Awhile ago, the actor Nigel Havers was on BBC Radio 4’s Broadcasting House show and the conversation turned to London’s traffic. Nigel claimed to be so fed up with Sadiq Khan’s restrictions and extension of the Ultra Low Emission Zone (ULEZ) that he considered leaving London. I took notice because I was reading Sadiq’s book Breathe: Tackling the Climate Emergency. Its publication came soon after 18 May when Tony Devenish, a London Assembly member, hauled Sadiq publicly over the coals, accusing him of failing Londoners as a mayor. That same month, Theresa Villiers, MP for Chipping Barnet, launched a bid to give the government powers to scrap Sadiq’s ‘anti car policies’, and less than four weeks after I talk to him, a YouGov poll found that 50 percent of Londoners think he’s doing a bad job. Sadiq is also lambasted mercilessly on Twitter and, although it may be a generational thing, when I ask around to find out what people think about him, many roll their eyes or say he’s doing a useless job. However, if his book is anything to go by, he’s made huge strides in improving London’s air quality. His detractors say that’s at the cost of more important issues like housing and crime, but nevertheless surely it’s of paramount importance to seek solutions to our capital’s dire congestion?

I start by asking him when he became so aware of the environment. ‘To be honest, it was self-interest,’ he says. ‘As a young lawyer I had a Saab convertible and then bought a Land Rover as I could fix my daughter’s car seat into it. I even voted for Heathrow’s third runway. I dismissed climate change as a tomorrow issue for the West, mostly affecting sub-Saharan Africa, islands in the West Indies and Bangladesh.’

Then, in 2014, Sadiq was diagnosed with asthma when training for the London Marathon. He met Rosamund Adoo-Kissi-Debrah, mother of Ella, who died in 2013 of an asthma attack soon after her ninth birthday and following 30 emergency hospital admissions over two years. No one in the medical profession saw a link between Ella’s death and the congested South Circular near where she lived, but after Rosamund waged a dogged campaign, an inquest in December 2020 concluded that nitrogen dioxide levels on that road had way exceeded legal levels and WHO recommendations. ‘Clean air should be a human right and Rosamund was the inspiration who triggered my transformation from Land Rover driver to electric bike evangelist,’ says Sadiq.

He’s frustrated that his determination to curb our emissions meet with such heavy opposition from all quarters. LTN (Low Traffic Neighbourhood) schemes are particularly unpopular, with claims that traffic is being brought to a standstill on many roads making air quality even worse for some locals. In his book, Sadiq describes being confronted at his nephew’s barbecue by Michael, an electrician who relied on his diesel van and whose costs had
soared by £60 a week because of Sadiq’s policies. ‘He had a point,’ says Sadiq. ‘If we weren’t careful, these costs could fall disproportionately on the shoulders of the poorest. So, we invested in the biggest scrappage scheme in
history and offered small business loans to help meet those costs.’ He points out that one in ten vehicles in Kensington and Chelsea is a Range Rover, whereas half the people living in Barking and Dagenham don’t own a car at all. Yet it’s the deprived boroughs where air is poorest. He understands the need to address the economic impact of his policies, and brought in the visionary economist Mariana Mazzucato to help come up with a Green New Deal to grow London’s green economy to accelerate job creation.

While we revere David Attenborough for urging us to avert climate breakdown, many despise Sadiq for trying to do just that. How does he cope with such vicious, often personal, antipathy? ‘I’ve dealt with bullies since the playground,’ he says. ‘I’ve never allowed them to win, and never will. The problem with the pollution crisis is that it’s invisible. People can’t see or smell it so they don’t know how dangerous it is. That’s why I wrote the book, as I can’t explain it in 140 Twitter characters. Politicians dodge the issue because climate change doesn’t seem urgent so it’s not a vote winner, and you can only motivate people if you persuade them that it’s in their own interests to tackle it.

‘Already we’ve achieved so much, so I’m not stopping now. The number of asthmatic children being admitted to hospitals has reduced by a third. In 2017 60 percent of cars in inner London were polluting, whereas now 94 per cent are compliant with regulations. We have so many more cycle lanes and 900 rapid 15-minute charging points, more than any other city in Western Europe.’

His book relates several events I was unaware of, such as escaping the emergency ward where he’d been admitted with a suspected heart attack, to address COP at Glasgow. He confesses he lied to doctors, promising them he’d rest, in order to deliver his speech. I was also impressed by his involvement and subsequent chairmanship of C40, a partnership of mayors from 96 world cities. He’s still C40’s Chair and is convinced that mayors can collaboratively make a real difference to tackling urban pollution because they understand the problems of their cities better than anyone.

Sadiq’s book Breathe is out now

Despite his achievements, the polls remain fairly dismal. ‘The only poll that ultimately matters is the election itself,’ Sadiq counters robustly. ‘I’m confident if people understand what I’m trying to do, they’ll back me. Between 2000 and 2018 London’s workplace greenhouse gas emissions reduced by 57 percent and home emissions by 40 percent – but cars by just seven percent. People might not like it, but we must reduce our driving in the city, or risk more Ellas. I’ll send Nigel Havers my book and hope he reads it. Isn’t it better to be the first generation to take action rather than the last generation not to get it right? And there’s so much more we still have to do.’

Breathe: Tackling the Climate Emergency (£16.99, Penguin) is out now

The post How Sadiq Khan Is Fighting Pollution For Londoners appeared first on Country and Town House.

Bring Back The Beasts: Why Rewilding Might Save Britain

I am lucky enough to live at Cannwood, at the centre of a growing inkblot of nature restoration on farms in Somerset’s Brewham Valley that are working to restore a long-gone hunting forest known as Selwood. This great forest was never that of our collective imagination: a kind of dense, dark closed-canopy affair. Selwood was, in fact, a vast mosaic wood pasture, not so different from the wildwood that blanketed nearly all of Britain in pre-history. Selwood was converted into the patchwork quilt of neon green fields and neatly clipped hedges we see today not so very long ago, perhaps a century or two. With it went a natural vibrancy and an abundance of wildlife that we can barely conceive of today.

Among the species lost from Selwood were Britain’s own keystone species. Keystone species are those animals who play a disproportionately vital role in maintaining ecosystems, and on which therefore all the other species depend. In the same way that each arch of a medieval bridge is supported by a keystone that, if removed, causes the arch to collapse, it is now understood that the balance of ecosystems also hinges upon the activities of certain species that create so-called trophic cascades that bring exponential benefits to everything else.

Principal among the keystones of Selwood were the native horned cattle belonging to the people living and farming here, who turned them out to roam freely across an unenclosed landscape. Horned cattle are descended from the fearsome wild ox or aurochs that may have survived in the wild in Britain until at least Roman times. The browsing, grazing and trampling of these large herbivores prevents the darkness of the tree canopy from closing over the landscape, instead engineering semi-open woodland punctuated by sun-dappled glades and meandering grazing lawns in which wildflowers, berry-laden scrub and small fruit trees may flourish.

