The bells won't interrupt the performance... there are none. Image: Mathias Reding via Pexels

Even if you're one of the lucky few to have explored the gothic revival clock tower that rises above St Pancras station, chances are there wasn't a performance of opera going on at the time.

On Sunday 19 July 2026, you can experience just that, as the charity Opera Prelude hosts soprano Nancy Holt and pianist Weng Soon Tee, performing an hour-long programme of music spanning Dido's Lament from Purcell's Dido and Aeneas, through to If I Loved You from Rodgers & Hammerstein's Carousel.

Designed by George Gilbert Scott as the icing on the cake of the Midland Grand Hotel, the clock tower has long housed a private apartment, featuring a 10-metre-tall living room; this is in fact a false bell-chamber, designed to give the tower height. The clock tower has no actual bells in it though, as it turns out, the false chamber provides a stunning space for belting out a few arias.

Tickets for the performance cost £35, with proceeds going towards Opera Prelude's work nurturing talented artists.

Londonist went inside the clock tower back in 2015; see the video above for a snoop around.

Opera Prelude at St Pancras clock tower, 19 July 2026

The theatre at its 1925 opening, which starred the famous Sybil Thorndike. Image: Greek Theatre Players

In the grounds of Walthamstow Girls' School lies a unique surprise — a hidden 'Greek' amphitheatre that's been putting on plays for a century.

Built in 1924, and opening with its first production the following summer, the theatre came about at the request of Mary Norris, the then-headmistress, who chose to embellish her school with a Greek-style amphitheatre, rather than the proposed lido.

The 2018 production of As You Like It. Image: Greek Theatre Players

The performance space, today known simply as the Greek Theatre. was constructed primarily by unemployed local men, who worked partly in exchange for food, owing to the Poor Laws of the time.

Explains Mark Greenall, an expert on the theatre: "In the 1920s, there was terrible poverty and unemployment in this part of London due to a massive recession after World War One, which hit the docks and ancillary industries."

The Greek Theatre, circa 2008. Image: Greek Theatre Players

At the time, it was in vogue for prestigious public schools to have theatres like these, but Greenall reckons that Walthamstow's is the only one built at that time in the grounds of a council-run school. Norris was clearly of the mind that her girls could hold their own with the best of them, when it came to highbrow culture.

A 1966 production of Julius Caesar. Image: Greek Theatre Players

As if to hammer this point home, once the theatre was ready to be used, Norris contacted the great actor Sybil Thorndike through a cousin who happened to know her — and Thorndike agreed to play in the theatre's opening production of Medea.

A jovial rehearsal for The Merchant of Venice in 1982. Image: Greek Theatre Players

Chorus parts starred girls from the school, Greenall tells us, many of whom would dash from rehearsals to their exams still dressed in ancient Greek attire. For the inaugural performance, a staggering 800 people turned out to witness the play... although that did include everyone in the school, so a somewhat captive audience.

As You Like It, 1979. Image: Greek Theatre Players.

Through the decades, the theatre has been used for numerous school plays and speeches, and in the 1940s, even staged a dog show to raise money for the war effort and to celebrate Walthamstow's incorporation as a borough.

From 1958, a group called the Greek Theatre Players began staging a Shakespeare play here each summer, and they've done so ever since. A loose collective, the Players hire most of their costumes, and always welcome new members. "We see ourselves as very much a local tradition appealing to people who wouldn't normally think of going to see a Shakespeare," says Greenall.

Henry VI, Part 1, 2003. Image: Greek Theatre Players

The beauty of the theatre — which is ensconced in mature shrubs and trees — reckons Greenall, comes from its uniqueness as an outdoor performance arena, although this also makes for challenges for actors.

Henry V, 2007. Image: Greek Theatre Players

Says Greenall: "Acting and singing outdoors bring extra demands on technique and projection compared with indoor working. The compensation is the feeling that you're working in a magical space when the sun goes down and the lights turn the stone a slight golden colour.

"Those who act here — many of whom have worked in professional theatres up and down the land — will testify that it is a magical and intimate venue."

King Lear, 1997. Image: Greek Theatre Players

Audiences are often surprised to learn of the theatre's existence, even if they're local to the area:  "They're stunned to find such a venue hidden in the heart of the borough,"Greenall says, "The most common refrain is always that they had no idea it was there."

The cast for 1976's Love's Labours Lost. Image: Greek Theatre Players

This year, the theatre stages a production of Shakespeare's The Merry Wives of Windsor (22-25 July 2026). While you can't purchase tickets online, due to 'the unpredictability of British weather', they are available to buy on-site, and the Greek Theatre Players have always managed to fit everyone into their shows.

The Taming of the Shrew, 2021. Image: Greek Theatre Players

Visit The Greek Theatre between 22-25 July 2026 to see The Merry Wives of Windsor. Read more about the theatre on its official website.

What do you get if you combine the greatest English writer with the greatest living English band?

Hamlet Hail to the Thief is undoubtedly a clunky title, but it does at least give a fair representation of what you'll witness: Shakespeare's Hamlet accompanied by reworked songs from Radiohead's Hail to the Thief.

The unlikely crossover gets its London premiere at the Barbican in October, following sold-out shows at the Royal Shakespeare Company in Stratford (the not-London one), and Aviva Studios in Manchester.

Original cast members, most of whom are returning. Image: Manuel Harlan.

According to organisers:

In this fast-paced distillation of the play, Shakespeare's words and Radiohead's songs illuminate one another in thrilling new ways that fuse theatre, music and movement. Personally reworked by [Thom] Yorke, the deconstructed album is performed live onstage by a cast of musicians and actors.

The creative fusion sounds mouthwatering, and begs the question: what other combos might be possible? 'The Taming of Kid A'? 'Much Ado About The Bends'? Or perhaps other artists could get in on the act, like Julius Caesar's Lonely Hearts Club Band, or the interminable 'Twelfth Night at the Opera'.

"Alas, poor Yorke!" Radiohead's Thom Yorke reworked songs from Hail to the Thief for the production. Image: Greg Williams

Tickets for Hamlet Hail to the Thief go on sale to the public at 10am on Friday 26 June via this link, and will be in high demand. Cue puns about climbing up the walls for tickets.

Hamlet Hail to the Thief runs at Barbican Theatre, 31 October 2026 to 23 January 2027.

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Transport for London is part way through a roll-out of 4G and 5G connectivity across the tube network and Elizabeth line.

It was supposed to be complete by now, but issues with testing have prolonged the roll-out into late 2026. The new tech is a big step-up from the, frankly, temperamental wi-fi signals that only work (sometimes) within tube stations. Indeed, the underground's 5G is often faster and more reliable than that on the surface in central London.

You'll get a phone signal so long as you're on one of the four UK networks: EE, Vodafone, Three and VMO2. Your phone should automatically connect, and there is no extra charge.

Around 60% of Tube stations that are underground now have coverage. Our updates are archived below.

Jun 2026: The Bakerloo coverage has increased, with track and platforms from Queens Park to Edgware Road now boasting signal. Non-contiguous sections of Circle line have also been added.

Jan 2026: The first sections of Circle line track are now 5G enabled, between Blackfriars and Mansion House as well as Notting Hill Gate and Bayswater. Euston Square and Battersea Power Station stations have been added, though not yet the track out from them.

Jul 2025: Half a year on from our last update, and some fairly big chunks have been added. The Northern line now has coverage from Stockwell down to the southern end of the line, with Bank to Euston also added. The Victoria line has gained signal between Vauxhall and Pimlico.

Jan 2025: The Bakerloo line is now furnished with 5G between Piccadilly Circus and Embankment. Also, the section of Northern line tunnel between Stockwell and Balham is live, with coverage also possible on the platforms at Oval.

Dec 2024: The entire Elizabeth line now has signal. Most deep-level tubes in the central section are also hooked up.

July 2024: In a major update, all of the Elizabeth line from the western portal beyond Paddington through to Liverpool Street now has coverage. Further progress has also been made on sections of the Northern and Piccadilly lines,

May 2024: Central line now complete from Holland Park to Bank. Signal available in all Elizabeth line stations, if not yet the tunnels. Covent Garden station added.

December 2023: Goodge Street station is added, along with Northern tunnels from Belsize Park to Camden Town, and Central line tunnels between Tottenham Court Road and Holborn. Four Elizabeth line stations have been added: Bond Street, Tottenham Court Road, Farringdon and Liverpool Street.

September 2023: Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road are added, along with the Central line track between them. TfL also announces lots of imminent expansions, including the whole of the Elizabeth line, much more of the Northern line and parts of the Piccadilly. Euston's Charing Cross platforms were later added.

June 2023: Mornington Crescent has been added to the network. The tunnels between Camden Town and MC should be kitted out soon.

May 2023: Camden Town has been added to the network. With the eastern stretches of the Jubilee line, and short sections of the Central and Northern lines, approximately 10% of subsurface stations now have access. Mornington Crescent, Oxford Circus and Tottenham Court Road are promised next.

This feature first appeared in June 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.

Baker Street: the best preserved platforms from the original 1863 opening. Image: Matt Brown

It all began on 10 January 1863. The world’s first underground passenger railway opened to the public. The origins of the Metropolitan Railway, from Paddington to Farringdon, are well documented. So instead of rehashing that, we’d instead like to dig into some notable and unusual ‘firsts’ on the railway. We’ll start with the more serious stuff, then get gradually more lighthearted.

The first accident on the underground railway

Farringdon station was the scene of the very first crash on the running railway. The collision happened on Friday 27 February 1863, just seven weeks after the line opened. A departing train struck another coming in from Paddington, after an error by a pointsman had sent it down the wrong track. We learn from news reports that around 25 people were injured, often with cuts to the head and face. Mr James Best and Mrs Charlotte Shortland received the most serious injuries, and we may consider them to be the first passengers to be harmed while riding the London Underground.

The line was cleared and reopened within half an hour. Today, it would (rightly) have been declared a major incident with serious ramifications, but the Victorians just got on with things.

First fatal accident on the railway

It would be almost four years before the first fatal accident on the Metropolitan Railway. The location was again just outside Farringdon, but this time in the opposite direction at Barbican station, then called Aldersgate Street.

The tragedy occurred on 19 December 1866. The fatal blow came from above rather than from another train. A four-ton girder fell from the construction site of Smithfield Market, just over the tracks. It smashed through the roof of a second-class carriage with devastating results. One lady, 68-year-old Sarah Johnson, was killed immediately, "her skull having been frightfully fractured and her neck broken". Two other passengers in the car (Henry Lukey and Charles Passmore) and the guardsman (Charles Dant) were thrown onto the tracks. They were found still alive beneath the girder, but "crushed by its superincumbent weight... fearfully mutilated". St Bartholomew's Hospital was mercifully close to the site but the three could not be saved.

Once again, the line was up and running within half an hour.

The first subterranean pickpocket

Crowds of people huddled together on dimly lit platforms made for a pickpocket’s paradise. Petty theft was rife. As far as we can tell, the earliest trial for pickpocketing occurred on 28 January, just 18 days after the line opened. The alleged malefactor was John Rice, a “stylishly dressed” 17-year-old. He was accused of lifting a purse from a Mrs Clementson, who was awaiting a train at Gower Street (now Euston Square) station. He seems to have been acquitted, for he appeared again in court later that year on similar charges (which he again overcame).

The first fatal umbrella attack

Gower Street was also the scene of the network’s first known death by umbrella. While riding the Metropolitan Railway, Mr Frederick Klein got into a heated argument with James Vaughan, who had squeezed into the already overcrowded carriage. “I’m a first-class passenger,” claimed Vaughan, as if that should merit him a place. “If you are, then you have not a first-class tongue,” countered Klein.

After much exchange of insults, Klein alighted at Gower Street. He was followed onto the platform by Vaughan who proceeded to ram the point of his umbrella into his opponent’s eye. The injury proved fatal, but only after a few days of agony. The delay meant that Vaughan could only be charged with manslaughter rather than murder. Bizarrely, he received only a 12-month sentence for the appalling attack.

The first person to ride on the London Underground

Now this would be quite a claim to fame, wouldn’t it? Sadly, the names of the first passengers are lost to history (or hidden in an archive somewhere). We do know, however, that the first trial with passengers who weren’t railway men occurred on 28 November 1861, more than a year before the line opened to the public.

A group of journalists boarded a train at Great Western (Paddington) and took a short run to Chapel Street (Edgware Road). They then strolled through the tunnels to Euston Square, where another train took them to King's Cross. Said one adjective-spewing reporter: "The tunnels, instead of being close, dark, damp, and ill-smelling passages, are wide, spacious, clean, and excellently well lit, resembling more a well-kept street by night than a subterranean passage through the very heart of the metropolis".

The names of the journalists are not recorded, but we do know that the journey included railway bigwigs John Fowler (chief engineer) and WH Wilkinson (Chair), and a secretary by the curious name of Mr Henchman. These, then, are the first named individuals ever to ride on London Underground. We’ve told the story in more depth in a previous article.

In case you’re wondering, the famous image of William Gladstone riding in an open-topped wagon (see below) occurred almost half a year later. This was the first train to run the full length of the line with passengers:

We thought we'd colourise this famous image for you. Gladstone’s the one in the tall hat.

First poetry on the Underground

According to a contemporary Punch magazine, this clunky stanza was pinned to the insides of carriages in January 1864.

PASSENGERS ARE EARNESTLY REQUESTED
NOT TO OPEN THE CARRIAGE DOORS
UNTIL THE TRAIN STOPS AT THE PLATFORM;
OR THEY'LL COME CROPPERS ON THE FLOORS.

Of course, this might just be an invented merriment from the satirical magazine, but I think it’s genuine because the newspaper then go on to critique its clumsy style and verbiage. “The ‘Carriage doors’? Why carriage? What other doors are there to open?”

Punch then goes on to suggest its own, more succinct, messaging:

“DON’T TOUCH THE DOOR TILL THE TRAIN STOPS, YOU ASS.”

First Underground jokes

Punch is also the source for the first witticisms (‘joke’ would be pushing it) that we can find about the Underground. The following appeared in July 1862, about half a year before the line opened:

The sideswipe relates to a series of incidents that saw sewer water pour onto the tracks. The most serious occurred in June 1862, when the Fleet Sewer burst out of its culvert after heavy rain. The damage to the under-construction railway was severe and took two months to make good, delaying the opening.

It’s not that hard to find other ‘jokes’ about the new railway. It is hard to find good jokes about the new railway.

(From Punch, Feb 1863).

And finally, here’s yet another we chanced across from the Western Morning News, 7 February 1867:

Even in the 1860s, that would have raised more groans than guffaws.

The first graffiti on the Underground

In 1864, just 14 months after the opening of the Metropolitan Railway, Mr Aquila John Williams was up before the magistrate accused of writing "obscene words... calculated to pollute the minds of the passengers on that railway" [Cork Examiner, 10 March 1864]. History does not record his selection of phrase. For the sake of argument, let’s assume it was some lewd wordplay involving Lord Palmerston.

He pleaded guilty and was ordered to pay 40 shillings plus costs. In summing up, the judge said he was confident that the case's publicity "would be effectual in preventing such conduct in future." And no one ever wrote a naughty word on the tube ever again.

Sir Ian McKellen unveiled the plaque at Olivier's childhood home in Pimlico. Image: English Heritage

Laurence Olivier already has a statue, a spot in Poets' Corner, and a theatre auditorium named in his honour. Now add to that an official Blue Plaque.

On 10 June 2026, said plaque was unveiled at Olivier's childhood home at 22 Lupus Street, Pimlico. It was here that Olivier lived between the ages of 6 and 11, his father serving as curate at the nearby St Saviour's Church.

The young Olivier was already flaunting his thespian chops. After the actor Sybil Thorndike saw him in a school production, she gushed to Laurence's dad: "But this is an actor. Absolutely an actor. Born to it."

Olivier's statue on the South Bank. Image: Londonist

At 22 Lupus Street itself, the budding actor is said to have transformed a wooden box and a set of blue curtains into a stage, performing songs, dances and dramatic scenes for hours at a time. He would go on to sell out stages across London and the globe. Shakespeare was a speciality, although he also appeared in Hollywood films throughout his career, including Rebecca, Sleuth and Marathon Man.

Said English Heritage Senior Historian Howard Spencer: "What makes Lupus Street so special is that it is where it all began for Olivier, as an imaginative London child first discovering a love of performance. The plaque celebrates the formative home where one of Britain's greatest cultural figures first found his voice as an actor."

"In his lifetime Laurence Olivier's achievements, on stage and on screen, were unique and legendary," said McKellen. Image: English Heritage

Another great actor, Sir Ian McKellen, was there to unveil the plaque. In his lifetime Laurence Olivier's achievements, on stage and on screen, were unique and legendary," said McKellen. "He was a Hollywood star, the first Director of the National Theatre of Great Britain, producer, director, as well as actor."

Last year, a Blue Plaque was erected at the former Mayfair home of Audrey Hepburn.

You never know what you'll see dangling backstage at the NT. Image: Londonist

No animals are hurt in the making of the National Theatre's productions, though it doesn't always look that way judging from a visit to the prop department.

Dangling from the assembly area when we're there is the decapitated head of beautiful white horse. Before it hovered ominously here — the base of its broad neck smothered in stage blood — it briefly appeared above the Olivier stage in the NT's production of Bacchae. Now retired, the lower part of the horse will be recycled, although its head is too magnificent to destroy, and will wind up as a serious talking point some place or other.

A portrait of Sir Larry keeps a watch over Drum Road. Image: Londonist

Stashed away elsewhere in the props department is Pat the 'stunt tortoise' used in a 2003 production of the Tom Stoppard play Jumpers. Pat — who, it should be pointed out, is not a real tortoise — was stamped on and 'crushed to death' night after night, a blood pack secreted beneath its part-detachable shell. So realistic was this death-by-foot, the NT received a flood of complaints from people aghast that a live tortoise was being sacrificed every night. Chuffed with themselves, the props department pinned up every letter they received on the wall.

You can visit this bustling part of the theatre on guided tours of the National Theatre — where you get ushered from concrete auditorium to concrete auditorium, while being fed stories about on-stage mishaps, and Laurence Olivier, the NT's first Artistic Director, bombing around London in his black cab which he spray-painted the same purple as the seats in the auditorium here that was named in his honour.

Almost all of the NT's sets and props are made in-house. Image: Londonist

That's a paid-for experience, but if you're looking for a thriftier alternative, you can visit the NT's scenery and prop-making department without paying a penny. The Sherling Backstage Walkway is open to the public for free Wednesdays and Saturdays, 12pm-6pm every week, affording you an overhead view of the various workshops and assembly areas in which props and scenery — almost all of which is made in-house — are put together, painted, shifted about, disassembled and recycled.

