Ghost Bus Tours

It’s all aboard for this Ghost Bus Tour that takes you through the darkest, most macabre corners of the Big Smoke’s grisly history on board a classic Sixties Routemaster. The horror-theatre-comedy bus tour, so to speak, visits iconic London locations such as the Houses of Parliament, Westminster Abbey, St Paul’s and Tower of London, revealing the murderous, torture-filled and downright ghastly incidents that have taken place over the years, with your haunting crew providing spooky entertainment as you go.

£20, Daily, 7.30pm & 9pm 
8 Northumberland Avenue, WC2N 5BY  
Tube | Piccadilly Circus  
theghostbustours.com 

 

Ghana pop up

Zoe’s Ghana Kitchen pop-up brings the flavours of the west African nation to London. You can expect to find grilled chicken jollof burgers and wraps, Nkatenkwan wraps and garden egg moussaka. The mid-week melting pot on Wednesdays is a social night placing diners around a large communal table. 

£5+, Daily until Sep 12, Sun-Wed, 11am-10pm.
Thur-Sat, 11am-11pm WC2H 8JT  
Tube | Covent Garden 
zoesghanakitchen.co.uk

 

Portobello film festival

This free film festival pop-up comes to west London, with a wealth of independent movies for cinephiles to get their teeth into. Punk promoter Malcolm McLaren’s doco Anarchist opens the festival, with Alternative London and World Cinema mini-fests making up part of the programme, too.  

Free, Aug 28-Sep 15, times vary 
Various venues  
portobellofilmfestival.com

 

Great London Swim

The biggest open water swim in the south of England celebrates its fourth birthday this year as adventurous swimmers tackle the one-mile course through the Docklands. There will also be live music, street food and market stalls for those not joining the energetic wetsuit-clad folk in the water.  

£39, Aug 31, 9am 
Royal Victoria Dock, E16 1RH 
Tube | Royal Victoria  
greatswim.org

AFL Grand Final @ Elk Bar

 The last Saturday in September means one thing, AFL Grand Final Day. There’s a long month of footy to play before we know who’ll be there on the big day, but we do know the TNT AFL GF shindig at Elk will be showing it on a stack of screens to make sure you see every mark, goal and hit, unless you’re at the bar taking advantage of £3.50 espresso martinis, £2.95 Bundy and cokes and three Jägerbombs for £12. Get your footy gear on too, with a £50 bar tab going to the best dressed. 

£10, Sep 28, doors 4.30am; bounce 5.30am 
Elk Bar, SW6 5QB  
Tube | Fulham Broadway  
tntmagazine.com/afl 

 

King Ping! Tournament

Ping! place 100 table tennis tables across the capital in the summer, and host this King Ping! tournament to mark the closing of another year’s ping pong. There’s music, drinks and prizes ahead of the crowning of King and Queen Ping! It’s a knockout tournament, but the day is really all about the party. 

Free, Aug 30, 7pm-10pm 
The Crossing, N1C 4AA 
Tube | King’s Cross 
pinglondon.co.uk

 

 

OZ/ NZ Literary Festival BBQ

The Australia and New Zealand Festival of Literature and Art isn’t on until next May but this launch event will give you a taste of what’s in store. A night of new writing from Eleanor Catton, Courtney Collins and more, live music from Ben Fletcher, plus short films and great food. £30 tix include food and drink.

Aug 29, 6pm 
Lyric Theatre, W6 0QL 
Tube | Hammersmith 
ausnzfestival.com

 

Photos: Getty