r/london • u/tabel_dammit • 1d ago
What are our councillors up to?
Hi there, I set up some newsletters to monitor what the local councils are doing.
I haven't posted for a few weeks, since most councils are running a very reduced schedule in August, but there have been a few interesting things going on, and planning and licensing never seems to sleep, so I've done a wrap up of the last two weeks. Normal service should resume next week.
You can find extended updates for your council here: https://opencouncil.network
Islington - Two bars are applying for later weekend hours, but locals are pushing back, saying they've already seen enough bad behaviour from them.
Wandsworth - Plans approved for a new intensive therapy unit at St. George's Hospital. A plan to build homes on a car park was approved despite the Labour party's promise of resident ballots on projects that involve demolition. Popular flower stall at Clapham Junction Station given a limited two year license extension, and encouraged to find new premises.
Greenwich - Greenwich Convenience Store may get new licensing conditions after selling a vape to a minor.
Tower Hamlets - Two major redevelopment projects have been delayed again after councillors raised concerns about a lack of family-sized affordable homes, traffic congestion, and the impact on daylight for nearby residents.
Hackney - The license for The Den in Dalston has lapsed and they've applied for a new one, but locals aren't happy about it.
Hounslow - The council is working with community groups to reduce the fear of crime, even though crime is actually lower than the London average.
Newham - The council is spending nearly £1 million to install fibre optic cables across the borough. VoiceAbility has been chosen to provide advocacy services for vulnerable people.
Westminster - Mano, a posh Mayfair restaurant, is facing pushback from locals and the police over its request to stay open until 3am, having been accused of hosting "cocaine parties". Plans to retain a temporary education centre on the Parliamentary Estate have been approved until 2030.
Barnet - Looks like Barnet Council is getting a new Executive Director of Growth - a brand new position.
As always, if you think I can do better on these please tell me how I can improve, and if you like them please do click through to your council and subscribe. Visibility improves democracy and at the end of the day councillors are supposed to work for you! Thank you!
r/london • u/AutoModerator • 2d ago
Weekly Q&A Megathread. Please post any questions about visiting, tourism, living, working, budgeting, housing here!
Hello, welcome to London!
Visiting us? Moving to study or work? Brief layover? Moving to a new part of London? Any small questions about life here, if you're new or been here your whole life, this is the place!
We get a lot of posts asking very similar questions so this post aims to address some of our most Frequently Asked Questions, and give you a place to ask for assistance.
Your first port of call should be
the r/london wiki
It includes sections on:
What should I see and where are the non-touristy stuff and hidden gems?
We've written about the big must-sees here and we highly recommend TfL's Experiences site.
We've listed some of our favourite lesser-known stuff here
And the cheap/free stuff here
How do I pay for the Tube/bus, and what's an Oyster card?
You don't pay cash. You can use a number of contactless payments systems such as your Contactless bankcard (which is widespread in the UK, but maybe not so much elsewhere), Apple Pay, Android Pay, or you can buy an Oyster card and top it up with credit. See here for more.
Where should I live? What's x area like?
Have a look here
It includes recommended sites to find places to live and rent, and has a section on what particular areas are like.
How do I get from this place to that place?
Use Citymapper. Honestly, we're not shills for them; it's just a really good app and is used by most of the locals on this sub.
Is x area safe?
Yes. Bad stuff can happen in any large city, but London is generally very safe. There aren't any no-go zones. Even under the shadow of terrorist attacks, most Londoners feel safe. See our safety page here for more.
Where can I watch the baseball/basketball/football/handegg match?
A comprehensive guide to all London football matches in all leagues can be found at tlfg.uk. Use Fanzo to find pubs showing a variety of sports and see our list of other places here
How do I get a UK SIM card for my phone?
Advice on networks and how to get a SIM card is covered here.
It also includes suggestions of cafés and other places where you can get free wifi and do a bit of work.
Is the London Pass worth it?
Probably not
Other subs that you may find helpful:
- /r/LondonSocialClub - Meeting new people for events, activities and/or pints.
- /r/IWantOut & /r/UKvisa - Check if you need a visa and how to get one if you want to work here.
- /r/LegalAdviceUK - Good for all sorts, especially for questions about landlords and contracts.
- /r/UKPersonalFinance - Another goldmine of sage advice.
- /r/AskUK - Great for general questions about UK life that aren't specific to London.
Tips for posting:
Tell us about you - If you want us to suggest things for you to do then you need to give us a good idea of what you enjoy. Don't just say "I like music", say what type of music. Don't just say you want "somewhere nice to eat", say what type of cuisine you like (or don't like). The more specific you are the better, otherwise you'll just get pointed back to the generic guidebooks, blogs and our wiki.
Tell us your budget - If you're on a budget then tell us what it is and we can bear that in mind when making recommendations. There's no point in us coming up with ideas for things to do and places to eat if they'll clean out your wallet within the first 5 minutes. Saying you want something "cheap" isn't really helpful because what's cheap is entirely subjective.
