Pssst! There's also a chance to ride on vintage buses for free in October!

Three different trains are running over the weekend. Image: Phil Richards via creative commons

Ruislip Lido has its own miniature railway service, and occasionally it opens up for special behind-the-scenes tours.

The next of these takes place on Saturday 19 and Sunday 20 September 2026, featuring:

🚂 Train services running every 15 minutes throughout both days, along what is Britain's longest 12-inch gauge railway, which wends through the woodlands skirting Ruislip Lido*

🚂  All of the railway's locomotives on display to admire and sit in. Track maintenance vehicles will be on display too.

🚂 A workshop area open to the public, with railway staff there to answer questions, including how you can become a volunteer.

🚂  Refreshments from the Turntable Tearoom at Willow Lawn.

🚂 Buy souvenirs and railwayana from the shop.

And if you have a good time, why not book a seat on one of their Santa Specials running this December.

Ruislip Lido Railway behind-the-scenes, 19-20 September 2026, 11am-5pm, free (there's a small fee to ride the trains). All trains are wheelchair, pushchair and buggy friendly.

*No need to bring your swimming costume though — this particular lido is for geese only.

Last of the Summer Wine, but make it glamourous. Image: The Community Brain

Skiing is all well and good for moneyed holidaymakers and James Bond. But what about skiing for the masses? A wacky October event in Surbiton invites you to take to the ice; or at least strap it to your feet.

It's true there used to be a ski slope in Beckton (on a toxic spoil-heap no less), and a ski jump on Hampstead Heath, but those are long gone. So what now for the hoi polloi who wish to glissade across the ice without having to jet off to Chamonix?

Well, there's always Surbiton Ski Sunday — taking place on Sunday 11 October 2026.

Going, going... Image: The Community Brain

"Teams of scientists in the research department of the Free University of Seething were engaged in their daily pursuit of attempting to create a fairer and more equitable world when they decided to tackle the socially divisive issue of skiing," Robin Hutchinson MBE, founder and director of The Community Brain, which is behind Surbiton Ski Sunday, tells me.

"Traditionally a sport for the wealthy due to the high costs of travel, accommodation, après ski and equipment, a startling and liberating revelation was 'eureka'd'. If you can put wood on your feet to ski on snow or ice, surely if you put the ice on your feet you could ski on anything."

Snow joke: contestants strap blocks of ice to their feet. Image: The Community Brain

The result is a wonderfully wacky annual event in which between 30 and 50 ordinary, hard-working folk strap blocks of ice to their feet, grasp two wooden poles, and — on a wing and a prayer — try to make it from one end of a downhill length of slippery lino to the other.

Just like any Winter Olympics, there is also a luge — or a luge of sorts. Let's just say that if you thought the sight of three characters sliding through the middle of a town in a bath tub was reserved for classic episodes of Last of the Summer Wine, think again.

"It is the ridiculous sight of people on blocks of ice trying to stay upright that makes the sport." Image: The Community Brain

It's an altogether eccentric affair, which is sometimes reflected in the competitors' costumes too. "The giant Guinea Pig has to be the finest," Robin tells me. And as if that's not unorthodox enough, there can be some screwball heckles too. "I think that a crowd shouting 'Don't eat those grapes, they haven't been washed!' to the utter bemusement of passers-by always raises a smile, alongside the annual tradition of waving at passing buses to encourage passengers to wave back," says Robin, adding "but it is the ridiculous sight of people on blocks of ice trying to stay upright that makes the sport."

...gone. Image: The Community Brain

There may not be flowing champagne and bubbling cauldrons of fondue at the end of Surbiton Ski Sunday, but there is soup. And visitors are encouraged to bring their own vegetable to put in it. Robin tells me "The King's Soup event originates from a tale of a selfish king who wants everything and just takes things from his subjects but whose heart is changed by tasting a simple peasant soup that has been made with love." Now there's a soup that warms both cockles and heart.

Surbiton Ski Sunday, Central Parade, St Mark's Hill, Surbiton, Sunday 11 October 2026, 11am-1pm, free. It's followed by the King's Soup communal vegetarian eating experience at Claremont Gardens, 1.15pm-4.30pm.

Surbiton Ski Sunday is open to everyone, and you can sign up to ski on the day. Some safety equipment is provided, but if you have your own, please bring it with you — along with a costume of your choice.

Keep up date with festive happenings in the capital on our Christmas 2026 in London page.

The festive steam train puffs through east London/Essex from November 2026. Image: Epping Ongar Railway

London's not short of light festivals and illumination shows each winter, but there's one that always gets our attention — a steam train covered in twinkling fairy lights.

The Epping Ongar Lights Party Express (previously Light Fantastic) is just that — an illuminated train ride through woodland on the London-Essex border.

Image: Epping Ongar Railway

Watch the the illuminated carriages — hauled by a steam locomotive — pull into Ongar station, and snap a few pictures before climbing aboard. As the train pulls out of the station and wends through the countryside, peer out of the window for illuminated line-side displays designed specially for Lights Party Express passengers, and visible only from the train. Passengers receive individual LED wristbands to turn the inside of the train into a neon wonderland too.

Commentary is provided by "Voiceover Man". Image: Epping Ongar Railway

For Christmas 2026, the Epping Ongar Lights Party Express is offering three brand new shows, each with a different soundtrack provided by an onboard DJ:

🚂 Christmas Gold offers Christmas carols and festive songs everyone knows, ideal for a family singalong.

🚂 The Party Anthems Train dials things up a notch with pop anthems more suited to families with older children.

🚂 The Groove Train is the route to Funky Town, via a lively soundtrack of disco hits and floorfillers from the 1970s-80s. This one's for adults, and more mature teenagers (and it runs on New Year's Eve, to get your celebrations off to a banging start before you head off to party elsewhere).

Magic, innit. Image: Epping Ongar Railway

Regardless which service you board, you'll receive a song sheet with all the lyrics. As always, an onboard commentary is provided by "Voiceover Man", as heard on Britain's Got Talent and The X Factor, accompany the sights. The experience lasts about an hour, returning you back to Ongar station.

Basically, it's the closest you'll ever get to riding the Polar Express. Look:

Alternatively, book your family onto one of the daytime Santa Specials (selected dates 28 November-24 December 2026). You won't see the lights, but you will get to ride a vintage London bus, pick up refreshments from a festive food stall while listening to a live brass band at North Weald station, and hop onto Santa's fantastically festive train where the man himself will visit you at your seat. All children receive a present.

Epping Ongar Lights Party Express takes place on selected dates, 14 November 2026-2 January 2027 departing from Ongar station. Tickets start at £25 per adult/£20 per child, with private compartments available from £160.

Image: Jeff Spicer, PA Media Assignments

The latest artwork to grace Trafalgar Square's Fourth Plinth has been unveiled this morning (10 September).

Lady in Blue is the work of New York-based artist Tschabalala Self, and is a large, bronze figure depicting "a young, metropolitan woman — a quotidian figure — reflecting many of today's Londoners". She's captured mid-step, as if striding purposefully across the Square.

Image: Jeff Spicer, PA Media Assignments

The woman wears an eye-catching vibrant blue dress and shoes, along with jewellery which replicates the colour of lapis lazuli, a rare rock which has been used as a pigment since antiquity.

The Fourth Plinth — located in the Square's north-west corner, close to the National Gallery — has displayed a rotating programme of artworks continuously since 2005. Here's a look at all of the previous artworks and where they ended up once their time on the plinth was over.

Artist Tschabalala Self alongside her work. Image: Jeff Spicer, PA Media Assignments

Lady in Blue replaces Mil Veces un Instante (A Thousand Times in an Instant) by Teresa Margolles, which features the face casts of 726 trans, non-binary and gender non-conforming people from the UK and Mexico, and had been in situ on the plinth since September 2024.

Hot on the (high) heels of Lady in Blue will be Untitled by Andra Ursuţa, "a hollow, life-sized person on a horse covered in a shroud and cast in a slime-green resin", which is due to be installed on the Fourth Plinth in 2028.

It's official: Bayeux Mania has invaded London. Image: HistoryExtra

"Can I send you an exclusive preview box of Bayeux Lager?"

Unless you've been seeking solace beneath a rock/digital detox lately, you'll know that London has a VIP French guest in its midst. The Bayeux Tapestry is in town, and the clamour for tickets makes Harry Styles look positively unwanted.

As well as a chance to ogle what the Guardian raved as "a stupefying, thrilling, horrifying masterpiece", the tapestry's jaunt to the British Museum also weaves a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for a healthy bit of marketing. Fun fact: if you put all the Bayeux-related marketing emails we've received in the past few weeks end-to-end, they'd measure 70 metres, the exact length of the Tapestry.

Londoners are cashing in on the almost-1,000-year-old masterpiece, and who can blame them. We probably made the bloody thing, after all*.

"There's William the Conqueror on Westminster Bridge, leafing through a copy of HistoryExtra"

Would sir care for a miniature edible Bayeux Tapestry? Image: Red Carnation Hotels

Suddenly, every corner of the city reveals another Norman-flavoured promotional ploy. Cross Westminster Bridge, and there's William the Conqueror leaning against the balustrades, leafing through a copy of HistoryExtra. Sit down to afternoon tea, only to find your cheesecake's got a miniature Bayeux Tapestry wrapped around it. Nip into the Museum Tavern across the road from the exhibition — having witnessed the Tapestry in all its stupefying, thrilling horror — to discover that a 'Beer Tapestry' (5/10 for that particular pun) has been hoisted up behind the bar.

London galleries which are conspicuously deficient in the Bayeux Tapestry department (i.e. not the British Museum) haven't let that get in the way. Take the Guildhall Gallery, which is launching Beyond Bayeux: Tapestry Now**, the exhibition equivalent of a Harry Styles tribute act performing in a Wembley pub.

"After witnessing such an orgy of embroidered butchery, you'll be in need of a drink"

You'll find it difficult to escape the Bayeux Tapestry for a while, especially around Bloomsbury. Image: Greene King

Sitting prettiest of all is the British Museum's gift shop, bulging with a treasure trove so rich in trinkets it'd overwhelm the Digging for Britain team: Bayeux Tapestry tea towel (£9.99), Bayeux Tapestry Christmas decoration (£13.99), Bayeux Tapestry Battle of Hastings feather quill pen (£19.99), Norman Ghost incense holder (me neither, £40), Bayeux Tapestry pewter tankard (£99), Bayeux Tapestry silk scarf (£125), Edward the Confessor and Harold ceramic ornament (£325). Perhaps there's been a mad rush — on the morning the exhibition officially opens, the British Museum's online gift shop is "currently under maintenance and should be back soon".

Meanwhile, that Bayeux Lager — a collaboration between the British Museum and Battle Brewery — is available to quaff in the Museum's cafes and restaurants. Well, after witnessing such an orgy of embroidered butchery, you'll be in need of a drink.

"London mightn't have witnessed a cultural mania like this since 1972"

In the words of the late, great William the Conqueror: "Chaaaaarge!" Image: British Museum

London mightn't have witnessed a cultural mania like this since 1972. Again, the British Museum was to thank/blame; its landmark exhibition of Tutankhamun treasures prompted 1.7 million people to queue around the block (not all at once), and snap up souvenirs like they were going out of fashion. To be fair, they were going out of stock. Replica jewellery in the gift shop sold out on opening day. "The English, normally phlegmatic about art," wrote Time magazine, "greeted the event with ecstasies of Tutankhamenophilia. Tut appeared on posters, postcards, carrier bags and 56 million commemorative stamps." London's blockbuster exhibition era was born.

