Amy Houghton

As the August sun sets on the river in front of us, heavy bass is reverberating off the 330-year-old limestone walls of the Old Royal Naval College in southeast London. Formerly Greenwich Palace, this UNESCO Heritage Site witnessed the births of King Henry VIII and Queen Elizabeth I, Lord Nelson’s lying-in-state and William Shakespeare’s theatrical performances. Today, tens of thousands of revellers have swarmed the grounds to see it-girl DJ Peggy Gou headline the second annual edition of Labyrinth on the Thames. RECOMMENDED: Europe’s best music festivals Photography by Sienna Lorraine Gray | Labyrinth EventsPeggy Gou at the Old Royal Naval College, London The Naval College is one of the latest (and youngest) in an ever-growing lineup of heritage and protected sites around the world hosting dance music festivals. The concept isn’t entirely new, but there has been a notable surge over the past five years. This summer, Italian party organisers Aura launched a festival at the Parco Archeologico di Segesta, a protected archaeological park near Castellammare del Golfo in Sicily. There’s also been Stone Techno Festival at the nineteenth-century Zollverein coal mine industrial complex in Essen, Germany; the BSH Festival inside the 2,000-year-old Pula Arena in Croatia; Black Coffee at the 700-year-old Buda Castle, Hungary; Fort X Festival at the fifteenth-century Mokrice Castle and Qixi festival inside the 466-year-old Yu Garden.  In many cases, these historic venues in all their

There's something so deeply joyful about shopping at a market. When you're buying from people who're passionate about their wares, the familiar business of picking up supplies becomes a treat, not a chore. Why chain yourself to a supermarket trolley when you could be strolling past stalls piled high with lovingly-sourced cheeses, gleaming fruit and homemade cakes? Why hunt for an unimaginative chain store gift for your bestie when you could give them painstakingly crafted trinket they won't see anywhere else? As a lifelong Londoner, I've never been able to resist the lure of this city's markets. If I'm in London Bridge, I'll stop into Borough Market for a quick chai and pastry. If I want a dose of Paddington Bear nostalgia I'll head to storied Portobello Road. If I want to feel bad about my fashion choices, I'll wander down Broadway Market alongside this city's fittest and trendiest denizens. And if I want to take my life into my own hands, I'll make for Camden Market on a Saturday afternoon in search of whatever viral snack the teens are obsessing over this week. London's best markets are full of local flavour, and each will have its own specialities. Pick up muddy, delicious veg at a farmers’ market, try out new looks at a fashion market, consume the latest trends in street food or rifle through crates of antique gems. Whichever you opt for, you'll be supporting the little guy by buying from small businesses that really care about what they're selling.  London’s best market

There are few things that we’d willingly brave the chill for during winter in London. But ice skating is one of them. From early November each year, ice rinks decked out with towering Christmas trees and twinkly fairy lights start to fill London’s squares and courtyards, hosting everything from DJ takeovers and kids’ skating lessons to date nights and family outings over the festive period. Pretty soon you’ll get to pretend you’re in a festive London rom-com, as you romantically glide (or awkwardly stumble) with your loved ones under the gaze of landmarks like Somerset House, Battersea Power Station and Hampton Court Palace.  Keen to flaunt your best ice moves? Determined to skate at least one lap without clinging onto the wall for dear life? We recommend you book a spot at your chosen rink as early as you can. Here are the best rinks in London for the 2026/27 season. We’ll be adding more as they’re announced.  How much does it cost to go ice skating? The cost to skate at London’s various permanent and pop-up ice rinks varies quite significantly. Last year’s cheapest option is Queens Skate Dine and Bowl, where adult tickets are available from £8 (during off-peak hours). But some skating sessions can be as much as £25-£37. For cheaper tickets, consider visiting at less popular times.  London’s best places to go ice skating this winter: ⛸️ Best for the biggest rink in town: Winter Wonderland, Hyde Park 💃 Best for ice dance parties: Somerset House, Aldwych 🏛️ Best for south

From Arts and Crafts and the pre-Raphaelites through to pop art and the YBAs, the UK has borne several of the planet’s most important visual movements. Fitting, therefore, that we’ve also got a world-leading roster of galleries. But these institutions don’t just show off British art: between them they boast a truly formidable collection of global art. You name a major artist – yep, any artist – it’s pretty much a dead cert that a UK gallery exhibits their work. Better yet, the UK’s finest art galleries are diverse in purpose and spread evenly across the land. You’ll find all sorts of exhibition spaces in major cities, sure, but there are also arty gems in smaller towns, alongside attractions ranging from blustery seaside enclaves in Scotland to dazzling sculpture gardens in Cornwall. To top it all off, plenty are free to visit.  When putting together Time Out’s guide to the best art galleries in the UK, we didn’t just take into account which places have the biggest names. We also wanted to spotlight the boldest programming and our favourite curators, as well as pick out galleries that feel like a spectacle. After all, art is even more special when you’re viewing it within another piece of art. Art-ception, if you like.  The vast majority of the list below features art galleries outside London (for the capital’s top art destinations, see this list). And if you’re looking for non-art attractions, you can find Time Out’s guide to the best museums in the UK here. RECOMMENDED: 📍

