London’s Best Rooftops This Summer
The weather gods are up to mischief: Spring sprung in the warmest ever February; fooled us it was summer at Easter; then switched to winter for the May Bank Hols.
But being Brits/Londoners/optimists, rooftop party spaces and bars are popping up all over the capital to provide everything from cocktails and coffee to craft beers and croquet, DJs to dancing, live music to Mexican wrestlers.
Just make sure you check the Met Office reports…
At Tobacco Wharf, Wapping, we discovered games of petanque played on soggy sand and croquet on squelchy Astroturf in a converted multi-storey car park. Nothing dampened our spirits although the fizz lost some sparkle in a downpour that sent guests scampering up fake-grassed ramps to find shelter as Skylight launched its summer season. www.skylightlondon.com
Between showers the rooftop space of Skylight offered terrific views of London’s ever-changing, crane-studded skyline plus an unexpected glimpse of the masts of a couple of ancient ships. Or had I over-dosed on frozen Prosecco with elderflower?
Why, in heaven’s name, are two pirate ships moored in Wapping?
Fact being stranger than fiction they are the rusting remains of a children’s pirate themed playground in what was an ill-fated shopping centre.
When the 1811 Tobacco Dock was transformed from housing tobacco to housing people an ambitious £50m. shopping precinct opened in 1989 _ then died a death thanks to dire travel links and a dip in the UK economy.
But the replica ships remain. Although fakes, they are both designed and named after real ships: The Three Sisters spice trade ship built nearby in 1788, and Sea Lark, an American merchant schooner captured by Britain in 1811.
The Queen of Hoxton Rooftop offered its own colourful Las Mexicanas story of strumming musicians with sombreros wide enough to keep you dry from drizzle, masked female wrestlers, insect tasting, flower headband-making, cocktail concocting.
It’s all fiesta and no siesta as a summer of happenings kicks off under the eye of cultural curator Paola Feregrino-Rodriguez, a Mexican Londoner working with the Mexican community on authentic events.
Look out for these and other elevated open air spaces this summer _ but pack your wellies and waterproofs.
I just love the idea of my favourite shop, John Lewis, catching the hip vibe. But the bastions of dependability has launched their Roof Fest at 300 Oxford Street W1C. The huge terrace has undergone a make-over with boho flower dens and caravan stage.
There’s dancing to DJs, artists and acoustic musicians, Filipino food and cocktails. Sounds like the perfect end to a shopping day. http://johnlewisrooftop.com
There’s more dancing at NT’s tropical terrace where the music ranges from global house, disco, funk, soul and Brazilian.
A brand new live jazz night called Patterns will run every Wednesday featuring an in-house band with guest performances. Add artisanal coffee, New York style pizza, veggie plant-based goodies with cocktails and you have a happy Hackney happening. 207, 1 Westgate St, London E8 3RL
https://www.ntbar.co.uk/
Just pray to those pesky weather gods for a half-way decent summer…