While some Bayeux cash-ins might be more cynical than others, who are we to judge. It's refreshing to see people getting hopped up about something so innocently cultural so... what are the words I'm looking for... stupefying, thrilling and horrifying. So, the best of British Norman to anyone hoping to make a quick buck — and in the words of the late, great William the Conqueror, "Chaaaaaarge!"

*Well, maybe Canterbury.
**A free exhibition, I should point out.

Adapted from a feature that first appeared in September 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: public domain

Today, I’m delighted to publish what might be the first account of London from a Romanian traveller. And I’ll give you a spoiler up front: you’re in for a treat.

A Continental Amazed by London gives us the impressions of Ion Codru Drăgușanu (1818-1884), who visited our city in 1840 while still a young man. It’s a sparkling account of the city (mostly the West End) in the early Victorian period, from a rare east-European perspective.

The text was translated and sent to me by Mihai Risnoveanu, formerly of the Romanian Cultural Centre in London, and includes a short introduction by Ramona Mitrica. It was first published in the Cultural Centre’s newsletter in 2008, but is not available online. I have reproduced it exactly as sent, and included my own comments beneath each section, to offer further context.

By coincidence, this article goes out on 10 September 2026, the 186th anniversary of Ion Codru-Drăgușanu’s journey from Paris to London.

A Continental Amazed by London

Introduction by Mihai Risnoveanu

Ion Codru-Drăgușanu (1818-1884) was a Romanian writer from Transylvania, and was also a journalist and politician. His book, ‘The Transylvanian Pilgrim’, published in 1865, relates his travels throughout Europe, and in addition, his visit to London, which marks him out as one of the truly rare Romanians to have visited Britain up until the very end of the 19th century.

Image: Asybaris01, Creative Commons

Ion Codru Drăgușanu travelled to London in 1840. A continental amazed (to the full extent of the word) by this land appearing from the fogs of Victorian times, he has left us his impressions of the English, England, and the English way of life. From the following one can see that some things do not change much with the passing of time and some other things are still as inexplicable to the continental mind as then.

Fate ordained that one of his great-grandsons, Ion Ratiu, would build his life in London and would become a prominent British-Romanian, inspiring others in the quest to penetrate the mysteries of life in the land of the Albion. What Ion Codru would have made of this we cannot possibly know, but here are his opinions about how life was for him on the banks of the Thames.

London, September 1840

Throughout Europe there are only two great peoples: the French and the English. Writers compare the former with the ancient Greeks, and the latter with the Romans, but this is true only in view of the main characteristics of the nation, because I deem that the reverse would not be false either.

The French have a frivolous insolence and a convulsive tendency to rebel, but they have a tasteful and attractive luxury, and their writings are full of spirit – thus they resemble the Grecians, while their great deeds and their influence on the general culture of other peoples make them the true Romans of modern times. On the other hand, the English are thoroughly endowed with constancy, the chief virtue of Rome, but they have the speculative spirit and egotistical habits that focus on their own interest, which are nothing more that Grecian attributes.

In alliance with each other, these two nations are destined to rule the world and decide the fate of nations.

This was my own theory about the country and its inhabitants. Let us proceed to show what we know from our own experience and to prove these in accordance with my speculations.

We are told that England, being surrounded by the Atlantic Ocean, is heavily subject to powerful drizzles, and that London, being close to the sea, towards the mouth of the Thames, suffers greatly because of these all year around. The exception being September, when the weather is bearable. So we took advantage of this propitious time of the year to see this city, the most gigantic in Europe, in its whole splendour.

On the 10th of September, we departed from Paris with the post coach and, travelling throughout the night, reached the French port of Havre de Grace, at the mouth of the Seine. [...] With the evening tide of [the next] day we boarded the steamship “Great Britain” which sailed the Channel – the wet road to London.

[...] [Due to sea sickness] The next morning I woke up a bit more worn than usual, and I went on the deck of the steamship to see the place. One could only see the clear blue skies and the green waters, mirroring each other. The skipper spoke French, so I approached him and asked him several questions. Very affably, which I did not expect from an Englishman, he explained to me the virtues of the maritime compass and the use of the chart of the 39 winds, known well only by the professional seaman; later on he showed me the white chalk coast of England, which gave the country its old name of Albion, to which the French have added the epithet ‘perfidious’.

Completely different from the French, the English are serious and taciturn. They speak gladly only when they have the occasion to praise the institutions of their own country. The same with this Englishman: he told me England is the land of political freedom and, in order to preserve it, she has more warships than France has commercial ships, and then he gave me various other kinds of stories. All hyperbole even according to my humble reason.

Towards evening we approached the mouth of the Thames and began to feel the proximity of London, where ships of all species come and go in numbers so great that one hardly finds one’s place to pass among them. We entered the Thames itself with great care, as if entering a forest of masts and smoking chimneys.

Finally we got to the Custom house. The possessions of all passengers flew like balls from the ship to boats and from here to the halls of the Custom house, and I was close to believing we should never see them again. But here people are so much into order and consequent practice that if you trust them with a needle, it will never get lost or taken by others.

The Custom House, a little east of London Bridge on the north bank, was designed in the 1820s by Robert “also did the British Museum” Smirke. This was a place for the collection of customs duties, with a history going back to medieval times. Smirke’s version still stands today, and is set to become a hotel.

Custom House in the 19th century. Is it just me, or do those cloud formations look aptly like the Carpathian Mountains? Image: public domain.

The luggage was open and inspected in a blink of the eyes and we found ourselves put in a ‘cab’ (a sort of one-horse chariot), and after a quite long distance we reached Saint Martin’s Lane and the ‘Fricour’ Inn, where we were brought in by an Italian guide who was prowling for customers in the valley of the river. He got four Crowns as a reward from us.

I was most surprised we are not asked for passports. Our guide told us that such an enterprise is unknown in England and is a continental luxury.

Drăgușanu, it seems, had no accommodation reserved, and took a room on the partisan advice of a hotel tout. I’ve traced the Fricour Inn to 82-83 St Martin’s Lane. It was owned by one Augustine Fricour, possibly a Frenchman, who was declared bankrupt a couple of years later. It was located where, today, you’ll find Brown’s restaurant.

[...] First of all, London surprises you by the great number of people and the great quiet all around. Then there is the exemplary cleanness of the streets, the simplicity of the buildings and the uniform clothing of men, which is generally grey or a stern ashen grey.

All streets are large and straight, especially the main ones, which are also paved with wood or covered in macadam. The houses do not have such exquisite architecture as in Paris, nor are they as solid, because this city is a whole world of almost two million inhabitants. London has stretched each year passing by, and has engulfed private properties that would sum up a surface as big as the county of river Olt (Tara Oltului) in our country. Many neighbourhoods have the name of Such-and-such Garden. These lands are freehold or leasehold for 20-30 years, and the builders calculate the expenses according to the lease and they build lightly.

I’m surprised that Drăgușanu found our roads “wide and straight”. This was before the Victorians knocked through Charing Cross Road, Northumbland Avenue, Shaftesbury Avenue and Kingsway. Strand has always been wide and straight, and so, too, Whitehall, so perhaps he was hanging out in these areas more than, say, Drury Lane and St Giles. It’s interesting to note that men dressed in ‘stern grey’. Today, men almost universally wear black coats, at least during winter.

On Gardens, I can think of Short’s Gardens, Hatton Garden, Endsleigh Gardens and, of course, Covent Garden in the central area. But these are spread out, and it’s a curious detail to pick up on.

In spite of the lack of a French lustre in London, there is a luxury of commodity which is not to be found anywhere else; all stairs are carpeted to the level of the street and not to speak of the rooms in the house. Of course, the great humidity requires such luxury. Also in front of the houses with a street front there are small flower beds. Yet again, in order to fight humidity and mildew, kitchens are to be found at the base of the houses, akin to cellars.

Some interesting domestic details, which might not have occurred to an English writer.

No other city has so many piazzas as London and almost all of them are quadrangular, therefore the name of ‘squares’. They all have some monument, of course not all grand, and generally they have flower gardens, lawns and trees in the middle. These gardens are generally circular and they are closed with iron railings and serve as places of enjoyment for the neighbouring houses.

Here, the writer seems to be noting the private square gardens, most apparent in Bloomsbury, rather than the fully public piazzas like Covent Garden.

There are in London public gardens – or should I say whole plains, so wide they are – where there are only green lawns, tall trees, bushes, and rivulets or crystal-clear lakes. One will find, but only seldom, beds of flowers. Such public places for the enjoyment of everybody are Regents Green, Hyde and St James’s Park, their name being ‘parks’. On Sundays and holidays you have the entire urban crowd there, otherwise just foreigners and aristocrats.

Green Park is famous among trivia fans for having no flower beds at all, hence the name. According to legend, this was by diktat of Queen Catherine of Braganza, in revenge at her husband Charles II who had supposedly plucked some flowers from the park for one of his many mistresses.

The divine service in the church lasts until eleven antemeridian. During this whole time, no-one is allowed to open windows or doors of the stores, not even to private houses, and the whole city seems to be deep in devout reflection. If one enters the temple, until the end of the service one will not get out of there because the church warden stands at the door and does not allow it. This contrasts greatly with our customs, and especially with those of the Catholics who have made a theatre out of churches and the impious enter and go as their hearts desire, often accompanied by dogs.

In general, the Protestants and the English in particular are more rigid in those matters around religion than the Orthodox. They believe less, but do more for the dignity of religion, which is devoid of all kind of hocus-pocus. In London, nobody works on Sundays, as I saw them do in Paris, not even for the enterprises owned by the State.

The other day I attended the nearby St Martin’s [in the Fields] in order to see the ceremony of the Anglican rite. They are very simple, as those of our Lutherans are. I have noticed something; they read long prayers, as we do in the Eastern Church, then hymns accompanied by organ, followed by a badly declaimed and sleep inducing sermon – well, it is true I did not grasp much besides the occasional ‘Lord God’.

Central London contains fewer active churches today; there are nowhere near as many potential parishioners to fill them. However, Sunday services do still take place at many. I am in no position to comment on the quality of the modern sermon.

St Martin-in-the-Fields with a rainbow that looks strikingly like the Romanian flag. Image: Matt Brown

So it seems to me that the English language does not have pleasant sounds, with which we are accustomed in the continental languages, or maybe it’s just the novelty of English that makes it seem like this to us. With these, Lord have mercy! I occupied two and a half hours counting the number of bald heads and I found only in the hall – me being at the gallery – some 455 of them. Naturally, in the hall one finds the men that have reached a certain age, and at the gallery you have the younger ones, but there were enough bald ones even here.

English men are tall and handsome, but only a few of them will keep a full head of hair due to the dampness of their climate. I really wonder how it is that the ladies have such beautiful manes of hair. [...]

The ‘hall’ and ‘gallery’ here still relate to St Martin-in-the-Fields, that magnificent church that overlooks Trafalgar Square. Drăgușanu would not have witnessed Nelson’s Column, however. It was erected three years after his visit in 1843.

The congregation must have been of extraordinary size if the main hall contained 455 bald heads, when we consider that women and children would have also been present. Perhaps they also tended to use the gallery. The sermon must have been really dull if Drăgușanu was distracted enough to enumerate pates.

[...] We went to see the British Museum. Here you find a treasure of bodies of statues from Egypt, Greece, Italia and both Indies, many rarities, all ordered nicely by their country of origin and their times. If they are not taken by force, so I was told, they are bought with the gold of their wealthy lords and with the intention of offering them to the national museum.

I found extraordinary the petrified skeletons of the antediluvian animals: mastodons, mammoths, and ichthyosaurus, then in the court the skeleton of a real whale, as long as a huge ship, whose bones look like aged fir tree beams. I also went to see the cathedral of St Paul’s, an architectonic monument, similar to St Peter’s in Vatican, albeit much smaller, and besides some secular monuments inside, it is scarcely decorated.

