KING'S Cross station was evacuated and passengers plunged into travel chaos this evening The major London travel hub was shut down with "thousands" of commuters left in the lurch There were fears the evacuation at King's Cross could wreak havoc for fans travelling to watch tonight's Spurs game against Bodo Glimt particularly for fans traveling to the Tottenham Hotspur Stadium One witness said earlier: "Thousands of commuters now forced to wait outside." In an update Network Rail East Coast wrote on X: "King’s Cross was evacuated as a precaution earlier this evening for a brief period due to reports of smoke linked to a retail unit National Rail has warned ticket-holders disruption is expected until 9.00pm on some lines Our journalists strive for accuracy but on occasion we make mistakes. For further details of our complaints policy and to make a complaint please click this link: thesun.co.uk/editorial-complaints/ Further details have been released regarding the planned Cleethorpes-London King's Cross service proposed by Grand Central (GC) Or register with RAIL to keep up-to-date with the latest news RAIL is Britain's market leading modern railway magazine It's been more than 30 years since the seaside town last had a direct service to King's Cross Open access operator announces £300m deal for Hitachi's first UK tri-mode units Arriva Group has unveiled plans to introduce the first-ever direct rail service between Newcastle and Brighton you may have been wondering what was going to replace the old Vinoteca right outside the station We can now enlighten you - it's going to be a Harry's The Italian restaurant group is currently part of millionaire restaurateur Richard Caring's empire along with the Ivy cafes and neighbouring King's Cross venture Granary Square Brasserie (although it's part of a planned sale) The all-day restaurant will be open from breakfast through to dinner and cocktails The always-popular tagliolini with truffle and Parmesan will be on offer alongside aubergine parmigiana linguine vongole and a range of pizzas made with 72-hour proved dough their famous toadstool dessert will be on the menu too just at the entrance to King's Boulevard between the King's Cross and St Pancras stations with room for 80 diners inside and a massive terrace Expect this to be pretty busy the moment it opens Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @harrysdolcevita Subscribe to be the first to get the news from Hot Dinners Please enable the javascript to submit this form By signing up you agree to our privacy policy View on Google maps About us  |  Contact Us  |  RSS Feed  |  Site directory  |  Privacy policy  |  Log in/out Join 50,000 other Londoners getting exclusive news and restaurant offers from Hot Dinners. Please enable the javascript to submit this form By signing up you agree to our privacy policy See our previous newsletters here insight and opinion from the world of restaurants the new restaurant joins existing Harry’s in Victoria and Marylebone as well as a Harry’s Dolce Vita in Knightsbridge Caring also owns private members club Harry’s Bar on Mayfair’s South Audley Street The King’s Cross restaurant will feature the brand’s largest terrace yet and will follow in its trademark 1950s and 60s Venetian-inspired interiors the menu will include a range of antipasti such as calamari fritti; Caprese salad; and taglioni as well as a selection of pizzas It also has a brunch offer that includes dishes such as crab Benedict and chips; steak and egg; and frutti di mare Harry’s takes inspiration from the influences of the original Harry’s Bar. The first Harry’s restaurant opened in Knightsbridge in December 2017, followed by a restaurant in Marylebone and a further one in Victoria, which opened last summer. Whet your appetite with beers from the European UnionPaid for and content provided by European Union Lost Revenue from Downtime: How It Cripples Your Delivery App Visibility and SalesPaid for and content provided by Deliverect Staffing costs rising — how smart hiring solutions are helping UK restaurantsPaid for and content provided by YoungOnes Welcome to bdonline.co.uk. This site uses cookies. Read our policy By 2025-02-17T11:14:00+00:00 Practice to work up plans for buildings up to 31 storeys tall on Camley Street scheme Morris & Company has joined the design team of a £500m mixed-use life sciences district in King’s Cross The practice will design towers up to 31 storeys in height for the Camley Street development which is being master planned by Feilden Clegg Bradley Studios (FCBS) The redevelopment of two former industrial sites at Camley Street and Cedar Way will see the construction of around 36,000sq m of commercial floorspace and up to 410 homes for Ballymore and life sciences developer Lateral which are working in a joint venture for Camden council It is one of the largest proposals for north London’s Knowledge Quarter a burgeoning life sciences and research district around King’s Cross which also includes AHMM’s under-construction London Discovery Centre the £1bn UK headquarters of global healthcare giant MSD The scheme will be located on the northern edge of the King’s Cross Knowledge Quarter Morris & Co is understood to have been appointed towards the end of last year by Ballymore following the completion of its development agreement with Camden.  The practice will lead on the larger southern site at 3-30 Cedar Way designing a cluster of buildings ranging from 11 to 31 storeys FCBS has retained its role as masterplanner of the wider development and will lead on the design of the northern site at 120 -136 Camley Street which will contain buildings from 11 to 15 storeys CGIs showing early proposals for FCBS' Camley Street masterplan A full planning application is expected to be submitted in the second half of this year Others working on the scheme include Spacehub as landscape architect Velocity on transport and Temple on environment All existing buildings on the two sites will be demolished to make way for the new buildings with enabling work expected to take around four months at Camley Street and six months at Cedar Way The construction of the development is expected to take around 3.5 years Regal and 4C Group bring forward second scheme working together Practice’s first project for the university to be permanent home for the Oxford India Centre for Sustainable Development  Two canalside blocks to contain 337 studio apartments The centre will contain buildings up to nine storeys in height Plans designed by Gensler for a £1bn cancer research and treatment centre in south London have been submitted for planning by developers Aviva Capital Partners and Socius Retrofit of 150 Aldersgate includes new terraces a reconfigured entrance and a public art installation Howells also scoops two awards for Birmingham office scheme and a cafe at a grade I-listed country house Site powered by Webvision Cloud It's been nearly three years since it opened in Soho and now Middle-Eastern plant-based restaurant Bubala is getting ready for its next opening The team behind it are opening as part of the recently finished Cadence Court to the north of the station pretty much the final piece in the puzzle of the regeneration of King's Cross (and about a 15-minute walk from the station) The set-up is a little different from before as this time it will be a two-floored affair (with upstairs available for private-hire) as well as having a pretty extensive outside terrace In charge of the food are Executive Chef Ben Rand and Marc Summers and they'll obviously have many of the Bubala classics on the menu here including charred cucumber tzatziki and fava bean with vadouvan braised broad beans the biggest addition will be the Bubala’s Big Pud a sharing dessert that should live up to its name as it includes chocolate mousse so we see this doing very well in King's Cross too.  Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @bubala_london View on Google maps Get the biggest stories and wackiest takes from the Daily Star Thank you for subscribing!We have more newsletters London King's Cross station has been evacuated as witnesses claims to see "total chaos" Passengers were sent outside with all train currently suspended following an "emergency". Great Northern said in a statement on X, formerly Twitter: "London King's Cross has been evacuated following a fire alarm all lines from the station are currently blocked." commuter Stephen Hill reported that he came upon "to a closed King's Cross" suspecting that staff may have been made aware of a fire His message read: "I got back to a closed King's Cross (I suspect we were the last train in) to see my first ever Inspector Sands incident in the wild sorry for all the people stuck at KGX but my inner nerd can't help but enjoy that." The term "Inspector Sands" is renowned as a coded message employed by transport officials alerting crew members to a possible fire without triggering a public evacuation Another passenger shared that upon being evacuated from the station they observed "normal staff and firefighters" strolling around "calmly" on the inside Great Northern has recently stated that the station is back in business though commuters eager to return home will still encounter some hold-ups According to the update given by the company efforts are being made to "working on recovering the service" with an advisory notice that services could be modified or experience delays of up to 20 minutes The spokesperson advised commuters: "Some train services will be altered and/or delayed by up to 20 minutes so please check your journey before you travel." Story SavedYou can find this story in  My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right A massive mound of rubbish has been displayed at London King’s Cross to highlight the scourge of fly-tipping on the railway The stark installation appeared at the station today (Tuesday 18 March) to mark Global Recycling Day It is constructed from some of the most commonly fly-tipped items Fly-tipping on the railway can affect the running of the network and is a hazard to wildlife The installation at King’s Cross is designed to encourage members of the public to report fly-tipping incidents to their local council Crimestoppers or the British Transport Police But new research by Network Rail has shown that nearly half of Generation Z (46%) don't know that fly-tipping is against the law Dumping rubbish is classed as environmental vandalism and – alongside offences like cable theft – can have knock-on effects on passenger journeys as Network Rail repairs the damage Waste can attract rats which chew on cables – leading to signal failures and even accidents while metal cans and foil can cause short circuits in the railway signalling system Network Rail works hard throughout the year cleaning up after fly-tippers to maintain a reliable and efficient railway working closely with the British Transport Police to investigate and prosecute or fine people who commit fly-tipping The railway network has a range of preventative measures in place including CCTV to monitor sites fencing at fly-tipping hotspots and “nobblers” which puncture tyres inside and outside access gates to railway land.  said: “Seeing this mountain of rubbish here at the station provides a stark reminder about the problem of fly-tipping which wreaks havoc on our railways and environment – preventing passengers from getting where they need to be “Network Rail works closely with local authorities to prevent this crime and prosecute those responsible By working together we can help protect the environment and limit the impact of this selfish act.” said: "Fly-tipping is a criminal and selfish act which can cause delays to the railway network and harm the environment The repercussions of fly-tipping are serious with those caught facing significant fines or even jail time “I would urge anyone who sees this callous behaviour to report it so we can safeguard our railways and our wildlife by calling 0800 40 50 40 or by texting 61016.” Nearly a quarter of people (23%) had witnessed fly-tipped waste on or near a railway Yet only a third of people who have spotted it (36%) said they had reported it to an authority such as the local council Click here to find out more about the work Network Rail is doing to tackle fly-tipping on the railway The research was undertaken by One Poll for Network Rail during February 2025 with a nationally representative sample of 2,000 British adults.   