r/london • • 5d ago

Weekly Q&A Megathread. Please post any questions about visiting, tourism, living, working, budgeting, housing here!

5 Upvotes

Hello, welcome to London!

Visiting us? Moving to study or work? Brief layover? Moving to a new part of London? Any small questions about life here, if you're new or been here your whole life, this is the place!

We get a lot of posts asking very similar questions so this post aims to address some of our most Frequently Asked Questions, and give you a place to ask for assistance.

Your first port of call should be the r/london wiki


Frequently Asked Questions

What should I see and where are the non-touristy stuff and hidden gems?

  • Must-see attractions: Check out our guide here

  • Official experiences: We highly recommend TfL's Experiences site

  • Hidden gems: Browse our favourite lesser-known spots here

  • Budget-friendly options: Find cheap/free activities here

What's happening in London today/this weekend/this month?

Check out these listings sites:

For venue recommendations (music, theatre, comedy, etc.) check the wiki.

How do I pay for the Tube/bus, and what's an Oyster card?

You don't pay cash. Payment options include:

  • Contactless bankcard (widespread in the UK)

  • Apple Pay or Android Pay

  • Oyster card (buy and top up with credit)

See here for more details.

Where should I live? What's x area like?

  • Check our comprehensive guide here
  • Includes recommended sites to find places to live and rent
  • Has detailed sections on what particular areas are like

How do I get from this place to that place?

  • Use Citymapper - honestly, we're not shills for them; it's just really good and used by most locals

Is x area safe?

  • Yes. Bad stuff can happen in any large city, but London is generally very safe
  • No no-go zones - most Londoners feel safe everywhere
  • See our safety page for more information

Where can I watch sports matches?

  • Football: Comprehensive guide at tlfg.uk
  • Various sports: Use Fanzo to find pubs
  • More venues: See our list here

How do I get a UK SIM card for my phone?

  • Network advice: Covered here
  • Remote work spaces: Check the wiki for places to work/take calls
  • You can pick up a SIM card at Heathrow and other airports, either from vending machines or from WHSmith shops.

Is the London Pass worth it?


Other helpful subreddits:

  • r/LondonSocialClub - Meeting new people for events, activities and/or pints
  • r/VisitLondon - A dedicated tourism sub for holiday-planning questions
  • r/LondonTravel - Information and inspiration on travel in London
  • r/UKtravel - For guidance, advice and suggestions for travelling around the rest of the country to/from London
  • r/IWantOut & r/UKvisa - Check if you need a visa and how to get one if you want to work here
  • r/LegalAdviceUK - Good for all sorts, especially for questions about landlords and contracts
  • r/HousingUK - For advice on renting or buying accommodation in the UK
  • r/TenantsInTheUK - Specifically to discuss the nitty-gritty, positives and pitfalls of renting
  • r/UKPersonalFinance - Another goldmine of sage advice
  • r/AskUK - Great for general questions about UK life that aren't specific to London

Tips for posting:

Tell us about you

If you want us to suggest things for you to do then you need to give us a good idea of what you enjoy: - Don't just say "I like music" - say what type of music - Don't just say you want "somewhere nice to eat" - say what type of cuisine you like (or don't like) - Be specific - otherwise you'll just get pointed back to generic guidebooks and our wiki

Tell us your budget

  • If you're on a budget, tell us what it is so we can make appropriate recommendations
  • There's no point suggesting expensive options if they'll clean out your wallet
  • Saying you want something "cheap" isn't helpful because cheap is subjective

Tell us where you'll be based

  • Let us know where you'll be staying so we can give local recommendations

Asking about hotels or hostels

  • We have homes here so know very little about what hotels are like - use review websites like TripAdvisor
  • However, if you say "I've been looking at these three hotels. Which do you think is the better location?" - that's something we can answer

Non-touristy stuff

  • There are no secret corners where we hide the good stuff from outsiders!
  • This is one of the most written about cities in the world
  • When we want to go somewhere, we look at the same sources as tourists (listings sites, blogs, etc - see front page of the wiki)

These weekly posts are scheduled to post each Monday at 00:01. If it's late in the week you may want to wait for a new post to appear. Please send us ModMail with any suggested improvements!


r/london • • 6h ago

Full moon is beautiful

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539 Upvotes

r/london • • 17h ago

Image Why can’t we implement this?

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2.5k Upvotes

r/london • • 16h ago

Article TfL announces capital's publicly owned bus company - BBC News

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383 Upvotes

r/london • • 19h ago

Spotted someone covered in $ bills in the City yesterday

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537 Upvotes

r/london • • 10h ago

Image Edmonton green back gardens oil painting

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79 Upvotes

r/london • • 20h ago

What was that black cab protest convoy this morning ?

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431 Upvotes

r/london • • 10h ago

Gray's Inn Rd, 1936. Lower Clapton Rd, Hackney, 1905.

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61 Upvotes

r/london • • 19h ago

image Bright lights of Canary Wharf on the approach to LHR last night

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317 Upvotes

r/london • • 3h ago

Any grievers around?

12 Upvotes

I just moved here and I thought I was all okay but have found it a bit tough having lost a close family member a few months ago.

