It’s that time of year again. The whole country goes tennis mad for two weeks as the Wimbledon tournament kicks off from 1-13 July. If you haven’t been lucky enough to get tickets, then you can still enjoy the action and get into the sporting spirit at one of the Wimbledon screenings on in the capital. As well as the action from SW19, there’s also a host of other sporting events over the summer, including Tour de France, The Ashes, the US Open and the Cricket World Cup. Many of the screenings are free, but seats aren’t usually reserved so it’s recommended to get there early if you want to a guarantee a good spot.
Here’s a guide on where to watch Wimbledon and other sporting events on the big screen in London this summer.
Head to Southwark’s street food hub to watch the matches on a 100in big screen in the garden. Flat Iron Square will also be screening the Ashes and the Cricket World Cup during the summer and the Rugby World Cup from September onwards. Free entry. Flat Iron Square, 68 Union Street, Bankside, SE1 1TD. Nearest station: Borough, London Bridge or Southwark. For more information, visit the Flat Iron Square website.
Broadgate as hosting a bumper summer of sports screenings, featuring the Wimbledon, Cricket World Cup, US Open, French Open Tennis, various Grand Prix, Africa Cup of Nations, Queens Club Fever-Tree Championships, Tour de France, Netball World Cup, British Open, England vs Ireland Test Match, Glorious Goodwood and The Ashes. The BBQ pop-up Club will also be serving food. 11am-11pm. Free entry. Exchange Square, Broadgate, EC2A 2BR. Nearest station: Liverpool Street. For more information, visit the Broadgate website.
Canary Wharf will be hosting open-air screenings of many sporting events over the summer, including Wimbledon, ICC Cricket World Cup, Tour de France, Women’s Ashes, British Open Golf, The Ashes, US Open Tennis, FIBA Basketball World Cup and UCI Road World Championships. Times vary. Free. Cabot Square and Canada Square Park, Canary Wharf, E14. Nearest station: Canary Wharf. For more information, visit the Canary Wharf website.
Grab a deckchair or bean bag and watch the games while lounge canalside. Grab strawberries and cream or other grub from the street food market. 12pm-9pm. Free. The Lawn, Paddington Basin, W2 1JS. Nearest station: Paddington. For more information, visit the Merchant Square website.
Soak up the sun while watching the tennis on the big screen in the courtyard. Food and drink available from the Bluebird. Times vary. Bluebird, 350 King’s Road, Chelsea, SW3 5UU. Nearest stations: Fulham Broadway, South Kensington or Sloane Square. For more information, visit the Bluebird website.
Watch the matches on the big screen in the heart of Mayfair. Grab a deckchair and order food and drink while checking out the tennis. 11am-8pm. Free. Brown Hart Gardens (Duke Street Entrance), Mayfair, W1K 6JQ. Nearest station: Bond Street or Green Park. For more information, visit the Mayfair and Belgravia website. Read the rest of this entry
Red or yellow? Curlers are given a pair of grips before taking to the ice
Ever thought about curling? It’s likely you may have watched it on TV since the sport has been an official game at the Winter Olympics since 1998. However, when it comes to winter leisure activities we’ve actually done, it hasn’t reached the popularity of ice skating, skiing, snowboarding or sledding. However, that could be set to change with curling club Sliders pitching up at Queens this winter.
Following their successful run at Roof East in Stratford last year (and back again this winter), Sliders is going west at Queensway’s versatile leisure venue Queens. Known for its year-round indoor ice rink, Queens is also home to cocktail and burger haven MeatLiquor, a bowling alley and arcade following its recent £4million refurbishment.
I went along last week with a group of friends to try out the new curling experience. We started off in MeatLiquor first for cocktails and burgers. The restaurant is diner style, spacious with low ceilings featuring a mix of sofas, stools and chairs, with the options to order to your bowling lane. I opted for a Bristol Fizz cocktail (Grey Goose vodka shaken with pear, strawberry and lemon juice, topped with fizz), which was fruity, sweet and easy to drink. People with special dietary requirements (halal, gluten-free, etc) will be pleasantly surprised to see plenty of menu options. I ordered a really good halloumi burger, with a generous halloumi portion which was cooked perfectly so it wasn’t tough and chewy. I find many restaurants overcook halloumi so especially enjoyed the MeatLiquor one.
Curling is a game which requires balance, strength and mental dexterity
Following our meal we headed to the rink for a spot of curling. All four of our party were novices and admittedly hadn’t watched much of the sport on television. A portion of the rink has been transformed into curling lanes, with coaches on hand to explain the rules. As you would expect, it’s pretty cold so coats, hats and gloves wouldn’t go amiss. Unlike ice skating where you’re likely to keep warm through movement, there are periods during curling where you’ll be standing still on the ice, so make sure you’re wrapped up. Before entering the lanes, we were given grips to help transform our shoes into ice-suitable footwear.
Curling is a game which requires balance, strength and mental dexterity. I like to think (hopefully!) I have an adequate amount of all three, but needless to say, I wasn’t too good at curling. The game involves hurling a stone towards the target area. If you end up in the target, you can’t always be certain you’ll remain there during the round as you can get knocked out by a rival team or even your own teammate. My friends and I played against another team of four. Despite our team managing to win by 1 point, I was probably the weakest link and didn’t get any stone near the target. However, we all enjoyed the game and I would be keen to return in the hope of improving. By the end of our curling, we were pretty chilly so headed to the handily located ringside café, with hot drinks and heat lamps which were much appreciated.
While so many festive attractions in London are outside, Queens offers a range of fun activities inside. You could easily spend hours here with your friends drinking, eating and showing off your sporting prowess… or not so much. My group had a great evening and would be keen to try curling again… hopefully with better results. See you on the ice!
Vegan burgers at MeatLiquor
For a review of Queens’ rinkside bar and diner, the Sin Bin, click here.
Jul 29
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A year on and I still miss the Olympics/Paralympics. It was such an amazing time to be in London, the atmosphere was amazing and the city had never looked so good. I blogged a few times last summer about the games and was fortunate enough to get tickets and attend lots of free events during […]
Memoirs Of A Metro Girl 