Lord Mayor's Hot Air Balloon Regatta 2019 | In pictures

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Full Moon June 2018: When is the Strawberry Moon in the UK? And when is Saturn visible?

Stargazers are in for a treat with both the Strawberry Moon and Saturn clearly visible on Thursday.

Saturn is expected to appear in the night sky at around midnight on Wednesday and will be at its highest point at 1 am on Thursday.

The planet should be visible for at least the next month.

While those wishing to see the Strawberry Moon will be able to see it at around 5.53am BST on Thursday. 

When will Saturn be visible?

On Thursday, Saturn will be the closest to Earth that it has been this year, meaning the planet can be seen with the naked eye. Skies should be fairly clear thanks to the current heatwave in the UK.

For those with telescopes, Saturn’s rings should also be visible. According to Griffith Observatory in Los Angeles, the rings will be brighter than the planet this week.

Astronomer Affelia Wibisono from the Royal Observatory Greenwich said: “Saturn will be in the sky from sunset to sunrise, first appearing in the south-east and setting in the south-west.”

Those hoping to catch a glimpse of the planet with the naked eye should look for a bright star. It will rise in the East and make its way across the sky before setting in the West. 

When is the strawberry moon and what is it?

The Strawberry Moon is a name given to the full moon which occurs in June.

This year’s Strawberry Moon will be visible during the early hours of Thursday morning.

The name is thought to derive from Native American tribes as it falls in late June during the height of strawberry picking season.

As with Saturn, the hot weather means that the moon will be clear in the night sky.

Those hoping to see the Strawberry Moon should head to an open space for a better view.

St George’s Day 2017: Where to celebrate in London and what to do

I wonder how the dragon’s family feels about all this? For centuries now, his killer has been lauded as a national hero.

St George’s Day falls on a Sunday this year, as ever on April 23. Though at one time, in the mid 18th century, it was as popular and celebrated as Christmas, now we aren’t even granted a Bank Holiday. Still, they had regular Cholera epidemics too in the 1700s, so not everything was better back then.

Feast of St George 

Trafalgar Square will be busy with the Mayor of London’s party of music, food and drink this Saturday, featuring the Military Wives Choirs, ‘Streets of London’ folk singer Ralph McTell, cooking demonstrations from top chef Theo Randall and Masterchef winner Natalie Coleman, and plenty of family-friendly fun, including a fairground rides and an adventure trail. It’s completely free and no ticket is required: head along from midday.

Info: April 22, Trafalgar Square, WC2N 5DN, london.gov.uk

Battle it out: Combat at the Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens

Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens St George's Day Festival

The Trafalgar Square celebrations might be bigger, but these are our favourite: besides live music and a telling of the classic St George and the Dragon story, there’ll be a hog roast, traditional Georgian dancing and wrestling, pony rides, falconry and fully suited up knights galore. Yes, knights: they’ll be quite literally battling it out in true medieval style. Elsewhere, there’s plenty for children with a Punch & Judy show and traditional games. Oh, and to top it all off, on Sunday they're hosting a dog show.

Info: April 22 – 23, vauxhalltrust.org

Borough Market

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London Pizza Festival returns to Borough Market

Old Georgie must have been a busy man: besides merry old England, he’s the patron saint of all sorts of things, including archers, Boy Scouts, and saddle makers. He’s also the saint for farmers, shepherds and butchers, which makes it a nice tie in for Borough Market. From midday until 4pm, there’ll be live theatre, storytelling and music alongside all the food. Also, in recognition of St George as the Patron Saint of Catalonia (as we say, George was a popular chap), there’ll be plenty of Catalan bites to eat, alongside cooking demonstrations and even folk with a hip-hop twist.

Info: April 23, Borough Market, SE1 1TL, boroughmarket.org.uk

St George in Southwark

Already underway, Southwark going big for St George, with plenty on, including a ‘Dragon Quest’, where children and adults can hunt for George’s enemy across the area. Tickets need to be booked up online in advance. Across the weekend, other highlights include a street parade, live music, dancing, and Choral Evensong.

