The Time Out London blog team

If you’ve been on the motorway into or out of central London (on the M4, to be specific) you’ve likely seen GlaxoSmithKline’s imposing old Brentford HQ. Massive and grey, the former biopharma headquarters has been sitting empty since 2024.  But GSK’s behemoth won’t be uninhabited much longer. This month the local council approved plans to turn the place into an entire new neighbourhood, complete with its own cinema, bar and dancehall.  The project is led by Haworth Tompkins and involves Metropolitan Workshop, dRMM and Studio Egret West. The developer was also behind the plans for Brent Cross West and Earl’s Court, as well as Mayfield Park in Manchester. Once completed, GSK’s old haunts will have a whopping 2,324 homes. Most of the headquarters will be demolished, with basements remaining and the main office tower being redesigned with ‘oversized balconies’ and a rooftop conservatory.   Image: Studio Egret West Given that this is a proper ‘neighbourhood’, it’ll have more than just housing. In fact, west London could be getting a new cultural destination. In total, 30,000 square metres is being reserved for commercial use, including a bar, cinema, theatre, dance hall, immersive VR space and even an escape room. Studio Egret West’s plans will see 60 percent of the space remain open to the public with stuff like communal gardens, play areas and riverside access.  Not everyone has been in favour of the plans. Kew Gardens and Historic England raised concerns that the...

Always wanted to ride the London Eye, with all its views of the Thames and central London, but always found the pods a bit... grey? Here’s just the thing. The iconic London attraction is launching a floral installation to celebrate spring. With flowers framing the pod windows and colourful decals on the glass, a limited-time experience will let you peer through petals out towards the Big Smoke’s loveliest sights.  For those hoping to add some extra flourish to their trip, the Eye is also offering a limited-edition spring afternoon tea and a Lego Botanicals experience. In the former, the high-tea menu will serve floral treats, lemon and lavender mini cupcakes and fruit tarts. The brick-themed latter, which has been made in collaboration with Lego Designers, will see guests building their own Lego Botanicals Daisies Posy to take home.  The flowery makeover will be perfectly suited to the season: it’ll feature throughout much of April and over the Easter Bank Holiday weekend. If you want a colourful Eye experience, it’s running from March 27 to May 4.  Stripecom You can book tickets for a flowery Eye capsule for only £29 – the same price as regular (non-blooming) trips. The spring afternoon tea will start from £75, while the Lego activity will cost £59. You can pre-book on the London Eye website here.  London Eye is just one of several London attractions doing big things for Easter 2026. For little ones, Hampton Court Palace is hiding Lindt Gold Bunnies across the estate...

If you’re in Peckham on a Saturday night and struck with a sudden urge to shake a leg, there’s no shortage of venues for a great night on the razzle. And joining that line up of top venues – The Carpet Shop, Jumbi and The Greyhound being just the tip of the iceberg – is the newly renovated Peckham Palais. After standing vacant for nearly 15 years, it was announced last year that the legendary venue would be getting some much-needed TLC thanks to the Night Group, the same minds behind east London’s Night Tales, NT’s Loft and Netil360. The result is a new multi-room club and cultural venue on Rye Lane. Entering the building, you’ll notice a lobby and box office on the ground floor, where peeling plaster and chipped paint hint at the venue’s storied past.  Photograph: Fare Inc The first floor is now home to The Ballroom, a cocktail bar and events space with room for 250 people to sip cocktails and listen to vinyl. The room gives strong ’70s vibes, with raspberry-pink walls, leather and PVC booth-style seating and oak details all adding to the old school aesthetic. All sounds very classy and civilised, right? Well, if you’re looking to let loose a little more, descend into the basement and find a 470-capacity nightclub. The space’s designers, Night Group and architects Nikjoo, have paid particular attention to the sound in the subterranean space, decking it out with a bespoke five-way Funktion-One sound system and giving it ‘precision acoustic treatment’. The building...