12 September 2026

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING: The curtain lifts on a new production of Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare's Globe. The romantic comedy follows Beatrice, Benedick and a web of gossip and mistaken reputations, set in a modern world of style, status and late-night parties. From 11 June 2026

BURGER FEST: It's all about the patties down at Richmond Athletics Ground, where Burger Fest brings together 20 top traders from all over the UK to battle it out to be crowned the winner. Expect full-size burgers, mini sliders, as well as eating competitions and other entertainment. 12-14 June 2026

Everyone's welcome at the Marylebone Summer Festival

WINE CIRCUIT: Over 20 wine stalls, an artisan market, street food trucks and a packed programme of ticketed tastings, pairings and evening events return to Battersea Power Station for vino festival The Wine Circuit. Take part in Strictly Bangers quiz, or Drag Wine Tasting with Beth Brickenden and Vanity Von Glow. 12-14 June 2026

T20 CRICKET: The ICC Women's T20 World Cup sees cricket teams from countries including Australia, Pakistan, South Africa, Scotland and the Netherlands go head-to-head. England hosts this year, with matches at grounds all over the country, including Lord's and The Oval here in London. 12 June-5 July 2026

HEPWORTH IN COLOUR: Barbara Hepworth's experiments with colour across sculpture and drawing are brought together in a research-led exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery. Around 20 sculptures and 30 drawings — including early painted wood and stone carvings from the 1940s and later works from the 1950s and 1960s — are on show. 12 June-6 September 2026

VINTAGE BUS RIDES: London Bus Museum runs a heritage day, putting vintage buses from the 1930s-90s into service on TfL routes 213 (Kingston-Sutton) and 293 (North Cheam-Epsom). Board at any participating stop on the timetable between 10am and 5pm for a free ride — some services even have a conductor handing out facsimile tickets. FREE, 13 June 2026

FOLK FESTIVAL: Magpie's Nest Festival is a one-day folk and roots festival at Cody Dock with main-stage and intimate acoustic performances from Kate Griffin & Matchume Zango, Ruth Lyon, Sarah Jane Scouten, Caraway, Craven, Old Spot, Âellin, Siwan Catrin, Pearl Fish, plus spoken-word from Naomi Wood and Lalah-Simone Springer. Sounds like a very chilled afternoon/evening. 13 June 2026

Sandra Oh stars in The Misanthrope

BMW CLASSICS: The London Symphony Orchestra gives a free outdoor concert in Trafalgar Square, performing works by Holst, Drewett and Elgar. If the sun's shining on the day it's likely to be popular, so arrive in plenty of time to get a space. FREE, 13 June 2026

FOOD SEASON WEEKENDER: The British Library opens its Food Season with two days of talks and panels featuring foodies including Ruthie Rogers and Simon Russell Beale, sessions on the Silk Roads, seaweed, the legacy of Edna Lewis, food photography with Vittles and a Firepower panel on women and BBQ (including former Londonist food editor Helen Graves). 13-14 June 2026

WANDSWORTH PRISON MUSEUM: A rare chance to visit the small but fascinating Wandsworth Prison Museum, as it holds an open weekend. View more than 470 objects charting the prison's history, with displays relating to Oscar Wilde, Jack the Ripper, John Haigh, the Kray twins, William Joyce (Lord Haw Haw) and Ronnie Biggs. 13-14 June 2026

ADRIAN LESTER: Renowned actor Adrian Lester stars as the title character in a West End transfer of Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac at the Noël Coward Theatre, following a sold-out run with the Royal Shakespeare Company. A soldier who believes himself too ugly to be loved, but helps a handsome soldier win the heart of Roxane, who he himself also loves. 13 June-5 September 2026

HOT MESS: Multi award‑winning climate change musical Hot Mess transfers from the Edinburgh Festival to The Other Palace for a limited summer season, imagining a fraught romance between Earth and Humanity. 13 June-6 September 2026

Catch Les Misérables in Concert. Image: Danny Kaan

WORLD NAKED BIKE RIDE 2026: If you're prudish, you may wish to avert your eyes as the World Naked Bike Ride pedals into town. Cyclists let it all hang out as they ride in a group on one of several pre-agreed routes, all converging near Wellington Arch. Don't forget your suncream. Note: in 2026 it takes place on a Sunday instead of a Saturday for the first time. 14 June 2026

MARYLEBONE SUMMER FESTIVAL: A one-day street festival along Marylebone High Street, Marylebone Summer Festival offers live music on the main stage, dog show Bark in the Park, a wellness zone, and a children's area with rides and activities. The event raises funds for Young Westminster Foundation. 14 June 2026

BRIDGES OF LONDON WALK: Sign up to walk six miles across eight London bridges in aid of charity Lymphoma Action. Join the route in person and walk from Vauxhall Bridge to Tower Bridge, or sign up to walk a similar distance remotely, in your own local area. 14 June 2026

MUSIC IN CHURCHES: 15 concerts of classical, choral, chamber and jazz music take place at churches around the Square Mile, including  St Giles Cripplegate and St Botolph-without-Bishopsgate. This year's Summer Music in City Churches has a theme of Around The World, and some of the concerts take place at lunchtime, so worth bookmarking if you work in the area. 16-26 June 2026

SANDRA OH: Sandra Oh stars as Alice in Martin Crimp's reworking of Molière’s The Misanthrope at the National Theatre. Successful author Alice faces intense criticism and backlash as she grows bolder in speaking up for the causes she believes in. 16 June-1 August 2026

Soapbox racing comes to Ally Pally. Image: Red Bull Content Pool

ROYAL ACADEMY SUMMER EXHIBITION: A highlight of the London art calendar, the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition brings together established and rising artists to display their work. Prints, painting, film, photography, architectural works and sculpture all jostle for attention. Full 2026 details TBC. 16 June-23 August 2026

TASTE OF LONDON: Foodies: head to Regent's Park for Taste of London, the huge culinary festival which brings dozens of London's best-known restaurants together to feed hungry visitors. It's also a chance to discover up-and-coming London chefs and food businesses, take part in tastings and watch masterclasses. 17-21 June 2026

CAPITAL CRIME: Love a good crime thriller book? Head to the Leonardo Royal St Paul's for Capital Crime, a lit festival celebrating the genre. Authors Elly Griffiths, Claire Douglas Lisa Jewell and Sabine Durrant are some of 80+ names scheduled to take part in 30 events across three days. 18-20 June 2026

IDEAS FESTIVAL: The British Academy's three‑day Ideas Festival brings researchers, fellows and guest speakers together for panels, debates and interactive exhibits exploring history, politics, culture and technology. FREE, 18-20 June 2026

LES MISERABLES CONCERT: A concert version of Cameron Mackintosh's Les Misérables comes to the Royal Albert Hall for just six performances. The impressive cast includes features Alfie Boe, Samantha Barks, Shan Ako and Matt Lucas, and the Royal Albert Hall is offering a Parisian-inspired afternoon tea throughout the month too. 18-21 June 2026

West End Live is a HUGELY popular free event. Photo: Danny Kaan

GRINDR THE OPERA: Grindr: The Opera! is a musical parody that turns the Grindr app into an operatic satire, following four men — Devon, Tom, Jack and Don — as they navigate modern gay dating. See it at the Union Theatre. 18 June-19 July 2026

SEA LANES CANARY WHARF: New lido Sea Lanes Canary Wharf opens, offering year-round open water swimming in a 50m-long natural water pool, floating in Eden Dock alongside saunas and changing rooms. From 19 June 2026

SOAPBOX RACE: Teams from around Britain bring homemade, non-motorised soapbox cars to race down the famous Alexandra Palace hill — judged on speed, creativity and performance. You're too late to register to take part, but tickets to watch the mayhem are still available. 20 June 2026

START OF THE LINE: New one-day music, arts and culture festival Start Of The Line takes place at Morden Park. Soul II Soul headline the main stage, with support from The Hoosiers and Billy Nomates, and various other performances and family-friendly activities throughout the day. 20 June 2026

WATERLOO DAY: The Battle of Waterloo and its aftermath are the subject of Waterloo Day at Apsley House, the former home of the Duke of Wellington. Historians Dr Graeme Callister and Michael Rayner guide visitors through the dramatic events of the battle, with other talks and reenactments going on throughout the day. 20 June 2026

OKINAWA DAY: London's annual Okinawa Day celebrates the music, dances and food from the islands of the Ryukyu archipelago in southern Japan. Head to the Blue Market in Bermondsey for Ryukyu Classical Music, sanshin folk-song performances, traditional Eisa dance and Ryukyu karate demonstrations. FREE, 20 June 2026

Not pictured: the flare incident. © Rah Petherbridge

WEST END LIVE: For one weekend each June, stars from London's current West End musicals perform FOR FREE on a pop-up stage in Trafalgar Square. West End Live is an incredibly popular event, so you'll need to arrive very early to be in with a chance of getting in. FREE, 20-21 June 2026

MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM: A new outdoor production of Shakespeare's comedy A Midsummer Night's Dream opens at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, telling the enchanting story of a bitter dispute in the fairy kingdom, and four fleeing lovers who find themselves in an enchanted forest. 20 June-18 July 2026

JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR: Eurovision star Sam Ryder assumes the role of Jesus in Jesus Christ Superstar at the Palladium. Tyrone Huntley, Jesse Tyler Ferguson, Simon Russell Beale, Richard Armitage, Boy George, Layton Williams and Julian Clary are also among the cast. 20 June-5 September 2026

FATHER'S DAY: Consider this your reminder to pick up a card, and maybe a box of chocolates or a new book, for your dad on Father's Day. 21 June 2026

FOOTBALL PLAY: The 'Flarewell' tour of football play Why I Stuck a Flare Up My Ar*e for England comes to the Garrick Theatre for one night only, your last chance to see it in London. The show looks at the darker side of football culture, and was inspired by the infamous picture of the England fan who wedged a lit flare in his buttocks before the Euro 2020 final. 21 June 2026

Admire works by Japanese female photographers. Image: KATAYAMA Mari bystander #014, 2016 Courtesy the artist and Aperture

JAPANESE FEMALE PHOTOGRAPHERS: In addition to the Kyotographie exhibition at Japan House (above), The Photographers' Gallery's summer exhibition displays the work of 27 Japanese women photographers, from the 1950s to the present. More than 200 photographs, videos, installations and rare photobooks are on show, in a bid to rebalance a history too often told through a single, male-dominated lens. 24 June-27 September 2026

TO KILL A MOCKINGBIRD: Aaron Sorkin’s stage adaptation of Harper Lee's novel To Kill A Mockingbird returns to the West End at Wyndham's Theatre starring Richard Coyle as Atticus Finch. 25 June-12 September 2026

FRIDA KAHLO: Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is the subject of a new exhibition at Tate Modern, featuring over 30 of her works to delve into how she became one of the most influential artists of all time, not to mention a cultural phenomenon. Some of Kahlo's garments, jewellery, photographs and memorabilia feature, along with 200 works by her contemporaries. 25 June 2026-3 January 2027

FUSE INTERNATIONAL: For nine days, performing arts festival FUSE International takes over Kingston, with a programme of music, theatre, dance, comedy, visual arts, spoken word, circus and more. Highlights include a Pride in Kingston weekend celebrating the local LGBTQIA+ community, and a Battle of the Bands highlighting local musical talent. 26 June-5 July 2026

SPITALFIELDS MUSIC FESTIVAL: The 50th anniversary edition of Spitalfields Music Festival presents contemporary music, opera, choral works, walking tours and community projects across London's East End. Highlights in the programme include soprano Carolyn Sampson, the New European Ensemble's Seasonal Quartet with writer Ali Smith, the Carice Singers, and concerts at venues ranging from neighbourhood spaces to the Tower of London. 26 June-8 July 2026

Several concerts are scheduled as part of Spitalfields Music Festival

HORNIMAN BIRTHDAY PARTY: Forest Hill's Horniman Museum celebrates its 125th birthday with a free (but ticketed) day of events. Watch local and young musicians and DJs across three stages, plus arts and crafts, Smallympics, object handling, a storytelling tent, tours and trails, and street food stalls — all with top-notch views of the London skyline. FREE, 27 June 2026

RUGBY DOUBLE HEADER: Rugby team Barbarians play Wales in a double-header matchday at Twickenham. One ticket covers both the men's (KO 2pm) and women's (KO 5pm) fixtures — each match runs for 80 minutes. 27 June 2026

CORDON BLEU FESTIVAL: Le Cordon Bleu's Summer Festival in Bloomsbury offers 18 hands-on culinary workshops, wine and beverage tastings, and eight guest-chef demonstrations. Workshops are led by Le Cordon Bleu Master Chefs and visiting chefs including Michael Kwan and Masaki Sugisaki, with tastings from brands such as the Peruvian Embassy Pisco Bar, Brindisa and Lauden Chocolate. 27 June 2026

BST HYDE PARK: Maroon 5, Mumford and Sons, Pitbull and Lewis Capaldi are among the headliners at this year's BST Hyde Park, commandeering a corner of Hyde Park for a fortnight. On non-gig days, the Open House programme takes place (unrelated to Open House London), with free entertainment spanning live music, film and sports screenings, and loads more. 27 June-12 July 2026

BUS MUSEUM FESTIVAL: Venture a smidge beyond the London border into Surrey for Summer Festival at the London Bus Museum. View a range of heritage vehicles, take tours of the local area in a 1950s/1960s RT or Routemaster bus, and shop for books, models, old uniforms, badges and memorabilia. 28 June 2026

BST Hyde Park is a staple of summer in London. Image: Tom Hancock

WIMBLEDON 2026: The biggest fortnight in tennis is back. If you can't make it to SW19 yourself, fear not — plenty of places around the capital show the action on big screens, often for free. Here's our guide to where to watch Wimbledon, which we'll update for 2026 when details are announced. Want to get closer to the action? Learn all you need to know about joining 'The Queue' for on-the-day tickets. 29 June-12 July 2026

SUMMER SCIENCE EXHIBITION: The Royal Society's Summer Science Exhibition is suitable for all ages, and showcases the latest research from across the UK, through hands-on activities, talks and interactive exhibits. Topics this year include the mysteries of lightning, super computers, and the secrets of the universe. FREE, 30 June-5 July 2026

ROSES AND LAVENDER: Make time to smell the roses this month, as they bloom all over town. Visit one (or more) of these eight beautiful places to discover roses in bloom in London. If you're willing to travel a bit further afield for your outdoor fix, plan a trip to one of these pretty purple lavender fields near London — plus one within London itself.

MUSIC FESTIVALS: As summer heats up, so does the London music scene: peruse our guide to the best music festivals in London 2026 (some of which we've already highlighted above) and get booking.

OUTDOOR CINEMA: It wouldn't be summer in London without an onslaught of pop-up outdoor cinemas and rooftop film screenings. Some are open in June, and others make an appearance later in the summer. Here's the full guide to outdoor cinema in London.

OUTDOOR CULTURE: In addition to film screenings, theatre shows, live music — and even art — go al fresco for summer in London. Have a look at our guide to outdoor culture in London this summer.

London exhibitions and shows closing in June 2026

Last chance to see Flush at the Arcola Theatre

A few things are closing this month too. June 2026 is your last chance to see:

FLUSH: An ensemble comedy-drama, set entirely in a women's bathroom in a London club, where 16 women trade confessions over the course of a single night. See it at Arcola Theatre. Until 6 June 2026

SHERLOCK HOLMES: The Regent's Park Open Air Theatre's new adaptation of Sherlock Holmes. Set in London in 1890, the production follows Holmes and Watson as they pursue a deadly conspiracy. Until 6 June 2026

THE LAST MAN: A one-person musical about solitary survival, The Last Man at Southwark Playhouse Elephant follows a lone occupant of bunker B-103 after a devastating virus, mixing live rock music with video-diary elements and dark humour. Until 13 June 2026

ROMEO & JULIET: Sadie Sink and Noah Jupe star in Shakespeare's classic love story Romeo & Juliet at the Harold Pinter Theatre. Hey, if it's good enough for Taylor Swift... Until 20 June 2026

Sadie Sink and Noah Jupe star in Romeo & Juliet

KINDRED: Kindred at the Bethlem Museum of the Mind looks at how community and lived experience shape responses to mental distress, presenting works from the museum's collections and highlighting themes of memory, identity and social connection. FREE, until 20 June 2026

INTER ALIA: Last chance to see Rosamund Pike headlining Suzie Miller's legal play Inter Alia at Wyndham’s Theatre. Pike plays Judge Jessica Parks as her professional and personal life collide. Until 20 June 2026

SKATE 50: Celebrate 50 years of the Southbank Undercroft at exhibition Skate 50, showing documentary photographs and films of the space throughout its history, and its place in British skateboarding culture. Until 21 June 2026

Undercroft Skate Space, 1978 © Tim Leighton Boyce/Russ Howell Southbank. Image courtesy The Read and Destroy Archive

WOMEN IN PRINT: William Morris Gallery in Walthamstow presents Women in Print: 150 Years of Liberty Textiles, a survey of more than 100 works that traces the role of female designers at Liberty. Until 21 June 2026

WHODUNNIT UNREHEARSED: Park Theatre stages a Wild West murder‑mystery in which a different celebrity becomes the unrehearsed sheriff each night. Guest sheriffs so far this run have included Anne‑Marie Duff, Toby Jones, Katherine Parkinson and Simon Pegg. Until 27 June 2026

VANBRUGH: A major exhibition at Sir John Soane's Museum brings together drawings and objects including Vanbrugh's plans for Blenheim Palace and Castle Howard, including never-before-exhibited material from the V&A. FREE, until 28 June 2026

MR DOODLE: The Heath Robinson Museum's current exhibition brings together single line drawings and large-scale works by artists including Mr Doodle, Damien Hirst, Glenn Brown, Jake Chapman, Frank Auerbach, Alberto Giacometti, Henri Matisse, Pablo Picasso and Andy Warhol. Until 28 June 2026

In desperate need of somewhere to cool down? Read our guide to how to survive a heatwave in London.

Jeppe Hein's Disappearing Rooms are a staple of hot days in London. Photo: Shutterstock

Indulge your inner kid by splashing around in one of these refreshing play fountains — ideal for cooling off in a London heatwave. Just remember to pack a towel and spare clothes. Need to fully immerse in water? Check out our pick of the best lidos and outdoor swimming pools in London, or if it's reaaallly hot, peruse our guide to surviving a heatwave in the capital.

Jeppe Hein's Appearing Rooms, Southbank Centre

Find the water maze outside Southbank Centre every summer. Image: Owen Billcliffe

First installed in 2006, and returning annually pretty much ever since, Jacob Hein's aquatic structure Appearing Rooms is the big daddy of London's play fountains. Jets send walls of water high into the air creating 'rooms', which disappear as quickly as they emerge. For kids, it's about getting as wet as you can, as often as possible — even if it's not 'fountain weather'.

Open 17 June-31 August 2026, Wednesday-Sunday. Free, no booking required.

Diana Memorial Fountain, Hyde Park

Ooh, lovely. Image: Shutterstock

Located in Hyde Park, the Diana Memorial Fountain is made of 545 pieces of Cornish granite, forming an oval 'stream' in the surrounding grass.

There are three bridges you can cross into the centre without getting your feet wet: but really, it's a great place for kids (and grown-up kids) to paddle. The two sides represent the two facets of Diana's life: happiness in the calmer pool; and turmoil in the choppy waters.

These days, Royal Parks ask visitors to sit on the edge and refresh their feet, rather than walk through the memorial. Note that a queuing system is in place on very busy days (usually hot days, when the fountain is most in demand).

Open all year (except in extremely cold or severe weather, for safety reasons). Opening times vary throughout the year, see website for details. Free, no booking required.

Granary Square fountains, King's Cross

Granary Square: where kids get wet before you can stop them. Photo: Londonist

Granary Square features 1,080 individually controlled and lit water jets. The result is a brilliant splash park for kids of all ages; the perfect way to cool off on a warm day, and one of the best things to do with kids near King's Cross station.

The fountains start off mellow first thing in the morning, becoming more boisterous as the day goes on (a bit like kids). After dark, the fountains' personalities change again, with the addition of colours to the seemingly random squirt patterns.

Open in warm weather. Free, no booking required.

More London/London Bridge City fountains

Cool off right by the river. Image: Shutterstock

There was outcry back in 2018 when one of London's most infamous water features, The Rill, was filled in. The gullies of water ran through the More London/London Bridge City estate, and though they've gone, the more kid-friendly fountains down by the river — an installation officially known as 'The Riverside' — are still in situ. 200 water jets form the play fountains, which spring up at surprising intervals — to the surprise of one mini Londonist team member recently.

The result is an odd mash-up of suits on mobile phones marching between meetings, and south London parents hollering at soggy, squealing kids. It's always fun to keep an eye out for any newbies/tourists caught out by the deceptive 'water benches' nearby too. Pick your picnic spot carefully.

Open all year. Free, no booking required.

Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park fountains, Stratford

Cool off in the Olympic Park. Image: Shutterstock

Head to the south of the Olympic Park to find the Waterworks Fountains outside the ArcelorMittal Orbit and near the London Stadium. 195 individually controlled jets form walls of water, and a maze to splash through and cool off.

In the north of the Olympic Park, the Tumbling Bay playground has rock pool-style bodies of water, along with a hand pump where children can pump water into a series of shallow pools and tributaries. No fountains, but still plenty of water to keep them happy on a warm day.

Open March-October, 10am-5pm except major event days such as West Ham United home matches. Free, no booking required.

John Madejski Garden fountains, V&A Museum

© Victoria and Albert Museum, London

At the inner courtyard at the V&A in South Ken, you'll find a calming elliptical pool dotted with the occasional fountain water jets, and shallow steps ideal for plonking yourself down on.

It's a fantastic space to sit and enjoy some tranquility after the bustle of the museum — on hot days, it makes for a sophisticated, secluded paddling pool, ideal for refreshing your feet. Note that running, splashing, swimming, and sitting in the water are not permitted, and you must remain fully clothed at all times.

Free, no booking required.

Edmond J Safra Fountain Court, Somerset House

When the Somerset House courtyard isn't hosting events, it's home to a set of fountains. Image: Shutterstock

The 55 jets that make up the playful Edmond J Safra Fountain Court inside Somerset House aren't always available to splash around in, as the courtyard is often used for special events such as film screenings and comedy festivals in summer.

Check out the Somerset House website before you visit to avoid disappointment.

Free entry, no booking required.

Russell Square Gardens fountain

Small, but worth knowing about on a warm day. Image: Shutterstock

The pretty garden in Bloomsbury's Russell Square gained a fountain when it was re-landscaped in 2002. It gushes from the centre of the square: small, yes, but still offering a perfect paddling opportunity for kids and kidults alike.

Free, no booking required.

Leicester Square Fountains

Image: Shutterstock

Following a couple of spruce-ups (in 2012 and 2014), Leicester Square now boasts a lovely play fountain surrounding the statue of Shakespeare in the centre. Cool off while watching celebs get sweaty in their tuxes at film premieres across the road. The area gets very busy during summer tourist season, so not somewhere to head if you're after cooling respite from the crowds.

Free, no booking required.

Elephant Springs, Elephant and Castle

Image: Charles Emerson

Part of the new(ish) Elephant Park development, Elephant Springs is crafted from igneous porphyry stone in an organic-looking way, featuring miniature waterfalls, mounds, ravines and babbling streams. Like all the best play fountains, it encourages interaction: kids can use hand-operated pumps, and block certain channels, diverting the water flow. Adults who prefer to stay dry can watch from the comfort of hammocks dotted around the edge of the fountains.

Free, no booking required.

Play fountains at Duke of York Square, Chelsea

We'd never noticed the play fountains sunk into the ground at Duke of York Square, until we saw a toddler playing in them during a particularly warm edition of Chelsea in Bloom. Head to the entrance of Saatchi Gallery and follow the wall a few metres along to the right. Happily, there's a bench right in front of it for parents to watch while children have their fun.

Free, no booking required.

Fountains at Arena Square, Wembley Park

Union Square has a children's paddling pool. Photo: Wembley Park

The triangle of land out the front of Wembley Arena (used for queuing and security on event days), Arena Square has its own set of fountains which are switched on for warmer days — look for the smaller triangle in the centre of the area. A few minutes' walk away, on the other side of Wembley Stadium, the newer Union Park has a children's paddling pool, as well as ponds with their own fountains (strictly no swimming in those, but we've got fairly drenched just walking past them on a warm day when the wind's been blowing the right/wrong way).

Free, no booking required.

Aldgate Square play fountains

Aldgate Square's hooped spurts are quite unusual. Image: Matt Brown

Not the largest fountains in our list, but Aldgate Square's hooped spurts are quite unusual. The water flow of each arch is so smooth, it appears to be static — a phenomenon known as laminal flow. The larger arcs are just about big enough for a mischievous nine-year-old to crawl through, though the water cuts off unpredictably meaning that a soaking is possible. At night, the fountains glow like fibre optics. Hard to remember now that this pleasant plaza was once a roaring gyratory.

Free, no booking required.

Wall Fountain, St Paul's Cathedral

Image: Matt Brown

One of the oldest fountains on the list, this easily missed feature near St Paul's was created in 1951 as part of the Festival of Britain celebrations. While paddling in the knee-deep pool is not actively encouraged, it's not prohibited either, a fuzzy state that means the water is usually not so crowded as other pools. The adjacent lawn, meanwhile, is a tempting place for sunbathing, all backdropped by the dome of St Paul's.

Free, no booking required.

Fellowship Square fountains, Walthamstow

With added lighting and music, this is a Disneyfied experience. Image: Matt From London

Throughout the summer months, you can dance among choreographed jets of water shooting up through Fellowship Square, and backdropped by the art deco Walthamstow Town Hall. With added lighting and music, this is verges on a Disneyfied experience — and the programme of gentle, and more fulsome, jets means that kids of all ages can happily frolic amongst them. On from around 9am-9pm, the 12-hour water show is bookended by a tranquil 'reflection pool'. A handy chalk board shows the schedule in full.

Free, no booking required.

The Mathematics Gallery at the Science Museum. Image: Matt Brown

London has always been a hub of research, but it's also one of the best places in the world to learn about science and its history.

No city on Earth can quite match London's scientific chops. Charles Darwin, Isaac Newton, Rosalind Franklin, Michael Faraday, Alexander Fleming, Edward Jenner... all worked or lived in the capital. Our big institutions such as Imperial College, UCL and King's, and more recently the Francis Crick Institute, have made key contributions to scientific progress.

That heritage is celebrated across the city in numerous museums, plaques and statues. But London is also well blessed with venues that put on talks about the current cutting edge.

Below, we've listed out the most important venues with a scientific, medical or engineering flavour.

Charlie D, in the Natural History Museum. Image: Matt Brown

Museums and galleries

Science Museum: Scarcely needs an introduction. A temple of science, ranging from steam power to space flight. The museum also puts on regular talks and events, including a monthly Lates evening for adults. Kids, meanwhile, can spend an entire day exploring the Wonderlab gallery. South Kensington, FREE (Wonderlab £££)

Natural History Museum: The other big hitter in South Ken, the NHM naturally focuses on the natural world. The dinosaur galleries are permanently packed, but head to the upper floors for quieter spaces on mineralogy, mammals and more. The annual Wildlife Photographer of the Year show remains super-popular. The building's flamboyant architecture is worth the trip alone. South Kensington, FREE

Wellcome Collection: A museum and library with a health and medicine slant. The main gallery puts on themed, temporary exhibitions that combine scientific heritage with art and cultural objects. Upstairs lie permanent galleries and the wonderful library. Euston Road, FREE

NOTE: The Royal Observatory is currently closed for refurbishment. In the meantime, the Astronomers Take Over gallery is open down the hill at the National Maritime Museum, featuring a planetarium experience.
Royal Observatory: The home of time and space features multiple galleries examining our place in the cosmos, and the stories of those who helped unravel the mysteries of the universe. Book into the Peter Harrison Planetarium for a cosmic show, and straddle the Prime Meridian. Greenwich, £££

Horniman Museum: A multi-themed museum, perhaps most famous for its natural history collection, which includes the renowned 'over-stuffed walrus'. Visitors can also enjoy an aquarium, galleries on anthropology and musical instruments, and delightful gardens. Forest Hill, mostly FREE

Science Gallery London: Located in an annexe of Guy's Hospital, the gallery showcases art with a scientific, medical or technological slant, usually grouped as part of a themed exhibition. Closing late 2026. London Bridge, FREE

Francis Crick Institute: The towering research institute maintains a small gallery with temporary exhibition on a given theme. Exhibitions usually delve more deeply into current research than other venues, and it's a chance to see where medical science is leading before it hits the headlines. (Also a productive place to hang out if your train is delayed.) St Pancras, FREE

Kirkaldy's Testing Works: A recent rebranding from the slightly puzzling 'Kirkaldy Testing Museum'  ("testing what, exactly") makes it more clear that this is a place where industrial materials were tested. Inside, you can see the still-operational machine used to stretch, compress and twist metals to destruction — vital data for architects and engineers. Southwark, £££, prebook only

The famous 'Facts not Opinions' pediment over Kirkaldy's Testing Works. Image: Matt Brown

Brunel Museum: Marc Brunel (with help from son Isambard) engineered the first tunnel under a major river in the first half of the 19th century. The small museum is built into one of the surface buildings at Rotherhithe, and tells the story of this feat of engineering. Visitors also get to descend into the tunnel shaft. Rotherhithe, £££

Specialist medical museums

The list below shows only the larger and more public-facing museums. Many further medical disciplines maintain small exhibitions, neatly compiled on the Medical Museums website.

