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www.urban75.org
A non-profit community site based in Brixton, this site is strongest on protests and activism, with bulletin boards and listings for upcoming marches and rallies.
Check out The ‘bullshit-free’ guide to drug taking (which neither condones nor condemns the practice), which would no doubt cause uproar at the Daily Mail, a selling point in itself.

www.londonist.com
‘A website about London and everything that happens in it’, Londonist is a lively and eclectic ongoing conversation about the capital, put together with real passion and insight.
Check out The map of free wi-fi spots in the capital is a work in progress; add your own local finds.

www.kudocities.com
We’re just about willing to give this ‘city knowledge exchange’ the benefit of the doubt; its recent revamp expressed global ambitions but it undeniably built its London community first (under its previous name, Friday Cities). It’s a highly user-friendly site that relies on (and enthusiastically encourages) users to start whatever conversations they want about London.
Check out Kudos points, awarded for interacting with the site, can be exchanged for ‘offline’ treats.

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www.skeptic.org.uk/pub/
Skeptics In The Pub meets on the third Tuesday of the month at The Penderel’s Oak, Holborn. Usually there’s a speaker who will be linked to The Skeptic, the UK magazine for anyone who gets really agitated by the unchecked nonsense spouted by fans of the paranormal (see below).
Check out Recent topics discussed have included ‘How not to investigate the Paranormal’ and ‘Why don’t creationists just shut up?’ Expect a heated debate if you disagree.

www.spacehijackers.co.uk
Back in September 2007 thes London-based ‘anarchitects’ were kind enough to let Time Out’s Rebecca Taylor join them in their tank to help disrupt an arms fair. Their modus operandi is to reclaim public spaces from amoral corporations in the most imaginative ways possible.
Check out The ‘Equipment’ section, which reveals their secret armoury of gadgets, including graffiti boots and an all-terrain Morris Minor.

www.wildweb.london.gov.uk
This Mayor of London-sponsored site is designed to tell you where your fellow (non-human) Londoners are living, absolving you of any pressure to head to ‘the countryside’ ever again.
Check out Apparently Tottenham rail sidings provide ‘a substantial area of relatively undisturbed habitat’, which is impressive.

www.londonparanormalsociety.co.uk
Who isn’t tempted by the idea of a darkened tour around a ‘haunted’ house, pub or public building? These guys organise just that. Skeptics (see above) would be wise to avoid unless they have genuine nerves of titanium.
Check out We don’t want to take the piss, but the ‘Testimonials’ section is amusing, including a ‘10 out of 10’ from the possibly biased Fate and Fortune magazine.

www.stitchandbitchlondon.co.uk
We’ve been covering this ad hoc group of London knitting enthusiasts for a while but it still gives us a warm glow to see the information superhighway being used to promote such an endearingly old-fashioned pastime.
Check out The story of their ongoing project to knit giant scarves for the lions in Trafalgar Square to raise money for Cancer Research.

www.beerintheevening.com/pubs/guide/london.shtml
Technically, this site should be both in our ‘Going out’ section or excluded because it covers the whole UK. There are reasons for its appearance here, though. Firstly, the amateur reviewers have such an interest in the subject that it goes beyond mere reviewing of boozers; and secondly, it covers London so comprehensively that it simply cannot be ignored. Granted, the reviewers (men, on the whole) are of a type, but it’s the type that despises the gentrification of every pub in London and yearns for an era of quality, tradition and polite service.
Check out The ‘Crawl Generator’. Enter the number of pubs you want to visit, the maximum distance you want to stumble, and it comes up with a route. Nobel Prizes have been awarded for less.

www.pearlysociety.co.uk
Could a website be any more London? Dedicated to the community of pearly kings and queens, this site hasn’t been updated for a while but it’s a fascinating historical record with a great archive of photos of the pearlies fully dolled up (and in some cases having a right old knees-up).
Check out The section on St Paul’s, the ‘Actors' Church’ in Covent Garden, a proper hidden gem.

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