Until 1881, the British Museum in Bloomsbury was home to a large collection of animal specimens. These moved to the newly built Natural History Museum in South Kensington that year. The NHM retained official connections to the British Museum until 1963.

St Paul’s is indeed much smaller than St Peter’s, though it has gained in opulence since Drăgușanu’s visit. The Victorians agreed with his assessment that it was too plain, and set about gilding and mosaic-laying with determination. My favourite adornment is the Quire roof, which was smothered in colourful mosaics by William Blake Richmond, in the final years of the century. (He was named after the more famous William Blake.)

The Quire roof mosaics by William Blake-Richmond, completed 1904. Image: Matt Brown

From here we rode to the Zoological Garden, where is situated the enclosure for beasts of all creation; the richest in Europe. They have here four elephants and six giraffes, very beautiful. It was very funny though when I was shown a buffalo as a curious beast, and funnier still it was when I told the guide there that my father back home has a grange full of such beasts, and I was raised with buffalo’s milk.

This, of course, is London Zoo at the top of Regent’s Park. The zoo was still a new organisation at the time of the Romanian’s visit. It had opened in 1828 and got its first elephant, ‘Jack’, in 1831. Before 1847, access to the zoo was restricted to Fellows of the Zoological Society, or to those who could acquire a ‘written order’ from a Fellow. Presumably, Drăgușanu was connected enough to acquire one.

Leaving that place, we went to the Royal Polytechnic Institution, a place where they conduct physics-chemical experimentation in front of an audience, in which real lightning was produced. A young man, elegantly dressed, stepped into an insulated fabric contraption with a long breathing tube, and he threw himself into a basin 10ft deep, full of water from where he collected in ten minutes the coins thrown in by the audience. He then came out with the money in a receptacle, applauded by the crowd, stepped out of the fabric contraption and he was as brand new.

The Royal Polytechnic Institution was another new landmark for London, having opened just two years before Drăgușanu’s visit. Its buildings could be found between Regent’s Street and Cavendish Square. This was a place where Londoners (and visitors) could enjoy demonstrations of a technical or scientific bent — both via formal study or in public shows. Spectacles of the time including underwater stunts like the one described, and some of the earliest demonstrations of photography.

The following day we went to see another place, called ‘Box hall’, where a species of English gladiators fight with their fists face-to-face, raining blows on each other’s nose and stomach. I saw one oozing blood from his nose and mouth like a slaughtered animal, and some other two who had passed out, lying on the ground. This filled me with nausea so I left that place. The English like this kind of barbarous fight and clap their hands and even place bets on their preferred fighters.

Bare-knuckle boxing was a common diversion in 1840s London. It’s not clear from the name ‘Box hall’ what the venue was in this case. One contender would be the still extant Lamb and Flag pub in Covent Garden. This was nicknamed the ‘Bucket of Blood’ for the gory pugilism staged on its upper floor and courtyard. Or perhaps Box Hall is simply a Romanian mis-hearing of Vauxhall?

[...] Finally, I went to see the tunnel under the Thames, one of the wonders of the world, which surpasses those of the most praised of the ancient world. After the city of London expanded greatly towards the mouth of the Thames, there was a lack of stable communication between the two sides of the river, and they could not build a bridge because it would have disturbed the entry of the ships in the port of London – the London Docks. Thus they have made a society to build a road under the water, and this was made by a Frenchman called Brunel. It has an entry with two arches.

Well, we know all about this one, don’t we, regular readers? Marc Brunel’s Thames Tunnel between Wapping and Rotherhithe today carries the Windrush line beneath the Thames, but it started out as a pedestrian tunnel. Work began on it around 200 years ago in 1825. It was still three years from opening in 1840 when Drăgușanu was in town, but for a small fee the public could descend into one of the tunnel shafts to see the work in progress.

Very strange was an English habit, which I found later on is something natural. We were hot after all our excursions, so [our guide] took us to a cafe, in order to cool down. On the spot, we were served with hot tea, while I was waiting, as is our custom, for lemonades, orangeade, or cold sorbet. The English are very practical homeopaths, fighting fire with fire; we’re not so experts in this field yet.

I’m sorry. What is odd about this? Surely everyone enjoys a hot cup of tea after every activity?

By 1840, better shipping and supply chains had brought down the cost of tea (and sugar) considerably, to the point where it had become a household staple, even among the working classes. The sugary beverage aided nutrition and, because it required near-boiling water, was safer to drink than the untreated cackmixture that came out of the public water pump. Tea was not just a quaint English custom, but a life-saver.

Last night I have been at Covent Garden theatre, a hall as resplendent as possible, and I attended an opera in the English language, but the song was not at all to my liking, screeching in my ears with such a great number of monosyllabic words. They say the shortness of English words is adapted to nautical command, and the English wonder how come other nations can evolve without the concision granted only to their language. Yet I believe that the English shan’t ever accommodate their tongue to singing, because harmony requires sonorous, clear vowels, not swallowed and sneezed sounds such as theirs.

I think Elton John, Adele, David Bowie, Kate Bush, Shirley Bassey, Ed Sheeran, Amy Winehouse, three-quarters of the Beatles and a thousand other international chart toppers might like a word about that last sentence. (What do you mean Shirley Bassey is Welsh?)

Undoubtedly, Great Britain is the most civilised state in the world. I have observed this closely in London – you will not find soldiers here. Either there is not much of an army, or regular soldiers are allowed to don civil clothing when not on duty. But you can find on the streets the so-called ‘constables’, a sort of policemen armed only with short truncheons, filled with lead, and with the arms of the realm at one end. Everybody tries to respect them, even if one is arrogant, otherwise people will have the occasion to experiment on their own skin the specific weight of the lead helped by the constable.

The first part, happily, is still true. It is rare to see soldiers on the streets of London, unless in a ceremonial role. Long may that continue. The ‘constables’ were the early Metropolitan Police. Drăgușanu’s visit was well timed in this respect. Although various forms of policing had been around since the mid-18th century (the “Bow-Street Runners”, for example), it was only in 1839 — a year before Drăgușanu arrived — that the force was consolidated into one London-wide metropolitan constabulary. Their truncheons (usually of hardwood but often incorporating lead) always carried the royal crest, as a reminder of police authority.

The core of London, called The City, is formed especially by small shops, as small as shells, whose owners are all millionaires. They only keep here samples of merchandise, and they all own factories so big so they could equip twenty ships in any port of the world, for a whole week. These merchants with their money keep the whole rule of England and they put the pressure on the political barometer of the world, according to their own interests.

I find this insight particularly intriguing. It’s easy to imagine our 19th century ‘nation of shopkeepers’ as humble tradespeople, each with their own small outlet and limited stock. But as Drăgușanu attests (with exaggeration), the reality could be more corporate. This was especially true in the Square Mile, where land values, then as now, were prejudiced against smaller operations. Coincidentally, Dickens’s The Old Curiosity Shop, which begins in a shop of very meagre wealth, was published in the same year as Drăgușanu’s visit.

Besides the fact that the English have plenty of money, they are also men of their word, and solid as metal, and are unnervingly exact. The English are not speculative by need, as other nations, but by nature, so everything is possible for them. The English do not change their nature, and remain faithful to it until the day they die.

Again, I’m not sure Little Nell, or Oliver Twist (published the year before), or any of the real-world denizens of Whitechapel or St Giles, would agree that the English have plenty of money. I suspect that Drăgușanu, quite understandably, did not stray into these more impoverished quarters.

The originality of English clothing, way of life, and products, all show simplicity pared with solidity. This is how they say that all which is simple and elegant is ‘à l’anglaise’, meaning according to English tastes.

I reckon this is still a facet of the national identity and/or stereotype — simplicity and solidity rather than flamboyance.

In the English urban society you cannot show your face without scandalising the others unless you wear a black suit with white tie. At the royal court and high lords, even nowadays one must wear tight trousers, silken socks and shoes. Otherwise, shoes are not important at all, because the English, far from excelling in this domain, will even wear riding boots.

I’m sure plenty of women were able to show their faces without the need for a black suit and white tie, but what do I know? I’m also surprised this gendered sartorial summary does not include hats. These were the glory days of the top hat, which had begun its hilarious evolution into the Brunellian stovepipe. The silk toppers would have been the crowning glory of any gent-about-town, but they don’t seem to have made an impression on Drăgușanu.

There is plenty to be seen in this huge city, and I have described plenty. I only have to tell you something about English food.

It is simple, as everything English, but very rich – I mean, all their food is made of steaks, really not done at all, maybe only licked once by charcoal fire. The meat is wonderful, most tender, because they do not work their land with their horned beasts, and game is kept in parks, where it gets fat. But, as I say, from the steak heated-up blood is dripping, and they could eat it if they feel like it, otherwise they say it is ruined by continental tastes. Along with the roast beef comes, generally, the plum-pudding, a sort of Romanian ‘mamaliga’ made out of fine flour, which is very thick and has plums in it, hence the name. For the high houses, it is made with sweet sultanas. Then come potatoes, boiled, and served whole, with their skin on, then bread, fresh butter, and this is all. Soups, sauces, salads, and other thousands of delicacies are kept in contempt, not to mention sauerkraut and pork scratchings.

This is such a glorious description of English eating habits of the time. Something of this simplicity existed (exists?) into our own era. I remember endless ‘meat and two-veg’ dinners while growing up. Soups and sauces were indeed regarded with suspicion; I don’t think I’d tried anything more exotic than ketchup or gravy until I went to university, and my childhood salads were entirely ignorant of the existence of dressing.

The national drink here is beer, which comes in two varieties: porter and ale, both excellent, although porter is inimitable, but a bit too strong; so normally people have ale. The wines are brought from foreign countries, and only fine wines, because of the import duty, so cheap wines would not bring profit; also, the English do not fake their drinks. The wines drunk here are generally Spanish or Portuguese, as Porto, Madera, Sherry, and Malaga.

Wait, I thought the national drink here was tea? But I’m not arguing. Porter and ale and other persuasions of beer are still drunk in huge quantities throughout London. Less so the Iberian tipples that end the paragraph.

Although simple, English cuisine is richer than anywhere else in Europe.

The English are the greediest people in the world when it comes to food. In the morning, as they wake up, they have tea or coffee, at ten in the morning they have a beefsteak and beer, the lunch is meagre, at two o’clock; they have tea again at five o’clock, and will have a hefty dinner at nine in the evening, often followed by some punch.

This way of eating was introduced on the continent, in the places where the English flock around, because they do travel a lot, having business everywhere in the world. When they are abroad, the English live better, having living costs reduced by half comparing to their own land, where everything costs.

Oh dear, it seems the ‘English abroad’ phenomenon was alive and well 185 years ago. To this day, we have a reputation for wanting English food and English-speaking hotel and restaurant staff wherever we may roam.

The last words: the French call themselves Monsieur (wherefrom the Germans call some soldiers ‘mouser’, from the French-speaking Belgians); the English call themselves John Bull [...].

And with that, this John Bull is signing off to cook the family dinner. A not-very-bloody vegetarian roast, since you ask.

My warmest Mulțumesc to Mihai Risnoveanu for sharing this translation. And thanks to you for reading!

Londoners interested in discovering more about Romanian culture might like to browse the upcoming events of the Romanian Cultural Institute in Belgrave Square. This is distinct from the independent Romanian Cultural Centre, which seems to be less active than it once was.

This is a sponsored article on behalf of Hobbledown Heath.

One corner of west London is about to get a seasonal makeover, as Hobbledown Heath's legendary Pumpkin Patch returns.

Now a staple of autumn in the capital, this year's Pumpkin Patch is bigger than ever, with new photo installations for snapping a family pic, and a new games area — and we're giving away tickets to the fun!

