City Matters 162

CO-WORKING SPACES
There are so many wonderful
co-working spaces in the City.
Here’s our pick of some of the
finest the City has to offer.
Page 6
FEELING COMPETITIVE?
The City is full of fantastic
Competitive Socialising spots.
We’ve narrowed down some
fab spots that are worth visiting.
Pages 20&21
Feb 14 - Mar 12 2024 The City of London’s independent newspaper with 55,000 READERS
Edition 162
Plans for Eastern Police Base
in Middlesex Street Estate
PROSPECTIVE BASE TO PROVIDE A CONTINUED POLICING
PRESENCE, STAFFED BY LOCAL AND COMMUNITY TEAMS
THE City of London Police force
may soon be occupying a new
‘Eastern Base’, as plans to move into
the Middlesex Street Estate, scheduled
to go before the Corporation
yesterday, writes Local Democracy
Reporter Ben Lynch.
The proposal, which involves allocating
some of the existing parking
spaces for the police, has however
been subject to some push-back
by residents, over worries including
a potential increase in noise and
disruption. One person living on
the estate said she is concerned the
move would make the area more
unsafe, adding she “just wished it
wasn’t going to happen”.
Temporary Commander Rob
Atkin MBE, City of London Police,
said the proposed base will provide
“a continued policing presence” in
the area, and would be occupied by
officers from local and community
teams.
In a report prepared ahead of
yesterday’s (February 13) planning
meeting, at which a decision on
the scheme, expected to have been
agreed, Corporation officers wrote
there is a ‘significant’ demand for
police in the east of the City, in part
due to offences committed at night.
The City of London, which is the
applicant having filed the submission
on behalf of the police, added
this is only going to be reinforced by
the planned closure of Bishopsgate
Police Station, due to shut once the
new HQ in Salisbury Square opens
in 2026.
While alternative sites were
considered, the space in the
Middlesex Street Estate was deemed
the most appropriate, with some
police activity already based there.
The proposed new base will not
act as a front desk, but will instead
be available for officers to report to
before going out on jobs.
If approved, the scheme will
involve the removal of six retail
units, the majority of which have
already relocated, as well as a gym.
The police will also take on some
of the car parking spaces currently
reserved for residents, though
documents indicate there would
still be more than enough capacity
for those living in the estate.
Improvements are also planned for
the residents’ parking area, such
as introducing CCTV and new
surfacing.
As well as the new base, the
proposal includes additional landscaping,
such as new bollards and
planting, and works to the podium
in the centre of the estate, plus new
community space.
As part of the planning process, a
public consultation was carried out
seeking feedback on the scheme.
A total of 74 objections were
received, including representations
from the Petticoat Square Holders
Association and the Middlesex
Estate Residents Association, citing
potential issues from the impacts
on traffic to noise. One resident
living in the Middlesex Street Estate,
who did not wish to be named, told
the Local Democracy Reporting
Service (LDRS) they were not overly
concerned about the loss of the
shops or the potential noise from
the base, depending what time of
day any disruption occurred. On the
parking spaces, they said for people
who own cars, or who have family
coming to visit, it may have an
impact. “I don’t drive, so it doesn’t
really concern me,” she added.
Another resident, Julia Mason, 57,
said she had a number of concerns
about the proposal. Firstly, she said
she was worried it would result in
the area becoming less safe, and
that the base would become a
potential target for crime. Another
of her concerns related to the
reduction in car parking spaces, as
she and her husband require their
vehicles to transport their disabled
son.
“If I’m taking my son out or my
husband is taking our son out, we
definitely need that,” she said.
“I just wished it wasn’t going to
happen, to be honest,” she added.
“We are not even going to be able
to use it as a police station.”
“[We’ve] been here a long time,
and it would be nice to have a bit of
peace and just enjoy it.”
The question of safety was also
raised during the consultation
process, with one respondent
saying they were concerned the
base would heighten the security
risk for the estate. The response
from officers, included in the
planning documents, read: “The
proposal is considered to improve
security due to the police presence.
The Applicant has confirmed
that the threat level would not be
considered high.”
On the potential noise issues, an
impact assessment indicated this
would not increase significantly,
when compared with the site’s
existing use.
One local shopkeeper, who
wished to remain anonymous, said
for them the proposed base was
welcome, partly on safety grounds.
“When you have a police station
next door, and you own a store, it
improves a lot,” they said.
Commander Rob Atkin MBE,
City of London Police, said: “The
proposed redevelopment seeks to
provide a continued policing presence
in the east of the City after
Bishopsgate Police Station closes
and we move to a new police headquarters
over in Salisbury Square.”
