New London pub and café map shows which ones are currently in the sun

A Reddit user has created a brilliant new website that tells you which pubs and cafes are currently in the sunlight and which are hidden in shade. There's nothing worse than getting to a pub garden and expecting it to be filled with warm, sunny vibes, but as you sit down with your pint, a chilly breeze dashes your hopes and dreams.

With Reddit user Dawodx's new website sunnydays.dawodx.com, you can enjoy the sun this summer. The web app creates a real-time shadow simulation, replicating how buildings and terrain cast shadows through the day using a programme called Mapbox and open data from OpenStreetMap.

"You can find the sunniest spots around you — and skip the cold corners," Dawodx said in a post on the social media platform. He added: "It’s finally sunny in London, and like most people, I wanted to enjoy an iced coffee or a pint in the actual sun — not tucked away in the shade."

Looking at the interactive map, you can set the time of day as you like so you can plan ahead before any pub crawls, drinks with mates or dates. One commenter pointed out that they found the app works outside of London too. dawodx said: "Yes, the app works virtually anywhere — as long as OpenStreetMap has data for buildings, cafés, and pubs."

You can see distinct shadows of famous landmarks like here at the Houses of Parliament. The yellow sun icons are each cafes or pubs currently in the sunshine, dark ones are in shade (Image: sunnydays.dawodx.com)

You can even find famous landmarks like the Palace of Westminster and see that it faithfully shows all the different towers and sticky out bits that cover the Houses of Parliament with pretty good accuracy.

Swinging up river, you can find Battersea Power Station and its four tall white chimneys cast long dark shadows as you'd expect - it works really well. Back downstream, you can see the towering shadows of the city of London skyscrapers and those in Canary Wharf too.

Other Redditors seemed to agree, with one saying: "Woah this is so cool - going to be checking this out tomorrow" One joked: "Finally, a pub crawl for vampires."

Another commenter was critical about the website's efficacy, however, adding: "So I'll point out my experience just using it. Horniman Pub by London Bridge, 4.15pm today. Says it's in the sun when clearly it's the shadow.

"The problem is the location of the marker, which is slightly off. Also, it doesn't seem to care that a north-facing pub will be in its own shade. It's a nice idea, but I'm not sure how accurate it really is"

The website creator replied, saying that the website was a work in progress and that because OpenStreetMap's data marks pub locations within building footprints, when gardens are usually on the edge of the building, there is a discrepancy here, but he has tried to make improvements in this matter.

To explore the sunnydays.dawodx.com website, click here.

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‘I got a fresh curry from a London post office and it was better than most takeaways’

You can usually count on a post office for stamps, bills, and parcels, not for lunch. But there’s a post office in central London where you can walk out with a curry instead of a receipt.

From the outside, Moorgate Post Office looks like any other - until you notice the sign advertising curry from £6.99. Inside, turn right and you’ll spot a freezer, a drinks fridge, and then a small counter dishing out fresh, fragrant food.

The smell hits you immediately, and is enough to reel you in - warm spices and sizzling street food fill the air. The prices help too, as they are cheap for central London.

There's so many curries to choose from! (Image: MyLondon)

They’re serving samosas, spring rolls, Chinese dishes, South Asian curries, and freshly grilled wraps. And the food doesn’t come from a microwave - it's made in a kitchen they have in the basement, which I had no idea could even fit there.

This all started in 2021 when postmaster Dewan Zaky Ashrafi brought takeaway Fusionend Spices to the post office. It’s been a hit with local workers ever since - when I popped by, there was already a queue.

The kitchen is open Monday to Friday from 11 am to 3.30 pm, feeding up to 250 people a day. The menu changes daily, depending on which curries the staff is cooking fresh.

I was really surprised with the quality of the food - it could rival curry houses (Image: MyLondon)

I went for a ‘small’ box of Paneer Saag curry, plus rice, which came to £12.98; the portion was anything but small. The curry had that home-style flavour you’d expect from a proper curry house.

I couldn’t resist trying the Paneer Tikka wrap too, snugged in a soft, thick naan and slathered in dreamy sauce and salad. It was filling, flavourful, and cost £9.99 - ideal for lunch.

To round it all off, I grabbed a freshly blended mango lassi for just £2.50. It was refreshing, creamy, and honestly better than some I’ve had in sit-down restaurants in London.