Once again, you can wander among pumpkins of all shapes, sizes and colours in the meadow alongside the River Crane in Hounslow. Eye them all up, grab a wheelbarrow and select your gourds to take home, whether you're after a classic orange pumpkin, or something a bit more unusual.

Keep your eyes open for roaming characters, bubble shows, children's performers, juggling and live music throughout the meadow — the whole family is looked after. Street-food vendors — an expanded selection from previous years — are on hand to keep everyone fuelled for their autumn adventure.

When we say the Pumpkin Patch is for 'the whole family', we mean the whole family. There are dog-friendly days on 2, 9 and 15 October, when you can bring four-legged friends along to explore the patch (making for some very cute snaps at the themed photo points!).

Hobbledown Heath's atmospheric Pumpkin Nights are back for 2026 too. Visit the Pumpkin Patch as daylight fades to wander among illuminated pumpkins and glowing lanterns — an unusual twist on picking your pumpkin, and a great chance to get some unusual pictures too.

Head to Hounslow to visit the Pumpkin Patch, or make a full day of it: bundle tickets are available so your little ones can let loose on Hobbledown Heath's indoor and outdoor adventure play zones, zoo and farm animals while you're there too.

Win tickets to Hobbledown Heath's Pumpkin Patch

Sounds gourd, right? One lucky Londonist reader can win a family day out for four at Hobbledown Heath's Pumpkin Patch — which should make you very popular with your little ghosts and ghouls this Halloween and October half term. The prize includes:

• Entry to Hobbledown Heath and the Pumpkin Patch for up to four people
• 50% off food and drink at Hobbledown Heath during the visit
• 20% off purchases in the Hobbledown Heath shop
• One marble for each child in the winning party to experience the fantastic marble runs

For a chance at winning, simply fill in the form below. The competition closes at 11.59pm on 21 September 2026. Good luck!

South Wimbledon station looking all shiny and new in 1926 © TfL from the London Transport Museum collection

"LONDON'S FREEDOM FOR THE S.W SUBURBS."

So screams Charles Paine's retina-scorching 1926 poster, heralding the brand new extension of the Northern line* — back then, making it the longest railway tunnel anywhere.

This weekend marks 100 years since seven genre-shatteringly handsome Charles Holden stations** made their debut, as London's south-western suburbs were firmly plugged into the network.

Charles Paine’s 1926 poster for the opening. © LTM

People are (rightly) excited about this anniversary. Someone's even baked a Tooting Bec station cake. But if you can't wangle a slice of that, there's plenty of action to be had on the Northern line itself this Saturday (12 September), where TfL has organised a free Northern Line Morden Extension Centenary Treasure Hunt, as part of Open House festivities.

Picking up a clue pack at Morden station, you'll need to work your way through questions, and hop between the seven Holden stations, with TfL Ambassadors waiting at each, to check your answers and stamp the clue pack before you move on.

Junior Transport Secretary J T C Moore-Brabazon riding the first train to arrive at Morden. Fun fact: he was also an aviator who once took a pig in a basket on his plane, to prove pigs could fly.  © LTM.jpg

The hunt — which is not a race; you've got four hours to complete it — concludes at Clapham South station, where there's a chance to win a prize, although only if you've answered all the clues correctly!

Northern Line Morden Extension Centenary Treasure Hunt, starts at Morden station, 12 September 2026, 11am-3pm, free

*Or at least, the line that would become known as the Northern line.

**Pedants' note: Balham didn't open till that December

A guide to the London 2028 Mayoral elections.

The race for City Hall will soon hot up. Image: Matt Brown

When are the next London Mayoral Elections?

4 May 2028. Cue lots of tired jokes about it coinciding with Star Wars Day.

Who are the main candidates?

Labour: Sir Sadiq Khan has made noises about once again entering the race. Khan will have served 12 years as Mayor of London by this point, four more than any previous incumbent. However, he was recently appointed a Lord, and may well decide to move on to pastures new (or old and erminey).

Were Khan to drop out, we'd probably see quite a few names put themselves forward. Brent East MP Dawn Butler has already indicated that she would stand if Khan were to step aside (slogan: "a new Dawn for London"). Others would no doubt follow. David Lammy MP might be among them.

Dawn Butler MP. Image: Richard Townshend, Creative Commons

Conservative: Here, the most high-profile contender is Sir James Cleverly MP, who recently quit the Shadow Cabinet to build support for a Mayoral bid. Cleverly knows the territory well, having served as an Assembly Member for eight years (2008-2016). His time as both Home Secretary and Foreign Secretary make him a formidable figure, though his background as a staunch Brexiter won't help endear him to the London electorate.

Westminster councillor Festus Akinbusoye, who was also Britain's first black police commissioner, has also indicated his intention to stand. Other candidates will no doubt emerge soon. Justine Greening and Nickie Aiken are often touted, as is Seb Coe, the former athlete and London Olympics supremo who certainly has plenty of recognition among the wider public.

James Cleverly while Home Secretary. Image: UK Home Office, Creative Commons

Reform UK: In a decisive move in January 2026, the party put forward Westminster councillor Laila Cunningham as their candidate, without any internal election.

Lib Dems: No one has formally put themselves forward.

Greens: No one has formally put themselves forward.

Independents: Respected architectural journalist and former chair of the London Society Peter Murray has opened an independent campaign. Numerous other independents will likely follow suit, with comedian James Corden an unlikely possibility, and disgraced egoist Russell Brand an even more unlikely prospect.

Is this just a mayoral election?

Importantly, the election day is not just to determine the new Mayor. Londoners will also vote for London Assembly members — 25 in total.

What does each major party candidate stand for?

Unknown. We're still to far away from the election for any candidate to set out detailed plans. That said, both Cleverly and Cunningham have spoken out about the capital's increasing unaffordability, particularly around home ownership.

Quick reminder: Who were the previous Mayors of London?

Only three people have served as Mayor of London since the role was created at the turn of the millennium. The election takes place every four years (with one anomaly caused by Covid).

• Ken Livingstone ruled the roost from 2000 until 2008, having performed a similar role as head of the Greater London Council in the 1980s.
• Boris Johnson succeeded him in 2008, and remained in post for two full terms until 2016. (Although some would say his attentions had wandered elsewhere in the final years.)
• Sadiq Khan took on the mantle in 2016. He was re-elected in 2021 in an election delayed for a year because of Covid-19. He was once again returned to City Hall in the 2024 election.

Image: Matt From London, Creative Commons

What powers does the Mayor of London actually have?

For such a high-profile position, the Mayor of London has surprisingly limited direct authority — and most of this power is concentrated in a few pockets: transport, policing and housing.

And they can't just do as they please. The Mayor's initiatives are scrutinised and held to account by the London Assembly. Mayor and Assembly together form the Greater London Authority (GLA), which works closely with local councils and is required to follow central government guidance.

So while a Mayor has the power to, say, develop planning strategy, it's down to local councils to approve this — and, in turn, central government is in control of how these councils are allowed to raise the requisite funds.

This could change significantly in coming months. Prime Minister Andy Burnham (former Mayor of Manchester) wants to give city mayors greater powers over planning decisions, in addition to enjoying more 'fiscal devolution' (more cash from income tax, tourist tax and local other revenues).

An outline of the Mayor of London role can be found here.

How does Mayoral voting work?

Image: Matt Brown

We're back to the Supplementary Vote system. Voters will be asked to indicate a first and second preference for Mayor. If no candidate wins an absolute majority (i.e. more than 50%) of first choice votes, all but the top two candidates are eliminated, and votes for eliminated candidates are redistributed according to the voters' second-choice candidates.

Most London Mayoral elections have been contested this way. The 2024 election, however, was decided on a first-past-the-post system.

How does the London Assembly vote work?

You'll vote for your Assembly members at the same time as casting a Mayoral vote. Here, you get to vote twice:

1) Vote for a constituency member. London is divided into 14 constituencies, which are typically pairings of neighbouring boroughs, like Greenwich and Lewisham, or Croydon and Sutton. A number of candidates will stand in each constituency, and you select the one you'd most like to represent you. Again, first-past-the-post wins.

2) You also get a say in who gets to be London-wide Assembly Members. Here, however, you vote for a party rather than an individual. Once votes are counted, 11 London-wide Assembly Members are appointed based on party share of vote, with individuals drawn from pre-published lists.

Who can vote?

If you're over 18, registered to vote and live within one of London's 33 local authorities, then you're good. The ballot box beckons for all registered electors who meet those criteria, be they British, Irish, Commonwealth or European Union citizens (with caveats). Find out more about registering here.

Will I need ID to vote?

Yes, voter ID will be required, along similar lines to other recent elections.

Who's the favourite to win?

We're so far off that current polls are almost meaningless. That said, recent polls asking for voting intention along party lines show Labour to have up to a 15-point lead over rivals.

When will we know the result

Barring any mishaps, the votes should be counted and results announced the day after the election, 5 May.

Lottie Chatfield is making her way along the entirety of the Thames in a wheelchair — starting at its source in Kemble, and finishing on the Isle of Grain. Accompanied by her friend Megan, the two are 'Rolling on the River' for causes close to their hearts. They're also learning some tough lessons about the accessibility of the Thames Path along the way...

Lottie and Megan are travelling the length of the Thames one section at a time, and aim to complete their Rolling on the River challenge in late September. Image: Rolling on the River

Megan and I met up one Wednesday after work in Walton and decided to do a leisurely 6km wheel/walk along the Thames. While we were doing it, I started thinking, "Why couldn't we do the full length?"

It came at a good time for me, as I was having a pretty rough time personally and needed something to focus on — a challenge that would give me a bit of a distraction from everything else going on.

I think Megan thought it was just a joke. And yet a couple of weeks later we were in Kemble starting the journey. Now, around 170 miles later, we are at Battersea Bridge.

"We packed the tyre with grass, so we could get to somewhere we could be rescued!"

The Thames Path has thrown up more than a few accessibility challenges. Image: Rolling on the River

It's not been easy. There have been many steps, narrow gates and rough paths. The number of thorns that have ended up in my tyres is unbelievable. I'm now on puncture number 15. I even had one day near Radley in Oxfordshire where the puncture was completely irreparable. We were about 1km from civilisation, so we had to get creative. Our solution was to pack the tyre with as much grass as we could to protect it and get us to somewhere where we could be rescued!

We've learned that, for a significant amount of the Thames, the route is simply not accessible for wheelchair users. Even in London, where you might expect accessibility to be better, the signposted Thames Path route has included steps and narrow obstacles. One example was crossing Chiswick Quay, where the route involved a set of steps and then a narrow bridge that my wheelchair simply wouldn't fit through. I had to get out of my chair and bum-shuffle across the bridge to get to the other side. A step-free Thames Path route being signposted through London would be so helpful.

"I honestly think it would have been pretty much impossible to complete this without Megan alongside me." Image: Rolling on the River

We've also discovered that Radar Keys can be used to open some of the kissing gates. That isn’t actually advertised on the gates, so we only found out a few days into the challenge when a lovely gentleman happened to tell us about it. It was a complete game-changer. However, not all the gates are designed to work with Radar Keys, and even some that are have locks that are so stiff they’re incredibly difficult to open. One of our Radar Keys snapped while trying to open a gate!

"We wheeled/walked all the way from near where we live to Brentford, arriving in time for the 3pm kick-off"

Sometimes on the journey, Lottie's had to take her chair apart. Image: Rolling on the River

Although some of the early sections have also been among the hardest, the stretches through the Cotswolds and approaching Oxford have probably been my favourite. They're incredibly beautiful and peaceful, with less of the hustle and bustle you get around the bigger towns and cities. The river feels much more serene, and being surrounded by the countryside makes those difficult sections feel very worthwhile.

