City Matters 163

HOTELS IN THE CITY 

Not sure where to host your 

guests or clients this month for a 

hotel stay? We’ve reviewed some 

of the fines the City has to offer. 

Page 16 

THE City of London is proposing 

moving to emissions-based 

charges for its owned car parks 

in a bid to reduce traffic and 

improve air quality. If approved, 

the scheme wi l largely mirror 

that used for on-street parking, 

and is expected to generate 

up to £650,000 in additional 

income annua ly. 

The Corporation cu rently operates 

a flat fee-paying structure 

across the five car parks it runs 

(Baynard House, London Wa l, 

Minories, Tower Hi l and Smithfield), 

costing drivers £4.50 an hour, 

or between £1.50 and £4.20 at 

Smithfield. Under the proposals, this 

would increase for a l vehicles other 

than electric, hydrogen or hybrid, 

with further rises planned for 2025 

and 2026. 

Several other London local 

authorities already tier parking 

charges based on emissions, such 

as Islington, with Westminster also 

due to introduce such a scheme. 

The City of London’s on-street 

charges were amended to be based 

on vehicle type in 2018, and was 

one of the first of its kind in the 

capital. 

Under the new proposals focussing 

on the Corporation-owned car 

parks, the charges wi l differ based 

on the fo lowing categories: electric 

or hydrogen or hybrid; petrol vehicles 

registered from 2005; diesel 

vehicles registered from 2015; and 

any other vehicle. Drivers of electric, 

hydrogen or hybrid vehicles wi l not 

see parking charges rise above £4.50 

an hour in the period to 2026, while 

those with ‘any other vehicle’ wi l 

pay increased costs of £7 in 2024, 

£7.30 in 2025 and £8.10 in 2026. 

The proposals over the three years 

however ensure off-street charges 

remain lower than on-street. 

Overnight concessionary parking 

costs at Smithfield, which have long 

been in-place for market traders 

and customers, are also being 

looked at, though wi l continue to 

be cheaper than other local car 

parks. Proposed season ticket costs 

meanwhile would see drivers of 

cleaner vehicles sti l paying £2,500 

every quarter, while those with the 

most po luting cars may be paying 

up to £4,200 by 2026. 

Officers at the Corporation have 

recommended the proposals be 

approved by members at Planning 

and Transportation Commitee at 

their next meeting. 

In the report outlining the plans, 

it is noted the City’s public car parks 

must generate ‘sufficient’ income 

to meet their costs, with on-street 

parking charges cu rently having to 

cover a net-loss from the service. 

The additional income is expected 

to be £200,000 to £500,000 a year 

for the Environment department, 

which manages Baynard House, 

London Wa l, Minories and Tower 

Hi l, and £85,000 to £150,000 for 

Markets, which is responsible for 

Smithfield 

A City of London Corporation 

Spokesperson, said: “The City 

Corporation’s Transportation 

Strategy seeks to improve conditions 

MARVELLOUS MASSAGES 

Whether you’re after a luxury 

hotel masasge or a massage at a 

City Spa, we’ve got you covered. 

We’ve tried and tested some of 

the best. Page 17 

Mar 13 - Apl 16 2024 The City of London’s independent newspaper with 55,000 READERS 

Edition 163 

Emissions based charges 

proposed for City of London 

SPECULATIVE PLANS WILL IMPROVE THE CITY’S AIR QUALITY 

* 

* 

* 

for pedestrians and cyclists, who 

make up a significant majority of 

journeys through the Square Mile. It 

wi l do this by reducing overa levels 

of traffic, improving air quality, and 

where it can, encourage drivers to 

switch to less po luting vehicles. 

“The introduction of emissionsbased 

car park tariffs, where ‘the 

po luter pays,’ aligns us to the 

approach that we already take with 

our on-street parking charges.” 

LONDON’S PREMIER BUSINESS NETWORK 

WEEKLY NETWORKING EVENTS * 550 MEMBER COMPANIES * LONDON NETWORKING EVENTS 

CHAMPAGNE BREAKFASTS * NETWORKING LUNCHES * NETWORKING EVENINGS 

Connect with over 550 member businesses 

50+ annual events incl. champagne breakfasts, lunches and evening events 

Company membership allows anyone from your company to attend events 

* Free listing in the annual London Business Directory Image © Google 

Interviews 

P5 & 12 

What’s On 

P8 

P10-12 

Food & Drink 

Book an event 

Become a member 

businessjunction.co.uk

March 13 - April 16 2024 

CITYMATTERS.LONDON 

PARTNER CONTENT 

St Martin’s-in-the-Fields in Trafalgar Square, the start 

and end point of London Walk 2024. © Len Williams 

THE LONDON 

WALK 2024 

THE Aldgate Connect, 

Cheapside Business Alliance, 

Culture Mile, Eastern City and 

Fleet Street Quarter Business 

Improvement Districts (BIDs) 

proudly sponsor The London 

Walk 2024 in partnership with the London 

Homeless Collective 

The five City BIDs are delighted to 

announce their sponsorship of The London 

Walk 2024, a powerful initiative developed 

by the LHC with the London Homeless 

Collective. This night walk through London 

will raise funds for local homeless charities 

and shed light on the challenges faced 

by those experiencing homelessness and 

rough sleeping. The London Homeless 

Collective was initially inspired and funded 

by the Evening Standard and its readers 

through the 2019 Christmas Campaign. 

Scheduled for March 22nd, 2024, The 

London Walk provides participants with 

the opportunity to embark on a 10k, half 

marathon, or marathon through the heart 

of London. Now in its third year the walk 

has raised over £170,000 for charities 

supporting people experiencing homelessness 

and aims to raise a further £100,000 

this year. 

The sponsorship from the BIDs underscores 

their commitment to addressing 

homelessness in London and supporting 

the essential work carried out by local 

charities. By partnering with the London 

Homeless Collective, the organisations 

are already living their commitment to the 

London Charter to end Rough Sleeping 

through raising money and awareness. 

Recent statistics show that 1 in 58 people 

in London are homeless and that services 

are under increasing pressure with demand 

for services rising against an increase in 

their own costs. 

Walking through the night is not just a 

physical challenge; it is an opportunity for 

reflection on the experiences of people 

who are homeless. Beyond those forced to 

sleep on the streets, the walk symbolizes 

the struggles of those who traverse the city 

during the night, relying on night buses or 

accessing 24-hour retail sites to stay awake 

and safe. This is particularly true for young 

people, trans individuals, and women, all of 

whom are especially vulnerable to violence 

and exploitation. 

“We are proud to support The London 

Walk 2024 and collaborate with the 

London Homeless Collective to continue 

to address the critical issue of homelessness 

in our city. By participating in this 

event, we aim to raise not only funds but 

also awareness about the challenges faced 

by those who experience homelessness, 

especially during the night. Together, we 

can make a positive impact and contribute 

to the well-being of our community,” said 

Ruth Duston, CEO and Founder of Primera, 

which operates the five City of London 

BIDs, and has pledged support to the 

London Charter to End Rough Sleeping 

•Book your place at register.enthuse. 

com/ps/event/TheLondonWalk2024

HOTELS IN THE CITY 

Not sure where to host your 

guests or clients this month for a 

hotel stay? We’ve reviewed some 

of the finest the City has to offer. 

Page 16 

MARVELLOUS MASSAGES 

Whether you’re after a luxury 

hotel masasge or a massage at a 

City Spa, we’ve got you covered. 