The “installation” of rubbish at London King’s Cross went through a thorough cleaning process and is concentrated in a specific area of the station behind stanchions it will be recycled after its day on display Generation Z refers to adults born after 1996 Total number of fly-tipping incidents reported to Network Rail from members of the public Heidi Lauth Beasley, Jake Missing & Sinéad Cranna Greater London WC1X 9HS">.css-56eu0z{width:1em;height:1em;display:inline-block;line-height:1em;-webkit-flex-shrink:0;-ms-flex-negative:0;flex-shrink:0;color:var(--chakra-colors-gray100);vertical-align:middle;fill:currentColor;}124 King's Cross Road London It’s walk-in-only so prepare to queue for a table Irish Kings Cross just analogue comfort complete with a basement bookshop downstairs French There were plenty of things that impressed us when we went but a lobster dish that involved Thai-inspired bisque and a seafood boudin noir set on fire tableside was particularly memorable Greater London NW1 1LH">40 Doric Way London Malaysian Euston The regular roti canai costs around a tenner while the meat and fish options are a couple of pounds on top of that Be prepared to queue at peak times as it’s no reservations the wait will go quicker if you imagine yourself slow-motion running into the arms of that flaky PlayUnmute8.4SupawanThai from things like the crispy rice salad and stuffed chicken wings PlayUnmute8.4HoppersSri Lankan The bone marrow varuval at Hoppers’ Pancras Square outpost haunts us. Less in a Poltergeist kind of way, and more Casper the friendly, highly lovable cardamom curry. It’s indulgent, warming, and when you add coconut chutney and one of the signature, satellite-sized hoppers into the mix, you’re set for a conversation-stealing Sri Lankan meal Bring anyone you trust enough to see the results of you ordering a third pandan Negroni because the bustling atmosphere told you to PlayUnmute8.0Bao Kings Cross4 Pancras Square London Taiwanese Unlike Bao's other London outposts this Taiwanese spot is less about a sit-down meal and more about picking up some delicious stuff wrapped up in equally delicious steamed dough Think peach-shaped red bean and white chocolate bao the salted egg custard sad face bao that might be cheered up with a trip down to one of the benches along the canal They’ve also got a short menu of their signature savoury baos and cocktails that you can sit down and enjoy in the textbook Bao-cool dining area There’s often a polite queue and a merry-go-round of delivery drivers outside this tiny Malaysian spot A sure sign that something very right is going on here While not the only thing that’s worth travelling for and a world-class vehicle for any sauce and curry—are sensational The elbow-bashing space is a functional room made for huddling in and leaning over fragrant channa masala PlayUnmute7.8La Chingada EustonMexican Al pastor and carnitas are juicy and fruity with moments of spice Come by on Sunday to check out their dish of the day 7.8Merkato196 Caledonian Rd London Ethiopian PlayUnmute7.7FirinTurkish Turkish spot Firin is filled with groups stretching out their lunch hours, or solo diners speedily working their way through the slow-cooked tandir kebab that pulls apart with little encouragement from a fork with deep brown sofa seating and the raging fire of the oven brings warmth to the otherwise grey surroundings of King’s Cross And you should know that the name Firin translates to oven so a crispy lahmacun and cheesy pide are also a must PlayUnmute7.6Paolina Thai Cuisine181 King's Cross Road London We’re big fans of hunkering down on the lower level—where there are sauna-amounts of wood covering the walls and floors—with a portion of duck spring rolls stuffed to the brim like mini bolster cushions because Clerkenwell has some of London’s most superb and celebrated restaurants Heidi has been excessively eating cacio e pepe and writing about it since 2018 and accidentally over-sharing since birth Jake has always been in London but still makes a wrong turn in Soho She spends her time eating tacos and Guinness cake and explaining that she is not named after Sinéad O'Connor Josh Barrie visits the Hoppers in King’s Cross a haven of hot buttered squid and cooling arrack Going Out each ideal for lunch meetings and doltish catch-ups At the Soho branch this friend of mine will tell me about the latest in electric cars in between sips of whisky and Diet Coke He’ll message the group chat with the words “I’m in Hoppers” at least once a fortnight occasionally alongside a photo of an egg hopper I like the Soho restaurant for dining; the bar at King’s Cross is deserving of this bar column sheltered space with an elegant and inventive cocktail list sharp numbers and ends with entire bottles of arrack the South-east Asian tipple made from fermented coconut and/or sugarcane They are £55 and would suit anyone with designs on falling over later on The “tipples” at £4.75 are surely among the most reasonably priced drinks in Zone 1 Little sips — a trend that has been softly bubbling away for sometime now — that appropriate a measured beginning to an evening unknown where the Italian classic is influenced by flavours of vanilla and toasted hazelnuts (complimentary) There is also a list of drinks only available at the King’s Cross bar The kappi martini blends Ceylon arrack with coffee liqueur and cinnamon-punched cold brew; the southside swizzle is a marvellous concoction of gin These to punctuate any number of spicy snacks It upsets me that I’ve not been to Sri Lanka: endlessly warm I’ll sit on a distant beach with a bottle of rum and some sort of spiral of pineapple look out to sea and gaze at the fishing boats Drinks from about £4. 4 Pancras Sq, N1C 4AG, hopperslondon.com Prince Louis steals the show at VE Day parade as he keeps dad William looking sharp and mimics brother George Prince Louis steals show with sweet antics at VE parade VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day VE Day 2025 fashion: Princess of Wales to Lady Victoria Starmer Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in major blow for Putin ahead of Victory Day celebrations Ukraine 'launches stunning Kursk offensive' in blow for Putin Rihanna shows off baby bump at star-studded Met Gala 2025 as singer's third pregnancy with A$AP Rocky announced Rihanna debuts baby bump on star-studded Met Gala blue carpet Stacey Solomon 'regrets doing reality show with Joe Swash' for tough reason Stacey Solomon 'regrets reality show with Joe Swash' for tough reason London is gearing up to celebrate International Women’s Day with a fabulous range of special events and plans popping up across the capital to honour women’s voices as well as celebrate the progress made within the women’s rights movement One unmissable offering is the HighlightHer exhibition that’s taken over Granary Square, which will be an outdoor exhibition of public art by London artist Hanna Benihound featuring sixteen beautifully drawn artworks that each tell the story of an inspiring woman Unveiled on Wednesday 5 March, the vibrant and colourful illustrations have taken over the ever-changing art benches dotted around the area in King’s Cross The works celebrate the ordinary women doing extraordinary things; like the woman who expertly applies a full face of makeup on the tube during rush hour or the woman who juggles three loads of laundry prepares packed lunches and schedules a doctor’s appointment—all before 9 am Hanna Benihoud said in a statement: “There is something about the ‘ordinariness’ of womanhood that is actually quite magical HighlightHer is a chance to celebrate the quiet chaos and joy of ‘ordinary’ women’s daily lives said: “International Women’s Day is a time to recognise and celebrate the incredible contributions of women everywhere HighlightHer is our way of honouring the women in our community who inspire us with their extraordinary stories.” “We hope this installation will encourage everyone to reflect on the impact of these remarkable women and to continue supporting and uplifting one another.” Passengers are reminded that a programme of vital engineering upgrades on the East Coast Main Line will disrupt services over the next two weekends There will be no trains to and from London King’s Cross on 25-26 January and 1-2 February because of planned improvements on the route drainage and overhead lines which power trains as well as further preparatory work under the East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP) greener journeys through the introduction of in-cab digital signalling There will be no train services between Peterborough and London King’s Cross East Midlands Rail services to and from London St Pancras are expected to be extremely busy and customers are advised to use Thameslink services and change at Bedford for rail replacement services to Peterborough Passengers are advised that on Sunday 2 February there may be additional journey impact as a result of planned industrial action on the West Coast Main Line Any passengers travelling to the Arsenal v Manchester City match on Sunday 2 February should allow plenty of extra time for their journeys as there is also planned engineering work taking place on the London Overground's Mildmay line said: “The work our teams will be carrying out over these weekends goes well beyond regular maintenance tasks “We’re sorry to passengers affected by the disruption and thank them for their patience as we make improvements that will help make the railway more reliable.” A spokesperson on behalf of train operators said: “We are encouraging our customers to plan ahead and check before they travel with the latest journey details available on our websites and social media feeds Our colleagues will be on hand to help journeys run as smoothly as possible across both weekends while this work takes place.” Engineering work and other Network Rail activities are planned well in advance to make the most of any time the line is closed Use National Rail Enquiries to check all parts of your journey before travelling to grow and expand the nation's railway network to respond to the tremendous growth and demand the railway has experienced - a doubling of passenger journeys over the past 20 years Welcome to building.co.uk. 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Read our policy A festival focused on the future of digital construction By 2025-03-10T06:00:00+00:00 The first phase of British Land’s 53 acre mixed use development in south-east London is almost finished The nearly completed first phase of Canada Water from the new boardwalk across Canada Dock the first phase of British Land’s Canada Water mega regeneration project in south-east London is almost finished Southwark council gave the green light for the Allies and Morrison-designed masterplan to transform 53 acres of redundant docks tired retail sheds and the Daily Mail printing works into a mixed-use community with 3,000 homes two million square feet of workspace and one million square feet of retail British Land had never attempted a mixed-use regeneration scheme on such a scale before so drafted in Argent’s Roger Madelin and colleague Phil Tait who were responsible for the highly acclaimed Kings Cross regeneration project took a 50% stake in Canada Water last year The Canada Water site included the former Daily Mail printworks retail and leisure sheds and large areas of carparking The image on the right shows what it could look like in 10 years’ time The first phase includes a 35-storey residential tower with 186 homes a leisure centre and public realm improvements A social housing scheme at the other end of the development was completed last year There is also a specialist engineering college called TEDI London this is housed in modular buildings so can be expanded if demand grows Building visited the scheme to see what it is like and what is coming up next a large office building incorporating a leisure centre a smaller office called Three Deal Porters and a 186-home residential tower called The Founding The new buildings are clustered around the grade II-listed Dock Office the only historic building on the development which has been refurbished as the project hub Located on the far western extremity of the scheme close to the Lower Road – a busy thoroughfare cutting across the relatively isolated Rotherhithe peninsula – the buildings are conveniently positioned between nearby Canada Water and Surrey Quays stations on the Jubilee and Overground lines respectively The Jubilee line will whisk commuters to London Bridge in just three minutes with Bond Street another nine minutes away Behind the Dock Office is an attractive garden with Corten-faced terracing Opposite is the smaller of two office buildings which divides into two volumes thanks to deep centrally located inset balconies facing the garden one half is faced in red and the other in beige brick The building features modest floorplates which can be further subdivided to appeal to smaller companies a distinctive building with a saw-tooth roof and twisted bronze-gold balcony facings that reference the architecture of the long-gone timber warehouses that once lined the docks “These were both designed purposely to appeal to slightly different occupiers