Never thought I would order food from a post office, but now I want to do it more often (Image: MyLondon)

London is full of surprises, and this little curry counter hidden in a post office is definitely one of the more unexpected. They’re even on Just Eat.

If I worked anywhere near Moorgate, I’d be there every week. There’s even seating, which some Fish and Chips shops don’t even have.

If you're after a hot, freshly made lunch with a side of surprise, this post office spot delivers on all fronts. Affordable, flavourful, and proof that in London, good food can turn up in the most unlikely places.

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Group of 4 London teenagers involved in shocking machete fight on Southend seafront named

A group of teenagers have admitted offences after violence broke out in the Essex seaside town of Southend-on-Sea last summer. In total nine have pleaded guilty, including six from London and four of the Londoners can be named due to their age.

The nine, all of whom are male and aged between 14 and 18, were charged after youths, some brandishing machetes, fought on the seafront on the evening of July 30. While several had previously admitted to some offences, nine of them had guilty pleas accepted at a hearing at Basildon Crown Court on Wednesday (April 16), according to Essex Police.

Those who admitted offences are Tyler Omo-Irogho, 18, of Clarendon Road in Watford, who pleaded guilty to assaulting an emergency worker, violent disorder and possession of a bladed article. Michael King, 18, of Crescent Road in South Woodford, Redbridge, admitted violent disorder and conspiracy to commit GBH.

Mekai Brown, 18, of Higham Road in Woodford Green, Redbridge, admitted violent disorder and conspiracy to commit GBH. Lucas Braga, 18, from Pitchford Street in Stratford, Newham, admitted violent disorder and possession of a bladed article. He was 17 at the time of the offences.

Isaac Bello, 18, of Prospect Road in Woodford Green, Redbridge, admitted violent disorder and possession of a bladed article. He was 17 at the time of the offences. A 16-year-old boy from London - who cannot be named due to his age - admitted violent disorder, conspiracy to commit GBH, possession of a prohibited firearm and possession of a firearm with intent to cause fear or violence.

A 17-year-old boy from London - who cannot be named due to his age - admitted violent disorder and possession of a bladed article. A 16-year-old boy from Basildon - who cannot be named due to his age - admitted violent disorder and possession of a bladed article.

A 15-year-old boy from Pitsea - who cannot be named due to his age - admitted violent disorder, conspiracy to commit GBH and possession of an offensive weapon. He was 14 at the time of the offences.

'Huge' response from police as thousands headed to seafront

Southend District Commander Dave Browning said: “Responding to the criminal actions of a small number of people in Southend last summer, among thousands of people trying to enjoy the good weather, required a huge co-ordinated response from my uniformed officers.

“We told those intent on coming here to commit crime that they would be dealt with. I can repeat the same message today, with these nine men and boys now waiting to hear their sentences.

“We’re confident, and the figures show, incidents of disorder and violence remain rare in Southend. But one incident is too many and we’re always alert to such reports. Where incidents arise, we will act and we will use powers available to us to protect the public.

“I am glad to welcome everyone to our city again this summer to visit the seafront, enjoy our famous pier and take a trip to the beach. But be in no doubt that if you come here to commit crime – our officers will be waiting, you will be arrested and you will face justice.”

Pat Sampson, chair of the Southend Independent Advisory Group, added: “Our local residents must be able to enjoy living and working in our city, so I am glad to see these defendants have pleaded guilty.

"Our group will continue working with police to make sure they keep the people of Southend at the centre of their work as they have here. It’s really important that everyone understands you’re welcome here to enjoy yourself but not to commit crime and cause trouble.”

Hundreds of hours of CCTV reviewed

Detective Chief Inspector Louise Metcalfe, the senior investigating officer in this case, added: “My team reviewed hundreds of hours of CCTV, carried out

“It is no surprise to me, having seen our case, that these suspects saw no other option than to plead guilty. Their roles in the disorder that came to Southend was undeniable thanks to the work of dozens of officers over several months – their work doesn’t stop when suspects are charged.

“It’s an ongoing effort to ensure the case against each of them is as strong as possible, and that all of their movements and actions are accounted for. I hope their sentencing will now send a clear message to others thinking of bringing the same kind of disorder to our county and our city.”

All nine defendants will be sentenced at the same court during the week commencing July 14, the force added. A 10th person, Hamza Dinbil, has also been charged with violent disorder and possession of a bladed article in a public place in connection with the same incident.

The 18-year-old, of Corporation Street in Stratford, has been remanded in custody until a hearing at Basildon Crown Court on April 28, police said.

