Alim Kheraj

Along with steel pans, parades, red strip and plenty of barbecued jerk, one of the mainstays of Notting Hill Carnival will always be the bumping beats and bass soundtracking the bank holiday weekend. Notting Hill Carnival’s soundsystems are an institution, with some of the DJs having played at the event since its inception.  Dotted all across the Carnival area, there’s a Soundsystem for everyone with reggae, roots, ska, lover’s rock and so much more, all keeping the party going all day long. Whether you’re a hip-hop head, lover of bashment or want to feel dub rattling in your chest, there’s a tinnitus-inducing Soundsystem to suit every kind of musical persuasion. Every corner of W10 over the weekend will become part of a smorgasbord of sound and we’re mapping out the best spots to get stuck in. Give yourself a head start and check out Carnival’s best soundsystems below. What day are the soundsystems playing at Notting Hill Carnival 2025? On Carnival Sunday and Monday, over 30 static soundsystems will play from noon to 7pm at various locations across the Notting Hill area. Make sure to check this page closer to the date of the Carnival for the most accurate list of soundsystems that will be playing and their official locations.   Here’s Time Out’s A-Z of Notting Hill Carnival soundsystems this year:

Netflix va ser una de les plataformes pioneres en la creació de contingut propi. Fa una dècada, va trencar les normes de la televisió amb House of cards, la primera gran sèrie original en un servei de streaming. Des de llavors, moltes companyies han seguit els seus passos, multiplicant el contingut de producció pròpia, fins al punt que, de vegades, costa recordar quines sèries pertanyen a cada plataforma. Tanmateix, si un s’ho para a pensar, queda clar que Netflix continua al capdavant amb el catàleg més variat. Tot i que durant els darrers anys els seus beneficis hagin disminuït lleugerament, el gegant del streaming continua generant més contingut de qualitat que qualsevol altra. Per aquest motiu, hem preparat una llista amb les 21 millors sèries originals de Netflix que hauries de veure. Sabem que falten sèries com Black mirror, La Casa de Papel i Cobra Kai, ja que hem deixat fora aquelles sèries que van néixer en altres cadenes abans de ser adquirides per Netflix. NO T'HO PERDIS: Les millors sèries que s'estrenen aquest mes Fes clic aquí si vols més informació sobre els nostres estàndards editorials i les nostres directrius ètiques per crear aquest contingut.

Netflix fue una de las plataformas pioneras en la creación de contenido propio. Hace una década, rompió las normas de la televisión con House of Cards, la primera gran serie original en un servicio de streaming. Desde entonces, son muchas compañías que han seguido sus pasos, multiplicando el contenido de producción propia, hasta el punto en que a veces cuesta recordar qué series pertenecen a cada plataforma. Sin embargo, si uno se para a pensar, queda claro que Netflix sigue al frente con el catálogo más variado. Aunque durante los últimos años sus beneficios hayan menguado ligeramente, el gigante del streaming sigue generando más contenido de calidad que cualquier otra. Por ese motivo, hemos preparado una lista con las 21 mejores series originales de Netflix que deberías ver. Sabemos que faltan series como Black Mirror, La Casa de Papel o Cobra Kai, pues hemos dejado fuera aquellas series que nacieron en otras cadenas antes de ser adquiridas por Netflix. NO TE LO PIERDAS: Las mejores series que se estrenan este mes Clica aquí si quieres más información sobre nuestros estándares editoriales y nuestras directrices éticas para crear este contenido

Unlike other streaming services, Disney+ has a very clear brand. If you’re into Marvel, Star Wars, Pixar and classic Disney animation, it gives you everything you could possibly want and more. But that doesn’t mean it’s easy to figure out what to watch on a night to night basis: unless you’ve got a six-year-old demanding to watch Mufasa for the 27th time, it’s still possible to spend half the evening endlessly scrolling before giving up and going to bed. And anyway, not everything that fits under those main tentpoles are worth your time. That’s why we’ve combed through the streamer’s catalogue, to compile the true can’t-miss options on Disney+. You’ll find classics and recent blockbusters, also a few hidden gems worth seeking out. Recommended: 🐭 The 50 best Disney movies for family night🦸All the Marvel movies ranked from worst to best👾 The 52 best Star Wars characters

Cinemagoers love a good scare. That much is evident these days from the commercial and critical success of the horror genre: in 2024, some of the biggest, buzziest movies of the year – Longlegs, The Substance, Robert Eggers’ remake of Nosferatu and the box-office shocker Terrifier 3, to name just four – were designed to scare. And that’s not even to mention leftfield smashes over the last decade, like A Quiet Place, Hereditary and basically everything Jordan Peele has done.   It’s crazy to think, then, that not long ago, horror was thought of as a euphemism for ‘schlock’. If you were alive at the height of the VHS era, you know it wasn’t totally unfounded. Churning out formulaic slashers became a way for hacks and hucksters to make a quick buck, leaving rental store shelves awash in forgettable dreck. It served to overwhelm and obscure the horror genre’s true value – because when done right, no other film experience can conjure more visceral emotions. So let’s correct the record. Here are the 100 greatest horror movies of all-time, drawn from both the current renaissance and those darker days. Written by Tom Huddleston, Cath Clarke, Dave Calhoun, Nigel Floyd, Phil de Semlyen, David Ehrlich, Joshua Rothkopf, Nigel Floyd, Andy Kryza, Alim Kheraj and Matthew Singer Recommended: 🔪 The best new horror movies of 2025 (so far)🔥 The 100 best movies of all time🤡 The 21 best Stephen King movies of all time🩸 The 15 scariest horror movies based on true stories

