London local authority under Conservative majority since 2026; main offices at Westminster City Hall.
M&S has opened Pantheon, a four-floor flagship on Oxford Street spanning almost 100,000 sq ft, with a food, fashion, home and beauty blueprint for future stores. The project features made-to-order tailoring, a dedicated beauty hall, and a revamped homeware section, as the retailer presses ahead with broader London refurbishments amid regulatory battles and urban redevelopment.
The Guardian reports that Ray Exworth’s six-decade body of sculpture has been hidden in seven sheds on a Cornish smallholding. A new book, Ray’s Sheds, documents the unseen works and raises questions about public access to art.
Westminster City Council has published a draft licensing policy advising against vertical drinking and ordering at the bar in Soho and the West End. The policy, which is out for consultation, aims to reduce perceived excessive drinking by promoting seating and table service. London Mayor Sadiq Khan has criticised the plan as restrictive, while hospitality figures warn it could harm the capital’s nightlife.
Westminster Council’s draft licensing policy discourages vertical drinking and table service in the West End to curb noise and disorder. The plan is open for consultation and has drawn sharp reactions from hospitality groups, the Mayor of London, and Prime Minister allies, who argue devolved powers must support nightlife.
Uninsured and anti-social driving triggers a major police operation across Hyde Park, Kensington and Chelsea. Ninety vehicles are seized, including a Ferrari Monza SP2 worth £3.7m, as officers target dangerous driving and insurance gaps. Several arrests are also reported.
Lonnie G. Bunch III will leave the Smithsonian Institution by year’s end. The departure follows a White House report criticizing Smithsonian leadership and a broader push from the Trump administration to realign how American history is presented in national museums. The move comes as the institution faces renewed calls for changes to exhibits and leadership amid partisan pressure.
The government has given English regional mayors the power to charge an overnight visitor levy as a percentage of accommodation costs with no statutory upper limit. Industry groups and major hotel chains have warned the uncapped power will raise prices, reduce demand and cost jobs; mayors say revenue will fund local services and infrastructure from 2028.
The Grand Burstin Hotel in Folkestone has seen a large fire that forced about 280 guests to evacuate. Kent Fire and Rescue Service confirms the blaze started in the basement; police are treating it as suspicious. A welfare centre is assisting evacuees as investigations continue.