If you overlook its swathes of parkland, London and hot weather really don’t go together at all. The city’s simply too dense, the transport system painfully ill-equipped for the heat, and I have yet to be convinced of the appeal of al fresco dining next to a bus stop on Clapham High Street.
Nevertheless, I approve wholeheartedly of attempts to bend London into a more summer-friendly shape. Like this Reclaim The Beach lot, for example. Who needs Brighton when you can build sandcastles on a small stretch of mud next to Festival Pier? And the beach parties look fun – I rather like the idea of attempting to turn Southwark into a mini-Koh Samui with aid of a big sound system. I somewhat doubt that the idea of paddling in the Thames will ever take off, mind.
In related news, RIP Charlton Lido. Where does one go for a decent outdoor swim in South London these days?