Alexander Fleming Laboratory Museum: Explore the lab where Fleming chanced across the mould that changed the world and saved millions of lives. (The nearby Wetherspoons pub also has a small display about the breakthrough, as well as a penicillin-themed carpet!) Paddington, FREE

Bart's Hospital Museum: A small museum chronicling the rather large history of Bart's, which goes back some 900 years. Among the medical exhibits, look out for the plaque celebrating the first meeting of Sherlock Holmes and Doctor Watson, which (in the fictive universe) happened right here. The hospital also houses a Pathology Museum, only open to the public for special events. Smithfield, FREE

British Optical Association Museum: London's most central museum (metres from the official centre at Charing Cross), this small but professionally focussed museum looks at the history of glasses, lenses and optical devices. Includes celebrity spectacles. Charing Cross, FREE (but pre-book)

Faraday Museum: The Royal Institution in Mayfair has a peerless history of scientific discovery. 10 of the chemical elements were first isolated here, in laboratories ran by Humphry Davy and Michael Faraday. The building presents some of its historic apparatus in the Faraday Museum, located in the lower-ground floor. Mayfair, FREE

Florence Nightingale Museum: Attached to St Thomas's Hospital, this excellent museum describes the history of nursing, with sizeable displays about the profession's most famous pioneer, Florence Nightingale. Lambeth, £££

Grant Museum of Zoology: Attached to UCL, the much-loved Grant Museum is like a pocket-sized Natural History Museum, without the crowds. Thousands of stuffed and bottled specimens, including the famous jar of moles, are arranged haphazardly around this cabinet of natural curiosities. Bloomsbury, FREE

Hunterian Museum: The museum of the Royal College of Surgeons tells the history of surgery and anatomy, including the advances made by John and William Hunter. The recently updated galleries feature thought-provoking specimens and representations of the human body. Holborn, FREE

The Hunterian Museum reopened in 2023 with a completely new look. Image: Matt Brown

Museum of the Mind: Bethlem Royal Hospital is the successor institution to the notorious Bedlam hospital, founded in medieval times for the (supposed) care of the mentally ill. Its history is told in the Museum of the Mind, which also stages excellent temporary exhibitions about psychiatric healthcare now and in the past. Beckenham, FREE

Old Operating Theatre Museum and Herb Garret: The London museum with the longest name? It's certainly one of the more peculiar cultural spaces, lurking in an old church tower. Learn about surgical practice in the times before anaesthesia, in a place that saw its fair share of amputations and the like. London Bridge, £££

Royal Pharmaceutical Society Museum: Learn about the pharmacist's trade past and present, in this excellent exhibition of powders, pills and unguents. Among the intriguing exhibits is an electric hairbrush, cherry toothpaste, and bear grease (for baldness). Near St Katharine Docks, FREE

Talks, events and festivals

The ancient Barnard's Inn Hall, home to free lectures about science and other topics. Image: Matt Brown

Great Exhibition Road Festival: This annual event in June sees Imperial College and the various South Ken museums put on a big old street party, themed around science, technology and innovation. There's almost too much to see, as you explore not only Exhibition Road itself, but the university campus, museums and surrounding streets. South Kensington, FREE

Gresham College: Usually held at Barnard's Inn Hall in Holborn, the college puts on regular free talks for the general public on a wide range of themes. Astronomy is a pet subject, with some top-notch speakers over the years (centuries). Holborn (usually), FREE

Nerd Nite London: Occasional shows where three 'nerds' talk about their pet subjects, sometimes with a science theme. Various venues, £££

Pint of Science: An annual jamboree (in May) of science, matching up research scientists with pub function rooms. Hear about cutting-edge science over a pint or a glass of vino. Various venues, £££

The Royal Institution might look a bit intimidating, but they're super-friendly on the inside. Image: Matt Brown

Royal Institution: Founded in 1799, the RI would be a shoe-in as London's oldest science venue, were it not for the similarly named Royal Society (see below). The RI is most famous for the Christmas Lectures aimed at teenagers, but they have a year-round programme of lectures from leading scientists in that famous mauve theatre. Mayfair, £££

Royal Society: The august institute, founded in the time of Newton and Wren, puts on free public lectures throughout the year. Its big event is the Summer Science Exhibition, a multi-day event at which research scientists show off their discoveries and kit to the general public — ask them anything you like. St James's, FREE

Free things to do in London this week.

Last chance to see Water Pantanal Fire at the Science Museum © Lalo de Almeida

Do half term on the cheap

With children off school this week, parents and carers will be needing our things to do in half term guide. It's packed full of shows, events, exhibitions and activities, and — helpful if you're on a budget — has a whole section dedicated to free things to do for all ages.

See this thought-provoking environmental exhibition

This week is your last chance to see Water Pantanal Fire, a free photography exhibition by Lalo de Almeida and Luciano Candisani, at the Science Museum. Focus is on the Pantanal, the world's largest wetland which is spread across Brazil, Bolivia and Paraguay.

More than 60 images are on show contrasting the Pantanal's rich wildlife with the drought and wildfire damage threatening the region. As it's half term, the museum will be very busy so booking in advance is strongly recommended.

Until 31 May.

Get your fill of football shirts

The London Jersey Gallery stages the final week of its independent pop-up exhibition, From Woolwich to the Emirates – 140 Years of Shirts, at the Weaver's Arms in Canonbury.

Curated by football historian Abdul Rashid Zakari, the free display brings together historic kits to show the evolution of design, notable eras and collectors' culture, while exploring the history of local team Arsenal.

Until 31 May.

Get a free margarita down ya

Free margs for bank holiday Monday... if you're speedy! Image: Seven Dials Market by KERB

Oh... Marg... Od. Bar Nana (see what they did there?) on the ground floor of Seven Dials Market is giving away 100 El Rayo margaritas on bank holiday Monday. The bar opens at 12pm, and it's first-come first-served. Get there early — imagine they'll be gone faster than you can yell "Tequila!"

25 May.

Celebrate 100 years of Gunnersbury Park

Head west on bank holiday Monday, for free, family-friendly celebrations marking 100 years of Gunnersbury Park.

The open green space holds a community day of music, dance and heritage, with live performances from Jasper Squire, Green Ribbon Club and the Orchard Jazz Quartet, plus swing dance workshops.

Browse a community market of 30+ stalls, take tours of the Gunnersbury Park Museum, or join in with a whole selection of other activities and entertainment. Note that although events are free, some require booking.

25 May.

Swing a crazy golf freebie

Swingers West End celebrates eight years in business, with free golf games. Image: Swingers

What to do once you've drained your free bank hol Monday marg (see above)? The savvy savers among you will have booked a free round of crazy golf at Swingers West End. The offer celebrates eight years of the Oxford Street venue, and there are also DJS, prizes, balloons and (careful now) cheap margaritas. Slots can be reserved now (select Monday 25 May and choose "Crazy Golf"), but they're limited, so hurry!

25 May.

Learn how to grow edible plants

If you work in the Waterloo area, head down to Lower Marsh on Tuesday lunchtime for a free hands-on gardening workshop. Learn how to grow and care for edible plants, get tips on herbs, vegetables and seasonal planting — and take a plant home with you.

26 May.

Get an insight into Tracey Emin's career

My Bed is arguably Emin's most famous work. Photo: Londonist

Coinciding with the current (paid) Tate Modern exhibition, Tracey Emin: A Second Life, Arts Society lecturer Frank Woodgate gives a free talk about the show. He covers key works from throughout Emin's career, including My Bed and the tent All the People I Have Slept With. Watch in person at Guildhall Library, or online.

26 May

Catch a free lunchtime string concert

Trinity Laban's Sinfonia Strings performs side‑by‑side with musicians from the Duchess of Edinburgh's String Orchestra, directed by Ofer Falk, in a free lunchtime concert on Thursday.

The performance, at St Alfege Church in Greenwich, includes Holst's St Paul's Suite, movements from Warlock's Capriol Suite, Coleridge‑Taylor's Novelletten and Britten's Simple Symphony.

28 May.

Check out Newport Street Gallery's new exhibition

Jack White in the Studio, Photographed by David James Swanson © The Artist

Newport Street Gallery presents White Stripes legend Jack White's first public exhibition, These Thoughts May Disappear, featuring sculptures from found objects, interactive works, installations and furniture-design pieces, including a remake of White's 2015 sculpture The Red Tree.

29 May-13 September.

Watch a free open-air concert

As the Opera Holland Park season gets underway properly, it continues its Songs on the Steps programme of free concerts. On alternate Fridays for the next couple of months, performers from the company give free recitals on the open-air steps in Holland Park, alongside the main venue.

Everyone's welcome, and the show lasts about 40 minutes, so pack a picnic blanket and your lunch, and watch some new and familiar songs and arias performed by artists at the top of their game.

29 May.

Celebrate 60 years of the BT Tower

Image: Sam LEGEND

To mark 60 years of the BT Tower, artist‑researcher Jordan Rowe and cultural historian Dr David Anderson lead a free walking tour tracing sightlines to the famous tower from parks and squares. The walk begins at Goodge Street station and takes a gentle route from Fitzrovia to Primrose Hill, exploring the clear, uninterrupted radio path the building relied on when it was used as a telecommunications beacon.

29 May.

Take a tour of a beautiful private library

Join Stuart Baines, former chair of the Highgate Literary and Scientific Institutions's Library Committee, for a free guided tour of the society's Library & Members' Room, located just off Highgate High Street.

The tour explores the building's history, notable features of the library and its collections, and how the little-known space is used today.

29 May.

Stay late at the National Portrait Gallery

As its current (paid) exhibition Catherine Opie: To Be Seen draws to a close, the National Portrait Gallery stays open late on Friday for a gallery‑wide evening of workshops, performances, talks and films.

Highlights include a play‑for‑fun poker night, smartphone photography workshops, zine‑making, a live DJ and guided tours. Entry is free, though donations are welcome.

29 May.

Celebrate Eid in Trafalgar Square

Image: Greater London Authority/Caroline Teo

The Mayor of London’s free festival Eid in the Square festival celebrates Eid al-Adha in Trafalgar Square with a full programme of main-stage performances, talks and family activities.

Hosts Nadia Ali and Juwayria Ghazali lead a programme that includes music from the London Arab Orchestra, Khan Brothers Qawwali, Isam B and AmenA, plus community stalls, food traders, an immersive installation by Everyday Muslim, children's workshops and fencing sessions from Muslim Girls Fence.

30 May.

Treat your ears to some free jazz

The Garden Café within the Flower Station in Finchley launches a new live jazz event, taking place every other Sunday from this week. Head to the plant-filled, sunny sanctuary at the edge of Hampstead Garden Suburb for an afternoon of smooth tunes.

31 May.

Hot Rod Diner dials the Americana up to 100 Photo: Londonist

Eating healthily is all well and good, but sometimes you just want to go all in. Burgers and hot dogs, accompanied by loaded fries and onion rings — washed down with a thick, creamy shake. And is it just us, or does that taste all the better accompanied by a heady dose of retro Americana?

Yep, we're talking classic American diners with vintage Pepsi ads on the walls, a working jukebox, and, more often than not, a life-size fibreglass Elvis strutting its stuff in the corner. Sadly, such places are a dying breed  (RIP, JB's Brighton), but the restaurants below all commit to the All-American theme, HARD — and dish up above average food, too. You may need to loosen your belt after reading this...

Hot Rod Diner, Northfleet, Kent

Shakes so thick, you won't need dessert. Photo: Londonist

Describing itself as an "authentic 1950s rock 'n' roll diner", Hot Rod wouldn't look out of place in Grease. It's certainly one for the petrolheads, what with its undercover parking often home to some serious sets of wheels. Head below the neon sign and step inside for more motoring memorabilia; Route 66 signage, vintage Shell petrol pumps, and the exterior of a Cadillac mounted on the wall. Chequerboard floors, vintage adverts and leather booth seating complete the diner experience.

It's home to about a dozen tables indoors, with more outside on the deck in good weather. The menu is standard diner fare done well, but be warned: the hot dogs are loooong, the sides loaded, and the burgers, towering. The thick, creamy milkshakes are a meal in themselves, and though we've never had room for dessert on our visits, the sundaes come highly recommended.

Hot Rod Diner, 79-84 High Street, Northfleet, Kent, DA11 9HJ.

Grumpy's Diner, Southend, Essex

Image: Grumpy's Diner

In early 2024, Southend lost the legendary Bobby Jo's Diner, but a few streets back from the seafront, Grumpy's Diner has been serving up American goodness by the plateful since 2014.

Styled on the 1950s, the restaurant's exterior sign is mirrored like an Airstream, while inside, a black and white chequerboard floor leads you to a series of baby pink and baby blue leather booths, with the walls painted to match — at least, the parts of the walls which aren't covered in framed snaps of Harley Davidsons and Marilyn Monroe, or car license plates from a whole array of US states. The wall-mounted red car has us puzzling if they've gone halves, quite literally, with Hot Rod (top picture).

You'll know when you've found the right place. Image: Grumpy's Diner

They take food seriously here, as evidenced by the various eating challenges, including The Mac Attack (polish off 2kg of mac 'n' cheese plus 500g of smoky barbecue pulled chicken, 500g of Grumpy’s chicken strips and two full garlic bread baguettes in 45 minutes), and The Boss Dog (four hotdogs with buns and toppings, plus fries and 16 onion rings in just 25 minutes).

A sweet tooth doesn't rule you out either: The Brownie Sensation gives you 35 minutes to tackle 1.75kg of triple chocolate brownie, 100g of mini marshmallows, 100g Flake dust, 100g brownie bits, 100g Oreo dust, 100g Fudge pieces, 100g crushed Oreos, 100g whole Oreos, and 100g Flake pieces).

Each of these challenges, by the way, is for a single person — not a group. Makes our order of a Tower Burger washed down with a chocolate & peanut butter shake rather tame in comparison. Boozy milkshakes, cocktails and mocktails are available too.

Grumpy's Diner, 759 Southchurch Rd, Southend-on-Sea SS1 2PP.

Max's Diner aka The Chapel Diner, Horsham, Sussex

Photo: Londonist

You could drive up and down Langhurst Wood Road, just outside Crawley, your whole life, and never know that Max's Diner is there. It's set back from the main road on the Graylands Estate, a peaceful area of residential and commercial properties, and... a chapel.

It's that chapel, diminutive in size and clad in white weatherboarding, with a weather vane on top and an American flag flying on one side, that we're interested in. It's home to Max's Diner — also known as The Chapel Diner — a restaurant specialising in American food and serving breakfast and lunch.

Max's Diner is small, but it packs a lot in. Photo: Londonist

First things first; because of the size of the place — a mere handful of tables inside and half a dozen picnic benches in a garden round the side — it's a bookings-only restaurant, so you can't show up on a whim. But it's worth it. Inside, a working traffic light hangs where the altar must once have been, with vintage gasoline pumps and a jukebox taking up a considerable percentage of the floor place. Seating takes the form of red and white leather booths, though it's fairly packed, so not somewhere for a private conversation.

Photo: Londonist

It beggars belief that they've managed to squeeze a kitchen back there too, but they're sending out plates full of burgers, ribs, chicken and hot dogs from somewhere. If you're around a bit earlier, breakfast options range from a full English to pancakes and waffles, and there's a whole separate veggie and vegan menu. They make their milkshakes with real ice cream, and pile them high with whipped cream.

Max's Diner, The Chapel, Graylands Estate, Langhurst Wood Road, Horsham, RH12 4QD.

H's American Diner, Eastbourne

Image: H's Diner

H's American Diner, known as Harleywood under previous management (and it's only as we type that, we realised what they did there...) has been in business since 2011, serving up corndogs, ribs, wings, and burgers with names like Muscle Beach, Empire State, and Viva Las Vegan. Though that menu suggests a geographical spread, H's heart is very much in the Lone Star State.

Image: H's Diner

The drinks menu runs the full gauntlet of milkshakes and an impressive selection of soft drinks — or as they call them, Designated Driver Drinks — including UK rareties including Mountain Dew, various Fanta flavours, and Jarritos Mexican Cola. Non-drivers are well catered for, with a range of spirits to rival most bars in the area, plus beers, cocktails and bubbly.

H's American Diner, 246 Terminus Road, Eastboune, BN21 3DE.

Bungalow Diner, Colchester, Essex

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"Drive in, dine in, drink in" reads the slogan for this Route 66-inspired, which sits alongside the A12 rather than the Mother Road. It's not actually a drive-thru, but nor would you want it to be, for then you'd miss the heady dose of nostalgia which lies beyond the red and white entry canopy.

Slide into a similarly red and white leather booth and dine on burgers, pizzas, pancakes and shakes, with live music every Friday night, and other events throughout the week.

Bungalow Diner, 45 London Rd, Marks Tey, Colchester CO6 1DY.

Mollie's Diner, Oxfordshire

Image: Mollie's Motel and Diner

How to describe Mollie's? The sophisticated older sibling to the other diners on this list; playful, but selectively so. Sure, it's got its name up in lights outside, and bar stools at the counter. But there's also soft-toned lighting, wood-panelled walls, and not a jukebox or vintage poster in sight.

The menu too, is less in-your-face than other eateries of the genre. You'll still get your burgers, hot dogs, fries, and mac 'n' cheese here, but it's tempered with salads, salmon and all-day eggs dishes. The dessert menu has a distinctly American flavour too: apple pie, lemon meringue pie, baked cheesecake.

Milkshakes and floats are available, and there's an extensive alcohol list, featuring classic cocktails, beer, wine and spirits, and you can opt to spike your shake if that's how you like it. Don't hold back — there's a motel next door where you can sleep it off (rooms designed by the Soho House team, natch), which gives you a chance to sample the breakfast menu too.

Mollie's Motel & Diner, Shrivenham Road, Buckland, SN7, 8PY. There's a second venue at Cribb's Causeway, Bristol, and a third up in Manchester.

Potty's Diner, Potter's Bar, Hertfordshire

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Located on a busy crossroads just a whisker from the M25 and Greater London, Potty's Diner (also known as Potty's Pancakes, which previously had a branch in Cockfosters too) describes itself as "a quirky and cool nod to the Classic American Diner from the 50s dining booths, large murals and Marilyn taking centre stage".

All-day breakfast sits on the menu alongside speciality burgers with Vegas-inspired names, racks of ribs, hot dogs, and the occasional salad. The dessert menu is just as extensive as the main one, spanning sundaes, eight different types of cookie dough, froyo, plus the pancakes, waffles and crepes which are Potty's speciality— and which, by the way, are served in absolutely towering stacks.

Silhouetted portraits of Marilyn, Elvis and co watch over diners.

Potty's Diner, 2 Bar­net Road, Potter Bar, EN6 2QS.

Back Inn Time, Chelmsford, Essex

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Another one that's slightly different from others on this list. You won't find chequerboard floors, leather booths or decorative Cadillacs at Back Inn Time. It's still an American diner, but decorative focus is on the South West of the ole' USA, so think wood panelling, etched stained glass, and Tiffany-style glass lamps hanging low from the ceiling — and, if you're anything like us, the theme tune from The Good, The Bad and The Ugly playing on a loop in your head while you dine.

The menu is all about American comfort food, spanning the entire breadth of the country — and down into Mexico — from nachos and burgers, to fajitas, prime steaks, chicken wings, and New York-style cheesecake.

Back Inn Time, Victoria Road, Chelmsford, CM1 1NY.

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The latest book by Paul Talling — the man behind Derelict London — is an epic pub crawl of London's drinking establishments which have bitten the dust. But within this sad story, there's a more positive narrative; the pubs that've risen from the dead, and in many cases, are now in finer fettle than they've ever been before.

Here, Paul takes us to 10 such resurrected boozers.

1. Clayton Arms (now the Prince of Peckham), Peckham

2015.

The Clayton Arms has a history tracing back to at least 1867. A tragic incident occurred at the pub in 1948 when a patron, Mrs. Annie Newson, mistook the door to the wine cellar for the ladies' restroom. She fell down the stairs and later died in the hospital.

During the 2011 riots, the pub was ransacked by a group of 50 youths, leaving it in a severely damaged state. This decline ultimately led to its closure in 2013.

Now.

The pub briefly reopened in 2015 as the Dolls House which was part cocktail bar/gastro pub with a members club type private area. It promptly closed and re-opened again in 2016 as the Clayton Arms before being taking over by businessman Clement Ogbonna who sold his flat to finance the venture renaming it the Prince of Peckham. The name is inspired by 90s TV show, Desmond's and its character Lee 'The Peckham Prince' Stanley.

The Prince of Peckham has been a roaring success and recently Time Out magazine voted it the 19th best pub in London. It's been used to film TV programmes such as Sky's drama, Temple, as well as being used for numerous commercials, music videos and photo shoots.

Prince of Peckham, 1 Clayton Road, Peckham, SE15 5JA

2. Greyhound, Sydenham

2008.

An inn has occupied this site since at least 1730, originally serving as a meeting spot for local hunters when the surrounding area was an ancient forest. Greyhounds were used for hunting here, valued for their speed and sharp vision. Business at the Greyhound Inn thrived with the construction of the Croydon Canal, which operated from 1807 to 1836. The inn offered refreshments to the navvies who built the canal and served as a rest stop for those using the canal for work or leisure. An early painting depicts pleasure boats moored at a landing stage near the inn.

Now.

In the 1990s, the Greyhound was renamed the Fewterer and Firkin, but reverted to its original name in 2001. The pub later closed as plans emerged for a development of flats, and it caught fire while vacant later that same year. In 2012, the 18th century building was demolished without authorisation, leaving only the front wall standing. The construction company was fined by the council, and the pub was subsequently rebuilt and reopened in 2018.

Greyhound, 313-315 Kirkdale, Sydenham, SE26 4QB

3. Hope & Anchor (now Cafe Koko), Camden Town

2014.

The Hope and Anchor opened in the 1860s. The name comes from the Epistle to the Hebrews of the New Testament: "We have this as a sure and steadfast anchor of the soul, a hope."

By 1900 the Camden Theatre opened which gave the pub increased trade. Over the years the Theatre changed into a nightclub, now Koko. During recent decades the pub's staff and locals endured clubbers popping in for a drink but were pretty hostile to the ones in the queue solely coming in to make use of their toilet facilities. In fact, the pub often seemed hostile to any passing trade. Old school Camden was quite rough and ready but some of the regulars of this pub were quite abrasive right up until its closure in 2013. I used to come here after walking tours but ceased to visit after a near altercation at the pool table when heading to the gents toilet. In happier times bands like Madness and Radiohead had been known to stop off at the pub before a gig.

Now.

After abortive plans to convert it into flats the pub has been renovated and reopened in 2022 as Cafe Koko, a tap bar and pizzeria. It's certainly friendlier than the old place, though quite upmarket.

Cafe Koko, 74 Crowndale Road, Camden Town, NW1 1TP

4. Jolly Sailor, South Norwood

2021.

The pub has a rich history, first opening in 1810 alongside the newly completed Croydon Canal and later being rebuilt in its current form in the late 1860s. Legends surround the pub, including tales of a haunted cellar once used by smugglers to stash contraband, and the original building even featured a boxing gym upstairs. In 1828, the London and Sporting Chronicle reported on a notorious prizefight between Ned Savage and Peter Sweeney, who trained at the Jolly Sailor, a bloody match held on the canal banks that shocked the local community.

The Croydon Canal, however, proved a financial failure and closed in 1836. A railway line from London Bridge to Croydon was constructed, roughly following the canal's path. South Norwood's first station opened in 1839 and was initially named The Jolly Sailor after the pub, before being renamed Norwood in 1846 and the current name of Norwood Junction by 1856.

Now.

The Jolly Sailor closed in late 2019. A harsh review on Beer in the Evening described it as "a local pub for local people, like the Slaughtered Lamb in American Werewolf," though in my experience, it was a cozy little pub, and the landlady, Val, was friendly, even inviting me to a free BBQ shortly after. The only downside was the 1990s blue and purple lighting. Popular with Palace fans on game days, the pub featured football on TV, a darts board, and a pool table. Evenings included karaoke and occasional live bands playing ska and reggae. After a period of uncertainty, the Jolly Sailor reopened in 2023.

Jolly Sailor, 64 High St, South Norwood. SE25 6EB

5. Kensington Park Hotel (now the Knight of Notting Hill), Ladbroke Grove

2018.

The Kensington Park Hotel, widely known as the KPH or "Keep Paddies Happy", was built during the 1860s, catering to Irish labourers who built Notting Hill. In 1956 a 19-year-old labourer from Dublin who had been performing songs in the saloon bar left the pub and was found stabbed to death on the pavement a few yards away. In 1929 a theatre was opened on the first floor of the KPH, where Tom Jones sang his first London concert in 1960.

Now.

One regular drinker here was Timothy Evans, who was wrongly hanged in 1950 for murders committed by serial killer John Christie at 10 Rillington Place. Other regulars over the years have been Oswald Moseley, Cerys Matthews, Eddie Izzard and members of The Clash and Thin Lizzy.

The survival of the pub had been in doubt for over a decade. The landlord who ran it for 40 years became too ill to run the pub and management was, in 2013, handed over to music venue and festival entrepreneur Vince Power though a new freeholder set about terminating the lease. After closure in 2017 the KPH reopened two years later but had closed down again by 2022. The pub reopened as the Knight of Notting Hill in 2023.

Knight of Notting Hill, 139 Ladbroke Grove, Notting Hill W10 6HJ

6. Lord Napier (now Lord Napier Star), Hackney Wick

2018.

This pub opened in 1865 as The White's Arms, named after its original owner, Mr. White, but was soon sold and renamed the Lord Napier. Together with the nearby Lea Tavern — demolished 15 years ago — it was one of two 19th century pubs serving a district of Victorian houses and industrial sites. Across the street stood a distillery operated by the Carless, Capel & Leonard Company, a leading British producer of American crude oil. The company is best remembered today for coining the trade name "petrol" in the 1890s to market its fuel.

The adjacent railway station, visible in the background of this photo, has a dark history. In 1864, the body of Thomas Briggs was discovered on the line between Bow and Hackney Wick: while aboard the train from Fenchurch Street, he had been robbed and murdered by a German man named Franz Müller.

Now.

The Lord Napier finally closed in 1995. Along with the adjoining two derelict houses, it is one of the sole survivors of the original 19th century development. The pub was squatted for many years and was noted for its rave parties, becoming a Hackney landmark thanks to the colourful street art on its walls. But the area has rapidly gentrified, and the pub reopened in 2021 as a lively and successful pub.

Lord Napier Star, 25 White Post Lane, Hackney Wick, E9 5EN

7. Red Cow (now the Copper Tap), Peckham

2015.

The history of the Red Cow in Peckham goes back over 200 years. Peckham was mostly a farming community and drovers used Peckham as a stopping place before going onto the markets of London. Their herds were put out to graze while the drovers took refreshments at the various inns. Rebuilt in Victorian times, the Red Cow stood here as a grand three-storey pub at the junction of Peckham High Street and Consort Road (originally called Cow Walk) until being demolished in the late 1960s to build a housing estate. The replacement pub sits beneath a local authority housing block.

Now.

During the early 1980s the landlord of the Red Cow was Joey Singleton, a former British light-welter champion, winner of the Lonsdale Belt and known as "Joey the Jab" to his friends.

The Red Cow, which had a typical estate pub vibe, closed in 2015 but reopened only a year later after refurbishment to give it a more rustic feel, and was renamed the Copper Tap.

Copper Tap, 190 Peckham High Street, Peckham, SE15 5EG

8. Star of the East, Limehouse

2018.

The Star of the East, built in the 1840s and Grade II listed in 1973, has a fascinating history. During Victorian times, it served as a venue for coroner's inquests. From the 1870s into the 20th century, the pub was managed by the Baxter family. In its early years, Mr. H.W. Baxter drew visitors by showcasing an unusual attraction: the purported 2,000-year-old Peruvian mummy of a teenage girl.

Now.

The pub closed down in 2008, reopened, then limped on until 2016. Most of the times I went in this place it was pretty dead with a couple of regulars and the pub cats. Sometimes very friendly though I stopped going there as the lager didn't taste right, the Guinness was lumpy and the red wine was terrible.

