Time Out commercial editors

Coming to Manchester and London this October is none other than Thrive Street 2025: the one-stop shop (or should we say retail market) celebrating all things artisanal and independent. Curated by retail expert Mary Portas and powered by Mastercard and Worldpay, Thrive Street is designed to showcase some of the UK's most innovative indie retailers. Set across two weekends in Manchester and London respectively, this stunningly collaborative effort features vibrant pop-up markets, blended in commercially creative harmony, celebrating the future of our UK high street.

Another Halloween, another costume fashioned out of a bin liner, right? Well, not exactly. This year, Beavertown is inviting you to get out of your comfort zone, leave the boring house party behind and embrace spooky season at its most thrilling at The Lost Dimensions, the brand’s immersive Halloween event taking place at Kachette Shoreditch, from Friday October 31 until Sunday November 2. Feeling lucky? Beavertown will be giving away 50 pints of Neck Oil for the first 50 guests (limited one per person) to arrive at Beavertown Bar each night. The bar will be open from Tuesday October 28 to Sunday November 2 (Tue-Sat 4-10pm; Sun noon-8pm). Over five twisted realities, punters are invited to stick their necks out and say yes to the strange and surreal. Each stage of the experience will be unknown only to those who brave enough to throw themselves into the curious prompts, unexpected encounters, and side quests that each room offers – ending at the Beavertown Bar, for a well-deserved pint of Neck Oil, Gamma Ray, Cosmic Drop or whatever your Beavertown pint of choice happens to be.Tickets are £20 (available here) – get one if you dare to push yourself into a bold new world. In the meantime, however, if you happen to be a dedicated fan of both spooky season and Beavertown, here’s a round up of five of London’s most haunted pubs, where you also happen to be able to get your fill of Beavertown beers, while getting into the Halloween spirit, too.

Things are getting spooky this October. And really, is there any better way to get into the spirit of things than a good old-fashioned scary movie? Nope. That’s exactly why we’ve brewed up plans with NERDS to host a fright fest that’s equal parts spine-tingling and silly.  Taking place at Vinegar Yard in London Bridge on six dates across October, the Trick or Sweet Film Club is curated by Time Out’s own film editor, Phil de Semlyen, and features an all-star selection of iconic vintage Halloween films. It all kicks off on Thursday October 23, with the ‘80s classic comedy horror An American Werewolf in London, followed by the all-singing, all-dancing Little Shop of Horrors on Friday October 24. Saturday October 25 brings the 2012 horror-comedy Cabin in the Woods, then it’s the funnybone-tickling flick Ghostbusters on Sunday October 26. If you’re a Wednesday fan, we’ve got just the film for you. The OG Addams Family Values will be showing on Thursday October 30, and then to keep the monster theme going, you’ve got Gremlins the next day, on Friday October 31.   We’ve teamed up with NERDS, who are helping to transform Vinegar Yard into a horror-themed wonderland, with plenty of fun surprises! We wouldn’t call it the Trick or Sweet Film Club for nothing… Keen to come along? Start planning your costume now, because we’re going to be hosting a fancy dress competition, judged by Time Out. Our winner on the night will take home a NERDS bumbag, bucket hat, Nerds Gummy Clusters and some

Mention the word ‘maths’ and most of us think of numbers on a page. And, if your school experience was anything like mine, that doesn’t spark much joy. Turning the tide on this is MathsWorld, the new immersive discovery centre, that's dedicated to changing all of your preconceptions. With a collection of over 40 hands-on exhibits, MathsWorld is here to deliver an unforgettable day out for all of the family. Here are five reasons to head to London's Southbank and check out this brand new attraction.

Oscar-winning director Guillermo del Toro is bringing his extraordinary new take on Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein to the big screen this October. Londoners will get the chance to step inside his gothic imagination at a free, behind-the-scenes exhibition, held at The Old Selfridges Hotel, running from October 17 to November 9. Here’s why you need to book your free ticket.

Budapest ist das ideale Städtereiseziel für ein perfektes Wochenende. Es lockt mit zahlreichen Attraktionen, die einer großen europäischen Metropole würdig sind, und hat ein hervorragendes Verkehrsnetz, mit dem Sie die Stadt in 15 bis maximal 30 Minuten durchqueren können. Hier stellen wir Ihnen die besten Sehenswürdigkeiten und Aktivitäten für zwei unvergessliche Tage vor.  Erfahren Sie mehr über den neu eröffneten Time Out Market, wo Sie die besten Gerichte der Stadt unter einem Dach probieren können. [Link to the hub]

Die glanzvolle Hauptstadt Ungarns (meiner Meinung nach die schönste Europas) ist nicht nur ein perfektes Reiseziel für Geschichtsbegeisterte, sondern auch eine kulinarische Hochburg. Budapest hat unzählige Michelin-Restaurants und man kann an fast jeder Ecke erstklassig essen. Mit der Eröffnung des Time Out Market Budapest im wunderschönen Corvin-Palast kommt nun noch ein weiteres Highlight hinzu. Entdecken Sie mit uns Budapests Thermalbäder, Galerien und prunkvolle Konzertsäle – jeweils kombiniert mit einem unvergesslichen kulinarischen Erlebnis. Erfahren Sie mehr über den neu eröffneten Time Out Market, wo Sie das beste gastronomische Angebot der Stadt unter einem Dach probieren können. [Link to the hub]