Whether you're an acolyte of the theatre, or just looking for somewhere interesting to duck out of the rain, this a fascinating place to come. You'll see 'Drum Road' a corridor filled with oversized stage bibelots, and overlooked by a giant portrait of Laurence Olivier. Titbits of info are displayed up on the wall (did you know that wigs and fake beards are made from the belly hair of albino yaks?), and every time you visit, there'll be something new to see.

Plus, if you're looking to stage — you can hire everything from suits of armour to hospital beds. Don't suppose you're interested in a massive bloody horse head?

You can access the Sherling Backstage Walkway is open on Wednesdays and Saturdays, 12pm-6pm only, for free. Entry is via the foyer of the Dorfman Theatre.

Keep rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin'... Image: Laura Miller

You've heard of Taskmaster — now here's Caskmaster.

On Saturday 4 July, teams will get rollin', rollin', rollin', rollin' as they compete in the annual Coopers' Cask Race in Guildhall Square.

Hosted by the Worshipful Company of Coopers, you'd be forgiven for thinking this was some ancient tradition stretching back centuries. In fact, the Coopers' Cask Race has only been going since 2021 — and it takes its inspiration from the States.

All 32 team spots have been snapped up for 2026. Image: Laura Miller

"As a Company, we were keen to enter the post-Covid world more outward-looking, more active and more engaging," explains Liam Randall, Upper Warden of the Worshipful Company of Coopers. "Cask rolling came to us from the United States: wonderfully quirky, and a perfect fit."

The initial challenge was finding a suitable course. "We approached the Honourable Artillery Company's grounds, but the groundsman wasn't best pleased. We eyed the Tower of London, only to find the wildflower meadows had just been planted. So we took our cue from the City's great inter-livery traditions, the pancake race and Cart Marking among them, and settled on Guildhall Yard.

Dressing up is optional, but boy did this lot go for it. Image: Laura Miller

"It suits the Company's history rather well: faulty casks were historically brought to Guildhall to be destroyed if they failed to meet standard."

The tradition might be American, but all the casks are made here in the UK, specifically by Jonathan Manby, a cooper working in Yorkshire and one of the very few left in England. They come in different sizes: the hogshead is a size up from a barrel, while pins are the smallest variation — designed for children to roll on the day (this is very much a family event).

And nope, there's no wine, ale or any other kind of refreshment inside the casks. They're empty.

How cask racing works

The calm before the storm. Image: Laura Miller

Livery companies and corporates* form relay teams of four. One at a time, they race up and down the yard as fast as they can, handing the cask over to the next team-mate. Fastest team wins. "We've expanded the track to four lanes, up from three, with teams racing in pools," says Randall.

Reigning champions are the Merchant Taylors' Company, although, as you'd expect, the Coopers' rolling credentials are right up there too. "One year we take it, the next they do," says Randall, "A thoroughly friendly rivalry has formed."

Teams race relay style, in groups of four. Image: Laura Miller

Before a single cask is rolled, however, they're blessed in a ceremony performed by Martin Poll, former personal chaplain to the King. This ritual was introduced following an incident in 2021. "In our first year of racing," says Randall, "the weather was exceptionally hot and the staves shrank. The hoops, the metal rings holding the wood in place, are hammered on by our Coopers through sheer brute force, but to our dismay they began rolling off mid-race, with hoops going everywhere. It was something out of a Carry On film, Carry On Coopering.

"A few well-chosen words, we find, go a long way towards preventing both splintered staves and bruised egos."

Everyone is welcome to come and watch. Image: Laura Miller

Anyone can come and spectate at the Coopers' Cask Race, which is free and family-friendly. And if watching on as other people do exercise proves thirsty work, you're invited to post-race drinks at the Wren Tavern.

Coopers' Cask Race, Guildhall Yard, starts 9.30am, 4 July 2026, free

*All 32 places are now sold out for 2026.

Play board games with the Caribbean Social Forum at the National Maritime Museum. Image: NMM

Windrush Day — 22 June — marks the anniversary of the HMT Empire Windrush docking in Tilbury in 1948, bringing Afro-Caribbean immigrants to the United Kingdom.

Many of those passengers stayed in the UK, settling in London or further afield, finding jobs, raising families and becoming part of their local communities.

More recently, the Windrush Scandal has hit the headlines, with people who arrived on the Windrush and via other means being wrongly detained or deported, despite having the right to live in the UK. It was the Windrush Scandal which intensified the campaign for Windrush Day to be recognised, and the first official Windrush Day was held in 2018, to recognise the contributions made by migrants to UK society, as well as celebrating their heritage.

Here's where to celebrate Windrush Day 2026 in London.

Windrush 26 @ Brixton House (13-20 June)

Brixton House gets the party started early, kicking off a week of Windrush events on 13 June with Come Mek We Larf, a night of African-Caribbean comedy. That's followed by events including a reading of Derek Walcott's Pantomime, in which the staging of a panto between an English hotel owner and his Black Trinidadian handyman turns out to be very revealing about colonial history; and Bringing the Vibez, a free afternoon of DJs, exercise workshops, clothing vendors and more.

Windrush 26 @ Brixton House, 13-20 June

Hackney Windrush events 2026 (14 June-19 July)

Image: Hackney Council

A plethora of Windrush events takes place across Hackney borough, starting a week ahead of the big day itself — and ploughing on well into July. Watch Jah Makin It Happen: A Reggae Musical at Hackney Empire, dig into Caribbean dishes at A Taste of Windrush and attend Windrush Herstory workshops at Dalston CLR James Library. That's just a flavour of what's happening.

Hackney Windrush events, 14 June-19 July

Lewisham Windrush Day events (15-21 June)

Home to many residents from, and descendants of, the Windrush generation, Lewisham borough has a generous helping of events taking place in 2026, including Caribbean dance workshops, community storytelling, carnival headpiece crafting and board games.

Lewisham Windrush Day events, 15-21 June

Lambeth Windrush Day events (18-28 June)

The smattering of Windrush events in Lambeth include a discussion with author Beulah 'Guess' Smith-Coombs, about her memoir They Call Me Guess (charting her early childhood in 1950s rural Jamaica, before her move to swinging 60s Britain), and a reminiscence workshop on the dresses and personal photos of Windrush pioneer Girleyvine.

Celebrations conclude long after the day itself, with the fourth annual Big Caribbean Lunch — a street party-vibe affair in Brixton's Windrush Square.

Lambeth Windrush Day events, 18-28 June

Haringay Windrush Day events (20-26 June)

A couple of great looking Black history walking tours (one in Tottenham, the other along Green Lanes), form part of Haringay's week of Windrush events. The free entry Blockorama steel pan festival — taking place at Lordship Recreational Ground — should get you up on your feet, too.

Haringay Windrush Day events, 20-26 June

Windrush Day 2026 @ National Maritime Museum, Greenwich (20 June)

Image: NMM

As ever, Greenwich's National Maritime Museum goes all out for Windrush Day (or in this case a couple of days before, on 20 June) — with an action-packed day of events at the museum, and in the grounds outside the Queen's House and National Maritime Museum. Events include board games with the Caribbean Social Forum, an actor playing Windrush voyager Pearl Morris and a Caribbean cloth printing workshop inspired by Althea McNish.

National Maritime Museum Windrush Day, 20 June, 11am-4pm, free

Windrush Homecoming Celebration, Kentish Town (20 June)

Image: Love Camden

Ska and reggae, African and Caribbean crafts, sports activities for kids, and food and drink galore are on the docket for the Windrush Homecoming Celebration, taking place on Talacre Town Green in Kentish Town West.

Windrush Homecoming Celebration, 20 June, 12pm-6pm, free

Windrush Heritage Community Family Day @ Lloyd Park, Croydon (20 June) and the Windrush Generation Legacy Association @ Whitgift Centre Croydon (ongoing)

The 'Gaan a Farin' permanent exhibition. Image: Londonist

The sounds of classic reggae, soca, Afrobeat, soul and calypso ring out over Croydon's Lloyd Park on 20 June, for the Windrush Heritage Community Family Day, which also features Caribbean cuisine, children's activities and community stalls.

In Croydon's Whitgift Centre, meanwhile, you're welcome to call in on Tuesday-Saturday to see 'Gaan a Farin', a recreation of a Windrush era front room, dining room and bedroom. Also check out whatever temporary exhibition is on show, and chat to the friendly volunteers here.

Windrush Heritage Community Family Day, 20 June

The Windrush Generation Legacy Association, Tuesday-Saturday, free

Radiate Windrush Festival @ Mudchute Park (21 June)

A day of live music, DJs, retro and classic cars, and community activities awaits at Mudchute Park for the Radiate Windrush Festival — all helped along with servings of tropical punch. The website also promises "great weather", for which you've got to admire the optimism.

Radiate Windrush Festival, 21 June

Windrush Day 2026 @ QUEERCIRCLE, North Greenwich (21 June)

'Queer cousins of all backgrounds' are invited to an afternoon of dominoes, games, food and conversation at QUEERCIRCLE. It's hosted by Queer(ibbean) Domino Project, a setup centring queer Caribbean histories, legacies and culture. Book your space, and arrive hungry.

Windrush Day 2026, 21 June, free

Carrying the Flame @ World Heart Beat, Nine Elms (22 June)

On Windrush Day itself, World Heart Beat in Nine Elms stages an evening of reggae, ska, calypso and jazz, courtesy of pianist Ayo Vincent and genre-blending vocalist, Ava Joseph.

Carrying the the Flame, 22 June  

Windrush: A Journey of Discovery @ Shoe Lane Library, City (22 June)

Patricia Smith arrived in the UK in 1972 and was impacted by the Windrush scandal in 1984. In this free talk (happening in-person and online) she discusses the highs and lows of her experiences as a Windrusher. If you attend in person, you can also enjoy a display of Smith's paintings.

Windrush: A Journey of Discovery, 22 June, free

London, Sugar & Slavery @ London Museum Docklands (ongoing)

Image: Londonist

The permanent London, Sugar & Slavery exhibition always makes for a sobering visit: through haunting diagrams of slaves ships, the letters of Ignatious Sancho and antique sugar loaves, you'll learn how the capital played a damning role in the torture and deaths of some 15 million men, women and children — many who perished in the Caribbean.

London, Sugar & Slavery, London Museum Docklands, ongoing, free

Brixton's Black Cultural Archives (ongoing)

Aptly located on Windrush Square, the Black Cultural Archives (BCA) is home to a reading room, library and exhibition space, dedicated to collecting and recording the stories of African and Caribbean people in Britain. There are several books about the Windrush generation, and the archives also has copies of the 1948 Nationality Act, which gave all colonial subjects British citizenship, and subsequent Immigration Acts which attempted to remove this right. In 2021, the BCA teamed up with TfL to release a Black history Tube map, with each stop named after an important figure in Black British history.

BCA is open to the public, or you can explore many of its records online, as well as viewing digital exhibitions.

In 2023 we visited ahead of the launch of BCA's special Windrush exhibition, Over A Barrel: Windrush Children Tragedy and Triumph (see video above).

Have a Caribbean party in London

Notting Hill Carnival is the biggest Caribbean party of the year in London. Image: Shutterstock

Busspepper events specialise in Caribbean parties in London, including regular Bacchanal Fridays inspired by the pre-carnival parties in Trinidad, with soca music — an offshoot of the Calypso genre — a speciality. Brixton Jamm, Hoxton's Troy Bar and Hootananny Brixton are all ones to watch for regular reggae nights.

And then of course, there's carnival. Over the August bank holiday weekend, the streets of west London will once more shake and jiggle with the sounds of mas, soca and calypso for Notting Hill Carnival.  

Everyman on the Canal screens Wimbledon matches for free in King's Cross. Image: King's Cross

So you want to watch Wimbledon 2026 but you missed/failed at the ballot — and you're not spending the whole tournament glued to a TV screen indoors, while the sun's a-shinin' (hopefully!) and there's Pimm's for a-drinkin'.

Luckily, plenty of London establishments are erecting a giant screen — and possibly a deckchair or two — so you can catch the Wimbledon 2026 action al fresco.

FYI, the Wimbledon 2026 dates are 29 June-12 July. Stick it in your diary. It overlaps with the FIFA Men's World Cup, so better get scheduling your screenings...

Watch Wimbledon 2026 at Summer Screens in Canary Wharf

Bring a blanket and make an afternoon of it. Image: Canary Wharf

As part of the Summer Screens series of events, Wimbledon matches are broadcast for free on a screen in Canary Wharf's Canada Square Park. Grab refreshments at nearby bars, restaurants and supermarkets.

The same screen also hosts free open-air film screenings throughout the summer, as well as Formula 1, cricket and other major sporting events.

Wimbledon 2026 screenings in Canary Wharf, free, check the schedule closer to the time  for Wimbledon 2026 details.

Watch Wimbledon 2026 for free in Covent Garden

Covent Garden brings Wimbledon to central London. Image: Covent Garden

The Covent Garden Piazza, in a collaboration with Lanson (the official champagne of Wimbledon, don'tcha know), sets up a huge screen broadcasting the tennis, plus deckchairs to sink in, if you're quick enough. Screenings are free and strawberries are usually available to buy from pop-ups nearby (we imagine plenty of champers will be too). This one will be very popular due to its location.

Wimbledon screenings in Covent Garden, free, 29 June-12 July 2026.

Free Wimbledon screenings 2026 on South Bank

Another one that's likely to be popular due to footfall: the National Theatre is putting up a large outdoor screen outside its Understudy pub, for anyone to watch the Wimbledon action for free. Mind you, the price of a pint here will have you screaming "You cannot be serious!"

Wimbledon 2026 screenings at the National Theatre, free, 29 June-12 July 2026.

Wimbledon 2026 free screenings at Camden Market

Image: Camden Market

Wimbledon matches are shown live on an outdoor big screen in the Summer Garden at Camden Market, with deckchair seating (100 chairs available) and outdoor table tennis if you're inspired by all that thwacking on the screen. Strawberries are available from stalls in Hawley Wharf.

Wimbledon 2026 screenings at Camden Market, free, 29 June-12 July 2026.

Free Wimbledon 2026 screenings at Hammersmith Summer Festival

Image: Hammersmith Summer Festival

Now in its 19th year, the Hammersmith Summer Festival offers an ideal spot for kicking back and soaking up the tennis action. The big screen pops up in Lyric Square, with deckchairs provided, and stewards on hand to ensure everything runs smoothly.

Wimbledon 2026 screenings at Hammersmith Summer Festival, free, 29 June-12 July 2026.

Watch Wimbledon 2026 for free at Everyman on the Canal, King's Cross

The canalside screen is always popular with Wimbledon fans. Image: King's Cross

Take a seat on the steps at Granary Square (King's Cross) during the Championships to watch the Centre Court action on a big screen that's set up on the other side of the canal. The lawn-effect steps are usually scattered with oversized pillows for extra comfort.

Once again, the screen doubles up as an outdoor cinema, with cult classics and family faves shown for free throughout the summer.

Wimbledon at Everyman on the Canal, King's Cross, free, check website for details of exact screenings closer to the time.

Free Wimbledon screenings at Cardinal Place, Victoria

Image: Cardinal Place

The Garden at Cardinal Place once again screens live action from SW19 with various food and drink offers including a cocktail pop-up from Rail House Victoria and a gelato cart from Emilia's.

Wimbledon screenings at Cardinal Place, free, 29 June-12 July 2026 (except 5 July).

Free Wimbledon screenings at One New Change

Image: One New Change

Head to the ground floor of One New Change shopping centre (right by St Paul's Cathedral) for free Wimbledon screenings. Deckchairs are angled to offer the cathedral as a backdrop as you watch the action on a large screen. A Nespresso pop-up serves white chocolate strawberry coffee, and bar service is available from the nearby F1 Arcade.

Wimbledon screenings at One New Change, free, 29 June-12 July 2026 (expect 5 July).

Wimbledon matches at KERB Sports Bar, Spitalfields

Football is the venue's main sport, but Wimbledon gets a look-in too. Image: KERB Sports Bar

For Summer 2026, KERB Sports Bar pops up at Old Spitalfields Market, and while the focus is predominantly on the football, other sports including Formula One and Wimbledon have been mentioned too. The space is split across an open-air terrace, a Clubhouse indoor bar with eight large screens, and private rooms, with food available from on-site traders Happy Face Pizza and Only Jerkin' Caribbean chicken.

KERB Sports Bar, Wimbledon screening details TBC.

Free Wimbledon 2026 screenings at Spitalfields Market

Image: Spitalfields Market

In addition to the above KERB pop-up, Spitalfields Market hosts its own summer sports screenings. Wimbledon is among the sports being shown on a giant 188-inch outdoor screen in Bishop's Square, Spitalfields Market. It's free to sit down and watch whatever's showing, full schedule TBC.

Spitalfields Summer Screen, free, from 22 May 2026.

Watch Wimbledon matches at 'Centre Court-Yard' at Ham Yard Hotel

Soho's Centre Court-Yard is back for Wimbledon 2026. Image: Ham Yard Hotel

As always during Wimbledon, Soho's Ham Yard Hotel transforms its courtyard into 'Centre-Court Yard' for the two weeks of the Championships, showing matches on a large outdoor screen. Broadcasting starts 11am daily, and booking will be available for the finals.

Centre-Court Yard at the Ham Yard Hotel, 30 June-13 July 2025, from 11am daily.

Free Wimbledon 2026 screenings at Eccleston Yards, Belgravia

Watch Wimbledon with a drink from a nearby bar. Image: Eccleston Yards

Wimbledon in the Yards is at Belgravia courtyard Eccleston Yards, with every day of Wimbledon shown on the large open-air screen, and deckchairs and benches available nearby on a first-come-first-served basis. Refreshments are available from nearby cafes, restaurants and bars.

Wimbledon in the Yards, free, 29 June-12 July 2026.

Watch Wimbledon for free in Farringdon

Work near Farringdon? Head to New Street Square for free Wimbledon screenings. Image: New Street Square

On weekdays during this year's tournament, there's space for 500 people at a time to watch on a large screen at New Street Square in Farringdon. Takeaway Indian food is available from Kaana, and Drake & Morgan's The Refinery will serve drinks.

Wimbledon screenings in New Street Square, Farringdon, free, 29 June-12 July 2026 (weekdays only).

Free Wimbledon screenings at the Piazza, Wimbledon

Want to soak up the SW19 atmosphere, but don't have tickets to get inside the All England Club? Head to The Piazza in Wimbledon town centre, which has a large screen and deckchair seating for anyone looking to tune into the latest game/set/match.

Big Screen Tennis in Wimbledon, free, 29 June-12 July 2026.

Wimbledon screenings at Summer by the River

Image: Summer by the River

Summer by the River is back along the south bank of the Thames, between London Bridge and Tower Bridge, offering free outdoor screenings of Wimbledon and other sports throughout the summer. A strawberries and cream pop-up nearby serves the tennis-inspired treat.

