Sonal Nain

‘It’s quite hard to form long-lasting adult friendships, but it’s really important to do,’ says Charlotte Pratt, 29, who moved to London in 2020 from Manchester.  When Charlotte’s best friend moved to Australia last year, she found herself at a loss, feeling lonely and isolated in the city. But lo and behold, now she’s strutting around the capital, doing brunches, Sunday roasts, walks, clubbing, pub crawling and ticking off touristy stuff – all with new local girlfriends she found on the friendship equivalent of Tinder. More and more women in the capital are turning to ‘friend dating’ apps and groups to seek out new friendships. Charlotte turned to Stockholm-based app, Gofrendly, which looks to connect women with nearby to-be friends. ‘We saw such a big city where people are living in one area, working in another, or working remotely, and struggling to connect with like-minded people,’ says Claudia Gard, co-founder and COO. ‘It was as if the natural social settings were missing for people.’ Recent data on loneliness in Britain from the Office for National Statistics, shows that women, especially under 30, are significantly more likely to be chronically lonely than men. Moreover, 52 percent of women in the UK reported that they find making new friends difficult. It turns out Dolly Alderton set the bar too high for having a ‘girl gang’ and maintaining modern friendships – in reality, finding your tribe isn’t as easy as it seems.  52% of British women find making new friends dif

Good things come to those who patiently assemble… or, in this case, wait. Even if it means waiting pretty much an entire decade. First hinted at back in 2015 and then slated to open on London’s most iconic shopping street in autumn 2023 (ie right about now), Oxford Street’s massive Ikea feels like it’s been forever in the making – and its opening has just been delayed even further.  The site has seen several delays and (as pictured above) has been covered in a massive Ikea-style shopping bag for a while. So, what’s going on with the Oxford Street Ikea? What’s with the bag and when’s it supposed to open?  The bag, as you may have guessed, is no more than a marketing stunt. In covering the store-to-be in one of the brand’s famous giant blue bags, Ikea is both offering a playful hint at what’s to come and handily covering up quite a lot of scaffolding and building work.  Inside, Ikea is apparently undertaking major works to the building. Notably, the Swedish brand is opting for renewable energy by replacing gas-fired boilers with eco-friendly air-source heat pumps. The finished store will be spread over 82,000 square feet and six floors, and will include everything from retail spaces and offices to a market hall and Swedish deli (with, we expect, the all-important meatballs).  As for the opening date, the news isn’t so good. While Ikea Oxford Street was slated for autumn 2023, that opening date was pushed back to autumn 2024. And today (May 10), that opening has been pushed back

World Pasta Day is a thing and we’re very much here for it – especially when it means free fusilli, complimentary conchiglie and reasonably-priced rigatoni.  Getting in on the World Pasta Day hype in London this year is none other than top-notch, snazzily-decorated Italian eatery Lina Stores. On the day itself (which is October 25, for those not in-the-know – one week today!), Lina Stores branches across the city will be serving delicious pasta for just £5 per dish.  On the downside, Lina Stores’ deal will only be available on the day between 3-5pm, but on the upside it’ll apply to all their dishes. That’s right, whatever pasta you want from the menu is yours for a fiver (take a look at a Lina Stores menu in advance here).  Lina Stores has locations in Marylebone, King’s Cross, the City, Soho and Clapham. To get you salivating, take a read of our gushing review of the Marylebone branch.  Did you see that gourmet doughnut shop Longboys is opening two new London outlets? Plus:Eggslut is opening a brand-new branch in east London. Listen to Time Out’s brilliant new podcast ‘Love Thy Neighbourhood’: episode 11 with Ania Magliano in Haggerston is out now. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.

Londoners, we have news you dough-nut want to miss out on. Longboys, a sweet bakery brand known for its long, mega-packed eclair-doughnut hybrids, is expanding with two brand-new London outlets.  Longboys already has stores in King’s Cross and Wembley Park, but it’s about to double its output. New outlets in Liverpool Street and Borough Yards are set to open over the next couple of months.  The Liverpool Street branch is set to open at the end of October, while the Borough Yards outlet is scheduled to start welcoming customers in early November. The Borough Yards store will be Longboys’ biggest yet, with 45 covers over two floors, while the Liverpool Street branch will be more of a grab-and-go kind of affair.  Apparently the new stores will have all Longboys’ usual favourites, as well as some seasonal flavours like Sticky Toffee Pudding, Coconut Chocolate, Vanilla Malt and Apple Crumble.  So, fans of Longboys gourmet eclair finger doughnuts will find them easier than ever before! So much for our waistlines, eh?  Did you see that Eggslut is opening a brand-new branch in east London? Listen to Time Out’s brilliant new podcast ‘Love Thy Neighbourhood’: episode 11 with Ania Magliano in Haggerston is out now. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.  