We’ve tried and tested some of 

the best. Page 17 

Mar 13 - Apl 16 2024 The City of London’s independent newspaper with 55,000 READERS 

Edition 163 

Emissions based charges 

proposed for City of London 

SPECULATIVE PLANS WILL IMPROVE THE CITY’S AIR QUALITY 

THE City of London is proposing 

moving to emissions-based 

charges for its owned car parks 

in a bid to reduce traffic and 

improve air quality. If approved, 

the scheme will largely mirror 

that used for on-street parking, 

and is expected to generate 

up to £650,000 in additional 

income annually. 

The Corporation currently operates 

a flat fee-paying structure 

across the five car parks it runs 

(Baynard House, London Wall, 

Minories, Tower Hill and Smithfield), 

costing drivers £4.50 an hour, 

or between £1.50 and £4.20 at 

Smithfield. Under the proposals, this 

would increase for all vehicles other 

than electric, hydrogen or hybrid, 

with further rises planned for 2025 

and 2026. 

Several other London local 

authorities already tier parking 

charges based on emissions, such 

as Islington, with Westminster also 

due to introduce such a scheme. 

The City of London’s on-street 

charges were amended to be based 

on vehicle type in 2018, and was 

one of the first of its kind in the 

capital. 

Under the new proposals focussing 

on the Corporation-owned car 

parks, the charges will differ based 

on the following categories: electric 

or hydrogen or hybrid; petrol vehicles 

registered from 2005; diesel 

vehicles registered from 2015; and 

any other vehicle. Drivers of electric, 

hydrogen or hybrid vehicles will not 

see parking charges rise above £4.50 

an hour in the period to 2026, while 

those with ‘any other vehicle’ will 

pay increased costs of £7 in 2024, 

£7.30 in 2025 and £8.10 in 2026. 

The proposals over the three years 

however ensure off-street charges 

remain lower than on-street. 

Overnight concessionary parking 

costs at Smithfield, which have long 

been in-place for market traders 

and customers, are also being 

looked at, though will continue to 

be cheaper than other local car 

parks. Proposed season ticket costs 

meanwhile would see drivers of 

cleaner vehicles still paying £2,500 

every quarter, while those with the 

most polluting cars may be paying 

up to £4,200 by 2026. 

Officers at the Corporation have 

recommended the proposals be 

approved by members at Planning 

and Transportation Committee at 

their next meeting. 

In the report outlining the plans, 

it is noted the City’s public car parks 

must generate ‘sufficient’ income 

to meet their costs, with on-street 

parking charges currently having to 

cover a net-loss from the service. 

* Connect with over 550 member businesses 

* 50+ annual events incl. champagne breakfasts, lunches and evening events 

* Company membership allows anyone from your company to attend events 

* Free listing in the annual London Business Directory Image © Google 

The additional income is expected 

to be £200,000 to £500,000 a year 

for the Environment department, 

which manages Baynard House, 

London Wall, Minories and Tower 

Hill, and £85,000 to £150,000 for 

Markets, which is responsible for 

Smithfield 

A City of London Corporation 

for pedestrians and cyclists, who 

make up a significant majority of 

journeys through the Square Mile. It 

will do this by reducing overall levels 

of traffic, improving air quality, and 

where it can, encourage drivers to 

switch to less polluting vehicles. 

“The introduction of emissionsbased 

car park tariffs, where ‘the 

Spokesperson, said: “The City polluter pays,’ aligns us to the 

Corporation’s Transportation approach that we already take with 

Strategy seeks to improve conditions our on-street parking charges.” 

LONDON’S PREMIER BUSINESS NETWORK 

WEEKLY NETWORKING EVENTS * 550 MEMBER COMPANIES * LONDON NETWORKING EVENTS 

CHAMPAGNE BREAKFASTS * NETWORKING LUNCHES * NETWORKING EVENINGS 

Interviews 

P5 & 12 

What’s On 

P8 

Food & Drink 

P10-12 

Book an event 

Become a member 

businessjunction.co.uk

CITYMATTERS.LONDON March 13 - April 16 2024 | Page 3 

subscribe to our newsletter at citymatters.london 

NEWS 

Follow Paris and charge SUVs more to 

park, suggests London politician 

A LONDON politician has suggested 

the City of London should follow Paris’s 

lead and hike parking charges for SUVs, 

to discourage them from being driven 

into the Square Mile. Alderwoman 

Susan Pearson said the City of London 

Corporation should look at “doing something 

a bit more radical and a bit more 

user-friendly”, citing the increasing size 

of vehicles and threats to cyclists, writes 

Local Democracy Reporter Ben Lynch. 

Parisians earlier this year approved a steep 

increase to parking rates for cars weighing 

1.6 tonnes or more to £16 an hour in the 

inner city. 

Alderwoman Pearson’s comments came 

during a Planning and Transportation 

Committee meeting yesterday (March 5) 

in which members were discussing introducing 

emissions-based charging for the 

THE London Fire Brigade (LFB) has been 

brought out of special measures by the 

fire inspectorate, writes Local Democracy 

Reporter Noah Vickers. 

The LFB had been under an enhanced 

level of monitoring by HM Inspectorate of 

Constabulary and Fire & Rescue Services 

(HMICFRS) since December 2022, after 

a damning review by Nazir Afzal found 

the capital’s brigade to be “institutionally 

misogynist and racist”. 

HMICFRS had moved the LFB into the 

‘engage’ phase, a category used when there 

is a cause of concern, following Mr Afzal’s 

independent report. His review had included 

accounts ranging from women being 

groped, to firefighters having their helmets 

filled with urine. 

LFB commissioner Andy Roe said the 

inspectorate’s decision to move the brigade 

out of the ‘engage’ phase “recognises the 

significant amount of work that has been 

undertaken”, while admitting that there is 

“still more to do”. 

Among the reasons given by HMICFRS 

for no longer keeping the LFB under 

enhanced monitoring were: Clear progress 

in the brigade’s ongoing plan to improve 

its human resources function; Improved 

processes to deal with behaviours such 

as bullying and discrimination, including 

establishing a Professional Standards Unit; 

A comprehensive plan in place to improve 

vetting of brigade staff; Assurance in the 

sustainability of the brigade’s plans to 

change its culture 

Mr Roe said: “This is important recognition 

for so many of our staff that go about their 

work professionally every day. I am proud 

that our core values are rooted in our incredible 

history which shows our staff’s courage 

and commitment to London. 

“There is still more to do. As commissioner, 

I have always been clear that the 

work to ensure that we have a safe and 

dignified workplace culture can never stop. 

I look forward to the Inspectorate, our staff 

Corporation’s owned car parks. 

Under the plans, the flat fee-paying 

structure across the five car parks the 

Corporation runs (Baynard House, London 

Wall, Minories, Tower Hill and Smithfield) 

would be revised based on the vehicle type. 

This would also see increases to all drivers 

over the next two years, other than those 

with electric, hydrogen or hybrid vehicles, 

and would largely mirror the scheme 

currently in place for on-street parking. 

A City of London spokesperson previously 

told the Local Democracy Reporting 

Service (LDRS) this is “to improve conditions 

for pedestrians and cyclists, who make up a 

significant majority of journeys through the 

Square Mile”. Corporation documents also 

detail how the move is expected to bring 

in £200,000 to £500,000 a year for the 

Environment department, which manages 

The London Fire Brigade (LFB) brought 

out of special measures by the Fire 

Inspectorate. 

and Londoners continuing to hold us to 

account.” 

Andy Cooke, chief inspector at HMICFRS, 

said: “I am reassured by the plans the LFB has 

in place to continue making improvements. 

