Sea Life London Aquarium has dived into its annual “count and clean” stocktake of its creatures in preparation for the year ahead. Expert aquarists have plunged into the water with calculators in hand to kick off their count of the attraction’s 6,000 creatures, including a 27-year-old green sea turtle named Boris who measures 1.5 meters (five feet) in … [Read more...] about London Aquarium Does Annual Count – includes a 27-year-old turtle named Boris, 298 clownfish, and four tropical milk frogs
About Londontopia Staff
Scaffolding Begins to Come Down on Big Ben and plans to chime on New Year’s Eve as restoration nears its end
Big Ben will bong on New Year’s Eve, with all faces of the Houses of Parliament’s famous clock tower on display for the first time in four years. The bell will be struck 12 times to mark the start of 2022, as a project to restore the Palace of Westminster’s Elizabeth Tower nears its end. In the days running up to December 31, the bell will be heard chiming, as engineers … [Read more...] about Scaffolding Begins to Come Down on Big Ben and plans to chime on New Year’s Eve as restoration nears its end
London’s Natural History Museum closes for a week amid Covid-related ‘staff shortages,’ Some Theatre Shows Close
The Natural History Museum is being forced to close its doors for a week due to “staff shortages” related to coronavirus. The South Kensington visitor attraction has had to make the “difficult decision” to shut from Tuesday after front-of-house staff were “impacted by Covid-19 infections and isolation requirements”. In a statement, the museum said: “We will remain closed … [Read more...] about London’s Natural History Museum closes for a week amid Covid-related ‘staff shortages,’ Some Theatre Shows Close
London Couple use thousands of lights to create elaborate charitable Christmas display
A man who was diagnosed with leukemia is raising money for a blood cancer charity by creating an elaborate Christmas display outside his and his partner’s house. Peter Elliott, 71, has spent a month putting up thousands of lights on his home in Romford, east London, to raise money for Leukaemia Care and Great Ormond Street Hospital. He creates the display each year to … [Read more...] about London Couple use thousands of lights to create elaborate charitable Christmas display
42ft Christmas tree erected outside Houses of Parliament
The festive season has officially begun at Parliament, marked by the arrival of an enormous Christmas tree. The 42ft Sitka spruce was erected at the Palace of Westminster on Saturday morning. Parliamentary staff used a crane to unload and decorate the tree, which stands in New Palace Yard, close to the Elizabeth Tower – the home of Big Ben. Sir … [Read more...] about 42ft Christmas tree erected outside Houses of Parliament
Stratford overtakes Waterloo as Britain’s busiest railway station
Stratford was Britain’s busiest railway station in the past year, new figures show. The Office of Rail and Road (ORR) said an estimated 14.0 million passengers traveled through the east London station in the year to the end of March. Passenger numbers across Britain dropped by 78% over the 12-month period due to the coronavirus pandemic. London’s #Stratford … [Read more...] about Stratford overtakes Waterloo as Britain’s busiest railway station
Palace of Westminster Christmas Tree Officially Chosen – Westminster Christmas tree is one in 150 million
A Christmas tree picked to stand at the foot of Big Ben is one in 150 million, Forestry England has said. The 42ft Sitka spruce, selected from the 60,000-hectare Kielder Forest in Northumberland, has been despatched to central London to be put up outside Parliament at the weekend. Kielder is England’s biggest forest and one of the few places in the UK that can supply such … [Read more...] about Palace of Westminster Christmas Tree Officially Chosen – Westminster Christmas tree is one in 150 million
‘Superbloom’ field of flowers to surround Tower of London for Platinum Jubilee
The Tower of London will be surrounded by a vibrant field of millions of colorful flowers in celebration of the Queen’s Platinum Jubilee next year. Historic Royal Palaces said the “Superbloom” floral display will fill and transform the moat around the tourist attraction in central London. In spring 2022, more than 20 million seeds will be sown from carefully designed seed … [Read more...] about ‘Superbloom’ field of flowers to surround Tower of London for Platinum Jubilee
London’s Elizabeth line reaches dress rehearsal stage ahead of 2022 launch