at the early part of regeneration,” explains Philip Tait the other is more HQ- focused with much larger The Dock Shed design was inspired by the timber warehouses formerly on the site It features a saw-tooth roof and distinctive twisted bronze-gold balcony facings The Dock Shed has a more distinctive quality than Three Deal Porters with large terraces overlooking Canada Dock The top floor is flooded with natural light thanks to north facing rooflights It also features a huge reception area simply finished with a polished concrete floor exposed concrete soffits and huge trusses to support the office floors above This is conceived as a social space with rentable meeting rooms areas for ad hoc working and a coffee and sandwich bar attracting the first large corporate occupiers to Canada Water rather than the City of London or Canary Wharf could be a challenge Tait says interest is “ticking up” now that the buildings are finished Both office buildings have achieved BREEAM Outstanding and are targeting NABERS 4.5* which is good for buildings designed at a time before NABERS had arrived in the UK This will help the buildings appeal to corporate occupiers A new garden is bordered by the Dock Office on the right of the image Three Deal Porters on the left and the Dock Shed in the middle Three Deal Porters is configured as a podium to the residential tower consisting of three distinctly coloured volumes terminating at different heights towards the top to soften the building’s mass One element is clad in bright red panels that reference a vividly coloured new boardwalk over Canada Dock the boardwalk links Canada Water station to the existing Surrey Quays shopping centre This will eventually be replaced by a new town centre complete with a high street and town square which he puts down to a difficult market because of high interest rates He adds that the flats are not yet finished and buyers want to see completed apartments before parting with their cash 45,000sqft floorplates and balconies overlooking Canada Dock The top floor benefits from north facing rooflights The Dock Shed incorporates a leisure centre at lower ground floor level with a 25m-long a sports hall with four courts for badminton and basketball plus a 150-seat gym a spin studio and a second studio for other activities such as yoga British Land wants to attract food and beverage outlets to the office building ground floor spaces to help activate the area “There’s huge demand for good quality buildings in good quality spaces,” Tait says “The beauty we have is we are mixed use so we can provide that daytime and nighttime activation” British Land has actively pursued meanwhile uses for existing buildings Planning permission was granted in February to convert a former unit in the Surrey Quays shopping centre to a jazz club food hall and vertical farm producing 20 tonnes of salad leaves a year this should appeal to potential new arrivals to the area on the other side of the Lower Road includes 64 acres of greenery and a running track and boating lake The adjacent Greenland Dock includes a yacht club and wild swimming and there is also the 37-acre Russia Dock Woodland and Stave Hill Ecological Park British Land wants to build on this by improving biodiversity and the environment This includes a new 700m long park walk connecting Russia Dock Woodland to Southwark Park on the opposite end of the development with a new 3.5-acre park in the centre Improvements include cleaning up Canada Dock which is being turned into a wetland habitat with a series of new islands and a kilometre of shoreline and the water level had reduced so it wasn’t really a wetland habitat like it should have been,” explains Farahar “It was a lot of work to restore the dock and the infrastructure of the dock.” Environmental consultancy Greengage Environmental has calculated that the environmental net gain of the scheme the ability to absorb rainfall and natural cooling Strict environmental standards are also being applied to the buildings This includes insisting on ensuring that designs are as efficient and embodied carbon is kept as low as possible The buildings will feature materials passports to facilitate future resource reuse Unlike many earlier schemes including Kings Cross the scheme does not include a site-wide energy centre Farahar says this was considered during the earlier stages of the scheme but was discounted the technology would already be out of date We have already seen how heat pump technology has become more efficient,” she says which means the different uses can still share heat to keep overall energy use down but without the greater losses of a site-wide system “It also gives us a huge amount of flexibility from the development point of view and allows us to adapt to changes in technology.” British Land is pressing on with the next phases This includes capitalising on the benefits of one of the most successful meanwhile uses to date British Land leased the former Daily Mail building as a 5,000 capacity music club called Printworks will operate Corner Corner and will return to part of the refurbished printworks building which has been stripped back to its structural frame Originally intended as a 300,000ft2 office this has been reduced to 160,000ft2 to accommodate the return of Printworks The building will also include a rooftop conference facility The former Daily Mail printworks has been stripped back to its structural frame ready for conversion into an office and conference facility It will also incorporate a nightclub called Printworks which was a former British Land is making other changes to the 2020 masterplan and has submitted a Section 73 application to Southwark council to vary the planning consent granted in 2020 This seeks to increase the overall number of homes and to maintain viability in the face of changes to building regulations and the new requirement for tall residential buildings to have two staircases Building regulations include changes to Part L and meeting the new Part O which control overheating The former means better thermal performance and the latter a move towards air conditioning “It is difficult to pass [Part O] without putting air-conditioning in so we are looking at supplementary air-conditioning if not full air-conditioning,” says Hannah Farahar Canda Water development director and head of sustainability Tait says these regulatory changes mean adding six to 11 storeys and extra width to the tall residential buildings “The principle of the masterplan stays the same we are just seeking extra height and massing that allows us to deliver the homes we wanted to,” explains Tait “We have also seen steep cost inflation over the last five years and quite flat values as well All of that has gone into the pot to make sure that we have got a successful scheme going forward.” The grade II listed Dock Office is the only original building on the development It has been refurbished as the project hub The Building Safety Act has prompted the scrapping of podiums incorporating tall residential towers The next part of the scheme is a large five-storey podium incorporating a new Tesco and five residential buildings The podium will also include a basement car park for the supermarket and a private park on the roof for the residents Tait says the whole scheme is classified as higher risk under the Building Safety Act if any residential element is more than 18m or seven storeys high “We are going to move away from that because the higher risk building designation applies to the whole thing so we are going to be more traditional in terms of standalone residential and offices,” he says The adjacent zone has been designed by AHMM and includes two residential towers now separated by a standalone office building A side benefit of standalone buildings is this opens up the market to a wider contractor audience as the contracts can be let as simpler Tait adds that the requirement to submit detailed plans to the building safety regulator (BSR) at gateway 2 is problematic for large complicated sites which are built out over many years because designs need to be adaptable to changing market conditions so you have to add flexibility for change to come,” Tait says adding that the gateway 2 requirements mean a large upfront investment in design work coupled with long delays getting approval from the BSR And any changes mean going through the same process again “Everyone is in the same boat and trying to derisk their schemes.” Visualisation of the new Dock Office reception when Tesco moves from its current site next to the Surrey Quays shopping centre into the new building that will free up the site for the new town centre and square The high street will be lined with five-storey buildings with offices above retail Tait says the Surrey Quays shopping centre is staying for now so new occupiers have shops on their doorstep There are also plans for a 300,00ft2 life sciences building designed by Stanton Williams – the hope is the demand stimulated by Paper Yard will help establish the area as a life sciences hub and much could change over the next 10 years before the scheme completes The first phase looks promising; there is a broad mix of uses the quality of the buildings and public transport links are good and the improvements to Canada Dock and the new boardwalk are impressive This should help to attract people to the new apartments and offices and the abundance of park and woodland plus the proximity of the river should give Canada Water the edge over other big London regeneration schemes – and repeat the success of Kings Cross Developer British Land and AustralianSuper Three Deal Porters and Dock Shed  Allies and Morrison Architect for Roberts Close (social housing scheme) Morris + Co Architect for Canada Dock boardwalk (now Rafter Walk) Asif Khan StudioStructural and civil engineer for Canada Dock boardwalk Whitby Wood Three Deal Porters and Roberts Close AKTII  Structural engineer for the Dock Shed Waterman Services engineer for the Founding Three Deal Porters and Roberts Close SWECO Services engineer for the Dock Shed Aecom Three Deal Porters and Dock Shed Thornton Tomasetti Contractor for the Founding and Three Deal Porters Wates Contractor for Roberts Close McAleer & Rushe Contractor for Canada Dock boardwalk Galldris Construction Subcontractor for Canada Dock boardwalk Xylotek Proposed removal of medieval burial grounds said to harm setting of Roman Wall despite plans for public exhibit Neighbouring schemes at Shaftesbury Avenue signed off last night Source: Ella Wheatley The building is located in a courtyard at Manchester Metropolitan University Source: Ella Wheatley The multifunctional laboratory can be used as a small workshop an exhibition space or as a venue for lectures Source: Ella Wheatley The laboratory is .. The first test event to demonstrate that the stadium meets safety standards was held in February A second one was held in March with the third and final event will take place later this year before the season starts .. Nightclubs across British towns and cities have been declining steadily over recent years, with 65 closures this year alone The Covid pandemic has been a big factor as 480 nightclubs shut their doors between June 2020 and June 2024 six people share memories of their favourite clubs in their 90s and 00s heydays Hannah McCormack (middle) at Fatsurfer in 2005, with her friends Carly and Charlie. Photograph: Guardian CommunityHannah’s Fatsurfer key fob.As an Essex teen on the cusp of London in the mid-2000s our Friday nights were all about the Fatsurfer an alt night at a working men’s club in Grays The people who ran it were nicknamed Surfer Steve and Soundman Jim It was one of the first places that the local bands in my school year played; my boyfriend was in a band called My Own Enemy I could also get hold of a double spirit and mixer or WKD Blue there When ID scanning and stricter measures came in it felt like that was the start of the death of the venue I’d already moved away to London by the time it closed Russ’s 1996 Tin Tins membership card.The gay club Tin Tins in Birmingham closed in 1997 I was 16 in late 1995 when I first walked through those big wooden doors One of the first things I saw was a man dressed in a black mini dress and one of those fake boob sets similar to the one Paul Gascoigne wore when he arrived in England after Italia 90 The house music carried on through until 9am I remember dancing out on to the steps on the street outside to be confronted by early morning shoppers wondering what on earth was going on Nyika and a friend on the bus heading to Carnage 2009, a Brighton pub and club crawl. Photograph: Guardian CommunityI went to university in Brighton and regularly went to a seafront club named Digital Digital had a Funktion-One sound system and as pretentious students we waxed lyrical on the