A love letter to Sweetings, the City’s oldest restaurant August 25, 2026 Ahead of our Toast the City Awards this October, we pay homage to Sweetings, the City’s oldest restaurant Britain is a country steeped in tradition and often too wedded to the past, but it also proved itself capable of great innovation. We should never forget that the Square Mile is a perfect example of world-changing [...]
The Highland tourist tax: Is Scotland pricing out whisky tourists? August 25, 2026 The latest available data from the Scottish Tourism Economic Activity Monitor in Scotland (STEAM) shows that between 2012 and 2024, visitor numbers to the Highlands increased 82 per cent to 9.4m. Spending increased by a similar amount, to £2.1bn. A large share of that is directly linked to the Scotch whisky sector. You’d think, therefore, [...]
Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo Review: 550hp, 199mph and Nearly £200k – Is It Worth It? August 24, 2026 The Maserati GranTurismo Trofeo has the looks, soundtrack and blistering performance to turn heads across London, but does its £191,820 price tag justify a cabin that doesn’t quite match the glamour? There’s always something rather alluring about the Maserati line-up, but I can’t quite put my finger on it. Maybe it’s that effortless Italian chic [...]
Meet the Destrier, Bugatti’s most extreme one-off yet August 21, 2026 The Bugatti Destrier is a one-off hypercar based on the track-only Bolide, with a 1,577bhp W16 engine, bespoke styling and a luxury interior. Bugatti has revealed the Destrier, a one-off hypercar that combines the extreme engineering of its track-only Bolide with the craftsmanship of a bespoke grand tourer. The latest commission from Bugatti’s Solitaire programme [...]
I was first aboard Explora Journey’s new cruise ship. Does it beat the competition? August 21, 2026 A first-look at the newest luxury hotel-at-sea cruise ship concept by Explora Journeys You join me on a horizontal skyscraper in the Mediterranean. This is the newest cruise ship in the world. The paint has barely dried. Not a scuff or blemish can be found anywhere along her 268 metres and 14 storeys. She is [...]
Google Pixel 11 review: Can this new smartphone lure away iPhone users? August 20, 2026 Two years ago I reviewed Google’s folding phone and I was blown away. The extra screen real estate was transformative, particularly for someone like me who spends most of their time on smartphones reading. So enamoured by this device did I become that I ditched my previous handset and made it my own. I confidently [...]
Beyond your 9-5: things to explore in the Square Mile August 20, 2026 For most, the City of London is defined by the rhythm of the working week. Offices fill from Monday to Friday, and the streets fall quiet at the weekend. But since the pandemic that pace has changed, and incredibly the Square Mile offers so much beyond the traditional 9-5. A weekend in the City of [...]
Counter culture: The best counter dining in London August 20, 2026 Chairs with backs are nice and all, but sometimes the best meal is eaten on high – stool-high, writes Carys Sharkey A recent trip to New York has got me thinking about counters. I don’t think there’s loads New York does better than London, but counters are one. Counter seating is reflective of the city [...]
City institution Simpson’s Tavern reborn as British restaurant August 19, 2026 Simpson’s Tavern, the City’s oldest chophouse which closed in 2022, is to reopen later this year as a modern British restaurant. Cloth Cornhill will open on 1 October on the site of the former pub, which first opened in 1757 and was a favourite drinking haunt of Charles Dickens and William Thackeray. A new era [...]
Audi’s brought back the A2, and it’s gone electric August 19, 2026 More than 20 years after the original disappeared from showrooms, Audi is bringing back the A2 as a compact electric hatchback. The new A2 e-tron is expected to offer more than 400 miles of range and cost less than £35,000. Audi is bringing back the A2, more than two decades after its famously clever little [...]