Wimbledon screenings at Summer by the River, free, 29 June-12 July 2026, from 11am daily.

Wimbledon 2026 screenings in Islington Square

Kick back and watch the Wimbledon action. Image: Islington Square

Bag a deckchair or take your own picnic blanket to watch Wimbledon on a large screen in Islington Square. Food and drink is available to buy from local businesses including neighbourhood restaurant Megan's, coffee spot Selv Roastery, and the Bottle Cocktail Shop.

Wimbledon in Islington Square, free, 29 June-12 July 2026.

Wimbledon 2026 screenings at The Refinery(s)

Image: The Refinery

Both the Southwark and City branches of Drake & Morgan restaurant/bar The Refinery install large screens on their terraces, so you can kick back and watch the action with a beer or cocktail in hand.

Wimbledon 2026 screenings at the Refinery Bankside (Southwark) and the Refinery New Street Square (Chancery Lane), 29 June-12 July 2026.

Wimbledon 2026 at Bluebird Chelsea

Once again, the terrace at upmarket restaurant Bluebird Chelsea gets a tennis-inspired makeover — think oversized tennis balls scattered about the place — providing somewhere to tuck into a selection of themed drinks and desserts as the tournament is screened live.

Bluebird has teamed up with official Wimbledon coffee sponsor Lavazza for the seasonal menu, which includes set vanilla cream with marinated strawberries, Pimm's jelly and mint, and strawberry cheesecake and glazed chocolate orange doughnuts.

Wimbledon 2026 at Bluebird Chelsea.

Wimbledon 2026 finals at Venn Street Records

For Wimbledon finals weekend, Clapham live music venue Venn Street Records turns its attention to the tennis, hosting a weekend street party screening both the men's and women's finals on a big outdoor screen. Once the Centre Court drama's over, live music and DJs keep the party going till late.

Wimbledon finals at Venn Street Records, 11-12 July 2026.

Wimbledon 2026 finals at Strawberries & Screen, Duke of York Square

Image: Strawberries & Screen

Picking up the tail end of the tournament, Strawberries & Screen returns to Duke of York Square opposite Chelsea's Saatchi Gallery, with the men's semi-finals (10 July), women's final (11 July) and men's final (12 July) shown on a big screen. It's free, although 'VIP' deckchair seating at the front will be available — details on nabbing that TBA. There's also a pop-up bar from Chelsea Grocer, and an Aesop stall, because Chelsea.

Strawberries & Screen at Duke of York Square, 10-12 July 2026.

Free Wimbledon screenings at BST Hyde Park (2026 TBC)

BST Hyde Park OpenHouse is free, and always popular. Image: Becan Rickard-Elliott

BST Hyde Park is a huge music festival taking place over three weekends in June and July. On the weekdays in between, the festival set-up is used for Open House, a free festival of entertainment open to everyone, offering live music, film screenings... and Wimbledon screenings on certain days of the tournament (though sadly not finals weekend).

Food stalls and pop-up bars are scattered throughout the site, and with the entertainment running concurrently, you could always wander off and find a spot of samba or a live DJ set if it's a bit of a slow match.

Wimbledon screenings at BST Hyde Park. 2026 details TBC.

Pubs in Wimbledon showing tennis

Reckon this place is showing the tennis? Image: Rose & Crown

The following local boozers in the Wimbledon area will be screening the tennis:

• The Rose and Crown — screenings accompanied by a giant tennis ball installation, and live music performances throughout Wimbledon fortnight.
• The Dog & Fox — claims to have the largest screen in Wimbledon Village, situated in the pub garden. Tournament-themed food and drink includes a tennis ball scotch egg.

The alarmingly realistic tennis ball scotch egg is a Wimbledon fortnight staple at the Dog & Fox. Image: Dog & Fox

• The Alexandra — offering live screenings on its 'Alexfresco' summer terrace rooftop, where we're promised "a festival-style celebration featuring outside bars, live music and late-night DJs across both weekends, alongside exciting merchandise giveaways and complimentary samplings". Plus pizza. They've got pizza.
• The Crooked Billet — Known for cocktails and spritzes, and erects large screens for the duration of the tournament

Beyond that, check out London's best sports bars to see which Wimbledon 2026 matches they're showing (though bearing in mind that this year's tournament clashes with the World Cup, the footie might take precedence in some venues).

How many of these would you put in your mouth? Image: Anya Hindmarch

When does summer begin in London? For some it's the first sunbathing session of the year; for others, the opening fanfare of the Wimbledon theme tune. And then there's the Ice cream Project.

Now in its fifth year, this eccentric showcase of (largely) British brands — spearheaded by fashionista Anya Hindmarch — sees the sleek silver fridges of a Pont Street boutique stocked with tubs of uncannily flavoured ice creams and sorbets: McVitie's Ginger Nut biscuits, Walker's shortbread fingers, orange Capri-Sun.

Being served a scoop at the store when we visited in 2025. Image: Londonist

So far, all in good taste. And then you hit the 'really?' list, with flavours including OXO, Lurpak, Green Giant sweetcorn, Paxo stuffing and Aunt Bessie's Yorkshire puddings (presumably you're supposed to smoosh scoops of the last two in your gob simultaneously). Perhaps the curviest curveball of the 2026 season is ice cream infused with the bright pink, antiseptic eucalyptus toothpaste Euthymol. Are you supposed to spit or swallow? More importantly, can it be used as a substitute to cleaning your teeth?

Of course, half the point of all this — aside from tricking publications into writing 'Anya Hindmarch' half a dozen times — is to throw caution to the wind, and try something adventurous on your taste buds. Last year, we licked our way through the menu, finding the Twiglets ice cream "not entirely revolting" — proof that if you don't try new things, you might never discover that they're, well, perfectly OK in a roundabout way.

OXO ice cream. Get over it. Image: Anya Hindmarch

Of course, we didn't pay for any of our ice cream tasters, whereas Joe public has to shell out £4.50 for a single scoop, or £16(!) for a whole tub. Participating in the 'Blind Tasting Tea' gives you the opportunity to try all 15 flavours, although that'll cost you a cool freezing £50. Better dig deep into that Anya Hindmarch purse of yours.

The Ice Cream Project, 11 Pont Street, Kensington, until Sunday 16 August

All weekend

Sup your way around The Wine Circuit. Image: Charlie Round-Turner

HARRY STYLES' MELTDOWN: Harry Styles is the curator of this year's Meltdown at Southbank Centre, (and he's also playing Wembley this weekend — busy guy). Highlights from this weekend's Meltdown schedule include a free Riverside Boogie for all ages, and performances by Erika de Casier, Kamasi Washington and plenty of others. The action then continues into next week. 11-21 June 2026

2026 WORLD CUP: The USA, Canada and Mexico are the hosts for the 2026 World Cup. If you're watching from this side of the Atlantic, book yourself a spot at these London pubs and bars which are showing World Cup games. England's first match isn't until next week, but Scotland take on Haiti on Sunday, with several other matches this weekend too. 11 June-19 July 2026

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

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

HEPWORTH IN COLOUR: Barbara Hepworth's experiments with colour across sculpture and drawing are brought together in a research-led exhibition at the Courtauld Gallery. Some 20 sculptures and 30 drawings from the 1940s-60s are on show. 12 June-6 September 2026

It's Ferreira Weekend on board Cutty Sark. © National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London.

FERREIRA WEEKEND: Explore a lesser-known chapter of maritime history at the Cutty Sark in Greenwich. The ship hosts Ferreira Weekend, a series of activities themed around the decades the famous tea clipper spent under Portuguese ownership, after being sold in 1895. Discover how the vessel was renamed and repurposed during its years away from the British merchant fleet. 13-14 June 2026

GATHERED HANDS MARKET: Creative market curator Gathered Hands hosts a weekend market of small and thoughtful makers in Clapton. Expect independent clothing, ceramics, homewares and food stalls alongside pop-up bars, BBQ and family-friendly activities. 13-14 June 2026

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

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

Browse the Gathered Hands Market

HIGHGATE FESTIVAL: The Fair in the Square gets this year's Highgate Festival under way on Saturday, with more events over the weekend and into next week including an historic Jewish Highgate walk, and live music in Pond Square on Sunday. Full listings here. 13-21 June 2026

OUTDOOR THEATRE: Shakespeare in the Square offers open-air performances of Love's Labour's Lost in different gardens around the capital. This weekend, see it at St Peter's Square, Chiswick (Saturday) and Coronation Gardens in Southfields (Sunday). Until 12 July 2026

ARCHITECTURE FESTIVAL: The London Festival of Architecture continues throughout June, with walks, talks and other events across the capital. Highlights this weekend include a summer street party at a new neighbourhood in east London, a creative family workshop at Temple Bar and tours of the medieval church of St Olave Hart Street. Until 30 June 2026

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Saturday 13 June

Take Flight at Grand Junction. Image: Pamela Raith Photography

TAKE FLIGHT: Multi-sensory aerial performance Take Flight is designed specifically for babies aged two and under, and comes to Grand Junction in Paddington. Watch as a baby bird hatches and explores the world, culminating in a stunning aerial sequence. The 35-minute show is followed by a 15-minute stay-and-play session to let little ones investigate the interactive set. 9.30am/11.30am/1.30pm

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

CHELSEA ARCHITECTURE: Join architect and townscape consultant Sarah Jackson for a Chelsea architecture walking tour from Sloane Square to Chelsea Creek. Explore the evolution of the King's Road, revealing lesser-known landmarks and social housing at Chelsea Common alongside the brutalist World's End Estate, and get a closer look at the former Lots Road Power Station and the Peter Jones building. 10am-12.30pm

WANNA PLAY? FESTIVAL: Alexandra Palace Park hosts a family-friendly day of creativity and conversation. Wanna Play? Festival invites you to help re-imagine the park's playground and skatepark through hands-on workshops with architectural collective Unit 38 and RIBA. Highlights include a skate jam with Reggae Roast DJs, and breakdancing lessons, alongside street food and live acoustic music at the Boathouse Cafe. FREE, 10am

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

The London Bus Museum offers free rides on heritage buses. Image: Michael Gaylard via CC BY 2.0

BETHLEM HISTORY WALK: The Bethlem Gallery and the Museum of the Mind offer a guided walk around the grounds of Bethlem Royal Hospital, exploring the site's history since the hospital moved there in 1930. 11am-12pm

AMERICANS OF MAYFAIR: Explore one of London's most exclusive neighbourhoods and discover the presidents, rock stars and Hollywood icons who once called it home. This guided walk visits the house where America's second President lived, the church where Eisenhower worshipped and a hotel with unique ties to one of the country's most celebrated families. 11am-12.30pm

KINGSTON BEER FESTIVAL: Over 100 cask and craft beers, ciders and perries are promised at the Kingston Beer Festival. Today's the final day, so drinks offered today depend on remaining stock levels. Probably don't show up at 6.30pm, then! 11am-7pm

QUEER LITERARY CYCLE TOUR: Celebrate Pride month with a three-hour cycling journey exploring the history of LGBTQ+ literary activism across London. The Queer shelves cycle tour visits the libraries, archives and bookshops that have preserved queer stories for decades, including the Bishopsgate Institute and Holborn Library. The 11km route starts at the Tower Hamlets Local History & Archives and concludes at Gay's the Word bookshop in Bloomsbury. 12pm-3pm

TEXTILE ARTWORK: Artists Hâf Weighton and Sophie Levi-Kallin lead a hands-on workshop for adults at the London Transport Museum focused on the design heritage of the Piccadilly line. Make a textile artwork using techniques like hand-stitching and embellishment, drawing inspiration from art deco posters, moquette patterns and iconic vehicles. 2pm-5pm

Return of the Godz is strictly adults-only

COWGIRLS & COCKTAILS: Dust off your chaps and head to the Star in Shoreditch for a cowgirls & cocktails bottomless brunch. Enjoy 90 minutes of unlimited drinks and Neapolitan pizza from 081 Pizzeria, accompanied by a rootin' tootin' programme of country-themed musical bingo, line dancing and "country-oke". 2pm-4pm

RETURN OF THE GODZ: Return of The GODZ brings the troupe's mix of comedy, circus and acrobatics to the Peacock Theatre, following mythic figures such as Cupid and Hercules as the show stages a hedonistic Mount Olympus party. Prepare to witness gravity-defying stunts, feats of strength and comic twists in this adults-only show. 2.30pm/7.30pm (until 20 June 2026)

NATURE PHOTOGRAPHY: Photographer David Kearley leads a workshop at Forty Hall in Enfield focused on capturing the beauty and atmosphere of the natural world. Explore the historic grounds while learning practical techniques with a focus on light, composition and creative observation. For beginners and amateurs using DSLRs or smartphones. 3pm-4.30pm

FOLK FESTIVAL: Magpie's Nest Festival is a one-day folk and roots festival at Cody Dock with main-stage and intimate acoustic performances from Kate Griffin & Matchume Zango, Ruth Lyon, Sarah Jane Scouten and several other artists. Sounds like a chilled afternoon/evening. 3pm-11pm

PAULINE EYRE: Comedian and former Wimbledon line judge Pauline Eyre brings her solo show Anyone for Tennis? to Artsdepot in Finchley. Drawing on two decades of experience at the All England Club, Eyre shares insider gossip from the Royal Box to the locker rooms. 3.30pm/7.30pm

Celebrate 25 years of the Cinnamon Collection

OPEN-AIR CONCERT: Sir Antonio Pappano leads the London Symphony Orchestra in an open-air concert in Trafalgar Square. The programme features the world premiere of Louise Drewett's Four Dances, performed by an orchestra of LSO musicians and young performers, alongside highlights from Holst's The Planets and Elgar's Enigma Variations. Entry is entirely free with no tickets required, and gates open from 2.45pm. FREE, 4pm-5.30pm

THE BILL REUNION: Misty Moon returns to the Cinema Museum in Kennington with a gathering of Sun Hill's finest for The Bill Reunion. The event features a Q&A session with cast members including Graham Cole (PC Tony Stamp) and Nick Stringer (PC Ron Smollett), followed by a meet-and-greet. 5pm

FLEMISH FILM CLASSICS: The Garden Cinema in Holborn screens Harry Kümel’s 1971 phantasmagoria Malpertuis, starring Orson Welles as the patriarch of a gothic mansion where heirs are forbidden to leave. Includes an introduction by film historian Wouter Hessels and a post-screening Zoom Q&A with director Harry Kümel. 5.15pm

CINNAMON CITY: Cinnamon Kitchen City marks Indian restaurant chain the Cinnamon Collection's 25th year with an anniversary supper club. Begin with drinks and canapés, followed by a lavish multi-course feast cooked by people who have helped shape the group's story. 5.30pm

HITOSHI SAKIMOTO: Celebrate the 40-year career of legendary video game composer Hitoshi Sakimoto with a world-premiere symphonic concert at Croydon's Fairfield Halls. The Colors of Harmony features the London Mozart Players performing themes from Final Fantasy XII, Final Fantasy Tactics, and 13 Sentinels: Aegis Rim — along with a talk with Sakimoto himself and a special Final Fantasy pub quiz hosted by Ben Starr, the voice of Clive Rosfield. 6pm

The London Mozart Players perform in Croydon. Image: Nick Rutter

A LAST BIG STORY: Veteran news anchor Jon Snow returns to the screen for a final investigation into a mining disaster in Zambia. Screening at Bertha DocHouse in Bloomsbury, A Last Big Story follows Snow and his wife Precious over the course of a year as they work to expose how a Chinese-owned mine has devastated local land and water. 6pm

GIN TASTING: The HMS Belfast is the rather unusual setting for a 45-minute talk on the history of gin in the Armed Forces, led by Veteran Gin. It's followed by a tasting of its award-winning London dry in the Wardroom of HMS Belfast — a former officers' mess with period fittings. 6.30pm-7.45pm

FUNK AND SOUL: Sound Lounge regulars Out On The Floor take a detour from their usual Northern Soul sets to spin rare grooves and dance floor favourites from the 1960s and 70s. Expect a heavy rotation of tracks by the likes of Cymande, Stevie Wonder, Gil Scott-Heron and the Fatback Band at this Sutton venue. 7pm-11.30pm

HARP SPOTLIGHT: The Royal Orchestral Society performs a programme of French and German masterworks at Smith Square Hall, featuring a rare outing for Germaine Tailleferre's Harp Concertino. Conducted by Rebecca Miller, the evening also includes Debussy's ethereal Prélude à l’après-midi d’un faune and Mahler's Symphony No. 4, complete with its famous soprano solo in the final movement. Spotlight on the Harp showcases soloist Llywelyn Ifan Jones in a concert that highlights the only female member of the celebrated group of composers known as Les Six. 7pm

DISCO LIZARDS: East London five-piece rock 'n' roll outfit Disco Lizards take over the Sebright Arms in Bethnal Green to celebrate the release of their new record, Life Lessons. The band performs the gritty, garage-rock album in its entirety, with vinyl copies available to purchase. Support comes from Micky Niner and The Lazy Susans. 7.30pm

POWER BALLADS PLUS: Walthamstow Trades Hall hosts a singalong party dedicated to the greatest arms-aloft anthems. Power Ballads Plus features a playlist that pairs longstanding legends like Cher, Whitney and Freddie Mercury with contemporary stars including Taylor Swift and Billie Eilish. 7.30pm

ADRIAN LESTER: Adrian Lester stars as the title character in a West End transfer of Edmond Rostand's Cyrano de Bergerac at the Noël Coward Theatre, following a sold-out run with the Royal Shakespeare Company. It's about a soldier who believes himself too ugly to be loved, but helps a handsome soldier win the heart of Roxane, who he himself also loves. 7.30pm (until 5 September 2026)

Adrian Lester stars in Cyrano de Bergerac

MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING: The curtain's up on a new production of Much Ado About Nothing at Shakespeare's Globe. The romantic comedy follows Beatrice, Benedick and a web of gossip and mistaken reputations, set in a modern world of style, status and late-night parties. 7.30pm (and until October)

COMEDY CABARET: Head to the intimate basement of Downstairs at the King's Head for a weekly showcase of established talent from the UK and international circuits. The line-up for this Comedy Cabaret includes Addy Van Der Borgh, Pierre Hollins and Jacob Nussey, with MC Michael Legge presiding over the evening. 8.30pm

'60S BRITISH INVASION: Stellar six-piece band Carnaby Army returns to The Exchange in Twickenham with a tribute to the era-defining sounds of the 1960s. The electrifying live show features a refreshed setlist of hits from the Beatles, Rolling Stones, and Kinks. 8pm

Sunday 14 June

The World Naked Bike Ride comes to town

NAKED BIKE RIDE: If you're prudish, you may wish to avert your eyes as the World Naked Bike Ride pedals into town. Cyclists let it all hang out as they ride in a group on one of several pre-agreed routes, all converging near Wellington Arch. Don't forget your suncream. Note: this year it takes place on a Sunday instead of a Saturday for the first time. FREE, from 10.45am (start time varies by route)

PHOTOGRAPHY WALK: Professional photographer David G leads a three-hour journey through the capital’s most photogenic landmarks. Get expert advice on manual settings, creative framing and street photography techniques while visiting the London Eye, St Paul's Cathedral and the Millennium Bridge. 10.45am-1.15pm

MARYLEBONE SUMMER FESTIVAL: A one-day street festival along the local high street, Marylebone Summer Festival offers live music on the main stage, dog show Bark in the Park, a wellness zone and a children’s area with rides and activities. The event raises funds for Young Westminster Foundation. 11am-5pm

THE BIG SCOOP: Help raise money for Lewisham Food Bank at the Fox and Firkin with a day-long music festival offering soulful outdoor sets and a high-energy dance floor. The eclectic line-up features Australian singer-songwriter Allysha Joy, the experimental ambient project ATMOSS and a club-driven live set from Plumm x Benjamin. This community-led event also doubles as an unconventional wedding celebration for two local residents, with everyone welcome to attend. 1pm-12am

NEUROSPICY: Dalston's Rio Cinema presents a showcase of brand-new short films created by emerging neurodivergent talent. The Neurospicy 3 programme features the award-winning short Meat Puppet, starring BAFTA-winner David Jonsson, and concludes with a Q&A session with industry guests Brick and Parvinder Shergill. 2pm

Local businesses tale part in the Marylebone Summer Festival.