Interview
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CITYMATTERS.LONDON February 14 - March 12 2024 | Page 3
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Mayor of London says TfL fare
freeze will encourage City
workers back to the office
SADIQ Khan has said his decision to freeze
most Tube and bus fares will encourage
more London workers back to the office,
writes Local Democracy Reporter Noah
Vickers.
The mayor announced last week that
pay-as-you-go fares – which account for
around 80 per cent of Tube journeys and
74 per cent of bus journeys – would remain
unchanged until March next year.
Speaking at a London Assembly meeting
on Thursday, Mr Khan said the Covid
pandemic “led to a change in behaviour
of commuters across the globe”, but that
on average, ridership on the Tube is now at
90 per cent of pre-pandemic levels during
the week and on weekends is “sometimes
north of 100 per cent”.
He added: “We think this fare freeze will
encourage even more people back than
would otherwise be the case. It will attract
more people away from hybrid working to
office working.
“But also really importantly, it affects
business rates when it comes to next year,
[and] support London’s hospitality, culture
and retail sectors – which is really important
to our city.”
Mr Khan’s comments came as he faced
questions from assembly members over
the latest draft of his budget for the coming
year – including whether he may soon be
making another surprise announcement
ALMOST £3 million has been earmarked to
tackle a backlog of ‘decorative and building
improvement works’ at the Old Bailey, as part
of wider City of London efforts to address
historic issues across its estate. The condition
of the building was raised during a Court of
Common Council meeting earlier this year,
when Alderman Timothy Hailes described
the stonework as being in an “advanced state
of decay”, writes Local Democracy Reporter
Ben Lynch.
He also noted the ‘not insignificant’ maintenance
backlog for structures across the
City, which includes many of the capital’s
most famous landmarks. This was evidenced
in December last year when a piece of debris
fell from the Old Bailey’s Ceremonial Gates,
with a pedestrian later hospitalised after tripping
over the masonry.
City Surveyors had detailed in a report first
published last year that the cost of required
works to the Corporation’s estate totalled
£130.9m, of which £55.1m consists of the
backlog, and £75.8m for further improvements
planned over the next few years.
During the same Court of Common
Council meeting, on January 11, Deputy
Christopher Michael Hayward, Chair of
the Corporation’s Policy and Resources
on transport.
Liberal Democrat member Caroline
Pidgeon asked about the pot of funding
being used to pay for the fare freeze.
The mayor’s chief of staff, David Bellamy,
told her that the £123 million required to
pay for it had come from a £147 million pot
called the transport innovation fund.
Ms Pidgeon asked the mayor what he
plans to do with the remaining £24 million,
to which he said: “I’ve not decided yet – so
what I’ll be doing over the course of the
next few weeks is setting out where that
money will be spent, if at all.”
She replied: “So we can expect another
announcement of a new initiative over the
coming weeks for £24 million.”
Mr Khan said: “If I decide to do so.”
Conservative member Peter Fortune
asked whether the mayor is considering
the introduction of “Taylor Swift-style
pricing for transport fares”.
The question was a reference to the
dynamic pricing used by Taylor Swift during
her Reputation tour in 2018, though it has
also been used by Bruce Springsteen. A
similar model is used by airlines – with the
idea being that lower fares are available the
earlier they are booked, but increasing as
the date of travel approaches.
With Transport for London (TfL) fares,
dynamic pricing would potentially involve
prices rising and falling in accordance with
Committee, acknowledged the City’s buildings
had been impacted by ‘decades’ of
underinvestment.
On the Old Bailey specifically, he said “it is
an operational asset that has suffered from a
long-term maintenance backlog”.
“The level of funding it has received historically
from cyclical maintenance isn’t in my
view commensurate with a facility of this
size, complexity and intensive use,” he added.
In the report in which the estimated costs
of the works were detailed, officers had
warned: “By not addressing the backlog of
cyclical maintenance works that has accumulated
over several years, the required
Backlog (bow wave) will grow exponentially.
We will shortly reach a point whereby it will
start to affect statutory compliance items and
or cause greater degradation of property.”
In response to a Freedom of Information
(FoI) request submitted by the Local
Democracy Reporting Service (LDRS), the
Corporation has now also revealed further
details of the backlog, and a breakdown of
where funding has been recommended to
be allocated.
The largest item listed is the City of
London Cemetery and Crematorium, to
which £3,613,000 is earmarked. However,
demand on the network.
Mr Khan’s transport deputy, Seb Dance,
said in December that TfL had “been
tasked with looking at various options” for
a more flexible form of pricing, though TfL
commissioner Andy Lord cautioned that
there are “some hard IT challenges” which
would need to be overcome first.
At Thursday’s meeting however, Mr
Bellamy said: “[Fares are] certainly something
we’ve been talking about and looking
at – we are certainly not in a kind of Taylor
Swift-type scenario I think.
“One thing very important to remember
that we consider, is that people need
certainty about what fares they may pay if
they decide to undertake their journey.”
