India Lawrence

Even after a couple of vintage years for new music, 2025 has been special. Sure, we didn’t get a clear-cut ‘song of the summer’, but artists have been instead putting out defining works in a longer format. The past 12 (well, 11) months have featured all manner of extraordinary album releases.  Belted-to-the-rafters country pop, plunderphonic majesty, ecstatic dance music, intimate electronic world-building, history-collapsing art rock, triumphant hip-hop… these are just a few of the sounds and styles that have been executed marvellously in 2025. Here are the year’s finest 25 albums, chosen by Time Out editors and contributors.

It may only be the start of the festive season, but we are already thinking about festival season 2026. And we can’t wait.  By the time summer rolls around, Londoners will be absolutley spoilt for choice. With something taking place almost every weekend throughout the warmer months, you can forget trekking across the country to live in a field for five days; simply hop on the tube and before you know it you’re listening to your favourite artists, tinny to hand, knowing that there’s a hot shower and a cosy bed waiting for you once the day is over.  The line-up announcements for next year’s events are already coming in thick fast, with huge acts like Tyler, The Creator, Lewis Capaldi, CMAT, Lily Allen, Scissor Sisters and Deftones set to take to the London stage next summer. Plus, the future of events in Brockwell Park was thrown up in the air in 2025, however the south London park’s usual lineup of events – which includes Cross The Tracks, Wide Awake and Field Day – will all return in 2026.  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

The most important thing about Christmas is here: the festive sandwich. So pure. So dense. So carby. This year, the staff of Time Out London have taste-tested seasonal sarnies from 10 independent bakeries, delis and street food stalls across London in order to find the jolliest Christmas sandwich in town. From vegetarian cheese feasts to meaty marvels and vegan sourdough wedges, these are the very best Christmas sandwiches in London. RECOMMENDED: For more festive fun here’s our guide to the best Christmas markets in London.  And don’t miss the best Christmas events, either. 

When it comes to art and exhibitions, London has it all. From the niche spaces, to the avant garde galleries, and the massive crowd-pleasing museums, our city is packed with shows that will perplex, challenge, inspire, educate and leave you feeling awestruck.  The problem is... there’s absolutely tons to see. Too much, you could say. Lucky for you, Time Out exists. For decades, our experts have been visiting and reviewing all the sculpture, painting, performance, photography, history, fashion and other types of exhibitions on offer. You name it, we’ve (probably, most likely) seen it. If you’re wondering what’s actually worth your time, start here. Check out the best museum exhibitions and art in London right now, and be sure to come back weekly for the latest picks. Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox. RECOMMENDED: Best photography exhibitions in LondonBest free exhibitions in London

As much as Christmas trees, turkey and a mildly overworked Santa have become staples of the festive season, so has the music that soundtracks this cheer-soaked time of year. Christmas songs don’t just endure – many end up becoming the crown jewels of an artist’s entire career. From golden oldies by Elvis Presley, Chuck Berry and Bing Crosby, to ‘80s icons like Wham! and The Pogues, to modern favourites from Ariana Grande and Leona Lewis, these tunes have embedded themselves into our seasonal rituals. What is the best-selling Christmas song of all time? That honour still belongs to Bing Crosby’s 1942 classic ‘White Christmas’. With over 50 million sales, it’s not only the biggest Christmas record in history – it’s the best-selling song of all time, full stop. Guinness World Records first crowned it back in 1955, and it’s held onto the title ever since. What is the most-streamed Christmas song of all time? Mariah Carey’s ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ may trail Crosby in pure sales (a mere 16 million), but streaming has turned it into a seasonal juggernaut. It finally hit No.1 in both the UK and US decades after its release and became the first Christmas song to pass 2 billion Spotify streams. Hot on its heels: Wham!’s ‘Last Christmas’ (1.83 billion) and Brenda Lee’s ‘Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree’ (1.27 billion). Are there any new Christmas songs for 2025? The past decade has delivered plenty of modern holiday staples, from Ariana Grande to Sabrina Carpenter to Cher. As

As the nights draw in and the chill sets through the air, there’s no denying it: spooky season has officially arrived. The pumpkins are carved, the costume’s nailed and now there’s just one thing left to summon… a Halloween playlist wicked enough to get even the undead on their feet. Sure, the classic Halloween songs still reign supreme – we’re talking ‘Thriller’, ‘Ghostbusters’ and all the usual heavy-hitters. But lately, a new wave of pop phantoms has emerged to soundtrack your October nights. From Olivia Rodrigo’s ex-boyfriend bleeding her dry, to the enchanting spellwork of Lady Gaga a.k.a Mother Monster herself, with a detour through the slick, otherworldly beats of K-Pop’s most stylish demons – Halloween playlists have, quite literally, come back to life. Our favourite Halloween playlist songs for 2025 at a glance: Most iconic Halloween track: ‘Thriller’ by Michael Jackson Best new Halloween anthem: ‘Abracadabra’ by Lady Gaga Most dramatic Halloween song: ‘There Will Be Blood’ by Kim Petras Best Halloween anthem with a K-Pop twist: ‘Your Idol’ by Saja Boys Best Halloween track to dance to: ‘Monster Mash’ by Bobby ‘Boris’ Pickett & the Crypt-Kickers RECOMMENDED: 👻 The best Halloween movies of all time 🎤 The best karaoke songs 🎵 The best songs of 2025 so far 🕺 The best albums of 2025 so far