Whether you’re in one of the UK’s diverse, underrated cities, our picture-perfect seaside towns or anywhere in between, there’s always a museum to educate, explain, enlighten. Far from just places to hide from grim weather, Britain’s greatest museums tell stories, explore histories and get you fascinated by stuff you’d never previously spared a thought for. Here at Time Out, we are, obviously, huge museum nerds. You’ll find countless of the cultural institutions peppered throughout our UK city guides, whether that’s a mighty, storeyed national behemoth or an adorably niche local exhibition space. Even better, plenty of those museums are totally free to visit (and they remain so, despite suggestions of change). But which British museums are most essential to visit this year? Which ones are having a moment, basking in a refurb, putting on the most tantalising exhibitions? We’ve rounded up the most unmissable, all chosen by Time Out UK editors who’ve recently visited them. Before we get stuck in, a quick note. The vast majority of the list below is outside London, and that’s intentional. If you’re looking for stuff in the capital, we have an excellent guide to the city’s museums here. We’ve also steered clear of conventional art galleries – you can find our favourite art spaces here. RECOMMENDED: 📍 The UK’s top places to visit in 2026.🎵 The best music festivals in the UK.🥾 The greatest walks and hikes in the UK. At Time Out, all of our travel guides are written by writers who

July 2026: If you’ve had the pleasure of strolling down Exmouth Market recently, you’ll know the historic Clerkenwell strip is the buzziest pedestrianised street in London, full of al-fresco fun, convivial pintspeople and sidewalk tapas as far as the eye can see. Which is pretty much all down to the new Number 1 in our list of the best bars in London. Congratulations are due to Cafe Kick, the breezy Euro-chic sports bar about to celebrate 30 years of tricking your brain into thinking you’re on holiday. The rest of our Top 50 features bars old and new, posh and divey, and cheap and pricey, but all of them with great drinks and an unparalleled vibe. Fancy a drink? You’ve come to the right place. This is Time Out’s list of best bars in London, our curated guide to London’s drinking scene, which features the greatest bars in the capital right now. These are the places we’d recommend to a friend, because we love drinking in them and have done many times over. From classy cocktail counters to delightful dives, sleek hotel bars, rooftop bars and places to sip wine, London’s got them all. You’ll find historic drinking holes here as well as brand new openings. But what makes a truly good bar? Our critieria is simple; a menu of great drinks is important, but so is the overall energy of the place – there’s no point having the perfect paloma if you have to drink it in a bar that smells of bin juice. To make it into our Top 50, a bar has to be fun, friendly, convivial and inclusive, as we

We’re firmly past 2026’s halfway point and it’s already been a stacked year for excellent new music. The race for song of the summer is a packed field, big-name pop titans – Olivia Rodrigo, Madonna – have delivered lauded albums and there’s been a formidable number of breakout bands. 2026’s end-of-year round-ups are already looking like contentious business indeed.  Looking to inject something new into your mid-year listening habits? Time Out’s music geeks have got together to put together a list of the albums we’ve loved so far in 2026. Raving dance-pop, grotty death metal, stratospheric jazz-funk, paranoid techno, the year’s biggest pop records… whatever’s your jam, you’ll find it here.  Read on for the best albums of 2026 as of July, according to Time Out editors and contributors (they’re in alphabetical order – you’ll have to wait until the end of the year for the definitive ranking). RECOMMENDED: The 10 songs of the summer for 2026.

We never thought we’d say it, but this summer’s never-ending heatwave has got us dreaming of cooler days and chilly nights cosied up with a hot bev and wool blanket. There are still a few months to go before autumn hits, but that doesn’t mean it’s too soon to start planning how we’ll spend it.    For some, it’s is all about spooky season, for others it’s about candle-lit evenings in front of the telly with a steaming mug of hot chocolate. For others, it’s about pumpkins galore – a golden excuse to get picking, carving and cooking. If you fall into that final category, you’re in the right place.  As the weather drops, farms in and around London become gourd wonderlands, littered with bright yellow and flaming orange pumpkins. Often there’ll be photo opportunities, craft workshops and spooky goings on thrown in so you can make a real outing of it. Just make sure you book in advance to make sure you get a decent pick of the crop. So, whether you want to stock up on pumpkins to carve into Halloween lanterns or to make masses of soup and pies, here are our favourite places near London for pumpkin picking in 2026.  London’s best places for pumpkin picking at a glance: 🎃 Pumpkin smashing fun: Rogate Pumpkin Patch, Petersfield 🪄 Magical village vibes: Marsh Farm, Chelmsford 🧙🏻‍♀️ Best for witches on a budget: Cobbs Farm, Essex ⚡️ Best for little adventure-seekers: Hobbledown Heath, Hounslow   

The UK is a glorious place to eat, drink and generally be merry. Sure, there are loads of great restaurants in London, but there are hundreds more across England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland; ones where you’ll make napkin-stained memories that you’ll carry with you for the rest of your life. Especially if you head to Cumbria, which is home to the most Michelin stars in the UK outside of the capital. But as well as the diner’s paradise that is the Lake District, here is where else you need to head in order to sample some of the finest food and downright transcendent restaurant experiences the UK has to offer.  The best restaurants in the UK at a glance: 💸 The best for a big budget blow-out: Ynyshir, Ceredigion. 🧆 The best for vegetarians: Queen of Cups, Glastonbury. 🐚 The best for a seaside getaway: The Sportsman, Whitstable. 🥧 The best for experimental foodies: Osip, Somerset. RECOMMENDED: The best things to do in the UK. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

