Capital conditions
Weather in central London
Loading live conditions…
Culture & Arts
What's on in London — West End theatre, music, museums and exhibitions.
135 stories · page 6 of 8
Culture & Arts · LambethJalen Ngonda to headline Brixton Academy after Streatham soul album release
Jalen Ngonda, a US soul artist based in Streatham, will headline Brixton Academy in October 2026 following the release of his second album, *Doctrine of Love*. The singer, who studied at Paul McCartney’s Liverpool Institute for Performing Arts, has toured globally and played Glastonbury twice.
Lambeth5 min readTrust 30 · Craft 45 · Hype 55
Culture & Arts · LondonAfternoon Tea Week discount at English Heritage sites in Barnet
Residents in Barnet can visit Eltham Palace’s Orchid House Café during Afternoon Tea Week, 10 to 16 August 2026. English Heritage is offering a 25% discount on memberships, allowing free entry for up to six children per adult until the end of the year.
London5 min readTrust 36 · Craft 44 · Hype 15
Culture & Arts · LondonAriana Grande withdraws from Barbican’s Sunday In The Park With George revival
Ariana Grande has pulled out of the 2027 London revival of Stephen Sondheim’s musical at the Barbican. Empire Street Productions confirmed the production will proceed with a new cast, with details to be announced later.
London5 min readTrust 54 · Craft 60 · Hype 15
Culture & Arts · SouthwarkBrian Case, jazz writer and critic from Deptford, dies at 88
Brian Case, a Deptford-born jazz and music writer known for his vivid prose and cultural depth, has died aged 88. He worked at NME, Melody Maker and Time Out, leaving a legacy in music criticism and a 2015 collection, *On the Snap*.
Southwark5 min readTrust 30 · Craft 45 · Hype 10
Culture & Arts · LondonAlastair Whatley Brings Oscar Wilde’s Life to Park Theatre in Solo Show
Alastair Whatley performs Micheál Mac Liammóir’s 1960 one-man show at Park Theatre, tracing Oscar Wilde’s life from Dublin to Oxford, literary fame, imprisonment, and exile. The production runs until 28 September.
London4 min readTrust 30 · Craft 59 · Hype 25
Culture & Arts · CroydonJohn Munro, Croydon’s forgotten sci-fi author, died alone in 1905
John Munro, a Victorian-era science fiction writer compared to Jules Verne, died in isolation at his Croydon home in June 1905. A coroner’s inquest revealed he lived as a recluse, with neighbours unaware of his identity or profession until after his death.
Croydon5 min readTrust 74 · Craft 77 · Hype 30
Culture & Arts · WestminsterNational Gallery security staff barred from staff hub, union alleges discrimination
The National Gallery’s outsourced security staff, employed by CIS Security, are denied access to the staff hub used by in-house employees. The PCS union has accused the gallery of discriminatory treatment, while a curator described conditions in the basement break area as akin to "second-class citizenship".
Westminster5 min readTrust 58 · Craft 95 · Hype 45
Culture & Arts · WestminsterSomerset House Escher exhibition overcrowded, visitors report long queues
Visitors to Somerset House’s Escher exhibition report severe overcrowding, with queues of up to two hours for interactive experiences like Relativity. The show features over 150 works but limited space has restricted access to key pieces, frustrating attendees.
Westminster5 min readTrust 30 · Craft 45 · Hype 30
Culture & Arts · LondonAlmeida Theatre revives Sarah Kane’s 'Cleansed' with dance and graphic violence
A new production of Sarah Kane’s 1998 play 'Cleansed' at the Almeida Theatre in Islington uses interpretive dance and symbolism to depict graphic violence. Director Rebecca Frecknall’s revival has drawn praise for its visual style but criticism over its disturbing content.
London6 min readTrust 30 · Craft 45 · Hype 65
Culture & Arts · SouthwarkMillwall sign defender Danny Batth on one-year contract
Millwall have signed experienced defender Danny Batth on a one-year deal. The 35-year-old, who helped Sunderland win League One promotion in 2022, will add competition at centre-back and leadership to the squad ahead of their EFL Cup opener against QPR on 6 August.
