Eloise Feilden

There’s a heck of a lot to get excited about in Britain over the next 12 months or so. Between now and 2027 Brits will gobble down platefuls of new restaurants’ grub, slurp tasty bevs in fresh bars, get cultural fixes at museum exhibitions, spectate at globally-renowned sport events and even witness moments of proper historic importance. In 2026 the UK will see the return of the Bayeux Tapestry (not seen on these isles in 900 years) and the completion of the nation-spanning King Charles III Coastal Path. Among the likes of new music festivals and theme parks will be the world’s biggest Irish cultural event, the premiere of one of this century’s most highly anticipated stage musicals and centenery celebrations for a globally-loved children’s character.  And that’s just the stuff that’s planned – who knows what else will define the year? Without further ado, here are the 16 best new things to do in the UK in 2026, chosen by Time Out editors and contributors. RECOMMENDED: 📍 The 14 best places to visit in the UK in 2026.🏛️ The 26 best new things to do in London in 2026.🌍 The best new things to do in the world in 2026.

The perks of life in the Big Smoke – proximity to some of the world’s best restaurants, endless exhibitions and lush green spaces – tend to come with a hefty price tag. London’s reputation for eye-watering rents and skyrocketing house prices is well documented, and the latest ranking of the most expensive streets in the city proves that the capital is as spenny as ever. Property company Rightmove has revealed the streets in London which will set you back the biggest chunk of change. Its annual ‘Most Expensive Streets’ report looked at locations where at least five homes were listed for sale in January, excluding the city’s inactive property markets and streets which don’t have any residential buildings, to get the most accurate view of which roads cost the big bucks. Winnington Road in Barnet has been named the street with the steepest prices. Located in Hampstead Garden Suburb, living here means having the 17th-century estate of Kenwood on Hampstead Heath as a neighbour. We’re starting to see the appeal. It’s also round the corner from the aptly named ‘billionaire’s row’, aka The Bishop’s Avenue, which has long held a reputation as the home of London’s wealthiest elites and ranked third on the list with property prices averaging £8.9m. Second place went to Chester Square in Westminster, a 10 minute walk from Buckingham Palace, with houses costing £11.5m. Photograph: Shutterstock This is the second year in a row that Winnington Road has been crowned the priciest street both

As Scottish national treasures go, Sir Billy Connolly is up there with the greats. And after more than 50 years in the biz, turning his hand to comedy, documentary and even becoming a globally-renowned film star, his latest role is taking him all the way back to his roots.  The Big Yin has teamed up with Kelvingrove Art Gallery and Museum to take visitors on a tour of the artworks which shaped him as a wee boy from Glasgow.  We should say now that if you’re expecting to turn up to the Expression gallery to see Connolly waving an umbrella at a group of tourists, you may be disappointed. The 83-year-old, who now lives in Florida, has recorded an audio tour of the space, journeying through his favourite parts of the building.  Having often visited Kelvingrove with his dad as a boy, Connolly’s personal ties to the museum are reflected in the audio guide, which also contains snippets of his early life, music and comedy career. Photograph: WhyNotChannel / Shutterstock.com Faves picked out by the star include Scottish artist Alisdair Gray’s 1964 oil painting ‘Cowcaddens’, depicting daily life in a neighbourhood radically changing in post-war Britain. The works of the Scottish Colourists, the gallery’s display of Trade Union Banners, Kelvingrove’s suits of armour and famous stuffed elephant and tiger also get a shout out in the highly personal audio guide.  As for his favourite artwork, that accolade goes to Salvador Dali's Christ of Saint John of the Cross. An unconventional depic

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

Mancunian festi fans, we come bearing even more good news. Just weeks after it was announced that Outwards festival would be joining the city’s already pretty meaty line up of summer music events, we’re here to let you know about a new new kid on the block.  May is turning out to be Manny’s month of music as No Art Manchester Open Air will take place just south of the city on May 30. The electronic music festival is curated by Dutch DJ duo ANOTR, who have built their rep around the world hosting open air shows in unexpected and unconventional locations – churches, galleries and historic sites included.  To date, crowds in Amsterdam, Barcelona, Miami, Uruguay, Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo have flocked to the electronic music events. No Art’s signature is to use no stage and no screens, with the DJ booth set up at floor level. The result? An intimate and buzzy atmosphere there’s no excuse not to be dancing. The Manchester edition will be No Art Open Air’s first in the city in four years and it promises to be the organisers’ biggest outside show beyond Holland. The venue for the one-day event is Bolesworth Castle, a Grade II listed country home which is almost 200 years old.  Photograph: No Art Open Air No Air’s organisers say that the rural location ‘allows for a higher-quality listening experience across the site’. The estate’s 6,000 acres of land will be home to two separate stages offering an extended music programme, while there will be art installations spread throughout

