Chiara Wilkinson

There’s some absolute cracking club events happening in London this week (yes, somehow they’re even better than normal). Fancy a mad one at the opera? Check out Fabric’s show at the London Coliseum. Fancy an all-female line-up with some of the UK’s freshest DJ talent? Check out Mary Anne Hobbs’s party for International Women’s Day. Fancy a night of dirty techno with all ticket sales and bar profits donated to the crisis in Ukraine? Check out Space 289’s fundraiser. That’s only the beginning: here are the best nights out in the capital.  Space 289 Ukraine Fundraiser View this post on Instagram A post shared by Space289 (@space.289) To support the people of Ukraine in the developing humanitarian crisis, the dance music community has come together to throw a full-frontal fundraiser at Space 289. As well as a cracking line-up featuring some top underground DJs, all profits from the bar and 100 percent of ticket sales and booking fees will go towards humanitarian charities Vostok SOS and the Ukrainian Red Cross. Find out more ways to support Ukraine from London here. Line-up includes: Giant Swan, Secret Guest, DJ Bus Replacement Service, Bok Bok, Impey b2b Sleepier Space 289, E2 9HA. Fri Mar 11, 7pm-1am. £15.  Fabric at the Opera It's 2022 and electronic music no longer is restricted to club dancefloors and muddy fields. It can also be proper, it can also be posh. Fabric is teaming up with English National Opera to bring some of the most exciting producers a

There are plenty of world-class music festivals being held only a tube ride away from most Londoners. Luxurious stuff considering, after a long day of sun and debauchery, there’s nothing better than a warm shower and your own bed.  With headliners from underground electronic DJs to massive international rap stars, loads of 2022 London festivals are busy selling tickets. Take a look at our list of best in show.  RECOMMENDED: The best UK music festivals.

Megan Eagles is on a mission to document Londoners and their pets. That’s how she’s ended up photographing parrots, snakes, chickens, a pink-eared poodle and ten fluffy rabbits.  ‘You need to be inventive, take advantage of light and be quick,’ says Eagles, who started the project three years ago. ‘Possibly the hardest to photograph were the bunnies – it was almost impossible to keep them all on the bed at once to get the shot, and there was lots of weeing.’ Eagles’s photos aren’t fancy, they’re not overly edited and they don’t seem staged. To shoot, she uses a heavy, medium-format camera with a loud shutter sound. ‘Most of the animals were either intrigued or distracted by the noise,’ she says. ‘It’s a tough one trying to photograph something that doesn’t sit still.’ Her photos are lively and authentic-feeling, documenting the tender moments that exist between people and their pets: a snake draped over shoulders, fluffy rabbits in a cluttered bedroom, a chicken in a delicate, loving embrace. She’s found some subjects by bumping into them on the street, others by contacting them directly. ‘I’m always surprised by the variety of animals you can come across just walking around London,’ says Eagles, who has a dog, cat and three ex-battery hens herself. However, a more obscure animal doesn’t always equal a more interesting photograph. ‘Sometimes a more conventional pet with a characterful owner results in a stronger image,’ Eagles says.  ‘Animals are everywhere in London, eve

Some classics are classics for a reason. And so it is with the Valentine’s Day bouquet of flowers. For some, the choice is simple: February 14 is only and forever associated with roses, roses and more roses. For others, they’re looking to impress their beloved with something that’s cleverly off-kilter. Maybe a bowl of succulents or some spray-painted dried flowers? Or a heart-shaped house plant? Luckily, NYC is home to a truly scrumptious collection of florists just waiting to help you find the perfect bunch. In fact, there’s no need to limit yourself to traditional florists when you can also find flowers to buy at restaurants, bars and coffee shops. Oh, and you also don’t have to leave the house. All of the below are the best options for flower delivery services (including same day delivery) in NYC. Get creative – or let the professionals do the job for you – and you won’t even need to worry about spending too much, thanks to the availability of cheap flowers on sale. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

When I was in my early twenties, I sent out my first novel, but people were turning it down. A year or so went by, and I received a letter from Macmillan publishers inviting me to their offices in Little Essex Street. By that stage, I was despairing – I thought they’d pat me on the head and say ‘nice try, dear’. I was living in Kingston upon Thames at the time. When I was younger, my mum used to take me into London to visit Selfridges at Christmas, but I didn’t really know other parts of the city. I set off for Waterloo and walked along the Strand, before I was ushered into a grand boardroom, all mahogany and gleaming. It was like I’d been removed from my ordinary life and there was this magical life of luxury and culture that I had one toe in. The head of Macmillan’s crime list told me that my book, ‘Hide and Seek’, was going to be published. Afterwards, I skipped down the street and bought an egg-salad sandwich on the Strand to celebrate. I’d wanted to be a writer since I was six years old, so it meant the world to me. Nothing’s ever been as exciting as that moment. Jacqueline Wilson is at the Imagine Children’s Festival at the Southbank Centre on Feb 20.

