Yahoo News The best events and things to do this weekend, July 10-12
It’s been tough, but London is now closer to normality than it has been in months.
Social distancing is still in place and venues are staying Covid secure, but pubs, cinemas and restaurants are now open to the public with the government taking bigger steps to ease lockdown.
Thousands of people headed out over Super Saturday to spend time in their favourite haunts and see loved ones for catch-ups. There'll be more of the same this weekend.
Still, after months indoors, if can be a touch overwhelming to work out when, where and what to get up to. These are our picks what to get up to this weekend.
Head to the most exciting restaurant openings of the summer
Go al fresco by visiting The Garden at the Berkeley, with the Knightsbridge hotel opening an entire new restaurant in its outside space. The Clarence Tavern, run by the same people behind the Anchor and Hope in Waterloo and the Canton Arms in Lambeth, is also finally welcoming guests – after initially opening just a few days before Boris Johnson first advised the public not to visit pubs. Read our full guide here.
Test your detective skills
Fancy yourself as a great detective? The immersive Sherlock live experience reopens for the first time in months on Saturday, offering fans the chance to pull on private detective’s deerstalker and solve a mystery all of their own. Benedict Cumberbatch, Andrew Scott and Martin Freeman all provide content for the escape room, which was devised by show creators Steven Moffat and Mark Gatiss.
Head for an outdoor film screening
Bar Elba, one of the best rooftop bars in the city open this summer, is hosting a screening of Rocketman this Sunday. The Waterloo setting is a lovely spot for a cocktail and it’s spacious too, normally running with a capacity of 600 – so it’ll lend itself well to social distancing events. Tickets are priced from £15 and can be bought here. Check out our full guide to outdoor screenings here.
Enjoy a ‘virtual kitty corner’ for cat lovers
A brand new event billed as a “virtual kitty corner” is happening online this Saturday, where feline fans can spend a day virtually meeting cats from all around the world. The LondonCats Worldwide show, known as ’Crufts for cats’, sees specialists enter hundreds of pedigrees from over 50 breeds to compete to be named best in their category.
Take a boat trip around London
Head off on your own voyage of exploration with Go Boat, which runs self-drive boating experiences in London. One household or support bubble of up to eight people is allowed per boat – bear in mind that proof of address may be required – with a chance to discover views of the city from brand new perspectives, cruising along London’s canals at their own leisure. The firm operates out of two locations in Paddington and Kingston upon Thames, with hour-long sessions starting at £79.
Check out one of the city's best beer gardens
Only venues that are Covid-secure and can operate while maintaining the one metre rule can open their doors, but we’ve put together a handy guide to the best and biggest pub beer gardens open now. From Pub on the Park in London Fields, to the People’s Park Tavern in Hackney and The White Swan in Twickenham, there are plenty of fantastic places to recline with a pint – just bear in mind that many venues will require guests to book in advance. Read our full guide here. If you're keener on heading to the pub, have a read of the do's and dont's.
Hit the flicks with a trip to the cinema
There have been some fantastic options for film fans to check out online during lockdown, but nothing beats a trip to the cinema. Check if your local is open with our guide to the cinemas in London here, and discover what it's like to visit the cinema under new social distancing rules here.
While some of the major chains are back in business straight away, it’s a different story for the independents – the only one we can find open at the moment is Genesis in Whitechapel, but the arts support package from the government will be music to owners’ ears.
If you don't feel like heading to cinemas, you can take the car instead. The first drive-in film screenings took place across the UK last weekend, with people parking up at the pictures for a socially-distanced day out. The Luna Cinema is welcoming guests in London’s Allianz Park until July 19, while Rooftop Film Club’s Drive in Film Club is entertaining film lovers at Alexandra Palace. Read our full guide here.
Catch the National Theatre Live
The National Theatre continues to dig into its archives, sharing its plays for free. This weekend is the chance to see The Deep Blue Sea starring Helen McCrory. The play was written by Sir Terence Rattigan in 1952, based on his secret relationship with a former RAF pilot named Kenny Morgan.
Head to one of London’s newly open attractions
Things are beginning to open up across the capital, meaning Londoners can head for a socially distanced day out. Kew Gardens, London Zoo, Hampton Court Palace gardens, and a selection of National Trust properties have all reopened their doors, meaning some of the most idyllic spots in the capital are ready to be explored once again – read our full guide here.
Head to the newly opened National Gallery
It’s what art lovers have been waiting for – The National Gallery is now open, welcoming guests back for the first time since March. Masterpieces from the likes of Van Gogh, Turner, Titian, Rembrandt and Da Vinci are available to peruse under new social distancing regulations, and we had a sneak peak of what it's like to be back. There are plenty of commercial galleries ready to visit now as well. Thomas Dane Gallery will permit four viewers per room at any one time and David Zwirner is open to guests now too – check out our guide here.
