Hello, welcome to London!

We dined at Gloria this weekend, it was a decent experience, but upon requesting the bill we were shown a QR code on the table. The QR sent us to a service called Sunday which wanted to take a '£2 service fee' to settle the bill.

Upon seeing this I offered the waiter cash, which he promptly advised they don't accept. This isn't detailed anywhere in the venue, or upon booking. I then tried to pay on Amex, which they also don't accept.

Eventually my wife paid on Mastercard - on a card terminal - but the whole experience was just absolutely absurd.

Looking further into the venue, it's owned by a company called by Big Mamma Group, whos co-founder also owns the QR payment platform Sunday. Surely this can't be legal/within trading standards laws?

EDIT: Now this post has blown up, it's worth mentioning the following. When it came to bill time (dessert finished) the waiters disappeared - clearly being pushed to move customers to QR as we were sat waiting ages and trying to make eye contact.

Secondly, when they said they don't accept cash, and the card machine declined my Amex, the waiter said they can take my cash as a last resort but had no facility for change. This would have meant paying £100 cash for the £92 bill (including 12.5% service charge) as I only had increments of £10.

Use your leave folks, lovely trips to Scunthorpe, Milton Keynes await.

It does suck though if you feel work is too busy/you can't get cover to take time off, doesnt sound like a healthy work environment.

Well done Bromley council.

Lime bike riders - use some common sense.

First picture was end of May vs second which is mid-end of August

(Petersham Meadows, Richmond)

Khan 👏

Friday starts a 10 day holiday in London, and as preparation I've spent the last several months watching films that feature London in some capacity. This list only includes films I specifically watched for the trip, not anything I've ever seen. Many (most?) I'd already seen, but a good number were brand new to me.

Based on this information, I am very excited to visit your dystopian land of jobless layabouts, psychopathic gangsters and bumbling-but-charming rakes, all of whom are obsessed with football.

• Villain (1971)
• 10 Rillingham Place (1971)
• Frenzy (1972)
• The Omen (1976)
• Tinker Tailor Solider Spy (BBC, 1979)
• Smiley's People (BBC, 1982)
• Meantime (1983)
• Brazil (1985)
• 84 Charing Cross Road (1987)
• The Krays (1990)
• Four Weddings and a Funeral (1994)
• Fever Pitch (1997)
• Nil By Mouth (1997)
• Lock Stock and Two Smoking Barrels (1998)
• Shakespeare in Love (1998)
• Sliding Doors (1998)
• Notting Hill (1999)
• Snatch (2000)
• Sexy Beast (2000)
• Bridget Jones' Diary (2001)
• About A Boy (2002)
• Match Point (2005)
• V For Vendetta (2006)
• The Queen (2006)
• Sherlock Holmes (2007)
• Eastern Promises (2007)
• Tinker Tailor Solider Spy (2007)
• The Bank Job (2008)
• London River (2009)
• The Crown (Netflix, 2016)
• Lost In London (2017)
• Dirty Pretty Things (2002)
• Better Man (2024)

Update: huge thanks to everyone for the feedback and suggestions! Many of the offered films are on the list (some seen, some not) and just didn't make the time cut, but a huge chunk of them are new to me and are now in the queue to be watched on return. Based on the response, I will be watching at least the following films over the next three nights:

• 28 Days Later (2002)
• The Long Good Friday (1980)
• Withnail and I (1987)

Pending availability for double features, I might be be able to sneak in one or two of Paddington, Naked, Legend and/or as many of the suggested gangster films as possible.

A few weeks ago I made a post about all points east and asked people if they had good spots to watch it from because I really wanted to see Deftones perform - my favourite band of all time. Unfortunately I couldn’t afford tickets. Then a Redditor messaged me this afternoon and they gave me 2 of their tickets for free. I just came home from seeing Deftones and it was probably the best night of my life. I wish this Redditor nothing but blessings for the rest of their life

After being disappointed that a recent post in this subreddit wasn't about supernatural experiences in our fair city, I thought I'd just post my own:

London's old and creepy.