Fluffy, fragrant and dripping in butter. When Rita’s launched its one-of-a-kind garlic bread at its Soho restaurant, the dish sold out on day one. ‘It’s satisfying, salty and a little bit nostalgic,’ says co-founder Gabriel Pryce. ‘I grew up between here and the States, and the dish is a meeting of two of my favourite things: the garlic bread from a Crouch End pizzeria and the warm Parker House rolls you get with dinner in the US.’ He explains its magic formula.  The green butter ‘We purée garlic with parsley and add it to butter with parmesan and pepper. It’s indulgent, smooth and very buttery. We sprinkle sea salt on the roll to hold the butter in place.’ The parmesan ‘We shave a little cheese on top of the butter for an extra flourish of flavour. We use Grana Padano from an Italian supplier – it’s the perfect box-ticking cheese, not too heavy.’ The bread ‘We cook the dough in garlic oil. It’s baked just before service in a very hot oven to make a chewy crust and a pillowy soft centre that soaks up the butter.’ The process ‘When you pull the bread apart, the butter starts to melt and you can dunk it in. Sharing food at the beginning of a meal brings everyone together.’ The garlic ‘We go through a lot of garlic – we make about three kilos of this butter a day. It’s made with confit garlic as well as raw, so it has a warm, roasted flavour, but is also punchy.’ 49 Lexington St. £4.50.

Flowers are not just for Valentine’s Day, an anniversary or other big special occasion. Any day is a good day to send flowers. A bouquet or a colorful arrangement can brighten anyone’s day, no reason necessary. The best cheap flower delivery services have you covered so you can easily deliver fresh, fabulous bouquets anywhere, any time. You don’t need expensive roses to show you care—these national flower delivery services will work with your budget to find something gorgeous at a reasonable price. You can choose arrangements designed for specific events like birthdays, graduations or get well wishes. You can even treat yourself to some lovely flowers. Sweeten the deal and have some amazing chocolates delivered too. If romance is your goal, you might also want to plan a getaway to one of the most romantic hotels in the US, but kick things off by having a beautiful bouquet delivered first. Otherwise, you don’t need a reason to send flowers, especially from these inexpensive flower delivery options, so go ahead and make someone’s day with a fresh flower arrangement. This article includes affiliate links. These links have no influence on our editorial content. For more information, click here.

Taking place between February 5 and March 19, the anticipated Six Nations rugby tournament is back for 2022 – and yes, we’ll be allowed to watch in the pub, with friends, and a pint this year.  There are loads of rugby pubs and bars all over London showing the fixtures, but if you’re looking for big screens and loads of seats, check out our pick of the best places to watch the ruggers in the capital.  We’ll be updating this list with more places when they are announced. 

No parts of the pig are left behind at Manteca, Shoreditch’s show-stopping nose-to-tail restaurant. ‘We try to minimise waste as creatively as we can,’ says founder Chris Leach. Its pig skin ragù – a burst of savoury goodness buried in shavings of parmesan – was born as a solution to use up the skin. ‘People have said they could be in the hills in Northern Italy when eating it, but that it also works in Shoreditch,’ says Leach. ‘It’s familiar and new at the same time.’ He explains what goes into it.  The crispy skin ‘We boil the skin until it’s really soft, dehydrate it, and then deep-fry it so it triples in size. It’s lighter than pork scratching, and spicy. We season it with chilli and fennel salt.’ The taste ‘The ragù has quite a deep flavour. There’s a sweetness to it, but when the chilli salt hits your tongue, there’s a real fiery moment too – so there’s a lot going on.’ The ragù ‘The sofrito vegetable base is cooked for a long time before adding the pig skin, creating a rich taste with a lot of umami. It will stick your lips together when you eat it!’ The parmesan ‘We keep parmesan rinds and ferment them with koji to make an intense parmesan-and-soy-sauce-like seasoning. We add a little to the ragù, and top with parmesan.’ The texture ‘The crispy pig skin is similar in texture to Quavers or prawn crackers. You can eat it however you want, but it’s fun if you dip the skin directly into the ragù.’ 49-51 Curtain Road. £7.