quality of the bass at various dubstep nights (It was 2009.) The carpeted dancefloor was as disgusting and sticky as you would expect maybe sit on the freezing cold beach for a bit while a friend decided to go swimming By my third year I’d worked out that live indie music in pubs was more my scene But it’s strange to think that the sites of multiple formative student experiences no longer exist I wonder what happened to that sound system Leeds Gallery in 1993. Photograph: Guardian CommunityThe Gallery in Leeds was insane in the early 90s The sun shining through the huge glass roof in the morning made it feel like a mini Ibiza I believe it was voted second best club in Europe by Mixmag at one point My favourite memory would be when Carl Cox played on three decks The room was bouncing so much that the records kept jumping Any night with the resident Steve Luigi was also amazing Steve is still going strong on the northern soul scene and the odd old-school rave night It’s important to note that after attending on so many weekends Mike Macpherson (left) and his friends at the warehouse in 2005 Photograph: Guardian CommunityGlasgow had a thriving nightlife during my late teens and early 20s in the new millennium Some of the less legitimate venues were most memorable One of these was known only as “the warehouse” Unofficial club nights featured there sporadically and relied on word of mouth You generally knew if there was a night on within a few minutes’ walk as the echo of the soft beats would become audible on the relatively quiet Kelvinhaugh Street Especially memorable were the Hogmanay nights Parties would start in the early evening at home before the warehouse warmed up at 1am or 2am Toilets were assembled from breeze blocks and lit by those mini floodlights on tripods that you’d find on a building site I told an older colleague of mine at the time about the parties “Do you not get a lot of trouble at a place like that?” I do wonder whether this is a bygone era or if in some random pockets of Glasgow anything similar still exists Neil (left) at the Cross in 1995 Photograph: Guardian CommunityThe UK club scene from 1992 to 2002 feels like a dream now I recently bought a copy of Time Out from December 1995 just to make sure that I hadn’t been imagining it all You could go out every night of the week and see the world’s best DJs playing the best music to the best crowds The Cross and the End were my weekend playgrounds where I met lifelong friends and had the time of my life I went to the Cross most weeks from 1994 to 1997 It was a taste of Ibiza in grotty King’s Cross I remember one night speaking to the actor Jonny Lee Miller I’m happy to say I have only one photo of this era (above) and I don’t even know who took it – we were too busy dancing This article appeared in the Britain section of the print edition under the headline “The miracle of King’s Cross” Discover stories from this section and more in the list of contents For Labour, it’s a problem; for the Conservatives, an existential threat The Supreme Court’s ruling on sex was the easy part. Implementing it will be harder But progress in reforming them is sluggish Brownfield projects are bogged down by bewildering bureaucracy Possibly because the least successful migrants have left Registered in England and Wales. No. 236383 | Registered office: The Adelphi, 1-11 John Adam Street, London, WC2N 6HT | VAT Reg No: GB 340 436 876 Sheeran treated commuters to an impromptu performance in King’s Cross I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our Privacy notice Ed Sheeran surprised commuters and fans with an impromptu performance outside London’s King’s Cross station Dressed in a vibrant pink T-shirt, the 34-year-old singer-songwriter played his acoustic guitar against a backdrop of a large pink heart emblazoned with the word "Azizam" in white Sheeran treated the gathering crowd to a selection of his popular hits including "Perfect," "Bad Habits," and "Shivers." Fans described the unexpected concert as "incredible" and "super fun." One commuter saying she "struck gold" by witnessing the performance said she felt “lucky” to watch him play some of his most popular songs “I didn’t know he was going to be performing so I felt like I struck gold when I left King’s Cross station,” the legal secretary told the PA news agency everyone was singing along and it was a super fun experience He played all of his most famous songs and I felt really lucky to be able to see it live.” Some fans who follow Sheeran on social media were aware of his plans to perform at King’s Cross, including Ronnie Swan, 26, who “rushed over” at the chance of seeing the singer perform in an intimate setting. Mr Swan, who is originally from Brisbane in Australia but now lives in Twickenham, was at King’s Cross at around 1pm on Friday and said it was his third time seeing the singer perform live. “It was a dream come true to see Ed perform in that setting. I’ve seen him a couple times play a stadium, but to watch him just play in the street in broad daylight was incredible,” Mr Swan, who works in sales, told PA. He said he has been a fan of Sheeran since he released his Divide album in 2017 and described the singer as a “wholesome” person. “I love that him and his music are so down to earth and pure. He’s just a normal wholesome guy who put in the hard work to become successful at doing what he loves,” he said. “The new song is great. High energy, high octane. Summer vibes. Makes me very excited for the new album.” Meanwhile, some dedicated fans travelled from afar to watch Sheeran perform his new song including Felix Stender who travelled from his home town of Kiel, near Hamburg, in Germany. “I just travelled from Germany for the small gig at King’s Cross as I knew today was the release day from the song Azizam,” Mr Stender, 29, told PA. “I’m a big fan of Ed and in general I’m travelling around the world to see Ed. “I think Ed is one the best live artists of the world and every gig is more than worthy.” Sheeran appeared as a guest on Scott Mills’ BBC Radio 2 breakfast show to unveil Azizam. “It means ‘my love’ or ‘my dear’ in Farsi and the producer I made it with is Persian. It was something I’ve just never done before and it was exciting and new,” he said. The Thinking Out Loud singer shared an Instagram post after his performance and described the atmosphere as “awesome”. He wrote: “Painted a red London bus Pink and did a gig around the city today. I loved seeing all the reactions of people on the street bopping to Azizam. “Play is playful and fun, and today was awesome. Thanks for all the love.” Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies Audible has injected rush hour on Blue Monday with a much needed feeling of calm in an immersive brand activation drawing on its new “Zen Commute” film which is behind the well-being-focused creative campaign aiming to drive sign-ups through an introductory offer to Audible’s extensive well-being content Above: 'Blossom Train' directed by Stefano Ottaviano through ETC Starting this week at King’s Cross station the activation is centred on a train carriage that has been given a complete zen makeover with blossoming cherry trees bursting from within through the windows and doors Commuters who step inside discover a space that couldn’t contrast more with the busy concourse immersing them in a calming audio experience inspired by Audible’s “There’s more to imagine when you listen” brand positioning – also the destination shown on the front of the carriage The audio features excerpts of key Audible well-being titles such as Atomic Habits A Quiet Life in Seven Steps and The Healing Power of Nature mixed with announcements like “Your next Audible title is now approaching” A screen next to the carriage will run Audible’s “Zen Commute” film and display the title of the audio being played Along with creating the carriage and immersive audio experience Hyperactive has briefed a team of brand ambassadors to encourage interaction and discovery and let passersby know how to find Audible listens that can transform their commute the day famously declared the most cheerless of the year senior director - brand and content marketing Europe “Blue Monday may be known as the gloomiest day of the year but we saw an opportunity to flip that narrative brought to life so brilliantly by our partners at Hyperactive is more than just a visual spectacle - it’s an invitation for commuters to pause and explore the transformative power of audio Audible’s well-being catalogue is designed to bring balance and inspiration to everyday moments and we hope this activation sparks a journey towards more mindful commutes and meaningful listening.” “There are some brands that have to be experienced to really understand their superpowers With this experience we bring to life the sensorial aspects of the advertising campaign to create something genuinely immersive and transformative for consumers bringing some much needed zen to commuters during the most depressing week of the calendar.” Audible’s well-being campaign launched on 2 January 2025 with a film created by Fold7 directed by Antoine Bardou-Jacquet and produced by Partizan Comment Get our award-winning daily news email featuring exclusive stories I would like to be emailed about offers, event and updates from Evening Standard. Read our privacy notice One of the countless ways in which humanity is divided is evident at any railway station between those who turn up for their journey nice and early and those who I am one of the bad ‘uns; try as I always do to leave home in good time you could put a bet on me having to run up the escalator at the station Tube and throwing myself at the train as it’s about to leave Part of this terrifying process is the last minute swift scan of the departure boards...I normally know the departure time there are at least 12 platforms and the split second viewing of the board is the crucial bit of the endeavour King’s Cross has had the genius idea of actually removing train departure times from the big boards three minutes before departure three minutes before departure is when I have often turned up If a desperate glance at the board did not yield my platform this would not be the end of the story It would be cue for me to pounce on the nearest individual in a uniform and demand a platform number in a tone of rising hysteria it is possible I would forget my convent manners and thrust him or her to one side Otherwise I might go to the platform barrier and beg whoever is manning it for help If all this failed to yield a platform number in time I can tell you what would happen: I would burst into tears is that the aggravated stress of the whole thing gives me heart failure After the dash up the stairs and the desperate rush to the board the mounting panic at the non-appearance of a platform number may just see me off Memo to my friends and relations: if I perish at King’s Cross He’s called Sir Andrew Haines and he’s in charge of the company that runs the station It’s not just me who is beside herself at this frankly sadistic impulse Other passengers have responded with fury to the assurance from Network Rail that the scheme is designed to stop passengers dashing for trains A poster for the scheme said: “This is so everyone can board safely and keep trains running on time.” This proposal will make a bad situation much It means that the lucky ones get to board the train; the unlucky ones are running like lunatics around the station It is for us to decide whether we want to make a run for it or not and mostly we will try our utmost to get on it Not getting on a Tube is annoying but neither here nor there because there’ll be another shortly Not getting on the Irish boat train or the Edinburgh express does matter because there won’t be another one for ages and your non-flexible ticket won’t be valid on it And you will only have yourselves to blame if passengers maddened by the news that there train is there somewhere but no one knows where take out their frustration on staff who are manifestly not to blame Quite a few passengers have pointed out that in any event platform information is often given out just minutes before the train leaves That means that the lucky few who do get to see where their train is leaving in time to get on it will have just a minute or two to register the information And there is already no more pathetic huddle of humanity than the crowds standing in front of a platform departure board to find out in what direction they should sprint Obviously the prize will always go to the young men with backpacks who run fastest it’s already hellish rushing for a train at King’s Cross because the platform barriers that greet the poor soul running for a train from the Underground are all designed for passengers leaving the station; you will have to waste whole minutes finding