FAMILY CEILIDH: Gather friends and family of all generations for a high-energy afternoon of traditional dance at Stanley Arts in South Norwood. Part of the Commons Festival, the Folky Family Ceilidh features a live folk band and a friendly caller to guide dancers of all abilities through the steps, from complete beginners to seasoned pros. 2pm-4pm

SCHOOL'S OUT! COMEDY CLUB: Comedian Philip Simon brings his award-winning joke show to JW3, where the children are the headline acts. The session invites kids aged four+ to take over the microphone and share their favourite gags, while parents watch from the safety of their seats. 2pm-3pm

WILD ANIMAL POETRY: Keats House in Hampstead invites nature lovers to a free one-hour reading of famous verses dedicated to the animal kingdom. It takes place in the beautiful Regency villa where John Keats once lived, featuring works inspired by everything from lions to owls. FREE, 2.15pm-3.15pm

SIP AND PAINT: Unleash your inner artist at the London Art Bar in Holborn with a creative session dedicated to Van Gogh's Sunflowers. This guided experience provides all necessary supplies alongside a themed playlist to help your artistic flow. A professional artist offers step-by-step instructions as you work, and your ticket includes a glass of prosecco. 3.30pm-6pm

LONDON GAY MEN'S CHORUS: Over 100 singers take to the stage at the Rose Theatre in Kingston to celebrate 35 years of "keeping it gay." The birthday concert by the London Gay Men's Chorus features a vast repertoire ranging from opera and musical theatre to disco and K-pop, including hits by Lady Gaga, Pet Shop Boys and Stephen Sondheim. 5pm

FESTIVAL ALL DAYER: Shoreditch's legendary pub the Old Blue Last welcomes the London Music Ultimate Showcase for a session of live music. This long-running meetup event is designed to bring people together over a curated line-up of the city's best unsigned bands. 5pm

OPERA ON THE TERRACE: Michelin-starred chef Angela Hartnett and the team at Cicoria take over the terrace of the Royal Opera House for an evening of Italian-inspired dining and performance. Enjoy a three-course menu paired with wine while artists including Hannah Edmunds and Emmanuel Fonoti-Fuimaono perform arias and duets overlooking Covent Garden Piazza. 5.30pm-8.30pm

TRY NOT TO LAUGH: The London Vaporetto Shorts Film Festival brings a curated selection of comedic shorts to the Genesis Cinema in Whitechapel. Try Not To Laugh explores the genre in all its forms, from dry and awkward vignettes to completely unhinged sketches. 6.15pm

CLASSICAL PRIDE: The London Symphony Orchestra returns to the Barbican for Classical Pride 2026, a major celebration of LGBTQ+ composers and performers. Conducted by festival founder Oliver Zeffman, the programme features the UK premiere of Henriëtte Bosmans' Cello Concerto No 2 with soloist Laura van der Heijden, alongside Ravel’s infectious Boléro and Samuel Barber's Adagio for Strings. The evening also pays tribute to the late Michael Tilson Thomas with a performance of his jubilant work, Agnegram. Proceeds go to the charity Rainbow Railroad. 7pm

NO FRILLS FOLK CLUB: Musicians of all abilities and styles are invited to pull up a chair at the Windmill Brixton for an evening of informal, round-the-table music. The No Frills Folk Club welcomes everything from Irish and Scottish tunes to bluegrass, Yiddish and Balkan melodies, led by a house band featuring mandolin, hurdy-gurdy and melodeon. FREE, 7pm

POOL TOURNAMENT: Kingston's rock 'n' roll stalwart the Fighting Cocks invites local sharks and casual players to its latest pool tournament. The entry fee is £2, with the winner taking double the total entry pot as a bar tab to spend at the venue. Arrive early to take advantage of free pool practise, a free jukebox and all-day happy hour cocktail deals. 7pm

St Mary's in Paddington, famous for royal births and the discovery of penicillin, is to be rebuilt to towering new heights.

Founded in 1845, St Mary's has since built up piecemeal, to no masterplan, beside Paddington Basin. This ageing congeries is increasingly falling apart; a section of the hospital had to be closed recently upon the discovery of reinforced autoclaved aerated concrete (RAAC), which is prone to collapse; just one of its problems.

"Despite spending millions of pounds every year on maintenance, we can't keep up with the rate of deterioration," says Imperial College Healthcare, the Trust responsible for the site.

Solution: rebuild from scratch.

Plans have now been shared of how the Trust plans to erect an entirely new hospital on part of the site, which would consolidate departments into one mighty 30-storey tower. This would reach around 185 metres above ground level, easily taller than Guy's Hospital at London Bridge, and potentially the tallest hospital in the world.

Says the Trust:

The busiest and most urgent services will be on the lower floors, so they are the easiest to reach, while wards will be in quieter areas with more privacy and natural light. And outdoor and communal areas, such as roof gardens, are being integrated into the design to support patients, visitors and staff. There will also be a helipad, bringing St Mary's major trauma service into line with other services across the capital.

According to the Trust, construction of the tower would begin on a part of the site that can be freed up relatively easily. This would allow the existing facilities to continue until the tower was ready. After that, the rest of the site would be cleared to make way for new life-science facilities and public spaces. Already approved is the Fleming Centre, tasked with finding solutions to antimicrobial resistance.

You may be wondering "What about the Alexander Fleming Museum?", which contains the preserved laboratory of the discoverer of penicillin. This is housed in the Clarence Building, a listed structure, which will be retained and upgraded as part of the scheme.

The plans would constitute a major change for the area, both at ground level and on the skyline. More importantly, the 800-bed hospital would bring modernised patient facilities with better integration between departments.

Image: Matt Brown

The scheme is funded by the Government's New Hospital Programme, and could be complete by 2035.

If you'd like to have your say on the plans, then an online consultation is running until 17 July, with various drop-in sessions also available.

TfL now says that construction could begin on the extension in 2029. Image: TfL

More details of plans for the proposed DLR extension have been revealed — including layouts for new stations at Beckton Riverside and and Thamesmead — as part of a public consultation.

The DLR extension, first officially proposed by TfL in 2020, would see a long-awaited station at Thamesmead, a town built in the 1960s, which has infamously lacked a rail connection ever since (even though it could've had up to three railway stations). A second DLR station would be built opposite Gallions Reach Shopping Park at Beckton Riverside, a sweeping area of regeneration in Newham.

Plans for the station at Beckton Riverside. Image: TfL

TfL's consultation — which is live from now until Thursday 16 July 2026 — includes plans for Beckton Riverside station, featuring a pedestrian footbridge with lifts for crossing the tracks; and for Thamesmead, which will be a raised station. The two will be joined by a new tunnel under the Thames.

As well as asking for views on the two station designs, TfL is after feedback on construction methods, and potential impacts of the extension build on local communities and the environment.

Plans for the station at Thamesmead. Image: TfL

In all, says TfL, the extension could support up to 30,000 homes and 10,000 jobs.

Says the Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan: "This is something I've long called for — alongside London's businesses and communities — because it will not only transform travel in a historically underserved part of our city, but also unlock thousands of new jobs and homes, boosting the economy across the capital and indeed the country."

Various construction commencement dates have been mooted; we've heard 2027 and 2028 — and now TfL says "construction could begin in 2029, subject to funding and approvals". Whether the line will be ready for passengers by the 'early 2030s', as previously estimated, remains to be seen. But for residents of Thamesmead who've already been waiting some 60 years, what's a a few more years?

You can get involved with the consultation, until 16 July 2026.

Free things to do in London this week.

Learn about the Hondurans protecting the ocean. Image: © Nahún Rodríguez / Fauna & Flora / Fairpicture

See what's free at Making It Festival

The Guildhall School of Music and Drama's Making It Festival spans music, opera, theatre, performance, installations and talks — all created by the school's students and community. Many events on the programme are free, while others start at just £5.

Free events this week include Birdmother: A Nest-In-Progress, "an ecofeminist performance which considers what we can learn about mothering and being in the world, from a great tit", and a concert celebrating the work of British composer John Barry.    

8-26 June.

Dig down into the architecture of the Tube

London Blue Badge tour guide Louise Halfpenny leads an illustrated talk at Guildhall Library on Tuesday afternoon, exploring how the London Underground network has inspired creatives since 1863. Learn about diverse works, from the world-famous Tube map to Henry Moore's poignant wartime sketches and Jock McFadyen's 1990s paintings.

9 June.

Get tied up in knot theory

There's more to knots than just sailing and camping: Tuesday's free Gresham College lecture sees Gresham Professor of Geometry Alain Goriely giving an introduction to knot theory, including their mathematical properties, and how they're used in tangled cords, shoelaces and the complex structures of DNA.

Watch in person at Barnard's Inn Hall (Holborn), or online via livestream.

9 June.

Celebrate the start of the World Cup with free live music

With the FIFA World Cup getting under way on Thursday, sports bar Box Piccadilly kicks things off on Wednesday night with a free music performance. A live eight-piece orchestra gives renditions of football-and sport-related tunes, including classic World Cup and England anthems.

10 June.

Image: Box Piccadilly

Learn about ocean protection in Honduras

Between Wednesday and Sunday, swing by Oxo Gallery on South Bank for free exhibition Ocean Guardians: Voices From The Shore.

International nature conservation charity Fauna & Flora spotlights those on the front line of ocean protection in Honduras, through a series of photos. Learn how how fishers, elders and young conservationists are defending their homes, cultures and coastlines against growing threats to the sea.

10-14 June.

Make music at this free outdoor playground

Better known for suspended sculptures of various planets and moons, artist Luke Jerram turns his attention to the floor instead, for free installation Stepping Out at Southbank Centre.

The concrete steps outside the Royal Festival Hall are adorned with 'islands' of colour, and stepping on them triggers bespoke music, created by BAFTA- and Ivor Novello Award-winning composer and sound designer Dan Jones, with orchestral musicians from the National Theatre.

The music changes each week throughout the installation's run, so worth popping back again and again — and definitely worth bookmarking for free ways to entertain kids during the upcoming summer hols!

10 June-30 September.

Catch free live opera on your lunch break

Image: Opera Holland Park

Once again, performers from Opera Holland Park take part in Songs on the Steps, a free lunchtime recital which anyone is welcome to enjoy. Simply head to the steps close to the OHP venue (perhaps pack a blanket and/or your lunch) to catch the 40-minute performance.

12 June. The same day, the Royal Opera House offers one of its free Live at Lunch concerts, where you can see Royal Ballet and Opera and guest artists performing for free.

Start your weekend with free live music

Image: Leadenhall Market

Every Friday throughout June, Leadenhall Market offers free live music and roaming performers, inside the ornate City of London building.

This week's Summer Sessions sees Walter the Waiter do conjuring tricks, followed by tunes from the Wonderful Uke Strollers.

12 June.

See London's parks and open spaces through new eyes

As part of Harry Styles' Meltdown, Southbank Centre opens a free exhibition showcasing London's parks and open spaces through new eyes. Photographs by young refugees and asylum seekers go on display for London Parks: An Exhibition. Some of view the capital's parks as places to explore, pause and reflect; others depict them bristling with life and energy.

12 June-1 July.

Get your bike blessed

A brand new tradition begins outside St Paul's Cathedral on Saturday — the Blessing of the Bicycles! Inspired by a similar annual event in NYC, anyone on a road bike, trike, cargo bike — even a 56-inch Penny-farthing — is invited to Paternoster Square at 10am, for a special ceremony to bless the road ahead. Who knows, maybe you'll never get a puncture again...

13 June.

Ride a vintage bus for free

Perhaps you'll score a ride on something like this? Image © David Bowker

From two wheels to four... On Saturday, buses dating from the 1930s-90s (though mostly from the 1950s-60s) ply the 213 route between Kingston and Sutton, with anyone welcome to hop on board for free.

Heritage buses also run on the 293 route between North Cheam and Epsom, all organised by the London Bus Museum. Simply turn up at a stop along the routes between 10am-5pm and wait for the vintage vehicles to pick you up. Rides are free (though not accessible for wheelchairs or pushchairs). Just make sure you don't hop on a regular, 21st-century TfL service instead — you'll be charged the usual TfL fare if you do.

13 June.

Enjoy a free concert in Trafalgar Square

Fingers crossed for wonderful weather on Saturday afternoon, as the London Symphony Orchestra gives a free outdoor summer concert in Trafalgar Square.

Entry is free on a first come first served basis, so arrive in plenty of time to bag yourself a spot, and hear works including Holst's Movements from The Planets, Elgar's Movements from Enigma Variations and the world premiere of Louise Drewett's Four Dances.

13 June.

Have a roaring good time at Bearpit Karaoke

Returning to Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens for a few sessions this summer, Bearpit Karaoke is a free open-air singalong (hopefully in the sunshine), hosted by Joe Hatchiban. Some deckchairs are available, but bringing a picnic blanket is a savvy idea. And no, you don't have to sing! Register ahead of attending.

13 June.

Visit Wandsworth Prison Museum

Not everyone who enters the gates of Wandsworth Prison gets to leave so soon, but you can be in and out as quickly as you like during the open days at the Wandsworth Prison Museum (though we recommend giving yourself enough time to view everything in the pint-sized museum).

The displays consist of 470 objects telling stories of famous prisoners including Oscar Wilde, Jack the Ripper, the Kray twins, and great train robber Ronnie Biggs.

13-14 June.

Take part in the World Naked Bike Ride 2026

Image: World Naked Bike Ride

If you're prudish, avoid central London on Sunday. Otherwise, look out for — or perhaps even join — the World Naked Bike Ride.

Hundreds of nude cyclists take to two wheels in a protest against car culture, and to celebrate body freedom. Several routes, including an accessible one, begin at different spots around the capital, converging around Westminster Bridge for a grand finale near Wellington Arch. It's free to take part (don't forget your suncream!), and anyone's welcome, as long as you're physically able to follow the route, and you behave respectfully.

Note that contrary to previous years, the WNBR takes place on a Sunday rather than a Saturday.

14 June.

I'm sometimes asked: "Which famous Londoner would you most like to meet?".

I'll mumble some answer about Newton or Anne Boleyn. But really (and more feasibly), my answer would be 'Barney'. Now, finally, I've met him.

Barney (sometimes Barnie) is one of London's oldest and tallest residents. He is, in fact, a London plane tree (Platanus × hispanica). His younger cousins line the great Victorian thoroughfares like Embankment, Kingsway and The Mall. You must have seen them; those towering trees with mottled bark. Central London has many fine examples. Barney, though, is almost on a different scale:

You won't stumble across Barney by accident. He's hidden away in a corner of Barn Elms — the undeveloped land near Barnes most famous for the London Wetland Centre. It's not a part of town most people pass through every day.

Even locals, I expect, are largely oblivious. The prodigious plant somehow manages to hide his lofty boughs within a secluded woodland, well away from the population. These woods have only one entrance, which is neither signposted nor obvious.

Having studied the maps, I found my way in with some difficulty. Past the car park for Barn Elms Playing Fields, round the back of a running track, across a small stream... my quarry was almost in sight. Then I heard a cry.

"Excuse me! You can't get through."

I turned to see a lady on the other side of a pond, shouting at me through cupped hands.

"I'm sorry...?" I replied, not quite sure what she was saying.
"You can't get through. The woods don't go anywhere. It's a dead end."
"But I don't want to get through. I'm off to see the plane tree."
"Ohh... OK... that's great. He's just through that gate. You can't miss him. He's called Barney!"
"Thanks!"

Not only is Barney located in a remote corner of a recondite part of town, but he also has bouncers.

I soon discover why. Barney's woodland pocket is used regularly by a local nursery, keen to show kids the wonders of nature. I'd arrived during one such session. Happily, the kids were busying about near the entrance to the woods, leaving me free to approach Barney on my own.

Neither words nor pictures can quite capture the majesty of this plant. He stretches up to the heavens, like the Magic Faraway Tree made real. I quelled the urge to climb.

Barney has stood here for centuries. He was almost certainly planted in the late 17th century — a date of 1680 is sometimes given. The land was, at the time, part of a private estate, and the plane tree would have been planted as an exotic novelty among the elms for which the area (Barn Elms) was named.

London plane trees did not exist in Shakespeare's time. Not anywhere. They are a hybrid of the American sycamore and Oriental plane, neither of which are indigenous to Britain. Nobody knows where or when the cross first occurred, or whether it was a natural hybridisation or done through human intervention. Either way, the tree first began to appear in the late 17th century, and the one at Barn Elms is the earliest surviving example (so far as we know... it's hard to date trees without cutting them down for a ring count).

The mottled, flakey bark of a typical London plane. Barney's lower trunk is rougher, a sign of his great age. Image: Matt Brown

Whatever his age, Barney is of spectacular size, estimated at over eight metres in circumference and 30 metres tall. His mighty bole bifurcates into twin trunks that would be wider than most mature planes. What a champ.

He's also been linked to celebrity. Recently, it emerged that Barney may have inspired George Frideric Handel. The London-based composer stayed for a time at Barn Elms. He would later write the aria 'Ombra mai fu', which literally sings the praises of a plane tree. Was he recalling Barney? The tree would already have been 40 or so when Handel was in the area. Its patchwork bark would have stood out among the elms. The tantalising link was first suggested by David Shreeve, Director of the Conservation Foundation, though it remains unproven.