Info: Until April 24, across Southwark, stgeorge-themartyr.co.uk

Fiddler’s Elbow St George’s Day Special

Head up to Camden for a long set of live music in this beloved pub. Don’t expect old, twee folky music, though: there’ll be alternative rock and punk courtesy of Terry Guy, Dromstad, Shoot the Symphony and Simon Williams. Tickets cost £5.

Info: April 23, Fiddler’s Elbow, 1 Malden Rd, NW5 3HS, skiddle.com

London weather: Snow falls in capital for second time in two days ... and it's April

Snow has fallen in the capital for the second time in two days – even though it’s nearly May.

Astonished Londoners took to social media to share photographs as snowflakes fell across the city accompanied by claps of thunder and lightning.

Similar conditions hit the capital on Tuesday, with Met Office forecasters revealing it was the first time snow had dusted London in late April since 1985.

Unusual sight: Londoners shared their amazement on social media Twitter/@yak32

On Wednesday night areas including Brixton in south London and parts of west London were affected.

The snowfall came amid thunder and lightning and some shared stunning photographs of ominous clouds building before the downpour.

One Twitter user suggested the scene seemed like the opening of apocalypse movie The Day After Tomorrow.

Forecasters at the Met Office had predicted showers on Wednesday and warned of frost forming overnight, but snow came as a surprise.

Minimum temperatures going into Thursday were set to be -1C, the Met Office said
Source - Evening Standard

London weather: Saharan dust cloud warning as capital 'hotter than Ibiza'

Londoners have been warned to expect high levels of pollution on what could be the hottest day of the year so far.

Forecasters predicted that temperatures could soar to up to 19C (66.2F) in parts of the UK on Sunday, making it hotter than Barcelona and Ibiza.

But they also say the South East is likely to be hit by high pollution due to Saharan dust being swept in.

Officials warned of moderate to high air pollution as southerly winds bring in dust from the Saharan region.

Marco Petagna, from the Met Office, said parts the South East would see the highest levels of pollution.

"On Thursday, dust from the Sahara region was lifted up into the atmosphere", he said.

"At the moment, certainly across the south of the UK, we've got southerly winds that's allowed that dust to transport northwards towards the UK.

"And with outbreaks of rain developing at times over the next couple of days, some of that will get washed out of the atmosphere and give a slight deposit of dust on cars."

The pollution could pose a potential health risk to vulnerable groups.

At-risk individuals, including those with lung and heart problems, should "reduce strenuous physical exertion" if they are in an affected area, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs said. 

Temperatures peaked at 15.8C (60.4F) in Holbeach, Lincolnshire, on Saturday, and are expected to rise to between 18C (64.4F) or 19C (66.2F) in the South East on Sunday.

Sophie Yeomans, from the Met Office, said average temperatures for early April were normally around 11C (51.8F) or 12C (53.6F), while this year's highest recorded temperature was 18.7C (65.6F) in Braemar, Aberdeenshire, in March.

"If we reach 19C that would make it the hottest day of the year," she said.

"But it's a bit of a mixed bag - in Scotland and Northern Ireland and further north, there is some rain around for most of the day. In Scotland and in the North, it will be fairly chilly and highs will only reach 11C.

"Further south, in England and Wales, it's mainly going to be sunny spells and patchy cloud. Western areas might just see some showers in the evening that will be quite heavy.

"The best of the weather is going to be in the South East."

The warmer climate is due to tropical continental air being brought into the UK through a change in wind direction.

But it will not last, with the Met Office warning that early next week will become "fairly unsettled" with heavy showers. Temperatures could still reach 17C (62.6F) in places.

Bookmakers were predicting the hottest day of the year this weekend, but seem sceptical that this April will be the hottest on record, only offering odds of 100/1.

Source ES

US embassy in London to become luxury hotel in £1bn revamp of Grosvenor Square

America’s “fortress” embassy in Mayfair is to be converted into a luxury hotel as part of a £1 billion restoration of Grosvenor Square, the Standard can reveal.