the barriers that allow you to get onto a platform as many passengers have already pointed out based as it is on the assumption that Network Rail knows what’s best for us Enraged rail users’ first port of call should be Sir Andrew Haines people who catch trains at the last minute This frightful proposal is plainly designed by people who hate humanity bossyboots who probably travel by some other mode of transport There are not many things that would make that put-upon group actually take to the barricades but this might just be it Melanie McDonagh is a London Standard columnist offers a unique blend of French-inspired cuisine and an impressive selection of wines from around the world Porte Noire brings the essence of French dining to London with its menu of sharing plates Each dish is crafted with the finest seasonal ingredients ensuring a fresh and flavourful experience The concept of “Bistronomique” dining combines high-quality food with a relaxed and friendly atmosphere making it the perfect spot for both casual meals and special occasions The bar boasts a diverse selection of wines ranging from natural and artisanal varieties to aged and rare fine wines Whether you’re a connoisseur or a casual wine drinker The knowledgeable staff are always on hand to offer recommendations and guide you through their impressive wine list and the visit isn’t complete without a bit of time in the wine room perusing the fine wines to enjoy with dinner or to take home provides a stunning backdrop for Porte Noire offers a serene escape from the hustle and bustle of the city It’s the perfect place to unwind with a glass of wine and enjoy the beautiful surroundings Porte Noire is more than just a restaurant and wine bar; it’;s a buzzing community hub Co-founded by actor Idris Elba and wine expert David Farber the venue was envisioned as a place where people could come together to share stories and celebrate life’s moments This vision is reflected in every aspect of Porte Noire from the warm and welcoming atmosphere to the carefully selected wines and dishes The name ‘Porte Noire’ was inspired by a visit to the prestigious Sanger viticultural school in Champagne Their shared passion for wine led them to create a brand that embodies the elegance and depth of fine wines Porte Noire’s commitment to culinary excellence has been recognised with two AA Rosettes celebrating its high-quality food and exceptional dining experiences Whilst reviewing the menu and deciding what to eat we enjoyed a glass of Porte Noire La Petite Porte 100 per cent Chardonnay with a base vintage of 2015 well balanced and with a wonderful minerality we decided on sharing two exquisite starters: the Red Shrimp Tartare with Stracciatella and Tomato Emulsion and the Mushroom Parfait with Shiitake and Grilled Bread The Red Shrimp Tartare was a refreshing and vibrant dish The addition of creamy stracciatella cheese added a luxurious texture while the tomato emulsion provided a burst of tangy flavour that complemented the sweetness of the shrimp Each bite was a delightful balance of flavours and textures This dish was paired with Viñátigo Listán Blanco de Canarias 2023 a captivating white wine that embodies the unique character of the Canary Islands This wine is made from the Listán Blanco grape The vineyards are located at high altitudes on the volcanic soils of the Ycoden-Daute-Isora region The vines are trained using a traditional method that allows them to thrive in the challenging terrain created by volcanic activity This unique environment imparts distinctive qualities to the grapes resulting in a wine that is both expressive and complex A hint of yeastiness adds depth to the wine The crisp and slightly salty finish makes it an excellent companion for seafood dishes The Mushroom Parfait was equally impressive earthy flavours of the mushroom parfait were beautifully enhanced by the addition of shiitake mushrooms with a depth of flavour that was both comforting and sophisticated this dish was a harmonious blend of textures and tastes The crispy bread provided the perfect vehicle for the creamy parfait This dish was accompanied by the Culombu 2023 by Etienne Suzzoni A white wine that beautifully showcases the unique terroir of the Corse Calvi appellation in Corsica this wine reflects the dedication of winemaker Etienne Suzzoni who is committed to producing high-quality wines that express the character of the island This wine is made from the Vermentinu grape (also known as Vermentino in other regions) The vineyards are located in the picturesque region of Lumio where the vines thrive in the island’s distinctive volcanic soils The grapes are carefully hand-harvested to ensure optimal ripeness The winemaking process involves gentle pressing and fermentation in stainless steel tanks preserving the fresh and vibrant qualities of the grape The wine is then aged for a short period to enhance its complexity and depth The Culombu 2023 is a generous and refined white wine with a vibrant and fresh profile it offers enticing aromas of white flowers and a subtle minerality that reflects the volcanic terroir The wine’s crisp acidity and elegant structure lead to a refreshing and lingering finish making it a delightful choice for a variety of dishes we kept is simple but elegant with the Affogato It simply features a scoop of creamy vanilla ice cream which is then drenched in a shot of hot espresso The contrast between the cold ice cream and the warm coffee creates a delightful interplay of temperatures and textures adds a nutty richness that complements the bold coffee flavours Each spoonful is a perfect blend of creamy Porte Noire takes pride in the presentation of their dishes allowing you to see the beautiful layers of ice cream The visual appeal is enhanced by a garnish of crushed almonds or a biscotti on the side The Porte Noire Affogato with Amaretto is a delightful way to conclude your dining experience The combination of rich flavours and elegant presentation makes this dessert a favourite among patrons Whether you’re a coffee lover or simply enjoy a sweet treat I couldn’t resist finishing the evening with the recently launched Porte Noire Cognac The Porte Noire Cognac is a sophisticated spirit that perfectly complements the refined dining experience at Porte Noire Co-founded by actor Idris Elba and crafted in collaboration with Maison Ferrand this cognac is a testament to fine craftsmanship and luxury Porte Noire Cognac is produced by Maison Ferrand one of the most esteemed boutique spirit producers in the Cognac region of France The cognac is crafted at the beautiful 18th century Château de Bonbonnet which is renowned for its commitment to quality and tradition Classified as a VSOP (Very Superior Old Pale) the youngest eau-de-vie in the blend has been aged for a minimum of four years in French oak barrels This aging process ensures a balanced complexity marrying youthful vigour with mature depth The Porte Noire Cognac offers a rich and smooth flavour profile that is both complex and accessible it presents aromas of dried apricot and vanilla intertwined with subtle oak The palate reveals hints of honey and caramel Additional notes of tobacco and leather add depth and sophistication to the experience balancing elegance with a lasting impression Unlike many celebrities who just put their name to a wine or spirit I realised first hand when talking to Idris that he is breaking the mould and is genuinely involved in the product and brand creation and really understands and appreciate the winemaking process he’s one of the coolest and loveable guys you could meet Whether you’re looking for a place to enjoy a leisurely brunch it’s no wonder that Porte Noire has become a beloved spot in King’s Cross You can help keep quality local journalism alive by making a one-off donation or set up a regular direct debit Any contributions will help ensure the long-term future of the St Albans Times ©2025 St Albans Times. All Rights Reserved | Privacy Policy | Website by Moxie Heatherwick Studio and Bjarke Ingels Group’s enormous new building for Google at King’s Cross is nearing completion It will be the first wholly owned and designed Google building outside the US and is expected to complete later this year The recent footage was shot from a helicopter by aerial photographer Jason Hawkes. The building’s concept design is by locally based Heatherwick Studio and Copenhagen’s Bjarke Ingels Group (BIG). It was delivered by executive architect and lead consultant BDP. The seven to eleven-storey scheme won planning in 2017 and was topped out in July 2022 at a ceremony attended by the London mayor, Sadiq Khan, and local MP Keir Starmer. The 60,400m2 project occupies a huge area of land alongside King’s Cross Station, providing accommodation for up to 4,500 office workers above retail and other uses at ground floor level. The facilities for Google workers or ‘Googlers’ include landscaped terraces at roof level. These are understood to rely on 40,000 tonnes of soil to support 250 trees with a running track snaking among them. The building also boasts amenities such as cafés, a gym, a multi-use games area and a swimming pool. The steel frame structure includes extensive glazing and timber elements with timber manufacturer Accoya claiming the façade required 19 full trucks of its product. In terms of environmental accreditation, the project is targeting a minimum of BREEAM Excellent and LEED Gold with an aspiration of achieving Outstanding and Platinum respectively. As the AJ reported earlier in 2022, Heatherwick Studio, working with Gillespies, submitted a planning application to revise the ground-floor frontages of the building, adding 58m2 more space and changing a major ground-floor unit to Use Class D1 – which includes health centres, nurseries and art galleries. BDP’s College of Arts & Society at Coventry University has been named… Lewisham Council has given Turner Works planning permission for a mixed-use regeneration… Wandsworth Council has given Gehry Partners planning permission for two more residential… Southwark Council has approved tp bennett’s plans for a 25-storey student tower… At London's King's Cross station Network Rail will introduce new times for the last tannoy announcement which will be read out just four minutes before long-distance trains depart Posters warning commuters about the changes have been circulating in the busy station they have sparked controversy on social media as many commuters express concerns about potentially missing their trains Travel expert Simon Calder said "This is really unfair Passengers should be the judge of whether they can make it on time "I can understand Network Rail thinking this is a good plan but please think about it from the passengers' point of view If you have just emerged from the seven spirals of despair of King's Cross underground and have three minutes to go you know that you should be able to make your train "Passengers will always find a workaround and several apps can tell you what platform to go to The trouble is that checking the apps while running for your train is not going to be great A Network Rail spokesperson said “Our stations plan their announcements to give passengers the safest and easiest start to their journeys and to make sure trains can depart on time we display long-distance trains on the main departure boards until three minutes before departure and this has been normal practice for some time “The trial will just see the last tannoy announcements being made four minutes before departure on long-distance trains to give people plenty of time to get to their trains There is no change being made to actual boarding times and passengers can still board their train up to 20 minutes before departure Want a quick and expert briefing on the biggest news stories Listen to our latest podcasts to find out What You Need To Know.. Slomo’s contrast therapy pop-up in King’s Cross aims to offer a time out for frazzled Londoners Madeleine Spencer tries it out during Storm Eowyn Lifestyle The founders Rob and Josie da Bank refer to it as “a soothing retreat from bustling city life.” Though I wonder if Londoners will want to visit this outdoor enclosure to huddle together in saunas sweating profusely bad enough to be wedged next to a dressed and unheated fellow stranger on the tube; is this really something we city folk want And when will they do it — during lunch breaks And who will be intrepid enough to fling themselves into the coldest of the ice plunge baths I’m not sure of all these things, but as I traverse the flat plain that is Granary Square carrying a tote bag containing flip flops and a towel while being buffeted by Storm Eowyn I know I simply don’t fancy removing most of my clothing in broad daylight in order to dart from sauna to ice bath The list of things I’d rather be doing instead are numerous