The native horned cattle free-roams at Selwood

A second keystone was the pig, herded domestically for millennia, and its untamed, curious, sensitive, social cousin the wild boar, which lives in matriarchal family groups known as sounders. These are nature’s gardeners, whose incessant rootling and turning of the ground exposes the bare soil for the benefit of plants whose seeds require open ground for germination. All kinds of plants have disappeared from our landscapes in the absence of this rootling; from delicate, annual grasses and wildflowers such as poppies and scarlet pimpernel, to trees such as black poplar, aspen and sallow – from which the word Selwood is derived. Many songbirds too depend on pigs to access bugs and other food in the earth, and all kinds of fungi and microorganisms are propagated through the landscape by pigs.

A third is the beaver, hunted to extinction in Britain by the middle ages. By building dams, beavers create strings of pools that have the appearance of gently ascending Japanese rice terraces. These beaver-made wetlands and wet woodlands, sunlit by the felling of trees, are one of the lushest, most naturally abundant habitats we have in our country. Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the wolf is our own apex predator, whose hunting maintains healthy populations of wild herbivores, keeps their numbers in check, and keeps the herds on the move. To some extent humans have usurped the wolf, whose role we do our best to fulfil, poorly it turns out, as deer numbers continue to grow out of control.

Our big idea here in Selwood is inspired by Knepp, a big former industrial farm on poor land in Sussex whose owners, Charlie Burrell and Isabella Tree, exasperated by years of economic losses, took the decision two decades ago to embark on a grand experiment: rewilding. Charlie and Isabella’s plan was to allow natural processes and self-willed wood pasture to return across all of their farm. Without any fixed outcomes in mind, they turned out native, domestic proxies for the keystone species.

They chose hardy breeds that can live outside all year round without supplementary feeding. Old English longhorn cattle were used in place of aurochs; Tamworth pigs for wild boar; and Exmoor ponies for Europe’s
long-extinct wild horse, the tarpan. Red and fallow deer were added to the mix. At Knepp, all these rewilded animals are free to roam where they like, eat what they like, sleep where they like.

Across the entire landscape a shape-shifting wood pasture has grown up, rich in scrub and in wildflowers, a mosaic of habitats that teems with wildlife in an abundance that we are unused to seeing in Britain today. Isabella’s bestselling book, Wilding, charts the astonishing recovery of nature through rewilding that is unfolding at Knepp, and the surging return of species that are disappearing almost everywhere else in Britain: turtle doves, nightingales, white storks, kingfishers, all five British species of owl and countless other species are present in unfathomable numbers. Populations of insects and small mammals are sky-rocketing, and with them everything that depends on them for food. Most astonishingly, Knepp has never been so profitable.

Here in Selwood, farmers in our growing cluster are ripping out fencing and field drains, filling in ditches, opening up gaps in hedges and replacing their sheep and commercial cattle with free-roaming Old English Longhorns equipped with NoFence collars that respond to an invisible, moveable boundary. A re-emergent wood pasture, now so rare in Britain, is beginning to shine all around us. Surveyed moth, butterfly, bird and bat numbers are rising fast. Beavers are back, and on dark summer nights glow-worms hang once again suspended in iridescent patterns over their pools.

If nature is wealth, Britain ranks among the poorest countries on Earth. We can barely conceive of the magic and natural abundance that was known by previous generations. Thankfully, public demands are now growing for the restoration of nature and rewilding, on which we depend for everything we have and everything we do. In December 2022, Britain joined the nations of the world in pledging to restore 30 percent of our land to natural health and 30 percent of our sea by 2030. Our national parks and other less agriculturally productive landscapes, which contribute a minuscule proportion of our national food production, are the obvious areas in which to centre these efforts. And it is families that have farmed these landscapes for generations who are best placed to lead them.

Farming communities are in many ways the soul and the backbone of our country. In our least productive landscapes, and especially within our national parks, their hordes of sheep have become hopelessly non-viable in economic terms, unable to provide a decent living. As the average age of sheep farmers creeps ever higher, their take-home income creeps ever lower. In sheep farming, there are now no winners, only losers. In landscapes dominated by sheep the ruination of nature has gone hand in hand with economic and social decline.

The role of native horned cattle as a keystone species offers us a kind of silver bullet in these places. The dramatic recovery of nature through rewilding can go hand-in-hand with continued, albeit reduced, food production and the breathing of new economic life into our remoter landscapes. The switching from non-native sheep to native horned cattle will give us swathes of restored wood pasture, currently so rare in Britain. Landscapes like Selwood can once again play host to an extraordinary array and abundance of wildlife, of the kind that we have simply forgotten can exist here. Once you’ve visited a place like Knepp, or now Selwood, and have experienced for yourself a wall of birdsong so intense that it feels overwhelming, everywhere else seems colourless and silent by comparison.

God is an Octopus by Ben Goldsmith (£20, Bloomsbury) is out now.

Featured image from Pexels, by Lauri Poldre.

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The Best Swimming Pools In Kent

Faversham Pools

First opened in 1964, Faversham Pools is an iconic spot offering swimming year-round across two indoor pools (with a Jacuzzi to boot) in natural light-filled spaces, and summer swims in three outdoor pools. Fuel up in the Tide Cafe with fresh coffee, homemade meals and tasty cake. Plus, if you’d like to romanticise your life, the 33 metre heated outdoor lido is open year-round for Sunset Swims.

Find It: Leslie Smith Drive, Faversham ME13 8PW. favershampools.com

 

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Tonbridge Swimming Pool

Originally built in 1910, this lovely outdoor heated swimming pool is open from April to September, and has a neighbouring indoor pool inside, as well as a spa with sauna and steam room. Lounge in the beach area after your swim, where you can also grab something tasty to eat.

Find It: Castle Street, Tonbridge TN9 1HR. tmactive.co.uk

The Strand Lido & Leisure Park

This riverside tidal saltwater swimming pool in Kent was first opened in 1896, and is the only remaining pool of its kind left in the country. Expect six 25 metre lanes for fitness swimming, alongside an outdoor leisure pool, 300 metre lazy river, and paddle pool and slides, perfect for kids.

Find It: Pier Road, Gillingham ME7 1TT. Open on weekends, then every day during the summer holidays. medway.gov.uk

Walpole Bay Tidal Pool

Built and opened in 1937 and now Grade II listed, this four acre tidal pool – thought to be the UK’s largest tidal pool – reaches depths of 6 foot in places, perfect for a refreshing swim. There are no toilets or lifeguards and the pool can get rough at high tide, so tread carefully. Situated right by popular Margate’s Old Town, embark on some post-swim explorations, or a stroll along the beach.