Luxury footwear fanatics, this one’s for you. High-end footwear brand Kurt Geiger has opened a brand-new flagship store on Oxford Street – and it’s exactly as flashy, colourful and full of flair as you’d expect.  The designer brand’s massive new space is at 272-274 Oxford Street and is spread over a whopping 2,916 square feet. Inside, you’ll find huge swathes of colour, an entire floral wall, brass shelving and rainbow-hued glass, as well as, obviously, loads of shoes and accessories.  The store was apparently envisioned by Kurt Geiger chief creative officer Rebecca Farrar-Hockley and made a reality by architect Stefano Ripoli.  Up for a sneak peek? Here are a few pics of the place.  Photograph: Hufton+Crow Photograph: Hufton+Crow Photograph: Hufton+Crow Commenting on the new store’s design, Farrar-Hockley said:  ‘Attention to detail is played through Kurt Geiger’s visual signatures which appear subtly throughout the store’s design. Antiqued brass eagles, the brand’s primary motif, feature on signage, door handles and internal cabinetry, which is quilted in the same parquet pattern as the leather goods.’ Sounds fancy, eh? Kurt Geiger Oxford Street is open and available to visit now.  As London’s biggest and busiest shopping street Time Out naturally keeps a pretty close eye on Oxford Street. From keeping up to date with its upcoming Ikea store and reporting on when the area’s famous Christmas lights will be turned on to our guides to its shops and restaurants, we’ve alw

London-based (or, more likely, London-visiting) budget hotel fans, gather ’round. The capital’s hotel scene could get quite the shake-up over the next few years, with Travelodge having announced plans to build a whopping 100 new hotels across the city. That’s right, one hundred new hotels!  So where exactly does Travelodge want to open outlets? Well, there are a few exciting locations in the pipeline. One new hotel is planned for the Oval cricket ground, while others are set for Chiswick, Bermondsey and Beckenham. As for the other 96-odd, we’ll just have to wait and see.  Justifying the plans, Travelodge’s Steve Bennett said: ‘Nowadays, more Britons are choosing to stay in a budget hotel than any other hotel type, but London cannot fulfil this growing trend as it has a shortage of good quality and low cost accommodation. ‘Therefore, to help fill this growing gap, we are actively searching for over 100 new hotel sites across the capital.’ As it stands, Travelodge operates around 80 hotels in London and around 600 in total in the UK, Ireland and Spain. Keep your eyes peeled for new ones popping up near you!  Did you see that Aldi is opening two brand-new London stores? Listen to Time Out’s brilliant new podcast ‘Love Thy Neighbourhood’: episode eleven with Ania Magliano in Haggerston is out now. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter for the best of the city, straight to your inbox.

Cycling in London isn’t always the easiest, but one thing that helps save Londoners on two wheels from road-raging drivers and heavily congested roads is cycle routes. Cycle lanes make it quicker, simpler and safer to bike around the capital – and in recent years new ones have been opening up all over the city.  Hold onto your handlebars, fellow cyclists, we’ve got more good news. TfL has added four brand-new routes to its ever-expanding network of protected cycling lanes, ensuring a smoother, safer and more enjoyable riding experience for the capital’s cyclists. The routes were launched in September and connect various areas across north London. So where exactly do these routes go? Well, Enfield and Waltham Forest, including Southgate, Chobham Manor, Blackhorse Road, and Palmers Green, are all among the areas with new cycle lanes. There are four new cycleways in total: cycleways 23, 24, 26 and 58. Cycleway 23 connects Lea Bridge Road to Woodford New Road and links up with other cycling pathways in east London. Cycleway 24 then extends from Wood Street to Whipps Cross, while cycleway 26 is the glue that holds it all together, linking up with cycleway 23, 24, and 27. If you’re up for some scenic detours and want to take your bike on an adventure, Cycleway 58 is your ticket. Whisking you from Southgate to Palmers Green, there’s even an optional detour to cycleway 20 for those craving a bit more two-wheeled excitement. This cycleway network includes a ten-kilometre route in Enfi

