Discover the City’s smallest serving window, a miniature wool boutique and a mouse-sized video shop at the new Wunderkammer, open from September to December

A curious new address will appear on one of Leadenhall Market’s cobbled alleyways when the Wunderkammer opens at No. 27¼ on Thursday 3 September. Open from Thursday to Saturday until December, the installation centres on an Italian-inspired serving window, launching with limited-edition miniature postcards before Market tenants and visiting brands take over on rotation with cakes, coffee, wine and exclusive products. A tiny wool boutique and mouse-sized video shop complete the trio, revealing different chapters of the Market’s history and character.

Taking its cue from 19th-century curiosity cabinets, miniature theatres and Leadenhall Market’s ornate Victorian architecture, the installation is designed to intrigue and delight, with three unexpected worlds for visitors to uncover throughout the autumn and festive season.

The serving window takes inspiration from Florence’s historic buchette del vino, where residents once bought wine directly from palace cellars. Next door, visitors can peer into the Lilliputian sized video rental shop which celebrates Leadenhall Market’s on-screen credentials. Best known for standing in for Diagon Alley in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone, the Market has more recently appeared in the Netflix spy thriller Black Doves and Apple TV+’s Slow Horses, amongst many others. Those exploring the display can search its shelves for references to scenes filmed among Leadenhall’s distinctive shopfronts and architectural details.

The wool boutique reaches further back into the Market’s trading history. By 1463, the Market was where wool tronage was determined, a tax traders paid to have their goods officially weighed using a specially installed beam (or trona). The display brings this medieval connection to life on a suitably small scale.

Ollie Goode, asset manager for Leadenhall Market said: “Leadenhall’s architecture is grand, but many of its charms are found in the details: from the original butchers’ meat hooks above our restaurants, bars and shops, to the City’s dragons keeping a watchful eye over visitors. The Wunderkammer plays with that contrast, and draws on centuries of trading history, bringing moments of curiosity and wonder on an unexpected scale to offer visitors, diners and shoppers a new way to experience our unique space.”

The Leadenhall Wunderkammer opens to the public on Thursday 3 September 2-6pm, continuing at the same timeslot Thursday to Saturday until 22 December. Entry to view the tiny video rental and wool shops is free, with products available to purchase through the miniature serving window. Check Leadenhall Market Instagram and Facebook pages and website for details of opening programme.

Leadenhall Market is owned and managed by The City of London Corporation.

Since 2020, Barley has provided full-service strategic communications to East West Railway Company (EWR Co) to support its progression towards applying for a Development Consent Order (DCO) for East West Rail, the new railway connecting Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge.

Through multiple political administrations and three public consultations, our work has enabled EWR Co to maintain momentum, strengthen stakeholder trust and mitigate delivery risk.

Our remit has included strategic advice, political and stakeholder engagement, public consultation, media and digital communications, sensitive landowner engagement and internal capability development – delivered using Barley’s IMPACT model to ensure communications directly supported the organisation’s strategic and programme objectives and helped to make the case for EWR.

By focusing on EWR Co’s broader strategic objectives, we helped them meet challenges, mitigate risks and maintain a robust case for EWR throughout:

Extensive political upheaval, including five Prime Ministers
Consultation in 2021 during COVID
The appointment of two new CEOs
The Route Update Announcement in 2023
Consultation in 2024 – 2025

Results

Our work has delivered measurable programme benefits by reducing key risks and building trust amongst key stakeholders by:

Accelerating political engagement general post-election: our highly successful ‘100 Days’ programme in advance of the 2024 General Election identified and mapped potential new MPs along the line of route and likely Ministers so that as soon as new people were in post, we were able to contact them with meaningful content. We engaged 100% of new MPs along the route within two weeks of the election, avoiding any engagement lag and potential negative perceptions from the new elected representatives
Working with Aecom to develop a consultation strategy that deployed new digital technologies to deliver the public consultation in 2021 (during COVID), supporting the organisation and its technical experts through its first and only digital public consultation, and leading to the highest response rates of any of EWR Co’s three public consultations
Supporting the new CEO from the start, planning and drafting event speeches, media features and blogs alongside extensive media training and briefings before major media announcements, such as the Route Update Announcement in 2023
Implementing a new land and survey communications strategy to ensure sensitive land and property issues were managed with empathy, consistency and clarity to build trust and reduce delays to the programme. This also led to faster land access approvals, where engagement support helped to unlock key land access agreements for surveys, saving time and costs.
Producing an extensive risk register that went beyond communications, encompassing risks across the programme, tagged and prioritised with mitigations and recommendations for management. This led to the development of bespoke handling plans for the highest priority risks, which helped mitigate any escalating communications risks and avoided potential derailing of the programme.