If you boil a sauna down to its nuts and bolts, it’s essentially just a really hot room and some water to create steam with. Wild, then, how much of a positive affect those two simple ingredients can have on our bodies, healing weary muscles, doing wonders for our skin, and helping all the horrible toxins we insist on putting in our insides get back out. Saunas originated back in Finland back in the Middle Ages, where almost every house had one – imagine! In modern London, we’re not all so lucky as to have our own personal spa, but there are a wealth of top saunas around the city. From plunge pools and infrared therapy rooms to Finnish-style homages and ones soundtracked by DJ sets, you’ll find the steam sesh for you in the capital. Check out our video of 10 of the best spas in London: RECOMMENDED:Sauna culture is heating up London’s nightlifeThe best spas in London

We know that London is the best city in the world. But like any metropolis, it can also get a bit much sometimes. Occasionally, what you want isn’t to drink cocktails in a trendy bar after seeing the hottest Gen Z bedroom popstar at the Islington Assembly Hall, but a little peace and quiet, actually. Enter: the weekend getaway, invented by the Victorians (probably), there’s a reason why Londoners have been taking sojourns to the seaside on sunny bank holidays since the 1800s.  Together, we’ve come up with a cracking list of our favourite day trip destinations near London. There’s something for everyone here, from historic cities and cute villages to sandy beaches and rolling countryside. We've included some recommendations for ace restaurants, quaint little pubs, and our favourite things to do at each destination on the list – all of which are close enough to the city that you can get there and back in one sweet day.  Best day trips from London at a glance 🍔 Best for foodies: Margate 🎭 Best for culture lovers: Stratford-Upon-Avon ⛪ Best for history buffs: Canterbury 🛁 Best for families: Bath 🐴 Best for hikers: New Forest 🍺 Best for pub crawls: Lewes 🏖️ Best for seaside fun: Brighton RECOMMENDED:✨The best day trips an hour from London👪 The best family day trips from London☀️ The best weekend trips from London🏘️ The best Airbnbs near London🌳 The best quirky Airbnbs in the UK This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial conte

January might seem like miles away right now – you’ve still got a full season of ice skating, festive markets, and panto-watching to get through. But what is ostensibly to most depressing month of the year will creep up on you before you know it.  However, it isn’t all bad. For one thing, it’s the ideal time to discover London on a budget and without the crowds, while many of city’s very best theatre and musicals, restaurants and bars – ranked definitively by Time Out's crew of expert local editors – offer discounted tickets and cheap meal deals to entice you out of the house during the coldest and darkest days of the year. Believe it or not, but January can also a time for celebration, too. London will once again be playing host to plenty of Burns Night ceilidhs, haggis suppers and poetry readings commemorating Scotland’s most famous poet, plus dinners and parades in celebration of the Lunar New Year, which falls nice and early in 2025, on January 29. If you’re someone who likes to commit to a month of sobriety or a punishing new exercise regime at the start of the New Year, London definitely has your back too. The city is home to countless excellent sports clubs and fitness classes, plus dozens of glorious parks and spectacular walking routes, and there’s arguably nowhere that better caters for the sober and sober-curious. Of course, if you’d rather just settle in by an open fire at one of the city’s cosiest pubs instead, then there’s absolutely no judgement from us! Howeve

You’re probably not even thinking about February right now. There’s still an entire Christmas party season, followed by the inevitable January hibernation to get through. But February will be coming on the horizon sooner than you think, so why not get ahead and start planning now? February’s social calendar is surprisingly busy, with a bunch of important dates packed into its short four weeks including Valentine’s Day, London Fashion Week and LGBTQ+ History Month. It’s also half-term, again. But fear not, there’s plenty to entertain the kids in London this Feb.  And there’s plenty more on besides all that. Seize your chance to have some fun this February, with our guide to the best things happening in London over the month. London’s best things to do in February at a glance: 🛏️Best for art lovers: Tracey Emin, Tate Modern 🎭Best for thespians: Dracula, Noel Coward Theatre  🪄Best for magicians: Abracadabra!, Somerset House 🏉Best for sports fans: Six Nations, various RECOMMENDED:🎨 The best art exhibitions opening in London this February 🎭 The best theatre shows opening in London this February🍽️ The best new London restaurants opening this February🎤 The best gigs happening in London in February😂 The best comedy show to see in London this February