£3m earmarked to clear
Old Bailey maintenance backlog
the building which is proposed to receive the
most money is the £2,920,000 to the Old
Bailey, the majority of which is to be spent
on its North Building (£1m) and South Wing
(£1.03m).
Walbrook Wharf, which is opposite Cannon
Street, meanwhile is noted as requiring
£1,556,500, while Charterhouse Street
Bridge is down for £1,225,000. The Mayor’s
and City of London Court (£872,500) and
London Metropolitan Archive (£765,000) are
also among those recommended to receive
sizable sums.
A City of London Corporation spokesperson
said: “The works referenced, which
are various decorative and building improvement
works, are in addition to general and
routine maintenance, which already takes
place on a regular basis.
“How these works are to be funded is still
to be decided by future committees but we
expect them to be completed within one to
five years.”
The final approval for the investment to
tackle the backlog, which is included as part
of the Corporation’s annual budget-setting
process, will be granted at the Court of
Common Council meeting in March.
Chris Hayward,
City of London Corporation’s
Policy Chairman
WHEN people think of the City of London,
they would be forgiven for picturing modern
skyscrapers alongside historic landmarks
like St Paul’s Cathedral and Tower Bridge,
rather than rolling green meadows and
animals in forests. But you will see the
City of London Corporation’s historic crest
welcoming people to open spaces across
London and its neighbouring counties.
We are the capital’s smallest local
authority area, but we look after its largest
green space, protecting over 11,000 acres
of parks, forests, heaths, gardens, and
historic sites.
These range from the 180 small City
gardens here in the Square Mile, through
iconic London spaces like Hampstead
Heath, to ancient and sprawling woodlands
like Burnham Beeches, and Epping Forest.
They include a wide variety of critically
important wildlife habitats, Sites of
Special Scientific Interest, Special Areas
of Conservation, and National Nature
Reserves, and are protected under
legislation.
Some were given to the care of the City
Corporation after conservation campaigns
in the nineteenth century. We took others
under our wing after the disbanding of the
Greater London Council in the 1980s.
And now a new report has revealed that
these open spaces are worth £282.6 million
each year in benefits to society - and £8.1
billion over 50 years
The report, produced by Natural Capital
Solutions, calculated the value of the benefits
that these open spaces deliver to the
public, including through recreation, health
and wellbeing, air and water quality, and by
removing carbon from the atmosphere.
It found that the overall benefit-to-cost
ratio is 16.4 to 1 – meaning that every £1
spent on maintaining and protecting these
open spaces delivers £16.40 in ‘natural
capital benefits’ for the public.
Our sites enable access to nature in urban
areas, provide space for sports and recreation,
and improve the air that we breathe.
We look after 58,000 ancient trees, and
capture over 16,000 tonnes of carbon
every year - a crucial part of our Climate
Action Strategy, which commits us to
achieving net zero carbon emissions in our
own operations by 2027, and to supporting
the achievement of net zero for the whole
Square Mile by 2040.
In total, these open spaces attract over 47
million visitors annually – over three times
the number who go to Premier League
football matches every season – and host
education courses reaching tens of thousands
of school children every year.
Our spaces won five honours in 2023’s
London in Bloom competition, with a
further 15 taking Green Flag awards, recognising
them as some of the best managed
green spaces in the world.
So, whether you are having a rest in a City
garden, enjoying the views of the Square
Mile from Hampstead Heath, or exploring
Epping Forest, the excellent staff of the City
Corporation - supported by community
volunteers – are working hard to help.
To protect and improve these sites, we
are announcing a new set of environment
strategies to ensure our open spaces are
rich in diversity, conserve nature, create
memories, and enhance the lives of people
who visit them.
These green spaces help make London
the special city which it is, offering quality
of life as well as quantity of business.

CITYMATTERS.LONDON February 14 - March 12 2024 | Page 7

CITYMATTERS.LONDON February 14 - March 12 2024 | Page 11
PARTNER CONTENT
WHETHER you’re looking
for casual food and
drinks with gals and
pals, a romantic dinner
with your loved one or a
Valentine’s treat for the
ones you care about, the City of London’s
Leadenhall Market has you covered. The
iconic Victorian marketplace is home to
an array of pubs, restaurants and bars,
offering something for everyone, all
made even more special by the beautiful
market surroundings.
LOVE IS IN THE AIR
AT LEADENHALL MARKET
La Viña: With a menu featuring tapas,
churros con chocolate, Spanish wines,
sangrias and speciality cocktails, La Viña is
the ideal place to inject a bit of sunshine
into your Valentine’s Day celebrations.
Osteria del Mercato: After some Italian
romance? You’ll find it in this traditional
Italian restaurant which offers an intimate
dining experience with stunning views of
the Victorian market serving delicacies
from across the country.