nestled under a blanket while reading a book on a sun lounger (while responsibly slathered in SPF of course) doing similar I decide as my feet pace across the cold concrete towards the teepee housing the Slomo pop-up anywhere that doesn’t involve any vigour or exposure to cold on my part there’s nothing for it but to pop my belongings in a locker and head to the gated area that’s home to two wood-fired saunas I am told by a cheery and dedicated sauna fan that the trick is to really lean into the concept of this contrast therapy whereby you go from sauna to cold plunges repeatedly in order to effectively give your whole system a boost via improving the metabolism though despite it being the entry level offering only managing to thrust my legs in before making a quick retreat to the sauna I repeat this a few times until I’m able to get my shoulders under the freezing water and feel that whoosh of release as my muscles start to soften and blood flow returns to the coiled up bits of my body beaten January body had entirely forgotten I lie down in the sauna for something called leaf whisking where a woman called Jesse takes a bunch of oak leaves and first fans me with them before pressing them onto me and telling me about the importance of the sauna ritual as she taps the leaves up and down my body If this all sounds mad and very un-London to you know that in the moment I too thought it was very mad and un-London — but and by the third time she pushed the warm leaves onto my abdomen happily pay good money for another twenty minutes of the same I should add that I’m impressed by the price point; most good things in London cost a lot and this It’s £9 for off-peak sessions lasting an hour but essentially £9 will grant you entry for the main event and doing things regularly will reap the best results so I’d suggest if you’re strapped for cash and want to give yourself a boost you might feel a bit less than enthusiastic at the prospect of this sort of thing in the Capital but from one exhausted Londoner to (probably) another: trust me this pop-up by the clever Slomo team is precisely what you need right now Entry to Slomo is £9 for off-peak sessions and £12 for peak and programmed sessions. The saunas will be closed on Tuesdays. For more information, head to kingscross.co.uk/event/slomo-sauna. The very best massages in London: from the A-list one to the one where you keep your clothes on Mouth taping: should I start surgically taping my mouth shut at night? Secrets from the world’s best wellness clinics… that you can do at home VE Day 2025 fashion: best looks from the day, Princess of Wales, Princess Charlotte, Lady Victoria Starmer Like its Clapham sibling, the Tamila King’s Cross menu will feature the group’s signature roti and dishes from across Tamil Nadu and the Indian subcontinent, including: The restaurant will also be running Thali Sundays, a set menu featuring pumpkin payir masala, mixed vegetable avial, vegetable sambar, Chettinad mutton masala, and prawn peratal. With serves like a Gunpowder Margarita, Tamil Negroni and Charcoal Old Fashioned on the drinks list, you won’t wanna skip the cocktails either. Tamila King’s Cross officially opens on Mon 20th January but if you wanna get in there early, there’s a soft launch with 50% off food from 5pm on Friday 17th – Sun 19th January. Sign up to our drops & get us in your inbox.We’ll be in your inbox every Wednesday at 11:30am.Put the kettle on! Network Rail is trialling final boarding calls for long-distance trains ‘so people don’t rush’ Trains departing London’s King’s Cross station will disappear from information screens three minutes before they are due to leave in a move to stop passengers from rushing to the platform Network Rail is trialling the policy “so everyone can board safely and keep trains running on time” Passenger information posters at the transport hub read: “Last tannoy announcements will be four minutes before departure Trains won’t show on station displays within three minutes of scheduled departure times.” The rail operator added that the final boarding calls for long-distance trains are “so people don’t rush” A Network Rail spokesperson told The Independent: “Running at stations is one of the biggest risks to passengers so we need to do everything we can to avoid that “There is no point in giving a final announcement for a train that there is no physical way of catching.” King’s Cross is the London station on the East Coast Main Line, with trains departing for Edinburgh York and Newcastle – and commuters have criticised the move Simon Watson, a regular traveller between London and York, told The Times: “The trains are every 30 minutes and when I am heading home which one I’m on can make the difference between being home for the children’s bedtime or not “Whether I run for the train is my decision Surely it’s better to rush looking at the departure boards than your phone.” The trial follows London TravelWatch watchdog warnings that passengers had been put “in danger” by last-minute announcements and “high levels of overcrowding” at Euston The Office of Rail and Road issued Network Rail a safety improvement notice for Euston in September 2023 following “reports of minor injuries” and “the potential for more serious consequences” Passengers who show up to travel from King’s Cross last minute now risk missing platform information and their trains Simon Calder, travel correspondent of The Independent, advised: “If you turn up less than 180 seconds before departure, not all is lost: the best source for showing which platform you need is the RealTimeTrains.co.uk website King’s Cross allows three minutes due to the distance of the departure concourse from platform 0 – Network Rail says this can take up to four minutes to reach for elderly travellers or those with luggage Commuter services at King’s Cross are not included in the trial as they “run from the higher numbered platforms closer to the concourse” Elsewhere in London, including at St Pancras and Euston gates generally close two minutes before departure A Network Rail spokesperson said: “Our stations plan their announcements to give passengers the safest and easiest start to their journeys and to make sure trains can depart on time “There is no change being made to actual boarding times For more travel news and advice, listen to Simon Calder’s podcast You are viewing your 1 free article this month Headline and Tinder Press celebrated 25 years of publishing Maggie O’Farrell’s books with a party at the Standard Hotel in London last night (1st April) floor-to-ceiling views of King’s Cross Station the setting for the opening scene of O’Farrell’s debut novel Among the 150 attendees were O’Farrell’s agent of 25 years, Victoria Hobbs at AM Heath Esther Freud and Tracy Chevalier were also in attendance Speaking to The Bookseller about O’Farrell’s impact on the UK literary scene Nicholls said: "Maggie has terrific range and incredible accessibility and versatility She is just as comfortable writing historic fiction as she is writing literary fiction." with this year marking the 25th anniversary of her debut Her novels and memoir have together sold more than four million copies in the UK and Ireland and have been translated into 43 languages have reissued eight of her books with new cover designs to mark the anniversary Harrington took to the stage to thank attendees and explain the significance of the venue: "If you’ve not read After You’d Gone – and if you haven’t you’re in for a treat – King’s Cross Station plays such a significant role in the opening pages of the novel.. There are not many young writers who could pull off a narrative feat such as putting their heroine into a coma in chapter one." She continued: "Most people who read this novel could say exactly where they were when they fell under the spell of its pages – I certainly can And who would dispute that it’s one of the classic love stories of our times I was lucky enough to be the editorial assistant on After You’d Gone and I’m not sure I imagined for a minute that we’d be here 25 years later "What makes Maggie truly unique is the devotion her writing inspires in her readers What stands out time and time again in reader reviews beyond the praise for her beautiful writing and narrative flair is her empathy as a writer; the way her writing doesn’t shy away from heartache and helps us to find ways to face up to it I Am: ‘You have to expect the unexpected to embrace it.’ Above all I think this is what her writing teaches us to do." O’Farrell said: "This is an extraordinary milestone and also incredibly fortunate that I have been doing a job that I love for so long." She gave particular credit for her longevity to Hobbs and Harrington: "I know it’s incredibly rare to have been with the same agent and publisher for all this time so I’m very fortunate that Headline has been the most incredible publisher and AM Heath are the best agents in the business I’m really lucky to have these two women by my side and on my side at all times." "I’m really looking forward to the next 25 years," she added Mary-Anne and Victoria – you’re never going to be able to leave your jobs and you’re never going to be able to retire." O’Farrell has enjoyed critical acclaim and received numerous literary awards: The Hand that First Held Mine won the 2010 Costa Novel Award a reimagining of the untold story of Shakespeare’s son won the 2020 Women’s Prize for Fiction and was Waterstones’ Book of the Year; her most recent novel In 2023, Hamnet was adapted for the stage by the Royal Shakespeare Company. Last year, O’Farrell co-wrote the screenplay for a forthcoming film adaptation alongside Academy Award-winning director Chloé Zhao, with Paul Mescal and Jessie Buckley starring in the lead roles Passengers using the East Coast Main Line are being advised to plan ahead and check before they travel ahead of consecutive weekends of planned engineering work Services will be affected and London King’s Cross station closed on 25-26 January and 1-2 February as vital improvements are made to the track Preparatory work is also taking place as part of the East Coast Digital Programme (ECDP) There will be no direct trains to and from London King’s Cross on both weekends with LNER operating a reduced service to Peterborough where rail replacement coaches will transfer passengers to Bedford allowing them to use Thameslink services to connect to London St Pancras Grand Central will be operate a reduced service from Sunderland to Peterborough with coach connections to King’s Cross There will be no services to and from Bradford Hull Trains will have two trains per day in each direction running to and from St Pancras rather than King’s Cross and Lumo’s reduced service will involve a non-stop rail replacement coach between King’s Cross and Peterborough EMR services to and from London St Pancras are expected to be extremely busy and customers are advised to use Thameslink services and interchange at Bedford for rail replacement services to Peterborough Also, there will be no Thameslink or Great Northern services between London and Peterborough, Royston and Stevenage via Hertford North.  