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Here's the news that's got us talking here at LOTI HQ - in bite-size chunks London's Oldest Indian Restaurant Is Under Threat Veeraswamy, which opened way back in 1926, making it the oldest Indian restaurant in the city, is under threat of closure. Located in Victory House on Regent Street, the restaurant's lease expires in June and the building's owner, the Crown Estate (the property management company that belongs to the King), has said it will not be renewing it. The Crown Estate has said that Victory House needs refurbishment, including the expansion of the ground-floor reception area to serve the offices above. That ground-floor area, an additional 11 sqm, would eat into Veeraswamy's entrance, and without an entrance the restaurant won't be able to operate. Speaking to The Times, Ranjit Mathrani, co-owner of MW Eat (the group that runs Veeraswamy), said: "I think they’ve come to the view that it’s too tiresome having a restaurant there, they want it to be all offices", adding that "they don't care a bugger for history". Mathrani is looking for an alternative location for the restaurant but if the Crown Estate don't grant a lease extension until a new site is found, it'll have to close down. The 'King of Bollywood' Is Getting a London Statue The ‘King of Bollywood’ Shah Rukh Khan and co-star Kajol appeared together in Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge (DDLJ), which is the longest-running Hindi film of all time. The film follows Raj and Simran's love story across Europe and India and includes several scenes shot in London, including in Leicester Square. And now a statue representing the movie is being erected in that very location this spring, as part of the Scenes in the Square trail. Speaking about the statue, Mark Williams, Deputy Chief Executive at Heart of London Business Alliance, says: “Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge is one of the most successful and important Bollywood films of all time, and we’re excited by the prospect of bringing to the trail the first film that features Leicester Square as a location. The statue is a fitting tribute to the global popularity of Bollywood and a celebration of London’s rich diversity. We’re in no doubt it will attract fans from all around the world to Leicester Square, the home of film and entertainment.” One Person Will Be Allowed to Sleep Over at the National Gallery The Sainsbury Wing of the National Gallery is re-opening after a two-year refurbishment (in the institution's 200th anniversary year) and to celebrate, the gallery is letting one lucky person spend the night inside for the first time. On Friday 9th May, there'll be a bed (decked out with bits from the M&S x National Gallery collection) set up near CC Land: The Wonder of Art, a rehanging of some of the gallery's works from the 13th to the 20th centuries, including pieces by Titian, Rubens and Monet. As well as getting the chance to sleep by these incredible works of art, the lucky member of the public will also get a private tour of the collection, have dinner prepared by Giorgio Locatelli in the gallery's new restaurant, and get breakfast in bed the next morning. If that sounds up your street, get your name in the prize draw here before 6pm on 28th April. Free Book Exchanges at Tube Stations Have Been Shut Down By the London Fire Brigade There have been free community libraries and book exchanges at a number of London Tube stations, like Oval and Clapham North, for decades. But no longer, as the London Fire Brigade has deemed the mini libraries, specifically the 'combustible material', to be a fire risk and they've been shut down - signage posted at a number of the exchange sites reads "Due to Fire Safety Regulations from the London Fire Brigade, we have been forced to CLOSE all Book Exchange Libraries on ALL London Underground Stations with immediate effect. We are all SAD to see this go. Thank you for all your support over the years." London's Air Is Cleaner Following ULEZ Expansion A new report published by the Greater London Authority that covers the 12 months from September 2023 (a month after the ULEZ was expanded to outer London in August 2023) shows that levels of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) have decreased across London by 27%. The figures, checked by independent experts, also show that air quality has improved at 99% of air quality monitoring sites across London since 2019; small particle emissions (PM2.5) from vehicle exhausts were 31% lower in outer London in 2024 than they would have been had the zone not been expanded; and that the capital's air quality is improving at a faster rate than the rest of the country. A Full-Nudity Strip Club Has Been Approved to Open in Soho Proposals for The Penthouse Club, which is planning to offer fully-nude stripteases in private rooms as well as drag shows and Cirque du Soleil-style acrobatics, to open on the site where Madame Jojo's used to be, have been approved by Westminster Council. There has been some concern from local residents, stating that a club like this would encourage pickpocketing and drug crime, and that Soho has changed to become a more family-friendly neighbourhood and is "no longer the seedy red-light district of yore." Others have argued in favour of the club, saying that there's "no better location" for a striptease bar as it "represents an opportunity to maintain and protect this culturally significant characteristic