After a longer than expected lockdown earlier this year, the opening of non-essential businesses feels like a turning point. Everyone is likely cautious about pinning too much hope on this, but there’s a sense of underlying optimism that things are gradually returning to normal. Instead of a long list of cancellations, it looks like some events and festivals will finally take place this year.
This will come as welcome news to visitors and Londoners alike, with many yearning to see live music and events in the capital. To help you find your summer vibe, Aussie is giving you some tips on what to look out for, in addition to advice on navigating around London. And for anyone who’s moving here, we’ll throw in some information for new residents as well.
We’re Gradually Moving Towards a Typical Summer in London –
Traditionally, London has always enjoyed a summer packed with festivals and other events. The warmer weather ushering in a full calendar, with noteworthy shows and weekend extravaganzas pretty much the norm. Unfortunately, this came crashing to a halt when the first lockdown of the pandemic response happened.
With more businesses reopening and talk over further easing of movement, things are looking up again. The event’s organisers are taking the opportunity to revive their summer plans, and lots of line-ups are being announced. It’s possible to start organising a trip to London with friends or family in what seems like a lifetime. And we’re anticipating a lot of visitors for the months of June through to September this year.
To help anyone who’s thinking of making the journey here, Aussie has a few suggestions for day or weekend summertime events. We’re approaching this from a few different angles, hoping to cater to various tastes and budgets. This will include how to get around the city, as well as some pointers for finding accommodation.
Aussie’s Top Events for 2021 –
It might surprise many of you, but a lot is happening this summer, so it was hard to trim this list to make some recommendations. We have a music festival for you, also two unmissable curations for culture vultures and art-lovers. And to change things up a bit, some indie cinema to top everything off. Drum roll, please.
All Points East Festival
Where and when? Victoria Park, 27th – 29th August.
How much? There are way too many packages and price variations to note this accurately. We can confirm that (unfortunately) the weekend multiday tickets are sold out, but there’s plenty of single-day ones left. Click here for more pricing information.
Highlights? London Grammar, Foals, Bombay Bicycle Club, Caribou, Jamie XX, and many more.
Alice: Curiouser and Curiouser
Where and when? V&A, The Sainsbury Gallery, Opens 22nd May.
How much? £20, members have free entry, other concessions apply.
Highlights? A must-see exhibition for all Alice in Wonderland fans. You’ll go through the book’s +150 years history through various forms and adaptations.
L.A. Nights & Miami Beach – Backyard Cinema
Where and when? Capital Studios, Wandsworth, Opens 17th May.
How much? £15 – £20 per screening.
Highlights? Godzilla vs Kong, Rocketman, Judas and the Black Messiah, plus more.
Yayoi Kusama: Infinity Mirror Rooms
Where and when? Tate Modern, Bankside, Opens – TBC.
How much? £15 – £25, with some concessions available and free entry for members.
Highlights? This long-awaited show is ready for guests who are hoping to feel true emersion into what seems like a parallel universe. You’ll have to see to believe this exhibition, which presents her vision of endless reflections.
Side note – we’re still waiting for more information from the Notting Hill Carnival and the Proms.
Tips on Affordable Places to Stay –
While some festivals offer the mud and tent experience, it’s not the ‘done thing’ in London where certain etiquette is observed. You’ll enjoy the music until the late hours then the expectation is a friendly and comfortable hotel. Depending on the reopening of nightclubs, some will hope to have a few drinks after the tune’s end.
Our advice for anyone travelling to London for a specific event is to shop around for hotels and the like. Airbnb will have plenty of places to choose from, some with smart key tech to avoid annoying checking in delays. Trivago is the go-to platform for cheaper hotel rooms, and the filter system is user-friendly. Tripadvisor is a bit fiddlier, but their database of hotel rooms is vast.
We’re going to suggest something a bit different for people seeking value for money. Budget Travellers article details seven of their top recommendations for wallet-friendly stays in London. Each tip has lots of information, including price, room, and amenity descriptions. This could be the ideal guide for anyone visiting the capital this summer and hoping for a bargain.
Transport – Getting Around the City –
Whether you’re gearing up for a festival or shopping and some gallery visits, you’ll need to understand the transport basics. In this section, we’ll go into the various modes of inner-city transportation. Due to the increasing environmental awareness and ULEZ zones, it’s best to leave the car behind.
Oyster Card – The Oyster Card is the must-have item for navigating London. It grants you easy access to the Tube, buses, London Overground trains, riverboat, as well as National Rail stops within Greater London zones. You load credit before your journey, and it acts as an electronic ticket.
Tube – You can’t mention London without thinking about two types of transport: the Tube and the black cabs. Using the Tube, you can reach every zone in the capital; it’s straightforward to use and very time efficient.
Buses – London also has plenty of bus routes spread to locations throughout the metro and beyond. Like most major cities, London has traffic issues, and the recent improvements to public transport vehicle lanes in the city centre are easing congestion and carbon emissions.
Trains – For anyone who lives within proximity to the capital, it’s likely the train is your method for entering London. You can connect via the overground rail services to the Tube or other travel methods.
Uber – For the ultimate level of comfort and convenience, you’ll usually find both (car quality and traffic dependent) with Uber. While the company has a contentious past with London, it continues to be the preferred way of moving around the capital for many.
Black Cabs – And last but not least – the Hackney Carriage or black cab is synonymous with traditional London. That said, the vehicles have undergone upgrades over the years. You’ll certainly get a taste for the city’s atmosphere by getting a cab, and many see it as a rite of passage.
Removals Services for New Londoners –
If you’re time in London this summer is a temporary or permanent relocation, Aussie has a range of affordable removals and related services available. There are two primary household removals services at Aussie – a Man & Van and Home Removal packages. And the main difference between them is the vehicle’s volume capacity, but there are always exceptions.
Aussie’s Man & Van service is ideal for people who are moving out of rental properties with one- or two-bed room’s volume of possessions. The smaller vans adjust well to city-centre traffic and can easily change the route. For three bedrooms and up, our Home Removals service utilises a few larger van sizes. This is ideal for larger moving loads, and we can complete the relocation in one trip.
One of the packages in Aussie’s range is our dedicated Packing service. Our team will do all the heavy lifting, inventory, loading, and unpacking work for you. This can be invaluable for people who have busy work or family schedules. Aussie’s removals team has all the suitable packing materials that we also offer for sale from our website and branches.
Aussie Man & Van – London’s Can-Do Movers and Storers –
Whatever your plans are for the upcoming summer months in London, the Aussie team hopes you enjoy it. The lockdowns were a shock to the system, and the chance of something resembling normality is a welcome change. With some sensible, gradual steps forward, let’s hope the rest of 2021 moves us closer to having more festivals and events.
For those making London their home this year, you’ll need a removals provider that focuses on excellent customer service. At Aussie, we’re known as the ‘can-do’ moving company. In addition to our core packages, we perform specialist services that you won’t find anywhere else. For us, it’s all about matching our customers’ needs with the correct service.
For more information about what’s happening in London this summer, or chatting about our range of services, please contact us today.