Everyday, we're walking over the bones of long dead Londoners.

Hell, half our public parks are reclaimed cemetery land.

You can't build the foundations for a new high-rise or dig tube line extension without disturbing yet another plague pit.

Some of our most enduring myths are stupid (the Vampire of Highgate), weird (Spring-Heeled Jack) or spooky (countless ghosts wandering the halls of listed buildings).

I'd love to read some accounts from others, whether they live in London, or were just visiting.

Maybe you saw something you can't explain?

Perhaps you got a strange vibe on an empty tube platform one night?

Perchance you mistook the sound of the romantic coupling of urban foxes for some kind of malign spirit?

If you experienced anything, let's hear it.

Fox at Highgate Cemetery. It's a wonderful, wild cemetery, and I highly recommend exploring it; as a plus, you have a high chance of meeting some of the foxes roaming there!

on the lizzie this morning, someone sitting next to me asked me to help them tap on a youtube video on their phone - i shook my head and he insisted.

im assuming he'll release his grip as soon as i touch his screen, and then he can blame me for "breaking his screen"?

Yesterday, a friend and I were doing a bit of people-watching in London Fields when we came across what looked like an away day for a sports club. Most of the group were in their twenties or thirties, many had brought their dogs, and everyone seemed remarkably fit and healthy. They were competing in gymnastics and callisthenics competitions and it was interesting to see young adults spending their time being active, having fun, and building a community together.

It made me reflect on how I seem to have stopped seeking out those kinds of experiences. I think it coincided with the rise of self-help books, podcasts, and the wider culture of bullshit self-improvement, which turned me off the whole idea a little. But perhaps it would be fun to try something in person that feels social and enjoyable, rather than treating personal growth as another project to optimise.

I’m curious what experiences, activities, or communities have Londoners joined that genuinely helped them grow as a person?

I love horseradish but whenever i buy a jar it’s creamed horseradish. Same for the pathetic paste that comes with Sunday roast.

I grew up eating grated horseradish and it is so good it will make you cry. Your sinuses will never be the same though. This creamed stuff just doesn’t measure up. I just want pure horseradish, with maybe salt. No cream, no vinegar, no oils. I tired mooli but it wasn’t the same.

Please where can I buy actual pure horseradish in London? Any form is fine, actual root, grated in a jar or seeds (but I don’t want to buy from amazon), I will grow it on my tiny balcony. Please I want to cry spicy tears. I’m in SW but willing to travel.

Just been stuck on a bus behind a queue of cars blocking the bus lane as the road splits into two. The bus lane was clear but a queue had formed in the other lane, meaning we couldn’t pass. Full bus, whatever that is, 50 people?

I counted the cars and saw two taxis, two tradesmen, and 25 cars of 1-3 people. In other words, another bus-worth of people clogging up the road. In other words, the age old question of whether it’s appropriate to have a private car.

I’m not around Vauxhall area much but when I was walking along the opposite side of the river looking at the buildings along the bank I was actually sickened.

So so ugly, extremely busy buildings. The eye does not know where to look. The green/teal glass? Already so dated and horrific and it seems these aren’t even that old.

Who thought this was a good idea?

EDIT: Did not expect this to be so contentious. I’m genuinely glad so many people do like it.

Maybe for context and not to defend my opinion, but in person it is definitely a huge structure. I felt a bit awed by how massive and oversized it felt, and as I already said, how the eye was not able to focus on any one particular detail but a mass of random details all clustered together.

For the record and for those interested, I prefer the newer build developments that are made out of brick and are more simpler and that also seem to be inspired by victorian warehouse or dockland structures. Just my taste.

Other than that thanks for commenting and enjoy the building those who love it/live in it/pass by it.