Covent Garden is so rammed with restaurants that decision fatigue can easily threaten the quality of your dinner. Weave through the tourists and theatregoing crowds and you'll discover that this area hosts many of the best restaurants in London, including French-styled Story Cellar, and The Portrait by Richard Corrigan, as well as old faves The Savoy Grill and J Sheekey. We’ve compiled a list of the best in the area, from cutting-edge eateries and classy counter joints to party-ready and casual hangouts, with pre-theatre favourites and cheap eats among them. Think of it as your Covent Garden bucket list. The best restaurants in Covent Garden at a glance: 🍸 Best for old school glamour: J Sheekey 🥦 Best for modern British cookery: Town 🥘 Best for Spanish tapas: Barrafina, Drury Lane and Adelaide Street 🍝 Best for perfect pasta: Bancone 🍛 Best for excellent Indian food: Tandoor Chop House ⌛ Best for a fast feed: Adoh! RECOMMENDED: The absolute best restaurants in Soho. Leonie Cooper is Time Out London’s Food and Drink Editor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guidelines.

November is looking like an exciting month for dance in London.  As the longer nights roll in and the post-clock-change despair starts to take hold, an evening of watching incredibly lean athletes prance around a stage in tights could be just what Londoners need to lift their dampened, wintery spirits. So it’s good news then that perhaps the most jovial ballet of all time, La Fill mal gardée is on the Royal Opera House stage this month.  Elsewhere, there are cracking productions from Nederlands Dans Theater, Sharon Eyal, and a Flamenco-inspired cabaret to look forward to.  This is the best dance in London this November.  India is in charge of dance listings at Time Out. She was first shoved into a leotard and ballet shoes aged four, and has loved it ever since. Nowadays India prefers contemporary (or dancing in a sweaty club) to ballet, but still has a soft spot for the odd grand jeté every now and again. India has been reviewing dance in London since joining Time Out in 2022.  MORE STAGE: Dance classes in London Best theatre shows this yearBest theatre shows this monthBest comedy shows this month

There was a time when being into Wes Anderson made you a proponent of quirky indie cinema. These days, liking his stuff doesn’t make you a cinephile with niche interests, or really even particularly cool. Now firmly in the mainstream, some of Anderson’s recent films are so stylised as to feel like parodies of his own work. And yet, the universe he has created is still just as wonderful as it has ever been. At the Design Museum’s massive exhibition dedicated to the director there is the chance to step into this ever-so-charming and colourful world – if you’re a fan of Anderson’s films, you are going to love it.  Through more than 700 costumes, props, handwritten notes, scripts, storyboards, behind-the-scenes photographs, and more, Wes Anderson: The Archives travels through each of the director’s 12 feature films in chronological order.  Entering the exhibition, the words ‘No Crying’ are stamped above the doorway of a crimson-painted room (all the paint swatches were approved by Anderson himself). Visitors are then greeted with a wall of BTS polaroids, which includes a shirtless Bill Murrary flexing his biceps on the set of The Life Aquatic with Steve Zissou, and close ups of a young Jason Schwartzmann. A series of Anderson’s notebooks are laid out showing his ridiculously neat and boxy handwriting. Of course he writes like that.  The Archives shows visitors just how much detail has been poured into each of Anderson’s films: this is the crux of the whole display. We learn about

Sadlers Wells launches its inaugural dance film festival, Dance Digital, in 2026. Held in the Lilian Baylis studio, the three day event will be packed with film screenings, talks, VR/XR installations, networking sessions and mentoring opportunities. The line-up of films is still TBA, but it promises to include the UK premiere of a dance feature film. Sadlers Wells is currently on the lookout for submissions to the festival, with awards to be given out for the following categories: best dance on screen; best documentary / behind the scenes; best film by young artists; best social first film; best cinematography; best dance (choreography, performance). Tickets go on sale in January 2026. 

I have always had a soft spot for hotel bars. To some they may seem stuffy, but not to me. With their polished  interiors, sleek seats and lo-fi music, drinking in them always feels classy and sexy. The cocktails are usually good, they’re not too noisy, or trendy, and you can almost  always get a seat. I have also always wanted to go to Los Angeles, but alas, have never managed to make the trip. At Chet’s Bar I got to fulfill my dream of drinking in a slinky LA hotel bar, without leaving London.  The Hoxton Shepherd’s Bush has been home to Chet’s, from Silverlake-hailing chef Kris Yenbamroong, since 2023. Now they’ve opened Chet’s Bar, an offshoot of the vibrant and addictive Thai eatery, in the same building.  The Thai Sour – fragrant and frothy with banana liqueur – is a beach holiday in a glass Sitting on a dusty pink bar stool, I found the room pleasantly dim-lit, with each table kitted out with its own spaceship-looking lamp. There are also marble and chrome accents and wood panelling. Very nice. As for the crowd, it’s sort of what you’d expect from a hotel in west London – fairly middle-aged, and a decent amount of people who look like they could be business travellers. But that doesn’t mean that Chet’s Bar is boring – the trendy people simply haven’t found it yet.  To sip, you can order Chet’s classics, like the Lychee Martini – sweet and girly with a pleasingly green lychee at the bottom; and the Thai Sour – fragrant and frothy, made with Dewars 12 scotch, Thai spiri