Summer sunshine has pretty abruptly bid us adieu, the air has a bite to it, and the challenge of how long you can fight turning the heating on has begun. Naturally, that means spooky season is right around the corner. We’re talking pumpkin carving, costume prepping and finding the eeriest, creepiest and most thrilling events around London to give you and your loved ones a right good scare.  While we can’t exactly help you with the first two, we’ve got just the thing for thrillseekers looking for something truly unusual on Halloween weekend. Our friends over at Beavertown are back this year with their annual Halloween experience, this time taking over Kachette in Shoreditch from Friday October 31 to Sunday November 2. This event, known as The Lost Dimensions, calls on only the most daring Londoners, those willing to stick their neck out and venture on an immersive, wonderfully weird journey into the surreal. Kachette will be transformed into five twisted rooms that bold explorers will have to travel through, each offering a shadowy new reality. Expect to be pushed out of your comfort zone, have unexpected encounters that may or may not make you squeal and intriguing side quests. The contents of the rooms are top secret, meaning the intrigue factor is off the charts. All we know is that it’s not for the fainthearted; consider yourself warned. The only way you can find out what will take place in The Lost Dimensions is by being brave enough to snap up a ticket.  Voyaging through

We’re officially in October, and the dip in temperature arrives in a London that is gearing up for spooky season and a half-term holiday. Now, if you’re like us, you’re a fan of killing two birds with one stone. If you’re after something to keep the little ones occupied while finding a family-friendly Halloween outing, then look no further. Our friends at Phantom Peak have got just the experience and, better yet, you can win a free visit plus £200 worth of prizes! Photograph: Alistair Veryard  A visit to Phantom Peak is like stepping into an actual video game where you shape your own adventure. Guided by live actors, put your skills to the test on quests to uncover secrets and solve murders, all to help the townsfolk of Phantom Peak. Towards the end of your time in the town, you’ll meet and celebrate with the townsfolk, where you can see the impact of your decision-making. With a spooky twist for the Halloween season, this immersive experience will be buzzing this month, and one way you can secure your spot is by entering their brand new competition. All you have to do is enter your first name and email address below. Then, cross your fingers and hope you’re the lucky winner who will snap up four tickets to Phantom Peak, including access to the unique Puzzle Hunt and Cocktail Experience. It doesn’t stop there: the winner will also receive £100 to spend on the bar plus a £100 Prezzee e-gift voucher! And even if you don’t bag the top prize, two runners-up will each win a pair

Sumo wrestling is like no other sport on the planet. Two mighty, immovable beings collide with earth-wobbling impact, each one attempting to force the other out of the ring or off their feet. Experiencing the spectacle in person is even more vivid – you hear the crunches and feel the athletes’ sheer power. Alas, professional sumo competitions are extremely rare outside of Japan. Way back in 1991 London hosted a Grand Sumo Tournament and became the first international city to have done so – and in the years since that’s still the only time elite sumo has been on show outside Japan as a five-day tournament. That is, until now. If you’ve always dreamt of experiencing sumo live but haven’t yet managed to pop over to the Land of the Rising Sun, we have very exciting news indeed. Nearly three decades after it first graced the capital, Nihon Sumo Kyokai (Japan Sumo Association) is bringing the Grand Sumo Tournament back to London. The setting for such an historic occasion? The same as in ’91 – the Royal Albert Hall. The 154-year-old Kensington venue will be transformed into an arena where more than 40 elite maku-uchi rikishi (sumo wrestlers) will compete to be crowned Grand Champion. And the event is fast approaching: it will take place over five days this month, on Oct 15-19. Whether you’re a passionate kokakuka (sumo connoisseur) or a total newbie curious about an iconic sport, you won’t want to miss London’s sumo takeover. Here’s why.

While there’s certainly something comforting about meeting up with your mates at the same pubs, coffee shops and restaurants over and over, it might be time to give your routine a bit of a jolt. Next time the group chat organises itself well enough to hang out, then, maybe a trip to Fulham Pier might be on the cards. Located right next to the River Thames, with a street food market, events spaces, family friendly play areas, and an events schedule so jam-packed that it would impress even the most dedicated Google Calendar user, Fulham Pier is a destination for everyone, where the views are mindblowing, and fun is strongly encouraged for all ages. Here are our top reasons for swinging by: 

Stuck on autumn activity ideas? This might just be the space for you. Clays offers a fully digitised clay target shooting experience through advanced technology, alongside a premium food and cocktail menu. Its premier location opened in Moorgate back in 2021, and now the high-octane games bar is opening in a massive new home.  Clays Soho is the new flagship site on Brewer Street, combining fast-paced interactive shooting games with high-energy hospitality, cocktails and a menu designed for sharing. Photograph: Clays Whether you’re booking after-work drinks, a group hang or maybe even planning ahead to Christmas, Clays is a haven for lovers of competitive socialising. Just moments from Regent Street, the new site is found within a Grade II-listed, Art Deco building, and stretches across 20,000 square feet. The Clays Arcade is an innovative new concept within the venue, boasting open-play pegs where up to four shooters can enjoy fast-paced, reimagined versions of core games from the Moorgate and Canary Wharf locations. From quick-fire challenges to longer cutting-edge interactive shooting gameplay, Clays offers its players the opportunity to be transported away from central London to classic countryside-inspired settings.  And when it comes to refreshments? Expect sustainably sourced shareable eats such as British calamari served with squid ink mayo, Clays’ KFC with cauliflower marinated in a spicy Korean sauce, crispy chicken sliders served with a cabbage slaw and roast garl