The final stretch of 2026 is upon us, and London is looking mighty festive in the run-up to Christmas. The skies are be sparkling with Christmas lights, the capital’s venues are filling up with Christmas pantos and carol services, and the streets are lined with colourful Christmas markets and twinkling trees. Plus, there are the ice-skating rinks, the winter pop-ups and the chilly winter walks followed by cosy pub hangouts. And that’s before we even get on to New Year’s Eve!  Here’s our guide to the finest events, parties, cultural happenings and things to do in London over December 2026.  RECOMMENDED: Time Out’s definitive London events calendar.

Our feet are sore, our lungs are full of dust, and our noses are well and truly sunburnt. But festival season isn’t quite over yet. This summer Londoners have been absolutely spoilt for choice when it came to fezzies. The August bank holiday closed the summer holidays with a bang, with festivals in London headlined by Blood Orange, Tyler, The Creator and Maribou State. But if you missed all that, fear not, you’ve still got a chance to catch some big names this September as well as at a smattering of indoor events taking us through to next year.  Have a scroll through our comprehensive guide – which we keep meticulously updated with all the latest line-up announcements – and see what takes your fancy. RECOMMENDED: ⛺ The best UK music festivals🌍 The best festivals in Europe

If you’ve heard it once, you’ve heard it a thousand times: this is the year of the staycation. After all, who needs to go abroad when the weather is this damn good at home, and when there are oh-so-many incredible hotels to pitch up in for the weekend, right here in the UK? In fact, we’d go as far to say that the UK’s hotels are some of the very best in the business – 10-room boutiques, seaside townhouses, sprawling countryside estates n’ all. Whatever trip you’re after, be it a quick break from London or a remote coastal stay, there is a perfect hotel waiting for you. And on this list, we’ve got it all: food-focused pubs with rooms, remote hotels with blessedly patchy signal and all-out, OTT luxurious. However, we want this list to reflect a full spectrum of properties available to travellers (and not just the ones with gold towel holders and Michelin-starred room service.) As a result, we make sure to take into account location, price and value for money – and bring you a guide that has plenty of budget-friendly options included too. Oh, and family-friendly ones. And yes, dog-friendly, too. Itching to book? Read on, friends. Here are our favourite hotels in the UK right now.  The UK’s best hotels at a glance 👑 Best overall: Gleneagles Townhouse, Edinburgh 🎀 Best boutique: The Newt, Somerset 🥂 Best luxury: Claridge’s, London 💍 Best for couples: The Bull, Cotswolds 🌾 Best countryside: Cavendish Hotel, Peak District 💸 Best budget option: Leven, Manchester How we curat

Shepherd’s Bush feels like an unlikely home for the British entertainment industry. But sure enough, it’s where Charlie Chaplin performed in the early stages of his career, where The Who used to regularly rehearse and where major film and TV studios have lived, most notably, of course, the BBC.  Hotel Indigo K West sits inside one of those former studios. BBC’s Kensington House was where major stars would go for recording sessions – we’re talking the likes of David Bowie, Bob Marley, Amy Winehouse and Jimi Hendrix. Those days are long gone now, and the building has been a hotel since 2001. It closed in 2023 in order to undergo a multimillion pound transformation by IHG and reopened earlier this year as Hotel Indigo London K West.  The previous hotel here was loudly done out in garish metallics, fringed chandeliers and swish furnishings. Its new look is, thankfully, much less aggressive.  To deck out the new and improved abode, IHG enlisted the help of art consultancy Art Story (whose other recent credentials include 1 Hotel Copenhagen, Great Scotland Yard Hotel and Treehouse Hotel Manchester). The result is a far more tasteful look and a reassuring sense that this place, though immaculate, doesn’t take itself too seriously.  You’ll find K West down a residential street,  a stone’s throw from Shepherd’s Bush Station, but far away enough that you’re wholly undisturbed by the hub’s notorious chaos.  What are the rooms like?  Hotel Indigo’s seven floors (floor three is at ground

Step onto the pebbles of Folkestone Beach and it won’t be long before your eyes catch the gleaming white, wave-like behemoth that stands on its western side. That’s Shoreline, a fancy new block of 84 apartments, duplexes and penthouses, completed back in 2024. Most of those apartments are on sale right now for upwards of £375k, but there are two reserved for anyone staying in Folkestone for a short foray.  The View at Shoreline is an incredibly sleek, tastefully furnished self-catered townhouse, ideal for a foursome of friends or two couples. If you’re after somewhere conveniently located with splendid vistas, you won’t get much better.  What’s it like inside The View at Shoreline?  You’ve got five storeys at your disposal. On the ground floor, which has a front door opening directly onto the beach, you’ll find the smaller of the two double bedrooms (facing directly out onto the beach) and a separate little bathroom. Skip the basement – it’s empty save for some deckchairs and beachy bits. Upstairs is where things get a bit more exciting. The spacious kitchen with its wooden finishings has every bit of equipment you could ask for (including a Nespresso coffee machine) and more storage than I imagine four people could possibly need (case in point: a wine fridge that could fit at least 12 bottles). The palatial high-ceilinged living room is on the next floor. This is where you can enjoy the best view in the house – I could have quite easily spent the entire morning people-watchi

