• All ten surviving Van Eyck portraits to reunite in London for first time

    All ten surviving Van Eyck portraits to reunite in London for first time
    All ten surviving portraits by the pioneering Netherlandish artist Jan van Eyck will be brought together in London for the first time this winter in what the National Gallery describes as a landmark exhibition.
    ‘The Arnolfini Portrait’, 1434 and ‘Margaret, the Artist’s Wife’, 1439
    The exhibition, opening at the National Gallery on 21st November 2026, will bring all ten of the artist’s portraits and about half of the twenty or so surviving autograph pictures by
  • Tickets Alert: Muppets and Fraggles – a big screen celebration with Q&A

    Tickets Alert: Muppets and Fraggles – a big screen celebration with Q&A
    Fans of Jim Henson’s beloved creations can relive some of the most memorable moments from The Muppets and Fraggle Rock at a special one-night celebration at the BFI Southbank next week.
    Fraggle Rock
    Taking place on Tuesday 11th August at 6:15pm, Muppets and Fraggles: A Celebration will look back at the pioneering puppetry and storytelling that made Henson’s productions a defining part of many childhoods.
    The 80-minute event will feature a screening of classic clips, followed by a liv
  • Sale of affordable prints and watercolours at Bankside Gallery

    Sale of affordable prints and watercolours at Bankside Gallery
    Bankside Gallery has opened its annual Summer at Bankside Gallery exhibition, bringing together new original artworks by members of the Royal Society of Painter-Printmakers (RE) and the Royal Watercolour Society (RWS).The free exhibition features contemporary printmaking and water-based paintings, with a wide variety of artistic styles, subjects, and techniques.
    Unsurprisingly, as many artists will be local, there’s a decent selection of London landscapes and buildings, as well as Gail Bro
  • Starlink mobile threat has been exaggerated, says T-Mobile CEO

    Boss of US network sceptical that Elon Musk’s planned entry into cell market will solve customer problems
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  • Barbican Conservatory offering free plant cuttings ahead of its closure

    Barbican Conservatory offering free plant cuttings ahead of its closure
    If you’ve ever wanted to own a little piece of the Barbican Conservatory, you’ll soon have the chance, as more than 2,000 free plant cuttings are being given away ahead of the glasshouse’s closure for a major restoration project.
    Conservatory space (c) ianVisits
    Each event will also include an opportunity to explore the Conservatory, learn more about its plant collection, and hear about its future plans. The Barbican says additional free openings, tours and special events will
  • The London Buzz – 6th August 2026

    The London Buzz – 6th August 2026
    Old London – Kilburn High Road, opposite Glengall Road
    Today’s London news round-up:
    A west London council has called for a rethink from City Hall, after being told it could have to build thousands of new homes on greenfield sites. BBC News
    Two weeks without electricity in 30-degree heat: a Loughborough Estate family speaks out Beixton Buzz
    The London borough boundaries with fewest crossings Diamond Geezer
    Westminster council has recommended not allowing “vertical drinking&rdqu
  • Tower of London to start letting people attend its private “opening ceremony”

    Tower of London to start letting people attend its private “opening ceremony”
    The Tower of London is rich in ceremonies and traditions, and one which is not usually seen by the public now can be.It’s the ceremonial opening of the Tower each morning, and takes place very early, long before the tourists arrive. Each morning, a Yeoman Warder is joined by an escort of soldiers to unlock the gates of the Middle Tower, also known as the Byward Tower.
    This is the same gate that is locked at night in the Ceremony of the Keys — and where tourists will arrive later that
  • Leicester Square car park could make way for homes, hotel and rooftop bar

    Leicester Square car park could make way for homes, hotel and rooftop bar
    A 1960s multi-storey car park and residential tower, Huguenot House, just around the corner from Leicester Square, could be replaced by a larger residential tower and hotel, with no car park.
    Huguenot House and car park
    The site is owned by Westminster Council, which has been working on redevelopment plans since 2017, with consultations in 2017 and 2021, and a contract finally awarded to Altius Real Estate in 2025.
    Their plans, designed by Foster + Partners, will replace the entire block of 35 f
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  • Horse Guards mounted guard suspended for two weeks this August