Burns Night always falls on January 25 (which is a Tuesday in 2022) and gives London the opportunity to celebrate Scotland’s national poet, Robert Burns, with lots of food, booze and partying. From ceilidhs and whisky tastings to indulgent Burns suppers, discover how you can enjoy Burns Night 2022 in the capital.  We’ll be updating this page with more events as they are announced. RECOMMENDED: More great things to do in London this January.

If you’ve lived in London for a while, chances are you’ve been able to explore a decent number of the fantastic museums and art galleries we have right here on our doorstep. But did you know that there’s also a whole lot of hidden spaces in these buildings, some of which the public are occasionally allowed to visit? We don’t just mean offices and archives – we’re talking about rooms full of pickled animals, laboratories and basements stacked with fascinating objects that usually stay behind closed doors. Intrigued? Here’s our behind-the-scenes guide to the best secret spaces in London’s museums and galleries.  Somerset House: The Deadhouse Photograph: Philip Vile Aptly named the Deadhouse, this eerie-looking chamber sits in an underground labyrinth of vaults and secret rooms beneath Somerset House, holding funeral monuments dating from the 1630s to 1690s that were originally from a Roman Catholic chapel used by Henrietta Maria (Charles I’s wife) and Catherine of Braganza (Charles II’s wife). Now, the space is hired out for events and filming, but you’re able to get a sneak peek if you hop on the Somerset House Studios and Historical Highlights tours.  Somerset House, WC2R 1LA. Natural History Museum: The Spirit Collection Photograph: Trustees of the Natural History Museum London Are you into pickles? Not onions, kimchi or eggs, but alcohol-preserved animal specimens, like the 22 million housed in the Natural History Museum’s sci-fi-esque Spirit Collection. Highlights i

If there’s one thing we know for sure, it’s that Londoners really love their city. In this year’s Love Local Awards, there were a whopping 100,000 votes as you guys championed your favourite places in the capital. All those votes are a celebration of the city’s beloved local restaurants, pubs, bars, cafés, shops, music venues, galleries and theatres – the places that make this city what it is. Now, we can finally reveal the winners… 

Fancy a free mid-week boogie? We bet you do. For this year’s International Women’s Day, The Distillery Bankside at Hilton London Bankside is partnering with female-owned DJ booking app, Bookd: Music In A Click, to host a series of free-to-attend female DJ sets in support of women in the music industry. A extensive cocktail, wine, and craft beer menu will be on hand so you can slurp away while dancing, as well as a food menu in case you need to fuel up before busting those moves. DJ duo Lara Fraser and Laura Pradelska will be taking to the decks to kick-start the festivities, with other acts for the rest of the series yet to be announced. 

Four Tet is one of the smartest folk on the UK electronic music scene right now. Actually, he’s been one of the smartest in the scene probably for the past decade. From crafting his own tracks (which could tread through anything from mellow electronica to jazzy odysseys, dubbed-out club tracks and bassy house bangers), producing for other artists or curating his own parties, he definitely doesn’t seem to be slowing down anytime soon. Here’s some good news for you: Four Tet is playing his only extended festival set this August at Finsbury Park. As well as two stages of music decked out with rumbling sound systems, there will be plenty of refreshments to keep you dancing all day long: including a natural wine bar, street food, cold craft beers, cocktails and some oh-so-mysterious ‘special surprises’. He’s invited a bunch of his pals along to play, to be announced on the line-up in due course. If history is anything to go by, this one is going to be a biggie. 

Louche. According to the dictionary, it means ‘unconventional and not respectable, but often in a way that people find rather attractive’. I wasn’t sure how much Louche, the new Greek Street cocktail bar by the guys behind Old Street Records, would live up to its name. Unconventional: not particularly. Attractive: I guess?  With low-lit interiors and framed photos of jazz musicians and nightclub icons dotting its wood-panelled walls, Louche brands itself as the saviour of Soho’s ‘old-school spirit’. Maybe all the hedonism, vice and debauchery ingrained in the area’s seamy history could be revived by some clever lighting and a retro sideboard? Or maybe not. When I arrived on a Friday evening, the vibe was so mellow that the people in the photos seemed to be having more fun than the folk there. I was shown up a narrow staircase to a candlelit table for two with a perfect view of the stage, promising entertainment like live jazz, vinyl DJs, and surprise cabaret performances. But by the time I left, the live music still hadn’t started – the most amusement I had was watching someone dutifully tuning instruments and a generous bowl of salted nuts. I later learned that things were just about to heat up (most of the live stuff on weekends starts around 10pm). Moral of the story: go late. Drinks, luckily, is where Louche excelled. There’s a selection of wines and fizz as well as all of the spirits you’d expect – but what you’re really here for is the cocktails. There are all the class

German composer Sven Helbig is heading to the Southbank Centre’s Purcell Room this April to showcase his new album, ‘Skills’. A celestial-sounding project that builds to a beautiful, transcendental climax, he’ll be joined by the London Contemporary Orchestra – a gang of four french horns, a string quartet, vibraphones and electronics. To provide an aesthetic complement to the show, artist Máni M Sigfússon (who’s previously worked with big guys like Sigur Rós and the Rolling Stones) will be providing the visuals: talk about a sensory feast.  