A month after the long-awaited ‘Frida: The Making of an Icon’ opened at the Tate Modern, it was only a matter of time before the gallery hosted one of its Friday Lates in dedication to the Mexican visionary. Publishing studio Calaca Press will have an archive of books, magazines, images and music from Mexico City produced during Frida Kahlo’s lifetime for visitors to explore and to inspire zinemaking. Elsewhere, writer and curator Hettie Judah will be in the Starr Cinema to talk about the relationship between Kahlo and photographer Nickolas Muray. Up on the rooftop, DJ Tiffany Calver will play an exclusive set inspired by Frida’s legacy (with the promise of a ‘very special guest’). And down in the gallery’s Corner Bar, there’ll be an energetic mix of Cumbia Sonidera, Cumbia with electronic, African and Balkan influences brought to you by Mexican DJ Ritmos Cholulteka. 

You don’t have to venture all the way up to Edinburgh for a cracking dose of comedy in August. The Roundhouse has been hosting its comedy fest since 2023 and every year curates a line-up full of the biggest stars on the circuit. Across 18 days this year, you can expect gigs from the likes of Joe Lycett, Ed Gamble, Katherine Ryan, Sam Campbell, Ed Gamble, Sara Pascoe and Vittorio Angelone. Beyond the stand-ups, there’ll be live podcast recordings, theatrical comedy and interactive shows to watch too. Cult US comedy streaming platform Dropout will bring live editions of its hit shows Dirty Laundry, Um, Actually and Crowd Control, Jack Rooke (writer of Bad Boys) will present his first solo show and Adam Buxton and Alexei Sayle will host podcast recordings with special guests Ayoade Bamgboye of SNL UK and last year’s Edinburgh Comedy Award winner Sam Nicoresti. If you’re under 30, you can get your hands on tickets for just five quid. 

Nothing inside Fulham Pier Hotel indicates that you are, technically, at a football stadium. Then again, said football stadium is often considered the poshest in the country, so perhaps it tracks that it’s now home to one of the glossiest boutique hotels in the city.  Fulham Pier Hotel backs onto Craven Cottage (London’s oldest football grounds) and is part of a major redevelopment of the whole venue by Fulham FC’s billionaire owner Shahid Khan. But there are no framed football shirts given pride of place on the walls, no photos of iconic Fulham FC moments, no echo of cheers from fans and the pitch isn’t visible unless you’re peeking over from the sprawling terrace of the penthouse. To boot, the hotel’s discreet entrance (a gold door to the side of the building that can only be opened with your key), limited number of rooms, and private access to the swanky member’s club next door makes the place feel incredibly exclusive.  What are the rooms like at Fulham Pier Hotel?  Each of the 13 rooms are – thanks to the floor-to-ceiling windows facing the waterfront – gloriously flooded with natural light. From the wide private balcony of our Junior Suite (which spans the whole length of the room), we sit and watch countless rowers glide down the river while a collage of runners and dog-walkers make use of the leafy Thames Path on the other side. The space directly opposite the pier is a designated conservation area, so those pretty vistas and the mesmering, unobstructed view of the su

Peckham’s finest will be out in full force at a free festival on bank holiday Monday. The second annual On the Rye festival will take over the south London park with non-stop sets spanning lovers rock, soulful house, Afro-Cuban rhythms and more from the likes of the Handson Family, Buena Vista Social Club, Donut, Rebel Clash, Carroll Thompson, Born n Bread and Marcia Carr. Local vendors will line the green selling street food, drinks and artisan crafts and there’ll be loads of family-friendly goings on from a bouncy castles and face-painting to a kids’ festival rave and chess classes with local club Say It With Your Chess. 

A star-studded roster of London’s funniest people will be taking to the roof of the Bill Murray Comedy Club for the annual Angel Comedy Street Party on sunday. So far, the lineup features Barry Ferns, Paddy Young (of Saturday Night Live UK), Spencer Jones and star of Time Out’s Love Thy Neighbourhood podcast Helen Bauer. The day will be rounded off with special musical chaos from Chloe Petts alongside duo Flo & Joan. We don’t know exactly what that chaos will involve, but we do know that the trio have been dubbed themselves The Spooky Richards. Tickets are free of charge but donations are encouraged. All the money collected will go towards Islington Centre for Refugees and Migrants, which helps people seeking sanctuary, providing English classes, expert advice, and a welcoming community. 

London Rivers Week has been committed to celebrating and restoring London’s rivers for 10 years now. In that decade, the need to appreciate our city’s waterways has only grown. The theme of the charity event this year is ‘Know Your Local River’, encouraging Londoners to connect with and take pride in the river nearest to them. To help you do that, there’ll be guided walks, exhibitions, volunteer sessions, lectures, workshops, clean-ups and talks going on in every corner of the capital. See the full programme here. 

