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.

Considering how many hydration vests, energy gels and Garmin watches you’ll spot in Burgess or Brockwell Park on a given Saturday morning, it’s somewhat surprising that south London doesn’t have that many big running events. East London already has more than its fair share. The 2026 edition of Hackney’s renowned half marathon has already sold out – in fact, tickets for the race were snapped up within just 48 hours of the 2025 race finishing. Plus, a brand new 13.1 mile race is also landing in Shoreditch this year, scheduled for September. But Strava-obsessed south Londoners shouldn’t despair, because we come with good news – soon you won’t have to shlep across the river to nab your first medal. Merton Council has announced its very own 13.1 mile race, set to debut in spring 2027. The event is a collab between Merton Council and the Great Run Company, who’re the people behind the Great North Run, the biggest half marathon in the world. The GNR welcomes 600,000 elite runners and fun-seeking joggers to Newcastle and South Shields every year, but Merton’s new race won’t be quite that big. It will welcome 9,000 runners in its first iteration.  We don’t know exactly what the half marathon route will look like yet, but we do know that the closed-road race will take runners right across the leafy borough. Participants will likely dart past Wimbledon Village and the famous Wimbledon Championships site, travelling through Morden and Mitcham and into some of the area’s best parks.  Pho

If you ask us, there’s no shortage of reasons to visit Shropshire. The West Midlands county is known for being the inspiration for The Shire in Lord of the Rings, and it was also the birthplace of both Charles Darwin and the Industrial Revolution. And if that wasn’t enough, Shropshire made headlines last year for reintroducing beavers after 400 years without them. See? Shrop’s interesting on loads of levels. Excitingly, soon it will be even easier to explore Shropshire thanks to four new walking trails. The new routes are designed to assist those wanting to explore the 185-mile Shropshire Way in rail-friendly way, with each one starting and finishing at a train station.  The four routes are all in the 2-4-day range. Making it even easier to cosplay as a hobbit gallivanting around The Shire are newly improved paths, waymarking and downloadable PDFs with everything you need to know, from sights and landmarks to accommodation and shortcuts. What exactly can we expect from the new routes? Well, first up is Heart of the Hills and Far from the Crowds. Kicking off in Shrewsbury, the 26-mile walk takes you to the idyllic town of Bishop’s Castle via the Bridges pub in Ratlinghope (and who can resist a refreshing pint beside a flowing river, eh?). Photograph: Shutterstock If your reaction to the first route is ‘only 26 miles?!’ then the Three Castles and One Quiet Sun walk is more your speed. Described as a ‘roller coaster’ trail, this hike from Ludlow to Craven Arms via Clun and Bis

If you’ve been to Cornwall, you’ll almost certainly know the Eden Project. The eco attraction, with its gargantuan domed biomes, is one of the county’s best-known places to visit.  Back in 2022, the Eden Project’s botanical bosses revealed that its biodiverse wonders soon wouldn’t be restricted to just Cornwall. A northern edition of the attraction was announced for the seaside town of Morecambe in Lancashire. And now, four years and several hurdles later, construction of the £100 million verdant project has finally got the green light from the local council.  If you’re thinking ‘hang on, haven’t we been here before?’, you’re not wrong. Morecambe’s verdant new nature sanctuary was originally approved back in 2022, but the project has since been scaled back to ensure it can be built ‘on budget and on time’. Due to open its doors in October 2028, Eden Project Morecambe will feature the domes which help make the original Cornish attraction so iconic. There will be two domes: the first and larger shell – named ‘The Realm of the Sun’ – will house lush tropical gardens and a ‘showstopping’ 20m-high theatrical sculpture in the form of the Elder Tree.  Photograph: Eden Project The second dome will be called ‘The Realm of the Moon’ and it will resemble a giant mussel shell. It promises an immersive marine experience, including a venue called the tidal theatre which will simulate the daily and nightly tides of Morecambe Bay.    John Pye, project director for the Eden Project Morecamb

