Here’s the most beautiful Wetherspoons pub in London March 25, 2026 SAY WHAT YOU WANT ABOUT WETHERSPOONS…I tend to find putting my morals in the cupboard for the sake of a trip there works out fairly well. Sure, founder Tim Martin’s political views may have cleared liberals out of his pubs quicker than Theresa May’s moves emptied the dancefloor, but it would take a hell of [...]
A Requiem for the Boris Bus March 19, 2026 Sadiq Khan’s decision to scrap the iconic ‘New Bus for London’ is about politics not practicalities, writes James Ford London’s fleet of red buses are iconic. Like black taxis, Beefeaters and red post boxes they are a globally recognised visual shorthand for the capital. And, for better or worse, Mayors of London come to be [...]
International Women’s Day: Free markets are not the enemy of feminism March 8, 2026 History tells that if there’s one thing women should fear, it’s not capitalism, it’s the collective, says Victoria Bateman Leftist global histories tell the same story when it comes to women. They present us with a happy world in which women were revered and rewarded by their communities until the advent of capitalism ended this [...]
Ford Mustang Sutton CS800DH review: Taming a wild horse March 5, 2026 If you have watched the new BBC comedy Small Prophets – and you absolutely should – you will have spotted the Ford Capri. Like its owner, protagonist Michael Sleep, the faded blue coupe looks unkempt and world-weary. But its rumbling soundtrack and subtle ‘2.9 S’ badge soon reveal this to be no common-or-garden Capri. In [...]
Oxford Street regeneration a complex undertaking for City Hall March 5, 2026 The centrepiece of shopping in the capital is set for a major makeover, after London mayor Sadiq Khan set out his long-mooted plans to pedestrianise Oxford Street on Wednesday. The plan will transform the makeup of central London and bring huge opportunities for retailers, but the proposal – particularly its computer-generated elements – leave plenty [...]
How sectarian is London’s politics? March 5, 2026 If the by-election in Gorton and Denton is a seismic event, then the aftershocks will be felt by Londoners in borough elections across the capital in May, writes James Ford By-elections are often exceptional, aberrant outliers from normal politics. The full attention of party campaign strategists and the national press are ruthlessly trained on a [...]
London cable car proves Britain can still get infrastructure right – sometimes March 3, 2026 A proposed floating park in the Royal Docks finally proves the value – and vision – of the London Cable Car, argues James Ford Here is a question you probably rarely ask yourself: what is your favourite bit of transport infrastructure in the capital? Is it the Regent Street Monorail? Maybe you prefer travelling between [...]
Formula 1 revenues soar to $4bn as sport cashes in on popularity February 26, 2026 Formula 1 is closing on annual revenues of $4bn after their recent accounts recorded a 14 per cent increase to $3.9bn. The healthy spike comes as Formula 1 parent company Liberty Media reported a rise in team payouts – by 11 per cent – to $1.4bn ahead of the 2026 season, which will see Cadillac [...]
Trainline shares tumble after boss disembarks February 25, 2026 It’s the end of the line for the boss of Britain’s best-known rail ticketing app after Trainline chief executive Jody Ford said he would be quitting the business. Ford, who has been at the helm of the FTSE 250 company for more than six years, said he would stay in post until a search to [...]
£40bn to restore Parliament? Maybe Guy Fawkes had the right idea… February 25, 2026 The reported £40bn cost of refurbishing the Palace of Westminster is not a serious proposal – it’s a distraction designed to outrage, writes James Ford We are all familiar with the Goldilocks principle of restaurant wine lists. Every wine list is part marketing ploy, part social gauntlet and pure psychological trickery. It is designed to [...]