5 Amazing Things You May Have Missed In London Last Week: May 16 – 22

Basically summer now, innit? Here’s some things that happened in London that’ll get you excited for the best season of them all.

1. The Elizabeth Line has been unveiled on the new London Tube Map

The Tube Map is one of the city’s most recognisable features – hell, many Londoners have each route methodically ingrained in their minds – and today, TfL has unveiled their brand new iteration, featuring the Elizabeth line.

It’s the first time the new route has been officially shown on the map, and you’ll notice them in the brand new shade of purple and white stripes, matching the colour of the new train models and its seats. It comes ahead of the line’s opening on May 24, and you can read the full story here.

2. Royal Mint has unveiled the UK’s first-ever rainbow LGBTQ+ 50p coin

The Royal Mint has today unveiled the UK’s first-ever LGBTQ+ commemorative coin, boasting celebratory rainbow artwork aptly created in the colours of the LGBTQ+ flag. Designed by Dominique Holmes, an LGBTQ+ activist, artist and writer based in East London, the brand new coin will mark 50 years of Pride in the UK, and the first time the community has been celebrated on official UK coinage.

In addition to the colours of the flag, the coin also features a special nod to Pride in London’s values of Protest, Visibility, Unity, and Equality, each stamped within the five rainbows emblazoned on the coin, alongside white, pink and blue stripes prominently placed to represent the transgender community. Read the full story here.

3. The lineup for the Platinum Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace has been revealed

As you’d probably predict, the Platinum Jubilee Concert (June 4), at Buckingham Palace no less, has been filled to the brim with star-studded names. And, yes, Queen ARE playing, because who else are you going to get to front the celebrations for a monarch spending 70 years on the throne?

Joining the act fronted by Adam Lambert are big names that include – *deep breath* – Diana Ross, Alicia Keys, Andrea Bocelli, Nile Rodgers, Duran Duran, George Ezra, Ella Eyre, Craig David, Hans Zimmer, Mabel, Diversity and a performance from Eurovision’s recent star Sam Ryder. Read about it here.

4. London’s first 9pm sunset of the year will take place this week

When the clocks went forward in March, it felt like an escape from the cold winter months (despite losing an hour of beauty sleep). Sunsets arrived after 7pm for the first time in six long months, spring flowers bloomed and the temperatures slowly started to creep up.

Now, though, we’re looking forward to a true gamechanger: the first 9pm sunset, which will take place next week on May 26. Essentially, it marks the sign of summer being ushered into the city of London, opening the doors to a plethora of evening activities that can only be enjoy at this time of year. And, it comes just in time for our four day bank holiday weekend, which is a welcome little bonus. Read it here.

5. This London Pizzeria Has Been Named The Third Best In Europe*

*Outside of Italy. 

There are many times in one’s life – like this very Monday, for example – that only a pizza will do. So, it’s a good thing that, here in London, we happen to have the third best offering in the whole of Europe. Well, outside of Italy, that is.

Yes, 50 Top Pizza are back to give us their rankings in this truly vital list, and it’s pretty good reading for London. 50 Kalò has taken the title of third best pizzeria in the whole of Europe in a list that discounts Italy because, well, they’d probably just fill out the entire top 50, wouldn’t they? Read about it here.