Sink a cocktail in one of London's finest LGBTQ+ bars and pubs and you'll be drinking in more than just some watered down booze: these spots are LGBTQ+ landmarks in their own right, places where you can find community, kinship, and drag-fuelled mayhem. Beats billiards in your local. Once upon a time, having a gay old time in London meant hotfooting it straight to Soho. But now, the city's queer centre of gravity has shifted east, with edgier spots pulling crowds to Dalston when night falls, while some of the city's most storied LGBTQ+ venues have taken up residence in Vauxhall. So whether you're after a drag brunch, a burlesque show or just a quiet pint, here's a comprehensive list of the capital's gay and queer-friendly bars and pubs, from the legendary G-A-Y to lesbian-centric She Soho to sing-yer-heart-out special The Karaoke Hole. RECOMMENDED: Keep the party going at London's best LGBTQ+ clubs.

Netflix changed the game, and then the game changed on Netflix. A decade ago, the company broke the TV mold with House of Cards, the first significant original series from a streaming platform. In the years since, the many other services that followed their lead have stepped up their own original output, and it’s often hard to remember which bingeable phenomenon belongs to which brand. But when you sit down and really look at the legacy, it becomes clear that Netflix still has the strongest catalog out there. Even if the returns have diminished a bit in recent years, the studio is still pumping out more high-quality content than you possibly have time for. So we’ve gone ahead and put together a list of the 40 Netflix originals series you absolutely must binge before you die or cancel your subscription… whichever comes first. And before you get all upset about the absence of Black Mirror and Cobra Kai, we’ve left out shows that originated elsewhere before the platform picked them up. We’re also sticking to scripted series - though you can check out our favourite Netflix true crime docs here. Recommended: 🎥 The 35 best movies on Netflix right now🔥 The 25 best movies on HBO and Max right now👽 The best sci-fi shows streaming on Netflix

Comedy gets no respect, no respect at all. Sure, everyone loves to laugh, and just about every film buff has a comedy movie they hold close to their heart. But for some reason, when it comes to awards and canonisation, comedies still get short shrift in the history of cinema. That’s probably because, more than any other genre, comedy is dependent on context. What’s funny in 1924 might land with a thud in 2024. And that’s to say nothing of varying tastes in humour.  There is no more difficult movie for a filmmaker to pull off than a comedy. No film genre ages worse: humour is largely dependent on context, and what’s funny in 2025 might be completely lost on audiences five years later, let alone a century. And as any stand-up comedian will tell you, the stuff that makes people laugh varies greatly – from country to country, city to city, generation to generation.  And so, those that have kept us cracking up for decades are truly special. Comedies might rarely win Academy Awards, but the best comedy movies stick with us longer – and get rewatched more frequently – than just about any other type of film. To put together this list, we asked comedians like Diane Morgan and Russell Howard, actors such as John Boyega and Jodie Whittaker and a cadre of Time Out writers about the movies that make them chuckle the hardest for longest. In doing so, we believe we’ve found the 100 finest, most durable and most broadly appreciable laughers in history. No matter your sense of humour – goofy,

Um homem sábio e violento perguntou certa vez: "Gostas de filmes assustadores?". A pergunta certa, porém, é: quem não gosta de filmes assustadores? Não existe emoção mais poderosa do que o medo. E podemos experimentá-lo de forma controlada, através do entretenimento. Claro, todos temos os nossos limites: nem todos estão preparados para ver um palhaço demoníaco a serrar uma mulher ao meio (embora os lucros de bilheteira sugiram que há um número surpreendente de pessoas que está). Mas até os mais medrosos gostam de um pequeno susto de vez em quando. O género de terror está a viver um grande momento de renascimento, tanto junto dos espectadores como da crítica. Em 2024, alguns dos maiores e mais comentados filmes do ano (I Saw the TV Glow, O Coleccionador de Almas, A Substância e o sucesso de bilheteira Terrifier 3 – Aterrorizante) pertencem ao género. Mas o terror tem uma longa história, que remonta ao início do cinema. Quer ter os nervos à flor da pele? Com estes 100 clássicos, é provável que o encontrem escondido atrás do sofá quando os créditos finais estiverem a rolar. Textos de Tom Huddleston, Cath Clarke, Dave Calhoun, Nigel Floyd, Phil de Semlyen, David Ehrlich, Joshua Rothkopf, Nigel Floyd, Andy Kryza, Alim Kheraj e Matthew Singer. Recomendado: As escolhas dos peritos

London’s LGBTQ+ scene has long been full of vibrant venues offering safe spaces to be yourself. Its heartland is still very much located in its traditional home of Soho, but you’ll find brilliant gay bars and clubs dedicated to serving the community south of the river and in the East End too. There’s plenty of diversity in what they offer, from super cool and edgy club nights to events showcasing the best in the city’s cabaret performers and London’s incredible drag stars too.   Are you more in the market for a drink and a sit down? Check out these LGBTQ+ pubs and bars.