Find It: Walpole Bay, Hodges Gap, Margate CT9 2JN. visitthanet.co.uk

Bewl Water

For open water swimming fans, try Bewl Water, where you can enjoy natural recreational swimming, or improve your athletic performance with the help of experts if you so wish. Meanwhile, kids will have a blast at the summer Aqua Park, where an inflatable obstacle course takes over a portion of the lake. Elsewhere at Bewl, make a day of it with pedalos, paddle boarding, and plenty of scenic strolls.

Find It: Bewlbridge Lane, Lamberhurst, Wadhurst TN3 8JH. bewlwater.co.uk

 

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Walmer Paddling Pool

Got little ones you’re looking to make a splash with? Located by the beach, Walmer Paddling Pool is part of an adventure golf site – but is perfect for a cool off on a hot day. There’s also deck chairs for hire, hot snacks and ice cream.

Find It: Marine Road, Walmer, Deal CT14 7DN. walmeradventuregolf.co.uk

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What Is The Royals’ Connection With Wimbledon?

Henry VIII was the first recorded royal to show an interest in tennis, often playing at Hampton Court. The first ever Wimbledon Championships took place in 1877, but the first royal visit wasn’t until 1907, when King George V and Queen Mary, then the Prince and Princess of Wales, attended. That same year, the Prince of Wales became the president of the All England Club – and ever since, a member of the royal family has been involved, either as president or as a patron. The Queen was patron from 1952 until 2016, although she has only attended the tournament four times. On her 90th birthday she retired from the role, handing the baton on to Kate.

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The Royal Box was opened in 1922, and since then it has been used to host members of the royal family, alongside A-listers and heads of government. Invitations come from the Chairman of the All England Club, and guests are invited to the clubhouse for lunch, tea and drinks at the end of the day. It’s always a star-studded affair, with high-profile guests from all walks of life: last year, for instance, the Royal Box saw David Beckham and Tim Peake rubbing shoulders with Prince Michael of Kent and Wimbledon champion Pat Cash.

While many of the royals are big fans of the game, just one has competed in the Championships. In 1926, Queen Elizabeth’s father, King George VI (the then-Duke of York) played in the doubles tournament with his long-time friend Sir Louis Greig. Sadly, they were eliminated in the first round by former champions Herbert Roper Barrett and Arthur Gore.

In 1969, Prince Edward, Duke of Kent, became president of the All England Lawn Tennis and Croquet Club – but last year he stepped down from the role, passing his duties on to Kate. She’ll no doubt be there this year cheering on the players. Not only does she have a personal interest in the sport, it’s part of Kate’s official role to represent the royal family at sporting events. Speaking about Wimbledon in a BBC documentary, she said: ‘It’s such… a quintessential part of the English summer, and I think it really inspires youngsters. It inspired me, when I was younger, to get involved in the game. It hasn’t changed either, I think that’s what’s so wonderful.’

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Climate News You Might Have Missed

The EU Proposes First Soil Law

5 July 2023: This week in Brussels, the EU set out plans for the continent’s first-ever soil law, which will aim to undo some of the damage done by intensive farming. This would mean states must monitor soil health against criteria such as erosion and fertiliser use – but the proposal would not oblige them to achieve minimum soil health levels.

Big food companies including Unilever have criticised the plan, deeming it unambitious. The One Planet Business for Biodiversity, a coalition of companies including Unilever, Nestle and Danone, said in a statement: ‘Despite the worrying state of EU soils and the solutions mentioned in the proposal, it fails to propose an ambitious framework for coordinated development of soil health at the European level.’

Monday Was The Hottest Day Of All Time

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5 July 2023: In yet another worrying milestone, it was confirmed yesterday that Monday 3 July was the warmest day since records began. The average temperature topped 17 degrees Celsius for the first time – a result of the El Niño weather event plus carbon dioxide emissions. This surpassed the previous record of 16.92 degrees Celsius, reached in August 2016.

Thames Water Fined Over Gatwick River Pollution

5 July 2023: Thames Water has been charged with discharging millions of litres of undiluted sewage into two rivers near Gatwick, resulting in the deaths of thousands of fish. The company admitted to pumping raw sewage into the Gatwick Stream and River Mole in East Sussex – a move that was branded a ‘reckless failure’ in operations. 

At a sentencing at Lewes Crown Court yesterday (4 July), it was revealed that investigators had found almost 1,400 dead fish in both waterways – though the Environment Agency believes many more were killed. Eyewitness accounts, meanwhile, described the rivers turning ‘black’ and ‘grey’ as a result of the pollution.

Thames Water has been fined £3.3m, adding to a number of fines brought to the business over the past six years, totalling £35.7m.

A Record-Breaking Hot June Caused Unprecedented Wildlife Deaths

2 July 2023: It’s no surprise to anyone that the world is getting hotter – with the UK experiencing its warmest June on record this year, according to provisional figures from the Met Office. And now, environmental groups have warned that these high temperatures have led to increased deaths in fish, insects and plants. 

Mark Owen from the Angling Trust told BBC News: ‘The reports of the number of fish death incidents in rivers for this time of year has been unprecedented. I would normally expect rivers to be affected later in the summer when it’s hotter and drier.’

Ali Morse from the Wildlife Trusts, meanwhile, highlighted that insects like bees and butterflies will have less to eat, as many flowering plants wilted in the high temperatures. ‘Every month seems to be the hottest, the driest, the wettest, or whichever record-breaking event it is. If we have a one-off pollution event or a wildfire, then there is normally time for nature to bounce back, but now it seems to be continually pounded by extreme weather,’ she explained.

UK No Longer A World Leader On Climate Issues

(c) Massimiliano Morosinotto, Unsplash

28 June 2023: The Climate Change Committee (CCC) has indicated in a 2023 progress report that the UK has lost its leadership when it comes to climate issues on the world stage, with government efforts to scale up climate action described as ‘worrying low’. Like many other countries, the UK has set legally binding targets to cut greenhouse gas emissions to net zero by 2050 – but the CCC is now worried that we will struggle to meet these targets on time.

One of the key issues stemming from this announcement was the government’s backing for new oil and coal expansion plans, and slow uptake on heat pumps. Last December, the government approved the UK’s first new deep coal mine in 30 years in Cumbria, as well as a new oilfield off the coast of Scotland (forecasted to produce 300 million barrels of oil in its lifetime) which is set to be approved by regulators within the next two weeks.

The Committee has indicated that a switch to renewable power needs to be more quickly implemented, as well as the installation of heat pumps, better home insulation, reduced meat consumption, increased planting of trees and less flying. Overall, the CCC believes that there is a lack of urgency when it comes to making positive changes.

In response to the report, Graham Stuart, Minister of State for Energy Security said that the UK government has met all of its carbon targets to date and will continue to do so in future. He also said, in response to the new coal mine in Cumbria, that it would be used to produce coking coal for making steel rather than energy production.

Overall, UK greenhouse gas emissions have fallen 46 percent from levels seen in 1990 – but, at COP26, former prime minister Boris Johnson promised the UK government would cut emissions by 68 percent by the end of the decade, meaning there’s still a way’s to go to stay on track for both 2030 and 2050 targets. Chair of the COP26 summit, Alok Sharma, has also indicated that the UK is at risk of falling behind on its goals and losing its reputation.

