#primrose-hill

#primrose-hill

The Page & Overton's Brewery started in a small red brick building on Overton's Yard and slowly expanded into buildings on the other side of the yard, dominating the area for decades.

These are Scilla sardensis, the common name is Glory-of-the-Snow. They are native to the mountains of Western Turkey but are really comfortable growing in almost any condition, as you can see. They are, for us, the real harbingers of spring. We know that once we start to see this electric blue color, the season is starting for us.

The plans call for beams of light right up into the night sky, which means they're directly affecting the night sky and, by design, the skyline view for anyone looking in that direction.

The museum, which displays Walthamstow's colourful cultural history - not to mention Britain's first ever petrol-fuelled car - closed for renovation in December 2023.

While the data shows 80% of people live within walking distance of green or blue spaces such as a river, park or woodland, it also reveals a disparity between rural and poorer urban areas. In some areas of local authorities, fewer than 20% of residents live close to these spaces, according to data released by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on Wednesday.

On Wednesday 22 April, the Flamsteed Astronomers will bring their smart scopes and telescopes up Shooters Hill and set up on the Castle's rooftop viewing platform.

London is a city that rewards curiosity. Beyond the iconic landmarks, Big Ben, Buckingham Palace, and the London Eye, lies a quieter, more intimate version of the capital. This is the London locals know: tucked-away streets, overlooked parks, independent cafés, and historic corners that rarely make it into guidebooks. For travellers willing to stray from the obvious routes, the city offers countless hidden gems that reveal its true character.

Step inside Don't Tell Dad and you're immediately greeted by a warm, low-lit vintage atmosphere. When we arrived, a funky soundtrack was drifting over dark wood floors, while super-comfy olive-green velvet banquettes, booths, and bar stools offered a front-row view of the kitchen in action. Wood panels with coloured glass windows, marble-topped tables set with linen napkins, and vintage cutlery and candle holders hint at 1930s Art Deco elegance, while oval mirrors and playful statement lighting reinforce the space's French bistro vibes.

Bringing such a culturally and historically significant building back into public use has been a huge privilege for everyone involved. This restoration has taken years of considered collaboration and care, guided by a shared commitment to do justice to the Town Hall's heritage while giving it a new lease of life and protecting it for future generations to enjoy.

This declaration establishes a much-needed green lung for this part of the borough. Our charity launched this campaign back in January 2021. At that time, we were emerging from Covid lockdown, and people were discovering the wonders of nature and wildlife on their doorstep in the Brent River Park.

American hotel chain MCR bought the spindly Fitzrovia superstar from BT Group for a cool £275 million. This was incredibly exciting news, as the former centre of the 'white heat of technology' (as then-Prime Minister Harold Wilson dubbed the communications centre upon its opening in 1964) had reduced public access after anarchist collective the Angry Brigade set off a bomb there in 1971.

Despite its proximity to one of London's busiest tourist attractions, its back street location is remarkably quiet and peaceful. Leading off Stafford Place, it was originally, and unsurprisingly, called Stafford Mews, as it was built as stabling for houses on Buckingham Gate, facing the palace. Constructed around 1860, the stables were simple two-storey houses, built initially with stables at the ground and accommodation above.

In September Hackney Council gave the green light to the final phases of the Woodberry Down regeneration masterplan. This has been a long time in the making, as the Woodberry Down regeneration officially began 20 years ago. Developers Berkeley Homes have now been given the go-ahead to complete the final stages, officially known as phases 5-8. Berkeley sought permission to build up to a 3,083 new homes in the area across the four phases, of which the developer said 43 percent would be affordable.

There are snakes living in London trees Just a short slither away from London Zoo and Camden, an estimated 40 snakes are living in the trees on Regent's Canal. Aesculapian snakes are native to continental Europe and it remains unclear how they came to be living in the heart of London. Shy and harmless to humans, the snakes play a role in the food chain, helping to keep down the numbers of rats and mice in the capital city.

So, this late 1970s block of flats was built on the site of the former estate office. So did the red corbel come from there? Looking at a photo of the corner of Risinghill Street and Penton Street, taken in 1956, doesn't seem to offer much help, as it shows a row of shops and behind a row of terraced houses.

For most of its life, the alley's main feature was the church of St Martin Orgar, possibly named after Ordgarus, a Dane who donated the church to the canons of St Paul's. Sadly, most of the church was destroyed during the Great Fire of London. The badly damaged remains were restored and used by French Protestants right up to 1820.