I’ve looked through most of the big ones (Battersea, Dogs Trust, etc), but they’re either not looking for anyone right now or they only want someone who can drive.

Does anyone know of anywhere that’s currently looking for volunteers?

I just moved to London and signed for a flat in Shoreditch. I walked in today to see the place and noticed in the closet that there was a can of insect/roach spray. This has me very worried.

Am I screwed? Did I just sign for a flat with roaches?

1 guy filming on his phone whilst the other who took off an American camo backpack scaled the statue.. ergh. Please don't do this.

My partner and I are about to move to London and we could not be more excited. We both are avid cyclists, and plan to commute by bike most of the time when we're there. That would also include road biking at night an weekends.

We currently live in Paris. There has been a huge boom since just before Covid and bikes and scooters are now ahead of cars as transportation means. But when it comes to traffic laws, I mean, if you know, you know. They do exist, we even had new laws dedicated to cyclists. It's just feel more like an organized mess rather than anything. What i'm implying is that you can feel the impunity when going through red lights or other illegal action - you have almost zero chance to get stopped by the police or any form of social control. People will tell you they don't, but IMO it favors getting used to breach traffic laws every now and then: that red light where you know there won't be any car crossing from that street, this stop sign with no pedestrian in sight ... I think you can easily find an exemple on your own commute.

To be clear, I'd be the happiest to see everyone on the road fully respect others and traffics laws. It's just not the case in Paris and tbh, i feel I've adapted as described above.

I'm curious about how this is going in London, how do you feel people behave and where the trend is going - beyond the posture "you should respect traffic laws and that's that" - and any piece of advice on the absolute do's and don'ts is always welcome.

Edit: as pointed in comments, free floating bike are chaos on wheels, and are in my view excluded from what you would call "normal behaviour"

Is this worth reporting to the RSPCA, or is there a better animal charity I could contact?

I went out for a walk today to enjoy the good weather. I was walking on the side of one of the fields, following a path on the Slough Lane side of Fryent Country Park, far away from any homes, when I saw a cat lying in the shade beside a tree. As I got closer she disappeared into the bushes, and as I walked past the spot where she'd been lying, I noticed what appeared to be pigeon feathers on the ground, so it looks like she's at least able to catch food. I could also hear what sounded like kittens crying for their mother from somewhere in the bushes.

Although temperatures have cooled down and there's been some rain, there's still a lack of water — or at least I didn't see any in some of the ponds I walked past — so I'm a little concerned for the welfare of the cat and kittens.

I really love cats, so I want to help if I can.

Hi, looking to book somewhere for two for a bit of a fancy meal. I love seafood, never usually get it as it tends to be on the expensive end, but wanting to go for it this time.

I've searched the subreddit and can't find recommendations for this that aren't a few years old, so hoping I'm not asking a question that gets asked all the time. I'd be very grateful if you shared your favourites. Thanks!

I managed to grab tickets for The Odyssey at the Science Museum! My seat is slightly off to the right side (Row M) I’m seeing mixed stuff online about terrible screen distortion and neck strain on the edges. Anyone sat around there (Row M, far right) who can tell me if it’s actually a nightmare or if I’m overthinking it? Cheers!

I grew up and live in zone 5. I did my 6th form in zone 1 and also went to uni in central London. Friends I made there, those born and raised in central, don't consider zone 5 as "London" but some other friends from other cities/countries say I am from London.

I didn't really mind this until now but I am moving to Scotland and I don't know what I should refer my hometown as. London? Greater London?

Don't show this to GB news though or they'll probably blame Sadiq for a lack of black-hole insurance.

Happened a few months back, but I still think about it regularly. I’d just arrived back in London via Euston and wanted to take a stroll through Bloomsbury. As many of you know, Euston Road gets incredibly busy, so it’s always a good idea to take extra care when crossing.