The brigade will be inspected again this 

summer, when we will assess its progress to 

make sure the people of London are getting 

the service they deserve from their fire and 

rescue service.” 

The LFB’s removal from special measures 

was welcomed by Sadiq Khan, who said: 

“As mayor, I have supported commissioner 

Andy Roe to take urgent action to reform 

the brigade’s culture and systems, improve 

standards and rebuild the trust and confidence 

of Londoners in our fire service. 

“This vital work has happened at pace 

supported by the record £40m investment 

I have made from City Hall and has enabled 

the LFB to make huge changes to its policies, 

procedures and equipment. The commissioner 

has taken a zero-tolerance approach 

to racism, misogyny and homophobia and 

set up a new independent Professional 

Standards Unit.” 

The Labour mayor added: “Whilst this 

progress is encouraging, there is still more 

work to do. I will continue to support and 

hold the commissioner to account on delivering 

a fire service that Londoners can be 

proud of – one that is trusted to serve and 

protect our city and has a workplace culture 

where staff from all backgrounds can thrive 

– as we continue building a safer London for 

everyone.” 

Tory mayoral candidate Susan Hall said: “I 

welcome the progress the LFB has made in 

rebuilding trust. 

“The Afzal Review uncovered some 

incredibly serious issues and it is vital that the 

fire brigade continues to stamp out unacceptable 

behaviour. 

“Sadiq Khan ignored these concerns until 

they hit the press. I will listen and ensure the 

LFB works in the interests of Londoners.” 

Baynard House, London Wall, Minories and 

Tower Hill, and £85,000 to £150,000 for 

Markets, which is responsible for Smithfield. 

At yesterday’s meeting, Cllr Luis Felipe 

Tilleria asked whether looking at a different 

charging structure for Mondays and Fridays 

would be appropriate to support businesses 

in the Square Mile. 

“Considering we have a problem in 

the City in which the small business are 

lacking footfall because more people are 

avoiding coming to work in the office on 

Mondays, usually, and Fridays, sometimes, 

would this be the proper moment to see if 

strategically we can also consider having 

different pricing for Mondays and Fridays? 

For example, to attract more people to 

come to the office, just as we are trying to 

discourage people from using some sort of 

cars, so we can look after our small business 

owners as well?” 

The Corporation’s officer presenting the 

item, Ian Hughes, said the intention is to 

ensure there are adequate car parking spaces 

for those who need them in the City, without 

attracting people driving in who otherwise 

may not. “We would prefer that they were 

travelling in by existing public transport, 

which is something that is reflected in the 

150 

Minories 

COME VIEW OUR PLANS 

HUB have acquired the site at 150 Minories and are at the early stages of 

bringing forward plans to deliver a sustainable, high quality, residential scheme. 

We welcome your views and, as part of our ongoing commitment to engage 

with the local community, we would like to invite you to attend one of our public 

exhibition sessions to view our emerging plans for the site. 

Our public exhibition sessions will be held at: 

The Portsoken Community Centre 

20 Little Somerset Street, 

London 

E1 8AH 

On: 

Wednesday 20th March 2024 from 4pm to 8pm & 

Saturday 23rd March 2024 from 10am to 1pm 

Our plans will also be displayed on our online 

Community Hub website that will go live after 

our second public exhibition session: 

150-minories.co.uk 

150-minories.co.uk 

feedback@150-minories.co.uk 

FREEPOST RESIDENT CONSULTATION 

Mayor’s proposals about Friday travel through 

the public transport system.” 

Alderwoman Pearson put to officers the 

need to consider pricing for residents’ fees 

and tickets ‘holistically’, ensuring people 

living in the City are consulted, and that 

those who require a parking space can 

access one. 

She continued to raise the ‘huge charges’ 

Paris implemented earlier this year for 

bringing a large SUV into the city, and while 

acknowledging ‘it won’t happen’, asked: 

“Could we not think about doing something 

similar in the City here? Cars are getting 

bigger and bigger. As a cyclist, I find that 

quite often cars are well over into the road 

because they are so wide now, and I just 

think that, obviously not this year, but maybe 

we could think about doing something a bit 

more radical and a bit more user-friendly.” 

Mr Hughes said officers are aware of the 

growing size of cars in the City, and had to 

look into increasing the size of parking bays 

several years ago. He added consideration 

of different vehicle types can be included in 

the transport strategy review. 

Following questions, members agreed to 

move to emissions-based charging for the 

Corporation’s car parks. 

View our website



BUSINESS FOCUS 

INTERNATIONAL WOMEN’S DAY SERIES: 

JILLIAN MACLEAN MBE 

THIS year for International 

Women’s Day (IWD), we sat 

down with Jillian Maclean 

MBE on her tips on building a 

successful business in the City, 

what IWD means to her and 

the secret to her success. 

Jillian was awarded an MBE for services 

to the hospitality industry and is a Trustee 

for The Drinks Trust - a charity that provides 

vocational, well-being and practical 

support to those working in the drinks 

industry. 

You are the founder of the awardwinning 

bar and restaurant group, 

Drake & Morgan. Talk us through 

the journey of having a vision of 

owning a restaurant to being CEO 

and Founder of the award-winning 

bar and restaurant group, Drake 

and Morgan? 

Hospitality has always been a big influence 

in my life and we started Drake & Morgan 

in the height of recession in 2008. While 

some people said it was a risk, I had a vision 

to create accessible female influenced bars 

based in and around the City of London. 

We saw a gap in the market and we took it! 

The team and I embarked on several market 

research and innovation trips around the 

east and west coast of America to get inspiration 

for the spaces. I loved what venues 

were doing there, from San Franciso to 

New York. When we opened our first site, 

The Refinery Bankside in Southwark in 

2008, the trips abroad really helped us gain 

a fresh perspective and keep up with new 

trends. The Refinery Bankside had a female 

influenced advisory board which definitely 

helped shape the business and I’ll always 

remember that as a big part of the journey. 

What does International Women’s 

Day mean to you? 

I’ve been influenced by some incredible 

women in my life and International 

Women’s Day is a fantastic time to amplify 

brilliant women and celebrate inspirational 

role models. Championing women in the 

hospitality sector is something we feel is an 

important responsibility but that also brings 

us great joy at Drake & Morgan, from our 

wonderful female mixologists to chefs to 

bar backs and duty managers. 

You’ve been awarded an MBE for 

services to the hospitality industry. 

How did it feel to receive this 

award? 

It was a complete honour, surprise and 

privilege to receive my MBE in 2013. It’s a 

wonderful achievement personally but it 

also celebrates the hard work and dedication 

of the whole team at Drake & Morgan. 

On the day of the ceremony, Clare Smyth 

(the incredible chef from Michelin-starred 

CORE by Clare Smyth) also received an 

MBE, so it was brilliant to see women I 

personally look up to in hospitality being 

celebrated. 

What are your tips for building a 

successful business in the City? 

I’d advise you do your best to have the 

right funding and business plan in place 

to ensure a successful business. However, 

one very important thing that has driven the 

success of Drake & Morgan is becoming 

part of the local community – knowing 

our neighbours and supporting the city 

of London. For example, City Giving Day 

is very important to us as a business, as 

is our work with city-based charities. This 

includes Maggie’s who support people 

affected by cancer and digital charity box 

Pennies. 

Talk us through some of the 

challenges that you’ve faced as a 

female entrepreneur in the City 

and how did you overcome them? 