A comédia é um género frequentemente ignorado pelos prémios e pela crítica. Mas produzir uma grande comédia, uma comédia intemporal, é uma das maiores conquistas no cinema. É uma forma de arte em grande parte dependente do contexto: aquilo que faz uma plateia chorar a rir em 2024 pode ser recebido mais tarde com olhares vazios – nem sequer é preciso passar meio século, como é muitas vezes o caso; bastam alguns anos de diferença. Por isso mesmo, aqueles que nos fizeram rir durante décadas são verdadeiramente especiais. Para elaborar esta lista das 100 maiores comédias de sempre, pedimos a comediantes como Diane Morgan e Russell Howard, a actores como John Boyega e Jodie Whittaker e a uma pequena legião de escritores da Time Out sobre os filmes que mais os fazem rir, e por mais tempo. Ao fazê-lo, acreditamos ter encontrado as melhores, mais intemporais e amplamente apreciáveis 100 comédias da história do cinema. Independentemente do seu sentido de humor – disparatado ou sofisticado, leve ou sombrio, surreal ou mais abrangente – vai encontrá-lo representado aqui. Recomendado:🔥 Os 100 melhores filmes de sempre🥰 As melhores comédias românticas de sempre

One of the best things about the weather changing is watching the world bloom again. In Japan, this is a very big deal. Cherry blossom trees there (named ‘sakura’) only bloom for about two weeks in spring – between April and May in the Northern Hemisphere – and people travel from all over the world just to see them. There's even a cherry blossom forecast for sakura season.  Sadly, however, there’s no guarantee they’ll bloom for the actual cherry blossom festival (‘hanami’), so if you’re desperate to see those pretty pink flowers, there is another way. Though they’re native to Asia, cherry blossom trees actually bloom all over the world, from Europe and North America to the Southern Hemisphere. So if you’re desperate to admire those pink blossoms (and snap them for your Instagram), you might not have to travel across half the world to do it  – and we’ve rounded up the very best spots for it, right here.  RECOMMENDED:🌸The best places to see cherry blossom in the UK 🌿The best cities to see cherry blossoms in the USA🖼️The best new art galleries and reopenings for 2024🎭The best things to do in the world in 2024

What is it?  Open seven days a week, Old Spitalfields Market is one of east London’s busiest shopping hubs. Built in the 1800s, the structure was refurbished and rejuvenated in the early 2000s and is now one of the capital’s most unique shopping, eating and drinking destinations. Circling the giant roofed market are numerous permanent boutiques, eateries and salons, from many big brands such as Deciem, & Other Stories, Dr Martens and Diptyque, but it’s the heart of the market that’s the most exciting. You’ll find traders selling arts, crafts, clothing and sustainable homewares in the two central concourses. And, of course, no London market is complete without food and Old Spitalfields Market has more than its fair share of restaurants and street food vendors. Grab a gloriously succulent burger to go from Bleecker, soup dumplings from Dumpling Shack, halal and vegan tacos from Dos Mas Tacos or Japanese deserts from Fuwa Fuwa.  Why go?  For a market that you can mooch any day of the week, come rain or shine.   Don’t miss  On Thursdays you’ll also encounter the weekly antiques market, with around 80 stalls selling vintage maps, books, furniture, fashion and collectables. There’s also a market of rare and collectible vinyl on the first and third Friday of every month.  Tickets  No tickets needed.  When to visit The market is open throughout the week from Mon-Fri 8am–11 pm and Sat-Sun 9am – 11pm Time Out tip Once you’ve secured your street food of choice, the steps of Christ Ch

What is it? Now far more than just a string of stalls selling bric-à-brac and fruit and veg, Brick Lane Market, in the heart of Shoreditch, has grown and mutated over the years to incorporate seven different markets known as The Truman Markets. Operating at its fullest on Sundays, Brick Lane and its surrounding streets come alive, teeming with sellers shifting their wares. Outside the bagel bars, curry houses and vintage shops, people without proper stalls set up shop on carpets and tables, selling old electrical equipment, toys, records, broken musical instruments and furniture. There’s Backyard Market with stalls focused on arts and crafts, the Sunday Upmarket is a food hall brimming with street food vendors selling a global smorgasbord of cuisine plus vintage clothing, fashion by new and established designers, jewellery and homewares. The Vintage Market does what it says on the tin and if you’re into chintz, The Tea Rooms host charming stalls selling things like typewriters, taxidermy and vintage maps. Why go?  To shop for almost everything under the sun. Don’t miss  If you need to fuel up, there’s the Boiler House Food Hall, which has around 30 stalls selling culinary delights from all around the world. You can also explore Ely’s Yard Street Food where you’ll find favourites such as Orange Buffalo and Caboose – among many other Brick Lane restaurants. Ticket info No tickets needed.   When to visit  Open Monday to Saturday at 11am-6:30pm and Sunday from 10am-6pm. Time Out

