Happy Thursday, South East London!
The summer clothing really comes out when the first semi-warm day hits like it did yesterday.
Personally, that wasn’t quite t-shirt weather for me, but more power to those who said 'to hell’ with their jackets. And luckily, we have some more nice days to come.
We have a packed weekend of events this week. And for those looking for a coffee and maybe a pastry, we have something in store for you below…
-Anton
In partnership with…
Listen up! We have deals for you. You’ve probably already seen the new coffee place right outside the station in Blackheath.
Well, this week only, they’re giving our readers 15% OFF any food or drinks when you mention, “The S.E. London.”
Here’s what you do: place your order, tell them The S.E. London sent you, and they’ll apply the discount right then and there.
BUT you only have one week to use it so have a coffee, try their pastries, and check out their downstairs overlooking the garden. It’s very zen!
🎸 Concerts & Events
Friday, March 20th
An iconic Reggae and Jazz concert. Effra Band have played with all the greats, and are bringing their Jamaica Jazz sound to Woolwich this Friday night. These are legendary London musicians you won’t want to miss.
Wine masterclass. And this one gets specific. This workshop focuses on Grenache. You’ll explore six premium wines from around the world under the tutelage of the founder of Vinoteca. Get some tips so you can sound fancy at your next dinner party.
An organ concert in the grand Old Royal Naval College. Experience the restored 235-year-old organ in the Chapel of St. Peter and St. Paul, and heighten that experience with a visit to their pop-up bar, featuring some award-winning gin and rum. Now we’ve got your attention.
An intro to Ballroom and Latin Dance. The FREE Mix and Move event is a great chance for older adults to dance, socialize, and improve your dance skills. You don’t need experience or a partner. Come and learn some moves.
Saturday, March 21st
The Deptford Literature Festival is just getting started! Today marks the start of a full week of workshops, readings, talks, signings, and more. The festival showcases emerging voices from Lewisham and the greater South East London area. Find the whole programme of events here. And if you want to get involved, they’re looking for volunteers. Come be a part of this great community event and meet some fellow literature lovers in the process.
Urban Elephant is back. A one-day festival of art, dance, and music in Elephant & Castle. They’re taking over three different outdoor squares with great performances all day long. Check out the schedule here.
Photographers! A colour workshop in Greenwich. This creative gel lighting workshop is suited to intermediate photographers. No gels needed. Come and deepen your craft and meet some fellow photographers in the process.
Plumstead Community Market. This monthly market has arts, crafts, music, and of course food. And this month’s features a special pottery workshop. Find out more here.
Sunday, March 22nd
Vinyl reggae fair. Crate diggers unite for a collection of independent sellers, rare finds and specialist labels showcasing an amazing collection of reggae on vinyl. Find out where.
All Weekend Long
The Telegraph Hill Festival is in its second to last week! This weekend there are chef workshops, DIY workshops, a David Bowie movie, guitar lessons, punk rock karaoke, and an insanely huge list of other amazing things.
BFI Flare, London’s LGBTQIA+ film festival is on this week. This is the 40th anniversary of this iconic film festival. Check out all the amazing films to choose from.
🧒 Family-friendly Activities
Early Easter celebration with the Bunny Egg-Olympics. Explore the gardens at Hall Place while following a trail map filled with activities along the way. Find out more here.
Boppin’ Bunnies is coming to Woolwich. This interactive show for babies, toddlers, and their parents is on Saturday. The show encourages children to dance, play instruments and be a part of the experience.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream. No, we didn’t put this in the wrong category. The Unicorn Theatre is collaborating with the Royal Shakespeare Company to put on this retelling of the play for kids 7 and up. The show starts this Saturday.
Jewelology Creative Arts Classes. A class for kids ages 4-9 to help them create art based on their dreams and ideas. Find out the times here.
🍺 Food & Drink
A ramen workshop, a homemade pasta workshop, a veggie workshop, and a Palestinian Maqluba workshop. Workshop. We just had to say it one more time. These are all part of Telegraph Hill’s Guest Chef series, where a chef leads a class and teaches how to make some amazing dishes. These are all different events, so check out the full page to find out which one is calling to you.
📰 News in your borough
GREENWICH
THE CUTTY SARK DLR STATION IS OPENING SOONER THAN EXPECTED
Some good news here! After a 10-month closure and a £5.2 million refurbishment, the Cutty Sark station is opening early.
The upgrade gave the station four new escalators, a lift, improved lighting, and enhanced safety features. These were long-standing issues that caused problems for the 7.6 million annual passengers that went through the station.
SOUTHWARK
SOUTHWARK BEATS BROMLEY FOR MOST EXPENSIVE HOUSES IN S.E. LONDON
You don’t need a reminder that house prices in London are off the charts. But house prices in Southwark in particular have surged to make it the most expensive borough in South East London.
Average prices reached around £597,000 in 2025, giving Southwark the dubious title of ‘most expensive’ in South East London, overtaking the previous number one, Bromley. There’s been a dramatic rise over the past decade, with prices doubling since the mid-2010s.
*We want to hear from you…
Everybody has that story of the family member or friend who purchased their house for nothing back in the day and it’s now worth a TON of money.
If you think you or somebody in your family has the cheapest South East London house purchase, let us know in the survey below…
The intention is not to make us all jealous. But that will be the outcome.
LEWISHAM
NEW PUSH FOR BICYCLE HIRES AT LEWISHAM STATIONS
Plans are being developed to introduce dockless cycle hire parking bays at a range of South East London rail stations, many focused in Lewisham, including Blackheath, Deptford, Catford Bridge, and New Cross.
The proposals are part of a wider council-backed rollout aiming to support growing demand. They’re using funding from several different sources to support this effort, including Transport for London. They are hoping for the rollout to happen later in the year.
That’s all for now. Have a great week!