    Horse Guards mounted guard suspended for two weeks this August
    Bad news for tourists hoping* to get bitten by the horses outside Horseguards Parade, as the Household Cavalry’s famous black horses are going on holiday.
    Horse Guards minus the horses but not the guard – Christmas Day 2008 (c) ianVisits
    The 18th-century stables next to Horseguards Parade are getting a substantial deep clean and other infrastructure-related works, and that means the horses have to decamp to another temporary home and get a break from biting tourists.
    In a statement,
  • Contemporary artists take over Hogarth’s historic home

    Contemporary artists take over Hogarth’s historic home
    The shortlisted entries for the inaugural Hogarth Prize are now on display at Hogarth’s House in Chiswick, offering visitors the chance to see the winning work alongside a wide range of finalists.The new prize celebrates artists who combine traditional techniques with original thinking. Inspired by Hogarth’s “rebellious ideals of invention and challenge”, it recognises work that engages with contemporary culture while demonstrating strong technical skill. With no set them
  • Council repaints Shepherd’s Bush rail bridge – and urges TfL to spruce up the station too

    Council repaints Shepherd’s Bush rail bridge – and urges TfL to spruce up the station too
    The shabby London Underground bridge over Uxbridge Road at Shepherd’s Bush Market is getting a repaint, with a new colour scheme chosen by local residents.
    (c) Hammersmith & Fulham Council
    The steel bridge, which carries the Circle and Hammersmith & City lines across Uxbridge Road, will be repainted in white, grey and teal after residents selected a design intended to complement the entrance gates to the historic Shepherd’s Bush Market.
    Hence avoiding comparisons with East Pu
  • How do children experience war? This exhibition has the answers

    How do children experience war? This exhibition has the answers
    War is usually told through battles, generals and shifting front lines.
    But now an exhibition asks what happens when you lower your perspective to a child’s height. Sometimes literally, as a new exhibition at the Imperial War Museum looks at how war affects children and childhood, including refugees, evacuations, play, and education.
    And puts some of the labels at a child’s height.The exhibition relies heavily on reconstructed environments to draw visitors in. There’s a Second
  • Young rail passengers to keep half-price railcard fares for longer

    Young rail passengers to keep half-price railcard fares for longer
    More than 70,000 young people a year will be able to keep half-price rail travel for longer under new rules that extend the validity of the 16-17 Saver railcard.From 17th August 2026, the railcard will remain valid for a full 12 months from the date of purchase, rather than expiring when the holder turns 18.
    The change means students who celebrate their 18th birthday during the academic year will no longer lose access to the 50% discount before their railcard has run its course. The government e
  • East Croydon station’s closed footbridge finally set to open after 14-year wait

    East Croydon station’s closed footbridge finally set to open after 14-year wait
    A long-running saga of a footbridge across East Croydon station that’s been closed to the public since it was built in 2012 may finally be heading to a resolution.
    The station half of the footbridge — looking towards the closed entrance
    As part of a station upgrade to replace the subway that linked the platforms at East Croydon station, a large footbridge with lifts was constructed at the far end, replacing an old parcels footbridge connected to the neighbouring post office building.
  • London Cable Car marks 20 millionth passenger with prize draw

    London Cable Car marks 20 millionth passenger with prize draw
    London’s cable car has carried its 20 millionth passenger, just over 14 years after it opened in 2012, with the milestone being marked by a competition offering one winner free travel for the next 20 years.The prize is a “Golden Ticket” valid for either one-way or return journeys on the Thames crossing. The competition runs until 16th August, with entries accepted by scanning a QR code at either cable car terminal or through TfL’s online entry page.
    You can enter the comp
  • Railway uncovers widespread ‘short-faring’ tickets scam at Waterloo station

    Railway uncovers widespread ‘short-faring’ tickets scam at Waterloo station
    South Western Railway says it has uncovered widespread abuse of digital train tickets on one of Britain’s shortest rail journeys, with up to 95% of barcode tickets bought between Vauxhall and London Waterloo believed to be used fraudulently.
    SWR trains at Waterloo station (c) ianVisits
    The scam involves passengers from further out of London catching a train without a ticket, then buying a cheap ticket only for the final section of their journey – such as Vauxhall to Waterloo –
  • Tickets Alert: Behind the scenes tours of Lambeth Archive