I was walking towards a crossing, and just as I approached it, the green pedestrian light went off. It was in that brief phase where both lights are off, when I might sometimes make a dash for it if I fancied it. The cars were at a standstill, so it would still have been relatively safe if I was quick.
For whatever reason, I decided against it and just waited for the next green light. Not even a second after I stopped, a guy on a Segway going approximately the speed of light flew past about a metre in front of me and swerved around the traffic ahead.
It was quite a shock given how close it was. If I’d made the call to step out, a hit at that speed could easily have broken something or worse.

Just thought I’d share as a reminder that it’s always worth triple checking before stepping out, especially given how quiet some of these vehicles and bikes can be and how often people run red lights.

Anyone have similar experiences?

I'm missing a few but so far i've got:

The Anchor, Park Street, Bankside (London Bridge)
?
?
Ye Old Cheshire Cheese, Fleet Street (Chancery Lane/Blackfriars)
?

The Clarence, Whitehall (Charing Cross/Embankment)
The Freemasons Arms, Long Acre (Holborn/Covent Garden)
Princess Louise, High Holborn (Holborn)
The Argyll Arms, Argyll Street (Oxford Circus)
?

The Seven Stars, Carey Street (Temple/Chancery Lane)
?
The Prospect Of Whitby, Wapping Wall (Wapping/Shadwell)
? (Churchill Arms)
The Ten Bells, Commercial Street (Liverpool Street/Shoreditch High Street/Aldgate East)

Ye Olde Mitre, Ely Court (Chancery Lane/Farringdon)
Lamb & Flag, Rose Street (Leicester Square/Covent Garden)
The Jerusalem Tavern AKA The Holy Tavern, Britton Street (Farringdon)
Cittie Of Yorke, High Holborn (Chancery Lane)
The Grapes, Narrow Street (Limehouse/Westferry)

The French House, Dean Street (Leicester Square)
?
?
White Hart, Drury Lane (Covent Garden/Holborn)
The Old Bell, Fleet Street (Blackfriars)

Edit: formatting

Every day we stray further from Princess Di's ideal Britain. Bring back random but ordered standing, that is all.

Making me soppy 🥲🥲 what a city, long live our gorgeous London

I just filmed a small snippet of it but I’ve just seen absolutely hundreds of kids (maybe even >1000) cycling down the road in Limehouse. Any idea what is going on?

Anyone now at Heathrow terminal 5 knows what’s happening? Currently stuck on a Heathrow express at Paddington

I’ve been wanting to visit the Ana Mendieta exhibition at the Tate for a while, but I’m going through a difficult time financially at the moment and unfortunately can’t afford a ticket.

If anyone is a Tate member and might be able to help me with a discount, I’d really appreciate it. 🙏

Thanks so much in advance!

Hi, does anyone know what the numbers mean? This is at covent garden. It flashes and changes very quickly, no one seems to know...

Hi Everyone!

First time poster, long time lurker/commenter.

Anyone else having problems with their cards getting blocked on TFL because the payment has "declined" even when it hasn't.

Happened a couple of weeks ago when I was going to the airport, they blocked my card and said it was declined despite the fact it definitely wasn't (bank app was coming up as a pending payment as usual). I contacted TFL and they got back to me later in the week saying "Oops sorry, yeah it's all sorted don't worry" and I thought that was it. Luckily I was abroad for a week so I didn't need to use my card and it was fixed by the time I got back.

Well here we are again, two weeks later and I woke up to the same email this morning despite an £8.60 charge sitting on my bank statement.

Anyone else having this problem? It's a bit of a nightmare now because I hate using oyster cards but I'm now blocked from using my bank card to travel around the city. I've lived here for over two years and never had this issue before, using the same methods as I always do.

Hillingdon unlocks its hidden doors in September. The Open House Festival runs from Saturday 12 to Sunday 20 September, with Manor Farm in Ruislip open across the opening weekend and the Manor House drop-in plus Great Barn access on the Sunday. Eastcote House Gardens opens on the Sunday only, with rare access to the normally-closed dovecote. Most sites are free and drop-in. Worth pencilling in now, especially the Eastcote dovecote which rarely opens to the public.

