Jess Mills
There is a particular kind of magic that descends on London when the light finally shifts and the days become longer and for me, no season reveals the city’s soul quite like spring. I’ve lived my whole life in London, and these are the places I return to year after year; places filled with the particular kind of beauty, comfort and texture that this city does best.
Sunday mornings begin at Columbia Road Flower Market, where spring arrives in buckets of ranunculi, peonies and sweet peas spilling over the cobbles. Everyone seems to have a coffee, or a Bloody Mary in hand. From there, I’ll always choose lunch at Campania: heavenly pasta, tiramisu, and negronis served on the pavement in the sunshine. Afterwards, a drink at the Royal Oak, the perfect London pub, is non-negotiable.
When time allows, a long walk across Hampstead Heath with my family is bliss, something I’ve done my whole life. The Holly Bush waits at the other end with a well-earned glass of wine and their iconic Sunday roast.
Closer to home in Hackney, a warm spring day means a dip at the London Fields Lido, followed by coffee and cake at Violet. Our local, The Elderfield, is where I find myself most often at the moment, now run by the brilliant team behind The Spurstowe. Weekends often take us to Chatsworth Road Market where we head straight to the Green Egg before walking across Hackney Marshes.
But outside of these rituals of place, spring also stirs a more reflective part of my life and work. I’m a writer, musician and campaigner, and day to day I’m the CEO of the Tessa Jowell Foundation, which I founded to honour the legacy of my mother, the late Tessa Jowell. Her life’s work was dedicated to improving lives through compassionate, inclusive and equitable public systems, especially in health and early childhood development.
Today, the Foundation works across the NHS, government, academia and civil society to drive systemic improvements in two core areas of her legacy:
• the innovation of brain cancer treatment and care
• transforming early childhood development
Most recently, I’ve written my debut book, We Are Each Other. It tells the story of becoming a mother while losing my own to a sudden terminal diagnosis. Though rooted in my personal experience, its purpose is far wider: to give language to the universal, life-defining experience of loving and losing someone at the very centre of your world.
Spring in London always feels like a season of renewal, of light returning, of life re-emerging. And in many ways, that mirrors the work I do and the journey I’ve been on.
- Jess Mills
Food: The Tavern, Shoreditch
Credit: The Guardian
Tucked just off Old Street in the heart of Shoreditch, Tavern is set to become one of East London’s most exciting new dining spots. Opening on the 28th April, the restaurant comes from the team behind the acclaimed Nest and Michelin-starred St Barts, reimagining the former Nest site as a stylish British bistro inspired by the warmth of traditional pub culture. Inside, the space feels both refined and welcoming: a sleek black-slate counter wraps around an open kitchen, while the dining room glows with white tablecloths, candlelight and a minimalist black-and-off-white palette, creating a cosy yet contemporary atmosphere. The menu celebrates British produce with comforting, shareable dishes and nostalgic snacks, alongside plates cooked over fire, designed to bring people together around the table. Behind the bar, expect beer served in tankards, seasonal cocktails and a wine list highlighting natural and low-intervention producers. Tavern will open for lunch Wednesday to Saturday from noon until 3pm and dinner Tuesday to Saturday from 5.30pm to 9pm, making it the perfect destination for everything from relaxed daytime bites to lively evening meals in one of London’s most vibrant neighbourhoods.