Few British city sights can beat the glimmers of sunshine reflecting off the water at the historic Albert Royal Dock or the sun setting over Liverpool’s iconic gothic cathedral. And there will soon be a new vantage point from which you can feast your eyes on the city.  Warning to anyone afraid of heights: this might not be the story for you. Liverpool is set to get a new 70-storey skyscraper, which will be the city’s tallest building.  The tower block will be the centrepiece of the £1 billion Kings project on the waterfront. Plans for the tower include a 5-star hotel, which will make up the first 23 floors of the building, with the remaining 47 floors dedicated to private flats with killer views of the city. Bars, restaurants and gyms have been integrated into the building’s plans. Plus, a rooftop terrace will create some healthy competition for the city’s existing viewpoints (move over, Radio City). The site’s property developer said that talks with a big hotel brand are ‘well underway’. If successful, the as-yet-unnamed hospitality giant would take over the whole building. The skyscraper’s design apparently takes inspo from Liverpool’s industrial and naval history. Developers submitted the tower’s blueprint as part of a ‘masterplan’ for an eight-acre site to the north of the city’s famous Pier Head. The skyscraper is one of 10 buildings planned for the site, which is pitched as ‘a new neighbourhood for the UK’s most recognisable waterfront’.  Beyond the main tower, the rest

Cod or haddock, mushy peas or curry sauce, to vinegar or not to vinegar – the options are near endless when it comes to getting a chippy order in, which is probably part of the reason why fish and chips firmly remains one of the nation’s favourite dishes. Brits chow down on 167 million portions every year. That’s a lot of golden battered goodness.  The family behind Scottish chippy powerhouse Blue Lagoon knows the force of the humble fish dinner all too well. Since 1975, the Glasgow-based business has built a venerable reputation across Scotland with eight restaurants in its home city, plus chippies in East Kilbride, Largs, Balloch, Stirling, Perth, Ayr and Prestwick. They’ve even welcomed celebs like Nigella Lawson, Lewis Capaldi and J Beebz (aka Justin Bieber) to dine on their fishy fare. Now, Blue Lagoon is expanding its deep fat frying capabilities across the border, launching into England for the first time with a new site in Newcastle. Opening in May (the official date isn’t yet confirmed), the new city centre site will take over from the old Dicksons bakery on the corner of Grainger Street and Newgate Street, adjacent to the historic Bigg Market. Photograph: Blue Lagoon From cakes and coffees to tattoos and tacos, there’s not much that you can’t find on Grainger Street, and deep fried mars bars and pizza crunch are the latest treats to be added to the list. Scottish staples haggis and a sausage eclair have also been teased on the window posters announcing Blue Lagoon

In Mayfair you can close your eyes, spin and point, and you’re pretty much guaranteed to land upon a culinary gem. The area has an abundance of restaurants and more Michelin stars than you can shake a stick at (even if it’s all a bit spenny). And that’s just the food.  When it comes to drinks, W1 is chock-a-block with fancy hotel bars, cocktail spots and a place to grab a glass of juicy red. And soon there’ll be a new haunt to add to the list.  Opening in April, Brutes of Mayfair is positioning itself as the area’s new neighbourhood bar, and offers everything the swanky local clientele could ever want.  The bar is focused on one thing in particular: making a stellar martini. Served dry, wet, dirty or ‘brutal’, if you’re new to the complex world of martini-making then Brutes’ self-described 'martini shop' will help you out. Included are printed cards and a barometer which allow you to choose the base spirit and style of your martini, and even offer guidance based on the weather. It’s fair to say the garnishes are pretty out-there, with blue cheese olives, pickled onion monster munch, gildas and chicken scratchings all making the list. Other drinks include the ‘Seventh Stall’, made with wasabi leaf vodka, yellow tomato, Brutes hot sauce and mustard seed caviar. British beers will be available as well as a wine and champagne list.  As for snacks, well, bougie is pretty much the only word to describe them. Think giant potato crisps topped with sour cream, chives and N25 Beluga c

If you’ve ever spent a day in Bicester Village, you’ll know that trawling the outlet paradise for designer bargains is hungry work. But we come bearing good news for bargain hunters with a penchant for sweet treats. The Oxfordshire shopping haven is about to welcome the first UK outpost of Swiss patisserie Bear St. Bakery.  The Zurich-based baker is best known for its cult cookies. Flavours like pistachio white chocolate and raspberry, roasted tahini chocolate chip, vegan triple chocolate and brown butter miso salted caramel, will all be coming to the Bicester Village outpost from March 17. Sweet tooth still not satisfied? Well, seasonal options like strawberry cheesecake, oatmeal walnut chocolate chip and apple crumble-flavoured cookies are also on the docket. Plus, expect monthly limited-edition varieties available at the kiosk all day. As for the drinks, speciality coffee, hot chocolate and ceremonial-grade matcha have all made the menu, with the option of torched whipped marshmallow for a theatrical finish. Photograph: Bear St. Bakery Founder Max Friedrich launched Bear St. Bakery in November 2024, turning his background in fine dining (he worked for big names like the Dorchester Collection, Zuma and Shangri-La) to the humble cookie.  Bear St. Bakery’s UK plans don’t stop there, either, as a London flagship is also on the cards. The exact date and location are yet to be announced, but we can expect the smell of freshly-baked goods to be wafting through the city before t