of Soho". Four Seasons Is Launching a White Lotus Private Jet Experience Wanna live like the guests do at The White Lotus? Well now you can experience all the resorts featured in the show and more thanks to this World of Wellness Journey from Four Seasons. The 20-day itinerary includes stops in Maui, Taormina and Koh Samui (where the first three seasons were filmed) plus Singapore, the Maldives, Marrakech, Nevis and Mexico City. You'll travel by private jet, stay at luxe Four Seasons resorts in each city and enjoy a personalised wellness programme every step of the way. The journey is happening in May 2026 and it's sure to be the trip of a lifetime - and it'll cost you, with prices starting from $188,000 per person. An East London Bar Has Been Granted a 24-Hour Licence Given that most of the news regarding London nightlife is negative, this feels like a big win - Starlane Pizza Bar has just been granted a 24-hour licence to operate around the clock on Fridays and Saturdays. That means the bar, which serves Neapolitan style pizzas and burgers before turning into a dancefloor, can host extended sets from DJs. The bar is launching a new early morning party series on 22nd March, and thery've got plans for a 30-hour birthday marathon on 26th April. Long live late night London! A New Latin American Market Has Opened in Walworth Following the closure of Elephant and Castle Shopping Centre in 2020, many Latin American businesses were left with nowhere to operate. Now thanks to lots of community campaigning, a new Latin American market has opened on Liverpool Road in Walworth, just down the road from where the centre was. Running 10am - 4pm every Saturday and Sunday, the Latin American Elephant Passage Market offers space for some of the businesses that weren't able to relocate when the shopping centre was demolished to trade, so head down there to celebrate Latin American craft, food and culture. A White Lotus-Themed Afternoon Tea Is Coming to London To celebrate the Thailand-set third season of The White Lotus, the Four Seasons Hotel London at Park Lane is putting on an afternoon tea inspired by the show (which was filmed at the Four Seasons Resort Koh Samui). Running from 20th February - 16th May, the afternoon tea, created by the team at Pavyllon, inlcudes treats like chicken dumpling with langoustine extraction; crispy crab and green papaya tartlet with lotus cream; curried tiger prawn sando with pickled mango and lime; black sesame and hazelnut teacake; mango, Thai basil, and lime éclair; and slow-roasted pineapple and pandan brioche cake. If you really wanna be on theme, dress in the new H&M x White Lotus collection. 100 Wardour Street is Throwing Divorce Parties Following survey results that show 27% of Londoners aged 25-34 have recently been invited to a divorce party and Gen Z and Millennials in London are three times more likely to host a divorce party than other generations, 100 Wardour Street is getting on in the action by hosting divorce parties in collaboration with The Hummingbird Bakery. The Divorce Party packages at the Soho spot include live music, a complimentary bottle of fizz, and a 'New Beginnings’ cake from The Hummingbird Bakery so you can start your new chapter on a sweet note. London Has a New Popcorn Shop Godfrey's, which has recently opened in Covent Garden, is all about small-batch speciality popcorn. Inspired by co-founder Luke's grandfather Albert Godfrey and his love of popcorn, Godfrey's is popping a range of flavours, including caramel, Biscoff, butter, slat & vinegar and cheddar cheese crisp in a very aesthetically pleasing retro shop. Grenfell Tower Is to Be Demolished Almost eight years after the Grenfell Tower fire that killed 72 people, the government has confirmed that the building is to be demolished. No changes to the tower will be made before the eighth anniversary of the tragedy on 14th June, with the building being carefully and sensitively dismantled over a two year period. There has been a mixed reaction from the local community - some of the survivors and the bereaved, who are part of the Grenfell United group, feel they were not properly consulted about the plan before the decision was made and others want the tower to remain standing until there have been prosecutions over the fire, while some locals find the presence of the tower distressing and believe that taking it down would provide closure. Once the building is demolished, a memorial will be erected in its place, with the Grenfell Tower Memorial Commission having shortlisted five design teams to submit plans. Pretty Decent Beer Co Is Doing a Crisp Set Menu With the largest selection of Czech-style side pour taps in the UK and retro games inside, the new Pretty Decent Beer Co taproom in Victoria Park was already pretty great but they've totally won us over with their crisps set menu, put together by a crisp sommelier. The sets include Surf & Turf (Scampi Fries, Roast Beef Monster Munch, and Skips) and Ploughmans (Pickled Onion Monster Munch, Mini Cheddars, and Ready Salted Big Hoops), and they'll even be able to recommend you a pairing beer. LOVE. Chef May Chow Is Opening a London Restaurant Chef May Chow, who operates Little Bao and Happy Paradise in Hong Kong and was named Asia's Best Female Chef in 2017, is opening a London restaurant this year, though we don't know any other deets about it yet. But we heard a rumour that one of the city's restaurant groups is flipping one of their more causal spots into a Chinese