Palestinian underground DJ Sama' Abdulhadi is coming to Phonox this March for a very special show. Aiming to raise money for Lebanon, all ticket sales will be donated to charity Nusaned – an independent humanitarian and community-based volunteer organisation – and will go towards helping the region in crisis. As well as the fact you’ll be dancing for a very good cause, the night will also treat your auditory canals to some top-notch techno: think thundering bass, blistering bleeps, and an all-round quality time. Lebanese DJs Jad Taleb, KLO, Sam Karam and Tryangleman will be joining Abdulhadi behind the decks to keep the dancing going for hours on end.  Find out more here.   

Glistening waters, baby blue skies, romantic architecture... a trip to Venice certainly wouldn't go a miss right now. But even if it’s not so easy for you to jet off to Italy, you can still escape to the floating city with an exciting new exhibition coming to the capital this spring. A complete set of 24 Venetian views painted by Canaletto in the 1730s will be whisked from the famous collection at Woburn Abbey and into London's National Maritime Museum, promising a rare opportunity to see the works IRL as well as drawings, prints, photographs, and other objects that will bring the exhibtion to life.     

It’s time to indulge in the afterlife with a special after-hours tour of Sir John Soane’s Museum. Here, you’ll learn the myths of ancient Greece and Rome, delve into the crypt, and navigate candlelit passageways. You’ll encounter 2000-year-old artworks, hear readings of the classical epics, and finally, ascend to Elysium – where a bar will serve up themed tipples as ‘offerings to the Gods’. Spooky stuff. 

Taking place this year as part of the Lewisham Borough of Culture, Liberty festival is a free and annual event showcasing works by D/deaf and disabled artists. Presented by the Mayor of London, the programme includes art, performance, interactive installations, a symposium, brand new commissions as well as participatory workshops. Performances will be BSL interpreted and there will also be audio described visual art and quiet areas.  

Nothing says ‘I love you’ more than a big plate of Italian food. Treat your significant other with Eataly's show-stopping Valentine's day meal, including four courses and a welcome glass of Prosecco. Dishes include beetroot marinated Loch Duart salmon, with berry gel and radish misticanza; saffron Acquerello risotto with clams and samphire; atlantic grilled halibut with sautéed artichoke potatoes and olives; and vanilla crème brulèe with Enkir and ginger biscuit and orange sauce. Mwah!

Did you hear? Limos are out, Uber boats are in. And what could be more romantic than cruising down the Thames while gazing out at the capital’s skyline (dirty river water spraying up to interupt your kiss)? The Uber Love Boat by Thames Clippers is a special service running only on Valentine’s Day promising to whisk you to your London date in style. On board, there's a live string quartet playing iconic love songs, as well as a menu including heart shaped shortbread biscuits, salted caramel cupcakes, champagne, prosecco and wine.  You can book a journey via the Uber app. It applies to boats departing between 5:35 - 6:40pm on February 14th from North Greenwich Pier. 

There’s something about eating a meal in a pub that just changes things. Maybe you’ll order a pint rather than a glass of vino. Maybe you’ll be less ashamed to use your finger to mop up that last lick of sauce. You might laugh a bit louder and stay a bit longer. That will probably be the case if you visit Tendril, the (mostly) vegan restaurant that’s taken over Soho boozer The Sun & 13 Cantons. The eating area, round the side of the pub’s main bar, instantly gave me ‘Wizard of Oz’ Emerald City vibes. Shiny jade tiles and large mirrors line the walls, perfect for checking yourself out while you gobble (only to see how hideous your munching face is). But other than my demonic reflection, the space had a nice, nonchalant atmosphere, without any stuffiness.   Tendril bills itself as a ‘mostly vegan kitchen’, but for Veganuary, it crossed out the ‘mostly’ and went fully plant-based. Its head chef and founder, Rishim Sachdeva (ex-The Fat Duck, Almeida and The Dairy), created an eclectic six-course ‘Veganuary discovery’ menu: it was colourful, fresh and uncompromised by cuisines. With the exception of one or two accidental Güs, I was doing Veganuary somewhat successfully and had hardly been eating out. This was exciting.  To start, I was served a dainty portion of smoked aubergine with tahini, chilli cucumber and puff pastry. The aubergine was warm, smooth and moreish, but the cucumber made the rest of the dish soggy – it lacked that satisfying crisp you instantly crave whenever you