After renovation the pub reopened, and it is very different to the old days, having been reinvented as a gastro pub.

Star of the East, 805A Commercial Rd,Limehouse, E14 7HG

9. Well & Bucket, Bethnal Green

2011.

The Well & Bucket goes back to the early 19th Century when this road was originally called Church Street. According to What's in a London Pub Name? by James Potts and Sam Cullen, the name Well & Bucket is thought to originate from the fact there was a well by the site of the pub, which potentially even supplied the water to help make the beer here.

Now.

During the 1970s the Stage newspaper described the pub as the "cheerful little Well & Bucket" and several articles talk about when singers and comedians performed charity shows. Live music became a mainstay of the pub when it was renamed the Stick of Rock in 1988, run by Steve Bruce the drummer from Cock Sparrer who hosted metal and punk bands here, including Tenpole Tudor, U.K. Subs, Demented Are Go, The Adicts and Blitz. The popularity of the venue led to Steve getting offers to reform Cock Sparrer, which he did and they performed a warm up gig/rehearsal in the pub in 1992 just before playing the 2,000 capacity Astoria that evening. They're playing gigs around the world to this day.

The Stick Of Rock closed in 1993. The ground floor was later used as a leather wholesalers who had vacated by 2011, before being converted back to the Well & Bucket in 2013.

Well & Bucket, 143 Bethnal Green Road, Bethnal Green E2 7DG

10. Tipperary, Fleet Street (reopening again in 2027)

2023.

The Tipperary was declared as 'London's original Irish pub' on signage by the door — though, that's incorrect, as I'll explain in a minute. For many years it was a well-known haunt for editors and journalists, alongside barristers from the nearby chambers.

2024.

Originally there was a 15th century inn here called the Boar's Head adjacent to the site of a Carmelite friary known as Whitefriars. Although the front of the pub is early 20th century, the main building dates from 1667 after being rebuilt after the Great Fire of London. Dublin based Mooney's Irish House acquired its first pub in London in 1889 on The Strand, and the Boar's Head was its fourth London outlet, taken over in 1895. The pub was renamed The Tipperary in 1968. The pub claimed to be the first pub outside Ireland to have bottled Guinness, and later draft, though Guinness was actually exporting to inns in Bristol from earlier that century in both cask and bottle.

The pub shut in 2020, having struggled to cope with the lack of office workers in the City. However, with workers returning, the pub reopened in 2024. Since then it has closed once again, but plans are afoot to reopen once more in 2027.

Tipperary, 66 Fleet Street, Temple, EC4Y 1HT

London's Dead Pubs by Paul Talling, published by Damaged Goods on 25 June 2026 — available for pre-order now.

We featured this book because we know it's the kind of thing our readers will enjoy. By buying it via links in this article, Londonist may earn a commission from Bookshop.org — which also helps support independent bookshops.

All images in this article © Paul Talling.

Members of the triumphant 1966 England World Cup squad lift the trophy, in this group statue near West Ham's old ground. Image: Matt Brown

With another football World Cup imminent, we look at which London clubs have supplied the most players over the decades.

Thomas Tuchel has announced the 26-strong squad for the 2026 (Men's) World Cup Finals. Eight of those players, almost a third, are drawn from London clubs. New Premier League champs Arsenal dominate with four players (Eze, Rice, Saka and Madueke). Brentford, Chelsea, Palace and Spurs are all sending one player. Of these, Jordan Henderson becomes the first Brentford player to feature in an England World Cup Squad.

For a bit of fun, we thought we'd tally things up across all previous World Cups to see which teams have contributed the most.

The tournament dates back to 1930, though England did not participate until 1950. Since then, they've only missed three finals (1974, 1978 and 1994), and this year (2026) will be their 17th finals.

We've crunched the numbers for every tournament and worked out which clubs contributed the most players to the England football team over these 17 tournaments.

The top 10 clubs for England squad members 1950-2026

London clubs shown in bold font.

1. Man Utd (45)
2. Spurs (39)
3. Liverpool (34)
4. Arsenal (27)
5. Chelsea (26)
6. Man City (22)
=7. Everton (16)
=7. Newcastle (16)
=7. West Ham (16)
10. Wolves (13)

A good showing for the capital, with Spurs way ahead of other local clubs, but itself beaten into second by Man Utd. Note: individual players can count more than once towards their club's tally, if they were sent to multiple World Cups.

The top 8 London clubs for England squad members 1950-2026

1. Spurs (39)
2. Arsenal (27)
3. Chelsea (26)
4. West Ham (16)
5. Fulham (6)
6. QPR (3)
7. Crystal Palace (2)
8. Brentford (1)

These eight are the only London clubs to send English players to the World Cup .

It could happen! Harry Kane contributed twice towards the Spurs tally (2018 and 2022), but now plays for Bayern. Image: Matt Brown

The top 10 clubs for England squad members, 2002-2026

If we instead look at more recent 'form' and tally only the seven World Cups this century, then a surprisingly consistent ranking emerges:

1. Man Utd (21)
=2. Liverpool (18)
=2. Man City (18)
=2. Spurs (18)
5. Arsenal (17)
6. Chelsea (15)
7. Newcastle (8)
8. Aston Villa (7)
9. Everton (7)
10. West Ham (6)

Spurs remain the highest ranked London club, with Arsenal, Chelsea and West Ham following in the same order as before. At time of writing, Spurs are still in danger of relegation to the Championship, which would mean that London's most successful club (in the admittedly tenuous terms of sending players to World Cups) could be second tier.

150 of M.C. Escher's works land in London this summer. Image: M.C. Escher: The Exhibition

Prepare to squint: 150 mind-bending works by M.C. Escher come to Somerset House this summer.

Few people are unaware of the late Dutch artist Maurits Cornelis Escher — or at least his tessellating, metamorphosing, paradoxical — and often downright head-scratching — artworks, including Drawing Hands, and the 'impossible staircases' as depicted in Ascending and Descending, and Relativity.

All of the above, and many more feature in the un-puzzlingly-titled M.C. Escher: The Exhibition, landing at Somerset House's Embankment Galleries from 6 June-6 September 2026.

The show uses both originals and digitally enhanced projections. Image: M.C. Escher: The Exhibition

As well as exhibiting original sketches, lithographs, etchings, mezzotints and woodcuts, the show dabbles in the interactive, with projections bringing elements of Escher's work to life — altogether fitting seeing as his work has directly influenced filmmakers like Christopher Nolan. Fingers crossed this interactive element also sates the critic of London's last major Escher show, back in 2015, who claimed there was "no real difference between seeing the works here in the flesh, and seeing them reproduced in a book or online."

Should be a good summer show to get to — assuming entry doesn't involve an infinitely looping set of stairs.

M.C. Escher: The Exhibition, Embankment Galleries, Somerset House, 6 June-6 September 2026.

Dive right into London's finest outdoor pools and lidos. Parliament Hill Lido. Image: Tom Page from London, UK via CC BY-SA 2.0

Looking for a lido or in need of an outdoor pool in London? As the weather heats up, these swimming pools and ponds across the capital become popular for cooling off, so we recommend booking in advance where possible. And if the weather's not quite so warm? Plenty of London's outdoor pools are heated. Read on to plan your next al fresco dip.

Brockwell Lido, Herne Hill

Open all year, unheated.

Brockwell Lido is VERY popular in warm weather. Image: David Sim via CC BY 2.0

The inspiration for Libby Page's 2019 debut novel The Lido, Brockwell Lido is a bona fide local legend. Located in the corner of Brockwell Park, and surrounded by low line art deco redbrick walls, the unheated 50m pool has a dedicated army of year-round swimmers, though naturally it's more popular in the summer, queues stretching around the block on balmy days.

For fair weather swimmers, summer season tickets are available, running from April-end of September. Those made of sturdier stuff can buy annual passes and keep ploughing up and down all year.

There's also a gym and fitness centre on-site, with the added bonus of an outdoor sauna available during the winter season. The Lido Cafe is open all day, serving hot and cold food and drinks.

Brockwell Lido, Brockwell Park, Dulwich Road, SE24 0PA. Currently operated by Fusion, which went into administration in April 2026 so a new operator is currently being sought — check the Lambeth Council website for latest updates before you visit.

London Fields Lido, Hackney

Open all year, heated.

London Fields originally got this pool in 1930, though it was closed for several years. London Fields Lido. Image: Peter Smith via CC BY 2.0

Head east to London Fields for a 50m long, heated outdoor pool — kept at about 25°c all year round. It's floodlit too, making morning and evening swims all the more appealing, and there's often a spectacular sunrise to be enjoyed from the water.

Though there's been a pool here since 1930, it was left closed for several years until a campaign by locals saw it reopened in 2006, with the changing rooms and lockers around the perimeter of the pool painted in eye-catching primary colours.

There are usually around four lanes dedicated to fitness and lane swimming all day, with the rest of the pool given over to more casual activities, or swimming lessons. Hoxton Beach operates the refreshment kiosk, selling hot and cold drinks, cakes, falafel and salads, and an additional kiosk opens on the Sun Terrace during summer months. That Sun Terrace acts as a sub bathing area, with outdoor yoga sessions also held.

For swimmers with physical accessibility requirements, London Fields Lido is one of the better options in the capital. The whole building, from entrance through to poolside, is ramp accessible, and the pool itself has a hoist and a ramp for getting in and out. There are disabled toilets and changing facilities too.

London Fields Lido, London Fields West Side, Hackney, E8 3EU.

London's largest lido: Tooting Bec Lido, Streatham

Open all year for members, summer only for non-members, unheated.

Tooting Bec Lido has recently had a refurb. Tooting Bec Lido, entrance. Image: Rwendland via CC BY-SA 4.0

The main pool at Tooting Bec is a seriously impressive 90m long, and there's also a 19m long paddling pool for younger swimmers, making Tooting Bec Lido the largest outdoor lido in the UK (and one of the oldest — it's been around since 1906, and reopened after extensive renovation in April 2024). Bear in mind that it's not heated.

There's a cafe and a picnic area so you can make a day of it in the balmy summer months, and the pool is fitted with a hoist to help disabled swimmers into the water. The public season runs April-September, and although the lido remains open all year, you'll need to become a member to use it in the winter months. Don't be put off though; the club welcomes members of all ages and abilities, whether you fancy doing casual laps a few times a month, or you're carving up the water every day of the year.

Tooting Bec Lido, Tooting Bec Road, SW16 1RU. Membership via South London Swimming Club.

Parliament Hill Lido, Hampstead Heath

Open all year, unheated.

Open-air swimming on Hampstead Heath? Yes please! Lido, Parliament Hill Fields (1938). Image: Julian Osley via CC BY-SA 2.0

Located at the south-eastern tip of Hampstead Heath, the unheated, Grade-II listed Parliament Hill Lido was first opened in 1938, and is now open to the public 365 days a year.  The 60m long pool draws crowds from all over on summer days, and diving is allowed in certain areas at certain times. Food and drink can be bought at the Lido Cafe, operated by Hoxton Beach.

A smaller pool for under-fives sits to the side of the main pool. With the mansion blocks of Gospel Oak overlooking the pool on one side, and the huge expanse of Hampstead Heath on the other, Parliament Hill Lido really does occupy a stunning spot.

Season tickets are available, including passes which allow you to combine dips at the lido with swims in the Ponds on nearby Hampstead Heath (details on these below).

Parliament Hill Lido, Parliament Hill Fields, Gospel Oak, NW5 1LT.

London's most central lido: Oasis Sports Centre, Tottenham Court Road

Open all year, heated.

An outdoor lido in Covent Garden? Yes, really. Photo: Matt Brown

Central London's only heated outdoor pool, this one comes with the added bonus of being located on a sun terrace. The pool is just one part of the Oasis Sports Centre, which also houses a gym, indoor pool and exercise studios.

The 25m long outdoor pool is surrounded by a patio area and sunbathing deck, with the added bonus of a sauna nearby. Sure, views of the rooftops of Covent Garden mean you can't quite imagine you're in the south of France, but from the street below, you wouldn't even know the pool was there.

Oasis Sports Centre, 32 Endell Street, WC2H 9AG.

Charlton Lido

Open all year, heated.

Take your swim outdoors in Charlton. Charlton Lido deep end. Image: Crookesmoor via CC BY-SA 4.0

Charlton Lido and Lifestyle Club has all the equipment and classes a gym fanatic might need, but we're here to talk about the outdoor pool. 50m long, heated, surrounded by a sun terrace in the summer months, with drinks available to buy from Coffee Corner in June-September. There are always at least a couple of lanes dedicated to fitness swimming, and you'll need to book your swim in advance. Members can take part in classes such as aqua aerobics in the outdoor pool too. A brand new outdoor sauna is set to open in June 2026.

Charlton Lido, Hornfair Park, Shooters Hill Road, SE18 4LX.

Hillingdon Lido (formerly Uxbridge Lido)

Open May-October, heated.

Hillingdon Lido offers a 50m outdoor pool. Image: Mary Turner via creative commons

They take their swimming seriously in Hillingdon; the fitness centre boasts both a 50m indoor pool AND a 50m outdoor pool (open 4 April-31 October 2026). The Grade-II listed, heated open-air offering has plenty of paving around the edge for soaking up rays, and fountains at either end, lending a playful vibe. A gym, football pitches, fitness studios and athletic track can also be found on-site, if that's your bag. Us? We're all about the pool.

Hillingdon Sports & Leisure Complex, Gatting Way, Uxbridge, UB8 1ES.

Finchley Lido

Open summer only, unheated.

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After an extensive refurb in 2019, Finchley Lido Leisure Centre's three swimming pools are looking better than ever. The outdoor pool's opening is weather dependent (open from 23 May 2026), when you can indulge in open-air swimming followed by a relaxing afternoon in the garden area or an ice cream from the snack hut.

The indoor offerings (open all year) comprise a 25m pool (with hoist for accessibility) and a leisure pool complete with wave machine and rapids. Unlike many leisure centres, there's plenty of natural light inside, meaning you can *almost* convince yourself you're outside, without having to brave the unpredictable British weather.

Finchley Lido Leisure Centre, Great North Leisure Park, Chaplin Square, Finchley, N12 0GL.

Moonlight outdoor swimming: Hampton Pool

Open all year, heated.

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Hampton Pool is well-known for its moonlight swims, taking place in the summer months. Not a night owl? During the day, two outdoor pools are available — a 36m one for the adults, and a 12.5m one for learners and toddlers. They're heated year-round, with a mechanical chair to help anyone with accessibility issues. There's also a grassy area next to the water for a post-swim sunbathe. You're right on the edge of Bushy Park too.

As well as the moonlight and Christmas Day swims, Hampton Pool offers other special events including picnic concerts in the summer months.

Hampton Pool, Bushy Park, off the High Street, Hampton, Middlesex, TW12 2ST.

Park Road Lido, Crouch End

Open all year, heated.

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You're spoilt for choice pool-wise at Park Road. In addition to the 50m lido, there's also a 25m indoor pool, a teaching pool, paddling pool and... drumroll please... a diving pit.

If you're willing to brave it, the outdoor pool holds sessions in the winter months. More of a fair-weather bather? You'll enjoy the grassy area on two sides of the pool.

In recent years, the Lido had faced a few maintenance and staffing issues, but Haringey Council has now taken over operation of the facility, and is working with the Park Road Lido User Group to get things back on track.

Park Road Lido, Park Road, Hornsey, N8 8JN

Pools on the Park, Richmond

Open all year, heated.

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With a main and indoor teaching pool, and an outdoor pool in the summer months, Pools on the Park is one of west London's finest (and least-known) swimming facilities. The open-air 33m pool comes with a hoist to help disabled swimmers, and the added bonus of an adjacent garden area to explore.

Pools on the Park, Old Deer Park, Richmond, TW9 2SF

New for 2026: Sea Lanes Canary Wharf

Open year-round, unheated.

Toeing the line between 'lido' and 'wild swimming, Sea Lanes Canary Wharf opens in Eden Dock in June 2026, offering a 50m natural water pool floating in the docks, beneath the skyscrapers. Saunas, changing rooms and toilets are also part of the new complex, which is being dubbed "London's First National Open Water Swimming Centre" and is run by the team behind the magnificent Sea Lanes on Brighton Beach.

Pool hoists, a ramp into the pool, and accessible saunas, changing rooms and toilets are available.

You can get a membership — including Swim, or Swim & Sauna options — with the chance to add on a "Wetsuit Concierge" service, meaning they'll have your swim gear washed, dried and ready for your next swim. You don't have to be a member to have a dip — it's £10 per session on a pay-per-swim basis.

Sea Lanes Canary Wharf, Eden Dock, E14 4HJ. Open from 19 June 2026, after which it'll be open year-round.

Wild swimming spots and ponds in London

Prefer your swimming spots with fewer tiles and more ducks? Read on. All are unheated, obviously.

Hampstead Bathing Ponds, Hampstead Heath

Open all year.

Swim in nature on Hampstead Heath. Photo: Matt Brown

The Ladies', Men's and Mixed Bathing Ponds on Hampstead Heath are the stuff of legend, and due to a quirk in the political management of London, Hampstead Heath's ponds are operated by City of London Council, in collaboration with the Parliament Fields Lido (above).

All three are natural bathing ponds (so yes, ducks, yes, weeds, and yes, on the chilly side), but that does mean that they're open to strong swimmers only, age 8+ — and younger swimmers have to do a swimming test to prove their competency before they're allowed in.

Changing room and shower facilities vary between ponds but are generally limited, and there are no locker facilities available at any of the ponds — your local leisure centre this isn't. But for swimming in nature, this is London's finest offering.

Hampstead Heath Bathing Ponds. Mixed pond is on the south side of the heath, while the Ladies' and Men's Ponds are towards the eastern side.

Serpentine Lido, Hyde Park

Public swimming summer only.

Take a dip in The Serpentine Image: Oast House Archive via CC BY-SA 2.0

Best-known for its famous Christmas Day swim, the Serpentine Lido is in fact open year-round. At 100m long by 30m wide, it's a whopper — and a beauty too, located in the Serpentine lake and overlooked by the gorgeous pavilion-style cafe and Serpentine Bridge. (Look out for geese though!)

To take part in that festive swim itself, you must be a member of the Serpentine Swimming Club, apparently the oldest club of its kind in Britain. They also hold various other races and events throughout the year.

Serpentine Lido, Hyde Park

If you're more into open water swimming — which comes with its own set of dangers, and should only be attempted by confident swimmers — try West Reservoir Centre in Green Lanes or Beckenham Place Park.

Mapped: London's best lidos and outdoor swimming pools for summer

Find your nearest spot in the capital for a refreshing dip: we've mapped the above pools to help you plan your summer.

Looking for a lido further afield? Take a look at our guide to outdoor pools surrounding London — ideal for a day trip out of the sweltering capital.

The Lion King: so popular it's been running for over 25 years

Looking for ways to entertain the family in London in summer 2026? How about a trip to the theatre?

London's stages are packed with options, from upbeat musicals, to adaptations of beloved children's books, to unusual takes on Shakespeare. Disney, Alice in Wonderland, Studio Ghibli and Harry Potter regularly feature too. Whether you're looking to entertain toddlers, teenagers — or any age in between — here's our pick of the best family-friendly theatre shows and musicals in London right now and throughout the rest of 2026. Get booking!

Best family-friendly musicals in London: Summer 2026

Time's running out to see Hercules in the West End. Photo by Johan Persson ©Disney

CATS: The Regent's Park Open Air Theatre is the setting for a revival of Cats the Musical, in which the feline strays and rebels of London gather under the Jellicle moon in the hope they'll be the chosen one. Age five+. 25 July-19 September 2025

DISNEY'S HERCULES: It was only a matter of time before someone made a stage musical out of Disney's 1997 animated film, itself, of course, based on a (slightly older) Greek myth. Disney's Hercules is at Theatre Royal Drury Lane until the autumn, promising "a wise-cracking, column-shaking, underworld-rocking ride of adventure, self-discovery and love. In tunics". Age six+. Until September 2026

THE LION KING: A perennial favourite that's been running for over 25 years, and with good reason. Watch Simba's adventures on the Serengeti come to life in The Lion King at Lyceum Theatre, told through stirring puppetry and live music. Top tip: if you're buying tickets for the stalls, go for aisle seats to get a good view as the cast weaves down the aisles mid-performance. Age six+. Currently booking until December 2026

MATILDA: Roald Dahl's story of a child genius is transformed into a musical by the Royal Shakespeare Company — and Matilda the Musical at Cambridge Theatre is as entertaining for adults as it is for kids. All the charming detail of Dahl's original words remain, with catchy Tim Minchin songs levelling the whole thing up. Age six+. Currently booking until January 2027

Paddington the Musical has charmed audiences of all ages

MAMMA MIA!: Show the kids there's more to ABBA than bopping to Dancing Queen at family weddings. Mamma Mia! at the Novello Theatre takes the super Swedish quartet's tunes and plants them on a Greek island, as one young woman tries to figure out who her real father is shortly before she gets married. Colourful, catchy and upbeat, it's everything ABBA should be. Age five+. Currently booking until March 2027

OLIVER!: Cameron Mackintosh's production of Lionel Bart's musical, Oliver! at Gielgud Theatre — itself based on Charles Dickens' novel about a young orphan who gets involved with a gang of pickpockets — is packed full of catchy tunes including Food Glorious Food, Consider Yourself and You've Got to Pick-a-Pocket or Two, that'll leave your kids asking for more. Age seven+. Currently booking until March 2027

PADDINGTON THE MUSICAL: Everyone's favourite Peruvian import gets the West End treatment as Paddington The Musical takes place at the Savoy Theatre. Designed for ages six+ it uses music and choreography to tell the story of the bear's arrival at Paddington station, and how he adapts to London life. Currently booking until February 2028

Children's theatre shows to see in summer 2026

Venture into the forest with My Neighbour Totoro. Photo: Manuel Harlan

JUDITH KERR'S TIGER: Even as adults, we find Judith Kerr's The Tiger Who Came To Tea utterly enchanting, so imagine how much your kids'll enjoy Theatre Royal Haymarket's summer production. Dance and sing along as a stripy friend rings Sophie's doorbell, and joins she and her mum for tea. Age three+. 22 June-5 September 2026

MALORY TOWERS: Enid Blyton's boarding school novel series Malory Towers comes to Alexandra Palace Theatre, offering a dose of nostalgia for those who read the books in childhood, and introducing younger audience members to the adventures of Darrell, Gwendoline, Sally and co., on the Cornish coast. Age eight+. 22 July-2 August 2026

BRAINIAC LIVE: Keep little minds ticking over during the summer holidays with family science show Brainiac Live at the Garrick Theatre. In the space of just an hour, delve into several mysteries of science, and witness a series of experiments which are definitely not to be repeated at home. Age five+. 26 July-30 August 2026

Brainiac Live makes for an explosive family day out

THE ENORMOUS CROCODILE: After a successful run at the Open Air Theatre last summer, Roald Dahl's Enormous Crocodile snaps its way into the Lyric Hammersmith, with music and large puppets telling the story of the other jungle creatures summoning up the courage to stop his rampage. Age three+. 28 July-22 August 2026

DINOSAURS LIVE: Large dinosaur puppets bring the prehistoric era back to life in Dinosaur World Live at the Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre. Tyrannosaurus Rex, Triceratops, Giraffatitan, Microraptor and Segnosaurus all appear in the 50-minute show, with a chance to meet and greet the puppets afterwards. Age three+. 28 July-6 September 2026

DOG MAN THE MUSICAL: Southbank Centre offers a summer holidays treat in the form of Dog Man The Musical, based on the best selling children's book series of the same name. With the head of a dog and the body of a policeman, Dog Man loves to fight crime and chew on the furniture, but now he's called on to perform heroics including saving the city from Flippy the cyborg fish and his army of Beasty Buildings. Age five+. 29 July-16 August 2026

Learn about the gruesome past with Horrible Histories. Photo: Mark Douet

HORRIBLE HISTORIES: Boudica, King John, the Magna Carta, Guy Fawkes and Dick Turpin all feature in the latest Horrible Histories stage show, which tackles Barmy Britain. It's history with the nasty bits left in — because everyone knows that's what kids latch onto. See it at the Apollo Theatre. Age five+. 30 July-31 August 2026

BLIPPI: Preschoolers' TV show Blippi comes to life on stage as the Be Like Blippi tour swings into The Arts at Marble Arch Theatre. Join Blippi and Meekah in an interactive adventure packed with catchy songs. Age two+. 5-23 August 2026

MY NEIGHBOUR TOTORO: The much-loved Royal Shakespeare Company production of 1988 Studio Ghibli film My Neighbour Totoro plays out on stage at the Gillian Lynne Theatre. The show — which has already scooped six Olivier Awards — features elaborate sets that shift from village to forest to school, small and huge-scale puppetry, and a small orchestra performing a new arrangement of the original score. It's the story of two sisters exploring the forest near their new home, and is as charming for adults as it is for children. Age six+. Currently booking until August 2026

GREATEST SHOWMAN CIRCUS: Circus show meets West End musical in Come Alive! The Greatest Showman Circus Spectacular at Empress Museum in West Brompton. Inspired by the 2017 film of the same name — but minus Hugh Jackman, sorry — a brand new storyline plays out in a 700-seat big top, featuring songs from the film. Age six+. Currently booking until February 2027

Top London musicals and theatre shows for teenagers and older kids

Time's running out to see Harry Potter and the Cursed Child in its current format. Photo: Manuel Harlan

Teenagers can be trickier: too mature for sing-along puppet shows, not quite ready for adult shows. These productions toe the line perfectly — buy them an ice cream in the interval and they might even admit to enjoying themselves.

WAR HORSE: The National Theatre's much-lauded (and rightly so) production of Michael Morpurgo's novel War Horse returns home to the Olivier Theatre this summer, telling the story of one boy's attempts to find his beloved horse Joey when they are separated at the outbreak of the First World War. Mesmerising puppetry is used to depict the equine star of the show. Age 10+. 16 May-31 July 2026

BEETLEJUICE THE MUSICAL: Tim-Burton-movie-turned-Broadway-musical-extravaganza Beetlejuice launches a West End run at the Prince Edward Theatre, in which a strange teenager shares her home with a pair of newly-deads and the demonic Beetlejuice. Age 12+. 20 May 2026- April 2027

MIDSUMMER NIGHT'S DREAM: Introduce older kids to the trippy world of Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream, in the atmospheric setting of the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre. Let comedy and folk-infused melodies lure you into the fairy world of an enchanted forest... Age 10+. 20 June-18 July 2026

COMEDY ABOUT SPIES: 1960s spy escapade The Comedy About Spies at the Adelphi Theatre will have all generations of the family giggling with a rogue spy, enough double agents to confuse even the sharpest operative, and a mission that's hilariously out of control. Age 10+. 1 August-26 September 2026

SHERLOCK HOLMES: The Open Air Theatre in Regent's Park kicks off its 2026 season with Sherlock Holmes, a fresh adaptation featuring Conan Doyle's detective, and which follows Holmes and Watson through a new conspiracy staged across Victorian London. Age 12+. Until 6 June 2026

Sherlock Holmes comes to the Regent's Park Open Air Theatre -

— aptly close to Baker Street. Image: Tristram Kenton

HARNESSED THE WIND: Based on a memoir and film of the same name, the true story of William Kamkwamba is told in new musical The Boy Who Harnessed The Wind, at Soho Place. William designs and builds a windmill to make his Malawi village's broken water pump work again, and saves the local area from drought. Age 11+. Until 18 July 2026

AVENUE Q: After two decades, award-winning musical Avenue Q has returned to the West End in all its glory, using puppets to tell the story of college graduate Princeton, who moves into the neighbourhood, meets new friends and seeks out his purpose in life. Read our full ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ review. Age 13+. Currently booking until August 2026

HARRY POTTER: Drawing in Potterheads since 2016, Harry Potter and the Cursed Child is an unusual set-up, in that it consists of two parts, each more than 2.5 hours long. Your ticket includes both parts, one in the afternoon and the second later that evening. As for the storyline, it picks up almost two decades after Harry, Ron and Hermione left Hogwarts... but we won't give anything else away. Age eight+. Currently booking until September 2026. After this date, the show will magically transform from its current format into a single performance, with a run time of just under three hours with one interval.