Large, blocky and wrapped in sage green, 1 Hotel Copenhagen is, frankly, unimpressive from the street outside. But any doubts about the place evaporate the moment you push through its revolving doors. Within seconds, the divinely soft scent of pine that ripples through the building has you sighing into a state of bliss. Straight ahead is a cascading set of wooden stairs that look like a flora adorned version of the Met steps, beckoning you up to the palatial, plant-filled atrium and lobby above.  Hotel 1 Copenhagen flung its doors open in August 2025 and is the brand’s second European outpost (after London). The place fits the city like a glove – it’s hard to imagine somewhere better suited to 1 Hotel's simple glamour, laid-back luxury and eco-conscious ethos than the Danish capital.  What are the rooms like at 1 Hotel Copenhagen?  All of the 282 rooms at 1 Hotel are all appropriately Scandi – bright, airy and done out in soft, organic tones. We’re set up in the Junior Suite, which was soaked with natural light and filled with plush cream, reclaimed wood and canvas furnishings. Wherever there’s space for a plant, there is one – on every coffee table, peaking out of  the middle of the sofa or perched next to the bathroom sink.  A lot of thought has gone into making the rooms ultra sustainable, and encouraging the guests to live mindfully. There’s a sand-timer opposite the rainfall shower that keeps you conscious of how much water you’re consuming (in a gentle, non-pass-agg way

Bar Flor is laden with loveliness. You’d expect little else from Aaron Potter and Laura Hart, the chef and interior stylist duo who gave us the ever-so-elegant Wildflowers. One floor above that restaurant is Bar Flor, which comes complete with whimsically hand-painted walls, reminiscent of the interiors of Charleston House, pale wood finishes, cosy velvet-clad pews and gentle, romantic light.  Bar Flor bills itself as a more playful, more spontaneous sister (the Type-B sibling, if you will) to the pristine Type-A restaurant below. The menu is Basque-country inspired – a copious lineup of European wines, vermouths and sherries alongside lager, Basque ciders and cocktails, complemented by a snappy selection of pintxos.  I was pulled towards the cocktails, which range from the house Adonis, made up of Cocchi Torino vermouth, Manzanilla sherry and a dash of orange bitters, to the luxuriously smoky Flor Margarita. Plates of dangerously moreish bar snacks filled the table throughout the evening, arranged on pretty floral plates that look like they’ve been pulled from a Spanish abuela’s kitchen cupboards. Dishes change on a weekly basis, but standouts on the night we visited included the delicate triangles of cave-aged manchego doused in honey, as well as shudderingly salty, briny gildas and (the showstopper) a fried calamari sandwich with garlic aioli oozing over the edges of the crusty bun.  Order this I couldn’t keep my hands off Bar Flor’s Peschiole Martini – a sugary, tangy co

Cameron House is nearly every Scottish stereotype wrapped up in a pristine package.  As we glide down its long drive, the enormous Loch Lomond stretches to the left while baronial towers stand proud to the right, and when we step through its grand front doors, golfers hang about the lobby and bespoke tartan pops up everywhere from the staff uniform to headboards. See? Scottish as hell. Spanning 400-acres, the hotel's high-end touches and abundance of facilities might seem intimidating at first. But, in true Scot fashion, as vast and luxurious as it is, Cameron House somehow still feels homely and down to earth.  Why stay at Cameron House? The bonny vistas over Scotland’s largest loch and the Trossachs National Park are enough reason to stay at Cameron House on their own. But add to that its grand architecture, its endless grounds, its impeccable dining, its proximity to Glasgow, and a night here becomes near irresistible. And if big names mean anything to you, you may be interested to know that it has earned nods of approval from the likes of Barack Obama, Sir Alex Ferguson, Leonardo Dicaprio, Cameron Diaz and Robbie Williams.  It has a compelling history, too. The site was originally home to a castle in the 14th century, which was remodelled in the 17th century. Then, for three centuries, it was home to esteemed Scottish family the Smollets (owner and famous novelist Tobias Smollett famously wrote ‘I have seen Lake Garda, Albana, de Visco, Bolsetta and Geneva. Upon my honour

What is it?  Brockwell Park is a much-needed slab of green (84 acres) just south of Brixton. Locals from the surrounding areas flock here in summer to sun-worship (if they’re lucky), fly kites, play football, swim in the outside pool, garden in the community greenhouses and parade a stunning array of dogs. The vast space was once the private grounds of Brockwell Hall and was opened to the public in 1891 by the London County Council. The hall still stands today and is one of several grade II listed buildings dotted about the park, including the emerald green Tritton Tower Clock, which was gifted to celebrate Queen Victoria’s Diamond Jubilee.  Why go?  It's big, diverse and interesting, with numerous areas to appeal to different tastes, from the calm, rolling meadows around Tulse Hill and walled ‘Old English’ flower garden to the BMX track and sloped football pitches by the Dulwich Road. The playground in Brockwell Park is a favourite, with its aerial slide, massive sandpit and sections for different age groups; nearby you’ll find duck ponds and a huge paddling pool. There’s also a lovely little minature railway open at the weekends May to October, weather permitting – it’s not particularly massive but it’s been just £1 for a return for years now. Don’t miss:  Regular events at the park include circuses and a busy schedule of summer concerts and festivals including Wide Awake, Mighty Hoopla, Field Day and Cross the Tracks. But one of the most beloved annual events is the Lam