Southwark4 min readTrust 42 · Craft 70 · Hype 15
Culture & Arts · BarnetBarnet teacher Colin Purkey publishes memoir of apartheid imprisonment
Colin Purkey, a Barnet resident and former further education teacher, has published a memoir detailing his imprisonment under South Africa’s apartheid regime. The book, 'Time Served', covers his arrest, hospitalisation after a car accident, and activism in the 1980s and 1990s.
Barnet5 min readTrust 30 · Craft 87 · Hype 10
Culture & Arts · BrentKaleb Cooper downs beer with Niall Horan at Luke Combs Wembley concert
Kaleb Cooper, known from Amazon's Clarkson's Farm, drank beer on stage with Niall Horan during Luke Combs' Wembley concert on 21 September. The moment came a day after former footballer John Terry was booed by the crowd for a similar appearance.
Brent4 min readTrust 36 · Craft 42 · Hype 35
Culture & Arts · Tower HamletsIsle of Dogs' industrial rise shaped by 400-year-old ferry and canal links
The Isle of Dogs’ industrial growth relied on waterways and ferries, with a Millwall-Greenwich ferry operating for 400 years and the Regent’s Canal enabling faster trade than roads. Wharves expanded along the Thames, while a 1812 ferry company carried goods and vehicles, records reveal.
Tower Hamlets5 min readTrust 30 · Craft 45 · Hype 15
Culture & Arts · LondonPokémon Go anniversary pop-up draws hundreds to Shoreditch
A pop-up event in Shoreditch celebrated Pokémon Go’s 10th anniversary, attracting hundreds of fans. Attendees shared how the franchise fosters community, nostalgia, and even mental health benefits, while rare cards fetch millions at auction.
London5 min readTrust 66 · Craft 87 · Hype 30
Culture & Arts · HackneyHackney comedians test new shows ahead of Edinburgh Fringe 2026
Five comedians with Hackney ties are refining their Edinburgh Fringe debuts at Work in Progress shows in London this summer. Freddie Meredith, Ele McKenzie and Harriet Richardson appear at Pleasance Courtyard venues, while Ania Magliano and Paddy Young perform at Monkey Barrel spaces.
Hackney5 min readTrust 30 · Craft 45 · Hype 55
Culture & Arts · LondonBarnet filmmaker Justin Hardy dies at 61 after completing Wicker Man sequel
Justin Hardy, director of Children Of The Wicker Man and BAFTA nominee, died on 25 July after a heart attack. His latest film, Wrath Of The Gods, a sequel to his father’s cult classic, will screen posthumously. Hardy taught screenwriting at UCL and is survived by his wife and four children.
London5 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 15
Culture & Arts · All LondonBrentford break club record to sign Mali midfielder Mamadou Sangare
Brentford have signed Mali international Mamadou Sangare from Lens for a club-record fee, surpassing the £42.5m spent on Dango Ouattara last summer. The 24-year-old midfielder arrives on a five-year contract with an option for a further year.
All London4 min readTrust 50 · Craft 77 · Hype 15
Culture & Arts · CroydonVue Purley Way offers £2.49 cinema tickets for children this summer
Children aged 14 and under can book online tickets for £2.49 at Vue Purley Way this summer. The cinema, now the closest to Croydon town centre, is running family screenings and a passport scheme to encourage visits during the holidays.
Croydon4 min readTrust 38 · Craft 44 · Hype 55
Culture & Arts · Kensington & ChelseaBarnet gains two new pubs on Londonist’s 2026 best-of list
Londonist named two Barnet pubs among the capital’s best new openings in 2026. The Golden Tooth and Mary Wollstonecraft join eight others praised for beer, atmosphere and community value. Neither is a chain, and both serve cask ales from small breweries.
Kensington & Chelsea5 min readTrust 30 · Craft 55 · Hype 55
Culture & Arts · LondonBarnet Lace Club Revives Endangered Craft Among Young Londoners
The London Lace Club, founded in 2023, is teaching bobbin lacemaking to young Londoners, reversing a 30% decline in skilled lacemakers since 2017. Social media and modern designs are key to its growth, with sessions held across the capital, including Barnet.
London5 min readTrust 42 · Craft 55 · Hype 15