War Horse is an absolutely charming production. Image: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg

THE HUNGER GAMES: The world premiere run of The Hunger Games: On Stage continues at Troubadour Canary Wharf Theatre. Step into the world of Panem and follow Katniss Everdeen, who volunteers as tribute in place of her sister. Impressive stunts and mind-bending illusions take you through the competition as young people fight to the death to be crowned the winner. Age 12+. Currently booking until October 2026

SIX: It's the Tudors, but not as you know them. SIX The Musical at Vaudeville Theatre empowers the six wives of Henry VIII, who tell their own stories in their own words, backed by all-female band, the Ladies in Waiting. History becomes herstory. Age 10+. Currently booking until January 2027

WICKED: Wizard of Oz prequel Wicked casts its spell over the Apollo Victoria. BBC News dubbed it "one of the most successful musicals of all time", so provided your children can handle a couple of dark/borderline scary bits, it's a spellbinding introduction to musical theatre at its finest. Age seven+. Currently booking until January 2027

HAMILTON: Still going strong, Lin-Manuel Miranda's Hamilton at the Victoria Palace spins the story of America's Founding Father Alexander Hamilton, from his involvement in the American Civil War, to his career as a lawyer and his marriage to Eliza Schuyler. The soundtrack is mainly hip-hop, and it does help to have a bit of background about the historical context, so give the kids the lowdown before you go. Age 10+. Currently booking until March 2027 (though tickets for July-September 2026 are very hard to come by, due to Leslie Odom Jr. performing during this period).

The golden sands of Viking Bay in Broadstairs. Image: Shutterstock

London has its fair share of pop-up beaches each summer, but nothing beats the proper sunshine-ice-cream-fish-and-chips-neon-lights-cheesy-music-arcade-games-doughnuts-on-the-pier British seaside. These Kentish seaside towns are all within easy reach of London, whether you're looking for bucket-and-spade sand or something a bit more sophisticated.

Visit Whitstable from London

The fishing industry lives on in Whitstable Harbour. Image: Shutterstock

Whitstable's popularity with Londoners has swelled in recent years, lending it something of a hip reputation. Its working harbour means oysters are plentiful around these parts; the dreamy pink Wheelers Oyster Bar is Wes Anderson-esque, and incredibly popular for photos. Throw in historic buildings and alleyways, and Whitstable is quite the charmer.

The prevalence of fishing boats and wooden fishing huts alongside the shingle beach, make for a postcard-perfect British seaside experience. Some are even available as overnight accommodation, if you fancy making a weekend of it. Whitstable High Street has a mix of chain shops and independent boutiques; swing by Bears Ice Cream Imaginarium, an inventive independent ice cream parlour five minutes' walk from the seafront. Follow them on Instagram for their latest flavours, which recently included honey, ginger & blackberry jam.

The famous Wheelers Oyster Bar in Whitstable High Street. Image: joanna hall

The beach itself is shingle beach — groynes stretching as far as the eye can see. If you're looking for a sandy beach, this isn't it. Often revealed on the mud flats in low tide is a large oyster farm. Curious? Don your wellies and take a tour, or visit during the town's annual oyster festival in September.

Get to know the local area better at the Whitstable Museum & Gallery, a small building on the high street packed with local history spanning the shipbuilding, fishing and oyster industries, and perhaps most surprisingly, the Invicta steam locomotive, built by George and Robert Stephenson in the 1820s. Alternatively, take a walk or cycle ride along the Whitstable Coastal Trail to visit more of the surrounds.

Getting to Whitstable from London

Southeastern trains run direct from both Victoria and St Pancras. Each route takes about 80 minutes.

Visit Margate from London

Margate Beach has room for everyone. Image: Christopher Hilton via CC BY-SA 2.0

Jutting out into the North Sea like the wayward limb of Kent, Margate's come a long way since the heady 1982 days of Chas and Dave (and Rodney and Del Boy, seven years later) — the 2011 opening of the Turner Contemporary Gallery (free to visit!) cementing its cultural credentials.

Of course that sandy beach — one of the best in the south-east — is still there, and packed when the weather's half decent. It has a tidal pool if you don't fancy braving the wide open sea, and you'll still get your stick of rock or '99 if that's what you're after. But Margate's got cool, with plenty of vintage shops, bakeries and art galleries to keep weekend visitors and Instagrammers happy.

Wander around Margate Pier and Harbour. Image: Gary Rogers via CC BY-SA 2.0

Attraction-wise, Dreamland's opened and closed many times since its massive resurgence in 2011, but at time of writing it's open again, having seen an increase in popularity after it appeared in 2022 film Empire of Light, starring Olivia Colman.

The Shell Grotto, buried under Margate's streets is a unique and mysterious collection of more than four million shells lining 70ft of underground passageways, and you can continue your subterranean adventures at the nearby Margate Caves. Or stay above ground and get your claws into the Crab Museum, apparently "Europe’s first and only museum dedicated to the world of the decapod" (and who are we to argue with a claim like that?). Vintage furniture shop Junk Deluxe is unique in its own way, drawing collectors from miles around, with plenty for the casual browser. And of course, the shelter where T.S. Eliot wrote The Wasteland still peers out over the shore. Maybe it'll inspire your own poem.

Fancy staying a little longer? Penny Rope is a prison cell-themed hotel room, set just a couple of blocks back from the seafront.

Getting to Margate from London

Direct Southeastern trains from both Victoria (around one hour 40 mins) and St Pancras (around one hour 30 mins).

Visit Broadstairs from London

Viking Bay in Broadstairs is a popular seaside spot. Image: Shutterstock

Sandwiched between the better-known towns of Margate and Ramsgate, Broadstairs is often overlooked, but for our money, it's the best of the three. It doesn't tend to get quite as busy as Margate (yet), but its sandy, sheltered beach Viking Bay is one of the best in the south-east. It's also got a beautiful collection of beach huts for anyone seeking that Instagram shot, and some gorgeous houses peer down on the beach from the cliffs above.

If you can tear yourself away from the golden sands, head to Morelli's Gelato (which also has branches in Whitstable and Margate) to cool down before exploring the town centre. The Dickens House Museum celebrates the author's links to the area and his inspiration for parts of David Copperfield (keep your eyes open for other nods to his work in Broadstairs, including Bleak House, a bold name for a B&B).

Getting to Broadstairs from London

Southeastern runs direct trains from both Victoria and St Pancras, taking between one hour 20 mins and two hours.

Visit Ramsgate from London

Float your boat at Ramsgate Marina. Image: David M Clark via CC BY-SA 2.0

Ramsgate boasts one of the largest marinas on the south coast, so if you're looking for somewhere to dock your yacht (aren't we all?), you know where to come. Though it's mainly a summer destination, it draws the crowds at Christmas too, when boat owners trim their vessels with festive lights. The harbour is the only one in the UK to be designated as a Royal Harbour, through you won't see many members of the Royal family around these parts.

Even if you've nary an inflatable dinghy to your name, there's still plenty to do. It's something of a typical seaside town, with amusement arcades, ample fish and chip shops, and it's worth walking to the end of the harbour arm if you're into sea views.

If it's a beach day you're after, head immediately north-east of the harbour for the golden strip of Ramsgate Main Sands. Otherwise, there's plenty to do in the town centre, including exploring a network of wartime tunnels.

Getting to Ramsgate from London

Southeastern runs direct trains from Charing Cross, Waterloo East, London Bridge, Victoria and St Pancras, all taking around two hours.

Visit Deal & Walmer from London

The stretch of beach between Walmer and Deal. Image: Shutterstock

Deal and Walmer may have started as two separate towns — each with its own castle — but these days, it's hard to tell where one ends and the other begins. While Walmer Castle, which dates from Tudor times, and its gardens, are worth a visit, we recommend heading to Deal for the full seaside experience. After a refurbishment, the upper deck of Deal Pier is open again, and the town's pebble beach is available for those looking for a sunbathing spot or a dip in the sea.

Deal seafront has plenty of space. Image: Chris Whippet via CC BY-SA 2.0

Beyond that, it's very much your typical seaside town, albeit a smaller, more subtle version. Amusement arcades sit alongside fish and chip shops, pubs and cafes, and ample hotels and B&Bs. Yet rather than screaming their tourist-baiting credentials through neon signs, the quaint buildings are a mish-mash of pastel-hued, wooden boarded beauties. It's all interspersed with ways to while away your time including the Kent Museum of the Moving Image (cinema history, and currently, an exhibition about entertainer Norman Wisdom); Deal Museum (local, primarily maritime, history); and the Grade-II listed Deal Timeball Tower, previously used by ships to check their chronometers when the ball fell at 1pm each day.

Getting to Deal from London

Deal and Walmer stations are just four minutes apart, but Deal is closer to the action. Southeastern services direct from St Pancras take around one hour 40 minutes.

Visit Dymchurch and St Mary's Bay from London

Sunrise on Dymchurch Beach. Image: Shutterstock

One of the lesser-known entries on this list, these are two separate towns on Romney Marsh, but the mile or so walk between them is easily done on the tarmac seafront promenade. From past experience, we'd recommend bringing a kite (or purchasing one at one of the many seaside shops), if you're that way inclined.

In Dymchurch itself, the amusement park and various bars and cafes will satisfy any rock/candy floss cravings, with lilos and toys readily available from a number of shops with stripy awnings. The beach isn't the prettiest on this list (concrete Martello towers are the main landmarks on the shore) but good for a stroll.

All aboard in Dymchurch! Image: Shutterstock

The Romney, Hythe & Dymchurch Railway shuttles steam and diesel locomotives through the area, with seven stations to choose from. The City of London pub does a cracking Sunday roast (though at time of writing it's up for sale, its future uncertain).

Getting to Dymchurch from London

Ideally, you need a car from this one. The nearest stations are Folkestone West (Southeastern) and Ham Street (Southern), both several miles away.

Visit Herne Bay from London

Ride the rides on Herne Bay Pier. Image: Shutterstock

Herne Bay literally has a museum called The Seaside Museum, so it was a shoo-in for this list. Once you've finished perusing the current exhibition, take a wander out on the pier and ride the helter skelter, or tuck into seaside snacks to make the most of Kent's northern coastline. The beach itself is shingle, with sand exposed at low tide.

For a more peaceful time, head out on the harbour arm — otherwise known as Neptune's Arm — for views out to sea, before swinging by 1940s-themed tearoom The Vintage Empire for coffee, cakes and snacks.

Snap a picture. Image: Shutterstock

The town also has some of the best beach huts in Kent, providing a psychedelic backdrop to that pebble beach.

Getting to Herne Bay from London

Southeaster runs direct trains from both St Pancras and Victoria, each taking under 90 minutes.

Visit Folkestone from London

Image: Shutterstock

If you want sea air and seafood, Folkestone's the one. The Harbour Arm, a former railway track has been regenerated as a public space in recent years, with plenty of restaurants and bars — and an impressive viewpoint — jutting out into the sea, with a champagne bar in a lighthouse at the tip. Regular events take place in the summer, including live music and film screenings.

By far the best restaurant in town is Rocksalt, winner of numerous accolades and offering panoramic views over the harbour. You'll want to book in advance to make sure you get a table.

The town centre itself is fairly universal, with a few gems thrown in, including the Folkestone Museum, which covers local history from the Stone Age through to the arrival of the railways, and as a military base during wartime.

For beach time, head to Sunny Sands, a small stretch just east of the harbour which offers the town's only sand: the main Folkestone Beach further south is predominantly pebble.

Getting to Folkestone from London

The town is home to two stations. Folkestone Central is closest to the action and can be reached in around one hour direct from St Pancras, or one hour 45 minutes direct from Charing Cross, both on Southeastern.

Visit Dover from London

Dover looks delightful when you look beyond the port. Image: Gildo Cancelli

Being a port town, Dover isn't a quaint seaside village — and it often hits the headline for all the wrong reasons, related to transit through its ports. There is a stretch of beach on the Esplanade, but given that it's within the Harbour, you'd be better off heading to one of the other places on this list if you want a dip.

Do wander along the seafront though, for some bracing sea air, before getting stuck into what Dover does best — history. It's got historic buildings and attractions piled up high on top of those famous white cliffs, most of which are part of Dover Castle. It's got towers. It's got medieval tunnels. It's got a secret underground hospital. And on the other side of the harbour, views to France (on a clear day) from Western Heights

The town also has its own Tower Hamlets — nothing to do with the London borough, but somewhat reassuring if you're getting London withdrawal symptoms.

South Foreland Lighthouse is close to Dover. Image: Ian Capper via CC BY-SA 2.0

Head a couple of miles along the cliffs to visit South Foreland Lighthouse in the village of St Margaret's Bay. It was the first lighthouse to use an electric light, and is now owned by the National Trust.

Getting to Dover from London

Dover Priory station is just over an hour from St Pancras, or close to two hours from Charing Cross, both direct on Southeastern.

This is a sponsored article on behalf of ARK Shoreditch.

Shoreditch has been synonymous with cool for quite some time now. But this vibey neighbourhood can feel a teeny bit intimidating sometimes — and with a frankly dizzying array of Things Going On All The Time comes the risk of small fish, big pond syndrome.

How then, to go about creating a sense of belonging here? Well, you could become a member of ARK Shoreditch, a new haven of community and creativity set to launch this summer...

ARK Shoreditch is the latest venture by ARK Living, which creates community-first co-living developments in top tier London locations. It joins ARK Wembley and ARK Canary Wharf in offering all-in-one amenity-stuffed spaces to stay, live, work and socialise.

You can stay at ARK Shoreditch for as little as one night — ideal for short-term visitors who want to experience London as local — or sign up for a 12-month membership and really make the neighbourhood your home. For however long you decide to hang your hat here, you'll enjoy a fully-furnished studio apartment and access to all of ARK Shoreditch's community facilities.

So, what kind of perks can ARK Shoreditch members expect, then? Amenities include dedicated co-working spaces (no more tapping away at your kitchen table!); a gym; a wellness studio; a cinema room; an internal garden space with a retractable roof for sunny (and not-so-sunny) days; a games room for foosball, pool and table tennis; and — forgive us for burying the lede here — two whole rooms dedicated entirely to karaoke. It's all about removing any sense of isolation from urban living, giving you ample opportunities to find your people, quite literally on your doorstep.

There are tons of community events to choose from, too. These include film nights, arts and craft workshops, fitness classes, charity drives, professional development events, and supper clubs (did we mention that ARK Shoreditch also boasts a communal kitchen?!)

The playroom at ARK Canary Wharf

As for the studios themselves? These are stylish, functional, design-led spaces with kitchens, en-suite bathrooms, comfy double beds featuring built-in storage, and a TV. Utility bills and wifi are included in your monthly membership fee, and a cleaning service is available too. Should you run into any hiccups, there's a team onsite 24/7 to help.

Of course, you didn't come to Shoreditch to stay inside all the time — not when you're a sub-20 minute walk from delights like...

• Columbia Road Flower Market
• Hackney City Farm  
• Brick Lane
• London Fields
• Too many vibey bars and restaurants to count (Morito, Sager + Wilde and Little Georgia are among our favourites, and we're betting your new neighbours will have a ton of recs too).

And it goes without saying that — being in Zone 2 — you're in plum position to take advantage of everything else the capital has to offer.

Intrigued? Find out more about ARK Shoreditch here. Oh, and if you're thinking of moving here, you should know that the studios are getting snapped up FAST, so enquire today to avoid disappointment.

This feature first appeared in May 2025 on Londonist: Time Machine, our much-praised history newsletter. To be the first to read new history features like this, sign up for free here.

Image: Matt Brown

What’s the last thing you expect to happen to you at church?

“Mr. Goodson, a master-taylor in Craven-buildings [Drury Lane], being at the late Mr. Whitefield's chapel in Tottenham-court road, was struck dead by a flash of lightening; the studs in his sleeves were melted, his shirt was burnt, and the hair on one side of his head.” - Caledonian Mercury (syndicated), 30 March 1772

Bartholomew Goodson was struck by lightning, during divine service. Not only that, but his fate seems oddly specific — a master tailor getting fried until his buttons melted. Not only that, but one of the world’s leading authorities on atmospheric electricity died that very same day (22 March 1772), a couple of miles away in Spitalfields. God moves in mysterious ways.

The lightning strike was no idle hearsay. Three gentlemen of the Royal Society were in attendance and even got a scientific paper out of it, complete with diagram. They found that the lightning bolt had been attracted to a pineapple-shaped finial on the roof, which was “shivered into very small fragments.” The electricity then conducted down through the building into the unfortunate tailor’s head. He left behind “a wife and two children in distressed circumstances, who were entirely dependent on his labour”. Goodson was buried in the churchyard just metres from the scene of his electrocution. He might lie there still.

Then again, probably not. The one acre of land where Whitfield’s (sometimes Whitefield’s) Chapel once stood is among the most turbulent sites in London. You probably know it. It’s that peculiar open space mid-way along Tottenham Court Road, just north of Goodge Street station:

Whitfield Gardens, most famous for its Fitzrovia mural. Image: Matt Brown

Today, it’s called Whitfield Gardens, though it lacks any turf. (As does Fitzrovia in general; nearby Crabtree Fields is the only bit of publicly accessible grass.) This former graveyard is now paved over with flagstones. 250 years ago, however, these were the verdant limits of London. It was here, in 1756, that the celebrated evangelist George Whitfield chose to build his third tabernacle. As a non-conformist, Whitfield was often at loggerheads with the Anglican church. Hence, he’d been looking for somewhere well away from the central parishes to establish his ministry. This was his plot of choice:

The area in 1746, according to the John Rocque map, here coloured in by me.

Now, if you were presented with the map above in Sim City or some other town-planning computer game, where would you place your new church? Whitfield opted for the least auspicious spot. He took out a lease on the field containing that Africa-shaped pond. The pool was known as the ‘little sea’ or ‘little deep’ at the time, and it came with a woeful reputation. In 1735, a young apprentice was fished out of the pond, quite dead. Heavy stones were found in his pockets. In 1755, just months before Whitfield gained the lease, another young man was found drowned in the pool, “the Misfortune was occasioned by a Matter of Love”. This was not prime real estate.

Whitfield drained his plot and began to construct his tabernacle. As a dissenting preacher, he was unable to get the ground consecrated through the Anglican church. According to legend, he had a cart-load of blessed soil brought over from one of the City of London churches, which he then covertly sprinkled around the grounds. Consecration by stealth. In the gardens, which would become the churchyard, he erected an epitaph: “Stop giddy World, and consider this Place”.

270 years later, here we are taking up that invitation.

Whitfield had a curious career. He’d been one of the key players in John Wesley’s Methodist movement, though he’d since parted ways and was preaching his own flavour of evangelical non-conformism. He was a celebrated orator, attracting crowds that could sometimes reach the tens of thousands, including such luminaries as Horace Walpole and David Garrick. But he also had a dark side. Whitfield made several voyages to America, where he acquired a plantation and became a slaveholder. He would often preach to enslaved groups, and spoke frequently against their mistreatment. Yet he never decried the slave trade itself, and benefited from forced labour.

His London orations were wildly popular, and could often get rowdy. In 1766, two men “very genteelly dressed” were locked up after “breeding a riot” in the church. Accounts of pickpocketing among the congregation were common.

Whitfield died in 1770, but his church continued. We get a good glimpse of the chapel in the 1799 Horwood plan of London. Here we see the original square tabernacle, with its octagonal extension built just a few years later. Open land to the north and south served as twin burial grounds for Whitfield’s flock (as well as his wife Elizabeth, who died in 1768).

Whitfield’s Chapel, on the site of the old pond, in the 1799 Horwood map of London.

Despite Whitfield’s zealous, uplifting energies, the plot of land would not shake off its tragic associations. Traces of the old pond still remained around the building, prompting an ongoing battle with subsidence. In 1768, an old man was fished from a vestige of the pond, repeating the fate of the two drowned apprentices. In 1785, a man called John Fray caught pickpocket Thomas Waking practicing his light-fingered arts on Tottenham Court Road. He proceeded to throw the thief into the Whitfield pond, where the lad got into difficulty and drowned. Fray was later convicted of manslaughter.

All this time, the adjacent church yards were filling up with bodies. These included the noted abolitionist Olaudah Equiano (1745-1797). Himself a Black former slave, Equiano lived locally and had dabbled in Methodism and Evangelism. He probably worshiped at the tabernacle, and it was the natural burial place when he died in 1797.

Image: Matt Brown

Equiano might not have remained underground for long. The churchyard was a notorious spot for grave robbers, seeking recently deceased bodies to sell to surgeons. The year after Equiano’s burial, the Kentish Gazette describes a scene that would make the swimming pool in Poltergeist look like a wildflower meadow:

“It is a most afflicting scene to witness the concourse of people who daily flock about the burial ground in Tottenham court-road, to discover whether the remains of their relatives are still left interred in their graves. Numbers of coffins have been opened for this purpose; and on Tuesday no fewer than twenty-nine coffins were broken up in the church-yard for fire-wood, the bodies having been stolen. There was quite a scuffle for the wood.”

Most of the purloined cadavers were reportedly children, which is… well, I don’t want to think about it. The Kentish Gazette concluded with the kind of insinuation that would have libel lawyers drooling today: “The Sexton supported his family very genteelly, and, exclusive of of his house in town, had a place in the country, without any known means, except the emoluments of his situation.” In other words, he was (allegedly) taking back-handers to allow the grave robbers free reign.

Whitfield’s tabernacle in 1826. Image: Public domain.

So things continued for many decades. The Tabernacle remained a popular place of worship, but its grounds were an allotment of corpses. New interments only added to the problem. By one estimate, some 30,000 souls were buried in this awful acre; no one can say how many remained there.

The churchyard was finally closed down by the General Health Board in 1849. Even so, a cloud would remain over this spot for many years. A serious fire almost destroyed the tabernacle in 1857. The roof was consumed, and serious damage was done to the interior. It was quickly patched up and continued as a place of worship.

The closure of the graveyard, meanwhile, did nothing to improve its reputation. After a protracted series of ownership disputes (expertly essayed by Paul Slade), the land became neglected, to put it mildly. A press account from 1886 paints a grim picture:

This burial place is now a "no man's land," a hideous eyesore visible to every passer by, in one of London's main arteries. It has become a receptacle for rubbish of all kinds; old shoes, broken bottles, scrap iron, dead cats, and other abominations lie scattered over its surface, with here and there a fragment of human bone. The two of three tombstones which remain are fenced in by a hoarding covered with gaudy advertisements... All the rest have disappeared, carried away in fragments by the urchins who, before the present board fencing was put up, used to play football with the skulls which they scooped up from the reeking mould with their sacrilegious hands… it is a disgrace to this mighty city that, in one of its most frequented thoroughfares, there should be seen a sight so exquisitely painful and shocking to a sense of decency as this neglected Golgotha. -Pall Mall Gazette, 9 Jul 1886

This and other reports prompted St Pancras Vestry (the equivalent of a local council) to acquire the land and turn it into a public park. This did not go well. Within months, the space had been occupied by a tawdry funfair, with a “steam hurdy-gurdy attached to a merry-go-round" along with attendant fortune tellers, coconut shies, a rifle range and freak shows. The hurdy-gurdy and rifle range were so loud that services in the tabernacle became impossible. The church would not last much longer, in any case. In 1889 it was found to be dangerously unstable, “shored up like a cripple on crutches”. The structure was demolished and rebuilt to a new design.

To recap, this sorry corner of London had seen a fatal lightning strike, covert consecration, a drowning or three, the worst excesses of body-snatching, a maddening carnival, fire and ruinous subsidence.

The worst was yet to come.

On 25 March 1945, Whitfield’s Tabernacle received another bolt from the blue. This time, however, the agent was man-made rather than natural. A V2 rocket shot up from the Nazi-occupied Netherlands, crossed the threshold of space, and then arced down towards Tottenham Court Road. It struck just south of the tabernacle. 11 people were killed and many more injured. The surrounding area was devastated. Only one building survived intact, and it still stands today in isolation:

V2 survivor, now a Costa coffee. Image via Google Street View

Following the war, the land became a kind of ‘meanwhile’ space, with a sunken sports pitch and a small playground. (This had to be removed in 1953, after repeated vandalism.) In 1957, the tabernacle was rebuilt as the Whitefield Memorial Church. It remains in religious use today as the American International Church.

The link to America is strong here. Whitfield, as we’ve seen, travelled to the colonies several time to preach. Then, during the Second World War, General Eisenhower maintained a secure bunker adjacent to the church, in one of those deep-level shelters whose entrances can still be found along the Northern line.

The American International Church (top left) behind a street-food market. The graffiti-covered structure to the right of the plane tree is part of Eisenhower’s bunker. Image: Matt Brown

And what of the churchyard today? Camden Council gave it a big overhaul a few years back, adding in new benches and plantings. Even so, there remains an air of disquiet about the place. I popped into the gardens last week, only to be shouted at by a drunk within seconds of arriving. I’ve twice seen mice scrabbling in the borders, presumably attracted by the street-food market that operates to the north of the church. Pigeons are everywhere; same reason.

Yet for all this, Whitfield Gardens is perhaps more welcoming than it’s ever been. The Fitzrovia mural is a much-loved local landmark; the seating provides a rare (for Fitzrovia) space to relax outdoors; the church does good work for the community, including a daily soup kitchen. There’s much to commend the place.

See the pyramidal trip-hazard… that’s one of the last remaining grave markers on the plot. Image: Matt Brown

After a lightning bolt, drownings, scuffles, fire, mass exhumations, collapse and a rocket attack, perhaps this turbulent site is finally able to rest in peace.

A bust of Dickie Bird. Image: Jed Leicester

Lord's Cricket Ground is so historic that it supports at least 50 memorials. A new book reveals their fascinating history.

Lord’s Cricket Ground was established by the Marylebone Cricket Club (MCC) at its current site in 1814, and has since become known as the ‘Home of Cricket’. Within its walls (and without), Lord’s contains many memorials honouring cricket’s history and the MCC members and cricketers associated with this famous old ground.

In his new book — Lord's Cricket Ground in 50 Memorials — Lord's tour guide Steven Miell lifts the lid on a half-century of such items, from busts and statues, to commemorative gates, to war memorials and even a Royal Charter.

Below, he has chosen two favourites to bowl you over... 48 more where these came from.

Father Time Weathervane

Image: Jed Leicester

One of the most recognisable symbols of Lord’s Ground is the Father Time Weathervane. The weathervane measures 6 feet 6 inches (1.98 metres), while the figure of Father Time itself stands at 5 feet 4 inches (1.63 metres). Father Time is a human representation of time, and this example depicts him either removing or replacing the bails on top of the stumps. On the opposite side of the stumps from Father Time is a ball, which may indicate that a wicket has just fallen. Additionally, on Father Time’s back are a harvester’s sickle and an hourglass shown as half full. These two symbols remind the onlooker that time moves unstoppably forward but, at the same time, offers renewal.

The weathervane is positioned above the clock tower, which is located between the Mound and Tavern stands and was initially placed on top of the 1926 Grand Stand. While there, it became the only casualty at Lord’s during the Second World War when a steel cable from a barrage balloon became entangled and dragged it to the ground. Father Time spent the rest of the war in the Committee Room. It was eventually repaired and returned to its previous position. The weathervane was relocated to its current spot when Baker’s Grand Stand was demolished in the 1990s.

In 1992, the weathervane was struck by lightning, and the subsequent repairs were featured on the BBC children’s programme Blue Peter. In March 2015, Father Time was damaged once again, this time by high winds, which required extensive repairs by specialists.

Bowler statue

Image: Antony Dufort

Behind the Media Centre, accompanying a similar ‘Batsman’ figure, is a statue of a bowler. Called simply ‘Bowler’ but also known as ‘Fast Bowler’, it was created by Antony Dufort, a Council Member of the Society of Portrait Sculptors and a member of the Royal British Society of Sculptors.

Antony Dufort kindly shared his experience of delivering the ‘Bowler’ statue to Lord’s. He mentioned that in 2000, MCC’s arts and library committee asked him and Gerald Laing to tender for sculptures of a bowler and a batsman for two corners of the Nursery Ground. Maquettes of the proposed designs were presented to the committee about six months later.

Dufort presented a figure of a fast bowler, substantially the same as the final statue. However, to convey a sense of dynamism and accurately position the muscles, his model – a dancer and keen amateur cricketer – posed wearing only a jockstrap. A discussion ensued about nudity in sculpture. Lord Fellowes, the committee Secretary and also Her Majesty the Queen’s private Secretary, was asked for his opinion. Fellowes replied, ‘If we want to be the laughing stock of the entire cricketing world, then a nude bowler would be a good idea.’

Following the meeting, Gerald Laing was awarded the commission for the batsman, while Antony Dufort received the commission for the bowler. It was hoped that a wicketkeeper and a fielder could be added to the other two corners of the Nursery Ground at a later date.

Antony Dufort admitted to me that he knew little about cricket. As part of his preparation for the model that was later presented, he obtained permission from MCC to film bowlers from a private box during a Test match. He then watched the footage in slow motion to analyse their bowling actions. He also reviewed archival film of famous fast bowlers. Ultimately, the aggressive style of Dennis Lillee served as an inspiration, but with a higher follow-through leg position.

The sculpture stands 9 feet tall from the base to the tip of its raised finger. It took over a year to create and an additional six months to cast. Made of bronze, which is only a quarter of an inch thick, it weighs more than 800 pounds. Inside the sculpture is a bent, solid stainless-steel rod (5 inches in diameter) that extends from above the knee, through the toe, and into the solid stone base.

