Author: Blake Foster

Bounce, which has bars in Old Street, Farringdon, and Battersea, is offering Christmas party packages starting from £34 per person. The packages, available from November 24 to December 23, include table tennis games, food, drinks, and entertainment. Table tennis meets cocktails in value-led Christmas celebrations at Bounce (Image: GT) Marketing director Liam Howard-Jones noted a shift in how people book their Christmas parties this year. He said: “Rather than securing dates months in advance, people are exploring different venues and comparing what’s on offer before committing. “Value for money is the driving force – people want experiences that deliver maximum…

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The one-off episode, which will be shown on BBC One on New Year’s Day, will follow long-running character Max Branning exactly a year on from the present day as he finds himself in a situation which will have huge consequences for both himself and his family. The 30-minute episode, set in 2027, shows Max – played by Jake Wood – at the epicentre of plenty of drama, and with multiple situations unfolding at once, it becomes clear that 2026 has many secrets waiting to be discovered. Producers said the flash-forwards to 2027 will provide tantalising clues about what the future…

As a subscriber, you are shown 80% less display advertising when reading our articles. Those ads you do see are predominantly from local businesses promoting local services. These adverts enable local businesses to get in front of their target audience – the local community. It is important that we continue to promote these adverts as our local businesses need as much support as possible during these challenging times. Source link

The Oakwood Hill Safer Streets Project, based in Loughton and launched in July 2024 after residents identified drug dealing, aggressive dogs, poor lighting, a lack of CCTV, and dog fouling among key concerns. The project was developed through consultation with residents, councillors, voluntary organisations. Improvements included new CCTV cameras, upgraded lighting, additional bins, environmental clean-up efforts, and the installation of a bleed kit and defibrillator. Community safety action days were also held to offer crime prevention advice and support. A resident named Jean said: “The estate feels calmer. “Anti-social behaviour is better, not so many people hanging around. “The Crimestoppers…

Located in Grange Road, the property has been taken back to brick by the current owners. The kitchen at Grange Road (Image: Zoopla) According to OC Homes, the estate agents managing the sale, the house, originally a four-bedroom layout, has been rearranged into a three-bed home. The former fourth bedroom has been repurposed into a walk-in wardrobe for the master bedroom, which also features a functional electric heater. The bungalow, which covers a total area of 1,552 sq ft, comes with an annexe, home office, gym, shower room and the necessary fittings for a home sauna. The bathroom at Grange…

The Black Horse pub in High Barnet, which is said to have been founded in 1720 and sits on the junction of Wood Street and Union Street in High Barnet, closed its doors in September. Owner Star Pubs says it is in the process of recruiting a new operator, after the last leaseholder vacated the premises. But residents and councillors have raised concerns that without ‘asset of community value’ (ACV) status, which gives the community six months to bid for the site if it is put up for sale, the pub risks being sold for redevelopment. The petition to date…

More than 84 children across Busy Bees nurseries in Harrow are taking part in the Great Kindness Swarm, a UK-wide campaign aiming for 250,000 acts of kindness to raise funds for BBC Children in Need. The campaign encourages each child to complete six simple acts of kindness, such as sharing toys, helping friends, and supporting their communities. Nursery pupils join UK-wide kindness campaign for BBC Children in Need (Image: Busy Bees) The initiative is part of Busy Bees’ UK-wide campaign involving 47,000 children and colleagues across 350 nurseries, aiming to spread joy and raise money for children’s charities. Chris McCandless, European…

The Nomadic Litterpickers group organised their second clean-up event in Little Venice and Westbourne Park on Sunday, November 16. The boat dwellers, who live on north London’s waterways, took to the towpath of Little Venice and Westbourne Park with gloves and rubbish bags. They filled 31 bags with waste, including cans, glass and plastic bottles, wrappers, and other debris. Nomadic Litterpickers clear 31 sacks of rubbish from London towpaths (Image: The Nomadic Litterpickers) Their first litter-pick took place in Tottenham in October, when they collected 30 sacks of rubbish. Alain Gough-Olaya, a spokesperson for the group, said: “As travelling boat…

Buzz Studios, named in honour of the Royal Shakespeare Company’s first female director, Buzz Goodbody, will have its first play, Petty Men, at Arcola Theatre in Hackney from tonight. The production is a reimagination of Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar by creators Adam Goodbody, John Chisham, and Júlia Levai. Previews start from today, November, 19 and will run until December 20. ‘Petty Men’ reimagines Julius Caesar in tribute to Buzz Goodbody (Image: BUZZ STUDIOS) Buzz Goodbody (1946-1975), who was born in Marylebone and grew up in St John’s Wood and Hampstead, was known for her passionate campaigning for affordable theatre and accessibility…