restaurant with a London based chef, and following a Ho Lee Fook pop-up at Carousel in 2023, parent group Black Sheep (also based in HK) is actively looking for a site in London too. Could 2025 be the year we finally get some mid-range modern Chinese food in the city? Just might be! There Are More 24-Hour Gyms Than 24-Hour Nightclubs in London Analysis by BBC London has shown that there are more 24-hour gyms in the capital than there are 24-hour nightclubs. The number of bars and clubs with 24-hour licences has decreased from 183 in 2021 to just 58, while the number of gyms open around the clock is up around 300. Speaking about the issue Michael Kill, chief executive of the Night Time Industries Association, says "not being able to get home post-midnight midweek has been a real challenge. There are 24-hour licences that don't operate within those hours, and that's based on the fact that if the infrastructure's not there to keep people safe and get people home, then they're not going to be supported by the market. "Becoming a 24-hour city is more than just intimating we're going in that direction. I think it's an involvement of a multitude of stakeholders - transport, developers, policing - all that needs to be on board." Rent Prices Reach a Record High in England Data from the Office for National Statistics (ONS) shows that rent prices in England have reached a record high, rising by 9.3% to an average of £1362 in the year up to November. Unsurprisingly, London saw the biggest rent rise in England, with bills increasing by 11.6%. The National Residential Landlords Association say the increase, which surpasses the rise in house prices, mortgage rates and the rate of inflation, is due to there being more renters than there are rental properties available. The figures also come off the back of demonstrations on 14th December, organised by the London Renters Union, in protest against the city's soaring rents. A New Wetland Is Coming to Clapham Common Wild Clapham, a joint initiative by The Friends of Clapham Common and The Clapham Society, has secured funding and planning permission to turn a large area of the park into a wetland habitat in an effort to boost the biodiversity of the area and provide an educational space for children. With open water and reed beds, the habitat will be the ideal home for frogs, toads, newts, dragonflies and damselflies, and there'll also be underground shelters for hibernating animals. The boardwalk and viewing platform, which'll have detachable rails, will allow kids to observe the wildlife and even dip for tadpoles. The work is already underway and is scheduled to be completed in the spring. Heat From the Tube and Sewers Could Be Used to Warm the City As we move to a future without fossil fuels, the government is looking at alternative ways to provide heating and hot water for buildings, one of which is heat networks (where heat is supplied to consumers from a central source). Plans are being worked up to implement the UK's biggest heat network in Westminster by using excess low-carbon heat sourced from the Tube, the sewers and the Thames transferred by an underground pipe network to power hot water and central heating in buildings in the area, including the Houses of Parliament and the National Gallery. The scheme would save around 75,000 tonnes of CO2 each year. The NTIA Has Warned That UK Clubs Could Vanish by 2029 The Night Time Industries Association (NTIA) has issued a stark warning about the nation's nightlife: if clubs continue to close at the rate they have been since March 2020 (three clubs per week, 150 clubs per year), then our 'Last Night Out', when the UK's clubs have vanished, could be 31st December 2029. The NTIA is calling on the government to combat the decline by providing financial support, granting cultural protection and reforming regulations, and you can help by signing the petition here. The Night Tube Could Start Running on Thursdays The Night Tube, through-the-night services on the Central, Jubilee, Northern, Piccadilly and Victoria lines, currently only operates on Fridays and Saturdays but proposals to extend the service to Thursdays are now 'under review' by Sadiq Khan. It comes following London Assembly member Emma Best's argument at a recent Mayor’s Question Time that extending the Night Tube would help boost the city's nighttime economy because, with the increase in working from home, "Thursday is the Friday. for many Londoners, and the push for a Night Tube on Thursdays will only increase". Though the Mayor has stated that TfL doesn't have the budget to implement the Thursday night service right now, he would like to see its expansion in the future. Brixton Market Has Been Put Up for Sale The current owners of Brixton Market, US investment firm TPG Angelo Gordon and Hondo Enterprises, who've had it on their books since 2018 are looking to sell, with reports stating that the market could fetch up to £80 million. The US owners courted controversy in 2020 when they submitted plans for a 20-storey tower block to be built next to the site but ended up withdrawing them following intense backlash from Brixton locals. It'll be interesting to see who the new owners will be and what they envision for this iconic piece of Brixton. You Can Help Keep The Common Press Open The Common Press is a queer, intersectional bookshop, cafe and events space that celebrates art made by queer, BIPOC and marginalised folk - it has also recently become a CIC (Community Interest