However, being a Brentford fan and season ticket holder, the section from Walton to Kew Bridge that we did on Saturday (5 September) was pretty epic. We wheeled/walked all the way from near where we live to the football, arriving in time for the 3pm kick-off at Brentford. What made it even more special was that we passed back through the exact area where, on that original 6km walk, we first came up with the idea of doing the whole length of the Thames. To come back through that same spot having already travelled so much of the route was a pretty surreal feeling.

"Meghan's a pastry chef, so delicious baked goods appear along the route to keep our spirits up!"

"When we started, finishing seemed like it was a million miles away". Image: Rolling on the River

I honestly think it would have been pretty much impossible to complete this without Megan alongside me. Her support and encouragement have been a huge part of keeping me going, particularly on the days when I've been struggling or questioning whether I can carry on. She's also a pastry chef, so there's the added benefit of having some absolutely delicious baked goods appearing along the route to keep our spirits up!

Once we've completed the challenge? Maybe we'll do the Thames Path in reverse... But honestly, we haven’t fully planned it yet! When we started, finishing seemed like it was a million miles away, but it's slowly creeping up on us, so I think we probably need to start thinking about it.

We're due to finish on Saturday 26 September, so we might see if some family and friends want to come and join us for the final stretch. Then we'll probably go for a nice dinner and, most importantly, relax!

You can support Lottie and Megan by contributing to their Rolling on the River fundraiser. Megan's charity is the Little Princess Trust, for which she's also donating her hair for wigs. Lottie's is the Valley End Cricket Club Rascals: "When I first became ill and started using a wheelchair, my life was turned completely upside down. Thankfully, the cricket club I'd been part of since I was a kid had a thriving disabled section called the Rascals. They welcomed me with open arms, and that has been genuinely life-changing. I'm now incredibly proud to be the Surrey and GB Wheelchair Cricket captain."

Alexandra Palace goes big for Bonfire Night with a Fireworks & Drone Festival. Image: Josette Crispin/Alexandra Palace

London's bonfire night fireworks are among the most spectacular in the country — and once again this autumn, they return with a bang.

Accompanying the explosive entertainment are funfair rides, musical soundtracks, cockle-warming grub and various other festivities.

Here's our guide to firework displays and bonfire night events across London on and around 5 November 2026 (which, FYI, falls on a Thursday this year, so displays are divided between the nearest two weekends, with a couple on the day itself).

Firework night 2026 displays in central London

For obvious reasons, there aren't many firework displays and bonfire night events in central London.

CORAM'S FIELDS, BLOOMSBURY: Coram's Fields is a special little park, where adults must be accompanied by a child at all times. On Bonfire Night, it opens its gates to 6,000 people for a FREE firework display. The 18-minute-long show is accompanied by funfair rides and refreshment stalls. FREE, 5 November 2026

Firework displays 2026 in north London

Drones join the traditional fireworks at Ally Pally. Image: Josette Crispin/ Alexandra Palace

TOTTERIDGE FIREWORKS NIGHT: The gates open at 5.30pm at Totteridge Millhillians Cricket Club, for what promises to be a marathon sesh: dive into the food stalls/kids rides ahead of the bonfire lighting at 6.30pm, and fireworks at 7.45pm. Even then, the night has only just begun: bars, bands and fire pits keep the bonhomie blazing right through to 1am! This one's card only, no cash. 6 November 2026

EALING AND HARROW FIREWORKS: Byron Park is the setting for Ealing and Harrow Fireworks, an afternoon and evening event incorporating a small fun fair, as well as a bar marquee and a world food arena. That's all open from 12pm, with free entry until 3pm. You'll need a ticket after that, the fireworks sparking up around 7.45pm, intertwined with a Diwali celebration. If you don't book in advance, it's cash only on the gate; no cards, as the event supports the Save Our Cash campaign. 7 November 2026

SOUTHGATE FIREWORKS: Head to The Walker Ground sports complex for Southgate's fireworks, complete with rides, inflatables, live music and warming refreshments. 7 November 2026

ALEXANDRA PALACE FIREWORKS & DRONE FESTIVAL: The daddy of north London bonfire events, Alexandra Palace claims to host the biggest fireworks festival each year. And it's not just pyrotechnics anymore: a drone display precedes the fireworks this year at what's now called the Fireworks & Drone Festival. There's also a funfair, ice skating, street food stalls and a German bier festival. All that, plus dreamy views over the London skyline — even more so if you book to take part in the Summit rooftop walk as the display unfolds around you. 7-8 November 2026

BOUNDS GREEN: The Wild Wolf Explorer Scout Unit in Bounds Green has confirmed it won't be holding a 2026 fireworks event, but hopes to be back for 2027.

Firework displays 2026 in south London

London's bonfire night fireworks are among the most spectacular in the country. Image: Arthur Chauvineau via Unsplash

BLACKHEATH FIREWORKS: After a glorious return last year following a few years without them, the famous Blackheath Fireworks take place again in 2026. Full details TBC at time of writing. 7 November 2026

DANSON PARK FIREWORKS 2026: Last year's display was cancelled last minute, but the Danson Park fireworks are back in Bexley for 2026. Further details TBC soon but we can likely expect a 20-minute spectacular over the park's lake, choreographed to music. Sign up via the website for updates when tickets go on sale. 7 November 2026

BROMLEY FIREWORKS: Bromley High School's grounds host a firework display for the sixth time, organised by the Parents' Association, along with funfair rides, food stalls and a bar. Display at 7.30pm. 7 November 2026

BATTERSEA PARK FIREWORKS: One of the biggest displays in the capital, Battersea Park's fireworks take place across two nights with a full programme of musical entertainment, plus fairground rides alongside the display. On Saturday, enjoy pre-display performances from Rudimental DJ and legendary Latín band Conjunto Sabroso, followed by mega dance party Disco Ceilidh post-display. On Sunday, things kick off with the Lords of Lightning show from Glasto favourites Arcadia and Swiftie tribute act Fearlessly Taylor. After the fireworks, sing along to the Pop Anthems Afterparty. 7-8 November 2026

MORDEN PARK FIREWORKS: Merton Council runs two official firework shows (get them!), the first being Morden Park fireworks display. There's a food village and funfair on site, and two displays in one night — the earlier is aimed at young families; the latter is for everyone else. 5 November 2026

WIMBLEDON PARK FIREWORKS: Merton's second display (see Morden Park, above, for the first) is in Wimbledon Park on the Saturday night. It's a similar set-up, with refreshment stalls, a funfair and two different displays in one evening. 7 November 2026

BECKENHAM FIREWORKS 2026: Croydon Road Recreation Ground is the venue for Beckenham's fireworks display, organised by — and raising money for — the 5th Beckenham South Scout Group, alongside other local causes. There's a quieter display for younger children earlier in the evening, followed by the biggie. Both are set to music. There are also funfair rides and over 20 food stalls. 7 November 2026

DULWICH FIREWORKS: The 'kids for a quid' offer is back for the fireworks at Dulwich Sports Club — making it popular with local families. The 20-minute display is accompanied by the likes of burgers, Indian and pizza — washed down with ale or mulled wine. Live music kicks off at 5.30pm, with the fireworks display at 7pm. 7 November 2026

Firework displays in east London for 2026

Get set for an explosive start to November. Image: Elisha Terada via Unsplash

STOW FIREWORK SPECTACULAR: Stow Firework Spectacular at Walthamstow Cricket, Tennis and Squash Club takes place across three nights again this year, due to the huge demand in previous years. All nights have a quieter children's display followed by a full display, around which there are fire performers, games, a funfair and refreshment stalls. 5, 6, and 7 November 2026

Firework displays in west London for 2026

RICHMOND FIREWORKS 2026: Richmond's annual family fireworks are back at Richmond Athletic Ground. As well as the choreographed display, the event includes funfair rides, and food and drink stalls. 1 November 2026

6,000 swimmers take to the water for Swim Serpentine. Image: London Marathon Events

If you're passing by the Serpentine in Hyde Park on Saturday 19 September 2026, you won't be able to help notice that the water's inundated with brightly coloured swimming caps.

This is Swim Serpentine, an annual event in which some 6,000 swimmers, aged between 10 and 86, take to the chilly waters to swim a variety of distances, between half a mile and six miles.

Some swimmers will have also taken place in this year's London Marathon. Image: London Marathon Events

Hardy participants do the Serpentine Swim as part of the London Classics, meaning they also compete in the London Marathon and RideLondon 100 in the same year (though as the latter is on indefinite pause, competitors can replace it with the Etape Loch Ness instead) .

The Serpentine Bridge is a great spot for spectating. Image: London Marathon Events

All slots for 2026's event — which you can watch as the swimmers set off in waves between 8.15am and 4.50pm — are now sold out via the Swim Serpentine website. However, you may still be able to get a spot via a charity.

Otherwise, head to the banks of the Serpentine on Saturday, and cheer on participants. (The Serpentine Bridge is a particularly good spot for spectating.) Maybe it'll even inspire you to sign up for next year's event.

Swim Serpentine, Saturday 19 September 2026, free to watch.

They're back, baby! Image: TfL

In October 2025 — a year and a half later than initially anticipated — the new DLR trains finally started being rolled out. A few weeks later, they disappeared again.

Last month, blogger Diamond Geezer had a sighting en route to Pamplona. Now, we learn, they're finally being dribbled back out onto the DLR network.

With their walk-through carriages, real time travel information, air conditioning and phone charging points, the 54 state-of-the-art trains, designed by Spanish company, Construcciones y Auxiliar de Ferrocarriles, S.A. should have been a golden moment for TfL.

Instead, the launched proved a damp squib; poor braking performance during wet weather on one train forced the entire fleet to be hoicked from service. That was in November. Now, following the completion of modifications and "a comprehensive programme of testing and assurance", the trains are gradually being reintroduced — with TfL monitoring their performance closely.

Did you manage to ride one of the new trains last autumn before they were unceremoniously pulled from service? Image: TfL

Keen for a ride? To begin with, you're most likely to catch one of the new trains on the Stratford International to Woolwich Arsenal route.

Says Stuart Harvey, TfL’s Chief Capital Officer, "Safety is always our top priority, and we took the decision to remove the trains from service as a precaution while we worked with CAF to investigate the issue and implement a solution.

"I apologise for the delay in reintroducing the trains but am pleased this marks an important milestone in delivering a modern new fleet for the DLR."

Hopefully, in a future not too far removed, we'll be riding these trains on a freshly-built DLR extension, and then, oh how we'll all laugh.