A new Tube line is in the dress rehearsal stage before opening to passengers next year, Transport for London (TfL) has said. Londoners will be able to take the Elizabeth line between Paddington and Abbey Wood from the first half of 2022. The line is currently undergoing the trial stage, to ensure the safety and reliability of the railway for public use and to test the … [Read more...] about London’s Elizabeth line reaches dress rehearsal stage ahead of 2022 launch
New sculptures of Queen and Philip to complete Royal Albert Hall for 150th Anniversary
The Royal Albert Hall has commissioned two new life-size sculptures of the Queen and the late Duke of Edinburgh to mark its 150th anniversary. The bronze figures – along with two new statues of the Queen Victoria and Prince Albert – will be permanent additions to the historic London venue and will be unveiled next summer. The artworks of the Queen and Philip, depicting … [Read more...] about New sculptures of Queen and Philip to complete Royal Albert Hall for 150th Anniversary
London launches Christmas celebrations with world’s biggest light switch-on
London has kicked off its Christmas festivities with the world’s largest light switch-on. The capital’s most well-known hotspots including Mayfair, Piccadilly Circus, and Leicester Square have been decked with more than one million LED lights ahead of Christmas. Shoppers buying their loved ones gifts on Oxford Street and Regent Street are also able to see the lights from … [Read more...] about London launches Christmas celebrations with world’s biggest light switch-on
Seahorses and sharks thriving in Thames, first ever State of the Thames report released
The Thames is a "rich and varied" home for wildlife, including seahorses and sharks; a report into the health of the river has concluded six decades after parts of it were declared "biologically dead." But the first-ever State of the Thames report also warns of the threats from climate change and pollution, with an average rise of water temperature of almost 0.2C per year … [Read more...] about Seahorses and sharks thriving in Thames, first ever State of the Thames report released
World’s Oldest Toy Store Hamleys unveils its Harry Potter and Jurassic Park Christmas windows
Toy shop Hamleys has unveiled its Christmas windows with scenes from Harry Potter and Jurassic Park. The windows depict two scenes from the Harry Potter films against a snowy backdrop alongside the Jurassic Park feature, with toys from both blockbusters set to be big sellers again this year. Hamleys chief executive Sumeet Yadav said: “This year, we are bringing the magic … [Read more...] about World’s Oldest Toy Store Hamleys unveils its Harry Potter and Jurassic Park Christmas windows
Selfridges unveils ‘Christmas of Dreams’ 2021 window display, in October
It's a bit early, to be honest, I mean it's still October! But Selfridges has unveiled its Christmas window display with an “enchanted dream world” drawing on the Golden Age of Hollywood. With just under two months until the big day, the department store’s “Christmas of Dreams” campaign has been launched at its London, Birmingham, and Manchester stores and … [Read more...] about Selfridges unveils ‘Christmas of Dreams’ 2021 window display, in October
London’s V&A and National Trust unite to explore ‘extraordinary legacy’ of Beatrix Potter in 2022 Exhibition
The Victoria and Albert Museum (V&A) has joined forces with the National Trust for an exhibition telling the life story of author Beatrix Potter. Drawn to Nature will feature more than 240 personal objects, including rarely seen letters, manuscripts, sketches, coded diaries, and family photographs drawn from the two collections. Potter, who lived between 1866 and … [Read more...] about London’s V&A and National Trust unite to explore ‘extraordinary legacy’ of Beatrix Potter in 2022 Exhibition
Heathrow to raise passenger charges by up to 76%
Flying into Heathrow is to get more expensive for passengers, but most may not notice as the fee is built into your plane ticket. One thing is becoming very clear - as we all resume traveling to Britain, it's going to be more expensive across the board as the travel industry begins to recover from a tough two years. Heathrow has been given the go-ahead to hike passenger … [Read more...] about Heathrow to raise passenger charges by up to 76%
British Museum to display ‘world’s oldest surviving map of the stars’
The British Museum is to display what it says is the world’s oldest surviving map of the stars. The Nebra Sky Disc is 3,600 years old and will go on show at the London museum next year. The 30cm bronze disc with a blue-green patina is decorated with inlaid gold symbols thought to represent the sun, moon, stars, the solstices, and the Pleiades constellation. The Nebra … [Read more...] about British Museum to display ‘world’s oldest surviving map of the stars’