Interested in dance music and club culture? AVA London, the mammoth electronic music and arts conference, is taking over Printworks this March with a jam-packed programme of masterclasses, talks, interviews, and workshops, as well as night-time club performances from the likes of Holly Lester, Maribou State, KiNK, and many more. There will be a keynote talk from Aphex Twin's audiovisual arist, Weirdcore; a conversation with Trainspotting's author, Irvine Welsh; a panel on sustainability in events, and other fascinating things from industry experts to keep your mind dancing.  Speakers include: CARL COX | VIRTUAL Q&AELIJAHIRVINE WELSH JAGUAR JAMZ SUPERNOVAKINK (MASTERCLASS)NIKSGEORGIA TAGLIETTI (LAURENT GARINER)OLLY ISSACS (THIS IS MUSIC LTD.)TOM DEFFEE (SOLAR MANAGEMENT)

Russian president Vladimir Putin has launched a full-scale attack on Ukraine, sending in military forces by air, land and sea. Ukraine is at war and people around the world are looking for ways to show their support. If you want to help the Ukrainians and you’re living in London, here are some practical things you can do. Show solidarity by attending protests in London Protests pushing the British government to impose tougher sanctions against Russia and to provide more medical support for Ukraine have already taken place over the last week, with reports of several hundred joining demonstrations at Downing Street and outside of the UK Russian Embassy, and thousands congregating in Trafalgar Square. Attending a peaceful demonstration can help to put pressure on the government to take action and is a visible way to show your support.  More protests are planned. Follow Ukraine Solidarity Campaign and London Euromaidan to keep up to date with London protests.  Write to your local MP Contacting your local MP can help lobby the British government to address a particular issue, for example to welcome refugees from Ukraine, to place more sanctions on the Russian government or to send over more medical or military support.  Email your local MP or send a letter to their constituency address, asking them to raise the issue in parliament and to put pressure on the government. Instructions on how to do this can be found here.  Support Ukrainian charities   Donating money to charities work

Did someone say Patti Smith? Higher Ground is a brand new boutique music festival coming to the grounds of Alexandra Palace this summer, and yes, Smith is headlining. Hosted by live music producers Serious on Sunday July 24, Higher Ground is promising all sorts of stuff – but the female-heavy indie rock line-up is probably what’s most exciting.  Experimental pop artist Spelling will be making a rare UK appearance, meanwhile NTS presenter Nabihah Iqbal will be playing her spellbinding blend of electronic and indie. North-London-based Joviale will share her unique transcendental sound on home soil, and Connie Constance and Mercury-nominated Nadine Shah will also take to the stage – promising a day of top-quality singer-songwriting and performance.  View this post on Instagram A post shared by Higher Ground Festival (@highergroundldn) If that’s not enough for you, DJs, indoor workshops, and talks are promised to keep your body and mind moving, meanwhile bars and food trucks will be on hand to keep you energised throughout the festival. We expect there will be more details about these as the event draws closer, so follow Higher Ground on its Instagram to keep up to date with the latest announcements.  Kaleidoscope festival is also taking place at Ally Pally this summer, with a line-up of stand-up comedy and live music including Happy Mondays and Orbital.  Higher Ground takes place on Sun Jul 24 at Alexandra Palace and Park. Early bird tickets cost £40 an

Royals fans, rejoice. A stunning photograph of the late Princess Diana, which has been hidden away in a personal archive for decades, is set to go on show to the public for the first time.  Dripping in elegance, the black-and-white profile portrait was taken by the celebrated photographer David Bailey as part of a 1988 sitting commissioned by the National Portrait Gallery. After being stored in Bailey’s personal archives for years, it will be unveiled this Friday (March 4) at Kensington Palace as part of a new exhibition, ‘Life Through a Royal Lens’. And we have to admit: it really is a cracker.  Photograph: © David Bailey. The exhibition will display a series of iconic and never-before-seen royal photographs from the reign of Queen Victoria up to the present, intimately exploring the lives of the royal family, both on and off duty. As well as work by renowned photographers such as Cecil Beaton, Lord Snowdon, Rankin and Annie Leibovitz, images taken by members of the family themselves will be shown, including some snaps by the Duchess of Cambridge, who has shared personal photos of her children.  ‘Life Through a Royal Lens’ is at Kensington Palace from Mar 4-Oct 30. Entry is included in palace admission. London is getting a brand-new lido. Things to do in London this weekend.