All weekend

Celebrate Southeast Asian culture in Battersea. Image: Charlie Round Turner

FLOWER FESTIVAL: A flower festival at Strawberry Hill House turns the beautiful gothic building into a floral masterpiece. Wander through the house and gardens to view special displays created by floral designers from all over the UK, with a focus on sustainability. 10-13 September 2026

CELEBRASIA: Southeast Asian culture is celebrated at Battersea Power Station's CelebrASIa festival. Browse themed market and food stalls, try your hand at crafts including basket weaving, and watch panel discussions on topics ranging from food and literature to fashion and culture. 11-13 September 2026

HERITAGE OPEN DAYS: Not only do we get Open House (below) this weekend, but Heritage Open Days too. This nationwide programme of events — including 40+ in London — invites you inside hidden places, to celebrate history and culture. In London that includes walks, behind-the-scenes tours, and a chance to visit usually off-limits venues. FREE, 11-20 September 2026

THE BIG BRINE: If you find yourself in a pickle this weekend, make your way over to Hackney Bridge for The Big Brine, a foodie festival celebrating all things fermented, pickled and brined. Taste, sip, crunch and explore various dishes, alongside live music, chef demos and other entertainment. 12-13 September 2026

Permission to step aboard? Image: St Katharine Docks

CLASSIC BOAT FESTIVAL: All manner of vintage vessels moor up at St Katharine Docks (next to the Tower of London) for the Classic Boat Festival. Even if you don't know your port from your starboard, it's a fascinating spectacle, with around 50 preserved vessels on display, including Dunkirk Little Ships. FREE, 12-13 September 2026

THE BIG WOOF: Canine festival The Big Woof returns to King's Cross featuring show-ring competitions and demonstrations, agility and scent courses, workshops and masterclasses, dog yoga and a Cuddle Club. Expect an indie pet market, a pop-up Woof Photography studio, and activities such as a Draw Your Dog session. 12-13 September 2026

OXO TOWER WHARF: Riverside creative hub Oxo Tower Wharf comes into its own during London Design Festival, thanks to its wealth of resident designer-makers. Visit open studios, see 25+ creatives working in crafts including millinery, ceramics, weaving and leatherworking, and buy or commission unique pieces direct from expert makers. Look out for special London Design Festival events too, including demonstrations and workshops, exhibitions, and object showcases. 12-20 September 2026 (sponsor)

PALACE GARDENS: Explore Hampton Court Palace's 800+ acres of grounds for free, including the Great Fountain Garden, the Privy Garden, the Kitchen Garden, the Pond Garden and the Lower Orangery and Terrace. The Garden Opens Days happen a few times a year, but note that the palace interior, the Maze and the Magic Garden Playground still require a paid ticket on these days. FREE, 12-13 September 2026

PAINT! PATTERN! PRINT!: The Fashion & Textile Museum explores the painterly patterns of design pioneers Susan Collier and Sarah Campbell, from first sketches and studio photographs to printed cloth, fashion and homeware. The sisters worked together for 50 years, creating vibrant patterns and collaborating with brands such as Liberty, Heals and Jaeger. Until 13 September 2026

Things get floral at Strawberry Hill. Image: Janne Ford

LONDON PODCAST FESTIVAL: Headphones at the ready: it's the final weekend of London Podcast Festival at Kings Place. Ask The Nincompoops and No Such Thing As A Fish are among the weekend's shows. Until 13 September 2026

CHISWICK BOOK FESTIVAL: Adele Parks, Iain Dale, Jacqueline Wilson, Mary Portas and Sophie Hannah are just some of the famous names on the schedule at Chiswick Book Festival, at venues including Chiswick Cinema, Chiswick Library and Hogarth's House. 9-14 September 2026

OPEN HOUSE LONDON: All manner of London buildings and structures — usually off-limits to the public — fling open their doors for Open House London. Highlights for 2026 include livery halls and City churches, along with a solid programme of guided walks. Entry is free and most venues don't require booking (though expect to queue for the more popular ones). 12-20 September 2026

LONDON DESIGN FESTIVAL: The 24th edition of London Design Festival begins on Saturday, showcasing London as the design capital of the world. Highlights this year include The Pangolin Shield, a large-scale artwork inspired by the endangered species to be installed on the pedestrianised part of Strand, and L-Acoustics, an immersive sound experience at Wapping Hydraulic Power Station. 12-20 September 2026

Sponsor message

Go behind the scenes in the City of London

Image: Claire Takacs

Mansion House, Billingsgate Roman House and Baths, and the opulent Victorian Drapers' Hall are among the City of London venues which you can get a rare peek inside this weekend.

Open House London gets under way on Saturday, with a juicy programme of events in the Square Mile. The fantastic festival allows the public to explore buildings which are often off-limits, and the 2026 programme spans 14 livery and historic halls plus modern buildings and green spaces across eight days. On our radar: Sunday's open day at the Honourable Society of the Middle Temple, where you can visit the Elizabethan Middle Temple Hall, as well as the Inner Temple Gardens and Temple Church.

In addition to open events (some require booking, but many are drop-in), there's an Open House Family Day on Saturday, with free activities themed on architecture and heritage, across Guildhall Art Gallery, the Insurance Museum, London Mithraeum Bloomberg SPACE, St Paul’s Cathedral and Dr Johnson’s House.

Open House Festival 2026 in the City of London runs 12-20 September 2026. All events are free. Start planning your Open House weekend here, and visit the City Information Centre opposite St Paul’s Cathedral to grab a free City Visitor Trail map.

Saturday 12 September

Over 250 boats race down the Thames. Image: Great River Race

WILDLIFE ART EXHIBITION: Annual art exhibition David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation - Wildlife Artist of the Year pops up at Mall Galleries, showcasing wildlife-themed artworks from around the world, from recycled plastic sculptures and intricate pencil drawings to vast colourful oil paintings. All artworks are for sale, with 50% of proceeds going to the charity's conservation work in Asia and Africa, and today's the final day. FREE, 10am-5pm

ORCHARD OPEN DAY: Head to the Queen’s Orchard in the north-eastern corner of Greenwich Park for the Orchard Open Day. Explore the space, participate in a pollination game, and help dress up the orchard's new scarecrows. You can also bring harvested seeds from your own garden to the ‘seed library’, and swap them for varieties collected by the orchard volunteers. FREE, 11am-3pm

TRANS+ CONTRIBUTIONS: The Wellcome Collection holds a day of events celebrating trans activism and community history, including a voguing workshop with artist Bambi Jordan Phillips, a showcase of trans-related items from the archives, and a screening of the documentary film MAJOR!, followed by a panel discussion. FREE, 11.30am-5.30pm

GREAT RIVER RACE: Sort of like the London Marathon on water, the Great River Race is a 21.6-mile dash along the Thames between Millwall and Richmond, with all manner of rowing boats taking part this afternoon. It's free to watch from the riverbanks and bridges on the day — full details and timings here. FREE, from 12.45pm

KEEPING THE PEACE: Humanist heritage expert Madeleine Goodall leads a guided walk through the streets and squares of Bloomsbury to uncover the history of anti-war movements and pacifism. Begin at Conway Hall and explore the lives of those who challenged militarism and worked toward reconstruction and remembrance in the wake of global conflict. 2pm-4pm

PUNK ALL DAYER: The Fighting Cocks in Kingston hosts the high-octane Bit Hot Fest – Punk All Dayer! featuring a marathon line-up of skate-punk and hardcore talent. The bill includes energetic London four-piece Resuscitators, the "culturally irrelevant gruff-punk" of Back Teeth, and melodic Leicester quartet Our Souls, with bands playing through the day and night. A Back Teeth DJ set keeps the party going until 1am for those with enough stamina left for the dancefloor. 2pm

HANDLEBARDS MACBETH: The Sculpture Garden at Dulwich Picture Gallery is the backdrop for the Scottish Play. The HandleBards, a troupe of actors who carry their entire set and props on their bikes, deliver a fantastically funny, bicycle-powered version of the Shakespearean tragedy. Bring your own chairs, blankets and picnics for this outdoor performance. 3pm-5pm

It's an Afro dance takeover in Croydon. Image: Amy Heycock / Red Bull Content Pool

BRING THE VIM: Head to Boxpark Croydon for crew-versus-crew Afro dance competition Bring The Vim. International Afro dance crews from the UK, Belgium, France and Spain battle it out for the title, celebrating styles rooted in the African diaspora including Amapiano, Afrobeats and Afro-fusion. 4pm-11.45pm

ICE HOCKEY: Romford's Sapphire Ice and Leisure hosts a pre-season ice hockey clash between the Romford Raiders and the Streatham Redhawks. This Interleague Challenge offers fans a first look at the squads as they prepare for the upcoming campaign. Choose between tiered seating or standing room to catch the London derby action on the ice. New to the sport, or need a refresher? Here's everything you need to know about ice hockey in London. 5.15pm

DOC’N ROLL DOUBLE BILL: Dalston’s Rio Cinema screens two powerful true stories exploring the intersection of music, activism, and resistance. The programme features More Punk than Punk, which follows Pakistani punk artist Aki Nawaz's response to post-9/11 Islamophobia, alongside After Eight, a documentary uncovering the miscarriage of justice involving Satpal Ram. A post-screening Q&A includes directors Mos Hannan and Azeem Rajulawalla, joined by special guests Aki Nawaz and Nikesh Shukla. 6pm

STAR TREK SCIENCE: A panel of scientists and engineers, including actor Martin Quinn (Scotty in Strange New Worlds), software engineer Dawn Wages and former NASA scientist Joby Razzell Hollis, look at the real science behind Star Trek and how the show has influenced research and technology. Watch in person at the Royal Institution, or online. 7pm-8.30pm

CARA DILLON: Irish folk singer Cara Dillon brings her emotionally powerful vocals to the Irish Cultural Centre in Hammersmith. Accompanied by her long-time collaborator and husband Sam Lakeman, the multi-award winner performs a stunning tapestry of storytelling and song, including her celebrated renditions of Black Is the Colour and The Parting Glass. 8pm

SUBTERRANEAN LONDON: Explore the hidden world beneath the capital’s streets in this virtual tour hosted by Footprints of London, covering 12 distinct underground sites, ranging from ancient crypts and caves to secret wartime bunkers and vaults. The live session includes the history and human stories behind these spaces, with opportunities for audience questions. 8pm-9pm

LATE LATE SHOW: The Boom Yeh give a lively late-night performance at Ronnie Scott's to celebrate the release of their new album, Near Earth Objects. The seven-piece ensemble, featuring a full horn section and musicians who have worked with Jamiroquai and The Brand New Heavies, blends jazz-funk, rock, and afrobeat into a thunderous live set. 11.15pm

Sunday 13 September

Stock up on ceramics in Peckham. Image: Independent Ceramics Market

WELLNESS FESTIVAL: A free, outdoor Wellness Festival takes place at Wembley Park, combining movement, mindfulness and music. Expect fitness classes, yoga, pilates, mindful practices, family-friendly sessions and live music, with expert-led workshops in partnership with local fitness brands. Some sessions require booking — check the programme for details. FREE, 9am-6pm

BLACK HISTORY WALK: Commemorate 75 years since the arrival of the SS Windrush with a Black History Walk around Dalston and Hackney. Trace the area's evolution from the 1950s to the present day, highlighting the legendary 4 Aces club, pioneering housing activism, and the rise of the Black church, and learn about the history of local Black bookshops and the grassroots campaigns that transformed education for Black children in the borough. 10am-12pm

CHILLI FEST: Fire up your taste buds for Chilli Fest at Fulham Palace, a celebration of the chilli plant. Expect market stalls selling home-grown chillis and local produce, a chilli-eating competition, tastings, live music from Banda Bomba, and a salsa demonstration (the dance, not the dip). 11am-3pm

INDEPENDENT CERAMICS MARKET: Browse contemporary tableware, decorative ceramics and affordable work from a range of makers as the Independent Ceramics Market returns to Copeland Park and the Bussey Building in Peckham. It's a chance to buy directly from exhibitors and see new makers in person. 11am-5pm

THE HIDEOUT: Circus, parkour and original music combine in 45-minute family show The Hideout at Artsdepot. It's about making friends, following Luca and Maya as they transform a fallen tree into a secret playground, and suitable for ages 4-8x. 11.30am

WOMEN ON THE EDGE: The Cinema Museum in Kennington hosts a film marathon curated by Lost Reels, telling stories of extraordinary women living on the edge. Watch four feature films screened primarily from rare 35mm prints, including a 30th-anniversary showing of Todd Haynes' Safe and the UK theatrical premiere of a new digital restoration of Butterfly Kiss. The programme also includes a rare screening of the boxing drama Girlfight and the necrophilia-themed cult hit Kissed, accompanied by filmmaker Q&As and guest introductions. 12.30pm