Starting out as a female entrepreneur it 

can feel daunting, and a challenge to find 

support. However, there are some excellent 

groups and networks out there - when 

I started the business, our day-to-day 

lending was done with Coutts which, as 

well as being a bank, introduced me to a 

fabulous female entrepreneur network. 

This meant I was able to go to workshops 

and courses to participate with other entrepreneurs 

which helped enormously. This 

solid network to lean on was vital when I 

faced challenges at the start of my career 

and it was a real privilege to get this support. 

What has been your biggest 

achievement with your businesses 

in the City? 

One of my proudest moments was when 

we opened our first location in the City 

of London - The Folly. We decided we 

wanted to honour the City of London by 

donating to a Columbian rainforest charity, 

replanting an area the size of the City of 

London there. It’s not just about business, 

it’s about being part of the community in 

an ethical way and I feel very proud to look 

back at this moment. 

What advice would you give to 

other women in the City who 

aspire to do the same? 

Get a mentor and group of people to 

support you – this could be a business 

coach or informal mentor. Women established 

in their careers tend to be very 

generous with their time and genuinely 

enjoy helping other women succeed. 

There are many excellent forums available 

in our great capital with amazing talent. 

And secondly, I’d say as a business owner, 

it’s always important to be kind to yourself 

and have self-belief. 

What is the secret to your success? 

I think there is a few. Listening to customers 

and understanding what they want is vital. 

Surround yourself with people who are 

good and share your drive and passion. 

Don’t be afraid to make mistakes or risks 

and don’t be too hard on yourself if there’s 

some setbacks! Always cheer on your wider 

team and celebrate their achievements. 

Finally, and very importantly, stay relevant 

and invest resource into the business for 

this. At Drake & Morgan, we are always 

looking for new and exciting partnerships 

and collaborations to pivot and adapt to 

current trends. We’ve been delighted with 

the success of our sell-out Full Fat Brunch 

series with Fat Tony, plus the partnership 

with immersive dining experts, Taste Film, 

which have been really popular. 

What’s in the pipeline for 2024? 

After a really strong period of trading over 

Christmas, we’re excited to continue to gain 

momentum in 2024. I always look forward 

to our spring menu refresh and the beautiful 

summer terraces we’ll be launching 

across our sites. We also have some exiting 

concepts with a Drake & Morgan Training 

Academy as well as Wine Schools.



FOOD & DRINK 

All images courtesy of each venue. 

pork and sage roasted potatoes, Rudy’s 

have covered all the bases! They also offer 

tasty vegan options like the Agnello Vegana, 

which features plant based lamb as well as 

tender stem broccoli and basil infused vegan 

cheese sauce. If you’d like any extras, we 

recommend trying the chilli honey, a sweet 

and spicy dip that will get your taste buds 

buzzing. When it comes to dessert, you’re in 

for a treat. Their traditional Tiramisu, made 

fresh every day, will guarantee that your 

Italian feast ends on a high note. You can 

also keep it simple with their mouthwatering 

Bar Douro 

Gelato or their Affogato to get your caffeine 

boost in the tastiest way possible. By the 

time you’re done you’ll feel like you’ve been 

to Naples! 

•183 Shoreditch High Street E1 6HU 

rudyspizza.co.uk 

Jugad 

Nestled in Broadgate Circle is a wonderful 

lunch spot that deserves to be tried this 

month. If you’re looking for a casual spot to 

get your Indian food fix during your lunch 

break then this is it. With generous portion 

sizes, diners won’t be leaving this place 

disappointed. The team at City Matters 

recently had the pleasure of visiting and felt 

immediately comfortable by the casual feel 

of this spot. We ordered the samosa chaat 

to share which comes in a generous portion 

size – tasty and filling. However, if you’re 

just opting for one dish of the menu during 

your lunch break then the aloo gobi wrap 

is a great shout. The naan bread is generously 

filled with potatoes and cauliflower 

with spices that are wonderfully balanced. 

However, if you’re more of a meat lover 

then the chicken wrap is a fantastic choice. 

Not only does this spot offer great value 

for money but also gives diners a chance 

to grab some authentic Indian food during 

their lunch break. One to check out this 

month. 

•1 Finsbury Avenue, Broadgate EC2M 2PF 

jugadstreetfood.com 

Gunpowder 

If you’re looking for authentic Indian 

food in the City then look no further than 

Gunpowder. Situated in the back streets of 

Spitalfields, this cosy restaurant needs to 

be added to your list. The starters at this 

restaurant are magnificent and typically 

two to three small plates per person are 

sufficient. To start, the rasam ke bomb are 

superb, if you like your spice then this is the 

perfect way to start your meal. The Tandoori 

Chicken Chop is cooked extremely well, the 

meat is tender and presented beautifully. 

A great thing about this restaurant is the 

casual feel, whether you’re heading there 

for a team lunch or a spot of dinner – you 

can feel comfortable at this food joint with 

ease. The staff are great and always on hand 

to help with drinks and food recommendations. 

Gunpowder delivers on delicious 

flavours that many food spots in the City fall 

short on. 

•11 White’s Row E1 7NF 

gunpowderrestaurants.com 

CITY BUDGET BITES 

BY HARRY YOUNG 

ARE you feeling the pinch from 

dining at fancy restaurants in 

the City? Well, we feel your 

pain. And that’s why we’ve 

compiled this handy guide on 

some of the best spots in the 

City to grab a cheap bite. You can thank 

us later. 

Ping Pong 

Located just a five-minute walk from 

Tower Hill station the Ping Pong at St Katherine 

Docks set our expectations high and 

certainly met them. Located within sight 

of the Tower of London you can escape 

the hustle and bustle of the tourists and 

step into a place where customer service 

is always put first. For our cheap eats menu 

items, we can wholeheartedly recommend 

the ping pong chicken noodles, the 

broth was rich in flavour and the chunky 

flat wheat noodles was like nothing we’d 

tried before. Another favourite was the 

honey chicken chili rice pot, a little spicier 

than the last choice but with steaming rice 

dotted with tasty, braised chicken topped 

with chili, delicious. 

All of this was accompanied with excellent 

service by the informed waiting staff 

that were never far away if you had a question 

or if you needed advice when picking 

your next dish. The interior design made for 

a relaxed atmosphere with plenty of fake 

flowers and plants scaling the walls and 

hanging down from the ceiling. The large 

windows allowed for an uninterrupted view 

of St Katherine Docks, the lights at night 

made it especially lovely to look out at. 

Overall, Ping Pong had plenty of ‘cheap’ 

menu items to come try, but all of the food 

was entirely delicious, the real trouble will 

be sticking to below that £10 limit. 

•1 Bread Street EC4M 9BE 

pingpongdimsum.com 

Wicked Fish 

All of us are looking out for that next food 

place to rave about to friends and family, 

somewhere to break your current trend of 

food locations you go back to time and 

time again. Wicked Fish ticks all the boxes 

required to put it above the rest, let me 

tell you how they do it. Taking a different 

approach they not only do fish and chips 

but also have haddock bites, six haddocks 

Mangio 

goujons with house tartar sauce for only 

£8.5, not bad. Maybe you’re looking for 

something to really dig into, their £10 

Wicked Fish Butty is filled with crispy, delicious 

haddock, placed between two lightly 

toasted burger buns, simply divine. 

The ethos at Wicked Fish is to have 

somewhere to go for high quality food 

at prices that doesn’t make you groan; 

we think they’ve done a pretty good job. 

