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Londoners have been commiserating over the outrageous amount they’re paying for one thing in the capital. Travel, rent and food costs have all shot up in price over the last few years but there is one thing that seems to be so shockingly expensive that people can’t stop talking about it. Gone are the days when you used to be able to go to the pub with a fiver and come back with change. But now you may even only just about scrape coming back with change from a tenner at some London drinking spots. One poster on Reddit said that they paid a staggering £9 for a pint when out in central London. They said: “I work in the City and nearly fell over when charged nine pounds for a pint recently. Also £24 for a large G&T. "I don’t even spend £24 on bottles of wine at home. A more senior colleague probably on more than twice my salary was also aghast at a £9 pint.” 'Deep down, I was fuming' One poster on Reddit said that they paid a staggering £9 for a pint when ...

I managed to completely mess up my wife's birthday celebrations this week, but I'll come to that in a moment. About a month before her big day, I asked if she fancied a little escape . She opted for Rye in East Sussex, wanting something different from last year's trip to Margate, lovingly dubbed Shoreditch -on-Sea thanks to its hip cafés and buzzing art scene. This time around, we brought my mother's dogs along: Lola, the elderly pointer, and Wilf, the rather rotund chihuahua. My wife is absolutely mad about dogs , and after trawling through the collective knowledge of AI-generated blog summaries online, we discovered that Rye and neighbouring Camber Sands are hailed as dog-friendly destinations. The journey from St Pancras via Ashford International takes just over an hour, making it a tolerable trek for the pups in the July heat. Our initial stop was Paws n Claws, a pet shop with a sideline in British wildlife funeral services. "It's all quite macabre,...

EastEnders has been a staple on British telly for over four decades. The soap has seen a constant stream of actors come and go, with some going on to enjoy massive Hollywood careers, while others have become permanent fixtures, having been on the show almost since its inception. The biggest stars on the show are rumoured to pocket a six-figure salary. Before his shock exit from the soap in 2022, Danny Dyer (Mick Carter) was rumoured to be one of the highest earners, reportedly taking home between £200,000-£249,000 annually. In 2006, some EastEnders salaries were leaked, including Steve McFadden's (Phil Mitchell), who was reported to be earning a salary of £360,000. It's no surprise that two of the show's biggest stars earn hefty salaries, but what about the lesser-known actors? Rory Jennings played the troubled Craig (Image: BBC) Rory Jennings, who portrayed Craig Dixon in 2007, once disclosed his own salary on The Fellas podcast. Rory's character ...

A £20,000 reward is on offer for information that could help police lock up a killer. Imran Maroof was just 20 years old when he was stabbed to death in Newham's Plashet Park on July 27 last year. Despite a quick police response, his killer got away. Police had first been called to reports of a fight, and when they got there found Imran. The best efforts of paramedics weren't enough to save him, however, and he died at the scene. "The murder has had a profound impact," DCI Samantha Townsend said, "Imran's family and friends continue to live with the trauma. If you have any information at all, get in touch with police (Image: James Maloney/Lancs Live) "One year has passed since this senseless killing, and the Met remains committed to bringing those who killed Imran to justice. If you were in the vicinity of Plashet Park on the day of the stabbing or know anything that could help us, we need you to contact us." Alexa Loukas, Lond...

A woman from Lewisham with a history of paranoid schizophrenia has been jailed after killing her landlord - who was also her close friend - along with their cat. Habiba Naveed, 34, described after her arrest being told by a voice to kill him, and believing that Christopher Brown, 72, was evil. On Tuesday (July 24), she was given a hospital order under Section 37 of the Mental Health Act and a restriction order under Section 41, meaning she can be kept behind bars indefinitely. This followed her previous guilty plea to manslaughter by reason of diminished responsibility. An investigation was first launched after neighbours' attention was drawn to the house on Polsted Road in August last year, apparently by the sounds of a woman screaming. When police arrived, they found Mr Brown's body, as well as that of his and Ms Naveed's cat, Snow. Ms Naveed, who rented a room in the house owned by Mr Brown, was arrested later that same day. The day after, she was charged with murder...

A distraught mum has been left in a state of ‘emotional turmoil’ following the ‘brutal daylight shooting’ of her son last year. Jesse Lloyd-Smith, 20, was found bleeding out by his mum after she heard gunshots ring out in East Surrey Grove, Peckham, on Wednesday, July 10, last year. Jesse was raced to hospital where he died the next day. A man, also from Southwark has been found guilty of murder. Gabriel Charles, 19, was found to have driven towards a Peckham alleyway in a silver Ford S-Max. It passed the Damilola Taylor Centre, turned the corner and stopped before he leapt out and pelted towards Jesse. Ben Nguyen, 20, was found guilty of perverting the course of justice (Image: Met Police) He fired a gun five times, with one of the bullets causing fatal wounds. Charles fled the country after the killing, but was arrested and charged with murder in November 2024 when he returned. ‘A vibrant young man’ Enver Francis, 22, was found guilty of perverting ...

This summer has been a bit of a whirlwind, and successive heatwaves have yielded to grim drizzle and even a handful of thunderstorms. But there's hope on the horizon - all's not lost for July. Indeed, we're set to see the return of the sun next week. Monday, July 28 through to Tuesday, August 5 will all be sunny, with the exception of Sunday, August 3, which is just going to be a bit cloudy. This isn't without getting a bit wetter first, though, unfortunately. While today (Wednesday, July 23), Thursday (July 24) and Friday (July 25) should all be dry, the heavens will open come the weekend. Great. It will only be light rain with light winds, but still, it's not really what you want from this time of the year. We'll have to put up with more rain before we see the sun again (Image: zoranm/Getty Images) The interesting thing is that temperatures will remain pretty steady throughout this period, from late July into early August. Sunny skies don...