Circus and parkour meet in The Hideout. Image: Artsdepot

DAVID BOWIE AFTERNOON: Celebrate the work of Mr David Jones as club night Feeling Gloomy returns to The Phoenix in Cavendish Square. An Afternoon of David Bowie begins with deep cuts and rarities before building to a final stretch of non-stop hits and sing-alongs. The event features Bowie visuals to accompany the tunes. 1pm-4.30pm

KOREAN BBQ FESTIVAL: Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park welcomes the debut Korean BBQ Festival to Riverside East. The one-day foodie fest brings together a curated selection of market traders and authentic food stalls where you can explore the diverse flavours of Korean cuisine, alongside a programme of live entertainment and dancers. 2pm-10pm

FIGHTING SOCIAL ATROPHY: Researcher and writer Dr Sarah Stein Lubrano discusses how the human brain responds to social isolation, at Conway Hall. Drawing on neuroscience and dozens of studies, she explores why many people have grown less sociable since the pandemic and how the "social brain" can atrophy like an unused muscle — and what this shift means for memory, emotion, and social trust in the UK and US. 3pm-4.30pm

SIP & PAINT MONET: Impressionistic brushstrokes and a themed playlist set the scene for Sip & Paint Monet’s Water Lilies at the London Art Bar in Holborn. Professional artists provide step-by-step guidance as you recreate the iconic masterpiece with a glass of prosecco in hand. All supplies are provided, and you can take your finished work home at the end of the afternoon. 3pm-5.30pm

Catch a concert at Cadogan Hall. Image: London Metropolitan Orchestra

LONDON METROPOLITAN ORCHESTRA: Conducted by Robert Bokor, the London Metropolitan Orchestra performs works by Christoph Schnell at Cadogan Hall. The programme includes 5 Minor Things, Little Concerto for Strings, Piano & Drum Set and Concert Serenade 926 — and the world premiere of Schnell’s Piano Concerto No. 3. 6.30pm

MAKING EUROPE AUDIBLE: The Eunoia Trio brings an experimental blend of contemporary history and music to The Cockpit in Marylebone as part of Tête à Tête: The Opera Festival Making Europe Audible features compositions by Catherine Kontz and Henri Växby that transform interviews with extraordinary historical figures into Lynchian soundscapes. The performance uses reverse speech techniques, multilingualism, and hypnotic drones to explore themes of cultural belonging and collective memory. 7pm

THE GOOD IMMIGRANT: Ten years after crowdfunded essay collection The Good Immigrant became a cultural landmark, editor Nikesh Shukla chairs a live panel at Soho Theatre Walthamstow to reflect on a decade of British identity. Original contributors including Inua Ellams, Salena Godden, and Wei Ming Kam discuss what it means to be "other" in contemporary Britain, with insights from journalist Kieran Yates and actor Vera Chok. 7.30pm

FLAMENCO AT JAMBOREE: Dancer and director Lourdes Fernandez brings a raw, intimate performance of traditional Spanish art to Jamboree in King's Cross. The night of flamenco features an acoustic set-up with guitar, drums, and vocals, plus a special guest appearance by Baha Yetkin on the oud. 8pm

Our pick of free things to do in London this week. Get earlier access to this article, delivered straight to your inbox for free every week, via our newsletter.

Image: Wembley Park

Free film festivals

Peckham and Nunhead Free Film Festival (until 13 September) and Streatham Free Film Festival (until 20 September) run throughout the week, offering screenings and other events at local venues. Watch Paddington 2 at Christ Church Peckham; a selection of short films at the legendary Peckhamplex; The Secret Agent in a beer garden or Vertigo at Streatham Library — among many other options.

Autumn lectures

Barnard's Inn Hall hosts most Gresham College lectures. Image: Matt From London, Creative Commons

After its summer break, autumn term gets under way at Gresham College this week. The historic institution offers free lectures on a spectrum of topics, open to everyone. Most take place at Barnard's Inn Hall in Holborn (though check specific event details as they occasionally move elsewhere) and they're available to watch online too.

This week, Professor Jane Shaw discusses why we need empathy, and Dr Kate Kennedy traces a journey she took across Europe with her cello, to uncover the stories of instruments and their players. Topics covered in the coming weeks include the night sky, the science of puppetry, and 16th-century London dialect. Browse the full programme and see what takes your fancy.

From 7 September.

Star Trek late

Celebrate the 60th anniversary of sci-fi franchise Star Trek with an adults-only evening at the Science Museum on Tuesday. It's a final chance to explore the museum's Star Trek Warp Trail, which showcases objects from the franchise. Also on the evening's schedule: short talks and a 360-degree projection of the Enterprise Bridge for photo ops. Join the Explainer team for a Starfleet-inspired journey through the Space gallery or test your skills on over 150 vintage consoles in the Power Up gaming zone.

8 September.

Wildlife art exhibition

The David Shepherd Wildlife Foundation's annual art exhibition Wildlife Artist of the Year pops up at Mall Galleries from Tuesday, showcasing wildlife-themed artworks from around the world, from recycled plastic sculptures and intricate pencil drawings to vast oil paintings. It's free to view and everyone's welcome — though if you have deeper pockets, all artworks are for sale, with 50% of proceeds going to the charity's conservation work in Asia and Africa.

8-12 September.

Fourth Plinth unveiling

Lady in Blue by Tschabalala Self struts into Trafalgar Square. Image: James o Jenkins

It's all change in Trafalgar Square, as the latest Fourth Plinth art installation is unveiled on Thursday.

Gone is Mil Veces un Instante (A Thousand Times in an Instant), which has been in situ since 2024. In its place, appears Lady in Blue by Tschabalala Self. The sculpture is made of bronze and patinated with lapis lazuli blue, and represents "a young, metropolitan woman of colour".

It's likely to be very busy on Thursday due to the unveiling event, but if you're in the area on Friday onwards — or any time up until 2028 — why not swing by to see it.

From 10 September.

Taste of Iceland

Blue Lagoon skincare samples, a guided cocktail journey and an Icelandic comedy set are among the free events at the Taste of Iceland festival, largely taking part in east London. Yes, it's one massive plug for the country's tourism industry, but there's a glut of genuinely fun stuff going down — including an ingenious exhibition of snaps of Iceland's famously breathtaking scenery, as taken by the 'world's worst photographer'. You'll need to book slots for various events.

10-12 September.

Heritage Open Days

Heritage Open Days is a national festival of history and culture with venues all over the country opening their doors to the public, and this year it includes 44 London-based events, all free (though some require advance booking)... and some rather unexpected.

It kicks off on Saturday with a family day and free tours of the Southwark Integrated Waste Management Facility, as well as a chance to visit the place we once suggested might be the best shed museum anywhere, Dulwich's British Vintage Wireless and Television Museum. See what else is on, this weekend and into next week.

11-20 September.

Great River Race

Image: Great River Race

Over 250 rowing boats race down the Thames on a 21.6-mile route on Saturday. This is the Great River Race, an annual event involving skiffs, barges and Viking-style long boats between Millwall and Richmond. It's free to watch — just show up anywhere along the river bank or bridge along the route. Crews set off from 12.45pm, and you can see when they're expected to pass various landmarks here.

The Great River Race is part of Totally Thames festival, which has a huge programme of events — some paid, some free — taking place throughout September.

12 September.

Palace Garden open days

Image: Martin Tester, Creative Commons

After a hiatus over the summer, Garden Open Days return to Hampton Court Palace. On Saturday and Sunday this week — and various other dates throughout the year — you can visit parts of the sprawling gardens at Hampton Court Palace without paying the usual admission fee.

The Great Fountain Garden, the Privy Garden, the Kitchen Garden and the Pond Garden all waive their entry fees, so get out there and have an autumnal wander with the palace as your backdrop. Note: there's still an entry fee if you wish to visit the palace itself, the maze or the Magic Playground.

12-13 September.

Classic Boat Festival

Image: St Katharine Docks

If the 250 vessels racing down the Thames on Saturday (above) isn't enough boats for you, sail on over to St Katharine Docks (near Tower Bridge) this weekend for its annual Classic Boat Festival. The free-entry event sees dozens of vintage boats, including tugs and surviving Dunkirk Little Ships, moored up for the public to admire.

If you're lucky, some owners/captains may invite you to step aboard and get a closer look. And if that doesn't float your boat? There's plenty to do on dry land, including live entertainment, food and drink stalls, kids' activities and other nautical-themed happenings.

12-13 September.

Open House London

September is PEAK for nosy Londoners. Not only do we have Heritage Open Days (above) inviting us inside various venues, but the magnificent Open House London is back too. This fantastic event sees hundreds of venues, many usually off-limits to the public, inviting you inside for guided tours and open days — all for free. Some of the most popular venues (such as the BT Tower) require booking and have long-since sold out, but hundreds of places can be visited without booking (just be aware that you may need to queue). Browse the map to plan your weekend... and perhaps keep next weekend free too!

12-20 September.

London Design Festival

The 24th edition of London Design Festival celebrates the city as the design capital of the world, through installations, exhibitions, talks and other events. Many (though not all) things on the programme are free: our picks include audiovisual projections onto the exterior of St Paul's Cathedral; and The Pangolin Shield, an installation outside Somerset House depicting the endangered species, made from a bamboo grid shell covered with traditional Indian police shields.

12-20 September.

Wembley wellness

A free, outdoor Wellness Festival takes place at Wembley Park on Sunday, combining movement, mindfulness and music across the neighbourhood. Expect fitness classes, yoga, pilates, mindful practices, family-friendly sessions and live music, with expert-led workshops in partnership with local fitness brands. Some sessions require booking — check the programme for details.

13 September.

London's major Diwali celebrations take place at the end of October. Image: LBM1948, Creative Commons

Vibrant Diwali celebrations return to Trafalgar Square in October 2026, featuring music, dance, workshops and more.

The free Diwali on the Square festival, organised by the Mayor of London, and featuring people from across London's Hindu, Jain and Sikh communities, kicks off early afternoon on Sunday 25 October 2026 (note that Diwali itself falls on 8 November 2026).

Confirmed for 2026's Diwali celebrations are:

💃 An opening ceremony consisting of 200 vibrantly-clothed dancers in the centre of Trafalgar Square.

🪘 Main stage performances throughout the day from London's Hindu, Sikh and Jain communities (last year's highlights included Bollywood Dance School, BAPS Neasden Temple prayers and a live garba band by Chinmaya Mission UK).

Image: S Pakhrin, Creative Commons

🧘🏽 Dance workshops, where you can get a taste of dance styles from different parts of India, ranging from traditional Classical and folk, to popular Bollywood.

🍛 A range of caterers serving up South Asian food, including fusion vegan and vegetarian cuisine.

✨ The Glimpse of Goddesses area, offering an introduction to Hindu goddesses through a live tableau of actors representing Goddess Lakshmi and Goddess Saraswati.

🧒 Activities for children, including a Diwali quiz.

Diwali on the Square 2026, Trafalgar Square, Sunday 25 October 2026, 1pm-7pm. Free entry, just turn up. More information here.

Image: Matt Brown

Antrim Gardens in Belsize Park holds two fragments of old London...

One does not simply stumble across Antrim Gardens. To find this tiny park, you must turn down a side street from Haverstock Hill, and then enter a heavily fenced area that seems to be nothing but a toddler's playground, leading on to allotments.

This local amenity, though, hides a pair of historic secrets. Right beside the play equipment — and no doubt considered to be play equipment by the park's preschool clientele — are two items of architectural salvage, side by side.

Image: Matt Brown

One is a baluster from the Old Waterloo Bridge, which was dismantled from 1936 and then distributed all over the world. The other is a structure from the old House of Commons, burned down in 1834.

The baluster seems to have served as a sundial, though all trace of gnomon has long been eradicated. The stepped structure, meanwhile, is described on its plaque as a 'well head', though if it ever did serve that purpose it only goes down about half a metre today.

