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Restaurants, pubs, schools and life across the capital.
54 stories · page 3 of 4

A Lambeth family saved nearly £50,000 by transforming their unusable garden themselves, spending £10,509 after landscapers quoted £60,000. The project, completed over five months, involved manual labour and minimal professional help for retaining walls and paving.
Colin Burgess, 46, oversees Lewisham’s cemeteries and crematorium while residing in a council-provided house at Grove Park Cemetery. The role includes on-site living, wildlife conservation, and daily interactions with bereaved families. His children grew up among graves, shaping their perspectives on life and death.
Bridesmaids in Barnet and across London are increasingly buying second-hand dresses to cut costs, with 52% of women in the capital paying for their own outfits. A Vinted survey reveals 24% have considered declining the role due to expenses.
Lyme Regis, a two-and-a-half-hour train ride from London, has been named the seventh-best UK staycation destination. The town offers fossil-rich cliffs, sheltered beaches and pubs serving Dorset ales, with hotel rooms around £150 per night in summer.
A new weekly mindfulness meditation drop-in starts this Thursday at St Mark’s Hall in Barnet, led by local teacher Ruth McDonald. Sessions run from 6.15 pm to 7.15 pm, cost £5 or £10 by donation, and are open to all levels, including complete beginners.
The Old Nun’s Head in Nunhead has been named the 14th best pub in the UK by Time Out. The ranking highlights its queer-friendly events, food, and atmosphere, with high ratings from over 1,300 Google and TripAdvisor reviews.
Fatto a Mano has opened its sixth London location on Baker Street, offering ten red and eight white pizzas, a £9 Nduja Lasagna Fritta starter, and a gluten-free dough option. The branch is the latest in a chain with three sites in Brighton & Hove.

Cocoa Jones Chocolate in Purley will host weekly workshops starting 6 August, where participants can craft chocolate bars using continental ingredients and take home a custom-wrapped bar. Sessions run Thursdays to Saturdays at 12pm and 3pm, costing £15 each.
Westerham, a Kent market town of 4,498 residents, provides a 33-minute train to London Bridge from nearby Oxted. It features Chartwell, Winston Churchill’s former home, an annual country fayre, and an average house price of £653,234 over the past year.

Umbrella Workshop, a hidden 12-seater cocktail bar in Shoreditch, has been ranked London’s best by Time Out. The bar, known for inventive drinks like a martini with fish sauce, operates from a converted 19th-century workshop and supplies cocktails to nearby venues.
Maureen’s, a takeaway in Brixton’s Railton Road, offers a £20 jumbo platter with three meats and three sides. Run from Maureen Tyne’s home, it has attracted queues and praise for its fresh, home-cooked Jamaican food, including oxtail, jerk chicken, and peppersteak.
A spring-fed lake in River Lee Country Park, a six-minute train ride from Tottenham Hale, is gaining attention for open-water swimming. The site, run by Herts Young Mariners Base, includes walking trails, a butterfly sanctuary, and lifeguard supervision. Swimmers must book in advance.
Epping’s Central Line access and Epping Forest attract residents seeking a quieter life near London, but some say overdevelopment and the loss of independent shops are eroding its appeal. House prices average just below £620,000, reflecting its popularity.
The London Outer Orbital Path, known as the Loop, has been named one of the UK’s best hikes by Time Out. The 150-mile circuit, divided into 24 accessible sections, starts in Erith and passes through Farthing Downs, Bushy Park and the Grand Union Canal.
A Tinder survey shows 42% of users now prefer dinner dates, rising to 44% among non-drinking Gen Z daters. Restaurants like Impala and Dover Street Counter are seeing more first meetings, with diners citing table manners and staff interactions as key indicators of compatibility.
Gravity MAX in Stratford has launched Howzat cricket batting cages, featuring five game modes, including a World Cup mode where Jofra Archer delivered a 76mph ball. The venue, outside Westfield, caters to all ages and skill levels with adjustable difficulty and equipment.
London venues will mark National Spritz Day on 1 August with free drinks and discounts. Kerb Seven Dials Market, Big Penny Social in Walthamstow, and Twisted Sister in Battersea will give away hundreds of free spritzes, while other bars offer reduced prices throughout the weekend or month.

Time Out London’s latest restaurant lists name 21 halal and barbecue venues spanning 12 boroughs, revealing how local communities shape the capital’s food identity. The selections include Michelin-starred Mayfair spots alongside Walthamstow family-run eateries.

Hannah Carson created Small Talks after struggling with social anxiety post-pandemic. The events, held at the Commercial Tavern in Shoreditch, use games and guest speakers to help attendees practise conversation skills. Three sessions have taken place since April 2026.
SushiDog is opening a new branch at Boxpark Camden on August 8, 2026. The first 100 customers will receive a free item, and all other customers can get 50% off one main item until August 9.
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