How to find Barney. If coming from Barnes, follow the minor road/track called Queen ElizabethWalk. Turn right into the car park, then follow the perimeter past a private fishing site. When you reach the running track, you'll see a trail leading into the woods (left fork). Go through the gate and straight ahead, and there is the Big B.

Aside from his nursery-school friends, I doubt Barney gets many visitors. He's so hidden away and difficult to find. Even I'd never been to see him, and I've chaired a conference on plane trees!

I'm very glad to have finally met my arboreal hero, and would urge more people to go and make friends with this remarkable tree. Barney of Barn Elms graced the London skies 300 years before most of us were born, and he will hopefully be here long after our time here is done.

Your weekly roundup of Londonist news and features.

New Museum Alert! Visit The Quentin Blake Centre For Illustration

London gets a well-timed champion of illustration.

Murugiah's art. Image: Matt Brown

London's Queer Brewing Announces It's Closing

East London brewery calls time in July.

Queer Brewing Taproom, Leyton, E10. Image: Ewan-M via CC BY-SA 4.0

One London: City's Future-Tallest Building Gets New Name

Farewell to 1 Undershaft.

Image: © Dbox

Explore This Historic Ship When It Docks In London This Summer

Nao Victoria sails into St Katharine Docks.

Image: Nao Foundation

It's A Sin Is Returning — And This Time It's A Stage Show

Lands in London October 2027.

Image: Rambert.

FREE: The Huge Soil Sculpture 'origo' Arrives At Barbican

The greatest show of Earth.

The Tube Map, (Jokingly) Simplified For Tourists

Showing only the stereotypical destinations.

Image: Londonist

Elfin Oak: Magical London Tree Restored To Former Glory

Spike Milligan would be pleased.

Image: Royal Parks

Idler Festival 2026: See Very Famous People Talk In A Big Old Posh House

Prue Leith, Charlie Higson, Irvine Walsh, Jojo Moyes...

Image: Idler Festival

Ice Cream-Themed Apartments For Hackney?

Cool!

Image: Pensaer

10 Roman Miles Up Watling Street

An historical walk along Edgware Road.

Image: Matt Brown

The Secretive Eel Pie Island Is Open To Visitors This July

Explore the usually off-limits oddball artistic enclave.

On Eel Pie Island. Image: Marathon via CC BY-SA 2.0

Buffy Revamped: One-Man Vampire Slayer Show Has A Bite Of The West End

"Seventy minutes. Seven seasons. One Spike."

Image: Buffy Revamped.

Soho Has The Best Village Fete Anywhere - And It Returns In July

Feat. the (in)famous waiters' race.

Image: Peter Clarke

The Places That Closed Down In London In 2026 (So Far)

A fond farewell to these London establishments.

Image: Londonist

A Day Out At The Bizarre And Brilliant Covent Garden Rent Ceremony

Hear ye! Hear ye!

Image: Londonist

The Micro-History Of A Traffic Island

Everything has a history, and everything is connected.

Image: Matt Brown

Canary Wharf's Annual Dragon Boat Race Returns

Spectate, or even take part.

Image: WaterAid Dragon Boat Race

Looking Ahead: Things To Do In London This Week: 8-14 June 2026

Outdoor concerts, guided walks and World Cup screenings.

Image: Steve Gregson

Image: Matt Brown

It's one of the most enduring songs of the 1960s. But where exactly is Itchycoo Park?

Over bridge of sighs
To rest my eyes in shades of green
Under dreaming spires
To Itchycoo Park, that's where I've been

The opening verse of the Small Faces' 1967 hit suggests an Oxford setting. Both the Bridge of Sighs and the dreaming spires are phrases well-associated with the university town.

Ronnie Wood, who wrote those lyrics, had indeed been inspired by the city, but only after reading about it on a leaflet. He and other Small Faces founder Steve Marriott were from working-class East End stock (almost stereotypically so; Marriott's dad owned a jellied-eel stall and played pub piano). The Cockney tones and down-to-earth lyrics don't exactly smack of punting on the Isis.

The Itchycoo Park of the title, then, has long been associated with the East End, and particularly the areas around Ilford, Manor Park and East Ham, where the song-writing duo grew up.

Its exact location is open to debate. The band offered various, contradictory solutions over the years. A leading contender is Valentine's Park in Ilford. "We used to go there and get stung by wasps," revealed Marriott in an interview that's quoted all over the internet without ever including a citation. "It's what we used to call it." The story was seemingly confirmed by Tony 'Baldrick and Time Team' Robinson, who was a childhood friend of Marriott.

Valentine's Park offers plenty of opportunity to "feed the ducks with a bun". Image: Matt Brown

The story does seem a little suspect, however. Most of us would think of different adjectives to 'itchy' were we to be stung repeatedly by wasps. The song should have been called Effing-Hell Park, or something.

Another contender is Little Ilford Park about a mile to the south. This was closer to Marriott's childhood home, and supposedly full of nettles, hence the itchiness. Wanstead Flats also get occasional mention as another park-like space in the neighbourhood.

The band clearly enjoyed hanging out in parks, as evinced by this image used on the US album cover of There Are But Four Small Faces. It features a sign for Itchycoo Park, but was apparently shot on Hampstead Heath. Image: Public domain

All of the above is undermined by an interview with the band's manager Tony Calder, quoted in Marriott's 2004 biography. Itchycoo Park was initially banned by the BBC for its blatant drug references ("We'll get hi-igh!"). To counter the ban, the band came up with a sweet story of childhood innocence:

We scammed the story together, we told the BBC that Itchycoo Park was a piece of waste ground in the East End that the band had played on as kids – we put the story out at ten and by lunchtime we were told the ban was off.

Nevertheless, various band members have maintained the "it was an Ilford park" association, leading to endless speculation, of which this present article is another example. Sorry.

One curve-ball contender is the churchyard of Christ Church Spitalfields. This was widely known, from the late 19th century — and right through the 20th century — as 'Itchy Park', on account of the large numbers of homeless people who would congregate in its grounds.

Press cutting from the Weekly Dispatch, 7 August 1904. Via the British Newspaper Archive

The churchyard has no known connection to Lane, Marriott or the wider band. However, it's possible they were aware of the nickname and subconsciously (or consciously) transformed it into 'Itchycoo' for the song.

In all probability, there never was one 'Itchycoo Park' that directly inspired the lyrics. Rather, Lane and Marriott likely wove in various words and memories. Creativity is rarely a linear, simple process.

A modern-day Itchycoo Park

Itchycoo Park did not exist in 1967, other than, perhaps, as a childhood nickname among a small group of friends. Fast forward to the 2020s, and east London does indeed have an Itchycoo Park, with semi-official sanction.

A good place for ducks to groove about. Image: Matt Brown

This small community-driven space was created a few years ago on land that was previously overgrown and poorly used (with a fair few itchy nettles, we dare say). You'll find it just north of Beckton Park in Newham if you follow the old railway track turned footpath known as Beckton Corridor. The Capital Ring leads straight to it.

This Itchycoo Park is formed around a small pond, where one might "feed the ducks with a bun" (mallards, Egyptian geese and rubber ducks on our visit).

Spot the rubber ducks. Image: Matt Brown

Whether you decide to "miss out school", "get high" and "blow your mind" is your own business, but you might care to "reach the sky" by taking the cable car from North Greenwich to Royal Victoria, followed by a short ride on the DLR to Beckton Park station.

It's all moderately beautiful.

Image: Matt Brown

A new artwork has arrived in Barbican's Sculpture Court made entirely of soil. It's described as 'immersive', but don't let that put you off.

'origo' (strictly lower-case for some reason) is a torus of mud, into which all are invited. But this structure is so much more than a cloddy doughnut.

Colombian artist Delcy Morelos says that origo celebrates ‘the delicate and powerful web of existence’. Its earthy rim is hollow, allowing us to walk through the structure, and breath in the earthy scents.

One of the interior cavities, which smell of earthy chai latte. Image: Matt Brown

Oddly, yet wonderfully, the artist has mixed those earthy scents with cinnamon and other spices. It's chai latte with a hint of topsoil — like stepping into a Costa run by a family of moles.

The ring of soil has stood up well to recent weather. The week-long heatwave followed by the week of drench has not compromised its structure in any way. The attendant tells me that it's subtly coated in a thin protective layer to fend off the worst that the British weather can throw. Very wise; and completely unnoticeable.

Image: Matt Brown

If I'm being brutally honest, I can't say a ring of mud devoid of any apparent living organisms made me feel part of 'a powerful web of existence'. It was, though, most definitely a curious and memorable experience. The setting is also well chosen. origo sits like a prize hoopla throw within the similarly curved courtyard, its brown walls mirroring the concrete walls and wooden shutters of the nearby apartments.

Wonderful stuff; the Greatest Show of Earth.

Image: Matt Brown

origo by Delcy Morelos is free to visit, open 11am-7pm until 31 July 2026. Find it in the Sculpture Court, which is the horseshoe-shaped space above the Curve Gallery.

Teams of paddlers take to Canary Wharf's South Dock on 8 and 9 July 2026. Image: WaterAid Dragon Boat Race

Canary Wharf will be teeming with dragon boats again this July — as teams compete in a series of races on the water.

On Wednesday 8 and Thursday 9 July 2026, the WaterAid Dragon Boat Race takes over South Dock (located to the immediate south of Canary Wharf Tube station), with teams of paddlers racing between 12pm-5pm both days.

Dragon boating — characterised by dragon-headed/tailed boats, and a drummer keeping the paddlers in rhythm — is not an unusual sight on London's waterways, thanks to groups like the Windy Pandas. But the WaterAid Dragon Boat Race, which raises money for the charity, sees a particularly impressive coming together of vessels.

Anyone is welcome to cheer the rowers, but you can also compete as part of a group. Image: WaterAid Dragon Boat Race

Anyone is welcome to come along and cheer the rowers, but if watching isn't enough, and you'd rather compete (and you're able to assemble a crew of 11-17 rowers), visit the WaterAid website to sign up. You needn't be pro paddlers (in fact experts will be there on the day to give full training and tips to your team), and if you aren't the fastest, you can still be in with a chance to win the 'best fancy dress' prize.

WaterAid Dragon Boat Race, Canary Wharf, Wednesday 8 and Thursday 9 July 2026, 12pm-5pm, free to watch.

The police take on the fire brigade in a tug of war every year. Image: Peter Clarke

Sorry, but London just does things better. World class theatre? Check. Best restaurants anywhere? Yup. Quaint village fetes? Er actually, yes.

The Soho Village Fete — which is on Sunday 19 July 2026 — has been going for half a century now. Organised by the Soho Society, it's the kind of do you'd expect to find going on in the vicar's back garden (in fact, this takes place in the grounds of St Anne's Church, so not far off).

The fete is accompanied by six hours of live music. Image: Charlie Milligan

There's tea and cake, morris dancing, splat the rat, a raffle... all that parochial jazz, and very pleasant it is too.

The poster for 2026's fete. Image: David Shenton

But this is Soho, people, and so you can also expect a tug of war between the police and fire brigade (surely the firefighters win this every year?), a spaghetti-scoffing contest, a human fruit machine, a best in show where pooches must dress like royalty — plus snail racing.

There's also six hours of live music at the French House's stall bar.

If you're doing the spaghetti eating contest, arrive hungry. Image: Peter Clarke

As for the pièce de résistance: that would be the well-documented Soho Waiters' Race, the finest possible display of Soho eccentricity, in which local bars and restaurants put up a sucker runner to leg it up Dean Street, whip around Soho Square, come back along Greek and Romilly Streets, then back to the starting point outside the French House.

The Waiters' Race gets messy. Image: Peter Clarke

The catch, of course, is that they must carry a tray with various things perched on it. Lining the street with a beaker of Cidre Breton and cheering on this whimsical feat of athleticism is surely one of the great joys of London in summer.

Soho Village Fete, St Anne's (accessible via Wardour Street), Sunday 19 July 2026, 12pm-6pm, free. There's a capacity of 500 at any given time, so arrive early and prepare to queue for a bit. Soho Society members get priority entry.

This feature first appeared in June 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.

Today, I’d like to talk about the history of traffic islands.

We have a lot of them in London. They help pedestrians get across busy roads by offering a refuge between lanes of traffic. Here’s one near Trafalgar Square, tested to its limits:

Image: Matt Brown

We have so many traffic islands in London that, contrary to all expectations, a few of them might be described as “quite interesting”.

I’d nominate the one opposite the Hilton on Park Lane, for example, where Mungo Jerry made their promotional video to In The Summertime (by some estimates, regarded as the biggest-selling single by a British band thanks to its international success).

Certainly, I’d put forward the one from the opening credits of Bottom, the second-best British comedy of the 1990s:

If you go to that spot today, you will find that the bench carries a plaque to “The man, the myth, the legend; Pan Global Phenomenon, Dr The Rik Mayall”, who died in 2014.

Meanwhile, you might have used this triangular traffic island at the foot of Edgware Road:

One of London’s most historic spots… not that you’d know it. Image: Google Street View

This is where the Tyburn gallows stood for centuries. Thousands of lives were snuffed out on the site of this crossing. Its triangular plan mirrors the ghastly geometry of the Tyburn Tree. Today, it is a convenient way to get across to Wagamama.

The Tyburn crossing stands within sight of Marble Arch, itself marooned on a glorified pedestrian island. At the other pole of Park Lane we find Hyde Park Corner, yet another pedestrian sanctuary, which boasts the Wellington Arch and numerous war memorials.

I shall ignore these inflated examples of the traffic island, however, in favour of something more humble. The rest of today’s newsletter will concern itself with this elementary refuge:

Image: Matt Brown

It is a traffic island so humble that I bet you didn’t even notice it at first. The eye bounces off it; heads towards the truck or the buildings. It scarcely enters the cognisance of the people who pass by. But, in London, even the most insignificant places can have a rich history. In this case, we’re looking at London’s very first traffic island (allegedly). You can probably guess where it is. The prominent window display of CAVIAR would rule out Whitechapel or Willesden Green. We’re somewhere much more fancy: at the rarified junction of Piccadilly and St James’s Street.

The Origin Story

St James’s Street, as you’re no doubt aware, is a place of gentlemen’s clubs and high-end shops of such class that they could (and indeed did) feature in the Kingsman films. Thanks to the nearby presence of St James’s Palace, the street has been a place of quality since the 17th century.

Back in 1864, a gent by the name of Colonel Pierpoint was on his way to White’s club, on the north-east corner of the street. An elderly man, the Colonel had some trouble getting across the opposing lanes of traffic. This resourceful veteran of the Napoleonic wars resolved to do something about it. He petitioned the local vestry (council) to install a refuge mid-way across the road, so that pedestrians had only to contend with one direction of traffic at a time.

The traffic island was duly installed. It was widely hailed as the first of its kind in London. Pedestrians could now cross safely, even after a few too many recommendations from the White’s sommelier.

Colonel Pierpoint was delighted with his initiative. He led an inspection party down the steps of White’s and onto the carriageway, there to admire his handiwork. Pierpoint was promptly run over by a passing carriage and killed, and on the very same day that his safety measure had opened.

We Brits don’t just live with a deep sense of irony; we die by it too.

The man, the myth, the legend…

This, at least, is the story recounted across several reputable websites, as well as MyLondon. Yet it sounds a little fishy to my ear. Can it be true?

There is, it turns out, more than a kernel of truth in the tale, if not a colonel. The gentleman concerned was the Hon. Philip Sydney Pierrepont, part of the aristocratic Pierrepont family of Northamptonshire (but sadly no relation to Albert Pierrepoint, the noted hangman). As far as I can tell, I’m the first person to identify him as a real individual. Every other source can point only to a misspelled, mis-ranked “Colonel Pierpoint”.

Here’s our man, tub-thumping for a traffic island as early as 1860:

Morning Post, 25 May 1860. Image via British Newspaper Archive

Pierrepont, though self-identifying as “aged and inactive”, was tenacious and persuasive. His letter-writing campaign was next directed at the local authority, who eventually moved forward with his proposals. The following is taken from the Minutes of the Committee of Works of St George’s Hanover Square, as reported in April 1863.

Sir, -In reply to your favour of yesterday, I beg to say that your sketch and plan of the proposed pillar of refuge at the top of St. James's-street, meet my entire approval, and I am quite ready to bear the expense, provided that it does not exceed £50, and also that it is completed and in operation by the 1st of May next. It would gratify me to have the words "Pierrepont's Refuge, 1863," cut on the stone plinth, on which I conclude it is to stand. But I by no means wish to make this a stipulation, or a sine qua non.

I remain, Sir, your obedient servant,

(Signed)

P. S. PIERREPONT.

We can, then, confirm the first half of the story. The crossing was initiated by a man almost-called Pierpoint, and was brought into being some time shortly after April 1863. He even paid for it himself.

Now, the big question. Was the Hon. Mr P. mowed down while inspecting his own road safety measures? Was he busted by his own refuge, to coin a new variant of the hoisted-petard?

The good thing about posh people is that they’re easy to trace. I found Pierrepont’s dates with little difficulty. Born 13 June 1786, died 15 February 1864. He did indeed meet his end in 1864, just as the legend says. But this may just be coincidence. He was approaching his 78th birthday after all. “Being old, he would have died soon anyway,” to paraphrase The Day Today, the runaway best British comedy of the 1990s. Can we find a cause of death, to clinch the matter either way?

I discovered in the archives that he’d expired at his home at 4 Seamore Place, Mayfair. This now-vanished street was at the western end of Curzon Street in Mayfair.

Having already written my introduction to this article, I was rather amused by the coincidence. Pierrepont’s sick room may well have looked out onto Park Lane and — had he and his property somehow survived another 106 years — straight onto the traffic island where Mungo Jerry recorded their record-breaking hit. Honestly, if this article has one more unlikely call-back, then it’ll self destruct*.

The road layout changed a bit in the interim, but this is roughly how traffic-island pioneers Mungo Jerry and the Hon Philip Sydney Pierrepont were spatially if not temporally neighbours.

But what did he die of? Most newspaper accounts of the Pierrepontian demise deal only with the contents of the Will. One report, however, mentions that he passed “after an illness of some weeks”. A longer obituary says that he slipped away “after a period, we fear, of much suffering”. Nowhere reports the actual cause of death.

Now, it could have been a road-traffic accident that left him critically injured. Then again, I can find no accounts of any elderly gentleman being struck by a carriage in the right time frame, and certainly not on St James’s Street. Sadly, Pierrepont had no children, and therefore no descendants, so he’s been largely overlooked by the genealogists on sites like Ancestry. Short of ordering a death certificate (which I’m tempted to do), I am unable to establish what fatally ailed him.

My hunch is that the Hon. Mr Pierrepont died of an illness unrelated to any road accident, but we can’t rule it out. That’s as it should be. A good urban legend should always retain an air of mystery, even in the light of contradictory evidence**.