Antony Dufort’s expertise as a draftsman has significantly contributed to his proficiency in various artistic disciplines, including illustration, film storyboards, portrait painting, and public sculpture. In recent years, Dufort has sculpted the late Queen twice and produced a large sculpture of Margaret Thatcher for the Members’ Lobby of the House of Commons. In case they are ever needed, Dufort has also created maquettes of a fielder and a wicketkeeper. His training as a historian has aided him in conducting the background research necessary to ensure that his subjects are depicted appropriately and realistically.

The former England captain Ted Dexter unveiled the ‘Bowler’ statue on 14 May 2002.

Lord's Cricket Ground in 50 Memorials by Steven Miell is available now from Amberley Publishing. Buy direct from the publisher, or via Bookshop.org, which sources from independent bookshops and gives us a small commission.

Hyde Park is one of the best places in London to see roses in bloom. Image: Shutterstock

After cherry blossom and wisteria, the capital moves on to the next blockbuster botanical: Roses are beginning to bloom across London right now…

The London rose season normally runs from late May through to July. Looking for the best rose gardens where you can sniff (and snap) them this year? Places like Regent's Park and Kew Gardens are home to some of the more glorious looking (and smelling) rose bushes in the capital — and many of these rose gardens are free to visit.

Struggling to keep up with London's botanical calendar? We've put together a guide to which flowers are in bloom when.

London's best rose garden: Queen Mary's Garden, Regent's Park

A beautiful rose garden, tucked away in Regent's Park. Image: Shutterstock

We discovered Queen Mary's Gardens in Regent's Park by accident a good few years ago. Then it took us a couple of years to actually find it again. If it's roses you're after, these well-tended gardens should be high up your list; this is home to London's largest collection of roses (about 12,000, across 85 different varieties).

The circular layout is surrounded by a pagoda-style structure, with abundant climbing roses showing off their colours too.

Queen Mary's Garden is located within the park's Inner Circle, beyond some of London's fanciest gates, along with the gorgeous Japanese pond garden, home to all manner of fairy tale bridges and trickling streams. It's also not far from the Open Air Theatre, and the new Queen Elizabeth II Garden, which opened in spring 2026.

Roses in central London: The Rose Garden, Hyde Park

Hyde Park's rose garden in full bloom. Image: Shutterstock

Although Hyde Park's rose garden's variety doesn't compare to that of Regent's Park, it's hard to believe such a beautiful space can be found so close to the roaring traffic of Hyde Park Corner. And it's not just roses — herbaceous plants are mixed in too. The yew hedge, meanwhile, is apparently designed to be the mouth of a trumpet or horn heralding your arrival in the park, while the flowers represent music notes emerging from said instrument.

Throw in fountains, statues and a pergola for natural beauty steered by the hand of man, smack dab in central London. Find other things to do in Hyde Park, and neighbouring Kensington Gardens, while you're there.

Roses at Kew Gardens

Naturally, Kew Gardens has its fair share of roses. Image: David Hawgood via CC BY-SA 2.0

Botanical paradise Kew Gardens has a rose species named after it, so as you'd imagine it's got the odd rose bush lying around. You'll find the main Rose Garden right behind the Palm House, the resplendent glasshouse overlooking a lake. There's been a rose garden at Kew since the 1920s, but it's been expanded and replanted in the last decade. The gardens are also home to a gorgeous rose pergola crawling with colour every summer — find it in the Agius Evolution Garden near the Princess of Wales Conservatory.

If you're visiting in summer 2026, leave time to seek out the large-scale Henry Moore sculptures, currently in situ in the gardens.

Roses in Holland Park

Look out for roses on the path leading to the Orangery. Image: Peter Smyly via CC BY-SA 2.0

Head for the Orangery in the centre of Holland Park to discover its rose bushes, planted between the cafe and the stable yard. It's a petite offering, with just nine flower beds, but they're planted with precision, each species keeping itself to itself in a satisfyingly neat and tidy manner.

Roses at Ranger's House, Greenwich

Well worth the walk. Image: Royal Parks

Not only is Ranger's House the place to see cherry blossom in London, it's also an excellent spot for rose-bothering. Greenwich Park's own rose garden is planted right in front of the villa house, its redbrick frontage offering a rich backdrop to yellows, pinks, maroons and creams across 40 rose species. Sure, it's an uphill trek from the centre of Greenwich (though there's plenty to see at the unassuming end of Greenwich Park), but in rose season there's a satisfying symmetry about the place, making the schlep so worth it.

The Rose Garden was originally planted here in the early 1960s, and it was enhanced and restored between 2023-5 with new obelisks and herbaceous borders, so it's looking magnificent for the 2026 season, with more seating added, inviting you to linger.

The Rose Garden at Hampton Court Palace

The Rose Garden in Hampton Court Palace. Image: TitTornade via CC BY-SA 4.0

Although Henry VIII had a great many things built at Hampton Court Palace (wine fountain, anyone?), a rose garden wasn't one of them. The Rose Garden is in fact a fairly recent addition, in an area previously used as a kitchen garden. The beautiful scents and colours are only enhanced by the sprawling palatial backdrop. The Hampton Court gardens can be an exhausting excursion — 60 acres, for goodness sake — but make sure the roses are on your route. Visit on a Garden Open Weekend and enjoy free admission.

Roses at Lambeth Palace Gardens

See Lambeth Palace's roses on a rare garden open day. Photo: Londonist

Usually off-limits, Lambeth Palace opens its gardens occasionally between May and September. It's not awash with roses, but the one we spotted on our visit are absolutely charming, scrambling romantically up the old stone walls, and adding a vibrant contrast to the statues.

Find out about upcoming open days.

Rose garden at Morden Hall Park

Morden Hall Park has its own magnificent rose garden. Image: AndyScott via CC BY-SA 4.0

National Trust-owned Morden Hall Park has been home to a rose garden for almost 100 years, and its origins may lay in the nearby snuff mills. Roses were used to scent the tobacco-based product, although the rose garden here was built shortly before the mills closed, so it wouldn't have been put to that use for long. Recently, the rose garden has been restored to how it would have looked in the 1920s. In total, it has 50 formal flower beds, with around 45 different varieties.

Where to find London's best rose gardens: mapped

Plan your rosy day out around the capital with this map pinpointing our favourite spots to view roses:

Image: Matt Brown

London Bridge is the only one not falling down.

Well, it can seem that way. The capital's crossings seem to be in the news every few weeks for some kind of metal fatigue or introduced weight limit. What gives? (Hopefully not the carriageway.)

To make sense of it, we've prepped a little graphic showing all the crossings with some kind of problem or restriction, with more information down below:

Note: for visual clarity, unaffected rail bridges are not shown.

Hammersmith Bridge

Hammersmith Bridge is absolute chuffing bliss at the moment... if you're a pedestrian or cyclist. Gorgeous, Victorian suspension bridge, leafy views, all untroubled by the growl of engines. If you did need to get across in a car or bus, then bad luck. The 140-year-old bridge, designed by Joseph Bazalgette, has a history of structural problems. The latest set have seen the span closed to motor traffic since 2019, much to the chagrin of Barnes residents who've lost a major plank of connectivity. The repair cost keeps spiralling and the politics are messy. It's going to stay this way for a long time yet.

Putney Bridge

Putney Bridge. Often clogged with traffic, but looks just dandy from down here. Image: Matt Brown

A bit of a cheeky entry, as this bridge remains fully open to motors, pedestrians, cyclists, scooters, people on space hoppers and any other legal form of transport. That flippantly listed space hopper might be faster than a car, however. Recent changes to the road network at the southern end, coupled with the ongoing closure of Hammersmith Bridge, have made this one of the most clogged crossings in the capital.

Albert Bridge

This spindly crossing has 'I'm a bit fragile' written all over it. Literally. It's most famous for its signs informing soldiers to march out of step, lest they provoke a resonant wobble. Hence, the bridge's nickname of 'the trembling lady'. The bridge has deteriorated in recent years, and was closed to motor traffic in February 2026 'for up to a year' after cracks were found in the cast iron supports. Opened in 1873, it was never built to take the weight of modern traffic. So, an optimist might say that, with cyclists and pedestrians still welcome, the bridge is living up to its original design specifications.

Albert Bridge. Image: Robert Lamb, creative commons licence

Vauxhall Bridge

Vauxhall Bridge has always looked a little tatterdemalion. The deterioration is now official, after TfL announced a weight limit to the 120-year-old span. No vehicles over 18 tonnes will be allowed to cross from July 2026. Except for buses. And emergency vehicles. TfL are keen to point out that the bridge remains safe, and that the restrictions are to prevent further damage while a repair plan is formulated... but it all feels like a first step towards more severe restrictions at a later date.

Vauxhall Bridge. Image: Matt Brown

Lambeth Bridge

Lambeth's been closed a fair few times of late, mostly to make the bridge safer for cyclists. It also suffers from structural issues, however, and has been placed on the same 'critical' list by TfL as Vauxhall and Westminster bridges. It remains open for now, but will need serious work in the near future.

Westminster Bridge

As with Lambeth Bridge, TfL considers Westminster Bridge to be in "very poor condition" and in need of major upgrades. It, too, remains open... for now.

Let's hope they don't fix those 'interesting' shadows. Image: Matt Brown

Hungerford Rail Bridge

The rail bridge into Charing Cross is also in a sorry state. Major track maintenance has not been carried out since the 1990s. Hence, the bridge will close for 22 days, from 26 July to Sunday 16 August 2026. That means the complete closure of Charing Cross mainline station. The Golden Jubilee footbridges either side will remain open.

Blackfriars Bridge

Parts of the bridge were partitioned off during the first part of works in 2022. Image: Matt Brown

The bridge remains open to pedestrians, cyclists and motor traffic, but parts of the walkways are currently halved in width by fencing. The span is undergoing a bit of an overhaul, including a multi-million pound paint job — started four years ago, but delayed thanks to the works on the super-sewer. In accordance with ancient City custom, a bale of hay has been suspended from the southern arch, to alert boats to the works.

"Eid on the Square provides a wonderful opportunity for Londoners and visitors of all backgrounds to unite and celebrate the huge contribution Muslim Londoners make to our city." Image: Greater London Authority/Caroline Teo

Eid celebrations return to Trafalgar Square on Saturday 30 May 2026, with a day of Islamic-inspired music, food and family activities.

Eid al-Adha — one of the two Eids, the other being Eid al-Fitr — marks the end of Hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. This year it takes place between 26-30 May, with London's big celebration happening at the end of this period.

Eid al-Adha marks the end of Hajj, the Islamic pilgrimage to Mecca. Image: Greater London Authority/Caroline Teo

Eid on the Square 2026 features, among other things:

🎤 Main stage action throughout the day, featuring performances from London Arab Orchestra, London Turkish Association Dance Group and Khan Brothers Qawwali Group, plus Q&As, calls to prayer and more.

🪶 A Family Zone, with lantern and headdress making, and calligraphy and stencil workshops.

🗡️ Live demos from Muslim Girls Fence, with a chance to pick up fundamental fencing skills from them.

🎪 Stalls from the likes of confectioners Ambala and the Desi Doll Company, as well as face painting.

🍗 Eats from Afghan Grill, Korean Fried Chicken, Halal German Hot Dogs and Fries and loads more.

Image: Greater London Authority/Caroline Teo

Says the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan: "Eid on the Square provides a wonderful opportunity for Londoners and visitors of all backgrounds to unite and celebrate the huge contribution Muslim Londoners make to our city. Together we can continue to show that our diversity is our greatest strength, as we build a better London for everyone. Eid Mubarak!"

Eid on the Square, Trafalgar Square, 12pm-6pm, Saturday 30 May 2026, free.

Head to Belvedere Road, and you can't miss this. Image: Londonist

If you're around the South Bank anytime soon, make a point of ducking into its hinterlands — namely Belvedere Road — where a sweeping new mural can currently be admired.

A joint collaboration between Global Street Art and Bupa, the 773sqm hand-painted mural — one of the largest in Europe — is a patchwork design featuring panels from names including Sophie Tea, Yinka Ilori, Cody Weightman, Coco Dávez and Tom Daley (his panel is a knitted tapestry, naturally).

The mural highlights the link between exercising our own creativity, and our health. According to a study, 85% of people recognise that creative hobbies like drawing, doodling, painting or crafts positively impact health and wellbeing, yet 55% of these people don't regularly make time to get creative.

With artworks themed around topics of fertility, sickle cell, diabetes, anxiety, ageing and grief, the giant mural is a clarion call to whip out pens/pencils/paintbrushes/knitting needles and unleash our inner artists — once in a while, at least.

Although if you choose to be creative on a wall, do seek permission first.

The mural will remain in situ until at least 5 June.

Underground roundel at night. Image: Matt From London

Two planned 24-hour Tube strikes which were due to happen this week have been called off at the last minute.

Members of the RMT Union were due to strike on 19-20 May (12pm Tuesday-11.59am Wednesday) and 21-22 May (12pm Thursday-11.59am Friday). All strike action on these days has now been cancelled.

The strikes are in protest against the planned introduction of a compressed four-day working week for Tube drivers.

An RMT spokesperson said:

At the 11th hour the employer has shifted its position allowing us to further explore our members concerns around the imposition of new rosters, fatigue and safety issues.

The dispute is not over and more strike action will follow if we fail to make sufficient progress.

Additionally, further Tube strikes which were scheduled for 16 and 18 June have now been moved forward to take place on 2 and 4 June instead, if the dispute hasn't been resolved by then.

All weekend

Entertain the whole family at The Big Bahooey © Historic Royal Palaces

BANK HOLIDAY WEEKEND: Hurrah, another bank holiday weekend! If you're lucky enough to have any (or all) of the three-day weekend off work, make the most of it with our guide to bank holiday things to do in the capital. Join a walking tour, explore a botanical garden, take up a new hobby or find your new favourite place in London beyond Zone One.

MAY HALF TERM: For most London schools, May half term begins on Saturday. If you've got children — from toddlers through to teenagers — to entertain over the coming week, bookmark our May half term events guide now. It's packed with special events, family shows — and exhibitions featuring submarines, dinosaurs, and a beloved animated duo. It's got several free events too — ideal if you're on a tight budget.

THE BIG BAHOOEY: Try juggling, plate spinning or wire walking; dance at a silent disco; or belt out a tune at the singalongs — just some of the entertainment on offer at the family-friendly Big Bahooey festival in the grounds of Hampton Court Palace over the late May bank holiday weekend. It's included in palace admission. 23-25 May 2026

FOODIES FESTIVAL: Head to Syon Park for Foodies Festival, a three-day celebration of all things edible (and quaffable), with a side of live music. Scouting For Girls are among the performers, with live demos by celebrity chefs, street food and artisan markets, kids' cookery sessions, pop-up bars and more. 23-25 May 2026

STREETHUNT GAMES: Looking for a unique activity for the half-term hols/May bank holiday that's fun AND affordable? Streethunt Games invites you and your friends/family/partner to engage your collective brainpower, and crack crafty crime cases on London's historical streets. Channel your inner detective on these self-guided group adventures, as you solve head-scratching puzzles together. Games are for all skill levels (ages 10+) and can be played at your own pace, with hints if you need them. No wonder Streethunt Games consistently score ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐ (sponsor)

Immerse yourself in light at the Luminarium. Image: Luminarium

LONDON RIVERS WEEK: Back for its 10th anniversary, London Rivers Week invites Londoners to celebrate, explore, and help restore the city's rivers. This year's theme is Know Your Local River, with a programme of walks, talks and cultural events encouraging people to protect their closest waterway. Many events have already sold out, so hop to it. 23-30 May 2026

LUMINARIUM: A walk‑through inflatable sculpture of coloured domes, pods and softly-glowing champers — known as a pops up at Battersea Power Station. The LUXART 'Luminarium' experience begins in a reception tent and progresses through intimate and soaring chambers, ending in a cupola designed to resemble 20th century stained glass. 23-31 May 2026

CHELSEA AND BELGRAVIA IN BLOOM: While the Chelsea Flower Show takes place at the Royal Hospital Chelsea until Saturday, two FREE themed flower festivals spread out into nearby neighbourhoods. Chelsea in Bloom 2026 adopts an 'Out Of This World' theme, incorporating a nod to Sir David Attenborough in the month of his 100th birthday, while Belgravia in Bloom 2026 is themed on fairy tales. In both neighbourhoods, shops, restaurants and cafes install large-scale colourful floral displays outside, which everyone can enjoy for free. FREE, 18-24 May 2026

SUBWAY COMEDY: Stand-up at the Subway is a new comedy festival staged beneath the ornate brick vaulting of Crystal Palace Subway. 11 shows welcome the ilk of Daniel Kitson, Elis James, Kerry Godliman and improv troupe Shoot from the Hip, with proceeds going towards Crystal Palace Park's upkeep. Some shows are already sold out, so be quick if something takes your fancy. 21-24 May 2026

CRIMINAL: The Museum of Homelessness in Finsbury Park opens a new exhibition exploring the criminalisation of homelessness and acts of resistance dating back 400 years. New work by 10Foot, Gemma Lees, Matt Bonner, Spelling Mistakes Cost Lives and Surfing Sofas is shown, alongside historical material. 21 May-25 July 2026

Dobby's Grave features in new exhibition Holy Pop! Image: Sophie Pearce Third Eye Traveller

HOLY POP: Lively new exhibition Holy Pop! at Somerset House explores contemporary shrines — the objects, collections and domestic displays people use to honour heroes, celebrities and cult figures. Set across three rooms in the Terrace Rooms, the exhibition highlights items connected to Princess Diana, Andy Warhol, Prince and Harry Potter's Dobby — and includes Nina Simone's chewing gum as an example of how everyday objects can become artefacts of devotion. 21 May-19 August 2026

WHISTLER AT TATE BRITAIN: 150 works of art by James McNeill Whistler go on display at Tate Britain, on loan from the Musée d'Orsay in Paris. Perhaps best known among the pieces is Arrangement in Grey and Black No. 1 (aka Portrait of the Artist's Mother/Whistler's Mother), shown alongside Whistler's notebooks, self-portraits and large canvases, including his soupy depictions of the industrialised Thames. 21 May-27 September 2026

COMIC CON: Dust off your cape — MCM Comic Con is back at Excel London. Guest stars include Nathan Fillion and Alan Tudyk from TV show Firefly, Dylan Llewellyn (the "wee English fella" from Derry Girls) and Barry Gordon (who voiced Donatello in the original animated series Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles). Meet them and other famous faces, along with author talks, costume competitions and more. 22-24 May 2026

JURASSIC OCEANS: Get to know the marine reptiles that once ruled the seas — pliosaurs, ichthyosaurs and the mighty mosasaur — through fossils, hands-on objects and interactive displays at the Natural History Museum's new exhibition, Jurassic Oceans: Monsters of the Deep. Touch a mosasaur tooth, feel a replica shark's skin and explore bite-sized science. From 22 May 2026

Today's events: Saturday 23 May

Plants are sold off at the final day of the Chelsea Flower Show. Image: Karen Roe via CC BY 2.0

CHELSEA FLOWER SHOW: A highlight for any green-fingered Londoner, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show takes over the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea, with gardeners from all over the country showing off their work; stalls where you can buy plants to take home; and a chance to pick up tips from gardening experts. On the last day, many plants are sold off at reduced prices, making for scenes of palm trees and the like being lugged home on the Tube. 19-23 May 2026

STREATLIFE: 20 London-based food and drink traders take over the grounds of Alexandra Palace for StrEATlife festival, offering panoramic views across the capital as you choose between dishes including lobster rolls and jerk chicken. Wash it down with craft beer from Brixton Brewery (cocktails also available), with a soundtrack of live music and DJs. 23-24 May 2026

RICHMOND ARCHITECTURE: Join Open City for a Richmond architecture walking tour exploring how the area transformed from a Georgian royal retreat into a modern suburb. The route takes in the Grade I-listed Marble Hill House, the 1930s art deco Poppy Factory, and the traditionally-styled Richmond Riverside development from the 1980s. Finish at the Richmond Hill viewing point. 10am-12.30pm

THEATRELAND BLACK HISTORY: Explore the hidden history of African and Caribbean presence in the West End's theatre district on this Black History guided tour. Hear stories of Black magicians, escape artists, and actors who have graced London's stages, while investigating the racial climate and overcoming of stereotypes throughout history. 10am-12pm

TREES OF BROMPTON CEMETERY: Royal Parks Treescape Curator Greg Packman leads a walking tour through the historic landscape of Brompton Cemetery. Discover how the site has evolved since its Victorian origins while exploring the ecology and cultural history of its most notable mature trees. 10.30am-12.30pm

StrEATlife Festival comes to Alexandra Palace. Image: Alexandra Palace

FANTASTIC MR FOX: Dalston's historic Rio Cinema hosts a family-friendly screening of Wes Anderson's Fantastic Mr. Fox. Arrive early for themed arts and crafts in the lobby led by the Rio team, aimed at primary school-aged children, before the stop-motion adventure begins on the big screen. 10.45am

HOLE-PUNCH COLLAGE: Artist Sophie Rawlingson leads a hands-on hole-punch collage workshop at Dulwich Picture Gallery. Inspired by the vibrant landscapes of Konrad Mägi and the techniques of pointillism, experiment with layering and pattern to build your own imaginative paper artworks. The session is beginner-friendly and open to both teens and adults. 11am-1pm

SOUTHWARK CATHEDRAL: Discover over 900 years of history at London's oldest Gothic church, with a guided tour of Southwark Cathedral. Expert guides lead a one-hour exploration of the building's rich past, including its strong associations with Winchester, the founding of a famous London hospital, and the theatrical characters of Shakespeare's era who once walked its aisles. 11am

It's the final day of the Chelsea Barracks Spring Fair. Image: Chelsea Barracks

SPRING FAIR: Last chance to visit this year's Chelsea Barracks Spring Fair,  bringing a curated selection of independent makers and seasonal food and drink to the Chelsea Barracks estate. Pair it with Chelsea or Belgravia in Bloom, or the Chelsea Flower Show, for a full day out. 11am-7pm

SIP & STITCH: Craft an embroidered hoop piece or upcycle your own clothing at Sip & Stitch London, a creative workshop at London Art Bar (Holborn). The session is beginner-friendly and includes all necessary supplies like fabric, threads and beads, plus a glass of prosecco to enjoy while you work. 2pm-4.30pm

GREEK FOLK: King's Cross venue Jamboree hosts a family concert and crafts afternoon, featuring Greek folk music and dancing. Led by guitar and violin duo Zeeya, explore urban folk traditions and rebetiko rhythms, alongside a dedicated craft table for children. 2pm-4pm

SPEAKEASY BRUNCH: Hidden behind an award-winning pub in Kingston, Ram Jam Records hosts a theatrical bottomless brunch featuring a mix of comedy, burlesque and drag performances, alongside food from Smok'd Kitchen, with an optional 90-minute bottomless drinks package. 2pm-4.30pm

GENTLEMAN JACK: Forget Suranne Jones swishing around in a long black overcoat: Northern Ballet brings Anne Lister's life to the stage in a new Gentleman Jack ballet at Sadler's Wells. The piece follows Lister — pseudonym 'Gentleman Jack' — drawing on her decoded diaries to explore her relationships and defiant life in 19th century Yorkshire. 2.30pm/7.30pm

Catch the final performances of Gentleman Jack at Sadler's Wells. Image: Sadler's Wells

BOXING PLAY: The Lewisham pub where Henry Cooper trained stages a new boxing play. Dancing in the Mirror is on at the Fellowship Inn in Bellingham for just two days, telling the story of Jade, a young boxer who grew up in care, and Mica, a clerk and aspiring actor learning to find his voice. 3pm/7pm

SUMMER SWING DANCE: Get stuck into an evening of 1940s-themed nostalgia with the National Army Museum's Summer Swing Dance. SwingdanceUK are on hand to lead lindy hop and jitterbug lessons for all abilities, accompanied by live music from the South London Jazz Orchestra and vintage styling from Pretty Me Vintage. 6pm-10pm

HANDEL'S ITALIAN FEAST: Food historians Marc Meltonville and Robert Hoare cook up a journey through 18th century Italy at Handel Hendrix House in Mayfair. Discover the dishes the composer would have encountered during his travels, with live demonstrations using replica Georgian kitchenware and recipes from Hannah Glasse's 1747 cookbook. The evening includes a tasting of period-appropriate dishes and a glass of Italian wine. 6pm

THAT 70S CLUB: Signature Brew Haggerston is the home of That 70s Club, a full-throttle throwback night dedicated to the golden era of soul, glam, funk and disco. Dust off your dancing shoes for a playlist ranging from punk energy to dance floor classics, all set within the brewery's canal-side taproom. 7pm

GHIBLI CABARET: Get spirited away at the Divine in Dalston as queer Asian cabaret collective The Bitten Peach presents Ghibli Cabaret. Hosted by Mild Peril, the evening features a line-up of performers including Yuki Sutton and Dosa Cat celebrating the magical animated worlds of Studio Ghibli in the venue's basement space. 7.30pm

WRONG JOVI: The Fighting Cocks in Kingston hosts a high-energy tribute to one of rock's most enduring acts. Wrong Jovi performs a set packed with stadium anthems, live favourites and — for the die-hard fans — rare tracks. 7.30pm

SOUL CITY: Camden's Jazz Cafe hosts a high-energy Soul City: May bank holiday special to celebrate the long weekend. Expect a night of world-class house music ranging from classic gems to modern floor-fillers, with special guests joining the resident DJs on the legendary dance floor. 10.30pm-3am

Today's events: Sunday 24 May

Celebrate all things canine at Greenwich Dog Show. Image: Jeff Oliver

GIANT LONDON FLEA: Organised by Hackney Flea Market and Walthamstow Flea Market, The Giant London Flea brings hundreds of stalls selling vintage clothing, antiques, collectibles, homewares and street food to Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. 10am-5pm

GREENWICH DOG SHOW: The Greenwich Dog Show returns to the Old Royal Naval College Grounds for a day of canine competitions and marketplace browsing. Alongside the main show, explore an artisan craft market, refuel at street food stalls and a Gin & Pimm's bar, or even book a dog-friendly afternoon tea on the colonnades. 10am-6pm

OLIVER TWIST: Step back in time on a walking tour exploring the historic and notorious streets immortalised by Charles Dickens in Oliver Twist. Led by an award-winning Blue Badge Guide, the two-hour route uncovers ancient markets, workhouses, and prisons before concluding with a visit to the Foundling Museum in Bloomsbury. 11am

BABY BROADWAY: West End singers perform well-known musical numbers from stage and screen in family concert Baby Broadway at Chickenshed Theatre (Southgate). Aimed at children aged up to six years, the show includes bubbles, puppetry and plenty of audience interaction accompanied by live piano, with little ones welcome to move about freely throughout. 11am

WARRIOR WOMEN: Guide Marie Helly of Footprints of London leads the Warrior Women walking tour through Westminster, meeting the extraordinary figures who shaped history. The route from Westminster Pier along Whitehall covers 2,000 years of stories, from the warrior queen Boudica to Churchill's favourite spy and the campaigners who fought for the vote in Parliament Square. 11am-1pm

Visit Upminster Windmill on an open day. Image: Mangopie23 via CC0

WINDMILL OPEN DAY: It's a public open day at Upminster Windmill and Gardens, when you can explore the fully-restored historic mill and its grounds, with refreshments available to buy. The sails will be turning, weather permitting. 11am-4pm

NEWSREEL RETROSPECTIVE: Bertha DocHouse in Bloomsbury screens Newsreel Retrospective (1968–1972): Power to the People, a programme of digitally preserved films documenting late 60s urban organising. The selection includes footage of a Black Panther rally in San Francisco and the 1968 Columbia University student protests, exploring parallel struggles for social justice. 2pm

FIRST TIMERS FEST: Every band on the line-up is playing their very first show at Signature Brew Haggerston's First Timers Fest 2026, a celebration of London’s grassroots music scene. The event focuses on making music accessible to those historically pushed to the margins, featuring a joyful mix of debut performances, community stalls and raw creative energy. 3pm

CIDER SALON: The London Cider Salon is a tasting event at Tate Modern organised by The Fine Cider Company. Sample a curated selection of ciders and perries, meet producers and hear about traditional and contemporary production methods while celebrating orchard biodiversity. 3.30pm-6pm

Attend a bumper edition of Swiftogeddon. Image: Luke Dyson

SWIFTOGEDDON: A bumper edition of regular Taylor Swift club night Swiftogeddon takes place at Between the Bridges. Dance and sing along to seven hours of non-stop Swift songs, from the biggest hits to deep cuts and vault tracks. Better dig out those friendship bracelets. 4pm-11pm

QUIZZEOKE: Walthamstow Trades Hall is back with its bank holiday tradition, Quizzeoke, combining a competitive brain-teaser with a late-night singalong. The evening kicks off with Neil's Big Quiz before transitioning into a session of CNN Karaoke. 5pm

ZOFFANY ENSEMBLE: The Zoffany Ensemble performs Mozart's Quintet in C major, K.515 and Brahms' Sextet in B flat Op.18, with musicians including violinist Manon Derome and cellist Anthony Pleeth for today's Sunday Concert at Conway Hall. 6.30pm-8.30pm

MULHOLLAND DRIVE The Ivy House in Nunhead hosts a rare screening of the TV pilot of Mulholland Drive, offering fans a chance to see David Lynch's surreal masterpiece as it was originally conceived for television. Presented by Deeper Into Movies, the evening allows for a fascinating comparison between this early version and the final feature film. 7.30pm

LOUISE BALKWILL: Award-winning jazz vocalist Louise Balkwill performs music from her new album, Chatterbox, at the 606 Club in Chelsea. A former winner of the Riga Jazz Stage International Jazz Voice competition, Balkwill is known for her work with The Puppini Sisters and her signature blend of high-energy swing and soulful storytelling. 8pm

AGE OF CONSENT: A reworking of Bronski Beat's 1984 debut album The Age of Consent, this performance brings together Beth Ditto, David Hoyle and David McAlmont alongside Bishi, Planningtorock, Tom Rasmussen and an 80-strong Pink Singers chorus, at Southbank Centre. 8pm

Today's events: Bank holiday Monday 25 May

Browse a vintage market at Beckenham Place Park. Image: So Last Century.