London’s biggest pop festival returns, and this is going to be a biggie. Like every year, next summer Mighty Hoopla is presenting all of London’s gays and theys with a mighty line-up of nostalgic pop acts, disco-leaning dance music and megastars. The 2026 edition will be headlined by the one and only Lily Allen, who will be performing her searing and brutal new album West End Girl on Saturday, May 30. Allen will be joined by Jessie J, JLS, Horse Meat Disco and Agnes. On Sunday, the Scissor Sisters will bring their legendary show to the Brockwell Park stage. They’re joined on the billing by Perrie, Five, Alexandra Burke and Cascada. 

I am staring at a machine that resembles a torture device from the future. A dozen spindly and black robot arms, each with a bright yellow light on its tip, are attached to two parallel black tracks. Suddenly, the machine starts zooming towards me, its arms squirming like a creepy spider.  It sounds like something out of Blade Runner, but the contraption is actually a kinetic robot sculpture, made as a collaboration between Wayne McGregor and art collective Random International. Separately, in a video, I see two dancers eloquently interacting with the apparatus. Simply put, the work explores the relationship between humans and machines, and you can see it for yourself now at Somerset House’s landmark dance exhibition.  Wayne McGregor: Infinite Bodies takes a look at the work of virtuoso choreographer Wayne McGregor – resident choreographer of The Royal Ballet, and the brains behind the ABBA Voyage avatar’s dance moves. Ever since the ’90s, when he created his first choreographic work inspired by robots (Cyborg, 1995), McGregor has been obsessed with the relationship between the body and technology. Over the years, he’s worked with cognitive neuroscientists at Cambridge, developed an AI choreography tool, and put a sci-fi ballet on the Royal Opera House stage. Now, an impressive display of his lofty work has been put on in London for all to see.  It’s a sensory delight; you can feel soundscapes vibrating in your body Walking through the dark space, visitors are taken through

What do an Enigma machine, an Apple AirTag and Lady Mountbatten’s silk underwear all have in common? Well, they’re all currently on display at the British Library’s riveting Secret Maps exhibition. Why are they all together? Because they all tell stories about how information is created, concealed, disseminated and controlled, via mapping. And that’s exactly what Secret Maps is all about.  Through more than 100 items, from hand-drawn naval charts gifted to Henry VIII, to Soviet Cold War-era cartographies, and modern-day satellite tracking technology (TL;DR: a whole lotta maps), the British Library illuminates how maps can be powerful political tools, create communities, and act as a form of protest.  It’s a dense, information-packed display with plenty of granular detail to get stuck into, so if you’re not, like, really into maps, then it may not be for you. But it’s sort of what you’d expect for an exhibition dedicated to maps hosted by the British Library. There are a few fun and interactive elements, too; visitors are invited to peer through secret spy holes, place their phones on a futuristic screen that tells them exactly how the tech overlords are mapping and harvesting their data (gulp), and find Wally in an original drawing from the children’s book.  For £20 you are guaranteed to see a lot of cool old shit The most compelling aspect of the exhibition is its anti-colonialist streak (other London museums could do with taking a leaf out of the British Library’s book). S

Known for her surreal and avante garde haute couture creations – often with striking silhouettes, gilded accents, and unusual appliqués – for the first time in the UK an exhibition will be dedicated to the work and legacy of the groundbreaking fashion designer Elsa Schiaparelli. The show will trace the origins of the house, from its first, paradigmshifting garments, through to its present-day incarnation in the hands of its creative director Daniel Roseberry, whose contemporary designs worn by the likes of Kylie Jenner and Bella Hadid have seen gowns adorned with faux-taxidermy lion heads, and a lung dress fashioned from a delicate network of golden veins. 

Since launching in 2019, Cross the Tracks has firmly made its name for itself as London’s go-to festival for funk, jazz, RnB and hip hop heads. Its groove-heavy curation leads to a laid-back and open-arms atmosphere, which means you’ll find all sorts of people of having a boogie at the one-dayer.  When is Cross the Tracks 2026? Cross the Tracks is taking place in its usual slot on Sunday May 24, in Brockwell Park. How much are tickets? Next year’s ticket prices haven’t been revealed yet, but in 2025 General Admission started at £54.50 + booking fee, while VIP tickets were from £89 + booking fee. What’s the Cross the Tracks 2026 line up? The acts for 2026 are still to be announced, but previous iterations have been headlined by the likes of Michael Kiwanuka, Ezra Collective, BADBADNOTGOOD and En Vogue.  Find more London music festivals here!