World Massively Off Track To End Deforestation By 2023

(c) Renaldo Matamoro, Unsplash

27 June 2023: During COP26 in 2021, over 100 world leaders signed the Glasgow Declaration – a commitment to to collectively ‘halt and reverse forest loss and land degradation by 2030’. A new report by Global Forest Watch, however, reveals that 11 football pitches worth of forest was lost every minute in 2022, throwing plans to end deforestation well off track.

Brazil continues to have the greatest primary forest loss in the world, with 2022 seeing the Brazilian Amazon’s highest rate of non-fire-related loss since 2005. The rate of primary forest loss increased by 15 percent between 2021 and 2022 alone.

Similarly, primary forest loss in the Democratic Republic of the Congo remains persistently high, having lost over 500,000 hectares in 2022. Ghana also experienced the largest percent increase in primary forest loss amongst tropical countries in 2022, soaring up by 71 percent.

Tropical primary forests, otherwise known as old-growth forests, are especially valuable in the climate crisis, as they absorb huge amounts of green house gases. When these forests are burned, this stored carbon is released into the atmosphere. And, with trees taking years – typically decades – to grow into forests, the solution of planting trees in their place is too slow-acting to make much of a positive difference.

In better news, many countries have have reduced their primary forest loss by over 50 percent since 2022: Indonesia, Costa Rica, China and Malaysia. ‘The question is, are we on track to halt deforestation by 2030?’ asks Rod Taylor from the World Resources Institute (WRI), which runs the Global Forest Watch. ‘And the short answer is a simple no. Globally, we are far off track and trending in the wrong direction. Our analysis shows that global deforestation in 2022 was over 1 million hectares above the level needed to be on track to zero deforestation by 2030.’

The Ocean Race Sees Teams Help Track Sea Temperatures & Plastic Pollution

(c) Naja Bertolt Jensen, Unsplash

25 June 2023: Finishing this week is the Ocean Race, a 60,000 km circumnavigation of the globe that lasts six months and is considered one of the most difficult professional sporting events in the world. Teams undertaking the race this year have come together to gather information on plastic pollution, rising ocean temperatures and the amount of carbon dioxide and salt in the seas.

All the boats competing this year have been fitted with scientific monitoring equipment, which teams will use to take readings across oceans (including more remote areas that are usually difficult to get to) and to send data to the UK Oceanography Centre.

Ocean temperatures this year have been the hottest on record since 1982. Warming oceans have led to the Ocean Race itself being extended by 30 percent in the last 10 years, with the exclusion zone around Antarctica being moved 1,000 miles further north due to melting ice and icebergs.

The amount of plastic in our seas has also increased in recent years, with some areas suggesting a 20 percent rise since 2018 (the year of the previous race).

London Summers Expected To Hit Same Temperatures As Nice By 2070

(c) Danilo Pantalena, Unsplash

21 June 2023: The Met Office has warned that rising carbon emissions will bring more unpredictable weather patterns to the UK, with huge temperature increases and intense rainfall.

Speaking on the topic, Jeff Knight, who leads the Met Office’s climate variability modelling team, said: ‘Despite the events of July last year, 40°C days are still considered rare, but by […] 2070, then we could be thinking about those kinds of temperatures occurring every five years.

‘If we think about a four-degree temperature increase, that would be like transforming the climate of London, the summer temperatures of London, into something like historically we might have seen in Nice.’

Intense rainfall is also predicted to increase as temperatures rise, as the UK continues to see more variability that Mediterranean climates.

Featured image: Renaldo Matamoro, Unsplash

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Wimbledon 2023: The Key Moments You Might Have Missed So Far

 

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Football Royalty Spotted

5 July 2023: The big celeb spotting on day three of the tournament was David Beckham, who was seen in the Royal Box with his mother Sandra. Beckham has been a regular at Wimbledon for many years, and yesterday he was seen watching Britain’s Jodie Burrage take on Russian player Daria Kasatkina. He wore a beige suit jacket and cream chinos.

Just Stop Oil Protestors Interrupt Play

5 July 2023: Wimbledon has seen disruption today from Just Stop Oil protestors. This afternoon, two protestors ran onto the court during a match between Bulgarian Grigor Dimitrov and Japan’s Sho Shimabukuro, throwing orange confetti. ‘Following an incident on Court 18, two individuals have been arrested on suspicion of aggravated trespass and criminal damage and these individuals have now been removed from the grounds,’ the All England Club (AELTC) said in a statement. 

Later, there was further disruption when a protestor ran onto the court halfway through British player Katie Boulter’s match.

Kate Middleton Made Her First Appearance

4 July 2023: The Princess of Wales is an avid tennis fan, and is currently a patron of The All England Lawn Tennis & Croquet Club, so Wimbledon is an unmissable event in her calendar. She made her first appearance at the tournament on day two to watch the Court 18 match between British No. 1 Katie Boulter against Australia’s Daria Saville, which was later suspended due to rain. 

 

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Outfit-wise, Kate channelled tenniscore with a pleated white skirt, which she paired with a mint green Balmain blazer. She was joined in the royal box by close friend and tennis royalty Roger Federer, and the pair were seen chatting away. It’s expected that the Princess will be attending Wimbledon a number of times during the championships, potentially with some family members – in 2022, she delighted fans by bringing Prince George along, and she has previously visited alongside her sister Pippa Middleton.

Andy Murray Secured A First-Round Victory

4 July 2023: Two-time Wimbledon champion Andy Murray maintained his record of never losing in the Wimbledon first round on 4 July, winning in a match against Ryan Peniston. He spoke about the pre-Wimbledon nerves, saying: ‘I always get nervous at the beginning of Wimbledon. I like to feel that way. If I was going on the court and felt flat, didn’t have any emotion when I’m walking out there, that’s something that would probably be a bit wrong.’ 

Murray also commented on the star-studded audience. ‘It was amazing to have some royalty here, but also some tennis royalty as well,’ he said, as Federer smiled and laughed. ‘It’s amazing to have Roger here supporting the event. Last time I was on this court and he was watching was during the [2012] Olympics and he sat in Stan Wawrinka’s box supporting against me!’ Andy Murray is currently ranked 40th in the world.

Cameron Norrie Won Against Tomas Machac

4 July 2023: British number one Cameron Norrie secured his place in the second round of Wimbledon on Tuesday (4 July), beating Czech player Tomas Machac in four sets. Reflecting on his victory, he said: ‘I played, I reckon, a really good match with some normal drops in there but a lot to learn from and take from that match. But [it was a] good day and nice to get the win.’

‘I would say I have been hitting the ball as well as I can coming in. Going out there today there was a lot of good feelings, sensations right from the beginning. I was just trying to enjoy it as much as I can. It’s such a special tournament to play here every year.’