On top of that they only use fresh, ethically 

sourced ingredients from top quality 

suppliers, what’s not to love. They’ve paired 

with Wright Brothers Ltd, a fishmonger in 

Borough Market, to ensure that all their fish 

is as fresh as can be, something that can 

be really felt with their grilled lobster and 

fresh oysters. Overall, Wicked Fish had the 

perfect twist of sea-side quality fish and 

chips alongside London eccentric menu 

items, a perfect mix. 

•Spitalfields 

hewickedfish.co.uk 

Mangio 

Within stone’s throw of St Paul’s Cathedral 

Mangio is a hidden spot that thousands of 

tourists and locals walk by every year, its 

time for that to change. Mangio is known 

for their pasta and for good reason, at £8 for 

their fresh ravioli or cappellacci paired with 

their house made seasonal, traditional and 

gourmet sauces you’re found a little slice of 

Italian paradise in the heart of London. But 

if you think that sounds like not enough, 

they have you covered. Every week they 

announce their daily specials, from rigatoni 

with amatriciana to tagliatelle broccoli with 

sausage, they are constantly innovating to 

bring you amazing Italian cuisine. 

But it doesn’t stop there, if you’re looking 

for something to take away then they also 

have a delicious selection of Italian ciabatta 

paninis. At only £6 you can be loaded 

up with pesto, mozzarella, Milano salami 

and so much more. Finally, just when you 

thought it couldn’t get any better they also 

have a suberb desert selection. You’ve got 

your choice of creamy tiramisu, crunchy 

sfogliatella and other worldly chocolate 

salami, all for £2. Once you’ve gotten a 

taste of Mangio you might find it hard not 

to keep coming back. 

•30 - 32 Knightrider Street EC4V 5BH 

mangio.co.uk




ANYONE planning a 

conference or event in 2024 

knows how important it is 

to find the perfect location 

- one with enough space, 

great food, technology that 

works, and design that helps foster 

connections among attendees. Planners 

should look no further than Convene, a 

hospitality-oriented meeting and event 

provider. Their venues include everything 

needed for a turnkey conference or event, 

including: 

• Full-service event production 

resources 

• Meeting and event spaces designed 

to maximize collaboration and 

productivity, each of which can also be 

custom-configured to accommodate 

various even A dedicated hospitality 

team that t types and sizes 

• In-house catering run by seasoned 

executive chefs with a focus on 

providing delicious and nutritious 

meals and snacks meant to energize 

and invigorate 

• In-room A/V tools and technology 

inclusive of high-resolution projection 

screens, built-in cameras and 

microphones for a seamless hybrid 

experience, and top-of-the-line 

theatre-lighting systems 

• Digital signage screens and totems 

throughout each location, providing 

event branding opportunities 

• Established relationships with preferred 

external vendors for everything from 

entertainment, impressive high-end 

decor, gifting and favours, step-andrepeats 

and branded signage, and 

more 

Convene recently acquired the storied 

UK event company etc.venues, and of their 

combined 14 venues across the UK, we are 

pleased to share our top choices for locations 

to hold conferences or events in the 

City: 

etc.venues County Hall - Perfect 

for larger groups and great views 

Situated on London's Southbank and 

overlooking the River Thames, etc.venues 

County Hall offers more than 68,000 square 

feet of multi-use meeting and event space 

across two floors, and can accommodate 

larger groups of up to 400. Conveniently 

located a short walk from the Waterloo and 

Westminster stations, it boasts breathtaking 

views of The Houses of Parliament, Big 

Ben, and the London Eye. It is ideal for any 

town hall, corporate off-site, single-room 

conference with break-out sessions, or 

Photos courtesy of Convene 

networking reception. The historic County 

Hall building has been expertly restored, 

keeping many of the original features while 

incorporating high-quality design elements 

for maximum comfort and productivity. 

Convene 22 Bishopsgate - Ideal 

for corporate social events 

Centrally located within walking distance 

of 10 underground stations in the City of 

London, Convene 22 Bishopsgate is a 

premium destination for your upcoming 

event or conference. It is located within 

one of London's newest skyscrapers and 

the second-tallest building in the City, 

an iconic part of the evolving skyline. 

Spanning nearly 38,000 square feet 

across two floors, this venue can hold 

up to 405 guests and boasts great views, 

sophisticated design, best-in-class sustainability 

practices, and a beautiful emerald 

bar perfect for post-event cocktails and 

networking in the centre of the space. It is 

ideal for conferences or events that include 

breakout sessions. 

THE BEST CITY 

VENUES FOR CONFERENCES 

AND EVENTS 

etc.venues 133 Houndsditch - The 

best for BIG 

Located in the heart of the City of London, 

this space is the best for a big event with 

capacity for over 3,000 guests on flow. 

This space provides a blank canvas for 

your conference, event, or reception with 

a stunning atrium, lots of natural light, 

and a contemporary backdrop to host 

your large-scale, all-company celebration. 

Already a part of the Convene portfolio 

of brands, this etc.venues location is officially 

converting to a Convene location in 

April 2024, meaning the venue will soon 

be receiving a makeover, including new 

lighting fixtures, new reception desks, 

re-tiled flooring, and new art and furniture. 

etc.venues 155 Bishopsgate - 

Perfect for an elegant affair 

This venue has established itself as one 

of London’s most stylish conference and 

event destinations. Adjacent to Liverpool 

Street Station, this property boasts two 

etc.venues County Hall 

expansive floors to bring your conference 

vision to life. With capacity to host up 

to 1,000 guests, this venue is meant for 

sizable meetings and exhibitions, featuring 

a sophisticated design and designed to 

serve as the perfect backdrop for inspiring 

networking and collaboration. Already a 

part of the Convene portfolio of brands, 

this etc.venues location is officially 

converting to a Convene location in April 

2024, meaning the venue will also soon 

have new furniture in the gallery space 

to accommodate a variety meeting types 

as well as places for event guests to dine, 

aesthetic updates including new wallpaper 

and paint, and a curated mix of wall art by 

local London artists. 

•Learn more about the Convene 

portfolio of brands, which includes 

etc.venues, at www.convene.com and 

enquire about hosting your next event at 

enquiriesuk@convene.com. 

Convene 22 Bishopsgate 

etc.venues County Hall


Official Fuel Economy and CO₂ results for the Range Rover Sport Autobiography 23MY extended-range Plug-In Electric Hybrid range in mpg (1/100km) (weighted combined): 

353.1-313.9 (0.8-0.9). CO₂ Emissions (weighted combined) 18-20g/km. Equivalent all-electric range: 70 miles (112 km). The figures provided are as a result of official manufacturer’s 

tests in accordance with EU legislation with a fully charged battery. For comparison purposes only. Real world figures may differ. CO₂, fuel economy, energy consumption and range 

figures may vary according to factors such as driving styles, environmental conditions, load, wheel fitment, accessories fitted, actual route and battery condition. Using 50kW rapid 

DC charger. Charging times will vary dependent on many factors, including: the age, condition, temperature and existing charge of the battery facility used and duration of charge. 

For more information and to configure your vehicle visit landrover.co.uk.



WELLNESS 

MASSAGES IN 

THE CITY 

BY ANGELA SHARDA 

THERE’S nothing quite like a 

good massage and there are 

so many fantastic places to 

choose from in the City. Here’s 

our pick of some the best in 

the City. 