    Tickets Alert: Behind the scenes tours of Lambeth Archive
    Next month there’s going to be a chance to step inside Lambeth’s strong room and visit their new archive building.
    (c) Lambeth Archive
    The archive moved into a new building on Brixton Hill in 2023, with a purpose-built strongroom in the basement.
    Next month, as part of the Lambeth Heritage Festival, there will be some tours of the building, including the basement, where you can also meet the team, and explore a selection of treasures from the archive.
    The strongroom is downstairs and
  • Flat £15 train fares for return day trips to Southend-on-Sea

    Flat £15 train fares for return day trips to Southend-on-Sea
    The train company c2c is offering a flat-rate return fare for trips from London to Southend-on-Sea and surrounding areas this month.
    (c) c2c
    So long as you buy at least a day in advance, then a flat-rate £15 return fare is available from most London stations served by c2c and also to several stations around Southend-on-Sea.
    The offer is available from your preferred train ticket seller – and obviously from c2c’s website – and is valid throughout August 2026. Also, childre
  • It’s the centenary of the modern three-colour traffic light

    It’s the centenary of the modern three-colour traffic light
    Today marks the centenary of the first three-light (red, amber, green) traffic lights being introduced into the UK.
    The traffic light artwork at Canary Wharf
    Not the very first traffic lights, as the first was installed outside Parliament in December 1868, but it was more of a converted railway signal and was mainly to stop traffic for a pedestrian crossing.
    It also only lasted barely a month before a gas leak exploded it. Which didn’t really make people keen to try again.
    Although semapho
  • GWR train dedicated to Railway200’s Greatest Gathering

    GWR train dedicated to Railway200’s Greatest Gathering
    It’s been a year since thousands of people marked the 200th anniversary of the railways at the Greatest Gathering in Derby, and today, a GWR train has been dedicated to the Greatest Gathering.
    (c) Alstom
    The design – applied to GWR’s Class 800 No. 800012 – pays tribute to the record-breaking festival held at Alstom’s Litchurch Lane Works last August, which saw some 40,000 people turn up to see the world’s largest-ever gathering of historic and modern rolling s
  • Tickets Alert: Tours of the Chelsea Pensioners’ private regimental museum

    Tickets Alert: Tours of the Chelsea Pensioners’ private regimental museum
    Although the Chelsea Pensioners now have a public museum next to their home at the Royal Hospital, they also have an older private museum, which is now available to visit on tours.
    Part of the museum in 2010 (c) ianVisits
    Led by one of the Chelsea Pensioner Museum Guides, the tour offers a perspective on centuries of military tradition, personal stories, and national heritage.
    During your visit, you’ll encounter extraordinary objects and displays, including the Queen’s Parade Chair a
  • Tickets Alert: Tours inside the former Carlton Cinema, Essex Road

    Tickets Alert: Tours inside the former Carlton Cinema, Essex Road
    A remarkable building that many people will walk past, itching to see what it looks like inside, now offers occasional tours.This is the former Carlton Cinema on Essex Road, once the largest cinema in the UK, with an interior very much as you would hope if you get a chance to see it.
    For a while, as with many ex-cinemas, it was a bingo hall and is now owned by the Gracepoint church, and to their credit, they’re slowly restoring the interior to its original grandeur.
    And occasionally, a loc
  • How a Victorian tunnel could transform the Tower of London’s famous moat

    How a Victorian tunnel could transform the Tower of London’s famous moat
    The Tower of London’s moat could be turned into a wildlife-friendly wetland, and all thanks to a Victorian tunnel.
    Illustrative view of the West Moat from the causeway between Middle Tower and Byward Tower (c) Grant Associates/Luxigon
    The defensive moat was constructed in the 1270s on the orders of King Edward I to replace what had been little more than a partial ditch. The moat remained a water-filled feature until the 1840s, by which time it was more of a sewer, and as it was still conne
  • HS2 renegotiates major construction deals to rein in spiralling costs