A trip to the cinema is always a good idea. A trip to your nearest indie cinema is an even better one. From extra passionate staff and impeccable film curation to cheap tickets and monthly film clubs, independent picture houses just have that extra helping of charm. They also each have hundreds of film-loving fans who reckon their local kino deserves the title of Cinema of the Year.  Nearly 50,000 people have voted for their favourite indie film house to be named the British Independent Film Award British Independent Film Awards' (BIFA) Cinema of the Year for 2026. Last year, the grand prize went to the Magic Lantern Cinema in Tywyn, Wales  Out of more than 70 venues that entered this year’s awards, 15 have made it onto the longlist. Among this year’s hopefuls are Time Out’s own favourites Hippodrome Cinema in Bo’ness, Falkirk and The Ultimate Picture Palace in Oxford. We love the Hippodrome for its seaside setting, its original early twentieth century features and its annual silent film festival, HippFest. Oxford’s only independent cinema, The Ultimate Picture Palace deserves its place in the lineup for its Grade II-listed neoclassical façade and curation of art-house, foreign language, documentary and cult classic movies.  Voters also shared why their chosen cinema means so much to them. Some praised their local’s inclusivity while others shouted out the way in which they bring together different generations. The longlist will be whittled down to just five on November 3, a

 J Cole is landing on British soil this month for the UK leg of The Fall-Off Tour. And he’s kicking it off here in London.  The tour follows the release of Cole’s seventh studio album The Fall-Off and is his first solo headline tour in five long years. In fact, this is his first proper world tour since he was travelled the globe for the 4 Your Eyez Only Tour in 2017. In other words, these shows have been a long time coming.  The rapper will be at London’s O2 for two nights before playing shows elsewhere in the UK. Then he’ll be back again for the finale of his UK stint in November. Got tickets? Tempted by last-minute tickets. Read on for everything you need to know about J Cole’s London shows.   When is J Cole playing London’s O2? The rapper will be performing in the Big Smoke on October 19, October 20 and November 2.  Image: Live NationJ Cole The Fall Off Tour poster What time do doors open? For all three shows, doors will open at 6.30pm.  What time will J Cole come on stage? It’s not confirmed exactly when J will take to the stage but it’s likely to be some time between 8.30pm and 9pm.   What time does the concert finish? Curfew at the O2 is 11pm, so J Cole will probably wrap things up at around 10.30pm.  What’s the seating plan? You can check the view from your assigned seat ahead of time using the O2’s interactive map.  Who are the support acts for J Cole in London? There’s no support act lined up for J Coles UK tour. However, there were a few shows in America that

Londoners enjoy some of the lowest bus fares in the whole country. But for the first time since March 2023, the cost of getting on a double decker in the capital is going up. Transport for London has announced that bus and tram fares across the city will increase in just a matter of weeks. The news comes after mayor Sadiq Khan extended the bus and tram fare freeze that was meant to come to an end in July. At the time, the mayor said that he will ‘continue doing everything in my power to keep TfL services as affordable as possible, as I know the cost-of-living crisis is still hitting many Londoners hard’.  Don’t worry, tube fares are staying unchanged for now. But an increase is normally announced in March. In the meantime here’s what you need to know about the rising bus and tram fares.  When are London bus and tram fares increasing?  Bus and tram fares across the capital city will be raised from November 1.  How much are London bus and tram fares increasing by?  Single adult fares will go up by 10p to £1.85. That also covers the Hopper fare, which allows people to take unlimited journeys within one hour of tapping onto their first bus.  Pay-as-you-go fares for those with eligible concession cards (such as 16+ Zip Oyster cards or Jobcentre Plus cards) will increase by 5p. The daily bus and tram cap will go up from £5.25 to £5.55. You can see the full breakdown of the price hike here.  ICYMI: Here’s all the London tube and train disruption happening this weekend (October 17-18

Just because the weather has turned colder and the evenings are getting darker, that does not mean London is short on things worth leaving the house for. In fact, the city is as busy as ever.  This weekend, there’s the finale of the BFI London Film Festival 2026, the start of Halloween activities, a whole host of new theatre productions (like the outstanding five-star Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf) and the hotly anticipated new Tate exhibition The 90s.  The only ball-ache about all of those things is that you’re probably going to have to take a train or two to get to them. And unfortunately, a smooth journey isn’t guaranteed. Some disruptions, you can’t predict. But there are some that TfL warns us about in advance. So, to help you prep your weekend plans properly, here’s our weekly guide to all the tube and train disruption you should expect over the next few days.  RECOMMENDED: All of the best things to do in London this weekend.  London travel disruption and tube closures, October 17-18 2026 District line On Saturday October 17 and Sunday October 19, no service between Turnham Green and Ealing Broadway. Replacement buses will be in operation.  DLR No DLR trains between Shadwell and Tower Gateway on Sunday October 19.  Elizabeth line  On Sunday, there’s a reduced service between Paddington and Heathrow Terminal 4/ Maidenhead.  There will only be two trains an hour serving Heathrow Terminal 4, West Drayton, Langley, Slough, Burnham and Maidenhead and four trains an h