Aliona’s Beauty Corner 

at Andaz Hotel 

Just moments away from Liverpool Street 

Station is a lovely hidden gem in Andaz 

Hotel, Aliona’s Beauty Corner. If you’re 

struggling with aches and knots, then 

this is the place to try. The deep-tissue 

massage incorporates soft tissue release 

and muscle energy techniques to achieve 

the best results. Deep tissue massage helps 

to speed up muscle recovery by breaking 

down knots and increasing blood flow 

circulation through certain areas. Aliona, 

will work her magic to get rid of those 

aches, pains, and knots. The ambience 

in the hotel for this massage is fantastic, 

the calming music will help you enjoy 60 

minutes of pure relaxation. 

•40 Liverpool Street EC2M 7QN 

alionasbeautycorner.co.uk 

Leonardo Royal Hotel London City 

Another fantastic massage in the City that 

will help you to relax, unwind and rejuvenate 

is the hot stone massage at Rena Spa, part of 

Leonardo Royal Hotel London City. Whether 

you have the afternoon off from work or are 

here for a spa day – be ready to enjoy 50 

minutes of pure relaxation. The treatment 

rooms are spacious and luxurious. The hot 

stones are carefully placed on your chakras 

to open up energy pathways, helping to 

Nobu 

sooth the mind, muscle tension and reduce 

aches and pains. This massage will have you 

feeling refreshed as you leave the spa. The 

massage therapist was fantastic and catered 

the massage to my needs – really focusing 

on the areas with the most tension and 

aches. A fab massage that needs to be tried. 

•45 Prescot Street E1 8GP 

leonardohotels.co.uk 

Nobu 

Nestled amidst the energy of East London’s 

creative district and the financial centre of 

the City, Nobu Hotel London Shoreditch 

delivers the perfect blend of industrial chic 

and Japanese simplicity. 

Nobu’s treatment rooms are luxurious 

and the perfect place to enjoy 90 minutes 

of pure relaxation. A great massage to try is 

the Thai-Qi Flow massage, this therapeutic, 

warming and invigorating massage integrates 

Thai herbal compresses along with 

hands on massage, stretches and acupressure 

techniques to help balance the body 

and mind. Thai-Qi Flow massage helps to 

energise the body’s flow of energy, aids the 

release of tight muscles, and promotes a 

feeling of optimum wellbeing. 

The massage therapist was amazing and 

applied just the right amount of pressure at 

the right points. She uses her expertise and 

knowledge to understand where the body 

needs the most work and constantly works 

with the client to learn about where their 

aches and pains sit. This is a truly incredible 

experience and one that deserves to be tried. 

•10-50 Willow Street EC2A 4BH 

london-shoreditch.nobuhotels.com 

Nyx Hotel, Rena Spa 

Who doesn’t love a good spa day? Well, we 

certainly do. Rena Spa, situated in NYX Hotel 

London Holborn provides a tranquil escape 

in the heart of the City. The massages here 

are fantastic. Upon arrival, your therapist 

will run through the type of massage that 

you require and cater the massage to your 

needs. The massage rooms are clean and 

spacious and the perfect place to relax. It’s 

a thumbs up from us. 

•50 – 60 Southampton Row WC1B 4AR 

nyx-hotels.co.uk 

Ten Health & Fitness 

As soon as you step into this venue you are 

greeted by friendly staff in a comfortable 

setting. 

Sports Massage Therapist, Abbie Daniels, 

is absolutely fantastic not only does 

she offer a tailored approach to athletic 

recovery and performance enhancement 

but also uses breathing techniques to get 

the best out of the massage. 

What sets Ten Health & Fitness sports 

massage apart is their holistic approach to 

sports therapy. She uses her expertise and 

knowledge to understand where the body 

needs the most work and constantly works 

with the client to learn about where the 

root of the problem is. 

Whether you’re recovering from an 

intense workout, preparing for a competition, 

or seeking relief from chronic pain – 

this is a fantastic spot in the City to visit for 

that vital massage. 

•119-121 Middlesex Street E1 7JF 

ten.co.uk



ARTS & CULTURE 

THINGS TO 

DO THIS 

EASTER 

EASTER is just around the 

corner and we’ve rounded 

up some great activities to 

do with friends and the 

whole family. Whether 

you’re keen to take the 

kids on an Easter Egg Hunt in 

the City, play some golf or try a 

new food menu - we’ve got you 

covered. Read on to find out more. 

Market Explorers Garden 

Eataly London 

Eataly London is putting on a selection of 

special limited-edition dishes and cocktails 

in its restaurants, Terra and Pasta e Pizza, to 

celebrate the long Easter weekend. 

From delicious starters of grilled 

asparagus, poached egg, and parmesan 

cream cheese to hearty mains of slow 

cooked lamb shoulder, closing off with 

Eataly’s sweet treat – the Eggstravaganza 

– meringue with almond, chocolate, apple 

jelly ,yuzu egg and a coconut crumble. 

You’ll be spoilt for choices this Easter 

weekend! 

•135 Bishopsgate EC2M 3YD 

eataly.co.uk 

Leadenhall Market’s 

Great Goose Chase 

This Easter, Leadenhall Market’s Great 

Goose Chase returns. The annual event will 

see teams challenged to compete a range 

of hair-raising challenges in and around 

the market, from recreating film scenes to 

leading dance routines. 

A top prize of £500 Leadenhall spending 

money, plus the legendary Golden Egg 

trophy is up for grabs from the team 

who completes the most tasks within the 

month-long competition. 

Sign-ups open on 25th March and tasks 

will go live 8am on 1st April with submissions 

closing on 30th April at 10pm. 

•Leadenhall Market Gracechurch Street 

EC3V 1LT 

leadenhallmarket.co.uk/ 

the-great-leadenhall-goose-chase 

Coq d’Argent 

Coq d’Argent, D&D London’s legendary 

rooftop restaurant located in the heart of the 

City, is set to launch a Sunday Roast menu. 

Available from Easter Sunday on 31st March, 

Coq d’Argent is embracing the bustling 

weekend crowd with a new menu that puts a 

classic French twist on the traditional British 

Sunday feast, offering the perfect addition to 

indulgent weekend dining. 

Created by Head Chef Damien Rigollet, 

the Sunday roast menu celebrates hearty 

flavours and comforting ingredients, and 

will be served across two or three courses, 

priced at exceptional value. 

•No.1 Poultry EC2R 8EJ 

coqdargent.co.uk 

Market Explorers Garden 

Market Explorers Garden - aims to 

encourage cooks of the future to learn 

where their food comes from through a 

‘what’s in the box?’ game, seed planting 

and hands-on arts and crafts 

11am and 3pm on Tuesday 2 – Thursday 

4 April. Free to attend, drop ins welcome. 

•boroughmarket.org.uk/events/ 

market-explorers-garden 

Six by Nico 

Experience the vibrant flavours and 

dynamic street food scene of Vietnam as 

Six by Nico unveils its newest six-course 

tasting menu, ‘Hanoi’. From Monday 28th 

February to Sunday 8th April, indulge in an 

unforgettable culinary adventure inspired 

by the captivating capital of Vietnam. 

The Six by Nico team have woven 

together their experience of Hanoi through 

a six-course tasting experience – prepare 

to be transported as you savour the unique 

flavours and immerse yourself in the rich 

tapestry of Hanoi’s gastronomic story. 