What is it?  This grand neoclassical market building in the heart of Covent Garden is a true London landmark. Since 1980, after traffic congestion forced the traditional fruit-and-veg market to relocate, Covent Garden Market has reinvented itself as a serious shopping destination. And now the whole area is pedestrianised to encourage punters to browse in safety. On Mondays, it’s filled with stalls selling antiques and collectables; then from Tuesday to Sunday, it welcomes a broader range of traders offering everything from handmade jewellery to artisan soaps. There are plenty of permanent retail units, too, mainly housing fancy brands like Mulberry and Tom Ford.  Why go? For all your gifting needs – from luxury labels to artisan makers.  Don’t miss The neighbouring Jubilee Market, which has around 100 stalls, for even more antiques and bric-à-brac to lay your hands on.  Ticket info  No tickets needed.  When to visit  Covent Garden is open Monday to Saturday at 10am-6pm and on Sundays from 12am-6pm.  Time Out tip  Covent Garden Market is always heaving but early evening, especially in the summer as it’s winding down, is rather magical.  RECOMMENDED: London’s best markets

What is it?  Brixton is one of the capital’s most vital neighbourhoods, and these adjacent indoor markets reflect its unique and varied flavour. In recent years they’ve become a place of foodie pilgrimage where hungry Londoners can grab a table at places serving seafood, superior pizza, Portuguese cuisine, Mexican food, Jamaican/European fusion and all manner of Caribbean delicacies. But they contain plenty for shoppers, too. A leisurely amble through the arcades reveals a treasure trove of independent outlets selling clothing, jewellery, homeware, art, antiques and unusual gifts. Leftovers is an antique and vintage fashion emporium favoured by costume-lovers and designers, while Cornercopia Homestore is the perfect place to pick up enamel pots, wooden spoons and unique cookware. Foodwise, try Jamaican/European fusion seafood at Etta’s Seafood Kitchen, street-style Mexican food at Jalisco, French spot Cheese + Fizz, where you can sip on champagne while trying out cheeses, and of course, a multitude of Caribbean restaurants and takeaways (Fish, Wings and Tings is a favourite of ours). If you don’t fancy eating out, or just want to pick up something for dinner, there are fruit and veg shops and stalls, fishmongers and butchers like Dombey & Son, which has been in business for more than 30 years. Why go?  For dishes and trinkets you won’t find anywhere else.  Don’t miss  Brixton Village Lates – a series of free event activations bringing DJs and live performers to Brixton Vill

It might be a bit of stretch to call this spot a market as it’s housed inside what was once a Job Centre. Rather, the refurbished building, which is just a stone’s throw from London Fields, Netil Market and Broadway Market, operates more as a shopping hall. In this 10,000 sq ft space you’ll find a deli selling charcuterie and cheese, an off-licence selling local beers and organic wines, a florist and a record stall. If you’re after hot food, there’s the Open Kitchen restaurant and The Dining Room, which also operates as a furniture shop. What’s more, the whole place is cashless and there’s no plastic packaging to be found anywhere.  RECOMMENDED: London’s best markets

There’s a lot riding on Bros. While, misleadingly, it’s been touted as the first gay romantic comedy ever released by a major studio – erasing the straight-to-streaming gems Fire Island and Kristen Stewart’s festive romp The Happiest Season, not to mention teen heart-warmer Love, Simon – it is the first (at least adult romcom) to get a wide theatrical release. It’s also the first major studio film with an all LGBTQ+ principal cast and the first time an openly gay man, Billy Eichner, has starred in and written his own major studio film released in cinemas. With so many firsts, a film might buckle under the avalanche of the accompanying expectations. Thankfully, Bros is so belly-achingly funny, sharply observant and wryly self-aware that it can more than withstand such a crushing weight. The film follows Bobby (Eichner), a 40-something writer, podcast host and the curator of a soon-to-be-open LGBTQ+ museum who has given up on love. Instead, he fills his life with disappointing Grindr hook-ups and a bullish determination leave his mark as a queer personin a world of boorish heteronormativity. His anti-romantic resignation is disrupted at a launch party for Zellwegr, a new dating app for ‘gays who want to talk about actresses’, when he catches the eye of ‘straight acting’ lawyer Aaron (the dashingly handsome Luke Macfarlane). Like Bobby, Aaron has also sworn of relationships, although the pair find themselves in a strange courtship: ‘We went on one date,’ Bobby says, ‘and had sex

With this documentary about ’80s boyband Bros, co-directors Joe Pearlman and David Soutar have created one of the most searing, raw and, at times, unintentionally hilarious documentaries about the impact of fame in recent memory. We meet Bros twins Matt and Luke Goss, now pushing 50, as they’re about to embark on a 2017 reunion tour. The shows are the first the brothers have played together in nearly 30 years. ‘After the Screaming Stops’ initially plays like a fairly conventional music doc. Matt and Luke narrate their meteoritic rise to stardom and chart the crash when it was all over. For those unfamiliar with Bros, they were British pop’s biggest boyband from 1988 to 1992, and caused the sort of hysteria where a record signing at an HMV could muster 130,000 fans. These days, however, the Bros brothers are suffering the fallout of their fame. Drummer Luke, now an actor, feels inadequate after years of self-doubt, while Matt, a Vegas crooner, resents his brother for calling it quits in 1992. Their reunion is an attempt to solve their own issues and give their old fans a treat in the process, but old wounds still fester. ‘After the Screaming Stops’ captures these tensions with a candour rare in a pop doc. The squabbling siblings seem to forget that the cameras are there, letting their vulnerabilities hang out and occasionally slipping into a self-parody of ageing pop stars. It cuts back and forth between past memories and modern-day fights, with Matt and Luke punctuating thing