Ambassador Matthew Barzun and his team of diplomats move out of the Grade II-listed modernist block — one of the most heavily protected buildings in London —  to occupy a new home in Nine Elms next year.

It will be reborn as a 137-bedroom five-star hotel with a spa and ballroom for 1,000 guests, according to plans to be submitted to Westminster council next month

There will also be six high-end shops and five restaurants.

An artist's impression of the exterior of the hotel

The Qatari owners of the embassy have promised to demolish the intimidating rows of bollards and barriers put up after the 9/11 attacks and restore Grosvenor Square to its former status as an “open, expansive green space for residents and visitors to enjoy”.

Developer Qatari Diar  —  controlled by the Qatari Investment Authority sovereign wealth fund —  has called in British architect Sir David Chipperfield to draw up redevelopment plans.

A public exhibition on the scheme will run from April 11 to 16 at 24 Grosvenor Hill.

Jerry Holmes, chief development officer for Qatari Diar said: “We take our responsibility to the local community very seriously and are committed to 

undertaking an in-depth and thorough engagement with local residents, businesses, amenity societies, heritage bodies, Westminster City Council and other local stakeholders.”

America’s largest European embassy has served as its diplomatic mission in Britain since 1960 and been at the centre of protests against the US government, most famously 1968’s violent anti-Vietnam war demonstrations.

The move to Wandsworth will end a US association with Grosvenor Square that goes back more than 200 years to first envoy John Adams in 1785. 

Source ES 

London landmarks to light up in Belgian national colours to honour victims

The Belgian beamed onto landmarks across London to honour the victims of the Brussels attacks.

The National Gallery and the London Eye will light up in Belgium's national colours as London pays tribute to the dozens killed and hundreds injured in Tuesday’s bombings.

Tower Bridge, Trafalgar Square, the National Theatre and Wembley Stadium will also display the colours this evening.

Mayor of London Boris Johnson said: “The scenes in Belgium were truly appalling and it is important we pay tribute to the victims, as well as show our solidarity with the people of Brussels. 

“They have the sympathy of every Londoner and our thoughts will be with them as they do their best to recover from this despicable atrocity.”

The Brandenburg gate was illuminated in the black, yellow and red of the Belgian flag last night REUTERS/Fabrizio Bensch

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Last night, landmarks across Europe including the Eiffel Tower, the Brandenburg Gate and the Trevi Fountain were illuminated in the aftermath of the bombings, which claimed at least 31 lives.

Two bombs were detonated at an airport and another blast went off on the city's metro system, leaving a further 270 people injured.

Jennette Arnold, chair of the London Assembly, said: “We must send a clear signal that atrocities like the events in Brussels yesterday will be not be tolerated.

“When London lights up its landmarks, we are condemning terror and mindless acts of violence and standing side by side with Belgians in their tragic hour.”

City Hall also announced that Trafalgar Square will host a vigil on Thursday from 6pm to 10pm, organised in partnership with the Belgian embassy. 

A 25-metre silk flag will be placed in the central staircase in the square.

Sponsor a square foot of Painted Room restoration at Greenwich's Old Royal Naval College

Londoners are being asked to help fund a multi-million-pound restoration of the Painted Room at the Old Royal Naval College in Greenwich.

The hall, part of Greenwich’s Unesco World Heritage Site, was designed by Sir Christopher Wren and Nicholas Hawksmoor and opened in 1694. It was decorated by Sir James Thornhill be-tween 1708 and 1727 and has been de-scribed as “Britain’s Sistine Chapel”.

“Britain’s Sistine Chapel”: the Painted Room at the Old Royal Naval College

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The Heritage Lottery Fund has provided £3 million and there have been gifts from private donors including The Sackler Trust.

However, the work needed on almost 40,000 square feet of paintings will cost about £8 million in total and the public are being encouraged to help by sponsoring a square foot.