When long commutes on the tube, squished like a sardine against a stranger’s sweaty armpit, have turned you sour to our fair city’s transport network, there’s one place in London that’ll always make you fall back in love with the city’s trains, buses, trams and more.  The London Transport Museum has been welcoming history buffs, design lovers and train-obsessed tots to its Grade II-listed halls since 1980. A horse-drawn omnibus from 1805 and a wooden Metropolitan Railway coach are among the Covent Garden museum’s many wonders, transporting you back to ye olde times before boarding the Circle line meant being forced to sit next to someone watching TikTok on full volume. The museum will soon become even more of a draw, as plans have been revealed for new exhibition galleries. London Transport Museum is converting an 840 square foot office area on the first floor into the Wellington gallery (that’s the working title, at least).  The soon-to-be upgraded space is next to its existing art deco poster exhibition, which boasts more than 100 original (and pretty damn chic) poster designs from the likes of Edward McKnight Kauffer, Dora Batty and Jean Dupas. Pop up displays are planned for the new space, but its main function will be as additional space for educational work and collabs with local community groups. Volunteers will also get their own meeting room as part of the revamp.  The planning application has just been approved by Westminster Council and the new space is expected to

For anyone and everyone inspired by International Women’s Day last weekend (March 8) to keep the conversation around equality going, we have good news for you. Billed as ‘the world’s biggest, most comprehensive festival celebrating women, girls and non-binary people’, Women of the World festival, or WOW for short, has announced its return to the Southbank Centre next year. WOW is the brainchild of theatre director Jude Kelly CBE, who launched the festival in 2010 when she was artistic director at the Southbank Centre. Since its debut, it’s fair to say the festival has had serious global success, putting on 150 festivals around the world in places like Australia, Brazil, China, Egypt, Finland, Greece, Nepal, Nigeria, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Somaliland and the USA.  Luckily for us Londoners, WOW is returning to its hometown in 2027. The flagship festival is set to take over Royal Festival Hall on March 5-7 2027. The lineup for next year’s event is still under wraps, but speakers, activists, musicians, artists and comedians are all expected to take the stage over three days. Previous guests include mighty names like Angela Davis, Annie Lennox, Patrick Stewart, Malala Yousafzai and Salma Hayek. Ahead of next year’s fest, WOW hosted a roundtable this week (on March 10) to address violence against women and girls. According to the National Police Chief's Council, one woman was killed by a man every three days in 2025 and one in 12 women experienced violence.  Photograph: Women of the

Parents, we don’t mean to alarm you, but the countdown to Christmas has already begun. Yup, we know it’s only March, but tickets for one of the UK’s biggest festive family events are going on sale this month, which can only mean one thing: it’s time to start planning for the holidays. Lapland UK, the self-described ‘Glastonbury of Christmas’, has announced that tickets for this year’s editions go on sale at the end of this month. And there’s no time for slacking, because all the slots for the four-and-a-half hour immersive theatre journey are expected to sell out in less than a day. If you’re unfamiliar with the event then, well, you either don’t have kids or you may have been living under a rock. A reimagining of the Christmas story, Lapland UK recreates the wonders of the North Pole with hundreds of elves, a frozen pond for skating, twinkling lights and even a Lapland toy factory. Plus, kids also get the chance to meet Father Christmas in person. It’s been a festive fave for a while, having launched in 2007 in Ascot. Last Christmas saw Lapland UK's first extension with a second site in Manchester – which, luckily for families up north, will be returning this year. Photograph: Lapland UK If it sounds like something your kids would enjoy Lapland UK, then we recommend being quick off the mark. Last year, tickets were in such high demand that a record 750,000 people joined the virtual waiting room – more than double the previous year – and slots sold out within just a few hou

Pleasurewood Hills has been a prime spot for family fun in East Suffolk for more than four decades. Since it opened its gates in 1983, countless local thrillseekers and out-of-town holidaymakers have trodden its grounds and been thrilled by its rides. Recently, however, it’s fair to say that parts of Pleasurewood Hills have been showing their age. Just weeks ago its owners announced that the much-loved Cannonball Express ride will not run for the 2026 season. The ride, which first opened at the Lowestoft attraction in 1995, is a top attraction among adrenaline-junkies, but the need for new trains and a lick of paint means it’ll be out of action for at least this year. The Cannonball Express’ temporary closure is part of a wider plan by the new owners of Pleasurewood Hills, who purchased the park last October and want to restore the place to its former glory. ‘It’s lost the spark that it once had that everybody speaks about,’ Freddie Stokes, one of the three brothers who manage the park, told BBC News. ‘It’s a little bit shabby round the edges – the rides, the performance level, I just feel like it’s not as it should be.’ But Pleasurewood Hills stans shouldn’t spend too much time in mourning, because plans are also underway to introduce four new attractions to the beloved family theme park. If proposals submitted to East Suffolk Council get the green light, visitors could soon be taking a turn on the Star Flyer, the Spinning Coaster, the Apple Coaster or the Big Wheel. The Sta