Smashed or fatty patty? Brioche bun? What kind of cheese? There are so many variables that make up the ultimate hamburger – each as subjective as the rest. If you’re on the hunt for a bona fide award-winning burger, however, luckily you won’t have to wait long. This year’s National Burger Awards final will take place on March 24. In a heated competition assessing grilling skills and wits, 16 chefs will battle it out to have their burger crowned the best in Britain. And, excitingly, four of those esteemed finalists are from London.  So, who’s in with a shout of being crowned 2026’s burger champ? First up is Bleecker’s Bacon Double, with the Soho-based burger joint in with a chance at glory for a third time. Its Bacon Double Cheeseburger was crowned National Burger of the Year in 2024, and the London chain already had a first win under its belt from back in 2020. Next up from the capital is Burger & Beyond, a competition debutant. The food truck-turned-restaurant has three locations in Soho, Borough Yards and Shoreditch, plus delivery in Manchester, and its Bacon Butter Burger will be put to the test in March. Dover St Counter is the second newcomer on the docket. Dubbed ‘like McDonald’s for oligarchs’ by our very own restaurant critic, this joint is the not-so-little sister of Mayfair’s New York-style Italian restaurant The Dover. Its Cheeseburger – which helped secure it a spot on Time Out’s best new restaurants list – is up the top burger gong. Last but not least, SoBe Burge

What with all the UK’s dark, cold and rain – so much rain – booking a trip is especially popular among Brits at this time of year. Just as well, then, that Vogue has provided some inspo for the bucket list with its pick of the 12 best places to visit around the world in 2026. And adventure is closer than you might have expected, with a county in southwest England making the cut. Sure, you could experience tropical paradise in the Seychelles, go yurt camping in Kyrgyzstan or hike through Estonia’s pine forests and freshwater springs, but why brother when you can experience the glorious outdoors right here on British soil? Described as an ‘off-the-beaten-track corner of England’ by the fashion mag, Vogue’s write up of Devon talked up the county’s offering of moorland strolls and coastal foraging, as well as the wild natural beauty of Dartmoor and Exmoor National Parks. We couldn’t agree more, and Time Out’s guide to the best things to do in Devon reveals that the seaside county has something for everyone.  Keen surfer? When the conditions are right, Saunton Sands between the villages of Braunton and Croyde is one of the best places in the country for beginner and intermediate boardmasters to catch some waves. Photograph: Shutterstock If hiking is your thing, you can get guided tours of Dartmoor to learn more about the park’s history and wildlife. And there’s even better news for campers: wild camping on Dartmoor is officially a legal right. Budding historians, Devon has plent

There’s no shortage of quality Irish boozers in London – places that have the power to transport you straight to the heart of the Emerald Isle with stout on tap, Celtic tunes playing through the speakers and calls of ‘sláinte’. And luckily for peeps in E5, you can add a local stop to Time Out’s sprawling crawl of the city’s top Irish pubs.  Family-run Moyletts opened just before Christmas on the corner of Clarence Road and Downs Road in Lower Clapton (just around the corner from TO favourites the Clapton Heart, Blondies and My Neighbours the Dumplings). A small shamrock on the door is a beacon guiding you into Moyletts, which ticks all the boxes of a stellar pub: plenty of live music and affordable pints. A pint of Guinness is a not-too-shabby £5.50 – and the drinks list doesn’t stop at a pint of the black stuff. On tap is a selection of craft beers while glasses of wine start at £6. As for the non-alcs, the selection ranges from 0 percent beers to a list of hot teas. What’s not to love? As for food, we’re expecting great things – think regular supper clubs and residencies spotlighting emerging chefs. In celebration of Irish-Chinese takeaways, former Kiln chef Gareth Chambers’s Irish Shpice pop-up is serving spice bags from Lunar New Year through to St Patrick’s Day. Photograph: Moyletts Oh, and did we mention the impressive lineup of musical guests? First up: DJ and producer Jamie Rodigan is hosting a single release party tonight (February 12). A French Mexican weekend wit