Cheese at Leadenhall
Luc’s Brasserie: A lively French bistro
set in the heart of Leadenhall Market, Luc’s
Brasserie is known for its classic gallic
dishes and chargrilled steaks, complimented
by top French wines.
Giorgio’s: Escape from the hustle and
bustle of the City in this elegant subterranean
Italian restaurant serving warming
dishes including soups, pastas and risottos.
Round it up with a delicious selection of
cheeses.
Aux Merveilleux de Fred
Boom Bap Burger
Leadenhall Market. Image: Mickey Lee
Boom Bap Burger: Head to this new
addition to the Market for meats and
beats, with a menu featuring everything
from classic burgers to the more elaborate
Notorious P.I.G. Music fans will enjoy the
hip-hop, soul and funk background, in
magnificent contrast to the restaurant’s
Victorian surroundings.
Rocca: Family-run Rocca is the perfect
place for a laid-back date or relaxing
evening with friends. Enjoy their handmade
tagliatelle with a chilled glass of prosecco,
with both indoor and outdoor seating
options available – all of which have stunning
views of the charming cobbled alleyways
of the market.
Bar Laurel: Open until March, this pop-up
bar run by restaurant La Viña offers diners a
range of “bocadillos” (Spanish sandwiches)
during the day while evenings see tapas,
riojas and cervezas bring the gastronomic
essence of Calle Laurel to life.
Golden Goose: With tanked and tapped
beers, wines and small savoury bites
including hot black pudding and pork
scotch eggs, fried pork belly bites and
crispy Cornish fish tacos, this bustling new
bar makes a great place to break the ice on
your first date, or enjoy a few drinks after
work with friends.
Aux Merveilleux de Fred offer a beautiful
selection of French treats, including
their special Merveilleux – a traditional
cake from the North of Fance and Flanders,
and their delicious Cramique – a Belgian
brioche loaf that comes in various flavours.
All delicacies can be enjoyed in Leadenhall
Market with a glass of champagne, or
boxed up to take home.
Cheese at Leadenhall offers the ultimate
cheese tasting experience. Enjoy a
special Valentine’s cheese and wine tasting
for two, including an introduction to the
store’s wide selection of produce, followed
by cheese platter to share, complimented
with tasters of red wines and white wines.
Book the experience in in advance or buy
it as a gift.
•For the full range of dining options at
Leadenhall Market and to make your
Valentine’s bookings, visit: leadenhallmarket.co.uk/eat-and-drink

Page 12 | February 14 - March 12 2024
CITYMATTERS.LONDON
COMPETITION
COMPETITION
COMPETITION
TO RUN FROM
TO RUN TO TO RUN FROM RUN FROM FROM
8TH TO 22ND
8TH 8TH TO 8TH 22ND TO 22ND TO 22ND
MARCH 2024
MARCH MARCH MARCH 2024 2024 2024
THE GREAT FLEET STREET QUARTER
Hosted at CORD by Le Cordon Bleu, 85 Fleet St
Join us this March for the ultimate cooking
competition between representatives from
local businesses in the Quarter. The Cook Off
is open for cooking buffs and novices alike,
simply enter before Friday 16th February
and be in with a chance of winning
luxury prizes as well as leading
your business to victory!
Semi-finals: Friday 8th & 15th March at 2pm
Final: Friday 22nd March at 2pm
Sign up at fleetstreetquarter.co.uk

CITYMATTERS.LONDON February 14 - March 12 2024 | Page 13
PARTNER CONTENT
CELEBRATE LONDON FASHION WEEK IN THE CITY
AS the world’s fashionistas
descend on London, find
out more about the Square
Mile’s history with cloth and
fashion.
Walking Tour – The Fashion
History of the Culture Mile
Head to the Culture Mile this London
Fashion Week to explore this vibrant
neighbourhood and its long history with
fashion and the cloth trade dating back
to Roman times.
On this walking tour, you’ll discover
some of the area’s most iconic sights
– including historic Smithfield, the
modernist Barbican Estate and the
gleaming new towers around Moorgate
– to find fashion and clothing woven into
the story at every turn.
Led by a former fashion journalist,
City of London Green Badge guide and
Culture Mile resident, Susannah Cohen
AITG. This walking tour uncovers the
neighbourhood’s rag trade roots, from
medieval cloth merchants to the Jewish
immigrants who shaped the industry
and the role of power dressing in the
City today.
Date: February 22
Time: 12.30-14.00
Start: Farringdon station
(Elizabeth Line exit)
End: Moorgate underground station
(Elizabeth Line)
Duration: 90 minutes
Susannah Cohen AITG.
Unravel – The Power and Politics
of Textiles in Art.