Not to be confused with nearby regenerated commercial hub Deptford Market Yard, Deptford Market is as traditional as they come. Dubbed by social researcher Charles Booth in the 1890s as ‘the Oxford Street of south London’, this market might no longer see the high footfall of the past, but in the face of staunch competition from pricier farmers’ markets and the rise of online retailers, it’s managed to thrive. The market, which operates on Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays from 9am-5.30pm, spans Deptford High Street, Douglas Way and the junction with Griffin Way. Deptford High Street is where you’ll find fresh fish, fruit and veg, multi-cultural foods, fabrics and assorted bits-and-bobs. Meanwhile, Douglas Way is a treasure trove of bric-à-brac, both new and old. It’s worth popping down before midday, as many traders pack up after lunch. Alim Kheraj RECOMMENDED: London’s best markets

There’s a reason why Petticoat Lane Market is no longer on Petticoat Lane and that’s because Petticoat Lane no longer exists. Thanks to the prudish sensibilities of the Victorian era that found undergarments uncouth, the street was renamed Middlesex Street in 1846. There are two markets here which operate at different times of the week. From Monday to Saturday, the market is condensed and relegated to Wentworth Street, Bell Lane and Goulston Street, selling homeware, toiletries, batteries, plus other bits and bobs, between 8am-4pm. The market spreads to Middlesex Street and the surrounding area on Sundays, operating between 9am-2pm. Here you’ll find all of the above plus extra street food vendors, more clothing and leather goods. There are also shops selling fabrics hidden behind the stalls. Alim Kheraj RECOMMENDED: London’s best markets

Shepherd’s Bush Market, which runs from Uxbridge Road to Goldhawk Road, has served west London for over 100 years. Having successfully campaigned against development and the arrival of a Boxpark, the market, which operates six days a week from 9am-6pm (it’s closed on Sundays), offers fresh produce, clothing, crafts, fabrics and all kinds of multicultural foods, both fresh and cooked (head to Café 2000 for fab falafels). For a vibrant food-focused experience, visit Old Laundry Yard, which can be accessed via the market or from a separate entrance on Goldhawk Road. This old laundry now houses 72 shipping containers where you can buy street food, much of it from local vendors. There’s also a community space for workshops and events. Alim Kheraj RECOMMENDED: London’s best markets

Allegedly the longest market in Europe, Walthamstow Market proper operates between 8am-5pm Tuesdays to Fridays and until 5.30pm on Saturdays. You can drop by to pick up fruit and veg as well as household goods and clothes. On Saturdays, you’re more likely to find extra traders selling antiques, street food and handmade goods. Arriving early is advised as some traders pack up before closing time. Everything changes on Sundays when a farmers’ market takes over from 10am-2pm – perfect if you’re in the mood for organic eggs, artisanal cheeses, cooked sausages and fresh game when in season. Close by you’ll find Wood Street Indoor Market, a horseshoe-shaped institution brimming with antiques, old books and magazines and locals with cockney accents. Alim Kheraj RECOMMENDED: London’s best markets

While Broadway Market is clogged with whippet-walkers, busking indie bands and buggies, Netil Market (just a short hop away) is an altogether more sedate affair. Open every day from 11am-6pm, it’s the brainchild of a local creative community based nearby at Netil House that gives space to local designers. As well as a dozen permanent stands – among them a bike mechanic, a coffee roaster, a vintage glasses shop and a florist – there are stalls that move in every Saturday, selling mainly crafts, clothes and trendy homewares. There are as many good eating opportunities as there are shopping ones. The wildly successful Taiwanese restaurant Bao found its feet in Netil Market and its permanent bao bar has a queue that’s just as permanent. Also worth saving space for are LemLem’s afro-tacos and Victoria Yum’s daily baked treats. There's even some seating for those who prefer not to eat on their feet. Top tip: Just round the corner you’ll find The Taproom at London Field Brewery, with its enviable selection of craft beers, and the recently launched Mare Street Market. In the summer, though, you can’t beat grabbing some grub and a tinnie and picnicking on London Fields. Alim Kheraj Recommended: London’s best markets

The Easter Bunny doesn’t only deal in chocolate. We have it under good authority that the rarely spotted rabbit has, once again, teamed up with Highbury wine bar and shop Top Cuvée for an Easter egg hunt that promises to reward participants with, among other things, free wine.  Top Cuvée hosted an Easter egg hunt last year in Clissold Park. Taking place on Easter Sunday, the free event saw eager entrants roaming the park in search of ‘eggs’, which were in fact QR codes offering rewards. Spoils included free wine, chocolate (natch), vouchers, stickers, tote bags and discounts, with a main prize of a three-month wine subscription. That’s one generous bunny.  Because we Londoners can’t ever get enough of free stuff, the event was a hopping great success. And now Top Cuvée has announced that its Easter egg hunt is set to take place once again on Easter Sunday (April 17). Described as ‘bigger, better, funner than ever’, this year’s hunt will undoubtedly see Top Cuvée dole out some egg-cellent prizes, especially as it’s teaming up with some friends for this year’s event. Others involved in the hunt include Tony’s Chocolonely, Time Out’s inaugural Clash of the Slices winner Yard Sale Pizza, Jolene bakery, Supa Ya Ramen, Mam Sham, Patty & Bun, Brindisa and many others.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Top Cuvée (@topcuvee) So that things don’t get out of hand, this year potential egg hunters will have to register in order to take pa