Riding to work everyday amid choc-a-block traffic jams, breathing in ’orrible fumes and diving between double deckers is enough to put anyone off a two-wheeled commute. But for southeast Londoners, the prospect of pedalling into town is about to get a lot more pleasant, as a new continuous cycleway route between Greenwich and Woolwich is due to be completed next year. The Greenwich borough cycleway is just the latest upgrade announced as part of major plans to give the city’s cycle system a glow-up. In a bid to encourage Londoners to trade four wheels for two, TfL is planning 95km of new cycle routes over the next few years. The project is an extension of TfL’s Cycleway 4, which currently runs between Tower Bridge and Greenwich. The Cycleway network, for those not in-the-know, is a series of bike-friendly routes that span the city, from C1 between the City and Enfield to the C57, which runs between Hammersmith and Barnes. Cycleway 4 extension route The new 2.5km-long cycleway extension will link the southeast London areas of Greenwich and Woolwich with one continuous, segregated route, meaning no more swerving through traffic or being forced to ride dangerously close to cars. When complete, it’ll mean that cyclists will be able to pedal all the way from Woolwich to Tower Bridge. It’s also expected to cut cycling journey times – it currently takes just under half an hour to bike between Greenwich Station and Woolwich Station.  When will it be complete? TfL began work on the C

For the country bumpkins among us, there’s nothing better than slipping on a pair of wellies and getting a whiff of the fresh rural air. Easy access to beautiful wildlife and freedom from traffic jams and air pollution are just some of the major upsides to living in the country – but if you want all that and the perks of living in a city, exactly that could be coming to just outside London. Gilston, a new community development in Hertfordshire, will be made up of 10,000 new homes across seven interconnected villages.  Gilston will be a modern extension of Harlow, an existing town just across the county border in Essex. Harlow is half an hour from Liverpool Street by train, meaning Gilston could have a best-of-both-worlds mix of country surroundings and city access. Better yet, Gliston itself sounds like it’ll be an idyllic, leafy sort of place. The development’s seven villages will all be interlinked through a network of greenspaces and woodland, while animal habitats, woodlands and three new country parks are included in the plans. Plus, a sustainable transport network will connect the different villages, including 17km of cycle and pedestrian routes to encourage people to walk and bike their way around the town. Gilston’s design deliberately differs from modern UK ‘car cities’ which have been designed to be easily drivable – think Milton Keynes, Stevenage or Cumbernauld in Scotland. Photograph: Places for People Plans for the brand new community include two secondary scho

It was with a heavy heart that we reported on the closure of Dreamland Margate’s Scenic Railway a couple of weeks ago. After more than 100 years, the ride’s operator waved goodbye to the Scenic Railway, saying the nation’s oldest ride would ‘take well-earned retirement’. Dreamland’s Scenic Railway was the oldest ride of its kind in Britain – but it wasn’t the only scenic coaster in the UK. There remains one surviving ride, one of only seven similar attractions in the entire world. Thrill seekers far and wide can head to Great Yarmouth for their scenic coaster fix. The Norfolk town’s 98-year-old coaster is still standing, and so has naturally now taken up the mantle of the oldest scenic ride in Britain. In fact, it’s now the UK’s last remaining scenic railway – that is, a ride designed to give a view of picturesque landscapes. Built in 1928, Great Yarmouth’s Roller Coaster began life in Paris before being shipped to Norfolk and opening to the public in 1932. The attraction is also unique in that it’s the only one of its kind to be controlled manually by a seated operator using a lever. And unlike Margate’s Scenic Railway, the future of Great Yarmouth’s attraction is safe – at least for now. Albert Jones, who manages the ride, has assured people that the rollercoaster isn’t heading in the same direction as Dreamland’s retired ride. Jones told BBC News: ‘It’s disappointing that unfortunately another coaster is closing... we’re the only one that will be left running using a brake

