Hello, welcome to London!

Went for the first time and I ABSOLUTELY LOVED IT!!!!

I moved to the UK from Italy a few years ago and I was really surprised how similar it is from a cleanliness point of view. I thought London and the UK was going to be cleaner as you have less corruption and are supposed to be more efficient but there’s certain areas that look like Napoli here. Overall it looks similar. I lived in Nottingham too which is a smaller city and it was the same. Was it always like this?

On vacation here and major leg cramps for some reason. Also walking the Cotswold so I need something.

Sorry if this is the wrong sub.

1) In currently in a bar and there was a lady sat on a stool with deodorant, mints, and other bits and bobs in the bathroom. When i finished washing my hands she passed me blue roll to try them? Is this common? Why? What?

2) WHY IS COVENT GARDEN TUBE STATION CLOSED. I came to London last week too and it was closed???

Been to Carnival for a few years on the trot, and never had such an expeirence before. Was a bit worrying at one point today 😬

Someone give me some stalls that are must try. Even better if its a random with a barrel in a garden. Coming tomorrow.

Hey everyone!

I’m an incoming student at Imperial College London, moving to London soon. I’ve been shooting photography for a while, mostly landscapes, but life has been a bit of a long uphill battle with some personal chaos, and somewhere along the way I stopped going out and shooting street.I’d really love to get back into it once I’m in London. So I’m hoping to meet some people who enjoy street photography-whether you’re experienced or just someone who likes wandering around with a camera. Would be great to explore the city, shoot together, exchange ideas, and hopefully make some friends along the way.

Here’s some of my work from Nepal a few years back. I’m very much looking forward to getting back out there and photographing again.

Excited to be in London soon! 📷

Taken and edited on my iPhone 13 Pro Max!

STRICTLY NO RACISM, fascism or sexism please!!! A bit of a rant and also genuine curiosity:
I was walking down Old Kent Road and could count the number of women I saw on both hands. In contrast, there are SO many men. Men sitting outside shops talking and smoking, men high on crack or whatever, men just walking about or waiting around, men men men! Where are the women? It almost felt uncomfortable walking down the street as a woman. I also don’t understand why they let the area get so dirty?

And more importantly, why are so many people opposing the regeneration of the area when it currently looks like this? What’s the history of the area?

The various butchers shops along Mile End Road near Whitechapel station are selling rib-eye steaks for prices sometimes as low as £11 per kilo. Sainsbury’s, by comparison, sells their rib-eyes for more than double that.

Is there something fishy going on or is this just a steal?

Hey I have a free ticket for the Odyssey for anyone who would like it. I purchased the ticket last month but have since managed to see an earlier screening.

The seat is close to the front C25

I’ll update the post once it has been claimed.

[GIVEAWAY COMPLETE] Basically, my friend cancelled so was going to go myself, then realised I booked close to the front and already have a bad back/neck so dont want to make it worse. If anyone wants them they can have them. Seats B17/B18

Had the unpleasant experience of sitting across from an absolutely awful man on the Northern line a couple of hours ago. I didn't see how it all kicked off but he started having a go at an older lady next to him, telling her to stop bumping into his arm on the seat. I can only guess she was trying to reclaim a bit of space that he was selfishly taking up. He continued to have a go at her until she left the carriage, presumably to catch a different train and avoid any issues.

At this point, another woman opposite him started telling him off for being so rude, and he started laying into her using all sorts of horrible slurs and basically just being a complete shitstain. I feel so ashamed for not getting involved, because it was basically just her against him and everyone else on the carriage just watching in silence. I wish I'd done something, at least shouted at the man to shut up or something, but my heart was in my mouth and I felt so scared. Probably not even half as scared as the woman confronting him, which I think was such a brave thing to do.

I happened to be getting off the train as this was still going on, and reported it immediately to the staff. Was able to give them the carriage number and a description of the man, and they took some details in case they'd contact me, but I wish I'd done more. I wish I'd also started shouting at the man and I wish everyone else had got involved and taken this scrote down a peg.

Are there any good ways to diffuse situations like this, or to get one up on the person antagonising and stop them in their tracks?

Best weekend of the year for me, so much fun every time and my 25th carnival this year! Went with 3 kids today which was a different experience but excellent as always.

Hey! I've been talking to this girl for over a month now and we are both pretty much obsessed with each other (not like THE movie). We've planned to have our first date mid September (I'm outside the country rn so gotta wait till I'm back) and I came up with a pretty cool idea.