Each year, the RHS Chelsea Flower Show sees garden lovers flock to SW3 to get their annual fix of horticultural goodness. There’s always much chatter about the most spectacular floral displays, but one of the gardens at this year’s show has been designed to spark debate of a different kind: about racial and climate injustice.  Titled Hands Off Mangrove by Grow2Know, the garden is inspired by the story of the Mangrove Nine, a group of activists who were arrested and persecuted by the police in 1970 following raids on the historic Mangrove restaurant in Notting Hill. The subsequent trial saw all nine defendants acquitted, with the judge describing ‘evidence of racial hatred’ in the Metropolitan Police. Steve McQueen made a film about it, ‘Mangrove’, which was part of his ‘Small Axe’ anthology series that screened on the BBC in 2020.  Another inspiration for the garden is the deforestation of mangroves around the world. In its centre will be a four-metre-tall sculpture with nine bare roots, each recognising a Mangrove Nine defendant, surrounded by various lush species, including edible plants like beetroot, peppers, rocket and tomatoes. The crushed concrete path that runs through the garden represents the challenges and threats of racism, poverty and violence in 1970s Notting Hill and today.  The garden has been created by Grow2Know, a non-profit organisation started after the Grenfell Tower fire that aims to demonstrate the healing and unifying power of gardening. Speaking abo

It’s a sad day for couples who like to argue at the weekend while perusing homeware: IKEA has announced that it’s calling time on its Tottenham branch.  According to a report in the Guardian, the Swedish retailer said that it was closing the north London superstore in order to keep up with ‘changing shopping behaviours’, given that more than half of its sales are now made online. It has pledged to redeploy as many of the store’s 450 employees as possible. This comes as IKEA is staking a claim on the high street. The furniture giant recently opened a smaller iteration of its usually giant shopping warehouses on Hammersmith’s King Street with a focus on home accessories and soft furnishings. And last year, London’s meatball lovers rejoiced when IKEA announced it would be taking over the giant Topshop on Oxford Street after bidding a whopping £400 million to secure the space. This new central location is set to open in the autumn of 2023.  IKEA has not said when it plans to shutter the north London store, but flat-pack furniture fans are already in mourning. And someone’s even started a petition to keep it open. IKEA Tottenham: how we will miss you.  losing the tottenham ikea will leave a gaping hole in my life. i don't think anything or anyone has ever abandoned me quite so violently. — Ava-Santina (@AvaSantina) March 30, 2022 ikea tottenham is shutting down my life is over what’s the point anymore — soph, msc🪷 (@sophsdayoff) March 30, 2022 IKEA Tottenham closing is

We have more than one reason to celebrate the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. Not only does it mark the 70 years that she’s been on throne, but it’s also the reason we’re getting an extra bank holiday in June. And now we’ve learned that, so we can maximise our jubilation, pubs in London will be allowed to stay open later over the long weekend.  The government has announced that pubs all over England and Wales can extend their closing time to 1am on June 2, 3 and 4 in honour of Her Majesty. In a statement detailing the change in licensing hours, Home Office minister Kit Malthouse, said: ‘The Order being laid before the House today, will apply to premises already licensed until 11pm for the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises, for the provision of late-night refreshment (only where there is also the sale of alcohol for consumption on the premises), and for the provision of regulated entertainment in England and Wales.’ For those who don’t speak politician, what that means is that, if your local’s usual last orders are 11pm, it will be able to stay open and keep serving until 1am, giving you ample time to get the pints in for Lizzie.  As well as pubs opening late, there are loads of events taking place to mark the Platinum Jubilee, including the unveiling of a colossal metal dragon. Fortnum & Mason has launched a competition to find a new pudding to commemorate the occasion, which will be judged by Mary Berry, chef Monica Galetti and the Queen’s head chef Mark Flanagan. An

Something strange is afoot in London. Aside from the usual nonsense and foolery that is every day life in the city, people have started noticing a bizarre phenomenon: some of the capital’s iconic red Royal Mail letterboxes have turned pink. And this seems to be happening all over the UK. View this post on Instagram A post shared by C H L O E T A Y L O R (@chloe_taylor_c) Speculation about what has led to this change in colour has been rife. When pink letterboxes appeared in Kilmarnock, Scotland in 2021, the Daily Record reported that Facebook users were wondering whether vandals might have been having some fun with a brush and some pots of paint. There were also suggestions that the new pink colouring meant that the postboxes were designated for Covid-19 tests. However, such theories turned out to be incorrect. Nor was Royal Mail planning a pink rebrand (although it definitely should consider that).  The explanation for the pink letterboxes is fairly straightforward and doesn’t involve any conspiracies or skulduggery. In a statement given to Birmingham Live, Royal Mail said the repainting of the letterboxes is part of an ‘an ongoing programme of postbox maintenance which involves application of a pink primer before the box is repainted in its iconic red’.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Emilyn Swag (@emilynswag) This isn’t the first time that letterboxes in the UK have changed colour