Field Day tried to get back to its roots in 2025 when it up sticks from its more corporate-feeling Victoria Park set up and went to Brockwell Park. It will return to south London on May 23 2026, so get it locked in the diary. Acts are still TBA, but expect many of the best electronic producers and DJs for a day of non-stop dancing.     

BST will be back again next summer, bringing some of the world’s biggest pop stars to Hyde Park for its 13th edition. Already announced as headliners for 2026 are Lewis Capaldi, Pit Bull and Garth Brooks, with more to be confirmed. Taking place across weekends in June and July, Hyde Park will host an upmarket festival vibe complete with food, drink and a posh VIP area. Here’s all you need to know about the BST Hyde Park’s 2026 edition.  When is BST Hyde Park 2026? As in previous years, BST Hyde Park takes place over several dates in late June and early July. So far, dates have been announced for Saturday, June 27, Friday, July 10, Saturday, July 11 and Sunday, July 12.  How much are tickets? Tickets typically range in price depending on who’s playing and what kind of access you want. The cheapest general admission tickets cost £99.95 plus booking fee, with VIP tickets costing up to £350.95 plus booking fee. Check the website for the full range of tickets and prices. There are also a number of free community events taking place throughout the weeks as part of the BST Open House series. These usually include things like Wimbledon screenings, an outdoor cinema, outdoor theatre shows, DJ sets and gigs. Who’s on the lineup? Country singer Garth Brooks will headline on June 27. This will be his only European performance in 2026. Pitbull will play on July 10, joined by Kesha, and Lewis Capaldi will headline two shows on July 11 and 12. More acts are to be announced in the future. 

All of London’s hottest and hippest people will head to Peckham Rye Park for one of London’s best electronic music bonanzas in May. GALA will return after its hugely successful 10th anniversary event in 2025. The theme for 2026 has been revealed as The Floor Is Ours, which is a call for community and creative ownership, and wants to take a stand against the growing commercial tide in dance culture. The Friday of Gala tends to lean towards the bassier side of things. In 2026 it will see Benji B take over with Deviation. Also on the bill is Or:La, Mala and Charli xcx’s new hubby, George Daniel. NTS will curate a stage, as well as Dirty Hit’s electronic imprint dh2, and dubstep specialists HVYWGHT. Peach will debut her new Dreamland project on the Saturday with a takeover of the Pleasuredome. She’ll be joined on the line-up by Call Super, Prosumer, Job Jobse and Steffi x Virginia. Other takeovers will be staged by queer party starters Club Are and Berlin radio station Refuge Worldwide. Sunday will go hard on the disco and house, with a rare b2b2b from Hunee, Palms Trax and Antal. Also playing will be CC:DISCO!, Chaos in the CBD and Moxie, who will bring her On Loop party to the festival. 

To the layperson, high-fashion shows can be a source of confusion. Why would anyone spend thousands on a dress constructed entirely of razor blades, or a pair of decrepit shoes that have been deliberately sullied or even torched? Well, because sometimes creating unwearable garments is actually the point, thank you very much. And that’s exactly what the Barbican’s latest fashion exhibition illustrates.  From the controversial £1,400 Balenciaga destroyed trainers, to Jordanluca’s pee-soaked jeans, and dresses that have been pulled out of bogs, Dirty Looks peers at the muckier side of fashion design. Don’t expect immaculate gowns displayed solemnly in glass cases. This isn’t a historical look at haute couture, or a glossy advert for a fashion house concealed inside a gallery show. The exhibition, featuring more than 120 garments from designers including Maison Margiela, Alexander McQueen, Vivienne Westwood and Issey Miyake, takes a clever thematic approach to the philosophy of dirt within fashion, showing how ideas around industrialisation, colonisation, the body, and waste, can be illustrated on the runway.  One particularly icky room is dedicated to bodily fluids, showing artificially sweat and period-stained garb, others to food stains, pieces made with rubbish and to trompe l’oeil faux-grimy clothing.Stand-out pieces include a torn and muddy lace dress from Alexander McQueen’s controversial ‘Highland Rape’ collection, a creepy Miss Havisham-esque Comme des Garçons anti-weddi

Dr Martens has been making iconic shoes since the brand’s first legendary boot was made in the UK in 1960. Selling for just £2 at the time, now Docs, with their signature yellow thread and chunky soles, are instantly recognisable. Sixty-five years later the brand isn’t going anywhere, and Dr Martens has just opened its biggest ever UK flagship in central London.  The renowned shoemaker has just launched its first ‘beacon store’, a huge flagship at 39 Brewer Street in Soho. Set over two floors with 3,400 square-feet of space, this is Dr Martens largest store in Britain to date.   Photograph: Petar Petrov Inside, shoppers will be able to cop all the latest DM fashion collaborations, the classic styles and in-store exclusive silhouettes. The store is arranged into different sections: Made in England, a space dedicated to Northamptonshire craftsmanship; The Shed, a rotating pop-up for exclusive collaboration drops; the Icons Wall, reserved for the four OG styles including the 1460 boot, 1461 shoe, 2976 Chelsea Boot and Adrian loafer; and a section dedicated to leather accessories. The shop also features the Alt Craft Bar, where shoe-holics can have their DMs customised or restored or visit the rotating lineup of specialist ‘crafters in residence’.  Photograph: Petar Petrov   If all the shopping tires you out, you can visit the Doctors Orders in-store café, which has eats supplied by Dusty Knuckle and Luminary Bakery. The flagship will also feature a programme of creative even