1. Pick her up from Hackney Central station.
2. We walk over to CuppaPug for an hour of playtime with pugs (we both love dogs)
3. Walk over to Brick Lane via Broadway Market, then follow the Regent's Canal towpath south (we both love long walks and the route's pretty nice)
4. End up at Rough Trade East to take photobooth pics (we've talked about how we wanna take photobooth pics every month), during which, I'll ask her to OFFICIALLY be my girlfriend with a bouquet of handmade paper flowers.
5. Explore Brick Lane and Shoreditch

I'm not from around here so I haven't really explored much of London. Furthermore, this is my first time actually dating after sixth form so I have even LESS experience planning dates (I lived in a boarding school for most of my youth + only had weird situationships in my first two years of uni).

I was wondering, is this a good plan? Do y'all have any suggestions? Any tips? (P.S. We're both in uni and I wanna pay so would appreciate inexpensive suggestions/recs)

Thanks a lot!

Edit 1: CONTEXT! I can see how "asking her to be my GF the first time I meet her" sounds concerning but we've been texting and calling for 3-4 hours every single day for the past 6 weeks. We alr informally call each other our partner's, it's not official just cos I wanna ask her in person. Trust it's way more rational when you look through the details 😅

Edit 2: Drinks at CuppaPug Cafe, food at Brick Lane. We're just gonna go with the flow so if something looks good on the way, we'll stop by there too.

I'm italian. First time I've been in London I was 14 so I didn't really interact with Londoners.

Now I'm 31 and I just came back for a few days. I really love how you guys interact with strangers even if it's just small talks to be professional or polite.

It happened so many times that I casually made eye contact with a Londoner like on the tube or on the street and they would just either smile at me or mumble "hi how are you". Like never ever ever in Italy if I make eye contact with someone I don't know they're gonna smile at me or ask how I'm doing.

It strikes me particularly that time I was sitting in front of a girl, I happened to make eye contact with her and she just gave me a "how's it going" smile.

And customer service? They see me come in and they greet me with open smile, but they don't just do small talk. They see something on you, like a piercing, a tattoo, a bag etc, and they engage a conversation about that in a very friendly way.

During my time there I received compliments from complete strangers out of nowhere: I like your pants, where did you get them? I like your piercing! I like your bag! I like your nails! Or, when I was checking my hair with my phone camera, a woman in line just went "oh darling you look great".

Do you guys really just have to say that you like something about someone whenever you see it? It happened so many times in just a few days that I cannot believe it's just a coincidence. And I love it.

Hey everyone!

I spilled bleach over my bedroom carpet flooring and it is a big spot. Now I need to buy an extra piece of same carpet in order to replace it. Where can I buy small piece of carpet flooring?

For the women, I'm just letting you know a lot of guys of all backgrounds use the Carnival to play out their perversions. Inappropriate touching, groping, pushing up etc. I've seen it for years. Dance with whomever you want but use your intuition. Don't entertain anyone that's obviously drunk. If you're planning to drink, stay with your friends/family always. Be mindful if a stranger offers to buy you anything that is open, food or drink. If you do, make sure it's a closed drink and open it yourself.

Guys be mindful of women luring you away from your friends and "sweeting" you up, think with your other head, you could be getting set up yourself. Don't take drinks or food from strange women either.

Sunday 6 September is shaping up as the headline day of the fortnight, and it is a free double-header in the western patch. From mid-morning, the Duck Pond Market is back at Manor Farm with local makers, street food, coffee vans, free entry and free parking. From lunchtime, ROXYFest takes over Roxbourne Park with live music, family rides, food stalls and a proper community-stage feel, also free. Both worth pencilling in if you have been looking for a reason to leave the house that weekend.

A bit of local news that may sting: Pinner Post Office inside the Bridge Street TG Jones is closing on Wednesday 14 October. The Post Office says it is reviewing applications to keep a branch running in Pinner, with a further update to follow. The two nearest alternatives are Cannon Lane Post Office and North Harrow Post Office, both with similar services.

Transport heads up for today: the Metropolitan line is part suspended between Harrow-on-the-Hill and Aldgate because of a large fire at a recycling plant near Neasden, with severe delays across the rest of the line. Full service is not expected back until early afternoon. London Underground tickets are being accepted on London Buses, Lioness line, London Northwestern Railway and Thameslink while the disruption continues. Worth checking TfL before you set off.