その昔、ロンドンのオックスフォード・ストリートの楽しみといえば、巨大なトップショップで試着しまくることやハウス・オブ・フレーザーでウインドーショッピングだった。 しかしオンラインショッピングの台頭とロンドン中心部で働く人の減少が、大きな変化をもたらしている。 昔ながらの旗艦店の多くは閉鎖され、代わりに電子たばこや土産物、過剰な品ぞろえの携帯電話ケースを売る店などが台頭。HMVの元旗艦店に掲げられていた看板のキャッチコピー「His Master's Voice」の一部は、新しい看板で覆われ「His Master's American Candy」になった。この巨大な空間に、アメリカの製品を多く扱うキャンディーショップ（お菓子屋）が入ったのだ。 実は最近、ロンドン全体でこの種の店が増えている。2021年6月にタイムアウトが調査したところ、ロンドン中心部では少なくとも250メートルに1軒の割合で、アメリカのチョコやクッキーを中心に売る店があることが確認された。HMVの元旗艦店がキャンディーショップになるのも、時間の問題だったといえるかもしれない。 Fuck this. https://t.co/DZMksBDx1O — edgarwright (@edgarwright) February 20, 2022 こうした現象について、人々がソーシャルメディア上でコメントを寄せている。あるユーザーはこうつぶやいた。「オックスフォード・ストリートは、もう冗談の域を超えている。少なくとも1ブロックごとに1軒は（キャンディーショップが）ある。なぜ誰も何もしないんだ？」 別のユーザーは、「これら（キャンディーショップ）が、ある種のマネーロンダリングの隠れみのではないかと思ってしまう。買い物させないために、非常識な価格を設定し、大音量で音楽を流しているのではないか」と発言。『ラストナイト・イン・ソーホー』を監督したエドガー・ライトも怒っているようだ。 HMVの旗艦店は1921年にオープン。2019年に同社が経営破綻するまでオックスフォード・ストリートで営業を続けていた。 原文はこちら 関連記事 『Uber傘下の水上バス、ロンドン郊外への定期路線開設』 『2022年の都市にはミツバチが不可欠？』 『バンクシーの3作品がサザビーズのオークションに出品』 『イギリスのクラブがIDチェックをスマホで行う実証実験を実施中』 『ヴァージン・ギャラクティック、宇宙旅行チケットの一般販売開始』 東京の最新情報をタイムアウト東京のメールマガジンでチェックしよう。登録はこちら

Damn. London already has its fair share of massive acts playing its parks this summer, but Wireless seems to be taking things to a whole other level. The line-up – or should we say line-ups – is jaw-droppingly spectacular. So spectacular, in fact, that the 2022 edition is throwing parties across three sites: in Crystal Palace Park, Finsbury Park and Birmingham.  Taking place across the first two weekends in July, this mammoth celebration of rap music will see performances from ASAP Rocky, Tyler, the Creator, Cardi B, J Cole, Megan Thee Stallion, Doja Cat and Burna Boy. And it doesn’t stop there. Other acts, including Playboi Carti, Rico Nasty, Baby Keem, Roddy Ricch, Little Simz, Polo G, Jack Harlow and Nicki Minaj will also be playing slots at the festival. View this post on Instagram A post shared by Wireless Festival (@wirelessfest) Each act is programmed to only perform at one site, so make sure you take a close look at the breakdown before making that oh-so-important ticket purchase. Need a hand with that? Check out our line-up highlights for the London dates below:  Crystal Palace Park, July 1-3 ASAP Rocky The Kid Laroi Trippie Redd Rico Nasty  J Cole Doja Cat  Playboi Carti Tiffany Calver Tyler, the Creator Little Simz Ghetts   Finsbury Park, July 8-10 Cardi B Roddy Ricch Megan Thee Stallion Burna Boy Polo G Cuppy  SZA Nicki Minaj Lil Baby  Unknown T Tickets for Wireless festival start at £95 for a day ticket and £245 for a weekend (wi