For a long time London’s Docklands were industrial and barren, occupied mainly by factories, tower blocks and the odd nightclub (see: The Cause). But that’s all about to change.  A vast housing development is going to be built along the Thames opposite the O2 (pictured above), with more than 5,000 new homes. It’s being partly funded by Dubai-based firm Arada, which has paid £225 million to buy an 80 percent stake in the Thameside West waterfront scheme that will be built at the western end of the Royal Docks. The £2.5 billion project originally received planning permission from Newham Council in 2021. With the new funding from Arada, construction is expected to begin in 2027. The first phase, delivering 1,000 homes, could be complete by 2029, with the entire development finished by 2037.  At 47 acres, the Thameside West development will be one of Europe’s biggest new regeneration areas, spanning over around 30 towers up to 25 storeys high. It’s expected that 35 percent of housing will be affordable.  Half of the land will be reserved for green spaces, including one kilometre of ‘active waterfront’, while around 10 percent will be dedicated to food, drink and retail. Arada will bring some of its owned brands to open in the first phase including a restaurant called Tashas, an Australian coffee shop called Reformatory Lab, and an Australian cookie concept Brooki’s. The north London road that is officially one of the coolest streets in the world for 2025.  Flat Iron is opening a

The past five years have not been an easy time for independent music venues in London. The triple whammy of Covid-19, the cost of living crisis, and licensing issues due to noise complaints have caused operating costs to soar and led to clubs and gig venues across London shuttering for good. But things are a-changing. Now, two of London’s most legendary late-night music venues are now under new ownership, and they are returning to their independent roots.  XOYO and Camden Assembly have been acquired by the newly formed Propaganda Independent Venues. The new group is formed by the creators of the popular club night Propaganda, an indie music night that takes place all over the UK. At the helm of the company are Propaganda’s founder Dan Ickowitz-Seidler, along with Richard Buck, the founder and former chief executive of TEG, a global live entertainment company that was acquired by Australian firm The MJR Group in 2019.  Now Ickowitz-Seidler and Buck have reclaimed ownership of XOYO and Camden Assembly six years after they were taken on by the international MJR Group, bringing the control of the venues back onto UK soil. Their acquisition also includes XOYO Birmingham, and Tramshed and The Globe in Cardiff.  In a press release, the new nightlife group said they wanted to help XOYO (which has hosted shows from Skepta, Fatboy Slim and Jamie XX in the past) ‘thrive under independent ownership and become a cultural hub for the area, offering opportunities and support to local artist

It’s understandable that when it comes to getting an education for their kids, parents want the best. So that’s why Savills has come to help. The estate agent has published a study of the areas in England with the highest-performing state schools. And the top spot is in London.  Using data from the Department for Education, the researchers evaluated average academic achievement at Key Stage 2 (KS2) and Key Stage 4 (GCSE level) for pupils in each parliamentary constituency to come up with a country-wide ranking for the areas with the top schools. To assess overall school quality in each area, researchers considered the proportion of schools ranking in the top 20 percent nationally, offset by those in the bottom 20 percent. Children growing up in the well-to-do neighbourhood of Richmond Park are in luck, because they are going to be getting access to a top class state education. According to Savills, the leafy southwest London borough is England’s best location for high-performing government-funded schools.  Looking at the results, affluence of the neighbourhood shows a clear impact on the quality of the schools in the area. The average house price in Richmond Park is an eye-watering £1,016,265, so if you want to send your kids to school there you better get saving.  Sutton and Cheam, also in London with an average house price of £518,988, came in second place in the national ranking. Sixty-eight percent of the areas with the best performing schools in the area were in London o

London has been through some serious change in its lifetime. Founded by the Romans in 43 AD, the capital’s 2,000 year history has seen the city go through plagues, fires, industrialisation, the Blitz, and the tech boom.  Now a new photo book has revealed London’s lost and secret histories. To be published on November 23, Panoramas of Lost London: Work, Wealth, Poverty and Change 1870-1945, features more than 300 black and white photos, 60 of which have never been seen before, showing London in the 19th and 20th centuries.   Photograph: Historic England ArchiveSt Paul’s Cathedral, 1942 Panoramas of Lost London depicts a city that Londoners of today may not recognise. It features photographs including 17th-century wooden weatherboard buildings, which were still common in early 1900s London; 18th-century cottages still inhabited in Elephant & Castle; the building of Tower Bridge in 1883; and Covent Garden in 1925, when it was still a busy fruit and flower market. Photograph: Historic England Archive6-7 Nile Street, Woolwich, c. 1900 The collection also shows how everyday Londoners lived, revealing the inside of houses of Mare Street, and shoppers on Oxford Street. It includes portraits of Victorian and Edwardian Londoners: blacksmiths, butchers, bookmakers, shopkeepers, seamstresses, pharmacists, chimney sweeps, mothers and their children. Photograph: Historic England ArchiveMare Street, Hackney, 1904 The photos span a tumultuous time full of change in the capital: from th

