How To Cheat Your Way Through London This Summer

Will Noble
By Will Noble Last edited 68 months ago
How To Cheat Your Way Through London This Summer

Want to make the most of the sunshine in London, without scorching a hole in your wallet? Try some of our summer cheats.

Free ice cream cheats

Mmm, free Ben and Jerry's

Fancy free ice cream? Ben & Jerry's often do away half-price — and even free — scoops, with their special events such as Free Cone Day. Follow them on social media for your next fix of frozen freebie.

Picnic cheats

So you fancy a picnic. But you don't fancy chewing on a generic Pret sandwich. Put together a basket using locally sourced baguettes, salad, ice cream, and even booze. We've written a guide for Regent's Park & Primrose Hill, and Hampstead Heath.

Also check out our guide to the city's best picnic spots, and parks you can BBQ in.

Swim cheats

Fancy an al fresco swim? Take a dip in Hampstead's Bathing Ponds for just £2 a day (roughly a third of the going rate of your average London lido).

If even two quid is too much to splash out on for a cooling dip, consider moving to Southwark. Free swims are available on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, to those who sign up to the Everyone Active scheme: pools include Camberwell, Elephant and Castle and Dulwich. They're all indoors, mind.

Wimbledon cheats

You really don't need to pitch up a tent for three nights, in order to score tickets for Wimbledon. Here's our guide to queuing for the Championships.

Or maybe, you want to eschew SW19 altogether, and watch the action on one of many big screens dotted around London.

Music cheats

'Bowie' performs at Lambeth Country Show. Photo: Alex Welensky

There's an increasing roster of summer music festivals in London, but not all of them are easy on the wallet. There are some, however, where you needn't shell out a penny, including Walthamstow Garden Party, Lambeth Country Show and Summer by the River. We saw David Bowie last year for nowt... at least we think it was him.

We also have it on good authority that you can enjoy the sounds of some park festivals such as BST and Kenwood House, by perching close to — but not in — the arena.

And remember, every July-September, the Proms does last minute tickets for every single performance: £6 at the venue, or £7.12 online. Music to our ears.

Free and cheap cheats

Every week, Londonist publishes a list of London events that are £5 or less. You'd be a fool not to read it.

Last Updated 06 July 2018