The conservation work will be open to the public, with a temporary lift installed to enable access to scaffolding for tours. There are also plans for a new gallery and cafe.

Conservation director William Palin said the hall is one of “Britain’s greatest architectural and artistic treasures”. Work is set to begin in September and finish in early 2019.

For more information visit ornc.org

Bagpuss finds a new home in London

Children's TV favourite Bagpuss has found a new home at the V&A Museum of Childhood in London.

The pink and white striped cat, who starred in a 13-episode BBC series in 1974, has been put on display alongside The Clangers.

The five pink, long-nosed, mouse-like creatures, who lived on a small planet, starred in a self-titled show which launched on the BBC in 1969.

Bagpuss: Alice Sage, Curator at the V&A Museum of Childhood in east London with the original puppet Stefan Rousseau/PA Wire

Both Bagpuss and The Clangers were the creations of Oliver Postgate and Peter Firmin, and filmed in a barn in rural Kent. 

Iconic: Alice Sage, Curator at the V&A Museum of Childhood in east London with two of the original Clanger puppets

The Clangers, Bagpuss & Co exhibition will showcase the work of Smallfilms, Firmin and Postgate's production company.

It opens to the public on Saturday at the V&A Museum of Childhood in Bethnal Green.

Pioneering 'social supermarkets' selling cheap food opening in London

Three new “social supermarkets” selling food stock cheaply to people on low incomes are set to open across London.

The supermarkets in Haringey, Enfield and Lambeth will sell in-date foods that would not be sold by big retailers for reasons such as incorrect packaging or over-production.

All the food will be in-date and would otherwise be sent to landfill. Services like employment help, budgeting tips and cookery lessons will also be offered.

The 'social supermarkets' will sell food which would otherwise be sent to landfill Rex

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The three new stores follow the success of the pilot supermarket which opened in Lambeth last year and has so far helped 520 households in south London.

Like the first, the new shops will receive funding from the Mayor of London’s High Street Fund as part of a £129 million investment in the capital’s high streets from Boris Johnson. 

On the stores, Mr Johnson said: “When I visited the Lambeth Community Shop last year, I was struck by the range of training and skills services, making it a hugely positive resource.

"This funding will help boroughs kick start similar ‘social supermarket’ ventures that can really help local people on tight budgets. I want to see more innovative schemes on our high streets that tackle food waste, help communities and offer access to a variety of good standard cheaper food.”

Westminster Bridge to have segregated cycle superhighway

Westminster bridge is to become the fourth Thames crossing to have a segregated cycle superhighway, Boris Johnson announced today.

The Mayor confirmed plans to protect cyclists, who make up almost a third of traffic crossing the Grade-11 listed bridge in the morning rush hour, after majority support in a public consultation.

But separate plans to demolish the iconic Vauxhall bus garage have been put on ice after about a third of respondents opposed Transport for London’s planned changes to the area.

A computer-generated image of how the bridge will look with a segregated cycle lane

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Work will begin later this year to install a 1.8m-wide cycle lane on both sides of Westminster bridge. Segregated lanes are already in place on Southwark and Vauxhall bridges, and one is due to open next month on Blackfriars bridge.

The Westminster lanes will link directly into the Mayor’s flagship east-west “Crossrail for bikes” scheme on the Victoria Embankment, which will be formally opened on April 30.

The layout of the roundabout on the south side of the bridge at Waterloo will be remodelled, with segregated space for cyclists, separate traffic lights giving cyclists an early start and improved pedestrian crossings.

There will also be a new cycle route along the South Bank as part of the “central London grid”.

Mr Johnson said: “Every day we see flocks of cyclists sweeping back and forth across this iconic bridge, so it makes real sense for it to become the next bridge to benefit from a segregated lane. 

“It’s going to make a real difference to the safety of cyclists, and with further improvements being made to this out-dated junction, pedestrians are going to benefit too.

"We’ve been working flat-out to improve roads across the capital, and I’m delighted that Londoners have once again stepped forward to back our plans.” 