Further details can be found here.  said: “The work our teams will be carrying out over both these weekends goes well beyond regular maintenance tasks “This work is carefully planned to maximise the time when there are track closures allowing us to undertake several projects at once and avoiding more frequent track closures “We’re sorry to passengers affected by the disruption and thank them for their patience as we make improvements that will help make the railway more reliable.” said: “Customers are advised to plan ahead and check before they travel “Our colleagues will be on hand to help people’s journeys run as smoothly as possible through both weekends while this work takes place.” The engineering work includes renewing the line north of Stevenage investment in bridge timbers south of Finsbury Park and Tunnel drainage work will be undertaken Hadley Wood and there will be improvements to the overhead line equipment at Biggleswade and Bounds Green Under-track cables will be installed between Biggleswade and Peterborough to prepare for digital in-cab signalling It follows further testing of the new signalling system being carried out between Welwyn and Hitchin during the Christmas shutdown Check all parts of your journey with National Rail Enquiries or your train operators before travelling Rail Business Daily’s market leading news and profile enhancement services enable your business to tell your story to the wider rail community Engage with thousands of readers via our rail news platforms including the hugely popular 7am newsletter rail news website and Rail Director magazine you agree to us sending you emails on behalf of railbusinessdaily.com By 2024-09-24T11:00:00 The penultimate piece in the giant Stirling Prize-nominated jigsaw puzzle that is the King’s Cross masterplan has just been completed with the delivery of Related Argent’s build-to-rent development It is the northernmost development of the King’s Cross masterplan and the plot came with numerous challenges explains that their plans had to go through the entire planning process twice it’s easy to see why this was one of the last parts of the masterplan to be developed… Author was conceived as a build-to-sell residential project the decision was taken to pivot the project to become the first build-to-rent (BTR) development on the King’s Cross estate As the King’s Cross Partnership lacked experience in the sector they passed the project on to Related Argent which had an extensive BTR portfolio in the US and ambitions to build one in the UK Design work was already advanced at this point but changes were needed to suit the new market Existing Subscriber? LOGIN REGISTER for free access on selected stories and sign up for email alerts Subscribe to Building Design and you will benefit from: The architects created parameter plans rather than rigid design codes to give building designers freedom to create the right feeling for its new city quarter for London the new King’s Cross feels as if it’s always been there –  testament to this masterplan as a piece of city-making architects Allies and Morrison and Porphyrios Associates set out principles for a ‘human city’ with variety character and a sense of identity to underpin changing patterns of social and economic behaviour Critical moves come via careful reshaping of existing buildings and found geometries stitching a formerly cut-off part of the city into the wider urban fabric framing and augmenting the open spaces and routes that are the project’s true legacy Two main routes lead north from King’s Cross Square on Euston Rd In front of Cubitt’s Granary Building this has become a lively and much-loved public space five squares and buildings by 30 architects are set around 20 refurbished historic buildings and structures restaurants and bars as well as the art college the King's Cross masterplan is a striking exemplar of placemaking What were the main architectural priorities for you as master planners it was about the space between buildings rather than buildings themselves Secondly internal connections between these spaces and thirdly creating a part of the city that is of itself and part of London Demetri Porphyrios Most important was to make a part of the city that looks similar to what exists – that is new but part of a continuum and has a sense of place; a human city that is connected to the people that live in it Bob Allies We also wanted to maximise the existing potential: historical  stations and buildings canal and site topography – in the hope that in doing so you create a unique new place whose attributes are all inherited from its context How did project circumstances influence the design GM King’s Cross has much history and variety and we wanted to make the most of that even problematic aspects such as HS1 tracks to the west that acted like a medieval city wall the site was in the protected view corridor of Primrose Hill/Parliament Hill to St Paul’s Those constraints probably made the scale more human It took several years of thought and work to create the masterplan which made a final version with inherent flexibility where quantum of uses for plots were maxima and minima and could vary over time It took effort to convince planners that a loose-fit approach could have positive outcomes despite the clearly dynamic factors affecting it DP We started with the existing; not the site’s dilapidated buildings but London itself and its physical qualities and characteristics We applied principles about how precisely this city operates creating a framework to establish the nature of the new bit we were creating – its streets parks and promenades – not in abstract but what London uniquely has What else had a significant influence on your design approach DP ‘Place’ is a sensibility that allows people to associate with it through imagery ideas or a memory; something that they know – Aristotle’s concept of understanding via recognition You know this new city quarter is in London not because it’s a copy of what already exists but because it embodies memories of its scale and visual aspects GM Even though Demetri is classical architect and we’re modernists we share  ideas about the nature of the city We too have an interest in the picturesque not just as Camillo Sitte imagined it but Gordon Cullen as well Their ideas helped inform the sense of place here GM One key aspect of the masterplan was that there were no design codes We wrote a series of ‘parameter plans’ for about a dozen spaces describing what kind of place we wanted it to be and how that outcome might be achieved Argent appointed more than 30 architects who all understood the parameter plans and gave them freedom to design what they wanted while respecting the context and adjacency of designs on other plots BA Every plot had guidelines explaining the obligations of each building in our placemaking strategy The Chipperfield building facing King’s Cross Station’s new west entrance was described as a long building with a thin but important end gable that had to be perceived as a ‘front’; so he created his dramatic iron-columned loggia to the square Everyone did their bit to support the character of each of their areas It’s a menagerie – but a managed one Who were your most important was collaborators BA Argent was deeply involved and we had meetings every week initially; its buy-in and engagement were crucial We really have to credit them with the imagination to bring in so many different users there’s housing for sale and rent but also student housing They were instinctive in recognising that the more things going on here What was the most challenging aspect of the project BA The railway lines to the north and west remain a barrier so the impact of the masterplan will take a bit of time to filter through although if you walk around the surrounding areas York Way used to be a horrible road but it’s starting to thaw as a result of the masterplan working And you can now walk from Somerstown through to Islington People from these formerly geographically disconnected communities can meet again DP Gaining planning permission was arduous and the projects’ finance model helped keep the project on track in the financial downturn Had the plan been based on a Renaissance ideal with strong geometry it would have suffered with the financial challenges – looking broken and unfinished if not completed The great thing here was that masterplan was organic and flexible and based on phased completion before any new one started is that the more attractive a place you make it the more land values go up and the more exclusive it becomes but it’s more expensive for those that buy into it later I don’t know what the answer is to that One strategy might be more government subsidy and social control – but that might have a diminishing effect on the quality you get in the first place.  Is there an element of the project that has been particularly successful GM Yes – making a masterplan people seem to want to linger in rather than move on It’s not an ‘event’ – a cathedral The normality and ‘in-betweeness’ of that leaves me with a good feeling BA The distance between buildings is unusual in masterplanning nowadays – the trend is to keep buildings apart But here they’re quite close together almost too close – creating an intimacy that lends a particular atmosphere especially when contrasted to bigger spaces like Granary Square This multiplicity of spatial experience generates potential we weren’t aware of when we designed it DP I see it as a totality and that no space is better than the other See all six projects shortlisted for the 2024 RIBA Stirling Prize Join us at the Roundhouse, London for the RIBA Stirling Prize 2024 ceremony on 16th October to celebrate the best of UK architecture with special guests, music, and more The 2024 Stirling Prize is sponsored by Autodesk  Latest articlesRIBAJ Spec: Architecture for Housing and Residential Development Webinar20 May 2025SpecRIBAJ Spec: Architecture for Housing and Residential Development Webinar Chelsea Waterfront integrates public realm and affordable housing to hold out the possibility of an inclusive future Baillie Baillie Architects used contemporary techniques while drawing inspiration from local traditions Sign up to receive regular briefings, updates and our weekly newsletter – all designed to bring you the best stories from RIBAJ.com Sign up to receive regular briefings, updates and our weekly newsletter – all designed to bring you the best stories from RIBAJ.com updates and our weekly newsletter – all designed to bring you the best stories from RIBAJ.com When you have waited 10 years to renew your acquaintance with a London gig audience it is little surprise that Sunday’s concert in King’s Cross started off a little ‘muted’ Ruth Moody came on stage with a coy smile that spread across her face as if she did not quite know what to expect despite being the seasoned performer that she is (amazingly she has been thirty years or so on the road performing) She needn’t have worried – an enthusiastic and knowledgeable sold-out crowd made her feel very welcome and if you weren’t beguiled immediately by her perfect crystalline soprano (unlikely) or her beautiful and deeply personal songs (equally unlikely) almost otherworldly sounds that guitarist Anthony Da Costa was wringing from both acoustic and electric guitar whilst playing with a subtlety that befitted and embellished Moody’s songs Kicking off with ‘One Light Shining’ from her 2013 album “These Wilder Things” she very soon dove into the meat of the concert which was songs from her latest album “Wanderer“ to many critics’ ears a contender for best album of 2024 On the album Moody basically chronicles the last ten years of her life the lack of a base to call a permanent home the life and love challenges that touring and motherhood create In the first half (there was a short break for leg-stretching and merch promotion) much of the exchanges with the audience came from Sam Howard leaving Moody to enchant the audience with her voice which is truly a thing of wonder as it swoops and stretches out (‘Already Free‘ encapsulated that perfectly) or softly caresses a word or a line (as in the quite beautiful encore ‘Coming round the bend’ ending on an optimistic note in these uncertain times) After a trio of songs from the new album – ‘Twilight’ ‘North Calling’ and the absorbing title track the first half ended with her radical reworking of Bruce Springsteen’s perennial crowd-pleaser ‘Dancing in the Dark’ with Howard’s brooding bass lines and Da Costa’s magical guitar which managed throughout to more than compensate for the lack of violin Moody herself is no slouch on acoustic guitar nor on banjo which featured regularly throughout the set The second half had more varied pacing of the songs kicking off with the soaring ‘Already Free’ and more interaction with the audience in this cosy venue Anecdotes about travelling down from Glasgow through the English ‘shires’ (Moody and her band had initially come to the UK for the Celtic Connections Festival) a remembrance of earlier trips to Lafayette which prompted the lively Cajun song ‘Dancing Shoes’,which to the surprise and delight of the group prompted one or two of the audience to try out their two-step expertise on a floor space the size of a postage stamp: then there was an exhortation to the audience to join in the chorus of one of Moody’s life-affirming songs the lilting Celtic-sounding ‘Life is Long’ from “These Wilder Things” (‘you were better than the shires’) and a discussion about English puddings versus Stateside desserts the story of her trepidation and wonder at being pregnant at 40 years of age which led to the writing of the spellbinding ‘The Spell of the Lilac Bloom’ from “Wanderer” which was a definite highlight not only on  the album but in this live performance sung with great tenderness and emotion with partner Howard (taking the Joey Landreth role on the vocals)  She sang the nostalgic growing-up memoir ‘Seventeen’ about a teenage infatuation and ended with the upbeat country blues with the downbeat title ‘Trouble and Woe’ which was played at pace Lots of brownie points to Ellie (thanked by Moody) who produced an excellent sound throughout allowing each instrument to shine and Moody’s voice to dominate We must hope that another ten years do not pass before Ruth Moody returns to London – she is possessed of one of the sweetest most perfect soprano voices around and should be heard regularly in a live setting This correspondent dragged a painfully swollen right foot to the concert