Overall, Barley’s strategic communications support contributed to significant risk reduction, smoother delivery of public consultations, and improved stakeholder and public perceptions, helping to maintain vital support for the project from multiple changes in government.

Barley has been providing strategic communications support to East West Railway Company (EWR Co) since 2020. This has included a strong focus on community and stakeholder engagement, public consultation, media and digital communications – all delivered using our IMPACT model to ensure we’re supporting EWR Co’s strategic and programme objectives.

We have provided support to EWR Co though three public consultations – in 2021, 2024-2025 and 2026 – as well as a major Route Update Announcement in 2023. Our work through these key project communications milestones has measurably improved community engagement, media sentiment and public perception to uphold the case for the project and the reputation of EWR Co as they move towards submitting an application for a Development Consent Order.

Results

For their public consultation in 2021, which took place during Covid, Barley held leading roles in developing consultation materials, hosting online events, media relations and event management. Working alongside Aecom, we developed a consultation strategy that deployed new digital technologies, navigating the organisation and its technical experts through lockdown restrictions and its first and only digital public consultation. There were 9000+ responses and 140,000 matters raised during the consultation – the highest response rate and awareness of any of EWR Co’s three public consultations.

Our strategic media support significantly improved media sentiment, leading to an uplift in positive sentiment in EWR coverage since 2021, which was particularly important for the Route Update Announcement in May 2023. That month saw a year-on-year transformation in terms of media sentiment, with an 82% reduction in negative media coverage and a 93% increase in positive coverage. Our strategy helped to facilitate open and meaningful dialogue with local journalists.

At the Route Update Announcement, we developed a media strategy, provided media training for the CEO and other media spokespeople, drafted reactive lines to take, undertook reviews of technical documents and developed key materials, such as website and video content, which included visual animations explaining complex issues as well as community vox pops. We also devised and delivered four launch plans for each major area along the EWR route, which helped secure local media coverage that reflected our carefully crafted strategic messages relevant to their local area.

We provided strategic communications advice for the non-statutory consultation in 2024 – 2025 at the highest levels of the business and offered guidance around lessons learned from previous consultation. For the 2026 consultation, we focused in on supporting land and property related engagement to ensure sensitive stakeholders were engaged with empathy, clarity and transparency, to build trust and minimise risks to the programme and developed four booklets for different areas along the route.

Barley’s strategic communications support has led to the smooth delivery of public consultations and improved stakeholder and public perceptions of the EWR project.

Building nationally important infrastructure is challenging at the best of times. Building it through a period of political instability is harder still.

Since Barley began supporting East West Railway Company, the UK has had five Prime Ministers, multiple changes in government and shifting national priorities around infrastructure, growth, transport and public spending. At the same time, East West Rail is being developed across a complex geography, connecting Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge through communities with very different views, priorities and levels of support for the project.

Following the 2024 General Election, EWR Co needed to build relationships quickly with newly elected MPs, returning MPs, council leaders and potential ministers along the route. For a major infrastructure project preparing for future consultation and consent, a slow post-election reset would have created risk. Decision-makers needed to understand both the benefits and the challenges of East West Rail, while those who influence them needed a clear and accurate understanding of the project’s position.

The challenge was not only to engage political stakeholders, but to identify where support could be maintained, strengthened or unlocked. This included existing and potential advocates across local government, major employers and institutions, including organisations such as AstraZeneca, Cambridge University and local businesses whose voices could help make the case for East West Rail.

Barley was asked to develop and deliver a rapid political engagement programme that would help EWR Co understand the new political landscape, prioritise engagement and build constructive relationships with key decision-makers and advocates within the first 100 days.

Insights and approach

Our insight was clear: after an election, speed matters, but relevance matters more. Newly elected representatives do not need generic project information. They need to understand what the project means for their constituency, their residents and their political priorities.

Ahead of the election, we mapped likely parliamentary outcomes along the route, identifying potential new MPs, returning MPs, relevant ministers and key local political stakeholders. We also mapped potential advocates, including local authorities, major employers, universities and local business voices who could help demonstrate the wider economic, social and connectivity case for the project.

This meant EWR Co was ready to act as soon as the results were known, rather than losing momentum during the usual post-election re-engagement period.

We developed targeted briefing materials, constituency-specific messaging and clear lines-to-take, ensuring engagement was practical, accurate and locally relevant. These materials helped decision-makers understand the strategic benefits of East West Rail, the local issues that needed to be managed, and the current position of the project as it moved towards future consultation and consent.