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Stansted Airport flight fell 600 feet without the pilots noticing as they forgot to put on autopilot

A Boeing plane heading into Stansted Airport fell 600ft through the air before either pilot noticed. An autopilot miscommunication caused the commercial flight from Szczecin Airport, in Poland, to descend suddenly on March 8, 2024.

The co-pilot had missed the first manual approach so handed control to the commander whilst they set up the flight management computer. However, the commander did not realise the autopilot and auto-thrust were not engaged and failed to realise the rapid drop.

The 43-year-old told air traffic control that he "had control", with the co-pilot agreeing with this statement over the communication channel. Upon realising his mistake, he promptly brought the aircraft back to 3,000ft before taking over the second landing attempt.

The unplanned descent saw the plane come within a helicopter that also attempting to land at Stansted During the investigation, it was revealed the flight was the co-pilot's first time handing over manual control.

He told the Air Accidents Investigation Branch (AAIB) he did not know there were specific call outs needed during this procedure and presumed the commander had realised the flight was in manual mode. The commander - whilst aware of the handover procedure - admitted he should have taken more time to double check the control panel.

The AAIB concluded he did not follow proper procedure when receiving control as they were monitoring the co-pilots actions, rather than the aircraft. There were 172 passengers and six crew members on board at the time.

The incident was not deemed an accident or serious incident under the definitions set by the International Civil Aviation Organization. However, the Chief Inspector of AAIB believed an investigation was appropriate as as a matter of flight safety and amendments to the handover procedure were flagged to the flight's operator. These were implemented in September.

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Huge 35-storey South London tower with 143 flats next to London Heliport moves forward

Plans to build a gigantic 35-storey tower next to London's only licensed heliport are moving forward, as an application has now been submitted for the development. Developer Heliport London Ltd has lodged a planning application for the scheme with Wandsworth Council.

The proposed tower on Lombard Road, by the River Thames, would contain 143 flats, if it was approved by the council. It would also have workspace, a gym for residents and a play area on its lower floors. It would be the tallest building in Battersea, replacing an empty five-story office building, known as Heliport House, and two industrial garages.

The council approved plans to add a 15-storey tower on top of Heliport House in 2014, with no affordable homes, but this was never built. The latest scheme proposes a much bigger tower containing 51 affordable homes, out of 143 homes overall.

Another visualisation of the plans, which have now been submitted to Wandsworth Council (Image: Concrete/HTA Design/Heliport London Ltd)

Planning documents said the scheme would 'represent a significant improvement from the low-quality buildings that currently occupy the site'. The developer pledged to improve the area around the proposed tower by making the Thames Path behind London Heliport more accessible.

But the plans have received 11 objections so far on the council's website, with residents raising particular concerns about the tower's proposed height and the impact on traffic levels. One objector wrote: "The proposed tower is excessively high. It would significantly negatively affect the skyline of the area, and be out of place compared to other buildings, both in the immediate area and along the bank of the river.

"There is already significant pressure on local services, e.g. overcrowding of trains and buses, and this needs to mitigated before a significant new population is added. There is a need for affordable housing. Most of the new residential will be for private market, and there is no indication they will be affordable.

"Flats in similar new developments are currently unsold and/or unoccupied. This a site that is close to the river, and significantly more consideration should be given to creating space for nature and wildlife."

Another resident commented: "This proposal represents another instance of overdevelopment, prioritising high-density housing without adequate consideration for the supporting infrastructure, public spaces, or long-term community wellbeing. The cumulative effect of such mass residential developments risks undermining the liveability and sustainability of the neighbourhood which is already losing its identity and sense of community."

Planning documents argued the development would 'deliver numerous and weighty public benefits... which would be unfeasible in a smaller scheme'. They added: "The principle of residential use on this brownfield site is strongly supported for a variety of reasons set out in both the Local and the London Plan.

"The site is allocated for residential development and would deliver an iconic design through the building's richly articulated form, its slenderness and elegance, which would enhance the local townscape, cause no heritage harm and aid with wayfinding and legibility from a wide range of views."

The council will decide on the plans in due course.

Got a story? Email charlotte.lillywhite@reachplc.com

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Facebook users in Europe must opt out of having their content used to train Meta's AI

Meta, the social media giant that owns Facebook and Instagram, has announced it will resume using publicly available content from European users to train its artificial intelligence models. This decision comes after the company paused this activity last year due to data privacy concerns raised by activists.