Norrie reached the last four at Wimbledon last year.

 

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Numerous Celebrity Spottings

4 July 2023: Wimbledon is always a honeypot for celebrity sightings, and this year has got off to a star-studded start. On the opening day, actors such as Idina Menzel and Leslie Mann arrived at Centre Court to watch Novak Djokovic take on Pedro Cachin.

Then, on day two, One Tree Hill star Sophia Bush was in attendance, alongside sports presenter Alex Scott and Doctor Who’s David Tennant. Emma Raducanu, who isn’t taking part in the tournament this year due to an injury, was also spotted with actors Andrew Scott and Sebastian Croft. Stanley Tucci and Elle Fanning were pictured too, plus Bear Grylls, who attended today (5 July) with his wife Shara.

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Car Review: Mercedes-Benz GLE-class 400e 4Matic Plug-in Hybrid SUV

JS – I see Mercedes is following the trend of expressing itself more clearly with another exceptionally long name?

JT – Yes, it hardly trips off the tongue, but let’s move on. The facelifted GLE is now available as either a standard shape SUV, or a more streamlined coupe body style. Neither is especially attractive, but both are popular among family buyers.

It’s certainly a case of spot-the-difference. Let me see, I can see a new-look front bumper and grille, with revised headlights. How did I do?

Not bad. You missed some fancy new wheel designs and tweaks to the rear lights too.

What else do Green Lane readers need to know?

The headline act is a plug-in hybrid 400e, pairing a turbocharged 2.0-litre four-cylinder petrol engine with a 134bhp electric motor, plus those tiddly cosmetic upgrades across the range.

Go on…

The 350d, 450d and 450 UK models continue, alongside the performance-enhanced AMG 53 and 63 versions, with all engines now benefiting from mild-hybrid technology in the form of a 48-volt system.

Complicated. Sounds like I need to take notes.

The 450d is a new engine, replacing the 400d with an additional 40hp. The old GLE cabin was already a technological tour de force, but the new model features an upgrade to the latest Mercedes steering wheel. Touch sensitive elements built into the spokes adjust the volume levels of the standard Burmester surround sound. The infotainment set-up is also improved using a second generation Mercedes’ MBUX system, allowing wireless Android Auto and Apple CarPlay for the first time.

And that’s it?

Included on the options list are new two-tone upholstery, polished chrome trim and a head-up display. Otherwise, the GLE cabin remains a place of comfort as before, with high-rise seating that SUV owners seem to adore. The lofty driving position should help keep you on the tarmac and out of the rough, although optional air suspension provides extra ground clearance, with an ingenious system that wiggles the wheels and helps haul a GLE free from mud – if you can find any in this current drought.

And what is the GLE doing to save the planet?

Mercedes claim the electric-only range of the 400e is a promising 65 miles, more than enough for short commutes. That said, most people choose a GLE for its family-friendly proportions, luxurious cabin and comfortable ride.

So, is it worth the £87,500 price tag?

Questionable. The Mercedes goes astray on a winding A-road, especially when overtaking. Despite back-up from its 31.2kWh battery, the 2.0-litre turbo wails as it scrabbles through a nine-speed gearbox, desperately trying to launch a 2.5-ton SUV forward. Enthusiastic drivers might consider a more expensive AMG version instead.

Big, bold and handsome – but not one to set the pulse racing?

The tech-heavy GLE SUV is a roomy all-rounder – while aesthetes might prefer the streamlined Coupe version. With a seven-seat option, a range of petrol and diesel engines, plus the new plug-in hybrid, the GLE SUV remains the consummate luxury people carrier for many people.

Discover more about the Mercedes Benz GLE at mercedes-benz.co.uk

Jessica Saunders is Director of Programmes at London College of Fashion, studying for a PhD in sustainable e-textile design.

The post Mercedes-Benz GLE-class 400e 4Matic Plug-in Hybrid SUV — The Green Lane appeared first on Country and Town House.

The Best Things To Do In London This Summer

Visit An Adult Playground

Roof East in Stratford reopened in April, and will stay open all summer long. Entry is free.

Photo by Owen Billcliffe Photography.

London’s favourite adult playground is back for summer 2023, transforming over 30,000 square feet of former shopping centre car park into a rooftop bar with ideal summery festival vibes. Think fresh street food vendors, new and signature games, an open-air cinema, and picturesque skyline views to top it all off. roofeast.com

Dance At A Day Festival

Throughout summer, across London

London is alive with the sound of music: summer day festivals are back with a bang, with the likes of All Points East, Wireless and BST Hyde Park firmly on the roster for 2023. Why not boogie to Two Door Cinema Club and scream along to The Wombats at Community Presents on 7 July? Or perhaps an open air picnic concert is more your speed? If so, head to Battersea Park in Concert this August. Plus, there are plenty of open-air, festival-like performances throughout summer from the likes of The 1975, Jamie T and The Lumineers to enjoy.

Discover more amazing London festivals here

Attend A Beekeeping Masterclass

Dates from 20 May–26 August 2023 at St Ermin’s Hotel, Westminster

Busy bees underpin our ecosystem, so it’s important to learn how to help them. Why not join queen bee Esther Coles for a beekeeping masterclass this summer at St Ermin’s Hotel? From learning all about bees to bee friendly planting to ‘products of the hive’, guests can experience an up close encounter with the hotel’s 350,000 resident bees. Conclude your visit with a sparkling afternoon tea or cocktails on the summer terrace. sterminshotel.co.uk

Try Hyper-Fresh Ceviche In Seven Dials

New Opening: Crudo Cevicheria (36 Monmouth Street, London WC2H 9HA)

A brand-new, fourth Crudo venue opened at the end of May on Monmouth Street, bringing hyper-fresh ceviche to Seven Dials. Having gained a cult following for their customisable ceviche bowls, Crudo has recently elevated its offering for the evening with small plates, wine and pisco sours. Start with a hefty bowl of moreish, zesty guacamole with black corn tortilla chips while sipping a classic marg, before entering fish-ville wholeheartedly. There’s the classic ceviche bowls with the likes of sweet potato, avocado, cherry tomatoes and burnt corn (don’t miss the prawn bowl with mexicana leche de tigre and jalapeños for a fresh kick). But there are also more delicate small plates, crunchy ceviche tostadas, and spicy tiraditos. Perfect for elevating a gathering over sharing plates.