Barbican Art Gallery
Using textiles, fibre and thread, 50 international
artists challenge power structures
and reimagine the world in this major
group exhibition.
Textiles cover and protect us, engage
our senses, trigger our memories, represent
our beliefs, hold our stories. We are
wrapped in cloth when we’re born and
enshrouded in it when we die.
As an artistic medium, textiles can speak
to the joys and pains of being human, as
well as the larger structures and systems
that shape our world.
In this major group exhibition, 50
international, intergenerational artists use
textiles to communicate vital ideas about
power, resistance and survival. From intimate
hand-crafted pieces to monumental
sculptural installations, these works
offer narratives of violence, imperialism
and exclusion alongside stories of resilience,
love and hope.
•Running from February 13 to May 26
Louise Bourgeois with her sculpture,
THREE HORIZONTALS, in her home on
20th Street in New York City in 1999 © The
Easton Foundation/VAGA at ARS, NY and
DACS, London 2023, courtesy The Easton
Foundation
Teresa Margolles, american Juju for the
Tapestry of Truth, 2015 Courtesy the artist
and Galerie Peter Kilchmann, Zurich/ Paris
Feliciano Centurión, Eye with ñanduti c.1994,
from La Mirada [the Gazing Eye series]
Courtesy Cecilia Brunson Projects and Familia
Feliciano Centurión
Yinka Shonibare CBE RA, Boy on a Globe,
2008 © Yinka Shonibare CBE RA. All Rights
Reserved, DACS 2023, courtesy the artist and
Stephen Friedman Gallery, Londonry, London

Page 14 | February 14 - March 12 2024
CITYMATTERS.LONDON
Visit Elysian Arcs by Atelier Sisu
at The Leadenhall Building
26TH FEBRUARY – 15TH MARCH 2024
10AM-8PM
ecbid.co.uk/arcs
Recharge2024_EscalatorPanel 2.indd 1 29/01/2024 13:41

CITYMATTERS.LONDON February 14 - March 12 2024 | Page 15
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FOOD & DRINK
SUSHI SPOTS
BY ANGELA SHARDA
Miyako. Image: Andaz London
THE team at City Matters have
checked out some of the best
sushi spots in the City. If you’re
a sushi lover then you’re in for a
real treat because the City is full
of amazing joints. Read on to
discover all the finest sushi spots in the City.
Miyako
Located just moments away from Liverpool
Street Station is a real hidden gem for sushi
lovers. Miyako, serves freshly hand-made
sushi and rolls, sashimi, teriyaki and more.
For starters, the crispy tofu which
comes in a warm dashi sauce is delicious.
However, if you’re more of a meat lover
then the prawn gyoza’s are a great shout.
The menu hosts an overwhelming list of
sushi dishes to choose from, you will be
spoilt for choice. If you’re feeling adventurous,
why not try the octopus nigiri sushi?
But if you’re looking to play it safe the spicy
salmon maki is great.
The restaurant also offers a large selection
of bento boxes and a great list of
mocktails that are worth a try.
In a hugely competitive scene, this
restaurant is certainly one to try.
•Andaz London, 40 Liverpool Street
EC2M 7QN
hyattrestaurants.com
Sushi Samba
Located a short walk from Liverpool Street
Station and situated in Heron Tower this
Brazilian, Peruvian and Japanese joint
truly does live up to the hype. Located
on the 39th floor, this stunning restaurant
impresses with ease.
Whether you’re in the mood for a feast
or just drinks – there really is something for
everyone. Each dish is presented beautifully
with a great level of detail having gone
into each plate. One thing to note about
Sushi Samba, is the consistently impeccable
service from the staff. Not only are
they attentive but they equipped with great
knowledge for their diners.
This restaurant boasts incredible food
with delicious flavours, some of the finest
views in London, an army of highly trained
staff and delicious cocktails.
•Heron Tower EC2N 4AY
sushisamba.com
CHŪŌ Sushi
This sushi restaurant has been making
quite the noise on social media and with
good reason. CHŪŌ Sushi situated in
Shoreditch is a unique experience and will
provide a great experience. The food is
also great, with a great range of dishes to
choose from. The sushi is fresh and delivered
exactly to your table by the wonderful
monorail system. This is a great concept
and one that deserves to be tried.
•20 Paul Street EC2A 4JH
chuo.co.uk
Sushi Samba. Image: Steven Joyce
Sticks ‘n’ Sushi
Sticks’n’Sushi
If you’re around Shoreditch this weekend,
then I urge you to try the delights that
Sticks’n’Sushi has to offer. This restaurant
never disappoints on fresh sushi that tastes
delicious. If you’re a pure sushi lover, then
be sure to try the Four Meal Drive Set
Menu. However, if you’re opting for a few
dishes off the menu, you will be spoilt for
choice as there is great variety of dishes to
choose from. The cocktails are also fabulous
and worth trying. The service here is
spectacular and the attention to detail from
staff really is very welcoming for guests.