TfL said that 74 per cent supported or partially supported the proposals. Leon Daniels, managing director of surface transport at TfL, said: “This latest radical redesign of one of London’s most disconnecting and intimidating junctions will bring it into the 21st century to support an ever-growing London.”

At Vauxhall, 61 per cent of 1,247 people responding to a TfL consultation were generally positive about removing the gyratory, while 31 per cent were opposed.

A sizable number of community activists objected to the loss of the bus station and said the proposals to convert the gyratory to two-way streets were not good enough. 

TfL said it would review all points raised in the consultation and publish a fuller report this autumn.

Construction of the cycle lanes on Westminster bridge is due to start this Autumn and be completed by 2018, subject to works approval.

Disused tunnels under London Tube station could be reopened to the public

Disused tunnels under a London Tube station could be reopened to the public if a major redevelopment project goes ahead.

Developers plan to demolish one of Knightsbridge station’s entrances to make space for new shops.

Under the plans, an old back-street access route for pedestrians would also be made available for public use again.

The entrance, on the corner of Basil Street and Hoopers Court, was used when Knightsbridge station first opened in 1906. Currently, it provides access to offices.

Redevelopment plan: Knightsbridge station

Its renewal would see passengers using two tunnels which have been off-limits for decades.

In planning documents submitted to Kensington and Chelsea council, developers Carraig Investments Sarl request permission to carry out major works to the station and surrounding buildings.

New access: Planning documents submitted to Kensington and Chelsea council show the undeground layout of the station. The two thin pink spurs that disappear beneath the building are the disused tunnels

Under the plans, several buildings would be demolished as an existing entrance to the Tube station is moved from the corner of Brompton Road and Sloane Street.

They include a "space to facilitate provision of a new step-free London Underground entrance on Hooper's Court” – meaning the disused tunnels under the Tube station would reopen.

The Evening Standard has contacted the team behind the development and Kensington and Chelsea council for a comment.

A decision is expected to be made in the next few weeks.

Northern line extension: The 650-tonne machine that will expand the Tube in south London

This is the machine that will bore new tunnels beneath the streets of south London to take the Tube to Battersea.

The Northern line extension, which is due to be completed in 2020, will see stations opened at Nine Elms and Battersea Power Station, with the new stops connected on the line to Kennington.

Two 650 tonne tunnel boring machines will eventually be brought to London and will begin tunnelling for six months early next year.

The machines – which are more than 100 metres long - will take two individual tunnel drives and will run for 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

Machinery: This huge machine will create the tunnels needed for the Northern line Transport for London

Extension: The Northern line will run to Battersea Power Station and Nine Elms from 2020

The new tunnels will be 5.2 metres in diameter and the tunnelling process will see more than 300,000 tonnes of earth excavated.

Mayor of London, Boris Johnson MP, said: “The construction of these mammoth machines is the clearest indicator yet that we are about to deliver the first major extension of the Tube in nearly 30 years.

“By extending the Northern line we are improving access to the Tube for thousands of south Londoners as well as triggering the creation of vital new homes and jobs.”

Extending the Northern line is predicted to provide a 20 per cent increase in capacity through central London during peak times.

London weather: Freezing temperatures expected in week of 'incredible' fluctuations

The mercury could fall as low as -3C overnight in the South East and daytime temperatures between 0-6C in are expected in London as the week progresses, the Met Office said.

Alert: 'Sharp frosts' are forecast Stephen Simpson/Rex

It comes after an unseasonably mild weekend which saw 15C recorded in large parts of the south of England.

The forecaster labelled the difference in temperatures between Sunday and Tuesday “incredible”.

A Met Office spokeswoman said Tuesday night would be “largely clear with widespread sharp frost”.

She added: “[On Wednesday] after a clear frosty start there will be more sunshine than Tuesday, although some cloud will develop most parts will stay dry.”

The rest of the week will stay cold with bright and sunny spells and some wintry showers.