The firm stated it would utilise public posts and comments shared by adult users across the 27-member European Union to train its AI systems. Meta also announced plans to inform EU users about the AI training process, providing a link to a form where objections can be submitted at any point.

In a blog post, the company explained: "People's interactions with Meta AI - like questions and queries - will also be used to train and improve our models." It added: "We'll honour all objection forms."

This move follows the recent launch of Meta's AI assistant for European users, which had been previously introduced in the US and other major markets.

The company's AI training initiatives had been hindered by strict EU data privacy laws, which empower individuals to control how their personal data is utilised.

Activist Max Schrems-led Vienna-based group NOYB had lodged complaints with various national privacy watchdogs about Meta's AI training plans, urging them to halt the company before it began training its next generation of AI models.

However, Meta highlighted that a panel of EU privacy regulators in December "affirmed" that its original approach complied with legal obligations.

The company has assured that private messages will not be utilised to train its AI model, echoing the practices of competitors Google and OpenAI, "both of which have already used data from European users to train their AI models".

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State of River Thames delays Boat Race by 10 minutes - this time it wasn't water safety concerns

The state of the River Thames had an unexpected impact on the 2025 Oxford Vs Cambridge Boat Race but it did not stop the light blues completing a clean sweep in the men's women’s and both reserve races. This time it wasn't pollution in the water - although that had again been a concern in the build up - but instead a plank of wood in the way of the racing route.

The men's race between the university teams was set to start 2:21pm on Sunday (April 13) but the crews were left waiting in the water for 10 minutes after 'debris', which turned out to be a plank of wood, was spotted and had to be cleared out of the racing line of the boats.

It was expected to be a tight battle in the 170th men’s edition, but instead the light blue boat built up an early lead and never looked back, shocking an Oxford boat stacked with several Olympians. Cambridge made it eight straight wins in the 79th women’s competition, also the 10th anniversary of the men’s and women’s races taking place on the traditional 6.8-kilometre Championship Course.

The BBC coverage captured the plank of wood which caused the delayed start (Image: BBC)

It was an event once again overshadowed by controversy in the build-up after the enforcement of rules preventing PGCE students taking part meant three Cambridge rowers were unable to participate. Like in 2024, there were also worries about water quality after concerning levels of the E. coli bacteria were found along the course in the weeks leading up to the event.

Both Oxford’s men and women won their coin tosses and elected to start at the Surrey station, and the sunny conditions for the latter had turned overcast by the time the men began just under 10 minutes after its scheduled 2:21pm start to clear debris from the course.

The Cambridge Men's team (nearside) beat Oxford by 16 seconds (Image: Zac Goodwin/PA Wire.)

It was neck-and-neck at the start and Cambridge were the subjects of a few early warnings from umpire Sarah Winckless, who became the first woman to umpire the men’s race on the Championship Course after also overseeing it when it moved to the Great River Ouse in 2021.

But Cambridge pulled out to a lead of just under two seconds, and extended their advantage as they crossed under the Hammersmith Bridge just over four seconds ahead. They continued to look loose and in control as they built up a considerable advantage of more than 12 seconds at the Barnes Bridge before pulling well clear to claim a comfortable win.

Early warning in the women's race

The women’s race was umpired by Sir Matthew Pinsent, who issued his first warning to Oxford less than a minute in and had a huge early decision to make after the oars clashed within the first two minutes. It was a move initiated by Oxford cox Daniel Orton, and for a brief moment it looked like Pinsent was contemplating disqualifying the dark blue boat.

Spectators watching the men's Boat Race on the River Thames (Image: Andrew Matthews/PA Wire.)

Instead the four-time Olympic champion elected for a restart, handing Cambridge – who had been out in front – a compensatory advantage a one-third of a length advantage. The light blue boat began to pull ahead under the Hammersmith Bridge, maintaining a significant gap by the halfway point and crossed the Chiswick Steps with an advantage of just over six seconds, extended to 7.72 seconds by the time they crossed the finish.

Pinsent told the BBC : “The clash was heavy enough that it was going to stop the race. There are a range of options you’ve got at that moment. You could DQ someone straight away, you can do a restart.

“(Disqualification) pops into your mind, but you also can allow after a restart to see whether it affected the outcome of the race, and obviously in my opinion it did not affect the outcome of that race, and that’s what is going on in my head now.”

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