and left with heart and soul uplifted by the experience Classic Clips: Grace Potter “I Shall Be Released” Thea Gilmore “These Quiet Friends” Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value" Δdocument.getElementById( "ak_js_2" ).setAttribute( "value" This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed. And I did indeed nominate Wanderer for overseas album of the year for the AMAUKs I was at the Kirton in Lindsey gig last Friday and I thought I was reading a review of that performance Thanks Fred for reminding me (if I needed it!) of just how memorable it was Anyone else think the melody of the ‘The Spell of the Lilac Bloom ‘ verse is almost identical to the (much earlier) Kathleen Edwards ‘Six o’Clock News ‘… If you enjoy what you're reading and don't want to support us on a monthly basis you can help us keep this site free from looking like one of those awful REACH sites by making a one off donation towards our running costs Be daring, be yourself, be willing to take risks and stand alone. Vanessa Collier’s music is gritty, raw, and at times, either downright sad or bubbling happy. As with most songwriters worth their salt, her songs […] “All of a sudden, time stood still, and we watched our plans and expectations float away like lost balloons.” For Angela Easterling, life began in South Carolina and, except for college years in Boston, has been […] Past, present and future are inseparable in her songs. There is an openness to Maya de Vitry that is refreshing to come by. Formerly in the Stray Birds, a bluegrass band, the Lancaster, Pennsylvania-born musician is […] As always in these prescriptive articles there must be a drawing of boundaries and Clint’s first article in the series seemed to have dealt with the idea that you should define americana in a narrow sense […] Steve Earle announced his arrival in our lives with his debut album in 1986. Since then, he has racked up almost thirty studio and live albums under his own name or in collaboration with others. I […] I heard from a colleague,  who has contact with associates of Eric Taylor, that he had died on March 9th 2020 following a period of illness. I immediately checked the web for confirmation but there was […] Sign in or register below for free to unlock 2 articles each month and receive personalised newsletters to your inbox.ORHelp support our journalism and subscribe with unlimited access.Subscribe from less than £3.50 The quirky property is surprisingly commutable for London Homes & Property | Property News renting and decorating in London from our award-winning experts An incredibly rare opportunity to live in a three-bedroom lock keeper’s cottage for just under the price of the average London flat has come up on the River Trent in Nottinghamshire The charming detached property — currently on the market for £450,000 — sits on its own private island and is accessed via a quirky footbridge that leads to a garden surrounding the property on all sides “The opportunity to live in and own a property like this is incredibly rare,” says Lucy Saywell the Southwell-based agent listing the property “The former lock keeper’s cottage was owned by British Waterways and housed the lock keeper to support the smooth running of the waterways “While these properties do come up occasionally throughout the UK it’s particularly exciting that this house is move-in ready the welcoming reception leads to a cosy living room complete with dual-aspect windows that soak up the gorgeous views of the lock beyond while a fireplace adds further character and warmth for the winter months The kitchen is more contemporary than you might expect American-style fridge-freezer and breakfast-bar island complemented by an adjoining utility room for hiding all your ugly appliances and pretty French doors that open out into the garden There’s also a shower room on the ground floor to catch the overspill – quite literally – when guests come to stay the principal with a built-in wardrobe and ensuite shower the second with more integrated storage and the third a flexible space that’s perfect for repurposing as a home office Anchored between the villages of Bleasby (with a pub crucially) and Fiskerton (with another pub and village shop) the cottage is a 20-minute drive from Newark Northgate station from where trains to London King’s Cross take just over an hour making this storybook property surprisingly practical for commuting to the capital too “Not only does it enable you to own a piece of history but transform your lifestyle,” says Southwell These are the 6 prettiest country cottages within one hour of London Living on the river: 'we used to do the school run by boat from our island houseboat' Private island off the coast of Northern Ireland for sale for less than the price of a London flat “The property is surrounded by stunning scenery and offers total peace and privacy for those wanting a quieter one of the best parts is that it’s still connected to the local towns and villages as well as being easily-commutable to London meaning you don’t have to live-off grid to enjoy rural life.” 8/1/25 - Updated with full opening details The casual rotis and curries restaurant Tamila (from the people behind the Tamil Prince and Tamil Crown) first opened in Battersea late last year but they're already gearing up for their second restaurant. This time it's a little closer to The Tamil Prince opening around the corner from King's Cross station.  there's a focus on South-Indian-inspired curries being influenced by executive chef Prince Durairaj’s South Indian heritage you can expect similar made-to-order roti and curries with the Thanjavur chicken curry and Chettinad lamb curry making an appearance on the menu as well as their excellent onion bhajis and okra fries including garlic coriander naan and kulcha will also be added and they'll also have tandoor-cooked dishes like a half tandoori chicken and tandoori paneer with pineapple chutney a Sunday feast that includes pumpkin payir masala there's a short cocktails list including a Gunpowder Margarita and Tamil Negroni as well as their own lager There's also a basement bar (which also has a snug) but note that's only available if you're eating there particularly useful for both commuters and nearby workers When does it open? 17 January 2025 (from 5pm) Soft launch from 17-19 January with 50% off food Find out more: Visit their website or follow them on Instagram @tamila_curry View on Google maps Relax and rejuvenate at this inner-city sauna and plunge pool experience which has landed in King's Cross to promote some much-needed self-care and wellness The uber-cool city saunas and plunge pools are returning to Kings Cross thanks to Slomo and their Mind Your Brain event which encourages people to prioritise their brain health with mind-boosting activities roaring throughout the pop-up to keep you warm between plunges men are invited to recharge and open up about their mental health in dedicated men-only saunas and cold plunge pools supporting Campaign Against Living Miserably (CALM) in the process Tickets are £9 with £1 from the sale of each ticket being donated to the charity said: “We can’t wait to bring our Slomo pop-up back to King’s Cross for the second year.” “There is no better and healthier way to kick off the year than with a sauna and cold plunge we’ll be giving more people the chance to enjoy this fantastic event.” You can find Slomo @ Kings Cross on Lewis Cubbit Square from January 17 until March 2 This website is using a security service to protect itself from online attacks The action you just performed triggered the security solution There are several actions that could trigger this block including submitting a certain word or phrase You can email the site owner to let them know you were blocked Please include what you were doing when this page came up and the Cloudflare Ray ID found at the bottom of this page King's Cross station is set to be closed this weekend in order for testing on a new signalling service to be carried out If you’ve spent any extended period of time in London, it’s very likely you’ve relied on King’s Cross station – one of the hubs that gets us across the country anyone hoping to use their services will need to seek an alternative route as King’s Cross station will be shut on February 1-2 The station will be shut to carry out testing for a new signalling system (as it was on three other weekends in January) and Network Rail has confirmed that works ahead of this to improve the track drainage and overhead lines will be undertaken in these periods with passengers advised to check their routes before travelling There will still be London Underground trains running to King’s Cross St Hull trains will offer a reduced service from St Pancras; Lumo will offer a non-stop rail replacement coach from King’s Cross to Peterborough; and Grand Central will run a reduced service from Sunderland to Peterborough with coach connection to King’s Cross (no service to and from Bradford LNER will offer a reduced service to Peterborough and rail replacement coaches are due to run between Peterborough and Bedford with passengers able to join Thameslink service to London St Network Rail infrastructure director: “The work our teams will be carrying out over both these weekends goes well beyond regular maintenance tasks This work is carefully planned to maximise the time when there are track closures A trial has been launched at King’s Cross in a bid to ease the last-minute rush of passengers running to reach their trains News | London Network Rail has sparked a backlash from commuters after removing trains from departure boards at one of London’s busiest stations three minutes before they depart. A trial has been launched at King’s Cross in a bid to ease the last-minute rush of passengers running to reach their trains. Posters informing passengers of the new system have appeared at the station. Tannoy announcements have also been changed with operators stopping final calls for trains four minutes before departure. The posters inform passengers that “announcements are changing”, adding: “We’re trialling earlier final boarding calls for long-distance trains so people don’t rush. “Last tannoy announcements will be 4 minutes before departure. Trains won’t show on stations displays within 3 minutes of scheduled departure times. “This is so everyone can board safely and keep trains running on time.” However it has sparked a backlash with commuters venting their frustration at the early removal of trains from the boards. One station user wrote on X: “This so patronising, good grief. We would prefer you missed your train than that you rushed to catch it.” Another wrote: “I once got told off by station staff for “running on the stairs” when trying to make a delayed connection. If I trip on the stairs that’s my own business, not theirs.” A third commuter penned: “Our UK railway stations are so poorly managed they often don’t tell passengers which platform until about 4 min before scheduled departure. Then they broadcast announcements telling people not to run.” Network Rail pointed out the three minute early erasures from the boards has been in place as a trial for some time, with the tannoy change the new change. A Network Rail spokesperson said: “Our stations plan their announcements to give passengers the safest and easiest start to their journeys and to make sure trains can depart on time. Is King's Cross trying to make me cry? This departure board plan is frankly sadistic Major train line blocked after 'drunk-driver' crashes car onto tracks Speedy Hire blames economic downturn as it warns over weaker profits Give your new year a boost with these trusted brands and services “At King’s Cross, we display long-distance trains on the main departure boards until three minutes before departure, and this has been normal practice for some time. “The trial will just see the last tannoy announcements being made four minutes before departure on long-distance trains to give people plenty of time to get to their trains. “There is no change being made to actual boarding times, and passengers can still board their train up to 20 minutes before departure, as is the normal process.” By 2024-10-14T05:00:00 Advanced research facilities close to King’s Cross form part of wider transformation of the area A new purpose-built commercial laboratory building at 5–10 Brandon Road has been completed by David Miller Architects The project forms part of the Tileyard Quarter development the building is the first of four laboratories planned for the area aimed at providing space for advanced research and manufacturing of specialist laboratory space for multiple tenants The upper floors are dedicated to laboratory and associated write-up spaces while the lower levels include double-height spaces for small-scale manufacturing and clean rooms