    HS2 renegotiates major construction deals to rein in spiralling costs
    One of the biggest criticisms of HS2 Railway’s construction contracts has been addressed, with HS2 replacing deals that left taxpayers carrying almost all the financial risk with new agreements designed to reward contractors for delivering the railway on time and on budget.
    HS2 tunnel entrance next to the M25 motorway (c) ianVisits
    The company says that it has successfully renegotiated contracts with two of the civil engineering joint ventures responsible for more than 100km of the high-sp
  • Peckham Rye station’s arcade demolition down to ground level

    Peckham Rye station’s arcade demolition down to ground level
    Commuters using Peckham Rye station are getting a first hint of what the station’s front will look like when the old shopping arcade is demolished.
    March 2026
     
    July 2026
    Demolition began in March 2026 to clear the old arcade and replace it with an open plaza that will restore views of the station’s Victorian architecture, and has reached the point where visitors are starting to see what the future will look like.
    What was a small dark courtyard in front of the station is still
  • National Theatre to host a 50th anniversary exhibition

    National Theatre to host a 50th anniversary exhibition
    There’s going to be a free exhibition at the National Theatre later this year, marking 50 years in its South Bank home, its brutalist architecture and the productions down the decades.Called Stories Start Here: 50 Stories for 50 Years, the installation will sit on Queen’s Walk outside the theatre. Designed as a wooden structure inspired by the Olivier Theatre’s amphitheatre seating, it will invite visitors to sit facing the building while listening to 50 personal stories that r
  • The original model for Cleopatra’s Needle sphinxes is up for sale

    The original model for Cleopatra’s Needle sphinxes is up for sale
    If you’re a London egyptophile with a very deep pocket, something special is coming up for sale at auction in September. It’s the original scale model (maquette) used to design the two Bronze sphinxes that sit on the Embankment, flanking Cleopatra’s Needle.
    (c) Harper Field Auctioneers & Valuers
    Cleopatra’s Needle was presented to the Prince Regent in 1819 by the ruler of Egypt, Muhammad Ali, as a diplomatic gift to mark British victories over the French in Egypt.
    Alt
  • Virgin Media O2 owners weigh options to slash £22bn debt pile

    Dividend cuts, job losses and lower investment are among measures being considered by Telefónica and Liberty Global
  • The UK has worse mobile coverage than Romania. Why?

    Operators blame planning rules and low prices for a lack of investment
  • Lost underground water network beneath Royal Parks to be mapped

    Lost underground water network beneath Royal Parks to be mapped
    Hidden waterways that once supplied water to royal palaces are to be uncovered in a new archaeology project exploring what lies beneath three of London’s Royal Parks.The Royal Parks charity has launched the Lost Waterways of the Royal Parks, a three-year project that will investigate forgotten conduits, wells, reservoirs and underground tunnels hidden beneath Richmond Park, Greenwich Park and Bushy Park.
    Funded by The National Lottery Heritage Fund, with additional support from the Friends
  • It’s time to start planning your Heritage Open Day trips

    It’s time to start planning your Heritage Open Day trips
    For a couple of weeks in September, thousands of buildings across the UK, mostly outside London, are open to the public.The Heritage Open Days are a UK-wide version of the London Open House events, and while the vast majority are open to wander in and look around, some require advance booking. They range from old buildings to theatres to sewage pumping stations.
    Some are taking bookings now, but many won’t be for a week or two, so now is the time to plan your day trips to (mostly) outside
  • Gangsters in camera: Exhibition shines a light into London’s criminal underworld

    Gangsters in camera: Exhibition shines a light into London’s criminal underworld
    There’s a cast of characters on show at the Leica Gallery that you’d probably hope never to meet – London’s gangster underworld.The photographs were taken by agency and fashion photographer David Hurn, who was originally commissioned by British Elle to photograph a journalist interviewing two well-known villains. The assignment led to something far more unusual. Hurn built a relationship with one of the men and, over the following three years, was granted remarkable acces
  • Crowded Harrods plaza to be reshaped in bid to improve pedestrian flow