VINTAGE MARKET: So Last Century's Vintage Market returns to Beckenham Place Mansion with around 50 traders selling mid-20th-century furniture, lighting, homeware, ceramics, books, records, antique maps, French brocante, gardenalia and vintage fashion. Street food and coffee are available, and the KnowHowYou sewing school and Verso Vintage shop pop up on site too. 10am-5pm

LORD OF THE RINGS: Miss bank holiday Monday entirely by hunkering down in the Prince Charles Cinema and watching the Lord of the Rings film trilogy — extended editions, mind you — back to back. Running time is 688 minutes, so well over 11 hours. 10.30am

COSTUME DESIGN TOUR: The Royal Opera House in Covent Garden offers a behind-the-scenes look at its professional costume workrooms. Discover how stage-ready pieces are realised in the pattern room and costume store, before heading to the bar to sketch your own designs over a bellini. 11.30am

BEER AND BITES: Forty Hall Estate hosts a laid-back bank holiday afternoon of food, drink and live music on its beautiful front lawn in Enfield. Beer and Bites features a picnic-style atmosphere with cold drinks and colouring packs to keep children entertained. FREE ENTRY, 11am-4pm

GUNNERSBURY CENTENARY: Gunnersbury Park Museum celebrates a century of the west London estate with Gunnersbury Park's 100th birthday party. The massive community bash features live 1920s music, a local market and a giant community picnic blanket, alongside traditional games and museum tours. FREE, 11am-4pm

POKETHON: Waterstones Kingston upon Thames hosts the return of Pokethon!, a dedicated workshop for fans to trade cards and play games. Aspiring trainers can also take part in themed activities including word searches and colouring, with the ticket price including one booster pack to help build their collection. 11am-12pm

FAMILY DAY PARTY: A free, garden-based Family Day Party takes place at Lewisham's Fox and Firkin, featuring circus skills workshops and face-painting. Visitors can enjoy giant games of Connect 4 and Jenga, or sign up for a half-hour 'open decks' DJ slot in the pub's expansive outdoor space. FREE ENTRY, 2pm-8pm

PAINT MONET: The London Art Bar in Holborn hosts a creative afternoon with Bottomless Prosecco! Paint Monet's Water Lilies. Led by a professional artist, you'll use impressionistic brushstrokes to recreate the iconic masterpiece while enjoying two hours of unlimited prosecco, cocktails or mocktails. All supplies including canvas and aprons are provided, and a themed playlist helps set the artistic mood. 2.30pm-5pm

MEGAN HILTY: Broadway star and Smash lead Megan Hilty returns to London for a special solo concert at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. The Tony-nominated performer showcases songs from her career highlights, including Wicked, 9 to 5, and her current Broadway hit Death Becomes Her, interspersed with backstage stories. 2.30pm/7.30pm

GHOST FILMS: The Last Tuesday Society in Hackney hosts Ghost Films: A Seance of Early Cinema, an exploration of the Victorian fascination with the occult. Theatre and film scholar Alex Kirstukas presents a selection of surviving silent films with live commentary, alongside an interactive experiment in raising the ghosts of lost cinematic works. 6.30pm-8.30pm

WHY DIDN'T I GET MARRIED?: Acclaimed playwright Alan Charles is at Fairfield Halls in Croydon with Why Didn't I Get Married?, a provocative courtroom drama exploring singleness and faith. The play follows a group of Christian women who file a class-action lawsuit against the church, challenging cultural expectations through a mix of raw dialogue and humour. 7pm

LDN WRESTLING: Head to Enfield's Dugdale Arts Centre for a high-energy afternoon of sport as LDN Wrestling brings its hard-hitting live show to the stage. Expect a showcase of top-tier grappling talent in a family-friendly environment that has become a staple of the local community arts scene. 7pm

COAL POWERS ON: Pints of Knowledge is at Camden Town Brewery Beer Hall for an evening talk delving into the persistent role of coal in the global energy landscape despite the ongoing international focus on other fossil fuels. 7pm-8.30pm

MAGIC AT THE GATEHOUSE: Highgate's intimate fringe theatre The Gatehouse hosts an evening of seasonal sorcery. The quarterly showcase features a rotating line-up of top magicians, including Liam Ball, Max Fulham, Mark Shortland and Wayne Trice, performing miracles right at the heart of the audience. 7.30pm

CATE BLANCHETT: Hollywood legend Cate Blanchett interviews actor and author Gina Gershon at the Royal Geographical Society in Kensington. Gershon shares unfiltered stories from her 40-year career, including encounters with the likes of Prince, David Mamet and Tom Cruise, plus cautionary tales from the absurdities of show business. 7.30pm-8.45pm

BETWIXT THE SHEETS: Historian Dr Kate Lister brings her award-winning podcast Betwixt the Sheets LIVE to Cadogan Hall in Chelsea for an evening of history's most scandalous and outrageous stories. Joined by a special guest, the show unearths the bizarre moments edited from textbooks, featuring interactive elements and a game of "Sh*ggeth, Marry, Kill." 7.30pm

The Lambeth Country Show in Brockwell Park is one of the highlights of the south London cultural calendar. Except that, in 2026, it's not happening. Here's what's going on — or rather, not.

The Lambeth Country Show has been a fixture of south London's summer for over 50 years, but in 2026 it's been spiked. Image: Eventlambeth via CC BY-SA 4.0

What is the Lambeth Country Show?

With its (literal) roots in 1967's inaugural Brockwell Park Flower Show, the Lambeth Country Show became its own thing in 1974 — a pastoral palooza of livestock displays, craft stalls, jousting, vegetable sculptures: all that countrysidey wholesomeness you don't readily associate with south London.

By the mid 1980s, major music artists had become part of the programming, and the Brockwell Park event was beckoning in crowds of 200,000. Since then, it's been a summer highlight of London's cultural calendar — welcoming 120,000 people over the weekend — a number trumped only by the Notting Hill Carnival.

Why is it cancelled in 2026?

A favourite reason of councils — budget! Or rather lack thereof. Lambeth Council has claimed that hosting the Lambeth Country Show in 2026 would cost it £1m, and that in the midst of scrabbling to source a staggering £84m(!) of savings over four years, it was "not justifiable at this time".

That's not the only reason. In May 2025, campaigners won a lawsuit claiming Lambeth Council was breaking planning laws that stated Brockwell Park must not be commandeered for these kinds of events for more than 28 days in a year (inc. setting up/packing away) without planning permission. The judge found that areas of the park were being used for up to 37 days.

No Chucklehead in 2026, sigh. Image: Londonist

Why's the cancellation such a big deal?

Everyone loves the Lambeth Country Show. It's a chance to get outdoors, blow off the cobwebs, have a couple of Chuckleheads. It's an important platform for various groups too — history societies, charities, sustainability campaigners. Importantly, it is, and has always been, free, unlike many of London's outdoor festivals. It's not just for the people of Lambeth, either; anyone's welcome.

Reaction to the cancellation were generally glum; the Windrush Triathlon Club stating "We're gutted", and Lambeth's Lib Dems called the news "shocking".  

You never know what you'll see at the Lambeth Country Show (although this year you won't see very much). Image: Peter Bright from London, UK via CC BY 2.0

Is there any upside to Lambeth Country Show being cancelled?

Not everyone was quite so upset by the news. Local campaign Protect Brockwell Park — who've had the backing of local resident Mark Rylance — argue that major shows at Brockwell Park are unsustainable, due to various access and environmental issue. However, they're not anti-Lambeth Country Show per se. Instead, they've called for "a return to its lower-impact, smaller community led format, with a greater share of the private operator’s profits used to fully fund that event."

So Brockwell Park's going to have a quiet, regenerative summer then?

Erm. In fact, a whole bunch of the paid-for Brockwell Live festivals — including Field Day, Cross the Tracks and the two-day Mighty Hoopla — WILL go ahead in 2026. Brockwell Live went and applied for special planning permission, which Lambeth Council then approved. The council just decided it wasn't going to secure this permission for the Lambeth Country Show. As blog Brixton Buzz wonders: "If the Council accepts that fewer large-scale events are allowed, the question is obvious: Why was the community event the one chosen for the axe?"

Protect Brockwell Park campaigners say too many large festivals are detrimental to the green space. Image: Stephen McKay via CC BY-SA 2.0

But doesn't the council make a shedload of money from those other Brockwell Park events?

We know that in 2023, usage of the park generated around half a million pounds for Lambeth Council, only half of the figure it claims it would cost to host the Lambeth Country Show. Even if it did make a million plus, the council might decide to put that money elsewhere. We mentioned the £84m of savings, right?

Will the Lambeth Country Show be back in 2027?

No word on this as yet. We've contacted Lambeth Council for comment. However, Brixton Buzz is pessimistic: "Once a flagship community event is paused, it rarely returns in its original form. Some fear this may be less a one-year suspension and more the beginning of a managed fade-out."

Soul II Soul feat MC Chickaboo, Lambeth Country Show 2010, Brockwell Park. Image: Loz Pycock from London, UK via CC BY-SA 2.0

What are the alternatives to the Lambeth Country Show?

There's nothing quite like it. London's got plenty of city farms, of course, though they don't also tend to have jousting, strong cider and legendary reggae acts on the go. You might want to hop on a Suffolk-bound train towards the end of May, for the famous Suffolk Show. This does, however, take place in the week. And you can't readily make for the bright lights of Brixton once you've got your fill of sheep shearing.

This is a sponsored article on behalf of Tower of London River Tour.

Did you know that the UK's first electric tour boat is now in action on the River Thames?

The Silver Raven (a cheeky nod to the Tower's legendary feathered residents) is carving up and down the Thames for the new Tower of London River Tour, a central London sightseeing trip which takes you past an incredible 20+ landmarks, both historic and modern.

Tower Bridge, St Paul's Cathedral, Shakespeare's Globe, Big Ben and the Houses of Parliament, the OXO Tower and the Shard are just some of the sights on the route.

Step on board at Tower Bridge Quay, beside the Tower of London, and see London from a new perspective on the river.

Sounds great for tourists, right? But the Tower of London River Tour is equally as exciting for long-time Londoners, offering something different to do with family and friends.

Unlike the capital's many traditional sightseeing cruises, this experience is built around live storytelling. The team at Historic Royal Palaces has curated a roster of stories about the capital's history, written by Martha Howe-Douglas, co-creator of BBC's Ghosts, bringing London's history to life in an engaging and entertaining way.

At just 40 minutes long, the round trip is short enough to keep everyone's attention, making it ideal for a family day out (hello, May half term!), and can easily be fitted in around other plans for the day.

No need to worry about the weather either — choose from open-air or covered outdoor seating, or stay snuggled up indoors. Large windows and a glass ceiling offer panoramic views and excellent photo opportunities even if you do decide to stay inside — and that ceiling offers you a glimpse of spots that most Londoners don't see, including the underside of Tower Bridge.

Tower of London River Tour tickets can be bought alone, or as a combined ticket with entry to the Tower of London, offering two memorable London experiences on a single booking.

If you've been meaning to visit (or revisit) the Tower of London for a while, consider this your sign to do so!

The Tower of London River Tour runs daily, with several time slots available each day.

Free things to do in London this week.

Chelsea in Bloom is a free alternative to the Chelsea Flower Show. Image: Chelsea in Bloom

TUBE STRIKES: At time of writing, Tube strikes look set to go ahead between midday on Tuesday 19 May-11.59am on Wednesday 20 May, and from midday on Thursday 21 May-11.59am on Friday 22 May. TfL expects to run a service on most Tube lines, but is warning of disruption.

Catch the final days of this free film festival

Herne Hill Velodrome hosts a free outdoor screening of The Fastest Bicycle on Thursday. The film tells the story of Barney Townsend — grandson of Sir Roger Bannister — attempting the world human-powered vehicle land speed record at Battle Mountain, Nevada.

The screening is part of Herne Hill Free Film Festival, which also screens cult classic Jennifer's Body at Bird House Brewery on Monday, and comes to a close with a silent move night outside Herne Hill station on Friday.

Until 22 May.

Wander around these blooming lovely free flower festivals

The notoriously spenny Chelsea Flower Show is on this week, but if your pockets aren't that deep, there's plenty of free floral fun running alongside the main event.

Free flower festival Chelsea in Bloom 2026 adopts an 'Out Of This World' theme, incorporating a nod to Sir David Attenborough in the month of his 100th birthday.

Meanwhile Belgravia in Bloom 2026 — another free trail —  is themed on fairy tales. In both neighbourhoods, shops, restaurants and cafes install large-scale colourful floral displays outside, which everyone can enjoy for free. They're close enough that you can follow both trails in a single day — provided you wear comfy walking shoes!

Both 18-24 May.

Learn about 200 years of student life

The Fitzrovia Chapel hosts a lunchtime talk on Tuesday, exploring how students have shaped the capital through activism and community since 1826. Professors Georgina Brewis and Sam Blaxland discuss their new research on the history of higher education, accompanied by a short film about student life in London's historic university quarters.

19 May.

Attend a lecture at the zoo

Image: ZSL

As part of the 200th anniversary celebrations of ZSL — the conservation charity which runs London Zoo — it's offering a series of free public lectures. This Tuesday, professor, author and presenter Dr Chris van Tulleken leads a panel discussing how the health of humans, animals and ecosystems are deeply connected. Learn why caring for and protecting ecosystems all over the world is critical for human health, followed by a Q&A session.

19 May.

The man behind the Great Exhibition

Alice MacDonnell — Sir Henry Cole's great (x4) granddaughter — tells the story of Cole's work on the Great Exhibition, the V&A and South Kensington and his campaigns from postal reform to the Christmas card. Watch the free lecture on Wednesday afternoon in person at Guildhall Library, or online via livestream.

20 May.

Be surprised by a mystery film

Visited Theatreship yet? The 305 tonne cargo ship is permanently moored in Docklands, functioning as a cultural centre with a 100-seat cinema and theatre, offering events throughout the year.

Every Wednesday, it holds a free mystery cinema screening. You won't know what film is being shown until you arrive (though clues are posted on Instagram). Once there, if you buy a round of drinks at the bar, you get a chance at guessing the film. The first person to guess correctly gets their whole round for free.

20 May (and every Wednesday).

View an exhibition about slavery under the Nazis

SS guards in Sachsenhausen Concentration Camp, circa 1940, courtesy of The Wiener Holocaust Library

On Wednesday, the Wiener Holocuast Library opens a new exhibition on the topic of Nazi slave labour. The Library's own records and collections show how the SS, as well as chemical and manufacturing companies, profited off and exploited slave labourers between 1930 and 1945.

20 million individuals were exploited as slave and forced labourers by the Nazi regime, including concentration camp prisoners, POWs and foreign civilian workers. Some of their stories, including Jewish labourers in Auschwitz subcamps and prisoners of war in the Channel Islands, are told in the free exhibition.

Contemporary photographs of survivors of Nazi slave labour by portrait and documentary photographer Mike Stone also go on display for the first time.

20 May-30 October.

Get a first look at this popular museum's new gardens

Be among the first to visit the new areas of the gardens at the Horniman Museum, as they open on Thursday. A nature-themed play area, a family-friendly cafe, improved access and interpretation on the existing nature trail, an AR trail, a new nursery glasshouse and a community garden are among the fresh elements you can enjoy from today, marking the start of the museum's 125th anniversary celebrations.

From 21 May.

The Horniman unveils new elements of its gardens on Thursday. Image: Horniman Museum

Chill out at a free lecture about polar exploration

Physicist and oceanographer Professor Helen Czerski is at Barnard's Inn Hall in Holborn to give an illustrated lecture about the history of polar exploration, the current state of knowledge about the ice at both poles and the scientific consequences of a changing climate.

21 May.

Soak up some open air blues

If you like free stuff and blues music, you'll already be au fait with Soho's Ain't Nothin' But blues bar, where you can feast your ears on raw, soulful sounds most nights, with no cover charge. This Saturday and Sunday the bar sets up outside, with Kingly Court Presents: Open Air Blues — featuring live sets from acts including Dom Glynn (Sat) and Savannah Gardner (Sun). Full details still to be announced: keep posted here.

23-24 May.

Have a giggle at a comedy street party

It's free entry at the Angel Comedy Street Party on Sunday, which sees comedians performing on the roof of the Bill Murray in Islington. Head down and grab yourself a seat in the street to watch Barry Ferns, Flo & Joan, Chloe Petts and Paddy Young performing.

Though it's free, booking is recommended, and donations to the Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants are encouraged.

24 May.

Find free things to do in May half term

Did you know about London's free maze? Image: Londonist

May half term begins on Saturday, and our helpful half term events guide is packed with ways to entertain children and teenagers in London over the coming week — including a whole section of free things to do. Follow an Octonauts trail, celebrate a beloved author's birthday, explore London's free maze or simply burn off excess energy at a playground — just some of the ways to keep busy without parting with any cash.

The latest book by Darren Coffield, Hen: Mistress of Mayhem - A Portrait of Henrietta Moraes, explores the riotous (and tragic) life of the late model, muse and memoirist. In this extract, the author sets the scene as Moraes settles into Soho, making friends with the infamous barkeep, Gaston Berlemont.

The French House (then the York Minster) was a regular haunt of Henrietta Moraes when she arrived in London. Image: Londonist

When Henrietta first arrived in 1950s bohemia, Soho was still a village in the West End of London.

Its hub was the French pub, formerly known as the York Minster, now officially named The French House, but forever known as 'the French' to the locals. Of all the surviving pubs, the French is still the truest to the spirit of Soho: no fruit machine, no jukebox to drown the conversation and definitely no television.

For someone who led such an unconventional lifestyle, Henrietta's days fell into a set pattern. They would usually begin late morning when she'd leave the attic of the Queen Anne house at the top of Dean Street (where she lived) and amble south down the road with her boyfriend, Michael Law, until they reached the Café Torino on the corner of Old Compton Street. The place reeked of old rubber and disinfectant as a long sticky strip of paper swayed from a central light fitting, brown with glue and black-dotted with dead flies. Here they sat at one of the marble-topped tables listening to Spanish anarchists and Republicans discussing how to overthrow Spain's fascist dictator Franco. It was nicknamed 'The Madrid' and became a favourite haunt of Hen's because the café sat betwixt the Colony and the Gargoyle clubs, from which vantage point she could observe the familiar faces of her quarry going by. It also commanded a clear view of the French, so Hen and Michael would wait at the café to watch the pub fill up before entering the premises by the left-hand door.

"Part of its appeal with women was that they could go unchaperoned and not get hassled"

"Gaston never served pints of beer, only half pints, and refused to serve Coca-Cola because he said he didn't like the type of person that drank it." Image: Londonist

The pub itself was pretty basic, but part of its appeal with women was that they could go unchaperoned and not get hassled, which was unusual back then. Women were often segregated in the other pubs or refused admission altogether. Each day at noon, the French was where Hen would congregate with kindred spirits. It was run by Gaston Berlemont, a balding middle-aged gentleman of Gaulish heritage, who sported a dark suit and had twinkling eyes and a long twirly handlebar moustache. He was also gracious to the working girls — the local prostitutes — who regarded the French as a sanctuary. Once inside they were off-duty and would complain bitterly to Gaston if any man tried to pick them up.

The pub's oak interior had a defiantly French ambiance, the walls lined with faded sepia photographs of the many famous French artistes who'd drunk on the premises between the wars. In keeping with the continental atmosphere, Gaston never served pints of beer, only half pints, and refused to serve Coca-Cola because he said he didn't like the type of person that drank it. But he did sell quarter bottles of champagne, that’s how stylish the French was — as a woman you could go into a pub and order a quarter bottle of champagne for yourself or (as in Hen's case) persuade an unsuspecting admirer into buying you one.

One of the quirks of the French was that Gaston ran it more as a club than a pub. There were two ends of the bar, one end was for the 'intellectuals' — artists, poets, writers, publishers, etc. It was very cliquey. When you first entered through the left-hand door, you'd see all the regulars at the other end of the bar, drinking. After a few years drinking at the 'Shallow End' of the bar you'd become established as a regular and slowly be allowed to move down the bar in a southerly direction towards the 'Deep End'. The cash register in the middle of the bar marked the demarcation line where both ends met. Once you'd got there, you'd made it to the 'Deep End' or V.I.P. (Very Inebriated Person) area. To reach it was considered an honour, despite it being where the grim reaper was regularly harvesting his crop, and Gaston expected those who'd graduated to undergo an initiation ceremony. He would bring out a bottle of 1912 pre-Prohibition French absinthe, and with all the ceremony of a high mass he would also set out paraphernalia; the bottle, the glass, the perforated spoon upon which he would place a sugar lump that helped shoot the alcohol into your system. However, some said his rare bottle of absinthe tasted suspiciously like the house Pernod…

"Gaston had his favourites, and Henrietta was certainly one of them"

"He would bring out a bottle of 1912 pre-Prohibition French absinthe, and with all the ceremony of a high mass he would also set out paraphernalia; the bottle, the glass, the perforated spoon upon which he would place a sugar lump that helped shoot the alcohol into your system." Image: Викидим via CC BY-SA 4.0

Gaston had his favourites, and Henrietta was certainly one of them. He remembered her as 'smashing, voluptuous', and confessed, 'It was as much as any red-blooded man could do to keep his hands off her'. For Henrietta, Gaston was a genius of a landlord, welcoming her with a cheerfulness that lit up her day. Once she became so bored listening to a man complain about his life that she threw her glass of champagne in his face. The pub fell silent, and everybody expected Gaston to bar her. But instead, he twirled his handlebar moustache and smiled, 'Madame, I see that your glass is empty. Please allow me to refill it for you'. He was very diplomatic with drunks too: 'One of the two of us will have to go, and I'm afraid it's not going to be me!' And he would throw people out with such courtesy that they wanted to thank him.

For those bohemians perpetually short of cash, such as Henrietta, Gaston proved a very generous landlord too. The first words she'd utter upon entering were, 'Good Morning Gaston, could I have a glass of Pernod please and could you possibly lend me a fiver?' Whereupon he'd proffer a rolled banknote, handing it over to her discreetly with a nod and a wink and the reassurance that he was willing to wait for repayment. By the till he kept a list of people and their debts written in tiny handwriting in black ink. He said he loaned people money because: 'nine out of 10 people pay it back, one in 10 don't but the amount of money they spend coming in here explaining why they weren't paying me back far exceeds the debt.' So, cultivating customers like Henrietta was a shrewd business move.

But Gaston was less generous in other respects. If someone had the cheek to ask for an extra cube of ice to go with their drink there would be outrage, and if a man wanted to have a crap they had to go through the indignity of asking for the key to the gents washroom, whereupon all the customers' heads would swivel in unison as Gaston bellowed across the bar: 'Who wants the key?'

Hen, Mistress of Mayhem: A Portrait of Henrietta Moraes, by Darren Coffield, published by The History Press.

We featured this book because we know it's the kind of thing our readers will enjoy. By buying it via links in this article, Londonist may earn a commission from Bookshop.org — which also helps support independent bookshops.

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A two-car DLR train passing over West India Dock in 1987. Image: K Krallis, creative commons

It still feels like a vision of the future. The Docklands Light Railway (DLR) sashays along its east London viaducts, glides among the gleaming giants of Canary Wharf, then dips under the Thames to Greenwich. All with no driver.

The DLR was officially launched on 30 July 1987 when Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II became the first person to sit at the front and pretend to drive the train, thereby initiating a tradition that is now a rite-of-passage for any new Londoner.

Image: TfL

She even paid her right-royal way. Both the Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh reportedly deposited 40p in the Island Gardens ticket machines ahead of boarding. Their ride didn’t go entirely smoothly. The automatically driven train paused too long at one station, and stopped short at another, prompting an alarm. In the latter case, the royal bodyguards had tried to force the doors open before the train had stopped, which was their normal practice when in a motorcade. Both embarrassments were quickly corrected by manual override, and the first DLR journey was done.

I don’t think the Queen ever rode the DLR again. Had she done so, later extensions could have taken her to stations named after her great, great-grandmother (Royal Victoria), her great, great grandfather (Royal Albert), her great-great-great-great-great-uncle (Prince Regent), and her grandfather (King George V). She might have interfaced with her own Elizabeth line at Custom House or Woolwich, and the Jubilee line (named after her Silver Jubilee) at three further stations. This is, then, our most patriotic rail service, suitably dressed in red, white and blue.

Of course, the DLR didn’t just pop into existence on that glitchy summer’s day. It was several years in the planning, with a fascinating origin story. Many of the memories and anecdotes that follow come from a senior member of the project team that planned, built and operated the DLR. He or she speaks on condition of anonymity. For the sake of convenience, I’ll call them Sam.

From an old tea house in Blackfriars…

The first stirrings of the DLR go back to the 1970s. London’s once bustling docks had largely closed down by this point, superseded by modern facilities at Tilbury and elsewhere, which could handle large container ships. These historic sites were left to tumbleweed, as so memorably depicted in the film The Long Good Friday. But only for a few years. All this land, so close to the river, was ripe for redevelopment, and various schemes for new offices and residential districts were considered. Any such development would need new transport links. Light railways and ‘minitrams’ were the preferred options, first touted in a report of 1973. A tube line was considered, though initially deemed too costly.

Nothing got off the page until 1981, when the government established the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC), a powerful agency charged with rejuvenating the docks. The LDDC gave London Transport the task of planning out a light railway system to connect the City to the regeneration sites.

This is where ‘Sam’ comes in. They were part of the leadership team who would plan the routes, manage the contracts, get the thing built and eventually operate the new railway.

They had plenty of relevant experience. Years earlier, Sam and some colleagues had looked at the feasibility of bringing back the Finsbury Park to Highgate line (which had closed in 1954) as a light railway. Those plans never got anywhere, and today the route is the popular Parkland Walk trail for bikes and pedestrians. The rejuvenation of the Docklands presented the perfect opportunity to pursue a light railway, and Sam was made part of the senior team. From the start, the project would be managed in an unusual way:

“It was being used by London Transport’s MD of Rail, Tony Ridley, as a test-bed for a 'tighter' management style,” says Sam. “He was also keen that we kept a distance (physical and organisational) from both London Underground and London Transport’s corporate functions, so we didn't want to be in 55 Broadway or other existing offices.

“We actually were based in some old London Transport properties above Blackfriars Station. There had been a Lyon’s Coffee House at Blackfriars, which had been bombed in the war, and we occupied the first floor of that old Lyon’s corner house. It was rather wonderful. And we started to put together the DLR project there.”

Where the magic happened. The Blackfriars first-floor offices where the DLR was masterminded. Image by Tim Brown from the wonderful book London’s Transport in the 1980s, which I’ve reviewed here, and urge you to buy if you like this sort of thing. The building and, indeed, the building that replaced it, have since been demolished. The Bon Appetit cafe, seen on the right, served as “a sort of staff canteen, and also to provide sandwich platters for meetings and so on”. It survived until 2013, though its building remains.

The base was small and quirky, but proved the perfect hub for the project. “The offices were pretty austere and very hard to make, and keep, presentable — we really were squatters and, at times, it felt like it, but I think the setup helped shape the great team spirit we had. It was also a good compromise location for those of us coming from the north of London, those coming from south London, and those commuting in by main-line rail”. Sam also recalls watching the Lord Mayor’s Show from its windows, which overlooked the procession route.

In those days senior LT staff were provided with tea (or coffee) and biscuits each morning and afternoon. As they were away from 'Head Office' they received an allowance, which they used to provide refreshments for everyone: part of the team culture.