London’s Hamleys unveils most wanted toys for Christmas
Toys that encourage imagination in children are tipped to be top sellers this Christmas as parents seek to counter a “year on screens,” retailer Hamleys has said. This year sees the most-wanted toys encouraging role play and creativity and allowing families to play together after last year’s Covid-restricted celebrations, the store said. The top 10 list includes racing … [Read more...] about London’s Hamleys unveils most wanted toys for Christmas
London’s Night Tube to return in November
London Underground’s Night Tube will resume next month after being suspended in March 2020 due to the coronavirus pandemic. Transport for London (TfL) said services on the Central and Victoria lines will run through the night on Fridays and Saturdays from Saturday, November 27. Tens of thousands of people signed a petition calling for the Night Tube to resume to help … [Read more...] about London’s Night Tube to return in November
Check out ‘Enigmatic images’ in Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year Contest
A French biologist and underwater photographer has been named as this year's Natural History Museum's Wildlife Photographer of the Year, the annual contest put on by the London museum. The photos will be going on public display at London's Natural History Museum. Laurent Ballesta was selected as the winner of the competition following the submission of his "enigmatic image" … [Read more...] about Check out ‘Enigmatic images’ in Natural History Museum’s Wildlife Photographer of the Year Contest
African-American abolitionists who escaped slavery honored with blue plaque in London
A married African-American couple who escaped enslavement in the US and fled to England in the mid-19th century has been honored with a blue plaque at their former London home. Ellen and William Craft lived at 26 Cambridge Grove, a mid-Victorian house in Hammersmith, after arriving in the country in December 1850. They had made a dangerous 1,000-mile journey from Georgia … [Read more...] about African-American abolitionists who escaped slavery honored with blue plaque in London
London Marathon: 30 fun new world records set at 2021’s London Marathon
A fun runner who is now the fastest woman to finish a marathon dressed as a cake said it was a “amazing” to have competed in this year’s London Marathon. The effort by Anna Bassil, 42, of St Albans, is among 30 official Guinness World Records (GWR) titles which were broken as the Virgin Money London Marathon returned after last year’s event had to be scrapped due to Covid-19 … [Read more...] about London Marathon: 30 fun new world records set at 2021’s London Marathon
Two new ‘beefeaters’ join the ranks at the Tower of London
Two new “beefeaters” have donned their famous dark blue and red uniforms for the first time as they prepare to join the ranks of the guards at the Tower of London. Emma Rousell from Derby and Paul Langley from South Shields have begun training to become the newest Yeoman Warders at the central London landmark. Both Ms. Rousell and Mr. Langley have been chosen for the … [Read more...] about Two new ‘beefeaters’ join the ranks at the Tower of London
Princess Diana honored with blue plaque at her former London flat
Diana, Princess of Wales, has been honored with a blue plaque at her former London flat. The princess lived at 60 Coleherne Court, a property in a mansion block close to the fashionable King’s Road in Chelsea when she settled in the capital as a young woman before marrying the Prince of Wales in 1981. She shared the flat with a number of girlfriends from 1979 to 1981, … [Read more...] about Princess Diana honored with blue plaque at her former London flat
London Underground Northern Line extension to Nine Elms and Battersea opens to great fanfare
London Underground’s first major line expansion this century has opened (discounting a new station at Heathrow in 2008). Two new Northern line stations opened in south London following a £1.1 billion project. The first train on the new route departed from Battersea Power Station at 5.28 am. The ticket hall at Nine Elms station (TfL/PA) It called at the other new … [Read more...] about London Underground Northern Line extension to Nine Elms and Battersea opens to great fanfare
Londontopia is simply the website for people who love London. It was founded by Jonathan & Jackie Thomas from Anglotopia.net as a place to post articles solely focused on London and its environs. Keep up with all the latest London news at Londontopia! This site is geared towards people who love to visit London and our primary audience is North American but everyone is welcome!