A beautiful London park that’s a little out of the way for the average visitor is Brockwell Park – a short bus ride from Brixton, or a short walk from Herne Hill station. I’ll often spend a sunny day at the 50-hectare park, as there are lots to do for kids and adults alike. Near the north end of the park is the Grade 2 listed Lido, an open-air swimming pool built in 1937. Naturally, the pool is packed on hot summer days but join the hardcore swimmers in the cooler months and enjoy a lot more space. The adjoining café is a popular brunch spot for swimmers and non-swimmers alike. Take a stroll to the centre of the park, and take in some magnificent views right across London. For kids, there’s a small miniature railway which you can take rides on, a BMX track, and don’t miss the excellent adventure playground, which is one of the best I’ve been to in London and is busy all year round.
If we’re in town in mid-July, a visit to the Lambeth Country Show is a must. A truly unique (and free) event for all ages, where the spectacle of an English agricultural show collides with the local community – itself an eclectic mix of demographics. Expect jousting demonstrations, giant vegetable competitions, farm animals, cooking demonstrations, bouncy castles, live reggae and a huge selection of food stalls. Also look out for the flagons of Chucklehead cider which you’ll see many people walking around with.
Following this week’s lockdown of normal life for most Britons, you’d think that heading out for a day at one of the UK’s National Parks wouldn’t be top of most people’s to-do lists. And yet there are concerns that daytrippers might break the strict stay-at-home order to head to rural beauty spots this weekend.
Snowdonia reported its busiest ever visitor day last Saturday, with thousands of people totally failing to follow social-distancing instructions from the powers that be. Eager to avoid the same situation this weekend, National Parks UK has asked anyone who might be thinking about a trip to reconsider.
‘The government has been very clear that only essential travel is permitted,’ a spokesperson told Time Out London. ‘Travel for the purposes of recreation or exercise is not essential travel. This is clear advice – there is no room for misunderstanding – and to disregard it when lives are at risk is irresponsible.’ In other words, piling into a Zipcar and heading for the South Downs is very much not allowed.
Not only that, but you could get busted: ‘There are already examples of the police stopping and fining people travelling to and through National Parks without good reason,’ the spokesperson added. ‘When this is over we’ll welcome visitors back with open arms, but for now: stay at home. Protect the NHS. Save lives.’
Hear that, London? It’s still okay to go for a walk this weekend, but stay local. After all, you live in the world’s first National Park City.
The Globe tavern is positioned right in the middle of London’s Borough Market, offering perfect respite from the hustle and bustle of the busy food market, which can be quite overwhelming after a while – oh, the stresses of finding the perfect balsamic vinegar/artisan loaf of bread!
This pub has thankfully managed to avoid becoming a chain and the lovely frontage to this old fashioned pub will easily lure you in. Once inside you’ll be faced with a mishmash of chairs and tables in a welcoming and relaxed atmosphere. The drinks are reasonable and the service is with a smile. The pub is steeped in history and as the plaque on the front of the pub states, it was actually named after the globe theatre and for some time it was believed that Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre had been on this very site… sadly they’d got that all wrong…but obviously the name stuck.
Since realising their geographical error the pub has had its own real connection with the entertainment industry and features as the pub that Bridget Jones lives above in the film. If you don’t get a chance to pop in next time you’re in Borough for the market I recommend you try to pop down on the first Friday of the month to their vintage RnB and northern soul night -Burnt Toast- with the DJ mixing only the finest in 7″ vinyl from the era, great for a boogie!
Our once-buzzing metropolis is suddenly very quiet indeed. There’s something simultaneously serene and eerie about it, as these pictures of London’s famously jam-packed landmarks demonstrate.
They were taken yesterday (Wednesday March 25) by Time Out’s very own photographer, Andy Parsons, who took a socially distant stroll with his camera through central London to capture a moment in our collective history as a city like no other. Scroll on to see the likes of Piccadilly Circus, Chinatown and Oxford Street with barely a soul in sight, while Andy also captured Trafalgar Square populated by just one solitary (wait for it…) busker (and its trademark pigeons, of course). It’s London like you’ve never seen it before.
Sadly, COVID-19 has caused many of our favourite restaurants to temporarily close. Most are still offering a reduced delivery service but for the time being, the hospitality industry as we know it has come to a standstill. Travel is also temporarily on hold, leaving us desperate for our favourite exotic dishes. Longing for your Laksa?…
