London City Newsletter, Oct 19 2026

The Prince Charles Cinema has a new lease. The Leicester Place cinema announced a 25-year agreement with no break clause last week, ending 21 months of uncertainty over its home.

Two weekends left for the Royal Observatory. The Greenwich attraction closes for redevelopment on Nov 2, leaving Oct 24–25 and Oct 31–Nov 1 for a visit. The planetarium is already closed but the closure won’t extend to Greenwich Park or the National Maritime Museum.

Diwali on the Square (Sun Oct 25, 1–7pm, Trafalgar Square) — Dance performances, workshops and vegetarian food stalls fill the square. Under-18s need an adult.

Peckham Platform's new space (Sat Oct 24, 1–5pm, Peckham) — Explore local art and archive films, try a family workshop and catch Orii's music from 4–5pm at the Bussey Building launch.

Pure Poison (Sat Oct 24, noon–4pm, Euston) — Wellcome Collection explores poison in medicine, fashion and folklore through images and fragrances, including the legends surrounding mandrake.

Together in Tune (Sat Oct 24, noon–3pm, East Ham) — Junior Repz Choir and JazAnne Arts perform at St Bartholomew's Church & Centre. The afternoon is dedicated to Newham's over-50s, with friends and family of all ages welcome. Register ahead.

Pioneers of Comedy meets Next Gen (Sat Oct 24, 7.30pm, Hackney Central) — Robbie Gee and Eddie Nestor host an intergenerational Black British comedy bill at Hackney Empire, with Richard Blackwood, Slim, Kojo Anim and Kyrah Gray. £28.50–£39.50. 16+.

Glenn Underground (Fri Oct 23, 10.30pm–3am Sat Oct 24, Camden Town) — An extended Chicago house set at the Jazz Cafe, drawing on deep and soulful dancefloor records. Tickets advertised at £12–£28. 18+.

Dina Martina: Halloweena! (Mon Oct 19–Sat Oct 24, 7.15pm, Soho) — Halloween cabaret at Soho Theatre with songs, video, costumes and offbeat storytelling. £18–£30. 16+.

London Breeze: UK Women of Film, Part 2 (Sun Oct 25, 3pm, Kensal Rise) — The Lexi screens eight short narrative films made by and starring women, co-curated with Girls on Tops. £10.

Bishopsgate Ballroom (Fri Oct 23, 7.30–10.30pm, Bishopsgate) — Ballroom and Latin social dancing at Bishopsgate Institute. No partner needed, though knowing a few steps helps. Advance tickets advertised at £14; £16 on the door if available. 18+.

Discovery Hub (Sat Oct 24, 11am–4pm, Holborn) — Try a mobile planetarium, a camera obscura and space-themed origami at Holborn Library's family science day. Free.

Painting Our Histories, Drawing Our Futures (Sat Oct 24, 11am–1pm or 2–4pm, Burgess Park) — Draw and paint together at Art in the Park, exploring stories from Black and Global Majority communities. Free; book ahead.

Ocean Tales (Sun Oct 25, noon, 1pm and 2pm, South Kensington) — Join Plesi Finds a Family, an interactive Jurassic-sea story in the Natural History Museum's Nature Discovery Garden. Ages 4+. Free.

Halloween Peepshow (Fri Oct 23–Sun Oct 25, 10.30am–3.30pm, Rotherhithe) — Make a miniature paper Halloween scene to take home at the Brunel Museum. Adult admission £9, under-16s free. Last entry 3pm.

Spiritland at the Barbican — Due to open Oct 20, this listening bar brings cocktails, snacks and weekend brunch to the Lakeside Room. A full album plays at 5pm on opening days. The residency runs through July 2027. Barbican.

Bubala Covent Garden — Due to open Oct 19 at 14 Garrick Street, with vegetarian Middle Eastern sharing plates. The menu includes oyster mushroom skewers at £5.50 per and halloumi with chamomile and fennel honey at £13. Covent Garden.

Juno — Now open at Olympia, with pizza and pasta, plus DJs on Fridays and Saturdays. Tomato and mozzarella paccheri at £16 and crab linguine £22. Olympia.

Solis — Coming soon to 26 Kingly Street. The Latin American grill's announced menu includes Uruguayan-style prawn cocktail and Chateaubriand with chimichurri. Soho.