•sixbynico.co.uk/london 

Cocktail Set Bottomless Brunch 

Picture a boozy menu featuring a diverse 

selection of cocktails, frozen tipples, spirits, 

wine, beer, and fizz. Say goodbye to the 

mundane menus of avo on toast – Swingers 

sets itself apart by offering curated street 

food from eateries such as Patty&Bun, 

Pizza Pilgrims, Breddos, and Crosstown 

Doughnuts. Plus, there’s the added bonus 

of enjoying a round of crazy golf. For just 

£50 per person, the Cocktail Set Bottomless 

Brunch experience includes: 

• 90 minutes of unlimited drinks 

• An exclusive reserved area for your group 

• A round of crazy golf to test your skills 

• Delectable street food to satisfy your 

cravings 

• A resident DJ spinning tunes for a lively 

atmosphere 

Easter Dessert Themed Cocktail Menu 

For those with a sweet tooth, try out the 

special Easter chocolate cocktails menu 

on offer for the long weekend. Why stick 

to chocolate eggs when you can drink 

chocolate cocktails? The menu of Easter 

dessert themed cocktails include: 

• The Chocolate Orange with Havana Club 

7 Rum, Frangelico, chocolate & orange 

rum liqueur, chocolate syrup, chocolate 

bitter and orange bitters 

• Salted Caramel Espresso Martini with 

Mermaid Salt Vodka, Kahlua Coffee 

Liqueur, espresso, caramel syrup and salt 

• Tiramisu Martini with Havana Club 7 

Rum, tiramisu syrup, coconut syrup, oat 

milk and natural egg white substitute 

Resident street food vendor Crosstown 

will also be serving the Hot Cross Bun 

Doughnut over the Easter weekend from 

Good Friday - Easter Monday. 

•8 Brown’s Buildings EC3A 8AL 

swingers.club/uk 

Leadenhall Market

TEST YOUR BRAINPOWER 

No. 5489 

Quiz Challenge 

1. What is the name of the 

building in which the US 

Congress meets? 

2. In football, how wide is the 

standard goal? 

3. In 2023, which group of 

activists held a rooftop protest 

at Prime Minister Rishi Sunak’s 

North Yorkshire mansion? 

4. Which is the only Englishspeaking 

country in South 

America? 

5. The barman Sam Malone 

featured in which TV series? 

1 

5 

9 

11 

10 

13 

20 

19 

1 

9 

10 

16 

19 

26 

32 

34 

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD 

1 

9 

14 

18 

2 

13 

6 

QUICK CROSSWORD 

12 

2 

20 

13 

23 

SOLUTIONS 

3 

13 

3 

14 

21 

24 

30 

31 

EASY SUDOKU HARD SUDOKU 

5 9 6 2 4 3 1 7 8 5 2 6 1 3 8 4 7 9 

2 8 7 1 5 9 3 4 6 1 9 7 6 4 5 3 2 8 

3 1 4 7 8 6 2 9 5 3 8 4 7 9 2 6 1 5 

8 3 9 4 1 5 6 2 7 7 3 9 2 6 4 5 8 1 

6 5 2 9 3 7 4 8 1 8 5 1 3 7 9 2 4 6 

4 7 1 6 2 8 9 5 3 6 4 2 5 8 1 7 9 3 

7 4 3 5 6 2 8 1 9 2 7 5 9 1 6 8 3 4 

1 6 5 8 9 4 7 3 2 9 6 8 4 2 3 1 5 7 

9 2 8 3 7 1 5 6 4 4 1 3 8 5 7 9 6 2 

V 

L 

26 

13 

M 

Y 

25 

12 

E 

S 

24 

11 

U 

D 

23 

10 

O 

B 

22 

9 

G 

T 

21 

8 

2 

15 

21 

14 

17 

22 

35 

A 

C 

20 

7 

8 

12 

16 

18 

21 

4 

11 

25 

27 

33 

X 

I 

19 

6 

3 

7 

11 

14 

16 

20 

12 

18 

22 

R 

W 

6. The Second World War aircraft 

classified as a B17 had what 

popular name? 

7. What is real surname of singer 

Sir Tom Jones? 

8. John Rhys-Davis played which 

character in The Lord of the 

Rings films? 

9. The novel A Discovery of 

Witches, by Deborah 

Harkness, is the first 

instalment in the which trilogy? 

10. Who was England’s longest 

reigning king? 

18 

5 

5 

19 

5 

8 

10 

15 

28 

N 

P 

17 

4 

8 

5 

10 

23 

24 

H 

Q 

16 

3 

6 

6 

29 

Z 

K 

15 

2 

4 

F 

J 

17 

14 

1 

7 

12 

7 

31 

ACROSS 

FIVE ALIVE 

SD UT ES TL YE 

IC UD NO 

OT HU GR HE WT 

CU EG LR 

TH EO DE AL SY 

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. 

2. Small photo I put inside 

personal computer (3) 

5. Stir up old quote (6) 

7. Barter with witch having 

broken leg (6) 

9. It adds up to the same 

amount, whichever way you 

look at it (5,6) 

10. Erotic group of people 

found within the confines of 

Surrey (6) 

11. Become engaged (6) 

13. There’s nothing hectic going 

on outside plant (6) 

16. Was wrong to obtain 

illegally (6) 

18. Cupid’s car is transporting 

deadly poison (7,4) 

19. One retired member, 

a lady (6) 

20. Silent movement to join 

forces (6) 

21. In what way is it shown 

inside? (3) 

NONAGRAM: 

aegis; ageist; agister; airer; arise; arris; artier; astir; 

gait; gaiter; girt; gist; gîte; gratis; grist; grit; irate; 

raise; raiser; REGISTRAR; resit; rise; riser; rite; sari; 

sati; satire; serai; sierra; sire; sitar; site; stagier; 

stair; starrier; stir; stirrer; stria; tarrier; tarsier; terai; 

tier; tiger; tire; triage; trier; trig. 

CROSS CODE 

ACROSS 

1. Trembled (8) 

5. Citrus fruit (4) 

9. Huge (7) 

10. Odour (5) 

11. Delivery 

vehicle (3) 

12. Stinging 

plant (6) 

15. Distort (5) 

17. Towards (4) 

19. Affirm (6) 

22. Imprison (6) 

24. Perceive 

sound (4) 

26. Impassioned (5) 

27. Ambrosia (6) 

30. Label (3) 

32. Trench (5) 

33. Tactile 

(anag.) (7) 

34. Skulk (4) 

35. Bandage (8) 

FIVE ALIVE: 

(1) Across – Stele; Ought; Today. 

Down – Scout; Edged; Entry. 

(2) Across – Dusty; Threw; Heels. 

Down – Ditch; Surge; Yowls. 

Clockwise from top left – multiply; 

subtract; divide; add. Total: 5. 

EQUALISER: 

DOWN 

DOWN 

1. A few (4) 

2. Progeny (5) 

3. Expel from 

property (5) 

4. Cricket team (6) 

6. Worship (7) 

7. Demanding (8) 

8. Division of 

territory (6) 

13. Golf peg (3) 

14. Fretted 

instrument (4) 

16. Spring flower (8) 

18. Exhaust (4) 

20. Refuge (7) 

21. Regular beat (6) 

23. Small child (3) 

25. Fisherman (6) 

28. Skin (5) 

29. Legal 

defence (5) 

31. Floating ice (4) 

EQUALISER 

2 14 

3 4 7 

2 4 

6 4 2 

1 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. Was vacant to start with and 

free from liability (6) 

2. Very good to be like a fruit (6) 

3. Heard to stop a method of 

payment (6) 

4. Pincers produce dangerous 

perils (6) 

6. One is not thankful to show 

this (11) 

8. Magical tram rebuilt 

according to the rules of 

language (11) 

10. Amount of money presumed 

to have been held (3) 

12. Snack is produced by such a 

dog (3) 

14. Plant that grows high (6) 

15. Graduate is in the money in 

North African fortress (6) 

16. Avoid revolutionary in three 

different directions (6) 

17. Undergrad is hiding inside 

plant (6) 

NONAGRAM 

G E T 

A I R 

S R R 

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: 

24 Good; 28 Very Good; 

33 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 Shivered; 5 Lime; 9 Massive; 10 Aroma; 11 Van; 

12 Nettle; 15 Twist; 17 Unto; 19 Assert; 22 Intern; 24 Hear; 26 

Fiery; 27 Nectar; 30 Tag; 32 Ditch; 33 Lattice; 34 Lurk; 35 

Dressing. 