Carnaby Street is no stranger to an installation or two, and its latest makeover is a sign that football is, indeed, coming home. To celebrate 100 days until Uefa Women’s Euro England 2022, the iconic shopping promenade has transformed into a giant table football game.  The player models are nine feet tall, suspended five metres above the ground all along Carnaby Street and, unlike on a traditional table, all women. There’s also a regular-sized table football game on the ground that anyone who finds themselves walking down Carnaby Street can play for free.  The installation was unveiled yesterday (March 28), to coincide with tickets to games in the tournament going on sale, by a bunch of football legends including Rio Ferdinand, Millie Bright, Jess Carter, Fara Williams, Kenza Dali, Elz the Witch and Ann-Katrin Berger.  A team of giant female football players bobbing above shoppers’ heads definitely signposts just what a major deal the Women’s Euros are going to be. With 16 nations taking part in the tournament, 31 games will be played at ten venues around England, including in Brighton, Manchester, Milton Keynes and, naturally, London. Ticket-wise, the European Championship, which was due to take place last year but was postponed due to the pandemic, is looking to be a record-breaking event, surpassing 2017’s tournament in the Netherlands. In fact, demand is so high that more than half of the 700,000 tickets available have already been snapped up in various pre-sales, public

Hey cool cats and kittens, the Tiger King is back. Well, sort of: the dramatisation of everyone’s favourite lockdown true-crime story and big cat feud, Joe vs. Carole, has arrived. And like the story it’s based on, it’s wilder than a pride of lions. Starring Saturday Night Live staple Kate McKinnon as Carole Baskin and Hedwig and the Angry Inch’s John Cameron Mitchell as Joe Exotic, the show is based on the hit podcast of the same name. Released in the early pandemic days of 2020, the Netflix documentary series, Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem, and Madness, told a tale so outlandish that it could only true. Focused on the bitter feud between the eccentric Carole Baskin, CEO of Big Cat Rescue in Tampa, Florida, and Joe Exotic, the larger-than-life owner of G.W. Zoo in Oklahoma, it plunged into the murky world of big cat conservationists and collectors, private zoos and animal sanctuaries, and the mad lengths people go to protect, and profit from, exotic animals. Naturally, it was announced that this true crime story would be getting a mini-series adaptation. And that show, Joe vs. Carole – streaming now on Peacock in the US and Now TV in the UK – is every bit as dramatic, bizarre and out-there as its source material. Here are five wild reasons you should give it a go. 1. The casting is purrfectGiven their ‘unique’ personalities, it would have been easy for Baskin and Exotic to verge on parody here. Thankfully, McKinnon and Cameron Mitchell have found the humanity as well as the hu

さあ、ベルボトムのほこりを払い、厚底ブーツを引っ張り出し、ひげを伸ばして、髪形をフェザーカットにする時だ。なぜかって？　それはあのスウェーデンのポップグループ、ABBAが復活したからだ（ここで「SOS！」と口ずさもう）。それも、単に40年ぶりのアルバムをリリースするためだけではない。1982年の解散以来初めてとなるコンサートも開催される。ただし「ある種」の、だ。 ABBAの音楽へもう一度感謝を伝えられるチャンスが訪れるのは、2022年5月。彼らは、ロンドンのクイーン・エリザベス・オリンピック・パーク近くの専用アリーナで、レジデンス型コンサート『ABBA Voyage』をスタートさせる。10人の生バンドをバックに、『マンマ・ミーア』『ザ・ウィナー』『恋のウォータールー』といった往年のヒット曲をはじめ、プラチナムセールスを獲得しているニューアルバム『Voyage』からの楽曲も披露する予定だ。 アバターでの「没入型デジタルコンサート」 このコンサートついて、一つだけ奇妙なことがある。それは、ABBAのメンバーが「実際には」ステージにいないということ。そう、『ABBA Voyage』は普通のコンサートではないのだ。 『ABBA Voyage』は、いわゆる「没入型デジタルコンサート」。「ダンシングクイーン」であるアグネッタ・フェルツクグとアンニ・フリッド・リングスタッド、楽器演奏を担当し、曲も書くベニー・アンダーソンとビョルン・ウルヴァースらは、デジタルアバターとなり、バーチャルパフォーマンスを行う。この企画のために特別にデザインされたアバターの呼び名は、すばり「ABBAtars」だ。 ABBAtarsは、グループの全盛期だった1970年代のメンバーの姿を踏襲している。60歳代後半から70歳代になった今の彼らではなく、ユーロビジョンを席巻し、その後の50年間で4億枚のレコードを売り上げることになる音楽的レガシーを築き上げ始める頃の彼らだ。 Photograph: ABBA Voyage アバターは「ホログラム」とは違う 実際のスターが登場しない「バーチャール」エンターテインメントというと、コンピューターで生成されたホログラムを使うものを思い出すかもしれない。ホログラムは、2012年の『コーチェラ・フェスティバル』のステージにおいて、その15年前に殺害されたトゥパック・シャクールをよみがえらせることに使われて以来、ライブ音楽業界を騒がせてきた。2014年のビルボード・アワードでは、ホログラムのマイケル・ジャクソンが登場。もうこの世にいないロイ・オービソンやホイットニー・ヒューストンが「ホログラムツアー」を行ったことも記憶に新しい。 故人をデジタルで復活させることについての反応には、驚きと反発が入り混じりがちだ。2016年に他界する前、プリンスはホログラムについて「想像し得る限り最も悪魔的なもの ......そして私は悪魔ではない」と発言。オービソンとヒューストンのツアーに対する評価もさまざまで、ある評論家は、故人の遺産を活用した「悪趣味な換金行為」と評している。 『ABBA Voyage』には本人たちが参加 『ABBA Voyage』に登場するABBAtarsたちは、こうしたコンピューターで生成されたホログラムとは違う。さらに言うと、「故人」をよみがえらせたホログラムではなく、アーティスト本人の参加があるという点で大きく異なるといえる。 このユニークなライブ音楽体験を実現するため、ABBAのメンバーは、2年以上準備してきた。協業したのは、『スター