If you don’t make it down mid-week, make sure you visit for daily oyster happy hour: get fresh Rock and Native oysters for £1.50, Dressed oysters for £5, or 3 oysters with a pisco sour for £16, from 3–5pm Monday to Friday. eatcrudo.com

Idiots Assemble: Spitting Image The Musical

24 May–26 August 2023 at The Phoenix Theatre

(Image by Mark S)

It’s belly ache laughs at the critically acclaimed Spitting Image, which is making its West End debut this summer. Written by a tour de force comedy team – Al Murray, Matt Forde, and Sean Foley – it’s not to be missed. spittingimagethemusical.com

Explore An Exhibition About Ancient Luxury

Luxury and Power: Persia to Greece, 4 May–13 August 2023 at The British Museum 

Exquisite luxury, ancient Iranian opulence, and glittering, glinting gold – this exhibition by the British Museum invites you to step into the culture clash between Persia and Greece in the sixth century BC. Explore this beautiful collection of material wonders from Alexander the Great’s empire. britishmuseum.org

Discover more of London’s top exhibitions here

Or A Fashion Exhibition

Diva, 24 June 2023–7 April 2024 at the V&A; The Offbeat Sari, 19 May–17 September 2023 at the Design Museum.

OTT is in this summer – the V&A explores the fashion, power and sparkling creativity of the divas of music and film who have defined pop culture since the 19th century. From Marilyn to Elton, this exhibition will be an unapologetic love letter to star power. £20, vam.ac.uk

Or undress the contemporary sari – the Design Museum’s visually glorious exhibition explores the changing design of India’s everyday wear. £12.60, designmuseum.org

Discover more fashion exhibitions here

Celebrate Pride

Pride Month throughout June, and London Pride Parade on 1 July 2023

(c) NIM, Unsplash

Big gay celebrations – the summer marks the return of the Prides across the country. From kaleidoscopic parades to Soho after-hours, it’s just the tonic for joyful things to do in London this summer. prideinlondon.com

Kensington + Chelsea Art Trail

Throughout June, July and August 2023

West London has a secret: there’s an artistic heritage hidden just below the surface, waiting to be unearthed. The art trail, now on its sixth edition, returns – touring you from South Ken’s museum quarter through to the bustle of King’s Road. kcaw.co.uk

Seafood & Sangria Brunch

Cavo at Tottenham Court Road (The Now Building, Outernet, Denmark Street, London WC2H 0LA)

Love a rooftop terrace? Sangria? Seafood? Head to Mediterranean restaurant Cavo to enjoy its new Seafood and Sangria brunch from its suntrap terrace; only the sweeping views of London will remind you you’re not in the Med. With a set menu at £65 per person – including a jug of bubbly white sangria each – expect to tuck into spicy mussels in choux pastry, moreish beetroot hummus and refreshing mackerel carpaccio ahead of the main event: a warm seafood platter of langoustine, lobster tail, oysters, razor clams, Mazara prawns and mussels. A summery delight. cavorestaurant.com

Sing Your Heart Out At An Open Air, Sing Along Cinema

Lower Marsh Lates… At The Movies at Waterloo Lower Marsh on the last Thursday of June, July, August and September 2023

From 5.30–8.30pm on the last Thursday of June, July, August and September 2023, head down to Waterloo Lower Marsh and get ready for a belter. This free, open-air, sing-along cinema is sure to attract a crowd with its stellar line up of musical favourites. Plus, find delicious food and great drinks deals at Lower Marsh Market. wearewaterloo.co.uk

Visit The All New Young V&A

From 1 July

The Town Square at Young V&A. Image by Picture Plane © Victoria and Albert Museum London

It’s been closed for three years, but it’s back (baby). The Young V&A reopens its doors for a summer of art and design with over 2,000 works and tactile, interactive exhibitions to explore. vam.ac.uk

Spitalfields Music 2023

30 June–12 July 2023 at venues across East London

Spitalfields Music returns to East London this summer, with a programme brimming with world premieres, new music, overlooked historic pieces and classic repertoire, all performed in iconic East London locations from Village Underground to the Tower of London. See the full line up and book your tickets at spitalfieldsmusic.org.uk

Watch Wimbledon The Championships

3–16 July 2023 at the All England Club (Church Road, London SW19 5AG)

Will British No 1 seed Cameron Norrie come up trumps? Cheer him onto victory (or not) at the unmissable summer sporting event. Here are the best big screens to enjoy the action from.

Vintage Collage Workshops

23 July, 3 August, and 3, 14 and 24 September 2023 at Native Bankside, 1 Bear Gardens, London SE1 9ED

Make art from old, used and vintage paper in the surroundings of a revived warehouse with Goose Glitters. Plus, learn how to construct a collage into a cohesive piece of art and spice it up with glitter. Tickets are £49.10 per person via eventbrite.

King’s Cross Summer Sounds

9–20 August 2023 at Coal Drops Yard

London Community Gospel Choir performing at King’s Cross Summer Sounds Family Sunday, Coal Drops Yard

Summer Sounds returns to London with 12 days of music, dance and performance from across the globe. With live concerts every evening from 6.30–8.30pm (plus from 1–6pm on ‘Family Sundays’), expect a heady mix of folk, jazz, classical and experimental music, alongside an array of dancers and sensational local talent. See the full line up at kingscross.co.uk

Battersea Park In Concert

26–28 August 2023

Bank holiday weekend blues be banished: the inaugural Battersea Park in Concert trots out an incredible line-up of London’s best classical, soul and jazz performers. Highlights will include the Royal Philharmonic Concert Orchestra and The Ronnie Scott’s All Stars. Pre-order a picnic and don’t forget the fizz. From £32.32, batterseaparkinconcert.com

Featured image: Pub In The Park.

The post Your Summer Starts Here: Things To Do In London This Summer appeared first on Country and Town House.

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The Best Things To Do In London This Weekend: 8–9 July 2023

1. Celebrate Trans+ Pride

Saturday 8 July 2023 in Trafalgar Square

London Pride may have occurred last weekend, but the celebrations – and protests – aren’t over. This weekend, it’s Trans+ Pride’s turn, a grassroots protest now in its fifth year calling for trans freedom and equality. Learn all about it – plus, how and where to join the march – in our guide.

2. Big Penny Social X BEYOND RETRO

4–9 July 2023 at Big Penny Social (1 Priestley Way, London E17 6AL)

 

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Find leading vintage retailer BEYOND RETRO in Walthamstow this weekend, with a line-up of unique events alongside a pop-up shop. There’s a Hawaiian Party on Friday night (7 July), featuring a buzzy DJ set from My Mate Kate, frozen slushy cocktails and glitter face paint from Glitterati Parties. On Saturday (8 July) the DJ baton is passed to Indie Amnesty, while on Sunday afternoon (9 July), visitors can hear outdoor music sets from emerging artists.

3. Watch Wimbledon

Matches everyday until Sunday 16 July

London has been taken over by tennis for another year, all thanks to our world-famous tennis tournament, Wimbledon. To celebrate, big screens have popped up across the capital, perfect for watching with a glass of something cold or snacking on a picnic this weekend. Our favourite? Eccleston Yards in Belgravia, a little suntrap with wine from Amie Wine Studio. Socialise on picnic benches, pull up comfy beanbags, or lounge on a MATCHES marble deck chair – plus, find MATCHES’ designated marble branded kiosk to grab a complimentary fan and get 20% off purchases £300 and over, online or in store. Find more fab screens here.

