The Time Out London blog team

There’s nothing like summer weather to make you yearn for the feeling of sand between your toes and a coastal breeze in your hair. There are few feelings better than cooling down with a salty dip, followed by an ice cream watching the waves. Which is why, each year, Time Out creates a ranking of the British seaside towns we’re most looking forward to visiting over the summer months. Old school resort towns and buzzy villages up and down the country are included in the list, which in 2026 featured a total of 16 seaside spots.  Unsurprisingly, many of the 2026 entries are also easily accessible from the capital. In fact, almost half are less than 90 minutes from the Big Smoke. If that’s not reason enough to grab your shades and pack a swimming cozzie, we don’t know what is. While top spot on this year’s best seaside towns list went to Saundersfoot in Pembrokeshire, the silver medal was awarded to Hastings and St Leonards. Located in East Sussex, the sister towns are just an hour and a half on the train from London, making them perfect for a day trip or weekend getaway. Just 20 minutes apart on foot, Hastings and St Leonards-on-Sea have everything you could want from a quick coastal refresh, renowned art galleries, stellar antique emporiums and a burgeoning restaurant scene included. Photograph: Andy Sutherland / Shutterstock.comHastings Contemporary Ella Doyle, Time Out’s Europe editor, said that St Leonards is a particularly delightful spot for foodies. She wrote:...

Country titan Garth Brooks is in London this weekend for his first live show on UK soil in nearly 30 years. The best-selling solo artist in US history hasn’t performed live here since 1998, but he’ll end that drought with a huge show at BST Hyde Park on Saturday. Brooks is opening the 2026 edition of BST, which will later be headlined by ATEEZ, Maroon 5, Mumford and Sons, Duran Duran, Pitbull and Lewis Capaldi. He joins a solid run of huge country headliners at BST in recent years, including Zach Bryan, Shania Twain and Morgan Wallen. Can’t wait to hear ‘Friends in Low Places’ live on the Great Oak Stage? Here’s all the essential information you need to know about Garth Brooks’ date in Hyde Park. SKIP TO: ⏱️ Set times 🏟️ Festival map 🎤 Full schedule ✅ Setlist 🎟️ Tickets 🎒 Bag policy ⛅️ Weather forecast When is Garth Brooks playing BST Hyde Park in London? Brooks’ date at BST is Saturday June 27 2026. What time do gates open at BST Hyde Park? Gates for normal ticketholders open at 2pm, with last entry at 8.30pm. Primary Entry and VIP ticketholders get in at around 1pm. What time will Garth Brooks come on stage? The country titan’s set is scheduled to start at 8.40pm on the Great Oak Stage (the main stage). He’s set to wrap things up by about 10.20pm. Photograph: Sterling Munksgard / Shutterstock.comGarth Brooks performing live in California Full schedule and support acts Here’s the full lineup and schedule, split by stage. Great Oak Stage The Shires – 2.50pm-3.20pm...

Things are hotting up in the Square Mile, and no, we’re not talking about the heatwave. The City of London Corporation has laid out a timeline for the opening of the new Smithfield and Billingsgate markets. The news follows the revealing of the opening date of the long-awaited London Museum, which has relocated to part of the old Smithfield site. These upcoming features will go some way to plugging the gap set to be left by the iconic Smithfield Meat and Billingsgate Fish markets. Plans to move both historic markets from their long-term central London locations were announced by the corporation in 2022 and their new shared home on Albert Island in Newham’s Royal Docks was confirmed last year.  Now, the City of London Corporation has revealed a date for the move.  Photograph: Chris Lawrence Images / Shutterstock.comBillingsgate Market, London The new combined market is due to be fully fitted out and operational by 2029, provided the Private Bill regarding the move receives Royal Assent by mid 2027. Once Charlie gives the plans the green light, it’s predicted to take around two years for the new site to be built and for Billingsgate and Smithfield traders to vacate their current homes. The Corporation has agreed to support traders with a hefty compensation package during the transition, but won’t oversee the management of the markets once the move is complete. Currently, traders at both markets have no room to expand and grow their businesses due to a lack of space. The...