For almost two years, London’s beloved Prince Charles Cinema has been battling for its future. Now, finally, that fight is over. That’s right, the Prince Charles is here to stay!  Back in January 2025, the Leicester Square venue was threatened by potential redevelopment by Zedwell LSQ Ltd and parent company Criterion Capital. It shared that the companies were demanding a rent ‘far above market rate’ and that a new clause, if triggered, would leave the PCC homeless with six months’ notice. RECOMMENDED: An oral history of Prince Charles Cinema. But after months and months of uncertainty, the picturehouse has just agreed a lease that means it’ll host its iconic movie marathons and cult screenings for at least 25 more years. In a post shared to Instagram on Thursday morning (October 15), the cinema said: ‘The Prince Charles Cinema is thrilled to announce that we have signed a new 25-year lease with no break clause, ensuring our projectors will keep rolling for years to come.’ Photograph: Leonie Cooper for Time Out LondonPrince Charles Cinema in London It shared that more than 168,000 people had signed the petition to keep the cinema open, and thanked the the Soho Society for recommending that Westminster Council officially designate the venue an Asset of Community Value, which it subsequently did. That meant that the building had greater protection and that if owners wanted to sell, the community has the right to try to raise funds to buy it back first.  The PCC gave another sp

Built 960 years ago under the instruction of William the Conqueror, there was a time when the Tower of London (specifically its central White Tower) was the tallest building in the capital city. But its reign was short-lived. In the centuries since, the monument has been utterly dwarfed by churches, palaces, cathedrals and more than 100 skyscrapers. But there has always been an uninterrupted gap in the skyline that has allowed the Tower of London to still be admired from afar.  There were fears that those views of the Tower would be at risk due to new skyscrapers planned for the surrounding area over the next 16 years. But now, the City of London has won a battle to have those skyscrapers approved.  The City has just been given permission to erect more skyscrapers nearby the Tower of London, despite campaigners arguing that they could put its UNESCO World Heritage status at risk. Based on findings from the Planning Inspectorate, the Ministry of Housing, Communities and Local Government gave the green light to proposals to build more towers on the eastern boundary of the Square Mile. Prior to the plans being approved, Historic England pointed out that the Tower of London’s status as a World Heritage site partly rests on the view of it from the River Thames. It urged for the plan to be changed, stating that a ‘larger uninterrupted gap of clear sky’ was needed in order to preserve the views of the Tower. It wanted any new City buildings to lean away from the World Heritage Site.

Twenty years after it first opened, Rochelle Canteen is still one of the hottest spots in town. The hidden Shoreditch restaurant is a bonafide Time Out favourite, holding a perfect five stars for its ‘straight-up stunning cooking’ and for being the ‘epitome of laidback excellence’. Unfortunately that means that securing a table isn’t always easy. But from this month, there’ll be another place you can go to try Hector and Margot Hendersons’ outstanding dishes for yourself.  On October 15, Rochelle Canteen is checking into NoMad London for a three-month residency. The Shoreditch institution is taking over the hotel’s main restaurant Twenty8 NoMad, working with executive chef Carlo Scotto and bringing its take on classic comfort food and old-school puddings to Covent Garden.  Photograph: Max Anthony FoxTwenty8 Nomad The residency menu will change monthly. For the first month, it’ll include devilled crab on toast (or aubergine on toast for vegans), pumpkin and sage soup, chicken, leek and tarragon pie (a Rochelle staple), and pear and almond tart with crème fraîche.  If you book a table closer to Christmas, you’ll get to dive into dishes such as deep-fried tripe with ketchup, fried potato bake with smoked cod’s roe, pheasant and mushroom pie, fish pie and baked goat’s cheesecake.  Carlo Scotto, executive chef at Twenty8 NoMad said: ‘I’ve long admired Rochelle Canteen – it’s the kind of cooking I love most: honest, generous and led entirely by the season. ‘Having Hector and the

Walthamstow Trades Hall is a darling of E17. The not-for-profit venue has been at the heart of the local community for the past 100 years. Back in the day it was a meeting spot for local trade-union members. These days, it hosts everything from cabaret, karaoke and quizzes to queer line-dancing, Northern Soul all-dayers, comedy, choirs and international metal festivals.  The past two years have seen the hall go from strength to strength. In 2025, it was officially inducted as an Independent Venue Week venue, and earlier this year, it made it onto Time Out’s guide to the greatest indie music venues in the UK. But now, Walthamstow Trades Hall has fears over its future.  At the end of September, the venue posted on Instagram asking its community for a big favour. It revealed concerns that plans to build a five-storey block of flats on the site of the derelict petrol station opposite would lead to noise complaints from new residents and, ultimately, put the future of the venue at risk. At the time of posting, Walthamstow residents had less than 24 hours left to submit objections to the plans.  The proposals, submitted by Astro Development Ltd, are for one building with five one-bedroom flats, 10 two-bedroom flats and five three-bedroom flats. The trades hall said: ‘We are a busy working venue operating with a late license on Fridays and Saturdays. With many active events it’s very unlikely that this proposal would work well for either us or the potential residents.’  In a post a