When it comes to Christmas trees, London has it all – from abstract, conceptual firs to great traditional spruces. And King’s Cross station is no different. Every year the London travel hub unveils a new tree with a different theme. This year, the hub has something particularly crowd pleasing.  King’s Cross, the home of Platform 9¾, has unveiled a Harry Potter-themed Crimbo tree for the 2025 festive season. The 31-foot-tall spruce is decorated with approximately 800 scarlet and gold baubles (they’re giving Gryffindor) with an owl perched on the top of the tree.  At the installation’s base are recreations of shops found in Hogsmeade and Diagon Alley, with detailed shopfronts including Ollivander’s wand shop, Tomes and Scrolls bookshop, Gladrags Wizardwear and Owl Post. You can’t go inside any of these retailers, but there is a Honeydukes kiosk where you can pick up wizarding sweet treats, including Bertie Bott’s Every Flavour Beans, Chocolate Frogs, Butterbeer cookies and bottled Butterbeer. Photograph: Warner Brothers The tree is also just a hop, skip and a jump away from the King’s Cross Harry Potter shop, which sells all sorts of Hogwarts and HP-related merch.  Whatever your thoughts are towards the Harry Potter franchise, passing by this magical tree is probably going to unlock some nostalgic and festive feels this winter. Accio Christmas spirit! London’s loveliest Christmas tree displays. Plus: the best Christmas lights in London.  Get the latest and greatest from the

We have some good news for people who live in the southwest. Rejoice! Because the direct London to Cornwall flight is about to make a comeback.  Two weeks ago (November 7) Eastern Airways, a regional airline which ran a service between Cornwall’s Newquay and London Gatwick, went into administration. Londoners wanting to travel to Cornwall thought that meant they would be destined to take the five-hour train (or even longer coach) to the southwest forevermore. Until another air operator stepped in to save the day.  Skybus, a carrier operated by the Isles of Scilly Steamship Group, has flown in like a knight in shining armour to take over the route. It’s only temporary for now, but the airline has revealed loftier plans for the future. The Skybus flight will launch on November 23, with flights already on sale. Prices for a single journey – inclusive of 15kg worth of hold luggage, 6kg of cabin luggage plus a handbag – start at £79.99. For comparison, a return journey on the train can often cost upwards of £100 with a railcard. Typically, a flight from London to Cornwall takes a speedy one hour and 15 minutes, whereas the train can take more than five hours.  From November there will be one flight per day, but from February 14 2026 this will increase to two per day. The company said it hoped to rebuild the route as a ‘thriving cornerstone’ of the local economy. The flight will be operated using a 70-seater ATR72 — the most popular regional turboprop aircraft in the world. Because

When it comes to drinking, Londoners really know what they’re doing. And it’s not just the pubs that are worth their salt in the capital. It’s bars too.  From sophisticated cocktail dens to sweet wine bars and trendy natty wine joints, London has everything whatever your tipple of choice may be. Now it’s official: 35 bars in London have been named among the world’s best in the Top 500 Bars list. And we can vouch, because we’ve sampled drinks at nearly every bar named on the list.  According to the Top 500 Bars website, it ranked bars around the world by aggregating data from over 2,000 different sources on the internet, in more than 20 languages. The site says it made the most of ‘the wisdom of crowds’, combining expert opinions with reviews on social media and search engines. Named as London’s best bar, and seventh on the planet, was the swanky and minimal Tayēr + Elementary. The cocktail bar on Old Street is owned by one of the world’s most celebrated mixologists, Alex Kratena, with partner Monica Berg. It’s known for doing inventive takes on classic drinks.  Also ranking highly was the Connaught Bar, Scarfes Bar and Satan’s Whiskers, which came in 12th, 21st and 22nd globally, respectively.  Time Out’s best bar for 2025, Equal Parts, also made the top 500 list. The Hackney cocktail spot and listening bar was named 261st best in the world and came in 30th place in London.  Read on to see the full list of London’s best bars, according to the Top 500.  Every London bar named