So the project kicked off. Task number one was to work out where the railway would run. “The first thing I did,“ says Sam, “was cycle around the area with a photographer, to see what we could do and what the possible routes were. We found we could use a lot of disused structures [such as existing viaducts]. We felt there was surplus capacity on Fenchurch Street, that we could actually go into Fenchurch Street, but British Rail baulked at that.”

They ended up with the western terminus at Tower Gateway, which Sam informs me was previously the City of London’s winter weather equipment site. The quick and (relatively) cheap solution has since been eclipsed by the DLR terminus at Bank, but Tower Gateway remains in use as perhaps the most quintessentially 1980s building in London. If anyone ever proposes to demolish it, then I, for one, will object.

It’s not everyone’s idea of a handsome building, but the DLR’s Tower Gateway terminus deserves preservation for capturing the essence of the 1980s like no other building. Image: Matt Brown

Value for money

The budget for the project was £65 million (£77 million adjusting for inflation). That sounds like peanuts today. London has houses that cost more. But, of course, £77 million went a lot further in the mid-1980s. Even so, it was still a very tight budget for a new rail system covering 7.5 miles of track. To save money, the stations were designed in kit form, with a standard platform canopy, and other design elements. The project was eventually delivered on time and on budget. It was also delivered beyond the original specification. This would evolve to become a driverless railway. It even gained a station when office developers at Heron Quays paid to have a halt at their development, which was absent from the original plans.

Heron Quays platform, pictured in 1990 with nearby docks still largely undeveloped. This station was not in the original scope, but was paid for independently by a commercial development. Image courtesy of Peter Tabor.

The £77 million budget was jointly handled by the Greater London Council (via London Transport), and the London Docklands Development Corporation (LDDC). These two organisations — one socialist-leaning, the other a top-down let’s-get-things-done agency — had starkly contrasting attitudes to development. They were often at loggerheads. “At that time,” says Sam, “the GLC and LDDC didn't recognise each other, so we couldn't hold meetings in either of their offices. That led to all sorts of difficulties in [ensuring the] funding was exactly 50:50. I had to go get a cheque from one of them each month and show it to the other to show that they were writing a cheque for the same amount. I kid you not.”

Despite the fiscal gymnastics, the railway turned out to be a bargain at £77 million. “The government had made that money [back] before we’d turned a wheel,” says Sam. “The land value of docklands was increased by DLR, because of accessibility, by way more than 77 million, so that railway, actually didn't have to make a profit or anything. It would pay for itself at the national level long before [services began].”

Trains, planes and… rockets?

The DLR initially ran with 11 two-car units supplied by the German manufacturer Linke-Hofmann-Busch (now part of Alstom). Sam was invited to attend the rollout of the first train from the production line. The DLR Board's Chairman and Deputy Chairman wanted to go with him, but they were not prepared to stay overnight. The solution was to privately hire a small aircraft, with the Deputy Chair himself piloting the plane from Elstree aerodrome to a sports ground in northern Germany. “I paid for the fuel and the lease on petty cash,” says Sam. It’s a far-cry from the micromanaged travel arrangements that senior managers would have to adhere to today.

One of the original two-car units, pictured in 1990 near Heron Quays. Image courtesy of Peter Tabor.

Sam also shared an anecdote about the DLR supplier’s history:

“Linke-Hofmann Busch had a little museum of trains they’d built. There was some fabulous kit, such as a very famous train called, rather risibly, the flying hamburger. But in the middle, there was a cylindrical thing… which turned out to be a V2 rocket motor. In the Second World War, they’d been making V2 rockets. So the DLR was actually the company’s second export to East London… We kept quiet about it at the time because we felt there was still a degree of German phobia”.

Teething troubles

The building of the railway proceeded relatively smoothly. Almost all of the initial network followed old tracks, including the section from the City to Canary Wharf, which revived Victorian viaducts from the London and Blackwall Railway (closed 1968).

One novel problem was encountered when laying the tracks, as Sam recounts: “The railway ballast for the line was delivered using ballast wagons (the sort where there is a hatch on the bottom so the ballast can be released directly onto the track bed). These had previously been used for a grain shipment and so we soon had a fine crop of corn growing through the track. The urban farm at Mudchute had (and still has) a flock of sheep and these inevitably ended up on the track, causing chaos during our test running.

“It also attracted the peacocks that lived in the All Saints churchyard at Poplar, with similar results — we were aware of the problems and bad publicity that would occur if we were to run over peacock or sheep.” Another minor challenge presented itself just north of the peacock peril. “I had real difficulty,” says Sam, “in persuading the staff at the school at Bow Church that they should no longer be telling children that they could 'nip over the fence' onto the [previously disused] track to retrieve lost footballs.”

A modern DLR train snakes through a building site. Even now, Docklands contains many development sites. Image: Matt Brown

As with any big infrastructure project, legal challenges emerged. “Somewhere around Langdon Park station, which was not built until many years later, the line runs through an artificial tunnel. This was built to shield some new multi storey blocks of flats from the presumed noise of freight trains using the line when they served the docks. In fact I don't believe any such trains ever did run. As a result some additional dwellings were constructed above the tunnel, and we had a massive claim for compensation when we started running DLR trains. In fact the nuisance (noise/vibration), when measured, was small, and if any compensation was paid it was small”.

The most notorious incident, however, came during the testing phase. On 10 March 1987, a manually driven train overshot the terminal station at Island Gardens. It crashed through the end of the viaduct and dangled precariously over the street below. Fortunately, the three workers onboard escaped without injury. The incident provided some spectacular photographs, but the wider project was not derailed. Just four months later, the system was deemed safe enough for its royal inauguration.

Sam remembers well the day that the Queen and Duke of Edinburgh officially opened the line (although it would be a few weeks before the public could ride).

“Our chairman and deputy chairman had been in different regiments in the war — and remember that the war was still quite significant in this period. And they each wanted their military band to be playing. So we had to have one military band at Island Gardens station, and another one in the Poplar depot”.

Lasting legacy

The DLR achieved many ‘firsts’. I was surprised to learn that it was the first line in London to operate a penalty fare system. Previously, anyone caught fare-dodging would simply be asked to pay up on the spot, but no more than the ticket price (prosecution could follow if they refused). Penalty fares upped the ante, and helped London Transport recoup lost revenue by requiring fare dodgers to pay significantly more than the ticket price.

The role of ‘train captain’ (as opposed to driver) was also pioneered on the DLR. That role reflected the system’s most famous ‘first’, the way it moves along without the need of a driver. “The only thing we were worried about was the dispatch of trains from stations,” says Sam.

The Railway Inspectorate, who had authority over whether the railway was safe to run, also had concerns that people might be trapped in doors as the train moved off. “Nobody was confident in those days that the technology was good enough. [The Inspectorate] said we don't mind what you do: either have somebody on the train or somebody on the platform. Well, we had fewer trains than platforms, so we put somebody on the train. But we didn't have them driving. So that was also a huge change. I think DLR was the first automatically operated railway in a non-protected environment”. (Theme parks like Disney had automated trains, but under more heavily supervised conditions.)

The Docklands Light Railway went on to be a resounding success. Numerous extensions have since opened, including links to Bank, Lewisham, Woolwich and Beckton. It hasn’t stopped growing yet, either, with a new under-the-Thames link between Beckton and Thamesmead currently under consultation.

Sam concedes, however, that it wasn’t a triumph in every respect. “One of its planning intentions was to enable the creation of job opportunities in the Isle of Dogs for those who had lost their jobs because of the docks closing. Instead we got Canary Wharf. Not many ex-dockers found work there. In other words it was the catalyst for a mega example of gentrification. Others may see this as a success!”

This is a sponsored article on behalf of Alleyn's Hampstead and Alleyn's Regent's Park.

Considering private education options for your child? If you live north of the river, there are two new independent schools you should know about: Alleyn's Hampstead and Alleyn's Regent's Park.

These co-educational day schools share a holistic approach to education, meaning that emotional and academic development are seen as parallel (rather than competing) priorities. Here, a well-rounded curriculum — one which prioritises practical skills and tech confidence as well as academic rigour — meets proactive pastoral care and a rich programme of co-curricular activities.

An intro to Alleyn's

You might already be familiar with the Alleyn's name... Alleyn's School in Dulwich dates all the way back to 1619, when it was established as part of Edward Alleyn's College of God's Gift charitable foundation. Today, it's a co-ed independent school with a longstanding commitment to a values-led education, prioritising respect, opportunity, curiosity, courage and kindness (the Alleyn's ROCCK).

Last September, the same values were brought to its first north London school: Alleyn's Regent's Park, which caters for pupils aged 3 to 11. The growth of Alleyn's School Group continues this September, when Alleyn's Hampstead opens its doors to pupils aged 2-18.

The ethos

Alleyn's Hampstead and Alleyn's Regent's Park share an ethos of 'All We Can Be' — helping young people to reach their full potential in all aspects of life.

The schools support their pupils to be kind, happy and inspired through Alleyn's Emotional Quotient (AEQ) — its robust pastoral care programme — and Alleyn’s Intelligence Quotient (AiQ), a broad, interdisciplinary and forward-thinking curriculum which cultivates intellectual skills alongside tech fluency. They also encourage pupils to 'find their thing', through an extensive co-curricular offering, with activities spanning the performing arts, sport, debate, adventure education and more.

The schools

You'll find Alleyn's Regent's Park on the doorstep of — surprise, surprise — Regent's Park and London Zoo. It's housed in a beautiful former convent, which has undergone a multi-million-pound build and refurbishment programme. Alleyn's Regent's Park boasts a new dining facility, a dance studio and a dedicated wellbeing space. Other notable facilities include Alleyn's state-of-the-art AiQ hub, All Well, and The Bear Pit — a beautiful former chapel now used a space for the performing arts.

Alleyn's Hampstead, meanwhile, is split into three purpose-designed campuses in — you guessed it — Hampstead. There's the nursery & junior school, the senior school, and a sixth form. Each site is dedicated to a specific phase of a child’s education, to help your child thrive at every stage of their development.

Discover them for yourself

You can find out more about both Alleyn's Hampstead and Alleyn's Regent's Park on their respective websites. News of their regular open events will be posted on the relevant page, or you make an enquiry with the admissions team (here for Hampstead and here for Regent's Park) to find out how the school can support your child.

Image: Jericho Estates

A huge new basketball arena is touted for the Olympic Park.

Plans are afoot to build a 25,000-seater arena close to the Olympic Stadium, with the prime goal of attracting NBA basketball. Details remain sketchy, but here's what we know so far...

They're calling it the London Colosseum. This will in no way be confused with the London Coliseum, the historic theatre and opera/ballet venue on St Martin's Lane.

The stadium would be the largest indoor arena in the country, and would also support boxing, Ultimate Fighting, esports and other indoor pursuits. It would be in direct competition with the O2 just across the river.

The NBA is America's top basketball league. In recent years, it has arranged a number of games overseas, including in London. Now, it's looking to start a European league, and London would be a prime target. A new, dedicated stadium would be a boon.

Mayor-backed plans for a basketball stadium have been floating about for a while, as a home for our top team, the London Lions. It is unclear if this latest proposal is directly linked to that.

The project has been put forward by a consortium of Jericho Estates, Peacock Gym, Torch Sports and architects Chybik and Kristof.

The site would also include a new tower... but hopefully not all those cars. Image: Jericho Estates

Architect Ondřej Chybík points out that this would be more than just a stadium.

“A key component of the proposal is a multifunctional tower, featuring a hotel, residences and community facilities, that brings together hospitality, residential, and community uses, extending the life of the site beyond event-based programming and embedding it within the everyday rhythm of the city."

The site would also include academy facilities to train up the next generation of ball-bouncers.

The London Colosseum remains an idea at this stage and has not entered the formal planning process. Indeed, a spokesperson for LLDC was keen to rebut the idea:

"LLDC has been made aware of reports about plans for a ‘London Colosseum’ to be built at Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park. These reports are incorrect. As landowner of Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park, there is no agreement between LLDC and any developer, architect or project team to build this arena."

Having the arena on the table, even notionally, does, however, make London an attractive proposition for the NBA Europe league.

Parade, parties and a side helping of LGBTQ+ goodness: here's your ultimate guide to Pride in London 2026.

Around 1.5 million people take part in Pride in London. Image: iStock/ serefozdemir

What is Pride in London?

Pride in London itself is a non-profit organisation that promotes and supports the capital's LGBTQ+ communities. Each summer, it hosts the Pride in London event — a mammoth celebration, and huge platform for those who identify as lesbian, gay, bisexual, trans, queer, questioning, intersex, non-binary, asexual, polysexual, genderqueer or gender variant. Cue huge parties, fantastically fun events, and a parade to end all parades (until the one that happens the following year). Allies, of course, are welcome to join in too.

When is Pride in London 2026?

Image: sasastro via creative commons

The big parade — which attracts crowds of 1.5 million — takes place on Saturday 4 July 2026.

Can I take part in the Pride parade?

Though everyone's welcome to watch the parade, only groups and organisations can take part in it. You need to apply to do this, although applications for 2026 are now closed.

What's the Pride in London parade route?

Click to enlarge

Some 30,000 participants and 300 floats will set off from Hyde Park Corner at 12pm on Saturday 4 July 2026.

They'll then dance and sing their way down Park Lane, along Piccadilly, down Haymarket, into Trafalgar Square and finishing up in Whitehall. The route is studded with toilets, first aid stations and the like. There are also stages with live drag/cabaret/musical etc performances in Golden Square, Trafalgar Square, Leicester Square and Dean Street in Soho, plus a family area at Victoria Embankment Gardens.

Lots of LGBTQ+ bars will be open during the day, particularly in Soho.

How long does the Pride parade last?

Image: iStock/coldsnowstorm

About six hours — from 12pm-6pm — although the partying around town rumbles on waaaay after that, should you be in the market for a proper wingding.

Do you need tickets for Pride in London?

Nope, just show up. Although, if you want to watch from a covered grandstand around St James's Piccadilly/Cockspur Street, a seat will set you back from £55-£75.

What's the history behind Pride in London?

Pride in London is now over half a century old.

The origins of Pride in London can be traced back to the first official Gay Pride march of 1 July 1972. (Although there were actually earlier marches in Highbury Fields in 1970.) Inspired by the events of Stonewall in New York City three years earlier, the parade saw 2,000 participants armed with banners, tambourines, balloons and whistles descend on Trafalgar Square, then march to Hyde Park for a picnic.

Today's route traces that of the inaugural march (though it begins in Hyde Park now, rather than culminating there).

Any good Pride parties/afterparties in 2026?

Image: Adrian Snood via creative commons

Here are a few events on the docket for 4 July 2026 so far. We'll update this list as more are announced:

🏳️‍🌈 There's a massive Pride After Party at Clapham Grand, with mountains of Madonna, plus Pride anthems galore, wrapped up in confetti and disco balls.

🏳️‍🌈 Howl Pride in Hackney Wick bills itself as "a solution to the mainstream horror of London Pride", so one, perhaps, for those who haven't been out and about in the day.

🏳️‍🌈 A special Pride drag brunch at Between the Bridges on the South Bank features Ginger Johnson, Kate Butch and Miss Leigh-Ding — with an hour of bottomless prosecco to get the party started.

🏳️‍🌈 Multiple rooms filled with DJs await at the Fire London Party in Vauxhall — "one of the UK's biggest & wildest Pride parties" — which goes on till 'super late'!

Is TfL doing anything special?

Image: TfL

TfL usually does something to celebrate, including Pride flag liveries on public transport, plus special Pride roundels and poster campaigns. Keep 'em peeled.

Are there other big Pride/LGBTQ+ events in London throughout the year?

Image: HRP

Hell yes. Others include:

🏳️‍🌈 LGBT+ History Month (February)

🏳️‍🌈 London Trans+ Pride (July)

🏳️‍🌈 Croydon Pride (July)

🏳️‍🌈 UK Black Pride (August)

🏳️‍🌈 Bi Pride UK (August)

London also happens to have one of the buzziest LGBTQ+ scenes in the world, so you can get your fill of everything from bookclubs to bars on a daily basis.

You could also celebrate Pride by going to see a show at London's dedicated queer comedy club, a film at its dedicated queer cinema, an exhibition at the Queer Britain museum, explore the British Museum's permanent Desire, love, identity: LGBTQ histories trail... the list goes on and on.

London has also put in a bid to host WorldPride in 2030.

Lead me to more LGBTQ+ content!

Your wish is our command. We've got an ever-swelling coffers of top LGBTQ+ articles on Londonist:

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LGBTQ+ history

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🏳️‍🌈 'Sodomite's Walk' And Other Secrets Of 18th Century Queer London

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2010 film Made in Dagenham told the strikers' story.

The female factory workers who went on strike to campaign for equal pay at Ford's Dagenham factory are to be memorialised in a new sculpture.

In 1968, female sewing machinists at the east London plant took part in the first Ford Factory Sewing Machinists’ Strikes, which led directly to the Equal Pay Act of 1970. A second round of strikes in 1984-85 got their skills recognised as equal to those of their male colleagues. Many of those taking part had migrated to London from abroad: a large proportion were of South Asian heritage.

Image courtesy of the Women's Museum and Valance House, work by Ruth Ewan, photography by Thomas Adnak.

The new public artwork consists of two sister sculptures, collectively titled The Dagenham Agates (Individually: Dagenham Agate 1968: and Dagenham Agate 1984-85). They stand at 2.1 metres high in the form of two oversized agate stones — one representing each round of strikes.

The eye-catching pieces are rainbow striped: Dagenham Agate is an industrial by-product formed from accumulated layers of car paint, which Ford employees would salvage chunks of to take home and make into jewellery and decorative objects. Dagenham Agate (1968) is composed of 187 layers, representing the 187 women who went on strike in June 1968, while Dagenham Agate (1984–85) comprises 150 layers, representing the women who joined the later strike.

Raw ‘Fordite’ AKA ‘Dagenham Agate’. Image courtesy of the Women's Museum and Valance House, work by Ruth Ewan, photography by Thomas Adnak.

Artist Ruth Ewan worked with local people to create the pieces. Scotland-based Ewan's previous works include the Silent Agitator clock which appeared in London as part of Sculpture in the City 2019. One of her works was also shortlisted for the next Fourth Plinth installation.

The factory workers' story was told in 2010 film Made in Dagenham, and later in a (too short-lived, in our opinion) West End musical of the same name.

The Dagenham Agate sculptures will be unveiled on Tuesday 23 June 2026, on Chequers Lane in Dagenham, close to site of the former picket line. Eventually, it will be part of a wider Heritage Trail for the Dagenham Green area.

This feature first appeared in May 2025 on Londonist: Time Machine, our much-praised history newsletter. To be the first to read new history features like this, sign up for free here.

People once moored boats here.

We’re looking at the York Watergate — not in York, but in London. The elaborately chiselled structure was once on the river, used by visitors to the London home of the Archbishop of York. The keen observer will notice that you can’t get a boat up here any more. Obstacles to navigation include 50 metres of lawn, a dual carriageway, an interceptor sewer, cycle superhighway C3, and the Circle-District underground line. It’s like finding a bus stop on the second floor of a shopping mall.

The York Watergate is a relic of another London. When it was built, some 400 years ago, the Thames lapped right up against its fancypants columns. Then, before you could say “vermicular rustication”, it found itself high and dry. Joseph Bazalgette’s mighty Embankment marooned the watergate far from the Thames. It lives on with no practical purpose, though it’s much treasured as an attractive bauble for Embankment Gardens.

Let us recall it to life, as a portal once again. The York Watergate can be our entry point into a London that is neither present, nor wholly lost. A London that was seemingly erased, yet lingers on in trace, remnant and shadow. It is our gateway to Vestigial London…

The not-so-lost rivers

Our watergate leads first to water. Vestigial London can be glimpsed almost anywhere, but is manifest most clearly in its waterways. The central city is built over five notable rivers, all now buried. These are the Walbrook, Fleet and Tyburn to the north; and the Effra and Neckinger to the south. All are now completely covered (apart from the mouth of the Neckinger), but each can be traced by close observation of surface features.

Let’s take the River Tyburn as an example. It rises on Hampstead Heath and flows down to the Thames at Westminster via the West End. Today, it does so in a sewer, but until the 19th century, much of it was above ground. The streets of Marylebone and Mayfair were built to accommodate its natural meanders. If we look at the satellite view of Marylebone, it leaps out like a salmon:

Marylebone via Google satellite view. Oxford Street is the horizontal road at the very bottom of the image.

See it? Marylebone, unusually for London, is largely built on a grid system. But the ancient Marylebone Lane, which tracked along the banks of the River Tyburn, takes a more erratic route. I’ve highlighted it below in case it’s not obvious.

The missing river asserts itself in other ways. Next time you’re on Oxford Street, look at the slopes in the road. A very noticeable dip coincides with the junction of Wells Street. It’s the old river valley. You can see it also on Wigmore Street, the other west-east street a few blocks to the north. This is an obvious but often-overlooked tip for exploring London (or any city): if you find a place where the land slopes up in different directions, then you’re probably in an old river valley.

Let’s follow the Tyburn just a little farther, across Oxford Street and south into Mayfair. The telltale wiggle of the river continues here. If anything, it is even more apparent:

Most of the river was paved-over two or three centuries ago, yet this ancient feature has fossilised into tarmac, brick and Portland stone.

I won’t go into detail about how to follow this not-so-lost river. Several excellent books give full instructions and history of this and other rivers (I’d recommend Tom Bolton’s for the most thorough notes), or watch John Rogers’s personable videos. Suffice it to say, these telltale street patterns and still-extant valleys can be spotted with any of the ‘lost’ rivers. It is Vestigial London at its most obvious.

The Romans still march through London

The satellite view above leads us on to other forms of remnant. See the flamboyantly arboreal road that runs up the left of the image? That’s Park Lane, the busy thoroughfare that separates Hyde Park from Mayfair. Today, it’s one of central London’s few multi-lane highways, and carries more traffic than any other street in that view.

In medieval times this was a simple track, and probably formed the eastern boundary of the Manor of Hyde. Henry VIII built a wall along it, when he acquired Hyde in the 1530s and turned it into an enclosed deer-hunting park. This hard barrier reinforced the old boundary line, and further fixed the route of the lane. The wall vanished when the land was turned to park, but the road still follows its ancient route. Hence, a territorial boundary, defined a thousand or more years ago according to some forgotten agreement between bearded Anglo-Saxons, persists today as the thunderous barrier between Mayfair and Hyde Park. Such examples of ancient frontiers still intruding upon the modern street pattern can be found all over central London.

The satellite view above contains a second ancient road, in the shape of Oxford Street. It is Roman in origin, as are many of the main thoroughfares leading out of London. If we zoom out, and out, and out again, then these 2,000-year-old roads are clear straight-lines, heading out into the provinces. The Roman occupiers fled 1,600 years ago, but their local handiwork can still be seen from space.

Roman roads in pink highlight. I am here only emphasising the noticeable ‘straight bits’, rather than painting the complete routes into the centre. Background map OpenStreetMap © OpenStreetMap contributors

At a more local level, these Roman roads contributed enormously to the development of London. They were originally laid down as a means of getting troops and trade between major Roman strongholds, and so follow the most direct paths as closely as possible. Their arrival points in London determined where the gates in the wall of Londinium (the Roman city) would be built. Hence, the positions of modern day Ludgate, Bishopsgate and Aldgate, among others, are the consequence of decisions made 2,000 years ago. Had a Roman surveyor rotated his groma a single degree to either way, then Bishopsgate would have entered the city at a different point in the wall, and my favourite sandwich shop would not exist.

We can perhaps go further. Parts of Watling Street and possibly Ermine Street followed ancient tracks that pre-date the Roman arrival. Some features of London may therefore trace their positioning and alignment to prehistory. We know precious little about the ancient Britons who walked these lands three millennia ago, but the number 53 bus would not be trundling along Old Kent Road if those feet, in ancient times, had beaten a different path.

The drovers’ trail

Not all ancient roads in London have Roman roots. A medieval drovers’ track, for example, can still be traced on the modern map of north-east London. Known, for reasons lost to history, as the ‘Black Path’, this route still cuts a convincing diagonal from Hoxton to Hackney Central (and thence Walthamstow, though that part of the route is less obvious on the street map). Here’s the satellite view:

This route would have been used by drovers to bring animals into Smithfield from Essex and beyond, on the long, sorry march to market. It was possibly taken in the opposite direction by pilgrims heading to a shrine in Norfolk. Today, it follows well-known but minor thoroughfares such as Columbia Road and Broadway Market — both, incidentally, centres of market trade since Victorian times. It is an atavistic nod to the much older drovers’ market track upon which they are located.

I urge you to walk this route. It is lined with modern buildings, yet there is temporal magic in the steady, linear progress through minor backstreets and parkland edges. It is the ultimate desire line, written irrevocably into the fabric of London by centuries of use.

I find this route particularly fascinating, and I would have devoted a whole feature to it by now, had it not been so comprehensively and charmingly covered by the Gentle Author and John Rogers (again).

The lost bridge

London Bridge has been rebuilt many times. The 1970s structure we see today is a replacement for a 19th century bridge (the one that now stands in Arizona). Both these spans were built on a different alignment to the medieval and Roman bridges. These both straddled the river a little to the east of the current crossing. Happily, the mid-1820s Greenwood map of London was surveyed at exactly the moment that both old and new bridges were in simultaneous existence, so we can get a good look at the street patterns:

Greenwood map, via Layers of London.

As you can see, the older (eastern) bridge is a better fit for the City of London’s street plan. It leads due north up Fish Street Hill and directly onto Gracechurch Street. The new bridge led straight into buildings, which had to be cleared to make way for King William Street. To the south of the river, meanwhile, Greenwood’s map shows how the course of Borough High Street has been diverted west to meet the new bridge; it previously followed that dotted diagonal to hit Tooley Street.

Here’s how things look today:

The old bridge is marked in red, with approach roads in amber. If you look to the north, it’s really obvious how a previously straight approach to the bridge had to be diverted west to meet the new crossing. The modern offices to the south of the old bridge have even preserved in their angles the old course of Borough High Street. This, I think, is deliberate. If you head to Tooley Street, the point where the yellow line becomes the red dotted line is marked with these parallel strips, heading out towards the river:

The brass strips are embossed with text, telling us that this is the old alignment of the bridge. A narrow gap has been left between the buildings, as if in reverence of the vanished structure. Then, if we back-track up to the start of the modern bridge, we find this grandiose stone needle:

It’s often claimed that this is a memorial to the old London Bridge’s spikes, upon which the heads of traitors were gruesomely displayed. Perhaps. But according to one account, the spike’s trajectory indicates the deleted course of Borough High Street, which led to the former bridgehead. Follow it backwards and you’ll reach the brass strips shown above, and thence the site of the old bridge. It's such a wonderful, subtle marker of a vanished alignment — whether deliberate or accidental. I adore it.

We might, then, consider the London Bridge spike as the compass needle of Vestigial London. It is the fingerpost to a phantom crossing, a modern and much-ignored marker of things that were but are no more.

We could spin that needle and follow it to other places where old London still bleeds through the palimpsest. We might head to Red Lion Square, for example, where subtle alignments still hint at lost side-streets. We could return to Roupell Street, whose orientation perfectly matches earlier irrigation ditches seen in the John Rocque map. I’ve written before about how the shape of King’s Cross station was determined millennia ago by geological forces. We haven’t even talked about the history of place names, often the last echoes of vanished people, landmarks or trades.

Vestigial London is infinite, everywhere, and yet nowhere. It can only be accessed through a combination of observation and imagination. But once you step through the gateway or spin the needle, then you will never see the city in the same way again.

It's one of the world's most famous residences, but how exactly do you get into Buckingham Palace? We've listed the ways you can experience the official London residence of King Charles III, and the good news is none of them involve climbing in through the window al la Michael Fagan.

Visit the Buckingham Palace State Rooms

The best way to see Buckingham Palace is to visit the State Rooms during open season. Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2023.

For a proper snoop around the heart of Buckingham Palace, you'll want to visit the State Rooms. For 10 weeks every summer (9 July-27 September 2026), visitors are invited to wander up the Grand Staircase, and into the Throne Room (where official photos are snapped), the Ballroom (where for some reason Donald Trump was once hosted on a state visit), and the White Drawing Room (with its 'secret' door into which Elizabeth II would sometimes vanish, especially when Donald Trump was around).

A pretty good audio guide leads the way, dropping little vignettes and titbits as you go. It lasts about 90 minutes.

Adult tickets in 2026 are £33 in advance/£37 on the day, with various concessions available. And to think people complained in 1993, when the palace first opened to the public, that the then-£8 entry fee was steep...

How much is that doggy in the window? £25 believe it or not. Image: Londonist.

For our money, the most memorable part of the State Rooms experience is having a coffee at the cafe out the back of the palace, overlooking the lawns. You get to see another side of the palace (quite literally), and there's also a gift shop, which will meet all your stuffed corgi needs.

