The Time Out London blog team

It’s an unavoidable fact of the festive season: the closer we get to Christmas Day, the emptier our wallets get. On top of all the Christmas shopping that we’re obliged to do, it’s hard to say no to all the cosy pub gatherings, mulled wine-fuelled dinner parties and spenny festive activities that arise this time of year.  So, give your bank account a break for one weekend. No, that doesn’t mean sitting around and doing nothing – London has a sparkling assortment of Christmassy (and non-Christmassy) things to see and do over the next three days that won’t cost you a single penny. Besides the things that are free year-round (city farms, museums, galleries, etc) and the the city’s many free festive displays, there’s loads of one-off events worth checking out.  From a seriously silly horse race in Greenwich to an Irish oyster fest in Walthamstow to a wholesome gardening gathering in Clapton, here’s Time Out’s guide to the some of the wonderful things you can do for free this weekend.  The best free things on in London this weekend 1. Cheer on the contenders in the London Pantomime Horse Race In scenes only slightly less dramatic and probably far more entertaining than the Grand National, more than 40 pantomime horses will gallop through Greenwich dodging bizarre obstacles, stopping at the local pubs for ‘refuelling’ breaks and generally horsing around, all while raising money for Great Ormond Street Children’s Hospital. This year’s theme is ‘Rockstars’ meaning you can expect...

Christmas is just two weeks away. With just a fortnight to prepare for the big day, panic over present-buying may naturally be setting in. But worry not, dear Londoners! Time Out’s definitive guides to the city’s top markets and shops for festive gifts have you more than covered.   If you’re planning on getting out and about in London this weekend, naturally you’ll want to know about planned travel disruption in the city. Thankfully, there isn’t a massive amount of line closures and service alternations planned for the coming days – though there are still some tweaks to the Northern and Elizabeth lines, the DLR and various Overground services. You can find all the tube and train service closures and alterations to know about in London this weekend below. RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in London this weekend. London travel disruption and tube closures, December 12-14 Northern line On Saturday December 13, no service between Hampstead and Edgware between 1.45am and 5.30am. From 5.30am on Saturday and all day Sunday, no service between Golders Green and Edgware. DLR On Sat Dec 13, no service between Prince Regent and Beckton. On Sun Dec 14, no trains between Shadwell and Tower Gateway, and no service between Shadwell and Tower Gateway Cutty Sark station is closed until next spring. Find out more here. Elizabeth line On Sun Dec 14, no service between Paddington and Ealing Broadway until 7.40am. Mildmay line (Overground) On Fri Dec 12, the 9.59pm train from...

A big makeover of St Paul’s Gyratory – that’s the complex and quite frankly perilous one-way traffic system outside the cathedral – has been in the works since 2023. In 2024 it was also announced that a huge new public square and play area would be built in front of the cathedral, called Greyfriars Square.  Work on the roads initially began in April 2025, though there’s now a new update on the project. The final designs for the new public square were officially approved in December 2025 (see pictures below). It’s expected that Greyfriars Square could be complete by mid-2027.  The detailed designs for Greyfriars Square have now been given planning permission by the City of London Streets and Walkways Sub-Committee, allowing works to begin on the final stages of the transformation project. Image: City of London Corporation Once finished, the 3,500-square-metre square will be the City of London’s largest public open space. In the plans, almost 1,500 square metres of existing roads will be converted into new pavement. There will also be 800 new metres of east-west and north-south cycle lanes, plus new and improved crossings for pedestrians and cyclists.  Image: City of London Corportation The three traffic lanes at the south end of King Edward Street will be closed to traffic and converted into a new 3,500 square-metre pedestrianised public square, equivalent to the size of 12 tennis courts. The square will be filled with trees, flower beds, public seating and a children’s...