Speaking of the urban legend, it began to circulate three decades after Pierrepont’s death. In 1895, several newspapers published a ‘Notes and Queries’ item about the curious and barely legible inscription on St James’s Street commemorating “Pierpoint’s Refuge” (it seems he got his wish). All of them give the punchline about the gentleman being killed at his own crossing, but with an air of scepticism. At some point in the 20th century the tale had been spun enough times to Chinese-whisper his name into “Colonel Pierpoint”.

The real Pierpoint, the Hon. Philip Sydney Pierrepont, has been all-but-forgotten by history. I think we should revive the memory of this putative inventor of the traffic island. This obituary in the Bicester Herald (26 Feb 1864) paints the picture of a man who lived up to his honourable honorific.

Pierrepont’s Refuge remains in place today, albeit much altered and no-doubt repaved a dozen times. The “Pierrepont’s Refuge” plaque was noted as missing as early as 1897, and calls for its return can be found in the press a decade after that. It never was replaced. Perhaps my friend Martin Wilkie of World Origin Sites, which marks ‘world first’ locations, might care to look into it.

Finally, let’s go out with the greatest song ever recorded on a London traffic island. Take it away, lads:

*FOOTNOTE: I mean, there are other connections I could interweave. I’m too young to remember In The Summertime’s original release (and video) of 1970. My generation associates the song more with an anti-drink-driving commercial from 1992 which, like the Pierpoint myth, also ends in a fatal car crash. Rik Mayall of Bottom was also strongly associated with motor accidents. He was seriously injured and almost killed in a 1998 quad-bike crash. His character was clipped by a van in Four Men in a Car. And the unforgettable finale to the The Young Ones saw Rik’s character Rick and the rest of the cast plummet of a cliff in a double-decker bus.

**FOOTNOTE: After publication of this article, an intrigued reader ordered the death certificate and it turns out Pierrepont died of kidney disease — not usually contracted from a road collision.

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This article was originally published in 2019.

This year's Covent Garden Rent Ceremony takes place on 2 July 2026, from 4.30pm. It's a public event so anyone on the piazza by St Paul's Church at that time can join in or just watch.

"Hear ye! Hear ye!"

The cry rings out around Covent Garden on a balmy Thursday afternoon, alerting people it's time for one of London's strangest annual traditions: the Covent Garden Rent Ceremony.

The historical ceremony is held each summer, as a merry band of misfits — that is, the Lord Mayor of Westminster, the Deputy Mayor of Camden, Covent Garden Area trustees, musicians, street entertainers and a town crier — march around Covent Garden Piazza.

Their every step is followed by a determined group of photographers, and bemused yet gleeful tourists.

Because every parade needs a man on a unicorn unicycle.

But what exactly is the Rent Ceremony? It's an event where the trustees pay the "peppercorn rent" of five rosy red apples and five posies of flowers — a callback to the fruit and flower market on which Covent Garden was founded — to the landlords of the five properties of the 'Protected Lands'.

The trust has a 150 year lease on the properties and this is the 31st edition of the ceremony, meaning there's another 119 years left to go.

The Lord Mayor of Westminster with The Deputy Mayor of Camden and some of Covent Garden's trustees behind.

The parade winds its way around Covent Garden, pausing for the town crier to make a booming speech explaining what on Earth is going on, followed by a musical interlude from the string quartet. The parade then sets off again.

Most impressively the quartet includes a man marching with a massive double bass, often for brilliant comic effect. (As someone who played the instrument abysmally at school, I cannot stress enough how physically impressive a feat this is.)

One of the rosy red apples being handed over.

At two different points, the peppercorn rent is exchanged. The first time comes reasonably early in the parade for the lease on the St James's buildings. The second is at the end of the parade, for the lease on the main Covent Garden Piazza building.

After that, a few speeches thank all involved in the merry day out, before the parade marches out of the piazza and dissipates.

Take a look at some photos we captured at 2019's ceremony, followed by the video we shot in 2017.

Wahey!

Not the traditional way to play a double bass.

Festivities come to an end and the trade is made.

Chair of the Friends of Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens Sue Price with Kensington Gardens Park Manager Andy Williams, admiring the restored Elfin Oak. Image: Royal Parks

London's most magical tree — certainly its most magical dead tree — has just been restored.

It was in 1928 when the hollow stump of a 900-year-old oak tree was moved from Richmond Park to Kensington Gardens, where the children's illustrator Ivor Innes slowly yet skilfully carved a village of magical folk into the wood: elves, fairies, goblins, witches and forest animals.

Amazing how a tree stump has brought joy to so many over almost 100 years. Image: Royal Parks

Two years later, the Elfin Oak was unveiled on 25 July in 1930, and has delighted scores of children ever since — not to mention many adults, including Pink Floyd's David Gilmour, who was photographed in front of it for the inside cover of the Ummagumma album.

Spike Milligan would be pleased to see the latest restoration. Image: Royal Parks

The tree has taken its fair share of weathering, both by the natural elements, and vandals. The latter prompted park keepers to enshroud the tree in an old raven's cage from London Zoo.

Needless to say then, the Elfin Oak has been through a few restorations. In the mid 1960s — and again some 30 years later — the comedian Spike Milligan lobbied to save and renovate it, as documented in the BBC's 2021 radio drama, Spike and the Elfin Oak. The tree stump gained Grade II listed status in 1997.

The fantastical tree stump was Grade II listed in 1997. Image: Royal Parks

Now, the Royal Parks charity has unveiled the result of conservation repairs, carried out by DBR Conservation, in which the tree's 97 figurines — including Wookey (the little old witch), Huckleberry (gnome) and Harebell (fairy) — have been expertly and sensitively restored, once more vibrant, glossy and rendered in intricate detail.

Visibility of the Elfin Oak has also been improved, including the removing of a mesh lining, and a reduction in the number of bars encasing it.

Just look at the detail on this. Image: Royal Parks

Says Andy Williams, Park Manager for Kensington Gardens: "Kensington Gardens is one of the most magical parks for children and part of its appeal is the Elfin Oak, where elves, witches and owls inhabit a secret world. We are delighted to help restore this much-loved treasure back to its former glory."

Magical, really, how a tree stump has brought so much joy to so many people.

The Elfin Oak is free for all to enjoy. You'll find it by the entrance to the Diana, Princess of Wales Memorial Playground in Kensington Gardens.

Apartments that look good enough to eat... or lick, at least. Image: Pensaer

London's current crop of architects is often accused of being uninspired, but one new design for a set of apartments in Homerton will have you licking your lips.

Architects' Journal reports that south London based architectural firm Pensaer has submitted designs for 28 new homes in Chelmer Road, Homerton, which take direct inspiration from ice cream. Mock-up designs show waffle-textured precast panels, as well as supporting columns distinctly resembling ice cream cones. What's more, the building's colour scheme includes lickable shades of pistachio and strawberry.

So was Pensaer inspired by the recent heatwave? In fact, the flats are to be built on the site of the Valente Bros ice cream factory/the depot where it parks its fleet of ice cream vans. A small family business, Valente Bros has operated from here since the 1970s, but recently experienced a downturn in business caused by factors including increased business rates, the expansion of Congestion Charge zone and increasing energy prices. With the Chelmer Road site no longer viable, Valente Bros is hoping to relocate elsewhere, though a new location has yet to be secured.

Meanwhile, the development's marketeers have already rebranded the area the Ice Cream Quarter. Cool.

No news yet on when the apartments might get the go-ahead/construction will begin. Let's just hope, for the sake of whoever might end up moving in, that the walls themselves are not wafer thin.

A genuine Archbishop and various National Treasures are among the speakers at this year's Idler Festival.

Fenton House — a gorgeous 17th century mansion hidden away from the busier areas of Hampstead — is once again the fancy venue for 2026's event, a relaxed-jolly of ideas, activities... and inactivities.

The annual event — which this year takes place on 10-12 July — features some serious big-name speakers, but in a studiously laid-back environment. Festival goers are invited to do "as much or as little as they please" at London's most relaxed festival.

You'll probably end up doing quite a lot, actually, because the speakers include hugely popular authors Irvine Welsh, Jojo Moyes and Charlie Higson, as well as Bake Off legend Prue Leith and the returning Rowan Williams, former Archbishop of Canterbury. Some other confirmed highlights include:

🐌 Jah Wobble will delve into his ‘Memoirs of a Geezer’.

🐌 Cathi Unsworth talks Goth women.

🐌 Nigel Planer holds court as the paperback of his autobiography, Young Once, arrives.

🐌 Chris Difford reveals the stories behind the songs of Squeeze as their 'lost' concept album, Trixies, finally lands.

🐌 Lissa Evans reminisces about Craggy Island in her tales of producing Father Ted.

🐌 Ben Moor presents his one-man show, Not Everything is Significant.

🐌 DJ Zakia Sewell recounts her travels from Somerset to Scotland, looking for the alternative spirit of Britain, found in otherworldly folk songs, ancient legends, Celtic seasonal rites and mystic stone circles.

🐌 Esther Freud discusses using Lucian, Bella and the rest of the Freud family as characters in her fiction.

🐌  Georgia Mann treats people to a classical DJ set.

🐌  All this in beautiful surroundings with an orchard bar and Spanish-Moroccan mezze made by Moro chefs.

Side activities include dancing lessons, walks, singing, beekeeping and plenty of time to lie under an apple tree with a book and a drink. Not completely idle, then.

The Idler Festival, Fenton House, Hampstead, 10-12 July 2026. Day and Weekend tickets available.

Tools of the trade. Quentin Blake's illustration tools. Image: Matt Brown

The 'world’s largest space dedicated to illustration' opens in Clerkenwell.

An old industrial complex at the back end of Clerkenwell has been transformed into the Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration. It reckons to be the largest site dedicated to illustration in the world. Draped across 18th century industrial buildings and a remnant windmill, it's a visual feast before you even set foot inside.

Image: Matt Brown

The heart of the museum is a peculiarly shaped brick engine house, whose three floors are repurposed for art. The debut offering gives a glimpse of the breadth and diversity on offer. We first meet the work of Sophy Hollington, which brightens the entrance to the library. Her art uses "mythological references to create striking modern pieces with elaborate patterns and bold colours". Her cut-outs are particularly joyful.

Murugiah's art. Mostly illustration, but he's not averse to other artforms. Image: Matt Brown

Joyful, in fact, is the key word for this building. The next floor is devoted to the artist MURUGIAH, whose swirling bright imagery cannot help but put a smile on the face, even while exploring themes of mental health and identity.

The top floor is reserved for the work of the centre's namesake and patron Sir Quentin Blake (born 1932). The much-loved illustrator is perhaps most famous for his work on Roald Dahl's books, and original drafts of panels from The Enormous Crocodile can be viewed here. But Blake's output is much, much wider. His distinctive illustrations have appeared in over 500 books, including many of his own. The gallery includes some of Blake's earliest professional drawings, from the 1950s. Quite incredible to consider that he's still working.

Image: Matt Brown

The largest exhibition space sits to one side of the main stack. Its debut show looks at the history of queer comics, a medium that had to operate in the shadows for many years, when homosexuality and its portrayal were illegal. Finally, and most atmospherically, an old windmill base (London's oldest, apparently) in the gardens serves as a circular gallery.

The centre comes with further bonuses. A free-to-use library with over 1,000 books on illustration is something of a centrepiece and will appeal particularly to families. We also get a new walking route. For the first time in history, it's possible to walk from Myddleton Passage to Amwell Street, through the centre's gardens (free to enter). This is of no particular convenience or time-saving, but an extra route is always a good thing.

The library. Image: Matt Brown

The centre's location is itself historically interesting. This was formerly a key part of London's water infrastructure. From 1613, an artificial conduit known as the New River would bring fresh water into the capital from Hertfordshire. It terminated here, at the New River Head. The surviving buildings of the centre recall this aqueous past — and Thames Water still maintains a site adjacent to the centre.

Indeed, Blake himself has added a nod to the New River. He's contributed a new mural to the cafe, called A Bridge to the Past, which shows figures from different eras enjoying the river.

Image (c) Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration

The launch of the centre comes at an interesting time. With AI, anyone can now 'create' an 'illustration' in seconds through a simple prompt. Does AI sound the death knell for traditional illustrators, or might it herald a golden age in which we appreciate their talents all the more, in the face of robotic competition? The centre will no doubt explore such questions in future displays, and hopefully tip the balance towards the latter scenario.

Cafe space. Image: Matt Brown

The Quentin Blake Centre for Illustration opens 5 June 2026. Much of the centre is free, but the feature galleries charge at £15 (adults), and £6 (children). Concessions available.

Image: public domain

See re-creations of the War of the Roses battle.

Barnet. Famous as a terminus of the Northern line; and widely deployed as a slang term for haircuts. But it's got some proper serious history going on, too.

A throne was won on Barnet's lofty slopes. It was here, on Easter Sunday 1471, that Edward of York saw off the Lancastrian forces, all but securing his future as Edward IV. The Battle of Barnet is seen as one of the most important battles of medieval England, and it happened right here, within what is now Greater London's borders.

Every year, the good citizens of Barnet put on a big shindig to celebrate their manor's momentous past. The 2026 Barnet Medieval Festival takes place on 6-7 June and promises to be a spectacle for all the family. As well as battle recreation, you can also see archery and cannon demonstrations, medieval artwork, mounted knights in combat and... well, we might as well just drop the flyer in:

Sadly (though perhaps wisely) the battle won't rage throughout the town, nor on the prime battle site in Hadley Green. Instead the action takes place at the wonderful Lewis of London farm — famous for its ice cream cafe — on Galley Lane. It's a bit of a schlep if you're coming from afar, perhaps a 45-minute walk from the Tube station. But there is a shuttle bus from the Spires shopping centre, and parking is available on site for those who drive.

The Battle of Barnet memorial, a little north-east of the festival site, in Hadley Green. Image Matt Brown

Although the main action is at the ice cream farm, a walk through central Barnet will also turn up plenty of nods to the battle. Look out for the 90-or-so medieval banners, fitted to lamp posts and hanging in the Spires shopping centre (photo above from 2023). The pennants were created by volunteers at the Museum of Barnet, and are based on the heraldic devices used by combatants in the battle. The town even has a commemorative bench or two:

Image: Matt Brown

The main event is organised by the Barnet Medieval Festival Committee. Tickets are available on the gate or in advance at £10 for adults, £5 for teens (children free). Parking is available. While you're in the area, check out the whalebone arch, or go hunting for fairy doors.

A start date for construction of the City of London's tallest building has been announced. Image: © Dbox

Farewell to 1 Undershaft, hello One London.

A start date for construction of the City of London's tallest building has been announced, along with a new name.

The office tower formerly known as 1 Undershaft will begin construction in 2028 for a completion in 2033. It will stand 309.5 metres tall, the same as The Shard. It will also boast a viewing gallery operated by London Museum.

But what of the name? 1 Undershaft always prompted a bit of a snigger. The peculiar moniker references the local road and church (St Andrew Undershaft), which in turn recall a giant maypole that once thrusted into the skies hereabouts.

Historical flavour has now given way to blandness. The tower will hereafter be known as One London, a reflection of its prominence on the skyline.

One London (centre) as it may appear. Image: © Dbox /Eric Parry Architects

The name is not exactly original. Apsley House, former home of the Duke of Wellington at Hyde Park Corner, was historically known as Number One London, as it once constituted the first building of note when approaching London from Kensington. We wonder, also, how journalist Dave Hill will feel about its similarity to his independent local news website OnLondon.

Meanwhile, Simon Usborne has previously pointed out the rash of new-builds that use the 'One' device to attract foreign investment. Examples include One Blackfriars, One Nine Elms, One Kensington Gardens and One Tower Bridge. The addition of One London brings the trend to its natural climax, even if it doesn't finger the Undershaft.

The Aviva Tower (centre) under the 'white sheet of death' awaiting demolition. This will be the site of One London. Image: Matt Brown

One London will be built on a plot of land between the Cheesegrater and Gherkin, currently occupied by the Aviva Tower, also known as the St Helen's Tower. This 1960s skyscraper will be the largest skyscraper ever demolished in London, at 118 metres.

The scheme is being developed by Aroland Holdings and designed by Eric Parry Architects.

This magnificent ship will dock in east London this summer. Image: Nao Foundation

A full-size replica of a celebrated 16th century ship docks in London later this month, with the public invited on board to have a snoop around.

The Nao Victoria is a 26m (86ft) replica of the Victoria, the first ship to fully circumnavigate the world. The original departed from Seville in 1519 and travelled the globe, returning three years later with just 18 of its 245 crew left.

The modern replica was built in 1992, and has itself been around the globe, acting as a working museum, visiting 17 countries across five continents. Next stop: London, where you can learn about that world-first voyage.

No, that's not London: the Nao Victoria started out in Spain. Image: Cdoncel

If this all sounds familiar, it's because the Nao Victoria is part of the Nao Foundation's three-ship fleet of reconstructed ships. Another, the Nao Santa María, visited the capital in May 2025, inviting Londoners to get an insight into life on board Christopher Columbus' ship. The non-profit organisation reconstructs historic ships as floating museums, promoting their maritime heritage and contribution to navigation history.

The Nao Victoria will be in the centre basin at St Katharine Docks, 30 June-12 July 2026, and is open to the public (weather permitting). Book tickets here.

It's a Sin is returning... this time as a dance stage show. Image: Rambert.

Coming of age HIV/AIDS drama It's a Sin comes to the London stage next year — as a show by the acclaimed Rambert dance company.

Russell T Davies' devastating (and devastatingly good) rollercoaster of a drama landed back in 2021, shaking audiences to the core with its depictions of young people caught up in the whirlwind of queer 1980s/90s London culture, and the cruel fallout from a disease that people didn't understand, and in many cases, chose not to.

Now, the BAFTA-nominated show will take on a new lease of life as a dance spectacular, envisaged by Rambert, the company behind Peaky Blinders: The Redemption of Thomas Shelby. Russell T Davies and the Pet Shop Boys (whose 1987 song was used as the show's title) will be executive producers, alongside Glyn Fussell, director of south London's Mighty Hoopla festival.

Says Rambert's Artistic Director Benoit Swan Pouffer, who will choreograph and direct: "Storytelling sits at the heart of Rambert's mission. This is a story we feel compelled to tell right now, and collaborating with Russell — one of the most powerful storytellers of our time — is incredibly exciting."

Touring the UK from February 2027, It's a Sin will land at Sadler's Wells from 5-16 October 2027. Tickets for these London dates go on general sale from 6 July 2026, although tickets for the first leg of the tour (Manchester) are available from 4 June.

The announcement of It's a Sin's dance revival was made with a surprise on-stage preview at Mighty Hoopla over the late May bank holiday weekend.