A subtle smell of fried food lingers in the air, enough to make your mouth start salivating. There’s chequerboard flooring and red-and-green canteen-style booths. The retro menu lists scampi, plaice, haddock, cod, skate, sausage, pickled onion, tartare sauce and, of course, mushy peas. Old clippings from American newspapers and wobbly children’s drawings dot the wood-panelled walls. A trip to The Fryer’s Delight – an old-school chippy in Holborn – is like a real step back in time. It was opened by the Ferdenzi family from northern Italy in 1968. Thirty years later, its current owner, João Magalhães, took it over. ‘I’d already been working behind the counter for four years, so I decided to take out a bank loan to buy the shop,’ says Magalhães. ‘Now, I run it with my brother-in-law Osvaldo. One of the Ferdenzi brothers, Giuseppe, still works here, preparing the potatoes in the mornings.’ The pandemic and new parking rules mean the shop has lost a lot of its regular cabbie customers. Magalhães is working 12 hours a day, six days a week to keep things going. ‘We used to get a lot of office people, taxi drivers and tourists coming in,’ he says. ‘Now, it’s quiet. It’s important to keep on supporting independent takeaways like us.’ There’s a reason why this place has kept going for so long: it’s steeped in history. None of the fittings have changed since the shop opened – even the original logo of a bowler-hat-wearing fish, designed by another Ferdenzi brother, Robert, is still goin

As part of our Takeaways Week, we gave London’s kebab bossmen a grilling. Burak, Çukurova Kebab (pictured above) What’s the weirdest thing somebody’s ordered here? ‘Rice, chips and cheese, with all the sauces mixed together: chilli, garlic and ketchup.’  How do you deal with drunk people? ‘Because of the hours of this job, it’s common to come across drunk people. It’s usually funny. I try to help them and understand them because my English isn’t that great.’  How often do you eat kebabs?  ‘Every day. Two a day.’ Photograph: Jess Hand Gökay, Nazar Kebab  What’s the weirdest thing somebody’s ordered here?   ‘A customer wanted to try a burger, but not in a burger bun – in wrap bread.’  How do you deal with drunk people? ‘Sometimes it’s just funny, other times we have to control them. Sometimes, it’s hard to make them order because they’re so aggressive or so quiet – they just stand there and don’t say anything.’  How often do you eat kebabs?  ‘Every day. I love kebabs – I’ve eaten them all my life. I have 14 years of experience in kebabs. Every day I eat different meals from this shop.’   Photograph: Jess Hand Cihan, Diyarbakir What’s the weirdest thing somebody’s ordered here? ‘A chicken-wing wrap.’  How do you deal with drunk people? ‘You have to be friendly. If you can see a problem, try to prevent it rather than having to find a solution.’  How often do you eat kebabs?  ‘A lot. But when I’m in front of the fire in the grill, the smell fills me up.’ Photograph: Jess H

Apparently, we’re now all expected to ‘live’ with Covid. Prime Minister Boris Johnson has just announced the end of Covid restrictions in England – meaning that from Thursday, it will no longer be a legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive. And free lateral flow and PCR testing will be scrapped from April 1, as will mass testing in schools. But what does this mean for mask-wearing in London?  Will I still have to wear a mask on Transport for London services?  It’s currently a legal requirement to wear a mask on public transport in London, unless you are exempt. However, TfL announced today that they will no longer require face coverings to be worn on its services from 24 February – but will still strongly recommend them.  Lilli Matson, Chief Safety, Health and Environment Officer for TfL, said:  ‘Following the Government’s decision to lift coronavirus restrictions and the falling infection rates in London, we will be removing the condition of carriage that requires customers to wear face coverings from 24 February, but will continue to strongly recommend that customers and staff wear them as they are proven to reduce the risk of transmission and we know they provide confidence to people using public transport.’ In response to Boris Johnson’s recent announcement, Mayor of London Sadiq Khan said in a statement: ‘I urge passengers to be considerate of their fellow Londoners and continue to wear a face covering where appropriate unless exempt.’ Do I need to wear a

Apparently, one in every ten pints sold in London is now a Guinness. So stout lovers, rejoice! A brand-new drinking destination dubbed Guinness at Old Brewer’s Yard is set to open in Covent Garden next year, following a lip-biting £73 million investment.  The microbrewery and events hub (although it doesn’t sound all that micro to us, with the venue taking up 50,000 square feet) will be located on a historic brewing site, that first produced beer 300 years ago, covering Mercer Walk, Langley Street, Neal Street and Shelton Street.  It will feature a brewery with limited-edition beers, events spaces, a covered courtyard, a Guinness shop and an open-fire kitchen and restaurant with a 360-degree glass rooftop. There will also be the opportunity to try new brews – some that’ll only be available there – and tour the joint with a Guinness expert.  The venue plans to be carbon neutral by 2030, to be fully accessible upon opening and to train 100 bartenders each year through a skills programme (fingers crossed that helps to limit the number of disappointing beer heads in the world). The space is set to open in Autumn 2023, subject to planning permission and consultation period.  Check out these new renderings of the project:  Image: Diageo   Image: Diageo   Image: Diageo Image: Diageo Field Day has just added a ton of exciting new acts to its 2022 line-up. Things to do in London this weekend.