Bar: Brutes of Mayfair
Credit: Brutes of Mayfair
Brutes of Mayfair is one of the most intriguing new cocktail destinations in central London, bringing a playful yet refined neighbourhood-bar energy to Bruton Place. Founded by hospitality veterans James Stevenson and Guy Mazuch, the intimate space opens this month and centres around a 12-seat bar where bartenders take the spotlight, crafting drinks in front of guests and creating a lively, communal atmosphere. The drinks menu is built around a distinctive “martini shop” concept, allowing visitors to customise their martini by choosing the base spirit, style (dry, wet, dirty or even “brutal”) and garnish, using a clever martini card and barometer that even suggests options based on the weather. Alongside these signature martinis, the bar offers inventive cocktails such as the Seventh Stall, made with wasabi-leaf vodka, yellow tomato, house hot sauce and mustard-seed caviar, as well as British beers, premium spirits and a concise wine and Champagne list. Small plates and indulgent bar snacks such as giant crisps topped with sour cream, chives and caviar or quirky garnishes like blue-cheese olives and pickled onion Monster Munch certainly do round out the experience. The décor blends mid-century style with British tailoring influences, featuring Persian rugs, rich materials and custom Savile Row-inspired bartender jackets, all creating a space that feels both stylish and welcoming. Expected to operate Wednesday to Saturday evenings, Brutes promises an intimate and characterful spot where world-class cocktails, music and atmosphere combine to deliver one of Mayfair’s most exciting new nights out.
Exhibition: Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style
Credit: The King’s Gallery
Opening on the 10th April, Queen Elizabeth II: Her Life in Style at the The King's Gallery, Buckingham Palace is a landmark exhibition celebrating the extraordinary fashion legacy of Britain’s longest-reigning monarch. Running until the 18th October, the exhibition marks the centenary of Queen Elizabeth II’s birth and brings together around 200 remarkable pieces from her wardrobe, many displayed to the public for the first time. Visitors can admire iconic garments including her wedding dress, coronation gown and striking outfits worn at historic state occasions, alongside more personal items such as headscarves, riding clothes and tailored tweed pieces that reveal her off-duty style. The exhibition also includes jewellery, hats, shoes, design sketches, fabric samples and handwritten notes, offering a rare behind-the-scenes look at how the Queen carefully crafted her public image through fashion. Tickets start at £22 for adults (£14 for ages 18–24 and £11 for children). Open daily throughout the exhibition period, this beautifully curated display offers a fascinating glimpse into royal history, craftsmanship and British design, making it an unmissable cultural experience for fashion lovers, royal enthusiasts and anyone curious about the woman behind the crown.
Museum: V&A East
Credit: V&A East
If you’re looking for somewhere new and genuinely exciting to explore in London, V&A East Museum is absolutely worth the trip. The long-awaited new branch of the Victoria and Albert Museum officially opens on the 18th of the month in Queen Elizabeth Olympic Park and it is designed to be a bold, modern space celebrating creativity, culture and the power of making. Inside, you’ll find over 500 objects from the V&A’s incredible collection spread across thought-provoking galleries that explore themes like identity, social change and design, plus a major exhibition space launching with The Music is Black: A British Story. Even better, general entry is completely free, though some special exhibitions may require a ticket. The museum is expected to be open daily from 10am to 6pm, with late openings until 10pm on Thursdays and Fridays, giving you plenty of time to wander through the displays, grab a drink or bite in the café and soak up the atmosphere in this striking new cultural hub in Stratford. With its mix of art, fashion, music and design and a fresh, contemporary perspective on creativity, V&A East is one of London’s most exciting (and long awaited!) new places to visit.
Visit: Tulip Festival, Hampton Court Palace
Credit: Hampton Court Palace
This annual festival returns from the 11th April, transforming the historic gardens of Hampton Court Palace into a sea of colour with more than 100,000 tulips blooming across 60 acres of royal grounds. Wow. Wander through Henry VIII’s spectacular palace gardens between 10am and 5:30pm, where you’ll spot vibrant displays spilling from Tudor wine fountains, vintage horse carts and even floating bowls in the Great Fountain. There are also special trails guiding you through the floral displays, rare tulip varieties to discover and plenty of photo-worthy spots set against the palace’s stunning Tudor architecture. Best of all, the festival doesn’t require a separate ticket because it’s included with normal palace entry, so you can also explore the palace itself, from the Great Hall to the historic kitchens, after strolling through the gardens. It’s only around 40 minutes from central London and with the gardens bursting into colour for just a few weeks each spring, it’s one of the most joyful and Instagram-friendly, seasonal events in the capital.