It's a Sin, Sadler's Wells, 5-16 October 2027. Tickets on general sale from 6 July 2026.

Queer Brewing will shut at the end of July 2026. Image: Ewan-M via CC BY-SA 4.0

East London brewery Queer Brewing — the UK's first queer- and trans-owned brewery — has announced it is winding down operations at the end of July.

In a video posted on the company's social media, founder Lily Waite-Marsden said: "This is the announcement that we never thought we'd have to make, but this is sadly the end of the road for Queer Brewing."

Explaining that the company has decided it is no longer viable to keep operating, Waite-Marsden added "We know that there's a certain irony in making this announcement at the start of Pride month, our busiest time of year, and we realise that this may come as a surprise."

Founded in 2019, Queer Brewing has become renowned for its superb range of craft beers, including a Queer Joy! Queer Power! stout, a Something To Put In You hazy pale, and a Glitter Veil IPA. The most frustrating thing about this news — both for Queer Brewing and the people who love it — is that business was good, with the brewery busier than it's ever been. "Everything seems like it's working," says the founder. Something in the brewery and pub industry has to give, because losing outfits like this one is in the interests of no one.

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The silver lining, Waite-Marsden says, is that by calling time now, the brewery can focus on going out in style over the next couple of months: "We can do what we want to with the dying breaths of the brewery. We can brew the best beer imaginable; the ones that have lived in Slack beer name channels for years."

As far as we know, the taproom in Leyton will continue to operate until the end of July, and perhaps there will be a party or two to bid farewell.

A recent BBC article explains that the number of beer brewing companies across the UK has peaked; in 2022, there were 2,594, but as of April 2026, that number's dropped to 2,320. Says the BBC: "London is the only English region which didn't see a net loss of companies last year." It could be that stat is about to change.

Meanwhile, amid an impassioned thank you to everyone who has supported Queer Brewing over the past seven years, its founder has another message: "If you know anyone who wants to buy a brewery, send them my way."

All weekend

Find your way to the London Map Fair. Image: London Map Fair

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

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

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

ART MARKET: King's Cross Open Art Market brings local artists and makers to Coal Drops Yard for a weekend of stalls, live music and hands-on workshops. Browse and buy handmade pieces or limited-edition artworks. 6-7 June 2026

Browse art in King's Cross. Image: Open Art Market

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

FOOD PHOTOGRAPHY: Now in its 15th year, the World Food Photography Awards brings together finalists chosen by a global panel, with the winning images on display at Mall Galleries this weekend. See fantastic photos depicting the growing, farming, harvesting, cooking and eating of food across the world. FREE, 3-7 June 2026

ARCHITECTURE FEST: The first weekend of this year's London Festival of Architecture is a packed one. Learn about the Crystal Palace Subway, join a Festival of Britain-themed guided walk around Poplar's Lansbury Estate, or take a tour around Iron Works, a new spot in the Royal Docks, among many other events. Until 30 June 2026

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Mark 175 years of the Great Exhibition at this scientific street party

Image: GERF.

When it arrived in Hyde Park in 1851, the Great Exhibition became the best attended public exhibition ever staged in London — millions of Victorians flocking from far and wide to gawp at the scientific and industrial breakthroughs of their age.

175 years later, its legacy lives on; not just with institutions like the V&A and Science Museum, but also the Great Exhibition Road Festival. Taking place on Saturday 6 and Sunday 7 June 2026, the Festival continues in the vein of wowing people of all ages with wind tunnels, puppet street parades, a kaleidoscopic carnival butterfly, Bollywood dance classes, Science Cabaret and a lot more besides.

Plus there are special events marking that 175 year anniversary, including the chance to sample dishes from 1851, and an invite to step inside the original Crystal Palace via VR.

By the way, Victorians had to pay to get into the Crystal Palace, but the Great Exhibition Road Festival is entirely free!

The Great Exhibition Road Festival, 6-7 June 2026, 12pm-6pm each day.

All events are free. Register for early info.

Saturday 6 June

The Zoffany Ensemble performs in Kew. Image:  Zoffany Ensemble

MORNING RAVE: Start your weekend strong with a morning rave at Farmer J in Russell Square. Enjoy high energy, feel-good music with live DJ sets and special guests, alongside healthy food, and a discount on lunch if you stick around after the event. 10am-12pm

CAPITAL ANTIQUE MARKET: Bargain hunters, assemble! A brand new antiques, vintage and furniture flea market launches today, running on the first and third Saturday of every month. Capital Antique Market is by the creators of Capital Carboot Sale Pimlico and takes place at The Pimlico Academy, offering mid-century furniture, antique homewares, vintage jewellery, and all manner of other collectables, curiosities and oddities. FREE entry, 10am-3pm on launch day (£2 thereafter). From 10am (sponsor)

WORLD OCEAN DAY: Greenwich's National Maritime Museum celebrates World Ocean Day with a day packed full of family-friendly workshops, talks and activities exploring the importance of the oceans, conservation and maritime history. The programme includes hands-on sessions for children, films, and talks from museum staff and guest speakers from conservation and science groups. FREE, from 10.30am

BRUNCH BOOK CLUB: Internationally bestselling author Louise O'Neill joins the Brunch Book Club at Utter Waffle in Balham for a hybrid literary event celebrating her new novel, Whatever Happened to Madeline Stone?. Begin with a group discussion and an exclusive author Q&A, followed by a brunch. 10.30am-4.30pm

BRITISH JAZZ LEGENDS: Celebrated saxophonist Art Themen and legendary bassist Dave Green join broadcaster Ian Shaw at Ronnie Scott's in Soho for an afternoon of brunch, songs and stories. The two pillars of the scene recount decades of shared history, from Themen's early years with Alexis Korner to Green's collaborations with Ben Webster and Sonny Rollins. Expect a mix of live musical moments and vivid tales from the road, mapping the evolution of British jazz through the eyes of those who shaped it. 11am

TAKE FLIGHT: An interactive, multi-sensory aerial show for babies aged up to two-years-old and their carers, Take Flight is a 35-minute performance following a musical mother bird as her chick hatches, grows and explores. There's a stay and play session afterwards, where you can try baby-safe props and a silk swing. 11am/1pm/3pm

MARMALADE AND MASQUERADES: Enjoy a one-hour family concert from The Zoffany Ensemble, pairing Herbert Chappell's Paddington Bear's First Concert with André Caplet's Conte Fantastique, with narration. The programme contrasts bright, playful music with darker, dramatic storytelling, introducing children to how music can tell stories. It takes place at St Anne's Church in Kew. 11am-12pm

Take Flight at the Half Moon Theatre. Image: Pamela Raith Photography

PRIME MINISTERS' HOMES: Explore the Mayfair and St James's residences of 12 British leaders on a guided walk led by Rob Smith of Footprints of London. While 10 Downing Street is the famous address, this walking tour visits the exteriors of houses previously belonging to figures such as Churchill, Gladstone and Disraeli, while uncovering the scandals and political intrigues of Georgian and Victorian Britain, beginning at Green Park and concluding near Piccadilly Circus. 11am-1pm

OPEN STUDIOS: Meet a diverse collective of painters, sculptors, and ceramicists as Open Studios returns to Wembley Park. Venture into the creative workspaces of Second Floor Studios & Arts across four different buildings, chat with makers about their techniques and purchase original works commission-free. FREE, 11am-5pm

BLOCK PRINTING: Head to the historic Forty Hall Estate in Enfield for a hands-on block printing workshop for adults. This beginner-friendly session introduces the art of Indian block printing, using traditional hand-carved wooden blocks to explore rhythm and pattern. Experiment with layering and various motifs to personalise your own canvas tote bag to take home. 11.30am-1.30pm

THE ARTISTS' FAIR: Somerset House Studios brings together a cross-disciplinary community of practitioners for the fourth edition of The Artists' Fair. This alternative artist-led market features a live programme of talks and workshops in collaboration with Montez Press Radio, including a DIY zine-making session for kids and a frank discussion on the financial realities of maintaining an art practice. 12pm-6pm

LONDON METAL PRIDE: Heavy music and queer power collide at Signature Brew Blackhorse Road for a full-day festival of riffs and zero apologies. The stacked line-up features Battle of the Bands winners Riff Dealer, the horror-infused black/doom of Karnstein, and trans black metal activists Davghter. Expect unhinged energy and danceable chaos from Something or Other? alongside a host of other heavy acts. 1pm

WILLIAM FINN: Sail through the songbook of one of musical theatre's most influential voices at The Other Palace in Victoria. A Celebration of William Finn features songs from his most honest and fiercely funny works, including Falsettos, A New Brain, and The 25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, honouring Finn's significant contribution to authentic LGBTQ+ representation on stage. 2pm

POLYMATHS AND PIONEERS: Humanist heritage expert Madeleine Goodall leads a two-hour guided walk through the streets and squares of Bloomsbury to uncover the history of its most remarkable female residents. Starting at Conway Hall, the tour explores the homes and haunts of trailblazers who broke new ground in law, health, print and design. 2pm-4pm

Cowboy hats at the ready for the Rhinestone Rodeo. Image: Between the Bridges

BLACK HISTORY: Discover how ancient and modern African stories are reshaping mainstream media at Fulham Palace. This special presentation explores the rise of self-published works and their transition into billion-dollar visual media, and features a Q&A with Hollywood producer Terry Jervis, covering topics ranging from Caribbean-designed spacecraft to the fight for equality in publishing. 2pm-5pm

MAGIC SHOW: Vaudevillian duo Norvil & Josephine bring a magical extravaganza to The Exchange in Twickenham, blending 1905-style whimsy with contemporary flair. Rabbits Out Of The Hat features a mix of magic, circus skills and showstopper songs to tell a spellbinding story about the importance of being yourself. 2.30pm

LAUREL AND HARDY: The London branch of the Laurel & Hardy Appreciation Society gathers at the Cinema Museum in Kennington for its quarterly meeting, The Live Ghost Tent. This afternoon of slapstick nostalgia offers a curated selection of features and shorts screenings, including the 1941 film Great Guns and the 1927 silent short With Love and Hisses. 3pm-7pm

RHINESTONE RODEO: Between the Bridges on South Bank throws a country music-themed outdoor party, Rhinestone Rodeo. It's an afternoon of live music, a mechanical rodeo bull, line-dancing classes, country karaoke, dancing and prizes for best dressed. Yeehaw! 4pm-11pm

ECHOES OF PRINCE: Parisian funk band Echoes Of returns to The Jazz Cafe in Camden to celebrate the life and legacy of the High Priest of Pop. This birthday party marks what would have been Prince's 68th year with a high-energy set of classics including When Doves Cry and I Would Die 4 U. 6.30pm-10pm

The London Mozart Players open the Games Music Festival. Photo: Nick Rutter

FORENSIC SCIENCE: A team of UK forensic specialists — including Dame Lorna Dawson, Katherine Brown, Iain Macauley, Georgios Zouganelis and Nicholas Dawnay — leads an evening of demonstrations and recreated crime scenes at the Royal Institution. Learn how evidence, from DNA to soil, is used in investigations, and find out about the SCAnDi project, a technique for tracing DNA from single cells to help 'unmix' mixed profiles. 7.30pm-9pm

LIVE AT THE CHAPEL: The monthly comedy showcase returns to Union Chapel with a headline set from David O'Doherty. The "Ryanair Enya" and king of tiny keyboards tops a high-calibre bill, featuring Taskmaster star Bridget Christie, viral comic Red Richardson and Hasan Al-Habib. Chloe Petts takes on hosting duties for the evening. 7.45pm

GAMES MUSIC FESTIVAL: Hear three decades of music from video game series Diablo, performed by the London Mozart Players and a choir at the Royal Festival Hall. The concert features themes from across the series and special guests Ted Reedy (lead composer) and Derek Duke (music director) are present. It's the opening event for the Games Music Festival 2026. 8pm

THE CLONG SHOW: Courageous clowns go head-to-head in a series of hilarious tasks and challenges to compete for the prestigious London Clown Festival Clong Award. Hosted by Dan Lees and Neil Frost at Soho Theatre Dean Street, The Clong Show leaves the final verdict to the audience to decide who will be crowned the biggest idiot of all. 10.15pm

TALKING HEADS: Regular club night Scared To Dance holds a Talking Heads special at the George Tavern in Shadwell. Resident DJ Paul Richards is joined by Finn Kidd for a Talking Heads‑focused night of post‑punk, new wave, indiepop and art‑rock. 11pm

Sunday 7 June

Take a special tour of London Zoo. Image: Matt From London

HEAVY HORSE SHOW: Capel Manor Gardens in Enfield hosts the Herts Heavy Horse Show and Country Show. See heavy horse breeds in action, taking part in various events in the show ring. There's also a dog show, farrier demonstrations, a mini zoo and children's rides. A great excuse to explore the venue's 30-acre gardens. 10am-5pm

VINTAGE MARKET: Dulwich Picture Gallery fills its stunning gardens and galleries with a curated selection of 40 handpicked traders for the So Last Century Vintage Market. Hunt for mid-century furniture, original 1950s art, and French brocante while enjoying live New Orleans jazz from the Alvar Treefrogs, street food from Sarrasin and coffee from the Flotsam & Jetsam Café. FREE ENTRY, 10.30am-5pm

LITTLE HOLLAND HOUSE: Carshalton's Little Holland House is a Grade-II listed building packed full of hand-made furniture, paintings, interior decoration, carvings and metalwork. Take a look inside at the monthly open day, with guided tours available. FREE, 11am-5pm

VINTAGE FAIR: Frock Me! is at Royal Horticultural Halls in Westminster for a one-day vintage fair featuring some 80 exhibitors specialising in antique textiles, menswear, womenswear, workwear, jewellery and accessories. 11am-5.30pm

MITCHAM CARNIVAL: After a successful return last year, a parade takes place as part of Mitcham Carnival again this year. The mile-long route starts in the town centre and finishes at Three Kings Piece, where you'll find live performances, wrestling demos and funfair rides. FREE, 11am-6pm

Wander past Highgate Cemetery on a walk through the area. Image: Peter Trimming via CC BY-SA 2.0

ZOO HISTORY TOUR: As part of the ongoing ZSL200 celebrations, take a tour of London Zoo themed on pop culture, and find out how the zoo's animals, buildings and staff have inspired films, music and art, from James Bond to Harry Potter. 11.30am

FLEETING PARADISE: Clarinetist Ewan Bleach brings his 10-piece big band to Jamboree in King's Cross for a lunch gig dedicated to the "territory" bands of 1920s and 30s America. The Fleeting Paradise Orchestra performs authentic arrangements of blues and jazz numbers originally made famous by the likes of Duke Ellington, Bennie Moten and Charlie Johnson. 12.15pm

WE ARE NOT MACHINES: Sarah O'Connor of the Financial Times is at Conway Hall to give a talk about how AI and automation are reshaping the world of work, using examples from translators, warehouse workers and graduates to look at both harms and possible improvements. 3pm-4.30pm

HIGHGATE WALK: Join a two‑hour walking tour of Highgate Village, visiting Lubetkin's High Point flats, Waterlow Park, Highgate Cemetery, Holly Lodge Estate and St Anne's Close, soaking up architectural titbits and local stories as you go. 3pm-5pm

BEATS AND BANDS: Get lively at Beats and Bands, a stadium-scale fitness party at Craven Cottage. A live DJ plays Afrobeats, Amapiano, dancehall and hip hop while group workout classes take place. 3pm-7pm

Beats and Bands takes over Craven Cottage. Image: Fulham FC.

MONET'S GIVERNY: Capture the light and colour of the French Impressionist movement at the London Art Bar in Holborn. This creative workshop invites you to paint Monet's Bridge Over Giverny, using loose brushstrokes to recreate the famous Japanese bridge from the artist's own garden. All supplies are provided, including a canvas to take home and a glass of prosecco to help the creative process along. 3.30pm-6pm

CLIMATE EMERGENCY: Gather at Southwark Cathedral for a screening of The People's Emergency Briefing, a short film presenting the latest evidence on the climate and nature crisis. The 50-minute documentary features expert interviews and celebrity reactions, exploring the human impact on food security, health and extreme weather. A short Q&A session with the Bishop of Kingston follows the film. FREE, 4.15pm-6pm

CINEMATIC BLOCKBUSTERS: Hear the spectacular scores that defined modern cinema performed by the London Symphony Orchestra at Barbican. Conducted by Dirk Brossé, the programme features iconic music the orchestra originally recorded for the big screen, including John Williams' themes from Star Wars and Superman alongside more recent hits from Harry Potter and Thor. The evening also includes world premiere suites from Pandora – The World of Avatar and Asterix: The Kingdom of Nubia. 7pm

LOST IN MUSIC: Step back into the era of glitter balls and groove as the Churchill Theatre in Bromley stages Lost In Music. A live band and powerhouse vocalists recreate the golden age of disco with a high-energy production featuring the hits of Donna Summer, Gloria Gaynor, Earth, Wind & Fire, and Chic. Expect a non-stop setlist of classics including I Will Survive and Boogie Wonderland, turning the main auditorium into a massive 70s dance floor. 7.30pm

COUNTRY SOUL SESSIONS: Western Swing and Americana fill the basement of The Spice Of Life in Soho for a high-energy double bill. The Boot Heel Playboys return to the venue with their authentic 1940s-style dance tunes, while Honest Hal and His Buried Hearts launch their debut 10-inch pink vinyl LP, Kentucky Bound. Expect a mix of steel guitar, fiddle and rock 'n' roll melodies, designed to get the audience two-stepping. 7.45pm

Eel Pie Island is known for its eccentric buildings and studios. Exhibit A here. Image: Londonist

Twickenham's Eel Pie Island is an enclave of west London enveloped in musical legend, artistic curios galore — and a healthy dose of secrecy.

Though you can cross the footbridge onto the piscatorially-monikered island anytime you like, you'll only get a tantalising whiff of the creative minds buzzing inside (think shrubbery-ensconced huts festooned with headless mannequins, skeletons in cages and other forms of screwball sculpture).

But for two weekends this July, you can gain access to Eel Pie Island's inner sanctum, thanks to its Open Studios series.

You've got four chances to visit the island this summer. Image: Daderot via CC0

The footbridge that takes you to a zany dimension of London. Image: M@/Londonist

On Saturday 4 and Sunday 5 July 2026 — and again on Saturday 11 and Saturday 12 July 2026 — you're invited into the creative hubs of the artists who live and work on this unique island.

While enjoying a rare opportunity to hobnob with the locals, you can peruse handmade oil paintings, jewellery, ceramic sculptures and caricatures. There's even someone who transforms vintage cases into portable Bluetooth speakers. How very Eel Pie Island.

And of course, if any particular treasure ruffles your truffles, you can take it back ashore without having to go through customs. Refreshments are also available (we once had a Pimm's here surrounded by some VERY interesting sculptures), so all in all it makes for a grand couple of hours away from the shackles of mainland life.