Delicious sushi, amazing customer service
and super swanky vibes – a sushi spot
worth visiting next time you are in the City.
•100 Shoreditch High Street E1 6JQ
sticksnsushi.com

CITYMATTERS.LONDON February 14 - March 12 2024 | Page 17
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CITYMATTERS.LONDON February 14 - March 12 2024 | Page 19

CITYMATTERS.LONDON February 14 - March 12 2024 | Page 21
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ENTERTAINMENT
Sandbox VR
Sandbox VR boasts perhaps one of the
most unique experiences on this list, a
full body VR adventure filled with immersive
technology, teamwork and robotic
bartenders.
They have a number of exciting
adventures to pick from, we chose the
Deadwood Valley experience, an actionpacked
zombie survival where you need
to rely on your teammates to withstand
the hordes of undead. Your kitted our with
trackers on your ankles and wrists and
given a VR headset and headphones, then
your prop weapon. It all comes together
so that when you first see yourself in the
VR world it’s hard not laugh at how incredible
it looks and feels.
Once everyone is ready, you’re thrown
into the VR experience where you and
five friends have to use your weapons to
defend yourself and others against the
zombie horde. The experience is thrilling
and extremely engaging, it was a great
surprise to take the headset off after 30
minutes, it only felt like five.
But the fun doesn’t stop there, take a
moment to relax as the UK’s first robotic
bartender serves you a tasty, themed
cocktail. Settle back into the sofa as you
see the final scores of your team and
the fun videos of your time playing, both
from within the VR experience and reallife
footage of you all covered in VR gear
screaming in an empty room. Overall, the
Sandbox VR experience blew us away with
its incredible technology and immersion,
whatever story option you go with you’re
guaranteed an experience you won’t find
anywhere else in London.
•The Post Building WC1A 1PB
sandboxvr.com
All images courtesy of each venue.
NQ64
Swingers
Axeperience
The Square Mile has a number of exciting
secrets, but who would have thought that
axe throwing would have been one of them.
Just a short four-minute walk from Tower Hill
tube station this venue is packed with friendly
staff that are ready to bring out the best axe
thrower in you.
After a short axe throwing introduction, you
jump straight into it. From hitting bullseyes,
defending against brain eating zombies and
competing against your colleagues, it’s fun
from the very first moment. While you take
your turn to cheer on your friends be sure to
go to the front desk where you can pick up
a range of snacks and non-alcoholic drinks,
great for keeping your head in the game.
After a while you’ll be grouped into a tournament,
this is where is gets serious. Using
all the practise you’ve just done, take turns
competing against your group to see who
has the axe throwing gift. If you’re the best
of the best then you can celebrate with a
trophy in hand, the begrudging congratulations
from your colleagues sounding like the
cheers of a crowd. Whether you’re there with
work or maybe celebrating with family, the
Axeperience will give you an unforgettable
time.
•48-51 Minories EC3N 1JJ
axeperience.co.uk
Swingers Crazy Golf – City
Located in the heart of the City and a stone’s
throw away from the Gherkin, the City
Swingers Crazy Golf certainly lives up to every
aspect of its name. As you descend into the
subterranean venue you’re greeted by their
friendly and inviting staff who are quick to
explain the mini golf and the food and drink
options. Not only does City Swingers have
two nine-hole golf courses it also has four
cocktail bars, four street vendors, a private
dinning room and enough space to host up
to 500 people, simply outrageous.
Before you dive into the mini golf we
recommend grabbing a drink from one of the
bars, from a host of cocktails to choose from,
to beer, rum and tequila, if you can think of it
then they probably have it. Once you’ve had
something to get your mini golf game going
you’re off to start your game. Like the rest
of the venue the golf courses show a great
attention to detail and to the 1920s theme.
Not only that but the crafty course make for
a fun, but sometimes challenging, game of
mini golf. After someone is crowned victorious
be sure to grab a bite to eat from one of
the food stalls, maybe even another round of
drinks while you’re at it. Overall, with friendly
service, great drinks and a lively atmosphere
City Swingers certainly lived up to (and far
exceeded) our high expectation, we can’t
wait to go back soon.
•8 Brown’s Buildings EC3A 8AL
swingers.club/uk
Axeperience

CITYMATTERS.LONDON February 14 - March 12 2024 | Page 23
No. 5485
TEST YOUR BRAINPOWER
subscribe to our newsletter at citymatters.london
PUZZLES
Quiz Challenge
1. The successful regional brewer
Greene King is based in which
English county?
2. Who captained The Lionesses
for the 2023 FIFA Women’s
World Cup?
