Much like Oliver himself; we wanted more, and Cameron Mackintosh has delivered. Fifteen years after its last London revival, the beloved musical, Oliver!, will be returning to the West End later this year. And we’re considering ourselves pretty darn happy about it. The brand new production will be produced by Cameron Mackintosh, directed and choreographed by Matthew Bourne, and co-directed by Jean-Pierre van der Spuy. The revival will open at the Gielgud Theatre on Shaftesbury Avenue on December 14, after completing a run at the Chichester Festival Theatre this summer. Credit: Andy Robert ..read more

So, you’ve got your ticket to a game at Stamford Bridge (maybe it’s even the Women’s Champions League match between Chelsea and Barcelona this weekend, which is poised on a knife edge with the Blues a goal to the good), but you need to make a day of it before and after kick-off. Not. A. Problem. Stamford Bridge has stood tall since 1877, and has been the home of Chelsea since they were founded in 1905, and while the surroundings of the now-40,341 capacity ground look very different, we can safely say there are plenty of ways to entertain yourself in the vicinity of Stamford Bridge. Here are so ..read more

As you might have noticed, here at Secret London, we’ve got a bit of a soft spot for our capital city. There’s nowhere quite like it. And certainly nowhere else we could imagine ourselves living. Unless, of course, some gorgeous little town in the French countryside was selling off a house for €1. Oh wait… That’s right, folks: tucked away in the depths of rural France is a tiny town called Saint-Amand-Montrond. And in that town, there’s a two-bedroom house up for sale for just €1. That’s roughly 86p. Hmm, perhaps it is time for me to pack up my big city life, after all. Why is the house being ..read more

Over in East London, there is a wonderful road that changes identity as it moves through the city of London on its way north into England. Officially part of the A10 (which actually runs from  South London all the way north to King’s Lynn in Norfolk), it’s also known as Kingsland Road, Stoke Newington High Street, and more. It counts to its length an incredible selection of drinking and dining destinations, and it’s also home to an impressive selection of London’s taco restaurants. In fact, there are so many good taco spots, we’ve put together an East London taco crawl that takes you to s ..read more

For we Swifties, today has been a highly anticipated day. We knew already that London would be the backdrop to the heart-wrenching album The Tortured Poets Department, but we had no idea that the iconic singer-songwriter would be name-dropping local scenes of love-drenched crimes while she was at it. Taylor is the gift that keeps on giving for we Londoners, and now, we have another place we can actually visit while pretending we’re in some melancholic music video (we still love you, too, Kentish Delight). Credit: Republic Marking the beginning of the second half of the double album, The Black ..read more

The Standard has no doubt built a rep for hosting some of the most spectacular pop-ups and residences. So, it comes with no huge surprise that it was chef Ixta Belfrage’s time to take over their restaurant Isla for the next three months. For those of you who don’t know Ixta, let me explain. Ixta worked for Yotam Ottolenghi’s Test Kitchen for five years before also being a runner-up for best debut cookbook at the Fortum & Mason Awards. Ixta’s prawn lasagne, a favourite from her book, not only became a talking point online but really is the best damn thing you might possibly taste. Like ..read more

Contrary to a couple of innocent beliefs, London and The City of London aren’t the same thing. London applies to the entire metropolis that covers the whole capital, while The City of London, otherwise known as the Square Mile, is a small area within the central sector of London, jam-packed with fascinating history, as well as its own government and other unexpected quirks. From its Roman roots as Londinium to the renowned glass skyscrapers of modern London, there are so many fabulous things to do across The City, and here are some of the absolute best. 1. Visit the iconic St. Paul’s Cathedral ..read more

It’s not often that you’ll get to see a DJ practically jump from the big stage of Coachella all the way over to a smaller, more intimate venue in London… but that’s (almost) a prospect we can look forward to. Gracing the US festival this month, monolith producer Diplo will then seamlessly jump into the chic space of STEREO in Covent Garden on May 24 in celebration of the venue’s first birthday. In terms of guests to invite to your birthday bash, this is who you’d be turning to first to guide you along with the music. No Ordinary Love cocktail at STEREO (Image: Addie Chinn)Diplo DJ set at STERE ..read more

The Barbican is an adored epicentre of arts and culture, nestled inside a protected brutalist beauty in the heart of the city. With a continuous flow of must-visit exhibitions and things to do, their newest exhibit delves into the political power behind textiles with an all-new commission piece that has completely transformed the centre’s Lakeside Terrace. Unravel: The Power and Politics of Textiles in Art is currently on display, boasting an insightful collection of textile artworks that explore themes of violence and imperialism, alongside stories of resilience and hope. The latest piece to ..read more

O2 Academy Brixton has been closed since December 2022, but it’s just been announced that the historic London venue will be allowed to reopen next month. The venue took to their socials last month to confirm that, from today (April 19), the venue will be able to put on live music once again, and will kick off with a series of tribute acts to some of the biggest bands in the history of music. View this post on Instagram A post shared by O2 Academy Brixton (@o2academybrix) Nirvana UK (a tribute act to Nirvana) will be the first show on the cards, taking place tonight (April 19). These will f ..read more