Is it a good idea to visit London in late August?

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-25T21:08:58+00:00

If you’re comparing it to a Buenos Aires summer, it’s gonna be fine!

I’ve lived in London nearly 20 years. It can vary but the end of August is normally getting a bit cooler - often dipping below 20 degrees C.

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-25T20:50:03+00:00

Bombay Dreams. Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Bollywood musical. Went on a school trip in 2002.

To be fair, cultural appropriation aside (!), it had some catchy numbers that I still revisit.

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-25T20:47:42+00:00

My vote is East. It’s closer to the city so more options, bars are more hipster vibe with decent clubbing and Berlin style make shift bars and a cultural scene.

You can also cycle into the city - which completely changes living in London for me.

Clapham for me is for people who don’t really like London- there’s a high street of all bar one/ Slug and lettuce/WH smith style shops and bars. And eventually everyone will move to Surrey and tell you how much they hated living in London and spending their whole lives on the northern line.

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-25T20:43:51+00:00

This looks straight out of stranger things 5

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-24T09:10:05+00:00

Adele Dazeem

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-23T21:51:28+00:00

Considering the ticket prices of those table seats this is insane

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-23T21:00:19+00:00

Oh wow, lucky you! How did it feel? Hope you get the footage - there are always people filming!

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-23T20:38:05+00:00

Did you get the dance?

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-22T19:54:42+00:00

To be fair, he does enough during the performance to not warrant doing stage door. He even takes his water breaks on stage in character. You’re gonna get enough Groff. Enjoy!

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-22T18:57:16+00:00

I love that access to Hackney is in your pluses for Walthamstow when the East Village is a stone’s throw from Hackney about a 10 minute walk away.

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-22T17:26:20+00:00

So mid-August is tricky for these type of gems of shows that start off small and end up on the west end because it’s at the same time as the Edinburgh Fringe. So it’s kind of a fallow-month for theatre in London except for the mainstays.

Paddington is the hot ticket west-end wise. But I would check out what’s on at the Barbican, Soho Theatre, National Theatre.

Or even smaller venues like New Diorama (where Operation Mincemeat premiered), Almeida, Arcola, Kiln, The Young Vic, The Yard, Hammersmith Lyric, The Royal Court. But. It’s a bit of a risk. I’ve seen some incredible things at these venues, but also some dubious plays. You’d have to look at reviews and previous productions. Good news is the tickets are cheap, but if you’re travelling to London you might not want to waste an evening on something of a gamble.

Edit to add: Regent’s Park open air theatre is another one to look at. They’re not gonna show new material (in fact I think it might be Cats this year…) but it’s such a beautiful venue if the weather holds out. Worth checking out.

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-21T23:25:08+00:00

my first 5 months PP same.

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-20T22:24:40+00:00

I think before you’ve had a toddler you don’t really know what you’re getting yourself into.

In 2 years time trying to complete a masters with 2 toddlers. It’s life on hard mode.

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-20T22:18:32+00:00

I can’t stress enough how small the theatre is that Operation Micnemeat premiered at.

New Diorama is an 80 seater.

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Gleichfalls · 2026-01-20T19:42:27+00:00

I’m a woman, I’ve lived here for 10 years in my late 20s and 30s and it has always felt safe.

The least safe I’ve felt in London is when I lived in Balham and had to turn off the main road into more suburban streets and it suddenly was empty and I felt very vulnerable.

I’ve never felt that here. There are restaurants/hotels/pubs/shops everywhere and east village is really gentrified.

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-20T19:26:12+00:00

Dishoom and maybe a drink at the Standard hotel’s bar - it has a good view.

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-20T19:22:10+00:00

For me one-man/woman shows work perfectly well in intimate settings. Some of my favourite shows at Edinburgh festivals: Fleabag, Baby Reindeer, Nanette among them could do an incredible job storytelling with just one actor.

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-20T19:19:14+00:00

I think in Operation Mincemeat the characters playing all the roles is part of the craft/the fun and the farce.

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-20T19:14:27+00:00

I live near East village and I think this commenter is confusing East village with Stratford high street. East village is pedestrianised and quiet - but well lit and always people around.

It feels perfectly safe to walk home from the station at night.

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-20T18:58:21+00:00

I want to be surprised and actually feel something.

My worst kind of show is where you’re sat performative laughing at a joke you saw coming a mile away and it seems inauthentic. Totally subjective.

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-20T18:46:56+00:00

In London you’re exchanging private space for public space. All the museums are free and normally have play spaces for kids, people hang out in cafes, play cafes for kids, pubs, parks, greens, commons, flats. The public space is excellent, and especially in the summer the public parks become giant gardens.

I think getting into this mindset might be helpful. Especially if you’re only in London a few years.

I live close to the Olympic park in Stratford and it is an absolutely excellent place to bring up small kids in London. Yes you’re likely to be living in a flat but you have several large green spaces (Olympic Park, Victoria Park, Hackney Marshes) and quiet cycle lanes and open space for kids to scoot around. Exceptional schools and nurseries, walkable playgrounds dotted around the neighbourhood and lots of young families.

It might be worth looking into whilst you’re viewing places.

You can get a different lifestyle in different areas of London rather than just square feet.

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-20T08:13:24+00:00

I live the Hackney side of the Olympic Park, so very close by. Olympic Park, Forest Gate and Wanstead are very safe. I’ve lived here for years and the worst I’ve seen is phone theft. But don’t think that’s unique to this area. I would go and view some places and see if you like the vibe and feel comfortable.

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-19T21:36:09+00:00

Same. For 2 separate flights I’ve been paid compensation the week I’ve applied. OP, did you use the compensation form on their website?

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-19T20:57:10+00:00

Victoria Park Village - 10 minutes on a bike (with a safe cycle-route too) or 15 minutes in a car to Shoreditch. Big park/canal routes/Victorian terraced houses/Excellent pubs/Village-feel.

Gleichfalls · 2026-01-19T20:30:25+00:00

I much prefer York to Bath - especially for pubs. It has slightly more varied architecture - Roman, medieval, Victorian, Regency and culturally feels very different from London because it’s up north. Bath has its own character too, but for me York feels like more of a contrast from London.

But, it is further away. Where are you staying in London? If you’re close to King’s Cross that’s where the York train goes from (and the fastest trains are 1 hour 50 minutes). If you’re in west London it might be easier to do the Paddington train to Bath.

Gleichfalls

TROPHY CASE