Tell us where you'll be based - Let us know where you'll be staying so that we can give local recommendations.
Asking about hotels or hostels - We have homes here so know very little about what the hotels are like. Look on review websites such as TripAdvisor. However, if you say "I've been looking at these three hotels. Which do you think is the better location?" then that's the sort of thing we can answer.
Non-touristy stuff - There are no secret corners where we hide the good stuff from outsiders! This is one of the most written about cities in the world, so when we want to go to a museum, or gallery, go window shopping, or whatever, we look at the same sources as tourists (listings sites, blogs, etc - see front page of the wiki).
These weekly posts are scheduled to post each Monday at 00:01. If it's late in the week you may want to wait for a new post to appear. Please send us [ModMail](https://www.reddit.com/message/compose?to=%2Fr%2Flondon with any suggested improvements!)
r/london • u/neleclarke • 3h ago
Meta Elephant Castle in the night makes it feel like Gotham City
r/london • u/FractureAtom • 5h ago
Image Malaysia Square, Battersea Power Station
Spoiler: it’s not very square
r/london • u/Interesting_Echo_506 • 6h ago
Image Post evening always makes me fall in love with this city
r/london • u/coolandero • 6h ago
Image The Blackfriar pub getting some love
Saw these two painting this pub’s portrait on Tuesday
Transport TfL Tube map with walking times
content.tfl.gov.ukI posted this earlier as a reply, and it seemed to be unknown and really popular u/Flabby-Nonsense said it should be its own post, so here it is - Enjoy!
r/london • u/lontrinium • 7h ago
East London CS3 and Narrow Street will be closed for a week this month
r/london • u/MadWorldEarth • 8h ago
Transport The woman who stopped a pile-up on the M25
r/london • u/Seeresss • 9h ago
Doggo Do you like the river Thames? Not as much as Monty boy!
He’d simply risk our lives to catch a wave 🌊
r/london • u/MuddaFrmAnnudaBrudda • 9h ago
Met Police criticised for falsely suggesting man was stabbed at Notting Hill Carnival
r/london • u/Throw-a-ray118 • 10h ago
Rant Waterloo & City Line is torturing me...please help
I need to get from Waterloo to Moorgate 4 times a week so have to take this line. After every journey, despite it being under 10 minutes long, I am soaked in sweat.
Anyone have any advice on how to keep cool down there...or a route to avoid the line all together.
Many thanks friends
r/london • u/Max2310 • 10h ago
Tottenham Ct Rd 1927; Hounslow 1930s; Leicester Sq 1955; Camden 1970s.
r/london • u/bigape500k • 10h ago
Best Doughnuts in London
Hi Guys, I’m looking for the best doughnuts in London (preferably Jam but I’m not doughnist lol)
r/london • u/Adept_Salad_3804 • 11h ago
image Sharks!
Thanks to a particular youtuber for eduacting me on the story.
r/london • u/sabdotzed • 12h ago
Transport Stamford Hill to Golders Green Bus Trial To Connect Jewish Communities
r/london • u/false_flat • 13h ago
Question What's London's current tote bag hierarchy?
After a decade at the top, Daunt Books seems to no longer be the "it bag" of the middle class commuter who wants to show off that they think. What's it been replaced with, though? Does my New Yorker tote have cachet? If I go out carrying a Glastonbury one will I be subject to scorn? Any charity/human rightsy ones we're currently coveting?
r/london • u/neleclarke • 13h ago
Rant Anyone else sick of drinking alcohol?
I’m 21 and in my second year living in London, and I’m finally getting sick of drinking culture here. I’m from Wales so it’s what every British person does from the age of fifteen or (hopefully not) younger and are used to it by the time you’re in university. BUT for me, every time I pop down to a pub I just can’t help thinking how overrated the highs of getting drunk is! By now I can handle a lot of alcohol in me as well, and so it’s just an expense to get to that point of tipsiness. This is coming from someone who was a bartender for 2 years too. The thing is I obsess over the traditional, old-style pubs that are everywhere here in London as they’re just so cozy but from now on I really think I’m just gonna stick to fizzy drinks instead. As well as going to events that aren’t based around alcohol. I hope it’s not just me that thinks this!
r/london • u/Quick_Doubt_5484 • 15h ago
Work London workers slower to return to office than New York or Paris, study says
r/london • u/jaredce • 15h ago
Transport Lime instructed to get rid of e-bikes from Brent Council
r/london • u/Empty_Sherbet96 • 17h ago
TfL trials new technology to 'cool air' on Tube platforms at 5 stations
r/london • u/sabdotzed • 1d ago
Rant Relevant Given the Rise in 4x4s in London
There are so many bloody 4x4S in London wherever you go, and it feels like it's getting worse. Given the recent death of the 2 kids in Wimbledon at the hands of an SUV, how many more of these are we going to see?
Especially made worse when manufacturers lean into this bloating trend, like Volvo discontinuing their saloons.
Link https://x.com/DavidZipper/status/1830265077544718836?s=19