    Crowded Harrods plaza to be reshaped in bid to improve pedestrian flow
    The pedestrianised but very busy street outside Harrods, next to the tube station entrance, is being refurbished to reduce the clutter and create more space for pedestrians.
    (c) Andy Sturgeon Design
    Although fully pedestrianised in 2004 when the new tube station entrance was created, some of the space is occupied by food stalls and with the tube station entrance next to the department store, it can be a bit of a muddle with crowds trying to get around each other.
    Work on the improvements was due
  • TfL expands Routemaster ‘ding-ding’ trial after promising safety results

    TfL expands Routemaster ‘ding-ding’ trial after promising safety results
    Transport for London (TfL) is bringing back one of London’s most familiar sounds – ding-ding – as it expands a trial to see whether the classic Routemaster bell can help prevent passengers from falling over when buses pull away.The four-week trial starts on Friday 31st July on Route 188 (North Greenwich to Tottenham Court Road) and is the latest stage of TfL’s Bus Safety Innovation Challenge. Every time the doors close, passengers will hear the classic Routemaster ding-di
  • Tower Gateway DLR station getting a new entrance and lift in hotel development

    Tower Gateway DLR station getting a new entrance and lift in hotel development
    Tower Gateway DLR station is to get a second lift and entrance as part of a deal with a property developer building a hotel and recently completed new flats next to the station.
    The new hotel and DLR station entrance – source: planning documents
    The DLR station already has a lift and escalators at its main entrance, but in 2009, TfL added a second entrance at the rear. However, that entrance only has stairs, as adding a second lift wasn’t viable at the time.
    That all changes now, wit
  • The wonderfully nerdy guide to London’s Thames bridges has been updated

    The wonderfully nerdy guide to London’s Thames bridges has been updated
    Sometimes a technical document that is of no practical use to the average person can still be curiously fascinating.
    (c) PLA mariners guide
    Such a document might include the Mariners’ Guide to Bridges on the tidal Thames, which is published by the Port of London Authority – and has just been updated. Published since 2012 and updated roughly every three years, it’s aimed at mariners, but contains exceptionally detailed information about the bridges over the Thames, along with so
  • Tickets Alert: National Theatre to host a sale of stage props

    Tickets Alert: National Theatre to host a sale of stage props
    Next month, the National Theatre will be hosting a rare sale of props from its previous theatrical productions.The sale will take place alongside discounted work by independent designers and makers. The event also marks a rare Sunday opening for the National Theatre’s shops and public sales spaces, making it an unusual weekend opportunity for visitors.
    Running alongside the props sale is Crafty Fox Market’s first-ever Samples & Seconds Sale at the National Theatre. Around 40 sele
  • From skyscrapers to struggle: Exhibition captures the two faces of America

    From skyscrapers to struggle: Exhibition captures the two faces of America
    The American dream, in all its varieties of optimism and poverty, has come to the Dulwich Picture Gallery.
    A new photography exhibition looks at how Americans viewed themselves, but also, thanks to reproductions in magazines, how we often see Americans.Moving from the optimism of the early skyscraper age, through the trauma of the Great Depression, and into the uneasy prosperity of the post-war decades, the exhibition follows both the evolution of photography and the emergence of the United Stat
  • Sutton council to fill funding gap for Belmont railway upgrade

    Sutton council to fill funding gap for Belmont railway upgrade
    Plans to double the number of train services between Sutton and Belmont stations have hit a £4 million problem, as costs have risen sharply in recent years.
    Belmont Station
    Belmont station, which is near a major cancer care centre, is currently served by a half-hourly Southern Railway service, and there are plans to double services on the Sutton to Epsom Downs line, with the enhanced timetable expected to be introduced from December 2027.
    Track layout over Google Map
    This involves restorin
  • To create wealth, Europe must reap the dividends of radio spectrum

    The EU cannot ask its telecoms to compete globally while organising one of its most important sectors nationally
  • Amazon targets Musk’s Starlink with satellite constellation for mobile services

    Tech giant files to launch more than 5,000 satellites to provide global consumer service
  • Vodafone raises profit guidance as billionaire Xavier Niel takes stake

    UK telecoms major posts first set of results since French mogul moved to take holding
  • When it opens, the London Museum will come with four cafes and restaurants