Company). That means they'll need to raise community funds to continue functioning independently. Not only do they provide a much-needed space for LGBTQ+ Londoners - at a time when these are dwindling - but they support queer creatives and young people by running workshops and events, as well as providing a platform for their work. In order to keep things going, they are aiming to raise £100,000 which will go towards paying staff a fair wage, future projects, renovations and maintenance. You can donate here. Face Casts of 726 Trans People Are Coming to the Fourth Plinth Mexican artist Teresa Margolles is taking over the Fourth Plinth in Trafalgar Square with her installation Mil Veces un Instante (A Thousand Times in an Instant). The piece, which will be in situ from 18th September, is made up of casts of the faces of 726 trans people in London and Mexico City, laid out like a tzompantli, a Mesoamerican rack used to display human skulls. The artwork is a protest against transmisogyny and transfemicide in Mexico - the country has the second-highest murder rate for trans and gender-diverse people in Latin America. Nine New Banksy Artworks Have Appeared in London We've now had nine new Banksy artworks in the space of a week (all confirmed by posts on his Instagram) after two new pieces appeared on the weekend of 10th & 11th August. The first, popping up on the side of a building in Kew Green, is a goat perched on top of a small ledge where some rocks have tumbled down, with a CCTV camera pointing towards it. The second, on the side of a house in Chelsea, is silhouettes of two elephants in windows reaching their trunks out toward each other. The third is three monkeys swinging along a bridge on Brick Lane. The fourth was a howling wolf on a satellite dish in Peckham, but two men in balaclavas stole it within an hour of it being revealed. The fifth was two pelicans eating fish above Bonners Fish Bar in Walthamstow. Then it was a stretching cat on an empty billboard in Cricklewood (which has since been taken down), and then a tank of piranhas on a City of London police box. The eighth, a rhino seeming to climb a broken-down Nissan Micra in Charlton, has already been defaced with graffiti and the car has been removed. The latest, on a London Zoo shutter, depicts a gorilla lifting it up to help seals and birds escape. Banksy has left no captions or comments about any of the animal-themed pieces, leaving people speculating about their meaning, but a spokesperson close the artist has told the Guardian that they've been done to cheer people up. The British Museum's Reading Room Has Re-Opened to the Public The Reading Room at the British Museum, with its powder blue and gold domed ceiling, is one of the most magnificent spaces in London. Designed by Sydney Smirke who took inspiration from the Pantheon in Rome, it opened in 1857 and the likes of Karl Marx, Bram Stoker and Arthur Conan Doyle visited the room to work amongst its 25 miles of shelving. Previously operating on a ticket system, the Reading Room opened to the public in 2000 (following restoration and the transfer of books to another building) but then it closed again in 2013, only occasionally being used to host exhibitions. Following the introduction of ticketed tours by the British Museum chair George Osborne last year, the Reading Room is now open to all visitors, so you can have a look around this world-famous space on your own time. The Museum of London's New Logo Is a Pigeon Taking a Sh*t The Museum of London is in the throes of a major rebrand: it has officially moved out of its iconic City site (which is potentially getting demolished) and is preparing to take over the historic Smithfield meat market. The new location won't be ready until at least 2026, so, in the meantime, they're making a few other changes. Firstly, the institution has announced a new name - the London Museum. Secondly, it has unveiled a new logo - a pigeon taking a sh*t. The new 'pigeon and splat' design was created alongside Uncommon Creative Studio to both encapsulate London's spirit and give the museum a distinct symbol, à la HMV's Nipper. And though the inspo is sort of... gross, the logo itself is not (see the 'splat', which is rendered in glitter). Our two cents? It's cute! These Yellow Plaques Mark London's Rave History Taking inspo from the city's blue plaques, which honour notable historical figures and the buildings connected to them, artist George Georgiou has designed and installed yellow plaques on the sites of legendary London parties, to celebrate the city's acid house culture. You can see plaques honouring the likes of Shoom, Screamadelica, and Special Branch, and there's also a virtual map of prominent rave locations here. Lily Vanilli Is Providing Birthday Cakes for Those Who Otherwise Wouldn't Get One The East London-based baker behind the city's most stunning cake designs, Lily Jones, is celebrating the 15th birthday of her bakery, Lily Vanilli, by giving back with the Birthday Project. This will be an ongoing initiative by which customers can donate any amount (from £1) which will go towards baking and delivering birthday cakes across all boroughs to young, disadvantaged Londoners allocated by the Mayor's Fund. If you're interested in supporting, you can do so here. View this post on Instagram A post shared by LondONtheinside (@londontheinside) View this post on Instagram A post shared by LondONtheinside (@londontheinside)

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