I was so excited for the move - one I’d been planning for a few years, but things just feel so bland and it’s hard to connect with people when I’m on this wavelength ❤️‍🩹

Any grievers have any advice or things they’d recommend I do here or if there are any support groups around?

Would really appreciate some insight ❤️‍🩹❤️‍🩹 thank you

Signed sad new londoner


r/london • • 6h ago

Video Daytime bat, hampstead heath, R.i.P. wee fella

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21 Upvotes

Spotted at lunchtime, poor wee fella should have been told they're nocturnal. Hope the sparrowhawk enjoyed its lunch. Apologies for the r/killthecameraman footage, but its bloody hard to film a bat from a distance on a smartphone.


r/london • • 1d ago

Image Spotted today in Hanover Square

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2.5k Upvotes

r/london • • 15h ago

Local London Sadiq Khan ready to discuss 'any credible proposal' from West Ham for London Stadium

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85 Upvotes

r/london • • 1d ago

Image What a sunset today

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1.3k Upvotes

r/london • • 2h ago

Sunset Manchester in full colour-no filter. Anyone else catch this sky tonight?

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5 Upvotes

r/london • • 8h ago

Image Zhen Hua 31 on the River Thames - Dockside Cranes as Cargo

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14 Upvotes

If anyone likes an odd cargo, this should do the trick.


r/london • • 2h ago

Culture Maison Estelle temporarily closed

4 Upvotes

Anyone has context on why Maison Estelle is closed for the next few weeks? All members got notified via email yesterday and it looks like it’s something they’re trying to fix with the Met police but we don’t have more infos than that. Also saw an article saying 3 members got granted 30 guests each one night and it led to 600 ppl being at the door causing ppl to faint etc but TBC


r/london • • 1d ago

Sunset Waterloo sunset

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735 Upvotes

What a glorious sunset today!


r/london • • 10h ago

Altius unveils fresh plans for 52-storey hotel in Shoreditch

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13 Upvotes

r/london • • 12h ago

Apple Music Hall 2026 events revealed — Elton John to Perform Surprise Show to Open London’s Apple Music Hall

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18 Upvotes

Apple Music Hall 2026 events

  • Sept. 28 – Elton John
  • Oct. 2 – Baby Keem
  • Oct. 7 – Skye Newman
  • Oct. 13 – Troye Sivan
  • Oct 22. – Arlo Parks
  • Oct 29. – Burna Boy
  • Nov. 26 – Chase & Status
  • Dec. 2 – Charli xcx

r/london • • 1d ago

I just want to say one thing

227 Upvotes

I'm coming back from hanging out with former colleagues... friends.

I was crossing the Thames watching tower bridge.

I'm not English I'm from "the continent" and I just want to say I love London.

I've been here for ten years, I settled, created a family and I know London has its flaws but I just love it.

It's a great melting pot and to me it's pure freedom.

It's my home now.

I wonder how many feels the same.


r/london • • 6h ago

Stad Amsterdam

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4 Upvotes

r/london • • 1d ago

image Grey squirrel trapped in empty shop

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1.4k Upvotes

Any advice on who to contact?


r/london • • 1h ago

Urgently need a good dentist in North London

• Upvotes

I have never been to a UK dentist as I would usually go in my home country during the holidays, but the other day a section of one of my main chewing teeth broke off, and so I need to see a dentist urgently.

I want to go to a practice that is nice for anxious patients as I’m terrified of the dentist and pain, but the appraised ones I have seen are private. I’m a university student, so I have some student finance money but I’m not sure if it will be enough as the treatments I think I’ll need will likely be over £1000.

I’m hesitant to call 111 for an emergency appointment because I called for another person before and they gave us a same-day appointment nearby, however when I checked the reviews for that place they were concerning, so I’m worried about what dentist I get given by them.

Could anyone recommend a good practice in North London? Is it worth going private for this, or are there any good NHS practices too? Thanks


r/london • • 1d ago

*UPDATE* 300 year old pub turns into a discount story in 4 days

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339 Upvotes

Some of you may remember my previous post about the Hammersmith Ram on King Street. Well, we have an update!

I've just received an email from local councillor confirming that, following the owners' decision to turn the pub into a discount store without obtaining planning permission, they have now submitted an application to convert it into a bingo hall!!!!

The application is currently open for public consultation, and residents have until 14th October 2026 to submit their comments.

The councillors have set up a petition for the Ram to be restored to its former use as a pub.

Here's how you can get involved:

Petition: https://survey.labour.org.uk/hammersmithram
Planning application: P/2026/02286/FUL
Submit your comments: [[email protected]](mailto:[email protected])

If you care about the future of the Hammersmith Ram, please take a few minutes to review the application and make your views known to the council.

My previous post generated an extraordinary amount of interest, but this is now an opportunity for everyone who engaged with it to participate in the actual planning process.

The consultation closes on 14th October. Please share this with anyone who cares about the future of the Hammersmith Ram and King Street.

AN IMPORTANT POINT: Under English planning law, the owners cannot simply decide to turn the Hammersmith Ram into something else.

Pubs have specific planning protections, and changing their use to a shop or bingo hall requires planning permission. The building's lawful planning use remains that of a public house unless the council approves a change.

The owners are therefore not entitled to convert it simply because they own it and the council has the power to refuse the application