It’s that time of year again. The Michelin Guide has crowned the latest set of British restaurants to be adorned with its coveted star ratings for 2026.  Monday (February 9) night saw the Michelin Guide Great Britain and Ireland dish out its latest awards at a ceremony in Dublin. A total of 20 eateries joined the list this year with their first star, while a duo were welcomed into the ranks of two-Michelin-starred kitchens. No new establishments received three stars, though the 10 three-star restaurants retained their status. In all, now 230 restaurants have stars, with 28 two-starred restaurants and 192 with a single star. So who made the cut this year? Well, unsurprisingly, as is the case in most years, London’s culinary scene was the darling of Michelin’s anonymous inspectors in 2026. There are 10 newly anointed London restaurants, which we’ve already detailed in full on Time Out London here. Joining those in the Big Smoke are two Scottish venues, which both gained their first star. Vraic, a restaurant in Guernsey – technically not part of the UK, but a self-governing British Crown Dependency – was also included in the list, and became the only Michelin-starred establishment on the island and its first in more than 10 years. The rest of the newcomers to Michelin’s list of starred restaurants are all on English soil, spanning from a self-professed ‘rock and roll fine dining’ experience in Birmingham (The Wilderness) to the first starred restaurant in Brighton and Hove for n

Need to book a holiday to get you through this dreary London winter? Here’s just the thing: British Airways has announced a new direct route from London to a premier Italian beach destination for this summer. The capital is getting a new service to the seaside city of Olbia in Sardinia. Olbia, for those not in-the-know, is best known as a beach paradise with white sands and the glittering Tyrrhenian Sea. It’s a gateway to Sardinia, offering easy access to the island’s many resorts, and about a half-hour drive from the majestic Costa Smeralda.  BA’s new service will run twice a week, connecting Olbia with London Stansted. Launching on May 23 – just in time for spring half term – and lasting until September 27, one-way fares will start from £127. The two-and-a-half-hour flights will operate on Saturdays and Sundays.  Photograph: Shutterstock The Stansted service is the latest addition to BA’s range of options for flying from London to the historic Sardinian city. The UK’s national carrier already runs flights to Olbia from City and Heathrow airports. Flights from City to Olbia will also increase to up to five times per week during the summer. Booking an Olbia trip? Here’s Time Out’s guide to the best hotels in Sardinia. Find out more about BA’s new service on the airline’s website here. Get the latest and greatest from the Big Smoke – from news and reviews to events and trends. Just follow our Time Out London WhatsApp channel. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out

You must’ve been living under a rock if you didn't notice how big 2025 was for women’s sports. Footy fans crammed into their local boozers like sardines to watch the Lionesses defend their Euros title in an electric, excruciating, edge-of-your-seat final. Then in September pints went flying once again as crowds returned to cheer England’s Red Roses to glory. Demand for women’s sport has seen a meteoric rise in recent years. A record 357 million hours of sport was watched by the female population in the first nine months of last year, according to the Women’s Sport Trust Visibility Report. That’s more than ever before. But with many women’s events still stuck behind paywalls or simply not shown in public spaces, the UK has been lacking the perfect place to catch every match. That is, until now.  Seaside venue Crossbar Brighton, opening on February 6, reimagines the classic sports bar to put women’s teams in the spotlight. Founded by duo Lucy and Pippa Tallant, the Brighton venue will show football fixtures, rugby games, cricket matches and more across three rooms and eight screens, prioritising women’s sport but welcoming everyone to get involved. Athletic appreciation isn’t just reserved for evenings, either. Crossbar Brighton will open bright and early from 9am each morning, operating as a daytime coffee shop and workspace before the screens switch on the sports coverage in the pm. As for drinks, well, it wouldn’t be a sports bar without a selection of draught beers on tap.