2020 has been one for the history books and not in a good way. The big C has dominated the past twelve months and changed all of our lives – we’ve never sat on so many park benches, ordered so many takeaways, wore so many face masks and been separated from friends and fam for so long. It’s an unusual year to look back on but some good stuff has happened over the past 12 months, so here’s what made LOTI in 2020…
1. LOTI Heroes
LOTI Heroes is our way of recognising and honouring individuals, brands and businesses that are doing something positive for the city and the people that live here, and after the 2020 we’ve all had, we needed to highlight the good more than ever.
2. London Lockdown Food & Drink Awards
London’s restaurants were dealt a crushing blow when they were forced to close for the first lockdown but we watched as businesses found creative new ways to stay afloat and to keep us all fed with our favourite dishes, so it was only right we shouted out who did it best.
3. The Best DIY Meal Kits
As lockdown changed the way restaurants were able to operate, the DIY meal kit was born. From frying pan pizzas and boil-in-the-bag tapas to curry kits and burger boxes, there was an incredible array of meal kits on offer this year.
4. Black-Owned Businesses in London
The Black Lives Matter movement highlighted the systemic racism in our society and showed that we all need to be better allies to the Black community. One way to do that is to spend your money at Black-owned businesses, like the ones we featured in this directory.
5. Live a Plastic Free Life
It’s not easy to cut single-use plastics out of your life completely – the stuff is everywhere – but we tried our best this year by getting behind Plastic Free July. We had tips on easy swaps to make, brands using recycled plastic, places to do plastic free shopping and more.
6. Wild Swimming Spots Near London
Remember when London was hotter than the surface of the sun this summer? We had an absolute scorcher so it’s no surprise that everyone was desperate to go for dip.
7.Brands to Buycott
As well as supporting Plastic Free July, we wanted to highlight other brands out there that are making waves when it comes to sustainability – like accessories made from wood pulp and t-shirts from crab shells – and we did just that through our Brands to Buycott series.
8. The Best London Walks
The ongoing travel disruption caused by the pandemic and the fact that most of our socialising this year had to be done outside meant we all spent much more time wandering around the city – luckily it’s home to some great walks.
9. Local Heroes
Though we big up Londoners, small businesses and social enterprises that have been doing good things for the city with our annual LOTI Heroes awards, we decided this year that an annual shout out just isn’t enough, especially considering the amazing way people responded to the pandemic. So enter Local Heroes, our way of showing the love to London’s good guys, small businesses and neighbourhood spots.
10. The Best Seaside Towns in the UK
With countries coming on and off the quarantine list quicker than you could get on to the EasyJet website, 2020 was definitely the year of the staycation. And with our list of the best seaside towns in the UK, we proved that you don’t need to get a on a plane enjoy a sunny summer holiday.