The Time Out London blog team

We already know that London is a world-class shopping destination. The capital’s shopaholics have access to everything from trendy vintage boutiques, to cutesy stationary shops, and cult homeware destinations.  Now, it’s official: new research has revealed the UK’s top high streets for indie shops, with three London locations on the list.  A study by American Express and GlobalData looked at high streets all over the country, analysing them on the quantity of independent shops, the street’s vibrancy, and its overall aesthetic (think: Instagram friendly) appeal. The study then named the top 10 independent high streets in Britain.  So which London locations are most likely to have shoppers reaching for their credit cards? In the capital, two high streets came in fourth place on the list.  Coal Drops Yard and the nearby Stable Street, both in King’s Cross, took the joint fourth prize. In Coal Drops Yard you’ve got your bougie boutiques like Aesop, Paul Smith and APC, but there are also a heck of a lot of independent shops, selling everything from handcrafted homewares, to dried flowers and reggae records. Stable Street has kiosks that host pop-ups, events and workshops from experimental brands and emerging businesses.   Also featuring on the list was Broadway Market in Hackney, which came in sixth place overall. The compact east London street has had had a traditional fruit and veg market since the 1890s, but these days its better known for being a melting pot for all of...

Some people might say that London already has more than enough gargantuan office buildings. But the people at JP Morgan Chase would beg to differ, because they’ve just announced plans to build Britain’s biggest ever tower block.  If the idea of 12,000 extra bankers descending on the capital fills you with horror, look away now. Everyone else, read on. The global banking giant has said it wants to build a three million square-foot (280,000 square-metre) skyscraper in Canary Wharf, which would have double the space of Britain's current tallest building, the Shard. With the space for thousands of extra employees it will become the bank’s biggest presence in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA). It will also be the most expensive office building in London, and one of the largest in Europe.  Announced just days after the Budget, JP Morgan Chase claimed the new block would boost the UK’s economy by £1 billion. The design of the building, including its height, is yet to be finalised, however JP Morgan Chase along with architects Foster + Partners have revealed a render of what the jumbo tower could look like (pictured above).  Construction is expected to take place over the next six years, generating 7,800 jobs across construction and other local industries. Its location will be on Riverside South, on land JP Morgan bought in 2008 but then had to suspend any building projects due to the financial crisis.  Chief executive of JP Morgan Chase Jamie Dimon said: ‘London has been...

In winter, there are few things better than hunkering down with a pint of Guinness in a cosy pub. So why not make a day of it? We’ve recently named our top day trips from London for winter 2025. Londoners have got tonnes of options, from quaint steam train outings to pretty country parks. And here’s another one for your consideration.  We named Rye in East Sussex the third best day trip to take from London this winter. This charming little town has cobbled streets, medieval houses and is absolutely chocka with cute country pubs – you can avoid the cold by spending your day crawling from one fire place-clad boozer to the next. We’ve already planned the perfect bacchanalian outing for you: grab a log-side seat and a Sussex real ale in The George (High Street) before heading to the Globe Inn Marsh (Military Road) for a toasty hour or two with a warming glass of red in hand. As the temperature plummets, trot back into town and pull up a chair beside the ancient Mermaid Inn’s enormous fireplace (Mermaid Street). Fun fact: it comes complete with priest’s hole (no sniggering, please) and is where local smugglers used to hang out in the 1700s. To get there it’s around one hour and 30 minutes by train from London St Pancras International, and around two hours and 30 minutes by car (but don’t drink and drive, please). 12 brrrilliant winter day trips from London.  The world’s best pizza chain has been crowned for 2025 – and it has two restaurants in London. Get the latest and...