The plaque also reveals that the items were 'presented by Mr & Mrs Lionel Barnett' in 1945. ('Mrs Lionel Barnett' was actually called Hilda Barnett.) Further poking finds that only the well head arrived in that year, with the baluster coming along in 1952, perhaps as a marker of Elizabeth II's Coronation. The Barnetts are described as living at Avenue Lodge, St John's Wood.

Image: Matt Brown

The well head is carved with weathered letters. London Remembers suggests that these are 'VR', the initials of Victoria Regina (Queen Victoria), which would date it to the rebuilding after the fire of 1834. However, the lettering more closely resembles a 'GR' to my mind, which would push the stonework back to the Georgian era — perhaps to the works on the chamber by James Wyatt around the turn of the 19th century. Indeed, the objects' provenance is somewhat mysterious. Did the Barnetts who donated it have good evidence that it came from the House of Commons and not some adjacent building?

David Fletcher has taken a 3-D scan of the 'well', which you can play with here (click the '3D' label in the corner of the photo).

Here's a map of how to get to the gardens, if you'd like to go see for yourself.

Your weekly roundup of Londonist news and features.

The Ballot For Wimbledon 2027 Is Now Open

Ace!

Freddie Mercury's London: Visit The Locations Linked To The Queen Frontman

Statues, plaques and studios.

Image: AbstractLakx, Creative Commons

This New Experience Offers An Incredible 800 Games Across Five London Locations

A competitive day/night out unlike anything else in the capital. (sponsor)

Open House London 2026: The Best New Buildings To Visit

Use this filter to find new additions.

Image: Open House London

That Time An Indie Band Scattered £25,000 In Liverpool Street Station

The Taxloss video was a memorable one.

London Cycling Festival Returns - With Events Across 19 Boroughs

Is your borough taking part?

A Tudor Tapestry Map Of London (And Beyond)

Explore the Sheldon Tapestry.

Image: public domain

Bermondsey Street Festival: A Day Of Music, Food Stalls And A Dog Show

Village vibes near London Bridge.

Earl’s Court Great Wheel: The First London Eye

What goes around comes around.

Where To Go Pumpkin Picking Near London: Autumn 2026

Oh. My. GOURD.

Image: iStock/EvgeniiAnd

Heathrow Airport's Third Runway: Will It Ever Happen?

Airport's expansion plans once again on the ropes.

Leadenhall Market Now Has A Tiny Parade Of Shops

And a wine window too!

Image: Jack Hall/PA Media Assignments

Lambeth Fringe 2026: See 200 Shows At This Year's Festival

Edinburgh makes way for south London.

Image: Lambeth Fringe

Looking Ahead: Things To Do In London This Week: 7-13 September 2026

See what's on in London this week.

Plug in at Kings Place. Image: London Podcast Festival

Image: Gresham College

The Future of medicine, the edge of cosmology and the 'romantic history of copyright'... just three topics from Gresham College's far-reaching new series of free lectures.

Gresham College is one of London's oldest institutions. It's put on public lectures since 1597, and is still going strong four-and-a-quarter centuries later.

Lectures here are free and for everyone — you don't even need to book. Just turn up to hear about every topic under the sun... and beyond.

Most events run at Barnard's Inn Hall, right next to Chancery Lane station. The hall dates from the Tudor period, so you'll also get a dose of history with each lecture.

Image: Matt Brown

Gresham College has around 50 events lined up for the rest of 2026, all of which feature eminent experts explaining complicated topics for the general public. The season kicks off on 7 September, when Prof Jane Shaw asks 'Why do we need empathy?'.

Eclectic topics coming up over the next few months include (and this is just a selection of ten):

• Is the HIV Pandemic Over?, Prof Matt Higgins, 16 Sep
• Festival of Astronomical Ideas, various speakers, 25 Sep (all day event)
• The Science of Puppetry, How Real Can They Be?, Prof Robin May and Steve Allen, 13 Oct
• Why is there Music?, Professor Milton Mermikides, 21 Oct
• How Did Our Garden Grow? The History of Hatton Gardens, Vivian Watson, 12 Nov
• Speaking Through Othello: Black Performance and the Training of Feeling, Prof Jason Allen-Paisant, 18 Nov
• Life, Death and Bubbles: The Story of Earth’s Nitrogen, Prof Helen Czerski, 19 Nov
• 16th-Century London Dialect, Prof Laura Wright, 24 Nov
• How to See the World As a Child Sees It, Beckie Darlington and Andy Field, 9 Dec
• The Maths of Christmas, Prof Sarah Hart, 16 Dec

The full programme, including events into 2027, can be found on Gresham's website.

If you can't make it to Holborn, then you can also watch for free at home. All lectures are streamed live, and archived on the college's website.

Will Heathrow's third runway ever happen? And what will be lost if it does?

Plans to expand Heathrow Airport have been taxi-ing around for years without ever taking off. Heathrow is traditionally the busiest airport in Europe and the fourth busiest in the world by passenger numbers (2023 figures). Yet it only has two runways, and it was recently overtaken by Istanbul for number of passengers.

Airport bosses have long wanted to up capacity with a third runway, and business groups have been broadly supportive. Pitched against them are numerous campaign groups who oppose the expansion on environmental grounds, and for the damage it would do to neighbouring villages.

Recently, the saga took a swing towards the pro-runway camp, when erstwhile Chancellor Rachel Reeves indicated that the Labour government was supportive of a third runway. Yet momentum now seems to be building in the opposite direction, with the Mayor of London, Transport for London and several local councils declaring their formal opposition.

Here, we take a brief look at the current status of the plans, as well as the pros and cons of Heathrow expansion.

Where would the runway go?

It would be slotted in north and somewhat west of the current airport footprint, covering much of the villages of Harmondsworth, Sipson and Longford. We've annotated the official graphic to help set the scene.

As well as a third runway, the expansion would also include a new terminal and (presumably) a rail link. A new tunnel would carry the M25 orbital motorway beneath the runway.

Heathrow's official expansion pages can be found here.

Why is it needed?

In two words: economic growth. In slightly more words, a bigger airport means more flights, means more connectivity, means more trade and more jobs, means economic growth. A third runway would also improve the airport's resilience to disruption. Without the third runway, argue business leaders, London could fall behind other large cities in Europe, as has now happened in the case of Istanbul.

What's the latest on the plans? Will this actually go ahead?

The airport bounced back strongly from Covid. The summer of 2024 saw record numbers of passengers using the airport (thanks Taylor Swift), and it is once again operating very close to capacity.

Meanwhile, the political stars seemed to be aligning. Labour were always stronger advocates of the third runway. When the party returned to power in 2024 with an urgent need to grow the economy, talk of expansion immediately bubbled up, with support from then-Chancellor Rachel Reeves.

Yet Mayor of London Sadiq Khan is not so keen. Tackling air pollution through policies like ULEZ is at the centre of his mayoralty, and he has been firmly against the expansion of Heathrow. The recent Draft London Plan (2026) maintains this stance: "Proposals for expansion at Heathrow and other airports should be refused unless no unacceptable environmental, transport, and congestion impacts are demonstrated." Even major airlines have voiced concerns that the project is too costly to be viable.

The airport, meanwhile, continues to make the economic case, saying that the project would create over 100,000 jobs across the country, and that it could be built with 100% private funding.

What are the downsides?

A covid-era protest banner in Harmondsworth. Image: Matt Brown

Heathrow will not find it easy to push through its plans. Numerous campaign groups and high-profile figures are opposed to any kind of expansion. The reasons are many.

• Hundreds of extra flights a day come with pretty obvious downsides. Noise pollution and fill-the-air-with-greenhouse-gas pollution would significantly increase.
• The construction phase will itself be environmentally damaging in terms of both emissions and loss of local wild habitat.
• The village of Longford would be totally destroyed. It contains seven listed buildings.
• About half of the village of Harmondsworth would be destroyed. Its magnificent Great Barn (described by Sir John Betjeman as the "Cathedral of Middlesex") and ancient church would be saved, but would be close up to the perimeter fence.
• Much of the village of Sipson would be destroyed by expansion, and the rest would be at the end of the runway.
• The village of Colnbrook to the west of the scheme would not be demolished, but it would find itself at the other end of the runway, with all the noise, pollution and safety fears that entails. This village contains around 30 listed buildings.
• In addition, five rivers would need to be concreted/bridged over and the Colne Valley Regional Park would be compromised.

A map from Historic England's database of listed/protected buildings. Every blue pin is an architecturally important structure. Most of these would be wiped out (central pins) or right next to the new perimeter.

• Harmondsworth Moor would be lost. As well as a valuable open space and nature refuge, the moor also contains dozens of fragments from the Old Waterloo Bridge, making it a unique historical curiosity.
• British Airways, obviously a key stakeholder in all this, would themselves be inconvenienced. Their huge Waterside office facility would have to be demolished. Two large immigration removal centres next door would also have to go.

Waterside: BA's headquarters are smack, bang in the middle of the proposed runway. Image: Matt Brown

Heathrow Airport's plans are keen to point out that "Significant community compensation schemes and impact mitigation measures" will be rolled out. But clearly, we're talking about smashing a medieval barn's-worth of eggs to make this particular omelette.

What are the alternatives?

Various alternatives to expansion have been mooted.

• Just don't do it, say opponents. Take the economic hit (the numbers are disputed anyway), because the price to the environment and the disruption to lives is not worth paying. We should be encouraging everyone to fly less, not more.
• Expand Heathrow's existing two runways to the west, then lop them in half to create four runways. This still has big down-sides, and does nothing to address environmental concerns, but it would at least save Longford, Harmondsworth and Sipson.
• Expand other airports, such as Gatwick, which would not require demolition of listed buildings and hundreds of homes, nor a costly tunnel for the M25. Plans are afoot to do this.
• Find other ways to expand capacity, such as bigger planes, increased efficiency or more night flights (itself controversial).
• Build a new airport in the Thames Estuary. A roundly mocked idea touted by Boris Johnson a decade ago.
• The giant aircraft carrier approach. Put all the infrastructure except for runways underground, freeing up room for two new runways parallel to the existing ones. Nobody has seriously suggested this... it is a madcap gedankenexperiment I put together back in 2013.

Going underground. Londonist's slightly mad idea of putting all terminals and services underground, freeing surface space for two (or more) runways.

How did we get here? 12 key dates

2003: Publication of a White Paper recommending a third runway for Heathrow.
Nov 2007: Public consultation over plans for a third runway.
Jan 2009: Labour government announces support for expansion, with a tentative opening date of 2015.
May 2010: Expansion plans cancelled by the new Coalition government.
July 2015: The Airports Commission publishes a report calling for a new runway north-west of Heathrow.
Oct 2016: The Conservative government say that Heathrow will now be allowed to expand.
Jun 2018: The House of Commons votes overwhelmingly in favour of the third runway, with cross-party support.
Feb 2020: The Court of Appeal finds the plans to be illegal on environmental grounds. However, this is later overturned by the Supreme Court.
Jun 2019: The airport sets out its latest expansion plans for public consultation. Expansion would happen incrementally, cost £14 billion and take until 2050 to complete.
Mar 2020-2021: The Covid pandemic stalls the plans following the huge drop in passenger numbers. The recovery since has been swift and the stalled plans are now back on the table.
Jan 2025: Chancellor Rachel Reeves backs expansion, saying a third runway is "badly needed" and could create 100,000 jobs. She calls for proposals to be brought forward to summer 2025.
Jun 2026: The Government publishes the Draft Heathrow Expansion National Policy Statement, setting out the latest thinking and seeking views on the proposals. City Hall, Transport for London and many local councils responded in opposition to the plan.