4. Watch The British Grand Prix

Sunday 9 July 2023

Sports galore this weekend. Lights out and away we go to Silverstone! The British Grand Prix is back for another year. Missed out on tickets? Here’s how to tune into the action.

5. Live Music On Regent Street

Heddon Street summer terrace (London W1B 4BL)

Fully pedestrianised Heddon Street has unveiled its new summer terrace, for the ultimate in al fresco drinking and dining. Soak up live music this weekend from Jesús Cutiño on Saturday evening (from 5.30pm) and Sunday afternoon (from 12.30pm), while tucking into Casa do Frango’s delicious Portuguese chicken. If you work in the area, pop over for mid-week performances to elevate your after work drinks. Find the full schedule at regentstreetonline.com

6. Morph’s Epic Art Adventure

Until 20 August 2023

© Andy Newbold

London’s first step-free art trail has arrived, with 56 six-foot Morph sculptures accompanying 56 London landmarks. Wheelchair charity Whizz-Kidz has teamed up with Morph creator Aardman and celebrities and artists including Tom Fletcher, Ade Adepitan, Georgia Toffolo and Martin Dougan to bring a touch of colourful, family-friendly magic to the city. Download the map here, and get going.

7. Try Hyper-Fresh Ceviche

New Opening: Crudo Cevicheria, Seven Dials (36 Monmouth Street, London WC2H 9HA)

A brand-new, fourth Crudo venue opened at the end of May on Monmouth Street, bringing hyper-fresh ceviche to Seven Dials. Having gained a cult following for their customisable ceviche bowls, Crudo has recently elevated its offering for the evening with small plates, wine and pisco sours. Start with a hefty bowl of moreish, zesty guacamole with black corn tortilla chips while sipping a classic marg, before entering fish-ville wholeheartedly. There’s the classic ceviche bowls with the likes of sweet potato, avocado, cherry tomatoes and burnt corn (don’t miss the prawn bowl with mexicana leche de tigre and jalapeños for a fresh kick). But there are also more delicate small plates, crunchy ceviche tostadas, and spicy tiraditos. Perfect for elevating a gathering over sharing plates.

If you don’t make it down mid-week, make sure you visit for daily oyster happy hour: get fresh Rock and Native oysters for £1.50, Dressed oysters for £5, or 3 oysters with a pisco sour for £16, from 3–5pm Monday to Friday. eatcrudo.com

8. Club Pétanque

7 June–31 August in King’s Cross

While you’re in the area, swap pints at the pub for pétanque. This summer, Club Pétanque is popping up in Lewis Cubitt Square following the success of Club Golf and Club Curling, with four courts – each hosting up to six players. It’s totally free, too. kingscross.co.uk

9. Seafood & Sangria Brunch

Cavo at Tottenham Court Road (The Now Building, Outernet, Denmark Street, London WC2H 0LA)

Love a rooftop terrace? Sangria? Seafood? Head to Mediterranean restaurant Cavo to enjoy its new Seafood and Sangria brunch from its suntrap terrace; only the sweeping views of London will remind you you’re not in the Med. With a set menu at £65 per person – including a jug of bubbly white sangria each – expect to tuck into spicy mussels in choux pastry, moreish beetroot hummus and refreshing mackerel carpaccio ahead of the main event: a warm seafood platter of langoustine, lobster tail, oysters, razor clams, Mazara prawns and mussels. A summery delight. cavorestaurant.com

10. Kensington + Chelsea Art Trail

All summer across the borough

© Paul Neiman

See art for free across the Kensington and Chelsea borough all summer, extending from Kensington + Chelsea Art Week, with a public art trail featuring world-class sculpture, installations and exhibits. kcaw.co.uk

11. The Wizard Of Oz Afternoon Tea

Until 3 September 2023 at The Soho Hotel

There’s a brand new production of The Wizard of Oz gracing The London Palladium’s stage. Make the most of the magic by sitting down for themed afternoon tea at The Soho Hotel; expect the likes of a strawberry and custard ruby slipper and an over the rainbow lemon swiss roll. It’s £40 per person – or snag some theatre tickets with your tea for £79.50 per person. Book at firmdalehotels.com

12. Dine At A Brand New Restaurant

Now open: mallow Canary Wharf

Borough Market’s 100 percent plant-based restaurant, mallow, has opened a brand new venue in Wood Wharf, in the heart of Canary Wharf. Expect to dine on iconic mallow dishes, plus brand new additions exclusive to Wood Wharf. mallowlondon.com 

13. Or Drink At A New Pub

Open from Friday 30 June: Earl of Derby (87 Dennett’s Road, London SE14 5LW)

© Paul Winch-Furness

A brand new independent pub, the Earl of Derby, opened its doors for the first time last Friday (30 June). Located at the foot of Telegraph Hill, the pub has been restored to its former glory by Parched – a independent group run by four friends, who have previously opened the likes of The White Horse in Peckham, The Roebuck in Borough and Grove House Tavern in Camberwell. Expect local brews and organic wines, plus quality food from Gengelly’s. earlofderby.uk

14. Cool Off With Frozen Margaritas

The Cadogan Arms (298 King’s Road, London SW3 5UG)

Chelsea’s much-loved The Cadogan Arms has teamed up with Casamigos Tequila to develop a brand spanking new summer cocktail menu including, you guessed it, frozen margaritas. Accompany your icy sip with Jersey Rock Oysters and fresh Grilled Tiger Prawns for the perfect summery afternoon. thecadoganarms.london

15. Sip With A View

Now Open: Bloom (Wild At Heart X Four Seasons Ten Trinity Square Summer Terrace)

Sip a floral cocktail with London’s best view of Tower Bridge this weekend at Four Seasons Ten Trinity Square’s brand new rooftop terrace. The Crown Residence has been transformed for the the summer and adorned with beautiful flowers courtesy of Wild at Heart. The Honey Bee (gin, lavender, honey) is the perfect summery sip. fourseasons.com

16. A Taste Of Saint-Tropez

Now open: Pantechnicon x Minuty Rosé Courtyard (19 Motcomb Street, London SW1X 8LB)

Summer means two things: open-air terraces and free-flowing rosé. Pantechnicon is collaborating with Château Minuty this summer to bring a taste of the south of France to their sun-soaked courtyard in Belgravia. Sit back, relax and clink glasses against a Provence-inspired backdrop. pantechnicon.com

17. Go Swimming

Mondrian Shoreditch

Need to cool off? There are plenty of lovely open air swimming spots in London, from lakes to lidos to private rooftop pools. Find the best here.

18. Or Visit The Beach

Tankerton, Whitstable (c) Getty

Waves lapping against the shore more your speed? Here are the best beaches near London to visit this weekend.

