Friday: The weekend's so close, you can practically taste it. But in the meantime, keep yourself busy with this little lot:
MORNING WALKING GROUP: Early bird? Start your Friday with the morning walking group at Poplar Union. It's run by local residents, and meets at 7.30am for a circular stroll, ending with coffee together at E14 Poplar Bakehouse. FREE, every Friday
LAMBETH PALACE GARDENS: If you're reading this in the summer, check out the schedule for upcoming garden open days at Lambeth Palace. One Friday a month between spring and autumn, the usually-private gardens are open to the public, raising money for an elected charity. Read about our visit for an idea of what to expect. Monthly, in summer
GLOBE THEATRE £5 RUSH: One of our favourite London 'hacks' is the £5 Rush at Shakespeare's Globe. Every Friday at 11am, a limited number of tickets for performances at the theatre are released, priced at just a fiver each. They're always 'groundling' (standing) tickets, and the performances themselves aren't always on a Friday — tickets are usually available for various days over the coming week. Every Friday
LIVE AT LUNCH: Head to the Royal Opera House in Covent Garden on Friday lunchtime for Live at Lunch, a series of free concerts and performances by Royal Opera House and guest artists. The programme isn't announced until you get there, but it's a great way to see inside the magnificent building for free. Every Friday. In selected summer months, Opera Holland Park also offers free Friday lunchtime performances, in the open-air on the park steps outside its pop-up venue.
FREE LUNCHTIME LECTURES: Chelsea's National Army Museum puts on an impressive programme of talks and workshops, particularly on Fridays when there's usually a free lunchtime lecture. Subject matter and speakers vary: sometimes one of the museum's own curators or experts focuses on a specific area of the Armed Forces, and other times, authors give a talk about their book or research. Even better, there's usually the option to watch in the museum itself, or online via livestream. Every Friday
HAPPY HOUR: The Latymers pub in Hammersmith holds its happy hour on a Friday, offering 20% off all cocktails between 4pm and 8pm. Every Friday
LONDON CEILIDH CLUB: Get your dancing shoes on and make for Cecil Sharp House in Camden, where the London Ceilidh Club takes place every Friday evening. It's open to beginners and experienced dancers, with a caller to guide you through the steps of the traditional Scottish dance, accompanied by a live band. Every Friday
COMEDY: It's not that tough to find great comedy in London on a Friday. May we suggest:
- The Boat Show at Tattershall Castle, Victoria Embankment
- The Friday Night Show at Up The Creek, Greenwich
- Always Be Comedy at the Tommyfield, Kennington
- NewsRevue at the Canal Cafe Theatre, Little Venice
- The Best in Stand Up at the Comedy Store, Leicester Square
PHOTOGRAPHER'S GALLERY FREEBIE: The Photographer's Gallery near Oxford Circus stays open until 8pm every Friday — and even better, entry is free after 5pm on Fridays only (the rest of the week it'll cost you £8). Still worth booking in advance as that offer makes it quite busy some Fridays. You'll get access to all current exhibitions at the gallery, which is set across five floors of an unassuming former office block. Every Friday
NATIONAL GALLERY LATES: Also open late every Friday is the National Gallery, where admission is always free (though be aware that there's a charge for special exhibitions). There are sometimes special events such as live performances in the galleries, or free talks on a certain topic. Otherwise, it's a chance to view the artworks without the usual daytime crowds, perhaps as a budget-friendly date idea, or somewhere a bit different to meet up with friends after work. Every Friday. Worth keeping an eye on Tate Modern too: it stays open late approximately one Friday each month.
FRIDAY NIGHT QUIZ SHOW: Little grey cells still functioning at the end of a long week? Head upstairs in the Colonel Fawcett in Camden for its Friday Night Quiz Show, complete with pop culture trivia, music rounds, shot roulette and other competitions, with prizes to be won. Sells out every week so make sure to book ahead. Every Friday
VIVA CUBA!: Ronnie Scott's Jazz Club celebrates the spirit of Havana, with Viva Cuba! live music evening every Friday night. A selection of bands and DJs perform on rotation, including Jesus Cutino Band, Havana All Stars and Javier Camilo. Every Friday
DRAG QUEEN POWER BALLADS: Fridays are extra flamboyant at the Phoenix Arts Club, as it's Drag Queen Power Ballads night. Vanity von Glow leads the charge, with crashing drums, blazing guitars and some of the best power ballads of all time: think tunes by Aerosmith, Prince, Celine Dion and the like, performed live and extra loud. Every Friday
HIP HOP HOUSE PARTY: Blow off steam at Big Phat Hip Hop House Party, a weekly club night at Queen of Hoxton, taking you through to the early hours of Saturday morning. Resident DJs play through a history of hip hop and RnB, from the beginnings of the genres to present day tunes. Every Friday
ROLLER BOOGIE: Tottenham-based skating venue Roller Nation hosts club night Roller Boogie every Friday night, playing disco classics along with more contemporary hip hop, house, RnB and Afrobeats tunes. No roller skating experience necessary. Age 18+. Every Friday