Trafalgar Square transformed into wartime scene for Hollywood blockbuster film shoot

Trafalgar Square was described today as like a scene from the First World War as filming took place for an upcoming Hollywood blockbuster.

Roads leading to the iconic central London landmark were closed for nearly four hours while production crews filmed scenes for Wonder Woman, a DC Comics film starring Israeli actress Gal Gadot.

Passers-by tweeted their excitement after seeing Union Jacks, vintage vehicles and dozens of people in military-style trenchcoats for what appeared to be an army homecoming.

While Vince Strachan added: “Warner Bros were filming in Trafalgar Square this morning for the new Wonder Woman film, looked like a scene from WW1.”

Transport for London said the roads reopened at 10.30am.

The film is set to be released in June next year.

More on this story

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Lost in London - Last year more than 300 000 Items were left on the transport networks of the capital

A prosthetic leg, a life-sized Spiderman doll and "enough musical instruments to form a band" have been lost on London's travel network.

More than 300,000 items were left on the capital's trains and buses last year as Transport for London received a record haul of missing goods.

Aside from the more peculiar finds, thousands of tablets, umbrellas and wallets were also handed in to TFL's lost property office - described as a "wonder emporium" by manager Paul Cowan.

Alongside the daily haul of around 150 mobile phones, the office has received a full-size house carpet, a judge's wig and a hoard of musical instruments including drum kits.

Only 22 per cent of lost property was reunited with its rightful owner last year

Last year 22% of the 302,714 items handed in were returned to their rightful owners including a brown envelope containing £15,000 and an urn of ashes that had been kept by workers at the lost property office for almost seven years.

Mr Cowan, who calls his job "one of the best", said the number of items lost on the network would increase as more passengers used the service.

"The number of properties lost is fascinating, every day we're getting well over 1,200 items of property found across the network, it's staggering," he said. "The volume continues to go up as the number of people living and travelling in London increases."

"Every item that comes in here has a definite story behind it. There's the usual suspects, umbrellas, hundreds of books and documents and travel passes, but dispersed amongst that there is all the things that make you scratch your head, what were they doing carrying that or what were they doing with it.

Last year over 300,000 items were handed in

"We've had urns of ashes come through, bundles of notes, we've got enough musical instruments, guitars and trumpets and flutes and clarinets, even drum kits to start our own band."

All items handed in to TFL end up at the three-storey building next to Baker Street station and are stored for three months before being donated to charity, sent to auction or recycled.

Each year thousands of umbrellas, items of clothing and bags are donated to the British Red Cross, Scope and the Salvation Army through the scheme.

The number of items lost on the Tube is only expected to rise as more people use the service

Mr Cowan said: "There are many successes and it is one of the most gratifying parts of the jobs, because it is not just us involved. It could be the cleaner who finds the item on a train or a bus, it could be another passenger, it could be a member of TFL staff."

"Getting the item back to the customer and seeing the smile on their face is fantastic."

Additional reporting PA

Source - Standard

London weather: Torrential rain and gales set to batter capital as Storm Jonas fallout hits the UK

Huge swathes of the country are braced for gales that could reach 70mph with forecasters issuing warnings of fresh flooding as four inches of rain could fall in parts of the country.

Rain is expected to spread from the west and into London, becoming persistent by tonight.

The government said the military were on standby to support flood-hit communities. 

Storm Jonas unleashed chaos over the United States at the weekend as near-record levels of snowfall hit much of the east coast. 

Laura Caldwell, a forecaster at MeteoGroup, said heavy rain had hit western Scotland and north-west England overnight.

She said: "Between 10 and 25mm fell in a few hours overnight in those areas and through the course of today the rain will sweep across most of the UK. Southern Scotland, the west of England and Wales will be particularly affected.

"This is the remnants of storm Jonas. The warmer, very moist, tropical air is bringing in this potentially very high rainfall."

The weather front has swept across the Atlantic bringing heavy rain and gales with weather warnings in place across Wales, Scotland, Lancashire, Cumbria, Yorkshire and Devon and Cornwall.

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