🌤️ Good morning London. It’s daily edition 500. Thanks to everyone who’s supported and stuck with the newsletter for so long. Here’s Thursday’s London Minute.
News / event to share? Get in touch here
⛈️ The thunderstorm warning is due to be lifted at 8am. The rain is due to stop briefly around midday before returning later in the afternoon. - London’s Met Office forecast is here.
A second storm warning until 10pm could affect parts of north London, reports Niva Yadav in The Standard.
🚇 There are more delays this morning on the Bakerloo, Central, Circle, District, Hammersmith & City and Piccadilly lines. The Overground Lioness and Mildmay lines are also facing ‘severe delays’ due to an earlier fire alert at Harlesden and train cancellations. - Get live TfL updates here.
🚖 The rollout of robotaxis in London is ‘unlikely to happen this year’ due to ‘regulatory and technical hurdles’, reports Mark Sweney in The Guardian.
🚎 A new east London Superloop bus route, the SL12, will begin on Saturday 5 September. The new express route will connect Gants Hill, Romford, Elm Park and Rainham. - More details from the Mayor’s office.
TfL@TfL
Introducing the new SL12 🫶 The route launches 5 September and pay as you go fares are FREE for the first week of service You must touch in with a valid Oyster or contactless card or device, but the fare will be £0.00 🙌 Find out more tfl.gov.uk/modes/buses/su…
8:00 AM · Aug 26, 2026 · 62.7K Views
8 Replies · 43 Reposts · 251 Likes
🔥 Around 125 firefighters worked overnight battling a large fire at an industrial site in Mitcham, sending thick black smoke across south London. - Amy Clarke reports for BBC London News + the London Fire Brigade report is here.
🚔 Police investigating a homophobic hate crime in Hackney have released an image of a man they wish to speak to. It happened when a 23-year-old man was assaulted in Broadway Market on 4 July. - Met Police.
🚨 A 15-year-old boy was arrested yesterday afternoon on suspicion of murder following a stabbing in Wembley’s Brent Civic Centre. Superintendent Chris Clarke said: “Officers do not believe there is any wider risk to the community.” - The Met Police published this update.
The 17-year-old victim was named as David Wynter. - Louis Dargavel Corbett, MyLondon.
🏍️ The Met Police have increased their e-bike fleet from five to 25 in their ‘fight against gangs who use e-bikes and mopeds to commit crime across London’. - More details here + photos of the police e-bikes in this BBC report.
🚴♀️ ‘London cyclists are getting injured in record numbers. E-bikes aren’t to blame’ - Katharine Swindells & Peter Carlyon, The Londoner.
☕️ The City of London Corporation has denied accusations that it has gone silent on the operators of two park cafes at Parliament Hill Lido and Highgate. - Ben Lynch, Local Democracy Reporter, MyLondon.
🌴 ‘‘Sad moments ahead’: Kew Gardens to fell rare trees in race to save Victorian greenhouse’ - Helena Horton & George Francis Lee in The Guardian this morning.
“The giant palm trees whose fronds grow right to the roof of the building are not exactly portable, so will have to be felled.”
🌊 A consultation about facilities in Waterloo and South Bank has open to residents and anyone with a connection to the area. - More details in Brixton Buzz.
This section aims to include better news from all over London. It’s a wide range of things, and as always you’re welcome to submit yours here. My hope is that it inspires more civic pride and community spirit, new plans in your calendar and a few smiles or laughs along the way.
🏊♀️ Swimmers from the Kenwood Ladies’ Pond Association have launched an art exhibition as part of celebrations marking 100 years since the bathing spot first opened. - Bridget Galton, Ham & High.
🍸 The team behind The Queer Comedy Club have opened a new LGBTQ+ bar called The Nellie in Elephant Park, writes Myfanwy Fleming-Jones in Southwark News.
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🎤 Free Choir Taster Sessions! - ‘Do you love to sing? Ready to go beyond the kareoke booth? Check out Amplified! We’re a rock and pop choir offering free taster sessions from now until the end of September. We rehearse every Wednesday evening in central London. See link for details!’ - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.
💿 Sienna Spiro Album Release Show — Matinee
Today, Thu 27 August - ‘Sienna Spiro marks the release of her debut album Visitor with an intimate matinee performance at EartH Hall.’
5pm to 7pm | EartH (Evolutionary Arts Hackney) · Dalston | Tickets from £20.39 - More details here, shared by George Mayfield.
📚 Queen’s Park Book Festival 2026
Sat 05 September - ‘The vibrant, beloved celebration of literary arts presents talks and signings by acclaimed authors including Sebastian Barry, Jacqueline Wilson, Tuppence Middleton and more, as well as comedy performances. (5-6 September, Queen’s Park)’
11.30am to 9pm | Queen’s Park - More details here, shared by a Minute reader.
Got something London should know? It’s free to post it here. You can see all upcoming London events on TownSpot. Yesterday, readers clicked TownSpot events and notices 148 times, so people really do follow up.’
🚇 ‘‘Useless’ stop on the Victoria line driving Londoners nuts’.
🦊 ‘Fox found hiding in cupboard in MP’s Westminster office before being escorted out’.
🍿 September’s fireside films at Peckham’s Rooftop Cinema Club.
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