Rihanna. Busta Rhymes. Amy Winehouse. Signed photographs of musicians line the black-and-white tiled walls of Ochi Caribbean Takeaway in Shepherd’s Bush. ‘Whenever Rihanna’s in town, she always pops in and says hello,’ says Sharon Degannes, who runs the shop. ‘She loves curried chicken and white rice, and asks to see me to give me a hug and a kiss.’ RiRi is not the only star who’s a regular: Stormzy often picks up his favourite order of brown stew fish. Ochi has been on Uxbridge Road for 26 years. It used to be run by one of Degannes’s school friends before she took it over in 2011. The place is known for its jerk chicken, curried goat and oxtail – its specialty dishes sell out almost every day. ‘They’re all Jamaican recipes,’ says Degannes. ‘We didn’t change the menu at all when we took over.’ As well as having A-listers fans, Ochi is a firm favourite in the local community. ‘Some of our customers have been coming here for donkey’s years,’ says Degannes. ‘Many young kids around here have grown up on our food.’ For Degannes, looking after her customers goes beyond just serving them delicious food. If someone’s wallet has been stolen, she won’t hesitate to help with a cab fare. Or if she hears that a loved one is poorly, she’ll send a care package to lift their spirits. Ochi is a family affair: Degannes runs it with her son, two daughters and three grandchildren. ‘It’s a lovely feeling seeing the next generation and the generation after that all doing their part,’ she says. ‘A

From Thursday onwards, it’s no longer a legal requirement to self-isolate if you test positive with Covid. Still, that’s not necessarily the green flag to hit the clubs with a sore throat and fever, even if you are desperate to dance. Our venues have endured enough in the past couple years, so let’s keep being mindful when we go out so staff stay safe and the dancefloors stay bouncing. It’s been worth the wait, after all. Now all that pandemic chat is out the way, here are the best nights out in London this week.  La Discothèque View this post on Instagram A post shared by La Discothèque (@la_discotheque) There’s something about disco music that manages to bury its way into your veins and tickle the bottom of your belly. It can turn your mood around and make you want to dance, even if Storm Eunice is saying the complete opposite. This weekend, Printworks will once again be transformed into a worthy church of house-tinged grooves with some of the biggest names in contemporary disco – we’re talking four-time Grammy-nominated Kenny Dope and long-time London artist Erol Alkan. We’d recommend you cop a ticket before this one sells out.  Line-up: Kenny Dope, House Gospel Choir, Erol Alkan, Joe Goddard, Prosumer, Jaye Ward, Crazy P and more. Printworks, SE16 7PJ. Fri Feb 25, 8pm-3am. £39.50 fourth release. Metalheadz An essential night for any drum ’n’ bass devotee, the revolutionary Metalheadz is bringing a mischievous handful of names to London for its bigg

Back in the day, a trip to Oxford Street meant trying on all of the clothes in Big Topshop and a spot of window shopping in House of Fraser. Thanks to the rise of online shopping and fewer people working in central London, things are now looking very different. Many of the OG flagship stores have closed down, replaced with shops selling vapes, souvenirs and an excessive selection of phone cases. Now, in what could be the nail in the coffin for old-school Oxford Street retail, the original ‘His Master’s Voice’ sign on HMV’s iconic flagship store has been partly covered up with a new sign, and now reads ‘His Master’s American Candy’.  That’s right: a huge sweet shop has opened up in the space, and it’s not the only one in the area. The capital is now full of American candy stores – a phenomenon that Time Out investigated in June last year, confirming that there’s at least one sweet shop every 250 metres in central London.   People have commented on the change to the former HMV storefront on social media. One user tweeted: ‘It’s beyond a joke now on Oxford Street – there’s at least one of them every block. Why isn’t anyone doing anything about it?’ Fuck this. https://t.co/DZMksBDx1O — edgarwright (@edgarwright) February 20, 2022 Another user commented: ‘I'm not convinced that these [candy shops] aren’t money-laundering fronts of some kind. Between the insane prices and extremely loud music they play in there, it's as if they don’t actually want you to buy any of their stock.