9 things to do in London this week
Phase two of easing out of lockdown has begun across England. We are now able to meet up with friends, head back to the gym and catch up on some much-needed beauty and grooming treatments.
Here are some of the things you can get up to from April 12, and if your favourite spots aren’t on the list, then don’t forget that more London establishments are set to open on May 17.
London Bridge Rooftop Bar
Image: @londonbridgerooftop
#FLODown: A brand new rooftop bar is opening in London Bridge, with an incredible view of the London skyline. The rooftop bar, which was previously home to Winter Heights, is back this summer with cocktails and epic street food vendors.
Promising nothing but good time vibes, the venue set to open on 17 April will be open every day with live DJs too. The bar is a stones throw away from London Bridge station, is located on top of a 70s style office block, and has stunning 360 degree views of the London skyline.
The London Bridge Rooftop will be dedicating Sunday’s to Aperol – and who doesn’t love Aperol! They will be offering Aperol cocktails at £5 each from 12-4pm and the bar closes at 11pm. It might just be the perfect place for a Sunday sesh!
Bookings are free apart from Saturdays where you'll have to pay a £5 fee to book.
Location:
Colechurch House, Bridge Walk, London SE1 2SS
Click here for more rooftop bars to visit in the city.
The Dorchester Terrace and Garden
Image: @thegrillatthedorchester
#FLODown: The Dorchester is launching their first-ever rooftop and bar…
The Dorchester Rooftop will be opening on April 12 and will play host to an alfresco culinary pop-up. Kicking off with a British inspired menu by the Head Chef at The Grill at The Dorchester, Tom Booton. Other pop-ups will include a modern French dining experience by Jean-Philippe-Blondet.
The rooftop will be open daily for lunch, dinner and drinks! Making it another great location to add to your post-lockdown list. The hotel is also due to fully reopen on May 17.
Location: 53 Park Lane, Mayfair, London W1K 1QA
Shakespeare’s Globe Guided Tours
Image: @the_globe
#FLODOwn: The Globe Theatre has reopen to visitors. The theatre is initially opening with guided tours of the building and backstage areas. You’ll get the opportunity to hear the story of the original 1599 theatre including how The Globe battled to survive plague, fire and political oppression, and how one man’s vision saw it rise again after 400 years.
Shakespeare’s Globe, like all arts organisations, has been brought to the brink of closure as a result of the pandemic, and has used its reserves and money from the government bailout to survive. Visiting The Globe is not only a great family day out, but it’s also an opportunity to help support our theatres. The theatre’s Swan Restaurant and bar will also reopen on April 12 for outdoor dining and drinking.
Location:
21 New Globe Walk, Bankside, London, SE1 9DT
Drive-in Cinema
Image: @yourallypally
#FLODown: Summer is almost here and that means the drive-in cinema experience is back! The rooftop film club is offering a perfect drive-in experience at Alexandra Palace. Usually located at the Bussey Building in Peckham, this new location will ensure you can enjoy great movies whilst socially distancing in the comfort of your vehicle.
The films being screened include classics such as Bridesmaids, Clueless, Pretty Women, 10 Things I Hate About You, The Great Gatsby, Finding Nemo and many more. There will be plenty of food available including popcorn, sweets and Pop Dogs which are the delicious plant-based alternative to hot dogs. Food ordered will be contactless and delivered straight to your vehicle. You are also welcome to bring your own food.
Location:
Alexandra Palace, Alexandra Palace Way, London, N22 7AY, The Pavilion Car Park
Click here for more outdoor cinema venues.
Dining Domes at Somerset House
Image: @somersethouse
#FLODown: Dining Domes are back at Somerset House. Following on from the success of December in the Courtyard, Somerset House is introducing Dining Domes overlooking the Thames offering an exceptional open-air dining experience.
The River Terrace will offer a range of delicious lunch, afternoon tea and dinner menus which have been designed by an award-winning culinary team and are a perfect treat for this spring.