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Kids: Alice in Wonderland
Credit: Riverside Studios
The Alice in Wonderland production at Riverside Studios is a great shout this spring for a fun, family-friendly theatre trip with a bit of magic. Running for a limited Easter season from the 27th March to the 12th April, this lively retelling throws you straight into Wonderland, where you follow Alice as she shrinks, grows and bumps into all the classic characters, from the White Rabbit to the Queen of Hearts, in a fast-paced, visually playful show. There will be colourful sets, inventive puppetry, quirky costumes and an original soundtrack, all packed into a punchy one-hour performance with no interval, so it’s perfect for all ages (although recommended 5+). Shows typically run at slots like 12pm and 3pm, making it easy to fit into a day out and tickets are pretty accessible too, starting from around £10–£25, with some great family deals. It feels like stepping into a storybook and is ideal if you want something light, imaginative and genuinely fun without the full West End price tag.
Kids: Zoonormous Egg Hunt at London Zoo
Credit: London Zoo
For a fun Easter day out, the Zoonormous Egg Hunt at London Zoo is a total winner. Running from the 28th March to the 12th April, it turns a regular zoo visit into a full-on adventure, where you’ll roam the grounds hunting down six giant, animal-themed eggs, each revealing clues to crack a secret code. Once you’ve figured it out, you can head to the main lawn and claim a chocolate treat…always the main goal, right? Along the way, you’ll also stumble across over 8,000 animals, from penguins and giraffes to rainforest monkeys, plus bonus Easter extras like craft stations where kids can make bunny ears and a special exhibition celebrating the zoo’s 200th anniversary. The whole egg hunt is included with standard zoo admission (usually from around £28 for adults, with kids’ discounts and under-3s free), so you’re getting a full day out for the price of a ticket. The zoo is typically open daily from around 10am, so you can spend hours exploring, solving clues and soaking up the spring vibes.
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Theatre: One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest
Credit: The Old Vic
The brand-new production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest at The Old Vic is shaping up to be an absolute must-see this spring. It kicks off with previews from today, officially opening mid-April and running until the 23rd May, bringing Ken Kesey’s iconic story back to the London stage for the first time in over 20 years. It’s geared up to be a powerful, immersive performance set inside a psychiatric ward, where rebellious newcomer McMurphy (played by Aaron Pierre) shakes things up and clashes with the chilling Nurse Ratched, sparking tension, dark humour and some seriously emotional moments. With its intense performances, striking staging and thought-provoking themes about power, freedom and rebellion, this is a fresh, hard-hitting take that’ll stay with you long after you leave the theatre.
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Charity of the Month: Sideman Charity Football Match
Credit: Wembley Stadium
The Sidemen Charity Football Match is basically the ultimate mix of sport, entertainment and internet culture all rolled into one. Taking over Wembley Stadium on Saturday 18th April, this is a full-on spectacle where Sidemen FC (KSI, Miniminter, Zerkaa, TBJZL, Behzinga, Vikkstar123 and W2S) face off against the YouTube Allstars (with appearances from names like Kai Cenat, Chunkz, ChrisMD, Theo Baker and Niko Omilana) so a day packed with huge online personalities, surprise guests and plenty of hilarious moments on the pitch. Kick-off is at 3pm, but it’s worth heading down earlier to soak up the atmosphere (and even hit nearby fan zones like Boxpark from late morning). Tickets are surprisingly affordable for such a massive event, starting from around £15–£35, although they tend to sell out fast thanks to the huge demand. Every ticket helps support charity as the match raises money for organisations like Bright Side, M7 Education and often partners like BBC Children in Need, with past events bringing in millions of pounds (over £4.7m in 2025 alone) to support mental health, education and youth initiatives. So you’re not just watching an A list football match, you’re actually contributing to something meaningful at the same time. It’s loud, unpredictable and genuinely fun.