In case you didn’t already know, Mondo Sando does absolutely impeccable sandwiches. The Peckham spot’s hefty, jam-packed subs have people forming a long, orderly queue every single weekend and are truly some of the finest you’ll find in the capital. Now, the team is branching out into pizza. Mondo Sando says that Oven Pizza will launch at Cafe Mondo in November. ‘Oven pizza’ is Mondo’s term for pan pizza (aka Detroit, Sicilian, or Grandma), chosen for the way it conjures up childhood memories of homemade pies and chunky square slices from the school canteen. The team’s bespoke dough creates a thick and airy base, and each slice will have golden crispy cheese (a frico crust) wrapped around the edges. Photograph: Lillie EigerThe Loaded Pepperoni at Oven Pizza The toppings are also rooted in home comforts and nostalgia. You’ve got ‘The Midlander’ with Lincolnshire sausage, pickled onions, Worcestershire sauce, tomato, fior di latte mozzarella and shaved pecorino. Then there’s the ‘Loaded Pepperoni’ which is pretty much what it says on the tin – pepperoni with mozzarella and a pickled pepper relish, inspired by the pepperoncini that come with a Papa John’s. For veggies, Mondo has created a pie topped with mushroom XO ragu with pickled chilli and spring onion.  That won’t be all that’s on offer. Oven Pizza will also have weekly specials channelling classic British comfort foods. So far, it has teased ones inspired by scotch eggs and baked spuds.  Cafe Mondo will serve its Oven P

British Airways has unveiled a first look at its all-new luxurious first class cabins, as part of a huge multi-billion-pound revamp of the airline’s A380 fleet. Now, those privileged enough to have first class tickets will get to enjoy a ‘modern luxury hotel feel’ 35,000ft in the sky. We don’t think we’d ever want to disembark.  First up, the food. BA has refreshed its first class menu to give its VIPs on long-haul flights more choice. Besides signature mains, the airline has introduced a ‘From the Grill’ concept in which customers can create their preferred meal from a selection of premium proteins including British roast rack of lamb, grilled salmon, sides and sauces. Rather than the plastic pots you get in economy, those meals will be served on contemporary stoneware and fine bone china. Oh, how the other half live.  Photograph: British AirwaysBA First class dining experience If you get peckish or thirsty outside of mealtime, each seat has an integrated minibar stocked with snacks and water (still and sparkling). For a tipple, there’s premium champagne, a curated gin selection, a wine list and Showerings triple vintage cider to choose from.  The experience now includes a bespoke amenity kit created in partnership with British heritage brand Swaine packed with Wildsmith skincare products like face mist, body lotion, ceramide multi-balm and an overnight mask.  When it’s time to fall asleep, the BA crew will make your bed with a luxury mattress, lightweight cotton duvet and

Between us, Time Out’s team of writers and editors have trekked to practically every corner of the United Kingdom. So, we know first-hand just how visually spectacular this little country can be. You can find beauty in all manner of places in Britain, from its mountain ranges, to its coast to its housing estates (yes, really). Not convinced? Just take a glimpse at our new guide to the UK’s 16 most beautiful places to visit.  The top four places on our list are occupied by a Welsh seaside town, a Cornish island, a Peak District cave and a Scottish glacial valley. But rounding out the top five, and taking the crown as our number one most beautiful building in the UK, is an 800-year-old structure in Somerset: Wells Cathedral.  Construction of the magnificent Wells Cathedral began in 1175, but it wasn’t until 1348 that the building got the feature that really makes it stand out. The scissor arch inside the cathedral was designed by master mason William Joy as a practical solution to cracks forming in the early 14th century. It was primarily created to support the weight of the central tower and prevent collapse, but it also happens to be a thing of beauty. The X-shaped arch rises elegantly from the floor to the cathedral’s stone-vaulted ceiling and, despite being created 600 years ago looks strikingly modern (almost art deco) against the more traditional medieval aesthetic of the rest of the building.    Photograph: ShutterstockWells Cathedral, exterior   But that arch is not a

Got a hankering to run 21km in front of a crowd of thousands? You’re not short of options here in London. Sure, getting a space in the ultra-popular Hackney Half feels as much of a mission as getting Glasto tickets, but it’s far from the only half marathon worth signing up to. This weekend, it’s the turn of the Oysho Royal Parks Half Marathon 2026.  As the name suggests, runners will be trotting around four of the city’s eight Royal Parks for 13.1 miles. The route takes you through Hyde Park, Kensington Gardens, Green Park and St James’s Park, passing by some of London’s most majestic landmarks including Buckingham Palace, the Houses of Parliament and the Royal Albert Hall. Over 16,000 people will take part.    Runner or spectator, this is all the essential info you need – including start times, route and transport.  When is the Royal Parks Half Marathon 2026? The popular race is taking place on Sunday October 11 2026.  When does the race start? As with most running events, runners will start the race in waves. Lining up will begin at 8.05am and the race will get going at 8.45am. Everyone will have been sent an email with a recommended arrival time, wave loading time and race start time based on their predicted finish time. The final wave is expected to begin between 9.30am and 9.45am.  Image: Oysho Royal Parks Half MarathonOysho Royal Parks Half Marathon Where does it start? Participants will set off from the event village on the southeast side of Hyde Park.  Royal Parks