Berkshire


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<p>We’ve had it on good authority that London has moved past its&nbsp;<em>28 Days Later</em> phase and is moving more into&nbsp;<em>Mary Poppins</em>. So, less deserted streets and episodic zombie attacks and more roads you can actually walk down without being mown down by livid commuting bikers and an inexplicable tuk-tuk. Obviously, the international tourist count is at an all-time low and even residents are choosing to stay local if they can – why go central when you can go to Clapham? So now is the time to swerve the endless queues, sweaty tube descents and overflowing bins. Here’s our guide to getting the most out of our fabulous capital.&nbsp;</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Southbank</h2>



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<p>Those of you coming into Waterloo will have a full gamut of delights awaiting you. The Hayward Gallery opened on 1 August and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.southbankcentre.co.uk/whats-on/exhibitions/hayward-gallery-art/among-the-trees">Among The Trees</a>&nbsp;(above)&nbsp;– a group exhibition of over 37 artists – is what’s in store, exploring our relationships with forests and woodlands (pre-booking essential). A few minutes’ walk south of Waterloo, you’ll find the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.iwm.org.uk/visits/iwm-london">Imperial War Museum London</a>, which has a new atrium exhibition, History of Bombs, courtesy of Chinese artist Ai Wei Wei (as part of the museum’s Refugees season). It’s free, but again, only a pre-booked ticket will gain you entry. Fancy a stroll down the river to Bankside? We’d recommend it as&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/visit/tate-modern">Tate Modern</a>&nbsp;is open, as is the brilliant Steve McQueen exhibition as of today, 7 Aug.&nbsp;<a href="https://www.tate.org.uk/visit">Book here</a>.</p>



<p>Peckish? Well, Udderbelly is hosting&nbsp;<a href="http://www.underbellyfestival.com/whats-on/streeteat-on-the-south-bank">StreetEats</a>&nbsp;down on the riverfront, a pop-up festival with food trucks (Jamaican-inspired Coco Labelle has pricked up our ears), drinks and entertainment, all open from midday to 9pm. The&nbsp;<a href="https://www.skylon-restaurant.co.uk/">Skylon</a>restaurant, at Royal Festival Hall, is open (and participating in the Eat Out To Help Out scheme – Mon to Weds only) or stop by on the weekend as the (in)famous two-course bottomless Prosecco brunch (£48pp) is back on.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Kensington</h2>



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<p>Not wildly near any of the London terminals (Victoria or Marylebone are probably the nearest), but Kensington (both South and High St) are home to some of the country’s best cultural offerings.&nbsp;<a href="https://designmuseum.org/">The Design Museum</a>&nbsp;off High St Ken partially opened on 31 July and is hosting the five-star-rated exhibition Electronic: From Kraftwerk to The Chemical Brothers (above). It’s about electronic music, if you hadn’t guessed and it’s popular, so book early. A pleasant walk past multiple embassies will land you in South Ken, home of the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.nhm.ac.uk/">Natural History Museum</a>, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.vam.ac.uk/">V&amp;A</a>&nbsp;(they’ve just opened selected galleries) and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.sciencemuseum.org.uk/home">Science Museum</a>, opening in a few weeks on 19 Aug. Pre-booked, timed entry tickets are the name of the game here so don’t just turn up as you will be sad and forced to do a loop of Hyde Park by way of an alternative. And as it’s Kensington, don’t expect anything, you know… low rent. So for food head to&nbsp;<a href="https://theivykensingtonbrasserie.com/">The Ivy Kensington Brasserie</a>&nbsp;on High St Ken, which is offering the EOTHO scheme on all menus, Monday to Weds throughout August.</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">East London/The City</h2>



<p>For the contingent coming in from Essex, Norfolk and Suffolk, you’ll probably find yourself at London Liverpool Street and want to know what you can do within walking distance. Well, that depends on how far you’re prepared to walk. In and around the area, you have&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitechapelgallery.org/">Whitechapel Gallery</a>&nbsp;that is open and showing the five-star ‘Radical Figures: Painting in the New Millenium’ until the 30 Aug. Obviously pre-book. The almost-impossible-to-get-into (well, it always was when we lived in town)&nbsp;<a href="https://skygarden.london/">Sky Garden</a>&nbsp;in Fenchurch Street is taking bookings but you will need to be masked-up if you’re not drinking or eating. Shoreditch’s (mostly outdoor)&nbsp;<a href="https://www.boxpark.co.uk/shoreditch/">BOXPARK</a>&nbsp;is open for business as are the&nbsp;<a href="http://www.visitbricklane.org/brick-lane-market/4537676886">Brick Lane second-hand market</a>&nbsp;(where I once bought the most amazing pair of Seventies leather boots) and&nbsp;<a href="http://www.columbiaroad.info/">Columbia Rd Flower Market</a>&nbsp;on Sundays – although social distancing is in place so expect one-way systems and queues.</p>



<p>For eating,&nbsp;<a href="https://www.whitechapelgallery.org/townsend/">Townsend</a>&nbsp;at the Whitechapel Gallery (opened in February, just before lockdown hit) is back up and running and has two specially priced set menus to help customers navigate the EOTHO scheme easily; a three-course set lunch menu for £20 (or £10 once the discount is applied) and a four-course set dinner menu for Wednesday nights for £28 (£18). Plus, there a free glass of wine for everyone who books in to see the gallery exhibitions. You might also want to try&nbsp;<a href="https://smokestak.co.uk/">Smokestak</a>, a BBQ restaurant in Shoreditch, which is offering a starter, burger, side and gelato for £20 (£10 with the scheme).</p>



<h2 class="wp-block-heading">Greenwich</h2>



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<p>Greenwich – and its incredible cultural and entertainment offer – is opening in stages. Turn up this weekend (with your pre-booked ticket, of course) and the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rmg.co.uk/cutty-sark">Cutty Sark</a>&nbsp;and&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rmg.co.uk/royal-observatory">Royal Observatory</a>&nbsp;are yours for the taking. As of 10 Aug, the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rmg.co.uk/queens-house">Queen’s House Art Gallery</a>&nbsp;and exhibitions at the&nbsp;<a href="https://www.rmg.co.uk/national-maritime-museum">National Maritime Museum</a>&nbsp;will be welcoming visitors (as will the shop and cafe). The&nbsp;<a href="https://tfl.gov.uk/modes/emirates-air-line/opening-hours-frequency">Emirates Air Line</a>&nbsp;is always worth effort (and queues will be minimal) so do make the time to float over the Thames. For food, artisan burger purveyors&nbsp;<a href="https://www.honestburgers.co.uk/locations/greenwich/">Honest Burger</a>, just off the park, is taking part in the EOTHO scheme but if you fancy fine dining, Gordon Ramsay’s&nbsp;<a href="https://www.gordonramsayrestaurants.com/the-narrow/">The Narrow</a>&nbsp;isn’t a million miles away in Limehouse. Fifty percent off there? Don’t mind if I do.</p>


Into London: the capital reopens

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