A West London café that was named after Princess Diana has lost its licence after repeatedly hiring illegal workers . Café Diana in Notting Hill Gate had its licence revoked on July 3 by Kensington and Chelsea Council , official documents released this week show. Since then, the operators have also surrendered their licence, according to the council. During a bizarre licensing meeting in early July - the result of which has now been made public - council officials accused the Manager and his representative of sounding like the Shaggy song - It Wasn't Me . Councillors heard how the Designated Premises Supervisor (DPS) and long-term Manager Mr Abdul Basit Daoud had no idea there were illegal workers at the café and offered to step down. The Home Office said he was warned twice. Noel Samaroo, representing Mr Daoud and the premises licence holder SSW6 Holdings, also appeared to backtrack on licensing conditions his client had proposed around security guards and the closure of win...

Those with boxes of childhood toys cluttering up their attic may want to have a rummage through them this weekend, as some in decent condition can reach a small fortune at auction. This comes as a treasure trove of vintage Star Wars toys, gathering dust in an attic for four decades, have been slated to fetch up to £6,000 at an upcoming auction . The collection boasts 21 pristine figurines – featuring beloved characters like Luke Skywalker and R2-D2 – all still sealed in their original packaging complete with £1.59 price stickers. The crown jewel of this galactic haul is the Yak Face figure from the 1983 film Return of the Jedi. This camel-faced alien, who was part of Jabba the Hutt's crew, belongs to the legendary 'Last 17' – the most coveted figures amongst collectors. Since this particular toy was never officially released in America, it's become incredibly desirable and is anticipated to command at least £1,000. The figures are highly coveted by colle...

Jimmy Doherty first graced our telly screens over two decades ago, featuring in his best mate Jamie Oliver's cooking programmes, however, he is returning to screens on Sunday evening (July 20) with his new Channel 4 show Jimmy Doherty’s Big Bear Rescue. Having trained as a pig farmer, he took the reins of his own farm and established the Essex Pig Company, which became the focus of the popular TV documentary, Jimmy's Farm. These days, Jimmy juggles his farming duties with his television career, and this weekend marks the launch of a new show, Jimmy Doherty’s Big Bear Rescue. The programme follows Jimmy at his Suffolk farm and wildlife refuge, where he welcomes some homeless polar bears, a pack of wolves, and two brown bears looking for their forever homes. Jimmy Doherty is returning for a new show at his farm (Image: Shared Content Unit) All of the action is filmed on his sprawling 70-acre family farm. He shares this idyllic setting with his telly produ...

Since the Covid pandemic prompted many to reassess their living arrangements, an increasing number of Londoners have been exploring housing options beyond the capital. Given the soaring property prices in London, it's understandable. However, while moving home might be feasible, relocating your job probably isn't. As a result, towns and villages within commuting distance of London are becoming increasingly popular, particularly among young professionals. While some places like Cobham in Surrey or St Albans in Hertfordshire may seem out of reach for the average wage earner, there are plenty of other locations offering a wealth of viable options - including spots even closer to London. One such place is Cheshunt in Hertfordshire, which boasts a TfL station that can whisk you into London in just 24 minutes. Pretty Cheshunt is one of the best places for commuters (Image: George Johnson / Getty Images) In fact, Cheshunt is so appealing that a 2019 analysis by ...

A man has been raced to A&E after he was knifed on Wandsworth Road in broad daylight. Cops rushed to Wandsworth Road in Battersea at about 2.50pm today (Friday, July 18) to reports of a knifing. There they found a man in his 30s who was taken to hospital. We await a condition update. The road is taped off as police gather clues. There have been no arrests. A Met Police spokesperson said: “Police were called at 2.48pm on Friday, July 18, to reports of a stabbing on Wandsworth Road, Battersea. “Officers attended and found a male, in his 30s, with stab wounds. "He was taken to hospital by paramedics where he is receiving treatment. Wandsworth Road has been closed in both directions and a crime scene is in place. MyLondon awaits a condition update for the victim (Image: MyLondon) “There have been no arrests. This is believed to be an isolated incident and enquiries are ongoing.” A London Ambulance Service spokesperson said: “We were called at 2.42pm today (...

The Court of Appeal has ruled in two separate cases that building owners and developers can't recoup costs from leaseholders for fire safety remediation work, in a landmark decision that could save Londoners thousands. The ruling could have far-reaching implications for who bears the costs of building safety-related costs in the future, with judges ruling that parts of the Building Safety Act 2022 (BSA) can be applied retrospectively, favouring leaseholders and residents. Specifically, this means a paragraph that states building owners can't charge leaseholders for such work can be applied to fire safety defects that were discovered before the act came into force. What were the two cases? The court decisions relate to disputes concerning Hippersley Point in Abbey Wood, right on the border of Greenwich and Bexley, and to five residential blocks in the East Village Estate in Stratford's Olympic Park. In the Hippersley case, the tower block's owner Adriatic wante...

A West London council leader has said he will consider comments made by a resident urging for a review of parking permit charges and the consultation process in the borough. Cllr Stephen Cowan, Leader of Hammersmith and Fulham Council, made the assurance after hearing concerns about the scale of the recent price increases and the process involved. The new charges, which were agreed by the council’s Cabinet last October before being introduced in February , represented the West London borough’s first hike since 2012. The Labour-run local authority has said the increases were designed to encourage people away from driving higher-emitting vehicles. The new scheme meant resident parking permits were shifted to an emissions-based charging model, with a diesel surcharge included in the plans plus an additional fee for second vehicles. Permits for EVs, electric vehicles, also cost for the first time. Under the previous scheme, resident permits were either £119 a year or £60 for vehicles ...