Not your typical London abodes. Image: Marathon via CC BY-SA 2.0

Nothing to see here. Image: Londonist

It's free to access Eel Pie Island for the open days, but you MUST book a two-hour time slot. DON'T just show up, or you won't get onto the island!

While you're in Twickenham, we recommend a trip to Eel Pie Island Museum, which details the island's rock n' roll roots — including The Who, the Stones and Pink Floyd — as well as famous residents, including the late Trevor Baylis, inventor of the wind-up radio. The museum's on the Twickenham mainland, and you can visit any time of year, Thursday-Sunday.

There's also Twickenham Museum, open Friday-Sunday. What a thoroughly cultured place Twickenham is.

This person didn't book a ticket. Image: Londonist

Eel Pie Island Artists Summer Open Studios, 4, 5, 11 and 12 July 2026, 11am-5pm, free entry, book ahead.

"Seventy minutes. Seven seasons. One Spike." Image: Buffy Revamped.

Buffy the Vampire Slayer is back... sort of.

While a revival of the hit 90s Sarah Michelle Gellar series — Buffy: New Sunnydale — was ultimately, er, Spiked, a stage show called Buffy Revamped scooped various awards at Edinburgh in 2022 — and fans have had a taste for it ever since.

This October (nice Halloweeny timing), the show's on a UK tour, landing at the West End's Lyric Theatre on Monday 12 October, with tickets starting at £25.

For anyone not familiar with Buffy Revamped, it's a lightning-faced performance zipping through all 144 episodes of the original Buffy — that's over two episodes per minute! And there's a major twist: no Buffy. The whole thing is performed by comedian Brendan Murphy, as the capricious bleach-blond antihero, Spike.

If Murphy's name rings a bell, he was also behind FRIEND (The One with Gunther), in which he played the lugubrious Central Perk barista. Which yellow-haired 90s TV icon will he play next? He hasn't done Bart Simpson yet...

Buffy Revamped, Lyric Theatre, Monday 12 October 2026. Tickets on sale now.

Free things to do in London this week.

See foodie photography at Mall Galleries. Image: Chloe Hardwick/World Food Photography Awards sponsored by Tenderstem®

See what's free at the London Festival of Architecture

Belonging is the theme of this year's London Festival of Architecture, which begins on Monday and runs all month. Many (though not all) of the events are free. This week, take a free history tour of the Waldorf Hotel, watch a discussion about how art and inclusive public installations contribute to a sense of belonging in London, or tour the only Jacobean church in London, among many other events.

Search the month's programme to find something that takes your fancy.

1-30 June.

Delve into the Whitechapel murders

Author Sarah Bax Horton is at Guildhall Library on Tuesday afternoon to discuss her extensive investigation into the identity of Jack the Ripper and the Thames Torso Killer. Drawing on Metropolitan Police Archives and the legacy of her great-great-grandfather, a police sergeant during the 1888 "Autumn of Terror," Horton explores the evidence that led to her identifying the notorious killers in her books One-Armed Jack and Arm of Eve.

Watch in person at the library, or online.

2 June.

Tour this incredibly beautiful chapel

Former Middlesex surgeon James Thomson leads a guided tour of Grade II* listed architectural gem Fitzrovia Chapel on Wednesday lunchtime. The 45-minute tour explores the history and intricate gold mosaics of the neo-Gothic chapel, which originally served the Middlesex Hospital.

3 June.

Tour the exquisite Fitzrovia Chapel. Image: Peter Trimming via CC BY-SA 2.0

Question the City Hall experts

Put your questions to the Deputy Mayors and a panel of City Hall experts at the State of London Debate 2026, on Wednesday evening.

This hybrid event invites Londoners to have their say on critical issues including transport, policing, housing and the environment. You'll need to register by Tuesday to attend in person. Otherwise, join a dedicated online livestream to raise questions via a live chat.

3 June.

Gawp at an aerial piano performance

A live performance on a piano suspended high above the Docklands waterfront is the show-stopping headline act of the Royal Docks Innovation and Enterprise Summer Festival, a one-day family-friendly event courtesy of the University of East London. Expect interactive exhibits, wellbeing activities, workshops and performances from 11am-7pm, plus food and drink stalls. The festival's free, although 'make and take' activities incur a £5 charge. Planning on going? Register your interest.

3 June.

Find out about Pluto's demotion

Pluto as seen from the New Horizons spacecraft in 2015 at a distance of 476,000 miles. Image: NASA

Professor Chris Lintott visits Conway Hall in Holborn on Wednesday evening to discuss the 2006 decision by the International Astronomical Union to demote Pluto to a dwarf planet. The Gresham College lecture explores the remote Kuiper Belt and questions what it means to name celestial bodies, while explaining why this distant world still warrants our scientific attention.

3 June.

Feed your eyes at this food photography exhibition

Feeling hungry? You will be if you wander through Mall Galleries this week. The free World Food Photography Awards exhibition showcases shortlisted snaps from all over the world, selected by a panel of judges, celebrating the growing, farming, harvesting, cooking and eating of food.

3-7 June.

Get an eyeful of fantastic Japanese photography

On Wednesday, Japan House London opens Kyotographie, a free joint exhibition of work by two exciting Japanese photographers, Kawada Kikuji and Iwane Ai. Works include Kawada's Chizu (The Map), selections from The Last Cosmology, and Iwane's Kipuka and A New River series. The show, organised with Kyotographie International Photography Festival is the gallery's first major photography exhibition.

3 June-18 October.

Celebrate 50 years of  skating at Southbank Centre

The futuretense x Skate 50 gig is a free programme of live music and visuals across two stages at Southbank Centre on Thursday, celebrating skate sound and culture. Curated by the SORI Collective, the evening features the hardcore intensity of queercore trio Shooting Daggers and the genre-blurring alt-pop of Tiberius b, accompanied by immersive visuals. The event acts as a "love letter" to the original skate space and runs alongside the current Skate 50 exhibition (suggested donation £8).

4 June.

Stay late at the Science Museum

Image: Serendipity Arts

This month's edition of the regular Science Museum Lates is a collaboration with South Asian creative organisation Serendipity Arts. Visit the museum after its usual opening hours for a free adults-only evening of music, making and ideas inspired by India.  

View a display of giant hand-crafted puppets in the Energy Hall, have a go at embroidery or printing, and hear researchers, scientists and makers talking about contemporary and historical innovation from India. The evening is the launch event for the Great Exhibition Road Festival, more on which below.

5 June.

Celebrate World Ocean Day

© National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London.

Head to the National Maritime Museum on Saturday for free World Ocean Day celebrations. Meet ocean experts, enjoy live music and science shows, play games and get stuck into craft activities, with entertainment for all ages. Hear about creatures from sperm whales to mermaids and deep-sea monsters, along with stories from a former fisheries biologist.

6 June.

Get stuck into the Great Exhibition Road Festival

Image: Great Exhibition Road Festival

Huge free cultural event the Great Exhibition Road Festival is organised by Imperial College and its South Kensington neighbours, including the Natural History Museum, Science Museum, Royal Parks and the V&A.

Celebrate science and the arts through a weekend of free events and activities, many suitable for children. Mingle with scientists, artists and musicians as you see the latest technology in action, or try a few foods you've never sampled before — all in a street party atmosphere. This edition is a special one, as it marks 175 years since the namesake Great Exhibition of 1851.

6-7 June.

Be among the first to visit this year's Serpentine Pavilion

'a serpentine' (their lower case, not ours) is the apt name and design of this year's free Serpentine Pavilion, erected in the grounds of the Serpentine South gallery, and open to the public from Saturday this week. Mock-ups show the interior will provide an irregular-shaped courtyard with spaces for sitting, and a brise soleil roof propped with thin brick columns. It's free to visit and explore.

6 June-25 October 2026.

Watch a parade in south London

It's free entry at Mitcham Carnival on Sunday where, back again after a successful return in 2025. The mile-long route starts in the town centre and finishes at Three Kings Piece, where you'll find live performances, wrestling demos and funfair rides.

7 June.

For every fresh, exciting venture that springs up, London sheds an old favourite. Once again, it's time to cue the melancholy piano for our list of places that closed down in 2026. We'll update the list as the year goes on.

101 Records, Croydon

Image: Londonist

Beanos, Big Apple, Bonaparte... there was a time when Croydon was a go-to for vinyl-pursuing musos. Sadly, as 2026 made its entrance, the town saw the exit of 101 Records — a fantastic value shop we enjoyed perusing every now and then — and which bluntly blamed successive councils and landlords for 'running our once great town into the dirt'. Ouch.

100 Wardour Street, Soho

Image: Ewan-M via CC BY-SA 4.0

This lively Soho hangout — situated on the site of the former Marquee Club — brunched its last bottomless brunch early in 2026, despite having received consistent thumbs-up for its hospitality over its decade-long lifespan. It's unclear exactly why the venue closed, although the team behind it, The Evolve Collection, continue to operate a number of other London venues.

Brixton Tube's newspaper stand

Image: Londonist

We visited Pritesh Patel on his last day of trading at the well-loved newspaper/confectionary stand he'd worked for over 35 years. "The trade is still here," he told us, "Not as big a living as we used to, but we're still making a living."

The problem? The landlord, TfL, decided it wanted to enlarge the shop (something which Pritesh had been game for) and — here's the sucker punch — vertiginously increase how much it'd cost to remain in situ. "It's double the rent, so for us it wasn't viable," said Pritesh, "I wish them luck." London sometimes has a nasty habit of destroying some of the best things about it.

Lambeth Country Show, Herne Hill

Image: Londonist

Is London's park life gradually being fenced off? While Crystal Palace Park must fund it revamp by selling off parcels of land, all is not well in the garden of Herne Hill either. Lambeth Country Show — which debuted in 1974 — will not take place in the summer of 2026. The reason? Budget cuts. It's especially sad news, given that paid-for festivals such as Mighty Hoopla will continue — its organisers presumably paying Lambeth Council a fair whack for the privilege. Is the Lambeth Country Show gone for good? As its resident sheep might put it: that'd be baaaad news.

The Orange Tree, Winchmore Hill

Revered as one of the most honest boozers in north London, when the Orange Tree's landlords John and Marie retired in February 2026, it was curtains for the Taylor Walker-built local, the Enfield Society fearing it could be redeveloped into housing. The Orange Tree was, opined one beer commentator "pure trad pub bliss". Winchmore Hill does, however, still have another exquisite locals pub up its sleeve — the Little Green Dragon, and long may it draw fiery breath.

Lots (but not all) of London's BrewDogs

Image: Sebastian Lomas via creative commons

Not, perhaps, as cherished as the Orange Tree, but certainly a player in the pubscape of 21st century London, BrewDog abruptly announced the closure of nine of its London outposts (Soho, Camden Road, Chancery Lane, Clerkenwell, Ealing, Hammersmith, Seething Lane, Tower Bridge and Wandsworth) with immediate effect in March. It was confirmation that the seemingly troubled brand was very troubled indeed. We pored over fond memories of the early BrewDog days while nursing a beer — although not a Punk IPA, as we haven't bought one of those for ages. A handful of BrewDogs continue to ply their trade in London, including the one with the slide.

Seven Dials Playhouse

Image: Seven Dials Playhouse

A "catastrophic loss to actors" is how campaigners described the closure of Seven Dials Playhouse at the end of March 2026. The small Covent Garden theatre had its roots as the Actors Centre, founded in 1978, as a place for actors to experiment, and "dare to fail". Judi Dench and Laurence Olivier were among those associated with the Actors Centre and its workshops in its early days. Moving to Seven Dials in 1994, thanks to a fundraising campaign championed by Anthony Hopkins, the Centre was then rebranded as the Seven Dials Playhouse in 2021. But after the theatre building was sold for £3.6m in 2024 to "generate new revenue streams and build a sustainable future, following the collapse of the old membership and training model", things unravelled fast, prompting an unsavoury end for what had been a highly-regarded institution. "I do feel a deep sadness," said Kate Maravan, director of The New Actors Centre, "I think, in a way, they drained it of its heart."

Corsica Studios

Image: Paul Hudson from United Kingdom via CC BY 2.0

It's no secret that Elephant & Castle has lost much of its gritty rizz over the past decade, Corsica Studios being one of the latest dominoes to fall. "Ask any music-loving Londoner to name the city's best venues, and there’s a decent chance Corsica Studios will appear somewhere near the top of their list", wrote the Guardian, when it was announced the under-the-arches venue established in 2002 by Adrian Jones and Amanda Moss, was to shutter. Though the closure perhaps wasn't purely down to the ongoing development, that certainly didn't help. "You can stay as long as you want," Jones was told by the developer Delancey at one point. "You just can't make any noise past 1 April." It fell silent for good in spring 2026.

Hacha Dalston

Image: Hacha

On 25 April 2026 (exactly seven years since opening), neighbourhood bar Hacha Dalston served its last signature Mirror Margarita cocktail — so called because of its clearness — before shutting up shop for good. However, this is adiós, rather than goodbye; the team (which also lost its home in Bermondsey in 2025) has announced it'll be appearing at six festivals across the UK, plus in a series of short-term residencies and pop-ups.

Various Franco Mancas

Image: Ewan-M via CC BY-SA 2.0

Early champions of London's Neapolitan sourdough pizza craze, Franco Manca opened its debut restaurant in Brixton in 2008, before ballooning into a 70-venue UK-wide beast — becoming a byword for decent, and decently-priced, pizzas (not to mention proud purveyors of wine in tumblers). In April 2026, however, The Fulham Shore, which runs the Franco Manca chain, made swinging cuts to the brand, with nine London locations facing the axe: Battersea, Brixton, Bromley, Broadway Market, Chiswick, Kilburn, New Oxford Street, Stoke Newington and Tottenham Court Road. Fulham Store CEO Marcel Khan claimed the challenging climate was to blame: "‘Even restaurant businesses that are doing all the right things from a customer and operational perspective are not immune to widely publicised pressures impacting the hospitality industry." Because there were so many Franco Mancas in the first place, London still has a number of branches, including in Soho, London Bridge and Waterloo. Our obvious advice: use 'em or lose 'em.

Science Gallery, London Bridge

Image: Matt Brown/Londonist

A table made of sugar, and partly dissolved by tea, was what greeted us during our first encounter with the Science Gallery, when it opened in 2018. The King's College gallery was part of an international group of such venues — presenting works influenced by, or built upon, science. "If you're a fan of the Wellcome Collection," we reckoned, "then you'll feel at home here." Sadly, 2026 will be the gallery's final year, although if you haven't yet visited, there's time enough: its valedictory exhibition, The Art of Care: Through the Eyes of Tomorrow's Doctors, opens in June, running till later in the year.

What've we missed? Email will@londonist.com with any major losses to the London scene in 2026.

For a more comprehensive rundown of restaurants that've closed in 2026, we recommend checking out Hot Dinners.

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What would the Tube map look like if we boiled it down to just the bits the stereotypical tourist is interested in?

Tourists are the only group of people who really need a Tube map — at least for the centre. Locals already know their way around, and business visitors take cabs. So if we only need to cater for the sightseer, then the map condenses down somewhat.

The map above shows only the stops that the stereotypical tourist might be interested in. We've substituted the official names for more helpful descriptors.

(Of course, we realise that many visitors have a more sophisticated itinerary... this is just a bit of fun.)

This article was inspired by an earlier map we made (way back in 2008), which really pared things back to just 12 stations on three lines:

Created by Matt Brown in 2008

What would you add to the tourist Tube map?

West End Live is free and VERY popular. Photo: Danny Kaan

Free musical theatre festival West End Live returns to Trafalgar Square on Saturday 20 and Sunday 21 June 2026. The annual event brings together stars from 50 West End musicals and shows for free performances on a stage in Trafalgar Square.

West End Live 2026 line-up and stage times

West End Live 2026 features over 50 performances from top West End shows — both long-running and new — including Beetlejuice The Musical, Cabaret, Hamilton, High Society, Les Misérables, Mamma Mia!, Matilda The Musical, Taboo, Paddington The Musical, Six, Wicked, and many more — all serving up bitesized chunks of their productions in the open air.

Disney's Hercules opens the festival on Saturday, with Disney's The Lion King kicking things off on Sunday.

Never been? Take a look at this clip for an idea of what to expect:

While many of the performers are usually cast members of long-running West End shows — some dashing over to Trafalgar Square between their Saturday matinee and evening performances — it's a chance to get a look at upcoming or very recently opened musical theatre treats too.

Snappy scheduling means sets are brief enough to maintain the attention of even the youngest audience members, and you can drop by to catch your favourite shows. But it gets busy, and once you've given up your front row space, there's no getting it back.

Exact scheduling will be announced about one week before the event.

We'll repeat that: the event gets very busy. So busy, in fact, that there were reports of people queuing from 6am in previous years, ahead of the gates opening at 10am, the line reaching all the way to Holborn, and prompting thespian blog Theatre & Tonic to question whether the event has now grown too big.

A one-in, one-out policy operates when the Square reaches capacity, and while there have been calls for the event to be ticketed, that's not happening in 2026. So. Get there early and be prepared to queue.

West End Live 2026 queue jump

Photo: Pamela Raith

But, there's good news for 2026! For the first time ever, 'fast track' queue jump places are available — if very limited. 100 queue jump places for each day can be won in a competition. Winners will access West End Live via a separate entrance, and one very lucky fan will get the chance to go backstage and watch the show from the wings, as well as being showered with merch, vouchers and theatre tokens.

If you fancy your chances, enter online here before 14 June 2026.

West End Live 2026 viewing areas

Have a Super (Trouper) day at West End Live 2026. Photo: Pamela Raith

Don't fancy battling the crowds? An additional viewing area on Pall Mall East is back for 2026, but note that there is no screen or livestream here this year — this area simply offers a restricted view of the stage.

Accessible viewing at West End Live 2026

West End stars leave their theatres to perform in the open air. Photo: Danny Kaan

There is an accessible viewing area for wheelchair users and people with other accessibility requirements. It's located along the North Terrace of Trafalgar Square, offering a view of the stage and BSL interpreters. This area was ticketed for the first time in 2025, and will be again for West End Live 2026. Tickets were available via a ballot but this is now closed.

Away from the accessible viewing area, the rest of West End Live remains first come first served, with no ticketing.

Keep an eye on the West End Live website and social media for updates. If you can't make it in-person (or can't face the queue), highlights will be shared on Instagram, Facebook, X and YouTube throughout the weekend.

West End Live 2026 takes place on Saturday 20 June (11am-5pm) and Sunday 21 June (12pm-5pm) 2026. It's free to attend, and there's no need to book tickets. The full schedule appears on the website approximately one week before the event.

If this kind of thing gets your toes a-tapping, browse offers for tickets to current and upcoming musicals in London.