The London Minute ⏰ Friday 27 September 2024
Putney Bridge revamp, NBA boost, World Halal Food Festival, Peckham's Multi-Story Orchestra plays Southbank + Ministry of Sound birthday weekender
🌞 Good morning London. Here’s Friday’s London Minute.
🚨 Six people were arrested at a pro-Lebanon march last night as a crowd convened on Downing Street. - By Rafi Mauro-Benady, MyLondon.
🏗️ Plans to create a new shopping pavilion in the middle of Coal Drops Yard in King’s Cross have been paused after local opposition. - Jonathan Prynn, The Standard.
"We are pausing the planning application for the proposed Coal Drops Yard Pavilion at King’s Cross to provide time to review the feedback we have received and then evolve the proposals." - David Partridge, Related Argent.
🚦 Times Square in New York City could be the inspiration for the pedestrianisation of Oxford Street, according to Sadiq Khan. - Ross Lydall, The Standard.
🚴♀️ Construction has begun on a new cycle lane leading onto Putney Bridge. It’s part of a three-stage revamp. - Holly Munks has the details in Time Out.
🦭 Almost 600 harbour seals and 3,000 grey seals now live in the Thames Estuary, the Zoological Society of London says. - BBC London News.
🗞️ After last week’s closure of the daily Evening Standard print newspaper, its owner yesterday launched a new weekly Thursday newspaper called The London Standard. - Mark Wilkinson, The Standard.
⮑ ‘London Standard’s AI imitation of Brian Sewell proves art critics cannot be easily replaced’ - Jonathan Jones, The Guardian.
🚈 Liverpool Street Station will be closed for more than a week over the Christmas period, Network Rail has revealed. - Ross Lydall, The Standard.
🌯 Boxpark’s new site at Camden Market opened last night. - Nathalie Raffray, Ham & High.
⮑ It has a range of opening weekend events on starting today.
🏀 Good news for basketball fans: The NBA could return to London after mayor Sadiq Khan met US-based basketball bosses. NBA chief Mark Tatum, said: “The NBA has a long history of playing games in London, and we are committed to further growing the game in the city and across the UK.” - Matt Hardy, City AM.
🌳 A fallen 15-metre tree temporarily blocked Charlotte Street near the junction of Goodge Street. - Linus Rees, The Fitzrovia News.
🏛️ Chelsea History Festival returns for its sixth year this weekend, including talks by authors Kate Mosse, James Holland and Horrible Histories writer Terry Deary. - More details and tickets on the festival website.
🥪 A festival focusing entirely on Christmas sandwiches is coming to Peckham in November. - Laura Reynolds, Londonist.
📆 Plenty more going on this weekend. Here’s a quick round-up:
Londonist’s weekend events list includes London Mural Festival, Totally Thames festival, a last chance to play Wild Swing Mini Golf at Greenwich Peninsula and 150+ vendors will pitch up at the London Stadium in Stratford for the World Halal Food Festival.
The Mystery Jets play EartH Hackney tonight. There’s a classic car boot sale (as in, classic cars) at Granary Square and Coal Drops Yard at King’s Cross on Saturday and Sunday. And there’s a bargain to be had at BiBo Shoreditch. - All the details are in Rosie Hewitson and Alex Sims’ weekend round-up for Time Out.
🍻 Oktoberfest is back this weekend at Between The Bridges.
🔊 US dance music icon Steve Aoki is playing the Ministry of Sound birthday weekender tonight, topping a huge line-up with doors opening at 5pm.
⮑ The MoS party continues on Saturday with Groove Armada performing live from 10pm. - Tickets via Dice.
🎶 Using R&B, reggaeton and rap to tell a story for all ages about the pressures of social media, The Multi-Story Orchestra from Brixon will perform their ‘Verified’ show at Southbank Centre’s Queen Elizabeth Hall on Saturday from 4pm. - Tickets via Dice.
“Celebrated by ArtsDesk as ‘gobsmackingly brilliant’, Verified is a story about the dangers of social media: the search for authenticity and acceptance amidst the growing pressures of living in a digital age.This show promises to be even better this year; with spoken word and a new script by upcoming Peckham writer Montel Douglas, alongside epic songs written and performed by our choir and orchestra.” - Read more about the show here.
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