3. Common, Mirror and Leather
are types of which freshwater
fish?
4. In the 2023 live-action Barbie
movie, who plays the character
of Ken?
5. ‘It’s a God-awful small affair, To
the girl with the mousy hair’ is
the opening lyric to which
David Bowie song?
1
7
9
13
16
21
24
1
9
11
17
24
29
32
CRYPTIC CROSSWORD
10
17
23
2
23
11
10
QUICK CROSSWORD
12
2
18
SOLUTIONS
3
20
3
15
25
31
EASY SUDOKU HARD SUDOKU
7 2 1 4 3 6 5 8 9 6 1 5 4 7 2 8 3 9
9 6 5 2 7 8 3 4 1 4 2 3 5 8 9 1 6 7
8 3 4 1 5 9 6 2 7 9 8 7 6 3 1 2 4 5
4 5 9 3 1 7 2 6 8 5 6 8 2 4 3 9 7 1
2 7 3 8 6 5 1 9 4 3 9 1 7 5 8 6 2 4
1 8 6 9 4 2 7 3 5 7 4 2 1 9 6 3 5 8
5 9 7 6 8 3 4 1 2 2 5 9 8 6 7 4 1 3
3 4 2 7 9 1 8 5 6 1 3 4 9 2 5 7 8 6
6 1 8 5 2 4 9 7 3 8 7 6 3 1 4 5 9 2
U
N
26
13
V
L
25
12
P
S
24
11
R
I
23
10
G
W
22
9
Y
Z
21
8
11
15
22
10
16
22
Q
C
20
7
4
15
4
8
13
23
30
33
B
J
19
6
13
15
16
5
6. The painting Portrait of an
Artist (Pool with Two Figures),
which sold at auction in 2018
for £70 million, is by which
artist?
7. The famous Iditarod Trail Sled
Dog Race takes place each
year in which US state?
8. In chemistry, what is Millon’s
reagent used to detect?
9. Manzanilla is a grade of
sweetness for which alcoholic
drink?
10. The Tagus and the Ebro are the
two largest rivers in which
country?
14
19
D
E
18
5
12
14
20
5
10
20
26
M
A
17
4
5
8
18 19
O
K
16
3
6
27
T
F
15
2
6
X
H
21
14
1
7
12
7
28
ACROSS
FIVE ALIVE
Here are two miniature five-square
crosswords using the same grid –
but the letters have been mixed up.
You have to work out which letters
belong to which crossword.
1. French non-runner in the
garden (7,4)
7. I laid log out for some
flowers (8)
8. Back prime minister and us to
find the reservoir (4)
9. He gives member a drug (4)
11. Wayward, according to the
poem (8)
13. It is obvious there is one in
the plot (5)
14. I’d gone first, having wasted
time (5)
16. Drew with one’s
thumbnail? (8)
SF IT RE LA WD
LI OX AU
NO AL IM VE ES
OU SA TL
RS IO TN AG SE
18. There is said to be additional
heathland (4)
21. Small child? About time! (4)
22. Statesman is prudent, but
nothing more (8)
23. Member of lower house in a
car factory? (11)
NONAGRAM:
agape; agar; agate; agent; agnate; anergy; angary; anger;
angry; argent; gantry; gape; gaper; garnet; gate; gayer;
gean; gear; gent; gentry; gnat; gran; grant; grape; grapey;
grate; gray; great; grey; gyrate; gyre; naga; pagan; page;
pageant; PAGEANTRY; pager; pang; panga; parang;
parget; prang; raga; rage; rang; range; rangy; tanager;
tang; tanga; tangy; targe; trepang; yagé; yang.
CROSS CODE
ACROSS
1. Bitter (7)
5. Colonial term of
respect (5)
8. Primate (3)
9. Peaceful (7)
10. Move to
music (5)
11. Proportion (5)
13. Gift (7)
15. You (archaic) (4)
17. Pure (6)
19. Feeling of
sickness (6)
22. Against (4)
24. Small round
boat (7)
26. Endures (5)
29. Russian
revolutionary (5)
30. Trembling
(mus.) (7)
31. Female deer (3)
32. Narrow lane (5)
33. Draw back (7)
Across – Straw; Names; Singe.
Down – Sinus; Roman; Waste.
Across – Field; Olive; Rotas.
Down – Floor; Exist; Duels.
(2)
FIVE ALIVE:
(1)
Clockwise from top left – divide;
add; subtract; multiply. Total: 9.