For an added fee, you can get a highlights tour of the garden, although it's arguably not as thrilling as nearby St James's Park, and so far as we know, Buckingham Palace doesn't have pelicans.

Personally guided (and very spendy, as in £100 spendy) tours are offered September-October, and sell out quickly.

Visit the East Wing of Buckingham Palace

Image: Royal Collection Trust / © His Majesty King Charles III 2024 and Peter Smith

In 2024, it was announced that the royals would be raking in more cash generously giving us the opportunity to see more of Buckingham Palace by opening up the East Wing for the first time, including the Eastern-inspired Balcony Room (though the famous balcony, from which the royals sometimes squint up at Red Arrows/wave remains off-limits to the hoi polloi.).

Tours of this part of the palace cost a king's ransom (£93 advance/£97 on the day).

Visit the King's Gallery

See how the other half live, at the King's Gallery. Image: public domain

Part of the Buckingham Palace complex, the King's Gallery invites you to bathe in the cultural riches of royalty: Queen Charlotte's tortoiseshell and gold notebook; absurdly ornate furniture; an embarrassment of priceless paintings by the ilk of Canaletto and da Vinci. There are changing exhibitions, enlightening lectures, and it's easier to access than the State Rooms because it's open all year (although not on most Tuesdays and Wednesdays).

Again, if you're a tax-paying Brit, you might have hoped you could visit for free, but no such luck: adult tickets are a kingly £22.

Visit the Royal Mews

If you like your ride to be golden, stately — and pulled by a bunch of horses with manes more coiffured than Rylan — the Royal Mews is for you. Here, in these working stables you can ogle the various carriages that have whisked the royals through the streets of London and beyond.

Whereas you might expect this kind of thing to be part of a visit to Buckingham Palace, like the King's Gallery, it's a separate attraction, with adult entry setting you back a not insignificant £18.

Watch Changing the Guard

Changing the Guard is a quintessential way to see Buckingham Palace. Image: Londonist

A quintessential (and free!) way to experience the pomp and circumstance of Buckingham Palace, the Changing (of) the Guard ceremony takes place on Monday, Wednesday, Friday & Sunday (check dates though, because it doesn't always happen). It sees the Old Guard at Buckingham Palace form outside the palace (10.30am), joined by the Old Guard at St James's Palace (10.45am) before both are relieved by the New Guard, who arrive from Wellington Barracks (11am), blasting out music. With all the red tunics and bearskin hats, this is a real favourite with tourists, who arrive early to press their faces against the railings.

Despite the stuffy formality, Changing the Guard has its lighthearted moments; especially when the band plays a pop number:

There was some special music at today's Changing the Guard...#Lionesses@ArmyinLondon | @England | @Lionesses pic.twitter.com/0HTol7Xb5I

— The Royal Family (@RoyalFamily) July 30, 2022

A few years back we spoke to folks who'd gone to watch Changing the Guard.

Get invited to a garden party

The Buckingham Palace they didn't want you to see (well, it's the back of Buckingham Palace, anyway) Image: Londonist

More people than you might think (30,000) get invited to a garden party at Buckingham Palace, which they throw three times a year. Unfortunately, there's no ballot for such a thing, neither can you 'encourage' an invitation by slipping one of the King's Guards a £20 note. Guests tend to be members of various societies, government departments, religious setups and the like, so if you're especially keen to eat cucumber sandwiches with Camilla, you'd better join the ranks of a worthy organisation and start doing lots of good things.

Go on a virtual tour

Infinitely more realistic, is this way of seeing the Palace — in fact you can do it right this second. Virtual tours on the Royal Family's official website are glitchy, but you can get the State Room experience with the immersive walk-through BBC video above. You've just saved yourself £33 — huzzah!

We'll also point you in the direction of our own articles: A Brief History Of Buckingham Palace and 13 Secrets Of Buckingham Palace.

Expect one or two cosplay Captain Jack Sparrows at Secret Cinema's latest experience. Image: RyC - Behind The Lens from San Francisco, United States of America via CC BY 2.0

Secret Cinema has announced its latest immersive film experience — and it's a big one, savvy?

Running for 10 weeks from February 2027, Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: The Immersive Adventure promises to take London audiences inside "a swashbuckling celebration like no other", featuring immersive sets, live performances, stunts and a band. "Every night unfolds as a high-energy adventure, culminating in a spectacular celebration worthy of the seven seas," claims the press release.

Licensed through an agreement with Disney Theatrical Group, this is the first time the 'Pirates' franchise has been adapted into an immersive theatrical experience, although famously, it started out life as a theme park ride — immersive theatre of a kind.

The experience will be the first to play out at Secret Cinema's new Greenwich venue, currently under construction.

Founded in 2007, Secret Cinema started out as a small-scale pop-up enterprise, with films screened at locations only revealed last-minute. The very first screening was Dreams That Money Can Buy, a surrealist film made in 1947 — a far cry from the 2003 blockbuster Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl.

Tickets for Disney's Pirates of the Caribbean: The Immersive Adventure go on general sale on 1 June 2026, and you can sign up for exclusive presale access here.

The top events and things to do in London in June-September 2026.

Cocktails in the City is a highlight of summer in London

With a glut of events going on in London each Summer, it's hard to pick what to do and where to go. To help you out, we've selected some of our favourite things to do in the capital in June, July, August and September 2026 — whether you want to watch films under the stars, rock out at music festivals or just eat and drink your way around London.

Outdoor culture in London: Summer 2026

Make the most of Summer 2026 in London. Photo: Matt Brown/Londonist

When the sun comes out, London takes the roof off. If it rains, you get wet — it's all part of the British summertime fun. Here are a few of our favourite al fresco activities, but do check out our guide to outdoor culture in London for the full experience spanning theatre, music and art taking place outdoors in the coming months.

OUTDOOR CINEMA: It wouldn't be summer in London without an onslaught of pop-up outdoor cinemas and rooftop film screenings. Some start in April or May; others begin in June; and others still make an appearance later in the summer. Here's the full guide to outdoor cinema in London for summer 2026. From 30 April 2026

TROOPING THE COLOUR: The annual ceremony of Trooping the Colour marks the Sovereign's birthday, with the five regiments of Foot Guards totalling 1,200-2,350 soldiers plus hundreds of horses and musicians parading in front of the monarch, in a highly-orchestrated inspection on Horse Guards Parade. There are actually three different ceremonies across three consecutive Saturdays, with tickets for the first two available for anyone to buy (the third, and most famous, is by ballot only, now closed). Full details here. 30 May-13 June 2026

OPEN GARDENS WEEKEND: London Open Gardens Weekend is a chance to explore London's green spaces via open days, tours and talks. They range from allotments to small private gardens, to the larger gardens in the likes of Eaton Square, usually only accessible to local residents with a key. 6-7 June 2026

WEST END LIVE: For one weekend each June, stars from London's current West End musicals perform FOR FREE on a pop-up stage in Trafalgar Square. West End Live is an incredibly popular event, so you'll need to arrive very early to be in with a chance of getting in. FREE, 20-21 June 2026

GREENWICH AND DOCKLANDS INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL: We're hoping that free outdoor performing arts festival Greenwich and Docklands International Festival will return. It usually offers two weeks of theatre, art, dance and circus in outdoor locations, including parkour in Woolwich, dancing in Newham, and the annual Greenwich Fair in Greenwich Park. FREE, 2026 dates TBC

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Watch robot football and scoff futuristic food at this free South Kensington festival

Image: Great Exhibition Road Festival

Origami spacecraft! Giant roaming puppets! An underground mushroom disco!

It might sound like some super wacky dream, but all this — and a whole lot more — is really happening on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 June 2026 at the Great Exhibition Road Festival in South Kensington.

Fun for all ages (and emphatically free), this scientific summer street party hosts hands-on workshops, eye-opening experiments, mind-blowing performances and drool-inducing cookery demos from the likes of Imperial College London, the Natural History Museum, the Royal Parks, Science Museum, V&A and Royal Albert Hall.

Kids will be so enraptured by making invisible things visible, and discovering the surprising similarities between a brownie and the surface of Mars, they won't even realise they're swotting up! Older visitors will love the Adults Only Zone, featuring Science Cabaret, and the chance to make your own black hole! No wonder over 50,000 people attend this fantastic festival each year.

And 2026 is a very special anniversary too — 175 years since the Great Exhibition in Hyde Park, which kickstarted many of South Kensington's famous institutions and museums. Top tip: look out for a sculpture of the iconic Crystal Palace... built from seven tonnes of sand!

The Great Exhibition Road Festival, 6-7 June 2026, 12pm-6pm each day.

All events are free. Register for early info.

Cultural events in London in Summer 2026

It's adults-only at Zoo Nights this summer. Image: London Zoo

LONDON FESTIVAL OF ARCHITECTURE: A celebration of architecture and 'city-making', the London Festival of Architecture programme is packed full of more than 400 events throughout the month, from public installations to talks, tours, debates and performances — including some family-friendly events. 1-30 June 2026

CENTRE FOR ILLUSTRATION: After a couple of delays, the Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration finally opens its doors in a former waterworks building in Clerkenwell. The world's largest space dedicated to illustration opens with a debut trio of exhibitions, including one showing off Blake's own work. From 5 June 2026

ZOO NIGHTS: London Zoo's late-night openings are back, for adults only on Fridays in June and July. Zoo Nights is a rare chance to see the animals at dusk, and enjoy tours, live acoustic music, street food and live performances. London Zoo also unveils a special blue plaque trail this summer, marking ZSL's 200th anniversary. 5 June-24 July 2026

LUMINISCENCE: Westminster Cathedral (note: not Westminster Abbey) gets a glow-up throughout the summer in the form of Luminiscence, a 360° projected light show, bathing the sacred space's windows, walls, pillars and ceiling in remarkable moving colourscapes. The building's never-completed mosaic-adorned domes will be digitally created, giving us a glance at what might have been. 1 July-27 September 2026

PRIDE IN LONDON 2026: The absolutely huge Pride in London festival takes place on a Saturday in July, with a parade winding through the centre of London from Hyde Park Corner to Whitehall, and festival stages set up around Soho. Expect to see many Pride after-parties and other LGBTQ+ events taking place around this time too. 4 July 2026

Pride in London is a huge event each summer. Image: Camerawalker via CC BY-SA 4.0

AMERICAN INDEPENDENCE DAY: Fourth of July is always a big deal for our American cousins, and even more so this year, as 2026 marks the 250th anniversary of the United States Declaration of Independence. We've put together a guide to special events, as well as some of our favourite all-American restaurants and hot spots around London, so you can celebrate in style. Around 4 July 2026

IDLER FESTIVAL: Popular authors Irvine Welsh, Jojo Moyes and Charlie Higson; Bake Off legend Prue Leith; and former Archbishop of Canterbury Rowan Williams are among the speakers at this year's Idler Festival, at Fenton House in Hampstead. Festival goers are invited to do "as much or as little as they please" in a laid-back environment. 10-12 July 2026

GREENWICH COMEDY GARDEN: Jack Dee, Josh Widdicombe, Sara Pascoe, Lou Sanders, Alan Davies and Thanyia Moore are on the bill at Greenwich Comedy Garden, a laughter-inducing festival taking over the grounds of the Old Royal Naval College for eight shows across five days. There are street food stalls and pop-up bars aplenty too. 15-19 July 2026

Greenwich Comedy Garden pairs laughs with street food. Photo: Lloyd Winters

HYPER JAPAN FESTIVAL: Love all things Japanese? Get yourself to Hyper Japan, a celebration of Japanese culture. Live performances, a market, food and drink stalls and a sake experience are all part of the fun. 24-26 July 2026

LAUGHTERAMA: Somerset House hosts brand new comedy festival Laughterama, with seven open-air shows taking place in the courtyard, with stars including Fern Brady, Jen Brister, Sarah Keyworth, Josh Widdicombe and Ivo Graham, among many others. 29 July-2 August 2026

ROUNDHOUSE COMEDY FESTIVAL: Yet another comedy festival in London this summer unfolds at Camden Roundhouse, launching with a flagship edition of Live at the Roundhouse, headlined by Frank Skinner, and featuring Phil Wang, Rosie Jones and Celya AB, hosted by Saturday Night Live UK star Paddy Young. The programme for the following days spans giggle-inducing performances in the form of stand-up, live podcasts, theatrical comedy and interactive shows. 1-18 August 2026

NOTTING HILL CARNIVAL 2026: West London will be a riot of noise and colour as Notting Hill Carnival takes to the streets once again. Sound systems enliven the area as mas, soca and calypso acts parade through the area, in a kaleidoscopic celebration of Caribbean culture. FREE, 29-31 August 2026

Notting Hill Carnival takes place over the August bank holiday weekend. Image: Romazur via CC BY-SA 4.0

TOTALLY THAMES 2026: Look out for this year's Totally Thames programme, a celebration of all things related to London's arterial river. There are usually multiple events every day throughout the month including exhibitions, talks, guided tours, boat rides and more. Usually throughout September

OPEN HOUSE LONDON 2026: This annual event is like Christmas for members of Team Londonist. A chance to go inside London buildings which are usually closed to the public? Yes please! The full programme hasn't yet been announced, but in the past we've managed to get inside the St Pancras Clock Tower, Battersea Power Station (before the recent redevelopment), Bush House and many more iconic buildings. 2026 dates TBC (usually mid-September)

LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL: Citywide event London Design Festival celebrates the top-notch design work going on around the capital, across architecture, project design, graphic design and more. Events usually include talks, tours, special installations and exhibitions. 12-20 September 2026

Family events in London in Summer 2026

SUMMER HOLIDAYS: With London schools closing for the summer in July and throughout August, we've penned a guide to things to do in London in the summer holidays, with ideas to keep everyone happy from toddlers to teenagers, from exhibitions and festivals, to one-off events and day trip ideas. On a tight budget? Bookmark our pick of free things to do in London in the summer holidays. We'll update both for Summer 2026 closer to the time.

Sport events in London in Summer 2026

Find somewhere to kick back and watch Wimbledon 2026

Got energy to burn? Good for you. Prefer to watch others do the hard work? That's perfectly fine too.

2026 WORLD CUP: The USA, Canada and Mexico are the hosts for the 2026 World Cup. If you're watching from this side of the Atlantic, book yourself a spot at these London pubs and bars which are showing World Cup games. 11 June-19 July 2026

WORLD NAKED BIKE RIDE 2026: If you're prudish, you may wish to avert your eyes as the World Naked Bike Ride pedals into town. Cyclists let it all hang out as they ride in a group on one of several pre-agreed routes, all converging near Wellington Arch. Don't forget your suncream. Note: in 2026 it takes place on a Sunday instead of a Saturday for the first time. 14 June 2026

WIMBLEDON 2026: The biggest fortnight in tennis is back. If you can't make it to SW19 yourself, fear not — plenty of places around the capital show the action of big screens, often for free. Here's our guide to where to watch Wimbledon, which we'll update for 2026 when details are announced. Want to get closer to the action? Learn all you need to know about joining 'The Queue' for on-the-day tickets. 29 June-12 July 2026

Music events and festivals in London this Summer

BST Hyde Park is one of London's biggest summer festivals

For a detailed look at music festivals taking place in London this year — from early spring round until the autumn — have a browse of our guide to London's best music festivals, and get booking. Alternatively, check out what's on at London's stadiums and arenas: Harry Styles, My Chemical Romance, Bruno Mars, Lily Allen, Bad Bunny and BTS are among the superstar acts passing through the capital this summer.

LIVE AT CHELSEA: The legends keep coming at the newcomer Live At Chelsea festival, which pitches up in the grounds of the Royal Hospital Chelsea: over the course of five nights, acts include Holly Johnson, The Proclaimers, The Beach Boys (Mike Love's iteration at least), and Sparks. To paraphrase the latter, this festival is big enough for all of them. 10-14 June

HAMPTON COURT PALACE FESTIVAL: Want a taste of pop royalty? Hampton Court Palace Festival's two-week shindig is back this June (it's individual shows rather than a festival), ready to welcome you with a flute of champagne and space for a picnic, before performances from Sophie Ellis-Bextor, Nile Rodgers & Chic, and David Gray, among others. 10-19 June 2026

HARRY STYLES' MELTDOWN: Harry Styles is the curator of this year's Meltdown at Southbank Centre, ahead of his run of shows at Wembley Stadium. Among the acts he's chosen to perform are Warpaint, Kamasi Washington and Erika de Casier. 11-21 June 2026

Harry Styles curates Meltdown 2026 (and he's playing several Wembley gigs this summer too). © Laura Coulson

BST HYDE PARK: Maroon 5, Mumford and Sons, Pitbull and Lewis Capaldi are among the headliners at this year's BST Hyde Park, commandeering a corner of Hyde Park for a fortnight. On non-gig days, the Open House programme takes place (unrelated to Open House London), with free entertainment spanning live music, film and sports screenings, and loads more. 27 June-12 July 2026

BBC PROMS: If you count the BBC Proms as a music festival, then it's surely the swishest of the lot. It sees nigh-on two full months of live performances at the Royal Albert Hall and a few other participating venues. Though the focus is on classical music, there's an increasing number of shows celebrating modern and contemporary sounds. Read our dedicated guide. 17 July-12 September 2026

Summer 2026: top new theatre shows in London

A Life In Four Seasons is on at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

OPEN AIR THEATRE: The Summer 2o26 season at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre runs May-September, offering five shows: Sherlock Holmes; A Life In Four Seasons; A Midsummer Night's Dream; Cats; and Anansi the Spider. May-September 2026

SHAKESPEARE IN THE SQUARES: Every summer, a single Shakespeare play is performed in open-air gardens and squares all over the capital. For 2026. Shakespeare in the Squares tackles Love's Labour's Lost, popping up in venues including Kensington Gardens Square and Camden Square. 3 June-12 July 2026

GLENGARRY GLEN ROSS: 1992 dark comedy film Glengarry Glen Ross comes to the stage at the Old Vic, in a new adaptation, and with an all-female cast. 4 June-18 September 2026

PRIDE: The National Theatre's headline Summer 2026 production is Pride, set during the miners's strike of 1984, when Lesbians and Gays Support the Miners (LGSM) quickly finds itself entwined with a small pit village in South Wales. 11 June-12 September 2026

IVANOV: Chris Pine makes his London stage debut in a new production of Chekhov's comic drama Ivanov, at the Bridge Theatre. Pine takes on the role of Nikolai Ivanov, a man facing a midlife crisis due to financial and marital woes. 4 July-19 September 2026

TRAINSPOTTING THE MUSICAL: Choose life. Choose Trainspotting the Musical when it opens at Theatre Royal Haymarket, offering an adaptation of the 1996 film set to live music. Irvine Welsh, who wrote the original novel, has penned this adaptation. From 15 July 2026

Best new exhibitions in London: Summer 2026

The Royal Academy Summer Exhibition is a highlight of London's cultural calendar. Image: Royal Academy of Arts, London / David Parry

MARILYN MONROE: Portraits and photographs of Marilyn Monroe by renowned artists and photographers go on display at the National Portrait Gallery to mark what would be the star's 100th birthday, along with personal belongings such as books, scripts and clothes. 4 June-6 September 2026

SERPENTINE PAVILION 2026: 'a serpentine' (their lower case, not ours) is the apt name and design of this year's free Serpentine Pavilion, erected in the grounds of the Serpentine South gallery in June. Mock-ups show the interior will provide an irregular-shaped courtyard with spaces for sitting, and a brise soleil roof propped with thin brick columns. FREE, 6 June-25 October 2026

ROYAL ACADEMY SUMMER EXHIBITION: A highlight of the London art calendar every year, the Royal Academy Summer Exhibition brings together established and rising artists to display their work. Prints, painting, film, photography, architectural works and sculpture all jostle for attention. Full 2026 details TBC. 16 June-23 August 2026

FRIDA KAHLO: Mexican artist Frida Kahlo is the subject of a new exhibition at Tate Modern, featuring over 30 of her works to delve into how she became one of the most influential artists of all time, and a cultural phenomenon. Some of Kahlo's garments, jewellery, photographs and memorabilia feature, along with 200 works by her contemporaries. 25 June 2026-3 January 2027

SUMMER SCIENCE EXHIBITION: The Royal Society's Summer Science Exhibition is suitable for all ages, and showcases the latest research from across the UK, through hands-on activities, talks and interactive exhibits. Topics this year include the mysteries of lightning, super computers, and the secrets of the universe. FREE, 30 June-5 July 2026

AMERICAN PHOTOGRAPHY: Step into a century of American city life at Dulwich Picture Gallery, which displays photographs of the people who built, inhabited, and transformed urban spaces into living communities. It features works by 34 influential photographers from 1907 to 2012. 28 July-4 October 2026

Top food and drink events in London in Summer 2026

Taste of London in Regent's Park. Photo: Joshua Atkins

Peckish? Got a thirst on? If London's rooftop bars, beer gardens and ice cream parlours aren't quite cutting it, check out these special foodie festivals and events for something a little bit different.

BURGER FEST: It's all about the patties down at Richmond Athletics Ground, where Burger Fest brings together 20 top traders from all over the UK to battle it out to be crowned the winner. Expect full-size burgers, mini sliders, as well as eating competitions and other entertainment. 12-14 June 2026

TASTE OF LONDON: Foodies will want to head to Regent's Park for Taste of London, the huge, food-based festival which brings dozens of London's best-known restaurants together to feed hungry visitors. It's also a chance to discover up-and-coming London chefs and food businesses take part in tastings and watch masterclasses. This year it's expanding with a new Taste of the City events programme across the capital. 17-21 June 2026

CITY BEERFEST: Over 55 beers from 13 brewers from the UK, Europe and Canada are up for slurps at City Beerfest, taking place in Guildhall Yard and raising money for charities supported by the Lady Mayor. 2 July 2026

COCKTAILS IN THE CITY: On selected dates in July and August, Bedford Square Gardens in Bloomsbury hosts Cocktails in the City. Renowned London bars have pop-ups with special menus, tastings and masterclasses, plus there's live music, a silent disco and street food stalls. 2-4 July and 6-8 August 2026

Meatopia celebrates all things FIRE 🔥 (and meat). Image: Meatopia

LONDON CRAFT BEER FESTIVAL: Over 100 breweries are expected to pour into London Craft Beer Festival, which moves to Southwark Park for 2026. Sample from 800+ different beers made by established and newer breweries. All brews are included in your ticket. 17-18 July 2026

LONDON WING FEST: Wing Fest, apparently the world's largest festival of chicken wings, stops by the London Stadium on its UK tour. Exact details have yet to be confirmed, but expect to see several chicken wing vendors pitting their dishes against each other. 24-26 July 2026

MEATOPIA: Fire (and meat) is the name of the game at Meatopia, a foodie festival at Tobacco Dock which focuses on flame-cooked food. Tuck into all manner of dishes alongside chilled drinks while tuning into live music and DJs. 3-6 September 2026

Things to do in London in warm weather

Dive in! Photo: Matt Brown/Londonist

INDOOR SWIMMING: Looking for a London swimming pool which goes to great lengths to impress? From barrel-vaulted Victorian water palaces to undulating Olympic venues, these indoor pools are the best this city has to offer.

OUTDOOR SWIMMING: Looking for a lido or in need of an outdoor pool in London? As the weather heats up, these swimming pools and ponds across the capital become popular for cooling off, so we recommend booking in advance where possible.

BOATING: Hire yourself a pedalo or row boat and see London from the water on one of its many lakes or ponds. Alternatively, let someone else do the hard work by taking a boat trip on clippers, ferries, narrowboats and other vessels on London's rivers and canals.

ROOFTOP BARS: When the sun's out, it's time to get high. Head for London's best rooftop bars and lofty terraces, to enjoy views over the capital with a chilled cocktail or beer in hand.

PLAY FOUNTAINS: Indulge your inner kid by splashing around in one of these refreshing play fountains — ideal for cooling off in a London heatwave. Just remember to pack a towel and spare clothes.

LONDON'S URBAN BEACHES: London isn't the first place that springs to mind when you think of beach holidays —and rightly so — but if you're keen to feel the sand between your toes while you kick back on a deckchair, acquaint yourself with one of London's pop-up urban beaches. We'll add 2026 details as they're announced.

ICE SKATING: No wait, hear us out. While London does a fine line in pop-up winter ice rinks, it also has a few year-round (indoor) ice rinks, which are an excellent place to cool down on a sweltering Summer day. Find your nearest ice rink in London, and get your skates on.

Charing Cross railway station will be shut for a number of days over the summer. Image: Londonist

Charing Cross And Waterloo East stations will close for the best part of a month this summer, as upgrades are made to 1990s-era track and platforms.

A full closure of the stations, says Network Rail, will be imposed on the 22 days between Sunday 26 July and Sunday 16 August 2026, plus on a scattering of weekends either side, meaning that in all, disruption will last closer to a month.

Though Southeastern services will continue to run throughout, no trains will call at Charing Cross or Waterloo East stations on the following dates:

❌ Sunday 31 May
❌ Sunday 7 June
❌ Saturday 18 and Sunday 19 July
❌ Sunday 26 July-Sunday 16 August (22 day closure)
❌ Saturday 22 and Sunday 23 August
❌ Saturday 10 and Sunday 11 October.

Southeastern services that usually run into Charing Cross will be diverted to London Victoria, London Cannon Street and London Blackfriars, with some terminating at London Bridge. Charing Cross Underground services will run as normal.

The £20m works will allow engineers to replace nearly two kilometres of 36-year-old track, as well as rebuilding sections of platform at Charing Cross, upgrade track drainage systems and carry out structural repairs to both the Waterloo East to London Waterloo pedestrian link bridge and the Hungerford Bridge, over which trains cross the Thames. (And to be fair, that's the kind of bridge you want to ensure is in good shape.) The works will, says Network Rail "make journeys safer and more reliable".

You can use Southeastern's journey planner to work out what's what during the closures.

Next week, Londoners face more major disruption, with planned Tube strikes running 19-20 May (12pm Tuesday to 11.59am Wednesday) and 21-22 May (12pm Thursday to 11.59am Friday).

Photographer Julia Margaret Cameron (right) now has a Blue Plaque at her former London home. Image: English Heritage/public domain

"I was in a transport of delight. I ran all over the house to search for gifts for the child. I felt as if she entirely had made the picture."

This was the reaction of Julia Margaret Cameron to capturing what she deemed her first 'successful' portrait photograph; a profile of Annie Philpot, the young daughter of a family staying with her.

Though Cameron was 48 by the time she first picked up a camera, she would go on to become a pioneer of portrait photography, capturing images of some of the era's defining figures — Charles Darwin, Alfred Tennyson, Ellen Terry, Alice Liddell — as well as 'dressing up' family and friends as biblical and mythological characters.

Cameron's first 'successful' portrait, of the young Annie Philpot, the daughter of friends. Image: public domain

Incorporating trailblazing techniques such as scratches, smudges and soft focus, Cameron was not always appreciated by her peers or critics. "Mrs. Cameron exhibits her series of out-of-focus portraits of celebrities," snapped the Photographic Journal in 1865, "In these pictures, all that is good in photography has been neglected and the shortcomings of the art are prominently exhibited.

"We are sorry to have to speak thus severely on the works of a lady, but we feel compelled to do so in the interest of the art." Uh huh.

Though under-appreciated in her lifetime, the timeless dreaminess of Cameron's photography ultimately gave such naysayers what for, and in May 2026, an English Heritage Blue Plaque was unveiled at her former home at 10 Chesham Place in Belgravia — Cameron's first London residence, which she to moved to from her birthplace, India.

The V&A in South Kensington was the only museum to display Cameron's work in her lifetime. Image: Matt From London

Cameron hadn't yet embarked on her photographic career when living at 10 Chesham Place; that only happened after she moved to the Isle of Wight, where she turned her coal-house into a dark room, and went on to produce over 900 photos, before she died, aged 63.

She does, however have strong links with this part of London, not least the nearby V&A South Kensington. "I write to ask you if you will… exhibit at the South Kensington Museum a set of Prints of my late series of Photographs that I intend should electrify you with delight and startle the world." So wrote Cameron to Henry Cole, founding director of the V&A in February 1866. Cole transpired to be one of the few art world bigwigs to believe in Cameron, and the V&A was the only museum to display her work during her lifetime. It now holds many of Cameron's photographs, as well as letters between her and Henry Cole.

Cameron photographed many leading lights of her time, including Charles Darwin. Image: public domain

Said Jules Cameron, great-granddaughter of Julia Margaret Cameron: "She saw photography not simply as a record, but as a way of revealing the soul. To have her honoured with a Blue Plaque feels like a quiet
continuation of her work fixing her presence once more in light and memory.

"She wasn't interested in perfection, but in truth, in feeling, in humanity. A Blue Plaque feels entirely fitting
for someone so gloriously unconventional, and I think she would have absolutely loved it."

Read up more about Julia Margaret Cameron, and see more of her photos on the V&A's website.