Throughout my life, I’ve constantly interrogated what exactly ‘queer London’ is. Growing up in the ’90s under the vice of Section 28 (a Thatcherite law prohibiting the ‘promotion of homosexuality’), Soho held an unknowable allure whenever I visited its higgledy-piggledy streets. It maintained that magic as I became a teenager: Soho was where, aged 14, I went alone to my first Pride, only to bump into my biology teacher on Greek Street. I remember the nervous excitement that hummed through me as I walked with the crowd, soaking up the fact that there were so many LGBTQ+ people in London. The first gay club I went to, Ghetto, was tucked away between the Astoria and Soho Square. Like many queer kids who came of age in the 2000s, my gay education began and ended with ‘Queer as Folk’. I devoured both the British and American versions, and believed that – like Manchester and the fictional version of Pittsburgh – each city around the world had its own gay village. In my young mind, London’s was Soho. Photograph: Tim Boddy Naturally, that changed. On a night out with my sister, we (rather naively) went to Fire in Vauxhall. It offered a version of what I’d come to know from Soho, but on steroids. Muscular men danced with their tops off, people were clearly on drugs and it was, for me at least, a little too much – although none of that stopped me going back. When I returned to London after studying in Brighton, wizened a little to the realities of the gay scene, Soho had lost its shi

It’s no secret that independent venues around the UK have struggled this year. Multiple lockdowns have decimated the live-entertainment industry, and according to reports in September more than half of staff at venues across the country have been placed on furlough, with employment in the live entertainment sector falling by 15 percent.  All of this makes initiatives like Independent Venue Week all the more important. Each year, hundreds of grassroots venues across the UK take part in an exciting week of live music that celebrates independent live music venues all around the country, while championing the people that run them and the communities that they foster.  This year, the festival's eighth edition, is kicking off January 25 (that's this Monday). Featuring more than 100 venues, 96 performances, 23 'in conversation with' type thing, some nice panels and even a handful of quizzes, this is well worth your time. Musicians performing include Liam Gallagher, Blossoms, Idles, Bombay Bicycle Club, Sam Smith, DMC and Beverly Knight. Obviously there's loads more besides (including Gruff Rhys playing guitar in what looks like a swamp), so why not just get yourself over to their website and have a look for yourself.  ‘Independent venues are the backbone of live music,’ says the festival's ambassador Arlo Parks. ‘I’m determined to help to support and protect these national treasures.’  Much-loved London venues being used for performances and interviews next week include The Clapham

The BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival has been cancelled, representatives from the BFI have confirmed today.  As of last week, the status of the festival, which was due to kick off on Wednesday and run until March 29, was business as usual. However, given the situation in the country regarding the Covid-19 pandemic, the decision was made that the festival would not take place.  ‘It’s with heavy hearts that we announce that, due to the scale and complexity of running a large international film festival with filmmakers set to travel from across the world, the BFI has taken the very difficult decision to cancel the 2020 edition of BFI Flare: London LGBTIQ+ Film Festival as the Covid-19 pandemic rapidly evolves,’ said a statement.  ‘BFI Flare is a very special and long-standing festival with a loyal and dedicated following and we realise that this is a very disappointing situation for audiences, our staff and festival teams and all of the incredibly talented and passionate filmmakers involved.’ However, the BFI did note that it is looking at ‘ways of sharing some elements of BFI Flare digitally’. More information will be available over the next few days. BFI Southbank remains open and operational.  To keep track of cancelled events in London, click here.  Don’t miss your queer film fix. Here’s our list of the best LGBTQ+ films. 

For 34 years, BFI Flare has prided itself on showcasing the best in queer cinema – and 2020’s edition is no different. Kicking off on March 18, the festival has just announced a line-up that includes more than 60 feature films, heaps of special screenings, short films and events, and, of course, the now infamous BFI Flare club nights.  Opening the festival is ‘Cicada’ from writer, director and star Matthew Fifer. Following the non-committal and transient bisexual Ben as he meets handsome stranger Sam, the film is an open and honest look at intimacy and confronting trauma. From the short preview shown at BFI Flare’s launch event, the film looks like it could easily become a quiet and contemplative queer classic, like Andrew Haigh’s ‘Weekend’ or Ira Sachs’s ‘Keep the Lights On’.  The festival will close with ‘Summerland’, a World War II romance starring Gemma Arterton about a woman nursing a broken heart, while the centrepiece screening is ‘Disclosure: Trans Lives on Screen’, a documentary about transgender representation in TV and film.  The festival is split into three themes – Hearts, Minds and Bodies – with many films reflecting a spirit of activism, resistance and rebellion. Highlights include Xavier Dolan’s ‘Matthias & Maxime’, the Henry Golding-starring ‘Monsoon’ from ‘Lilting’ director Hong Khaou, ‘Lingua Franca’, the story of a transwoman navigating life as an immigrant in New York, and the hilarious looking ‘Ellie & Abbie (& Ellie’s Dead Aunt)’ about a lesbian teenage