EQUALISER:
DOWN
DOWN
1. Loathe (5)
2. Brilliant
display (5)
3. Refuse to deal
with (7)
4. Hors d’oeuvre (6)
5. Grass-like
plant (5)
6. Impedes (7)
7. Nutritious drink
(4,3)
12. Burnt remains (3)
14. Hire charge (4)
16. Cure (4)
17. Part of the ear (7)
18. Endocrine
gland (7)
20. Illness (7)
21. Newt (3)
23. Tureen (anag.) (6)
25. Confectionery (5)
27. Radial strut (5)
28. Brusque (5)
EQUALISER
6 5
8 4 7
2 6
4 4 7
3 2
Place the four signs (add,
subtract, multiply, divide)
one in each circle so that
the total of each across
and down line is the same.
Perform the first calculation in each
line first and ignore the mathematical
law which says you should always
perform division and multiplication
before addition and subtraction.
1. Mountaineer’s great
ambitions (4,5)
2. Right to have meal out in the
kingdom (5)
3. Kenneth left the bird in some
style (4)
4. Counter assistant in a
financial institution (6)
5. Capital stream diverted over
the embankment (9)
6. English novelist has friends in
France (4)
10. Trying to write with such a
pencil would be (9)
12. I wondered about a cover for
the bed (9)
15. Better to put in another
class? (6)
17. In the kiosk risked using a
dagger (4)
19. Widespread disapproval of
duo I’m replacing (5)
20. William presents his
account (4)
NONAGRAM
T A N
A G E
P R Y
How many words of four
letters or more can you make
from this Nonagram? Each
word must use the central
letter, and each letter may be
used only once. At least one
word using all nine letters
can be found.
Guidelines:
28 Good; 33 Very Good;
39 Excellent.
Any word found in the Concise Oxford
Dictionary (Tenth Edition) is eligible
with the following exceptions: proper
nouns; plural nouns, pronouns and
possessives; third person singular
verbs; hyphenated words;
contractions and abbreviations; vulgar
slang words; variant spellings of the
same word (where another variant is
also eligible).
QUICK CROSSWORD:
Across – 1 Acerbic; 5 Sahib; 8 Ape; 9 Halcyon; 10 Dance; 11
Ratio; 13 Present; 15 Thee; 17 Chaste; 19 Nausea; 22 Anti;
24 Coracle; 26 Lasts; 29 Lenin; 30 Tremolo; 31 Doe; 32 Alley;
33 Retreat.
Down – 1 Abhor; 2 Eclat; 3 Boycott; 4 Canapé; 5 Sedge; 6
Hinders; 7 Beef tea; 12 Ash; 14 Rent; 16 Heal; 17 Cochlea;
18 Adrenal; 20 Ailment; 21 Eft; 23 Neuter; 25 Candy; 27
Spoke; 28 Short.
CRYPTIC CROSSWORD:
Across – 1 Haricot bean; 7 Gladioli; 8 Sump; 9 Hemp; 11
Perverse; 13 Plain; 14 Idled; 16 Sketched; 18 Moor; 21 Mite;
22 Politico; 23 Assemblyman.
Down – 1 High hopes; 2 Realm; 3 Chic; 4 Teller; 5
Amsterdam; 6 Amis; 10 Pointless; 12 Eiderdown; 15 Reform;
17 Kris; 19 Odium; 20 Bill.
QUIZ CHALLENGE: 1 Suffolk; 2 Millie Bright; 3 Carp; 4 Ryan Gosling; 5 Life on Mars?;
6 David Hockney; 7 Alaska; 8 Soluble proteins; 9 Sherry; 10 Spain.
EASY
HARD
CROSS CODE
22 16 12 18 2 10 11 1 7 23 16 9
4 16 23 15 16 26 1
13 16 9 1 5 23 5 2 4 19 12 5
22 5 5 17 2 19 23
2 23 16 8 5 18 5 25 10 7 5
5 5 13 15 5 23 11 25
14 23 4 21 6 16 19 15 1 5 5
24 20 24 16 5 15 11 23
12 16 26 18 12 21 11 17 10 12 5
16 4 4 1 16 5 26
18 10 23 15 21 5 11 3 10 17 16 11
5 10 11 23 5 16 5
18 26 4 12 24 5 4 11 4 13 15 11
ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13
F
L
14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26
O
Each number in our Cross Code grid represents a different letter
of the alphabet. You have three letters in the control grid to start
you off. Enter them in the appropriate squares in the main grid,
then use your knowledge of words to work out which letters
should go in the missing squares.
As you get the letters, fill in other squares with the same number
in the main grid and control grid. Check off the alphabetical list of
letters as you identify them.
SUDOKU
Each row and each column must contain the numbers 1 to 9,
and so must each 3 x 3 box.
7 4 3 8 9
9 6 4
5 6 7
4 3 7
3 1 9
8 2
5 9 7 8 3 4 2
7 9 1 6
8 5 2
1 5 7
4 9 6
9 7 5
8 2 3
9 8
6 3 5
5 6 3
4
7 1 4
© Sirius Media Services Ltd.

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