Sometimes being in London can bog you down. There are only so many evenings you can spend inside an overly packed pub, rubbing shoulders with one person banging on about their amazing new gig as a creative director, and another who really wants you to come to their IDM DJ set at The Glove That Fits.   But that’s what day trips are for, silly. Sometimes a bracing day in the country is just what you need to fight the city blues (and make you realise that living in the capital is actually pretty great). So, that’s why we’ve just named a country trail in Oxford as the second-best day trip from London to take this winter.  Need to clear your lungs after one too many vogues at the Spurstowe? No worries. This scenic amble in Oxford is just the tonic for fuzzy-headed city dwellers who could do with a break from all the wine bars and small plates with bit of fresh air, actually.  Port Meadow country park is totally free to visit and very easy to get to from the capital. On your walk (which you can make however long or short as you please) you’ll stroll over ancient meadows, spot ponies and wildflowers, and see the River Thames looking particularly pretty and tranquil.  If that’s all a bit too country for you, fear not, because Port Meadow is tantalisingly close to civilisation and the streets of the quaint university city, so you won't feel like you're going incredibly off-grid. After stretching your legs and admiring the views, find a spot by the fire at The Perch, at seventeenth-cen

Blackstock Road. Like much of London, this energetic street that runs between Finsbury Park and Highbury is filled with contrasts. It’s home to hipster haunts like Top Cuvée and Finks, and a slew of Arsenal pubs and caffs that have been there since well before the invention of small plates and social media-friendly wine bars. Blackstock Road is just about as multicultural as you can get in London, with authentic Uyghur, Kurdish and Turkish cuisine all readily available, supplied by the area’s diverse population. It’s got beloved family-run businesses, like Baban’s Naan, Dilara and St Gabriel Ethiopian Delicatessen. And we can’t forget some of the street’s fallen heroes, like the legendary Sylvanian Families shop (which was just off Blackstock on Mountgrove Road). When it comes to shopping, there’s everything from higgledy piggledy second-hand book stores, to bougie furniture boutiques. Because the great thing about Blackstock Road is that it’s made up of a hodgepodge of things. It’s not always particularly glamorous, and can certainly feel a bit chaotic at times. But this is why we love it, and it’s also why we’ve just named Blackstock Road as London’s coolest street for 2025.  Here, Time Out editors name their favourite places on the legendary road.  RECOMMENDED: In pictures: Blackstock Road, the coolest street in London. The best places to visit on Blackstock Road, chosen by Time Out editors Photograph: Chris Bethell for Time Out Dilara  ‘Dilara looks a bit like any regu

Have you heard about the massive Christmas market taking place outside Buckingham Palace? The festive extravaganza has seen the palace decked out with a quaint snow-covered alpine stalls, twinkly lights and a huge Christmas tree. The only problem? It’s all totally fake.  Tourists and Londoners are being tricked by an AI advert promoting a Crimbo market outside the Royals’ residence. The artificially created images, shared on social media, are promoting Buckingham Palace’s ‘first ever Christmas market’, which is allegedly running from November 14 to Jan 5 2026. However, if you look closely at the images, nearly all of them show the stands beyond the gates of the palace, which would be a infringement of counter-terror measures if they were real. Nice try, AI.  Quite a few people have already been duped by the fake ads. One Londoner told Metro he tried to attend, but ‘it was dark, cold and nothing was there’.  He added: ‘I asked a couple of people also milling around if they were there for the market, and they said said yes but no one knew what was going on. ‘There were around 30 of us, just walking back and forth until we gave up and went home.’ Others took to social media to share their disappointment. ‘I went last night and I confirm – it is not real!’ wrote one user.  Various accounts on Facebook, Instagram and TikTok have posted different AI videos and photos of the palace’s market. One account, London.travelers, which has 2.5 million Instagram followers and is run by US tr

Flat Iron has been serving Londoners affordable steak and chips since it first opened in Soho in 2012. The beefy chain now has more than a dozen restaurants in the Big Smoke, and more outside of the capital. Now, Flat Iron has announced a brand new Soho restaurant, to open in the spring of 2026. Flat Iron Piccadilly will open right next door to the hype-y gastropub The Devonshire on Denman Street, which is owned by Flat Iron’s founder Charlie Carroll. Carroll handed the reigns over to Flat Iron’s current chief executive Tom Byng in 2021. There’s nothing like a bit of healthy competition, right? The new joint is also right around the corner from the OG Flat Iron, on Beak Street.  The Piccadilly outpost will have space for up to 100 diners, making it a handy spot if you can’t get one of the Devonshire’s highly sought-after tables. Diners will be able to get their hands on Flat Iron’s signature £15-a-pop steak, beef dripping chips and bone marrow garlic mash. There will also be a rotating board of blackboard specials, including Wagyu daily specials and burgers, made using beef from the Flat Iron herd in Thirsk, Yorkshire.  Photograph: Flat Iron ‘It's been 13 years since opening the first Flat Iron just around the corner,’ said Flat Iron’s Head of Beef (now that’s a job title we can covet), Fred Smith. ‘This opening feels like a real full circle moment, returning home to where it all began.’ London’s best restaurants for steak. Famous London restaurant Maggie Jones has reopened