Anne-Marie is getting ready for a global arena tour and, as a warm-up, she’s playing a very special gig in London. The pop sensation (and previous Time Out cover star) has announced that she’ll be playing a gig to a crowd of just 300 in the capital as part of a warm up for her Unhealthy Club Tour. And better yet, the show will be completely free.  Yep, you read that right! You could get to be within just a few metres of a star that usually plays to tens of thousands – and pay nothing for the privilege. The intimate gig will be at the O2 Blueroom at the O2 Arena on Tuesday November 7.  So how’d you get your mitts on these tickets? Well, much like a recent similarly small show by Aussie pop legend Kylie Minogue, the tickets will be given out in a ballot through O2 Priority and only available to O2 and Virgin Media customers. The tickets will be given out in pairs, with 150 pairs up for grabs.  Anne-Marie herself seems hardly able to contain her excitement about the whole affair, saying: ‘It’s going to be a really fun evening playing some of my favourite songs! I look forward to seeing you all soon!’ O2 Priority customers have until October 23 to sign up for the draw: sign up here.  In the mean-time, why not catch-up on some Time Out x Anne-Marie content? Like in her iconic cover feature, which saw the pop superstar discuss everything from the joys of a prawnless prawn Clapton curry to her pride in getting her bum out in a Cricklewood bingo hall. ICYMI: Madonna at London’s O2 Ar

If you find yourself pinching pennies to cover your flat share rent in London, well, that certainly ain’t the case for all Londoners. In fact, one part of the capital seems to be attracting much flusher residents than anywhere else in the entire country.  The first neighbourhood in the UK to see average household incomes soar to £100,000 was apparently Clapham Common. That’s according to data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS), anyway, which found that households in Clapham Common West had an average income of £108,100 at the end of 2020. While 2020 might seem a long time ago now, that data is some of the most recent released by the ONS. After all, these numbers are only revealed every few years, focusing on incomes in small areas in England and Wales that have a population of 5,000 people or more.  West London was found to be the richest part of England in general, while the City of London came second to Clapham Common West with an average household income of £101,800.  So, why Clapham? Well, the area is central and well-connected to the City of London. It’s long been popular with young professionals (aged between 25 and 34) who share spaces with peers in similar high-paying jobs.  Clapham Common’s figures were roughly three times the national average and several times bigger than the neighbourhood with the lowest average household income. Households in Grimsby East Marsh and Port apparently earn an average of just £22,200 per year.  It’s worth noting, however, th

With London (potentially) speeding towards being a ‘car-free city’, Transport for London (TfL) is pedalling hard to make it even easier to get around the city on two wheels. A new Santander Cycles (AKA ‘Boris bikes’) bicycle hire docking station has just opened in south London.  You can now rent Santander Cycles bikes from the new spot on Nightingale Lane, close to Clapham South tube station. The new docking station is part of TfL's longstanding grand plan to boost cycling accessibility in the capital, and also features the capacity for e-bikes. David Eddington, TfL’s head of cycle hire, said: ‘This new addition is part of our ongoing work to make cycling a more convenient, healthy and accessible way to travel in London. We will continue our work to make cycling more accessible than ever by continuing to open and extend cycleways across the capital and making further improvements to Santander Cycles, which could include increasing the number of e-bikes in the scheme.’ Two-wheeled London on Time Out From our evergreen list of the best scenic bicycle rides in London to recent reports on Lime bike restrictions and brand-new bike lanes, we at TO have long been wheely, wheely big fans of exploring the capital by bike. On yer bike! Did you see that London will be the world’s first car-free city, according to a new survey? Listen to Time Out’s brilliant new podcast ‘Love Thy Neighbourhood’: episode ten with Derren Brown in Hoxton is out now. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free T

In nifty news for London’s cyclists, getting around the capital on two wheels looks like it’s about to get safer, more efficient and altogether more enjoyable. Google Maps and Transport for London have got together to provide a brand-new (and very handy) service for cycling Londoners.  A new Google Maps algorithm update will make it easier for cyclists to find safer, quieter roads on the platform. The update will take into account not just the quickest routes but also those with less traffic, as well as providing real-time traffic information.  And that isn’t all. Google’s new ‘immersive view’ will give users a more detailed view of cycle routes. At a glance they will see what type of road they’ll be cycling on and be able to tell, for example, if it’s a major road or a segregated cycle lane. This feature will begin rolling out this year in London, before other cities around the world follow suit.  Time Out’s take The new Google Maps x TfL update will apparently improve more than 60 million cycling journeys across London every month. Which is, undeniably, a good thing. So, now there are even fewer excuses not to get yourself into the cycling life! Did you see that a brand-new Santander Cycles bike station has opened in south London? Plus: north London now has four dazzling new cycle routes. Listen to Time Out’s brilliant new podcast ‘Love Thy Neighbourhood’: episode ten with Derren Brown in Hoxton is out now. Stay in the loop: sign up for our free Time Out London newsletter