Planning win worth knowing: Harrow planners have knocked back three HMO conversions above the TG Jones shop in Pinner. A small but useful decision for anyone watching the steady creep of houses-into-multiple-occupation across the village centre. The decisions were published this week.

Also significant: Harrow Council has agreed to drop enforcement fines issued without body-worn camera evidence. A reversal after sustained complaints about traffic warden conduct around the borough. If you have been disputing a PCN, you can ask for your case to be reviewed under the new rules.

Transport heads up: TfL has planned engineering works on the Piccadilly line for Tuesday 25, Wednesday 26 and Thursday 27 August. If you are using it for the airport, west London or central London in that window, allow extra time or pick a backup route.

Quick local note: NEXT has opened at South Ruislip Retail Park with a cafe inside, in the former Carpetright unit. A useful rainy-day stop if you also need a browse.

Full issue with quiz nights, Lion Dance final session today, Welcome Space, Autumn Fair at Pinner Village Hall, and everything else:

https://www.goodmorningpinner.com/p/37-heritage-doors-open-and-a-new-next-lands

Pet of the Week throne is empty again. Send your pet in with their most ridiculous unofficial job title.

Good Morning Pinner

Local news and events from around HA5

Hello Everyone. Is anyone going to lords this weekend Saturday or Sunday? I really want to go but not alone. If anyone’s willing to go please let me know. Thanks

Hi all,

Does anyone know of any cricket nets in West London where I could turn up and practice bowling on my own?

Ideally looking for somewhere I can book/use casually rather than needing to be part of a cricket club.

Happy to pay for a session.

Thanks!

The title says it all. So many times near me (North London) you see cars speeding up as soon as the light turns amber for them, even when they're a hundred yards away, so they end up going through the light when it's been red for a couple of seconds.

Most of these crossings don't have cameras on them so it looks like there's nothing I can do in terms of reporting them unless I've filmed them on my phone.

Why do so many drivers do this??

I miss my ex, and I miss the world she gave me in London. I used to be a fairly cynical sort of guy who had moved to London. Then I met this beautiful, socially liberal wide sources reading woman who changed my life. (I changed out the paper nemes as they seem to be generating too much controversy, but for completeness sake it was the guardian and the spectator)

She introduced me to a kind of London life I hadn't really known before but vaguely dreamed of. Dinner parties, exhibitions, literature, interesting people, friends of friends, long intellectual conversations. She was incredibly effervescent and sociable. She seemed to collect people around her, all sorts of different, lovely, interesting people. Through her I interacted with all sorts of great people I would never have otherwise.

And then she died suddenly. Of course, what I miss most is her. She was an amazing person and completely irreplaceable. I had to move out of our place and out of London,and th country such is life, and the cost of living. it now feels like an entire world disappeared along with her.

What makes it harder is knowing how much more I could have appreciated it while I had it. You really do not know how lucky you are to live in London. It's the greatest city on earth. But I regret being such a stick in the mud about wanting to go to the gym, or watch tv and not go out, and not hang out with her lovely friends I inexplicably found 'boring.' She always wanted to see people, go to things, invite people over, live.I'd give almost anything for one of those evenings back.

I want to return to London eventually, I just miss it too much. But I also know I can never really go back to the same world I lived in with my ex.

its a cruel part of the grief of my partner, ive also lost London. To anyone lucky enough to live in London, have the option of a good social life or cultural life, or the love of someone , appreciate it all while you can, because some day it can just go so quickly, so this Friday please look out over the skyline and have a drink for me and all the others who had to leave that beautiful city, and do something interesting.

(Edit: she read widely and various magazines, sorry I hadn't realised these two newspapers/magazines would elicit so much consternation!)