    When it opens, the London Museum will come with four cafes and restaurants
    The soon-to-open London Museum has announced more details of the non-museum stuff that museums need – such as the food and drink they will be offering.
    The London Museum (c) Secchi Smith
    What we call the restaurants and cafes, they call “major hospitality concepts” with four “distinct food and drink destinations” that will come with a “food curator”. All of which is hopefully not a preview of the language to be used on the labels when the museum proper o
  • This weeks discounted theatre tickets from London Theatre Direct

    This weeks discounted theatre tickets from London Theatre Direct
    This week’s sale and discount theatre ticket offers from London Theatre Direct.
    On stage at the Shaftesbury (c) ianVisitsSinatra The Musical
    Start spreadin’ the news, the king of swing is back
    From £23
     The Devil Wears Prada
    Elton John’s new musical The Devil Wears Prada is now playing in the West End.
    From £31 – SAVE UP TO £30
     My Neighbour Totoro
    Enter a world of magic and wonder with My Neighbour Totoro – a perfect enchanted adventure
  • London tram driven the wrong way through Croydon town centre

    London tram driven the wrong way through Croydon town centre
    Seeing a tram heading the wrong way through Croydon town centre might normally be a sign that something has gone very wrong. A few weeks ago, it was exactly what was supposed to happen.
    The overnight tram test – enhanced photo from TfL video
    The unusual sight was part of a planned test ahead of a partial closure of the London Trams network for engineering works next month. The engineering works will close the entire central section of the tram network, but to maintain reliable service, the
  • The London Buzz – 23rd July 2026

    The London Buzz – 23rd July 2026
    Old London – Bramshot Avenues, Westcombe Park
    Today’s London news round-up:
    Blackheath Fireworks will return for 2026 – but free displays unlikely to come back Greenwich Wire
    Wandsworth pledges 24 extra police officers under new leader Putney News
    Met police ‘can’t afford the hay and vet bills for its horses’ New Journal
    A portrait of London Mayor Sadiq Khan, painted by an art student, has been unveiled at City Hall. BBC News
    Thames Clippers has introduced rea
  • TfL says Silvertown Tunnel has cut Blackwall congestion after first year

    TfL says Silvertown Tunnel has cut Blackwall congestion after first year
    Transport for London (TfL) says its first year of monitoring suggests the Silvertown Tunnel has reduced congestion around the Blackwall Tunnel, encouraged more people to travel by bus across the Thames and coincided with improved local air quality.
    But it has displaced some traffic to other river crossings that are still free to use, such as Rotherhithe and Woolwich.The findings are published in TfL’s first annual report on the road tunnel, which opened last April, and follow on from a pre
  • Tickets Alert: The Tank Museum comes to London (sort of)

    Tickets Alert: The Tank Museum comes to London (sort of)
    Dorset’s legendary Tank Museum is sending its staff to London for an evening later this year, for a talk about the history of what else, but tanks.Join the Tank Museum and special guests – including Al Murray and James Holland  – for an evening exploring the rise – and potential fall – of the tank as the dominant force on the battlefield.
    Plus, in this special fundraising event, they’ll share more about the impact they are having as a museum as they tell
  • Westminster Cathedral lights up with immersive summer projection show

    Westminster Cathedral lights up with immersive summer projection show
    Westminster Cathedral – that’s the Catholic one – is currently being filled with a video light show several evenings a week throughout the summer months.Titled LUMINISCENCE, the production combines 360-degree video mapping with choral performances by the Lux Aeterna Choir, alongside a narrated script voiced by actor Hugh Bonneville. The production includes a newly commissioned script by writer Tim Whitnall, which traces the history of London from its early development through t
  • Dry weather to affect some late evening train services in east London

    Dry weather to affect some late evening train services in east London
    There’s going to be some late evening cuts to mainline train services through east London next month, because the ground is too dry.
    Uneven track on the c2c route caused by dried-out soil (c) Network Rail
    Following England’s warmest spring on record and hot summer so far, the peat and clay that sits under long stretches of the railway has dried out and shrunk. This has caused the track to drop in places and become uneven.
    To fix the problem, Network Rail engineers use machines called

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