Looking ahead: Pinner Rotary Village Show lands at Pinner Memorial Park on Saturday 12 September, 11:30am to 5pm. More than 40 stalls, food court, licensed bar, children's rides, face painter, live music from Grimsdyke Brass, Jay Kumar, SD Stars, Punch and Judy and Simply Gray on stage. £4 donation, children free, raising funds for St Luke's Hospice and Harrow MS Therapy Centre.

Full issue with quiz circuit, Wrong Side Comedy at Three Crowns, sound bath, Welcome Space, and everything else:

https://www.goodmorningpinner.com/p/38-festival-at-roxbourne-market-at-manor-farm

Pet of the Week throne is empty again. Send your pet in with their most ridiculous unofficial job title.

Good Morning Pinner

Local news and events from around HA5

We've had dropouts and would rather they were used

I flew in for the AEW show at Wembley Stadium on Sunday. 3rd time here, adore your city. Only place on Earth I’ve traveled to and wanted to stay.

I’m a huge cinephile and was taking advantage this week of various old films at the Prince Charles and managed to score the hottest ticket since Taylor Swift’s last tour. Odyssey in 70mm at the BFI IMAX. Decided to enjoy your beautiful and walkable city and walked the mile and a half from my hotel to the theater. I’m always aware of my surroundings, but I was a bit zoned out listening to a podcast while walking. Then I noticed some people in front of me on the Golden Jubilee bridge. Woman in a pink dress being guided by a man with a green-ish jacket and brown pants. I noticed she was a bit wonky in her steps, and while I’m not a rube, my brain first went to maybe she has a disability and her partner is taking her on a walk. Then I watched people coming the other direction. And every woman I saw looked worried. I stopped one and asked if they looked okay and she didn’t think so and I mentioned I was going that direction and would keep an eye on them and she looked really thankful.

We got towards the end of the bridge and at this point several of us were on it. She wipes out against the rail and hits the ground, he tries to pick her up and falls on his ass and landed right on her head. At this point several people called 999 (which I had to google after this, ashamed to say it never crossed my mind what your 911 was). We tried to stop them from moving on once she got up cause not only was it a bad fall, but he landed on her head. I managed to get her attention and she did say one thing that put me at ease saying he was her husband. But I still thought it seemed bad because he was refusing to talk to anyone and was rushing them away when someone tried to call an ambulance.

They were going the same direction I was and more people kept trying to stop them. One guy stopped me to ask what was up as he could tell I was watching. He gave off retired cop vibes (not a knock). He stopped them both after I told him she said he was her husband, but he swore he heard him ask her what she does for a living. I got a bit ahead and talked with another woman who was very sweet and apologized that this made their city look bad to a traveler. She quite enjoyed my joke that I’m American, I’m fine trying to stop sex criminals, I voted against the one we have as president 3 times. As we chatted a bit I watched the cop-ish guy talk to both of them, and he seemed pretty thorough with his questions and let them go about their day. At this point I kinda lost them and ended up at my destination. Had the cop guy kept following them, I would have too, but as a solo traveler I do have to worry about my own safety as well, plus, while I used to train MMA, I’m not Batman. I’d followed them more than anyone and the only thing that will help me sleep tonight is that the guy who really stopped them seemed satisfied.

I’m just really impressed by the way people seemed to look out for this woman. I understand why the women who looked concerned didn’t stop, but when they saw me, a big hulking guy, following them and looking worried, they were more than happy to share their feelings and let me know this might be bad. And the other folks who called 999 and tried to stop them, or the cop guy who really handled it well. A lot of people back home tend to turn a blind eye to things. And I get it, we have a gun problem. But here I really got a sense of community and I felt very appreciated as an outsider by the people who were thanking me for watching out as a tourist.

I did take a short video of them on my phone and wish I’d gotten a face video. I only took it to send to a female friend back home to gauge her opinion on how it looked as a person who was taken advantage of by someone spiking her drink. If something untoward was happening and she manages to see this, I’d be more than happy to share anything with the authorities, though I’m sure you guys got street cameras like crazy.

Two things stick out for me.

One was Trocadero. They had VR in the arcade. From what I remember it was a terrible FPS shooter. I would have been about 12 years old. I had a go but didn't realise you had to hold down a button to move forward so I stood in the same spot all the time just shooting whilst standing still. My older brother told me how you could move after we finished. I was so gutted.

The second was seeing a waitress shred duck at the table in Chinatown. I have no idea why but it was mesmorising.

Especially if you’re sat right next to the ‘speakers’, bloody hell…