Down – 1 Some; 2 Issue; 3 Evict; 4 Eleven; 6 Idolise; 7 

Exacting; 8 Canton; 13 Tee; 14 Lute; 16 Daffodil; 18 Tire; 20 

Shelter; 21 Rhythm; 23 Tot; 25 Angler; 28 Cutis; 29 Alibi; 31 

Berg. 

CRYPTIC CROSSWORD: 

Across – 2 Pic; 5 Excite; 7 Haggle; 9 Magic square; 10 

Steamy; 11 Enmesh; 13 Manioc; 16 Extort; 18 Prussic acid; 

19 Angela; 20 Enlist; 21 How. 

Down – 1 Exempt; 2 Peachy; 3 Cheque; 4 Pliers; 6 

Ingratitude; 8 Grammatical; 10 Sum; 12 Hot; 14 Alpine; 15 

Casbah; 16 Eschew; 17 Radish. 

QUIZ CHALLENGE: 1 The Capitol; 2 Eight yards; 3 Greenpeace; 4 Guyana; 5 Cheers; 6 The 

Flying Fortress; 7 Woodward; 8 The dwarf Gimli; 9 The All Souls trilogy; 10 George III (59 years). 

EASY 

HARD 

CROSS CODE 

24 7 22 17 22 25 6 7 23 15 

23 23 22 16 20 4 4 24 17 

11 7 20 18 23 11 24 8 20 

2 11 8 24 3 23 20 13 11 

8 22 21 24 8 16 24 18 18 22 

16 22 18 11 24 11 11 20 17 6 8 12 

22 6 13 14 17 23 

23 17 8 22 13 10 4 20 11 8 24 13 

22 7 22 26 24 18 7 22 25 24 

20 9 1 24 7 8 8 18 4 

9 13 8 24 20 24 19 6 8 

20 13 7 22 26 24 13 5 18 

24 8 10 6 11 20 11 8 24 18 

ABCDEFGHIJKLMNOPQRSTUVWXYZ 

1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 

T S 

14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 

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. 

5 9 3 1 8 

7 5 3 4 

7 5 

8 4 5 7 

5 3 7 8 

7 6 2 9 

5 2 1 

6 9 7 3 2 

2 7 6 

5 6 3 4 7 

1 

4 2 

7 4 

5 1 

8 3 

9 6 3 

2 3 5 

4 5 7 6 

O 

© Sirius Media Services Ltd.

CITYMATTERS.LONDON March 13 - April 16 2024 


URBAN RADICALS, MILLIMETRE AND AKTII SELECTED FOR ‘NAVIGATING CHANGE: 

REIMAGINING THE SQUARE MILE’ LONDON FESTIVAL OF ARCHITECTURE COMPETITION 

LONDON Festival of Architecture 

and the City of London Business 

Improvement Districts (BIDs) 

have selected Urban Radicals 

with Millimetre and AKTII as 

winners of the “Navigating 

Change: Reimagining the Square 

Mile” competition to design a trail of 

architectural interventions across the City 

of London. 

The competition called for architects, 

designers, and artists to propose a trail of 

playful and engaging public realm interventions 

that envision a more welcoming 

and sustainable City. 

The winning team proposed to leverage 

the Square Mile’s 2,000-year history and 

its Roman roots to reinvent the concept of 

“Square” into one acting as a backdrop for 

public discussions, knowledge exchange, 

community and inclusion. 

Urban Radicals is a collaborative studio 

that started out in 2019 as a duo between 

architects Era Savvides and Nasios Varnavas, 

with the ambition to form an expansive 

network of friends, colleagues and expert 

collaborators, to solve problems across 

contexts and scales. Since then, the team 

has worked on projects for the Cyprus 

Ministry of Culture, the European Cultural 

Centre, Exhibition Road Culture Group, the 

Venice Biennale and the Goethe-Institut 

London, amongst others. Urban Radicals 

are supported by Millimetre and AKTII for 

their proposal to reimagine the Square Mile. 

The £100,000 competition forms part 

of London Festival of Architecture’s 20th 

anniversary programming, and was held 

in partnership with four City of London 

business improvement districts; Aldgate 

Connect, Culture Mile BID, Eastern City 

BID and Fleet Street Quarter, all part of the 

Primera family of London BIDs. 

Ruth Duston OBE, CEO of Primera which 

operates the City’s business improvement 

districts, said: “We are pleased to 

be working with the team from Urban 

Radicals, Millimetre and AKTII on this 

exciting project as part of the London 

Festival of Architecture’s 20th anniversary. 

Throughout its 2,000-year history, the City 

of London has adapted and transformed to 

meet the needs of the future. As the City 

continues to evolve, now is a good opportunity 

to look at what the next iteration of 

the Square Mile could look like, through 

a lens of design and architecture. We 

look forward to welcoming visitors to this 

celebration of the Square Mile, in June.” 

Nasios Varnavas, Partner at Urban 

Radicals, said: “We are excited and 

honoured to have been selected to 

Reimagine the Square Mile. This is an 

important 20-year milestone for the 

London Festival of Architecture, and we 

hope that our work will nurture the same 

openness that LFA has been advocating for 

over the years. Our project will reimagine 

forms of assembly at various scales, both 

as material processes as well as social 

catalysts.” 

To celebrate its 20th anniversary, the 

London Festival of Architecture called for 

public spaces across London to be temporarily 

reimagined to capture the public’s 

imagination and inform longer term meaningful 

changes. Building on LFA’s long 

history of trialling public realm initiatives 

in the City, the trail will bring together a 

series of unique interventions that respond 

to their local context and are linked by the 

2024 festival theme of ‘Reimagine’. 

Benjamin O’Connor, Director at NLA, 

said: “The proposal from Urban Radicals, 

Millimetre and AKTII really captured the 

heart of what we are seeking to deliver with 

this series of unique interventions that celebrate 

the City’s rich historical foundations 

Urban Radicals - Era Savvides & Nasios Varnavas 

Eastern City ©Mickey Lee 

and building towards innovative solutions 

that create a welcoming, inclusive environment 

for all those that live, work and play in 

the City today. 

“We look forward to summer 2024 when 

we will be able to enjoy the trail with our 

fellow Londoners.” 

The “Navigating Change: Reimagining 

the Square Mile” competition was judged by 

a panel of architectural and design experts 

chaired by Benjamin O’Connor, Director, 

NLA. The judging panel included: Clarisse 

Tavin, Group Manager Major Programmes 

and Projects, City of London; Eddie Blake, 

Director, Studio Weave; Harriet Browning, 

Associate, Civic Engineers; Paolo Mendoza, 

Landscaping and Urban Design Consultant, 

Arcadis; Hannah Penwarden, Student 

Representative, London Metropolitan 

University. 

The winning team will now work closely 

with the City of London BIDs to further 

develop their vision, with more details to 

be revealed in due course.

City Matters 163

Transform your PDFs into Flipbooks and boost your revenue!

Delete template?

Save as template ?