19. Recycle Your Coffee Cup At Bankside

Ongoing at Bankside

The Better Bankside Business Improvement District (BID) has collaborated with renowned artist Timba Smits to spruce up its coffee cup recycling bins, to encourage more recycling and inspire positive action. The eye-catching new designs – which cast coffee cups as superhero style villains – form part of the BID’s #2millionchallenge campaign, boosting recycling in the district.

20. BBQ Cookout In Shoreditch

Every Sunday for the rest of summer at TT Liquor (17B Kingsland Road, London E2 8AA)

Shoreditch hotspot TT Liquor is home to Greek dining residency esti, which is launching a series of rooftop BBQ cookouts this weekend. Visit on Sunday for delicious Greek-inspired roasts – think pork and lamb cooked whole on the spit and chicken thighs slow-cooked over coals, alongside plenty of veggies – alongside some of Shoreditch’s best cocktails on a sunny rooftop. esti.restaurant

21. Visit A Market

Every Sunday, 11am–5pm at Hackney Bridge, Echo Building, Hackney Wick, London E15 2SJ

Image by Charlie Scrimgeour

New market alert: from the team behind Broadway Market, Chatsworth Road, and Ridley Road Markets comes a brand new London market: Hackney Bridge. Overlooking the Hackney Wick canal path and with a focus on sustainability, expect a mix of carefully curated stalls selling vintage clothing, antiques, furniture, art and designs from artisan makers. There will also be a produce market selling fresh bread, jams, cheeses and more. hackneybridge.org

22. Learn To Make Pasta

Ongoing

Try your hand at the Italian art of pasta making at Pasta Evangelists’ Pasta Academy in Farrington. Expect to learn all about the best ingredients and techniques, and eat your creation at the end, too. Read our review of the Beginners’ Class here. (These classes are extremely high-demand, so your weekend activity will inevitably be booking ahead for a future weekend.) pastaevangelists.com

23. Party At Peckham Arches

Every weekend, Blenheim Grove, London SE15 4QN

Adding to the bustling social food scene of Peckham, the all new Peckham Arches is the perfect place to go for a fun night this weekend in London. The venue features a covered and heated terrace, an open fire BBQ grill and two large cocktail bars, private events spaces, a gallery with OHSH Projects, and a monthly events calendar of live music, DJ’s and more. peckhamarches.com 

24. Visit An Outdoor Cinema

Ongoing

Summer must really be here: Rooftop Film Club reopens for the season this weekend at their Stratford location. The 2023 programme includes a mix of new releases such as The Menu and Everything Everywhere All At Once, alongside old classics such as Clueless and Notting Hill. rooftopfilmclub.com

Discover more outdoor cinemas here

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The post The Best Things To Do In London This Weekend: 8–9 July 2023 appeared first on Country and Town House.

Taylor Swift’s International Eras Tour: Everything You Need To Know

When Is Taylor Swift’s International Eras Tour?

Following her US tour, Taylor will kick off her international dates in Mexico on 24 August 2023. She will perform in places including Brazil, Tokyo and Singapore before coming to Europe, beginning in Paris in May 2024 and kicking off the UK leg on 7 June in Edinburgh. 

 

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A post shared by Taylor Swift (@taylorswift)

UK dates currently confirmed are:

• Friday 7 June – Edinburgh, BT Murrayfield Stadium
• Saturday 8 June – Edinburgh, BT Murrayfield Stadium
• Sunday 9 June – Edinburgh, BT Murrayfield Stadium
• Thursday 13 June – Liverpool, Anfield Stadium
• Friday 14 June – Liverpool, Anfield Stadium
• Saturday 15 June – Liverpool, Anfield Stadium
• Tuesday 18 June – Cardiff, Principality Stadium
• Friday 21 June – London, Wembley Stadium
• Saturday 22 June – London, Wembley Stadium
• Sunday 23 June – London, Wembley Stadium
• Thursday 15 August – London, Wembley Stadium
• Friday 16 August – London, Wembley Stadium
• Saturday 17 August – London, Wembley Stadium

How Can You Get Tickets?

Hopefully, you’ve already registered for tickets via Ticketmaster (the deadline was 22 June 2023). If not, find a fellow fan who has and get in their good books sharpish. Those who have registered will receive an email on 5 July 2023 stating whether they have been randomly chosen to participate in the sale. If not, all is not lost – you’ll be placed on a waitlist and may have a chance if more tickets become available.

The chosen ones will receive information on when tickets will be available, alongside a link to buy them. If you’re successful, you’ll be able to buy up to four tickets. 

Savvy fans may have signed up to the pre-sale a while back. If that’s the case, you will receive a unique pre-sale access code between 6 July at 10am and 7 July at 10am.

When Do UK Tickets Go On Sale?

According to Ticketmaster, these are the exact dates and times general sale UK tickets will go on sale.

Monday 17 July 2023

11am

London, Wembley Stadium: 21 June 2024

Edinburgh, Murrayfield Stadium: Friday, 7 June 2024

1pm

London, Wembley Stadium: Thursday, 15 August 2024

Edinburgh, Murrayfield Stadium: Saturday, 8 June 2024

3pm

Edinburgh, BT Murrayfield Stadium: Sunday, 9 June 2024

Tuesday 18 July 2023

11am

London, Wembley Stadium: Saturday, 22 June 2024

Liverpool, Anfield Stadium: Thursday, 13 June 2024

1pm

London, Wembley Stadium: Friday, 16 August 2024

Liverpool, Anfield Stadium: Friday, 14 June 2024

3pm

Liverpool, Anfield Stadium: Saturday, 15 June 2024

Wednesday 19 July 2023

11am

London, Wembley Stadium: Sunday, 23 June 2024

1pm

London, Wembley Stadium: Saturday, 17 August 2024

3pm

Cardiff, Principality Stadium: Tuesday, 18 June 2024

 

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What Can We Expect From The Concerts?

The clue’s in the name: the tour will document Taylor’s many different musical eras, from her old school country days to the poppy 1989 hits and mellow Evermore ballads. As seen in America, the setlist is a whopping 44 tracks long, featuring fan favourites like ‘Cruel Summer’ and ‘Fearless’ alongside plenty from her most recent album, Midnights, such as ‘Bejeweled’, ‘Karma’ and ‘Anti-Hero’. Taylor has also been adding two surprise acoustic songs on each set: so far this has included the likes of ‘Tim McGraw’, ‘Getaway Car’ and ‘Dear John’.

Is Taylor Swift Headlining Glastonbury 2024?

When Taylor first announced her tour, eagle-eyed fans pointed out that she had left a couple of key dates free. However, she has now added new dates which mean it’s highly unlikely she will perform at Glastonbury. While Glastonbury is yet to confirm its 2024 dates, the festival usually takes place on the last full weekend of June, which would mean 26 – 30 June, and Taylor is now performing in Dublin on 28, 29 and 30 June. All is not lost though: there are also headline rumours about the Spice Girls, Rihanna and Madonna.

The post Taylor Swift’s Eras Tour: Everything You Need To Know appeared first on Country and Town House.