You can book a table for up to 6 guests, for larger party bookings please contact them directly.
Southbank Food Market
Image: MTotoe
#FLODown: The Southbank Food Market is making a comeback on 30 April for all you food lovers out there. The market offers a variety of delicious street food from all corners of the globe. Plus, you can wash them down with a range of beers, wines and cocktails which are all to be found at the market too.
Also within the vicinity is the South Bank Centre Book Market, one of the only outdoor book markets in London. Hidden under Waterloo Bridge, the market is home to a selection of great second-hand books and is one of our favourite places to pick up a new read. Expect to find hundreds of classics, comics, prints and contemporary titles.
After enjoying the delicious food the market has to offer and finding your next big read, why not explore the rest of Southbank. We recommend checking out what’s happening at the Royal Festival Hall, then having a stroll down Southbank and enjoying the beautiful views.
Click here to discover the best of London markets.
Saatchi Yates presents ‘Allez La France!’
Image: @saatchiyates
#FLODown: Saatchi Yates is reopening with the exhibition Allez La France!
Saatchi Yates is pleased to announce the group show Allez La France! featuring works by Jin Angdoo, Mathieu Julien, Hams Klemens, and Kevin Pinsembert. Taking its title from fans’ chants for the French national football team, the exhibition brings together the work of these four painters to consider the legacy of the painting tradition in France. The show presents new large-scale works and marks the first time these artists will be shown together in a gallery space.
Their interest was in creating work that exists outside of museums, galleries and institutions but is on display to the public for hours, days or weeks, depending on how quickly their work was painted over. The exhibition will be on until 26 May 2021. Click here for more on Allez La France!
Location: 6 Cork St, Mayfair, London W1S 3NX
Click here for more art galleries and museums to visit in London.
Alfresco dining
Image: Maddi Bazzocco
#FLODown: Up to 60 roads will be closed to cars in the city from April 12 to sometime in September in the creation of alfresco dining boulevards. Just what we need to get back into the swing of a great British summer!
Westminster City Council has announced daytime and evening closures include Dean Street, Old Compton Street and Greek Street in Soho, Lisle Street in Chinatown, St Martin’s Lane and Maiden Lane in Covent Garden, and Chiltern Street in Marylebone.
Other roads that will close include Pavilion Road, Byte Street and Elystan Street in Kensington and Chelsea. Excitingly, Portobello Road in Notting Hill will also be closed to traffic during the day on market days.
Hampton Court Palace
Image: @historicroyalpalaces
#FLODown: Cardinal Thomas Wolsey originally took to transforming Hampton Court Palace from a country home to a palace fit for a King. Impressed by the transformation, King Henry eventually took the palace for himself.
The Palace is surrounded by lavish gardens and famed features such as the Maze and the Great Vine. It was opened to the public in 1838, with the Maze becoming one of its most popular attractions. Today the palace has two annual festivals - the Hampton Court Music Festival and the RHS Flower Show. With a permanent art collection and the Magic Garden that was opened by the Duchess of Cambridge in 2016, there are plenty of things to do at the Palace!
At present, the palace will be limiting the number of tickets available per day to ensure we comply with social distancing guidelines. A booked time slot provides access to the courtyards and gardens, however, access to the Magic Garden is on a strictly first-come, first-served basis, so there may be queues during peak periods.
Location:
Hampton Court Palace East Molesey, Surrey, KT8 9AU
Image: @notanothernurseblog
Remebering…
The Covid-19 Memorial Wall
A touching memorial has appeared by the Thames to represent loved ones taken by a coronavirus. The National Covid Memorial wall is expected to honour every one of the UK’s 150,000 victims of the pandemic with a red heart.
The memorial wall has been organised by Covid-19 Bereaved Families for Justice, a campaign group that is dedicated to supporting bereaved families who have lost loved ones to coronavirus. They hope the wall will put personal stories at the heart of the national narrative on the pandemic.
Location: A wall facing the Houses of Parliament in Westminster.