We also helped EWR Co prepare for challenging conversations, including with representatives who were sceptical, opposed or under pressure from local campaign groups. The programme was designed to be structured but flexible, enabling EWR Co to prioritise the most important relationships, respond quickly to new political dynamics, maintain consistency across meetings and follow up with the right information, evidence and advocacy opportunities.

Results

The 100 Days programme enabled EWR Co to move quickly and confidently in a changed political environment.

Within two weeks of the General Election, EWR Co had engaged 100% of new MPs along the route, avoiding the months-long re-engagement lag that often follows political change.

The programme helped establish early relationships with newly elected representatives, improve understanding of local priorities and create a stronger platform for future consultation, consenting and delivery.

It also helped EWR Co maintain and unlock support among influential advocates, including civic leaders, major employers, universities and local businesses. By connecting the project to local economic growth, skills, innovation, housing and business priorities, Barley helped ensure supportive voices were better informed and more confident in making the case for East West Rail.

The work contributed to a positive shift in political sentiment, helping turn several newly elected MPs into more active and constructive voices in the project conversation.

By combining political insight, rapid delivery, advocate mapping and locally relevant messaging, Barley helped EWR Co protect momentum, reduce reputational risk and strengthen stakeholder relationships at a critical point for the programme.

Research reveals shocking levels of inequality of access to safe, well maintained green spaces, despite proven benefits to wellbeing and quality of life

People living in Britain’s most deprived communities are more than twice as likely to describe their local park as ‘unsafe’ compared to those in the most affluent areas, according to new research by environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, published to mark the 30th anniversary of the Green Flag Award.

The findings reveal a growing ‘Green Divide’ across Britain, with those who stand to benefit the most from access to safe green spaces the least likely to have them.

The nationally representative YouGov survey of more than 2,000 adults found stark differences in the quality and safety of local green spaces between the richest and poorest areas in the country.

Just 27% of people in the most deprived areas describe their local park as ‘safe’, compared to 46% in the least deprived areas

21% of residents in the most deprived areas say their local park is ‘run-down’, compared to just 9% in the least deprived areas

Only 39% of residents in the most deprived areas rate their local park as ‘good’, compared to 49% in the most affluent communities

The research also reveals that parks in the most deprived communities are most likely to fail to meet basic human needs, in contrast with those in affluent areas. The top priorities for park improvements in the most deprived areas are cleanliness (27%), toilets (25%), safety (23%) and maintenance (23%). In more affluent communities however, the top priorities are enhancements such as community activities (29%) and nature areas (17%), with almost a third (30%) saying their local park needs no improvements at all.

This inequality has widespread implications for wellbeing, community safety and economic opportunity. Evidence shows that parks are one of the most cost-effective public assets available; every £1 invested delivers more than £7 in wellbeing benefits. Yet, despite physical inactivity costing the UK £7.4 billion each year, investment in parks has accounted for less than three per cent of local authority budgets in recent years.

Keep Britain Tidy’s findings are published as this year’s Green Flag Award winners are announced, recognising a record 2,391 of the UK’s best-managed parks and green spaces.

Paul Todd MBE, Green Flag Award Manager at Keep Britain Tidy, said: “Parks are essential public spaces that support our wellbeing, our communities and our economy. Yet for millions of people, particularly in the most deprived areas, local parks simply don’t feel safe or welcoming.

“In an age of rising concern about community cohesion, young people’s wellbeing and time spent online, safe local parks are becoming more important than ever. Yet the communities who need them the most are sadly the least likely to have them.

“With public services under pressure, investing in parks is not a luxury, it’s a practical, preventative solution and one of the most visible ways councils can improve people’s quality of life.

“Every pound invested in a park, particularly in a deprived community, delivers real returns – improving wellbeing, bringing communities together, reducing loneliness, giving people somewhere safe and free to spend time and, ultimately, reducing pressure on public services like the NHS.

“Today’s Green Flag Award winners show what can be achieved when parks are properly supported and managed. As we celebrate 30 years of the Green Flag Award, we want every community, especially those in areas of high deprivation, to have access to green spaces that are safe, welcoming and maintained to the highest standards.”

The Green Flag Award is the international benchmark for quality, recognising sites that meet rigorous standards for safety, accessibility, environmental management and community engagement. Keep Britain Tidy is calling on local authorities to prioritise investment in parks in areas of greatest deprivation and to use the Green Flag Award as a benchmark standard to drive improvement.

Keep Britain Tidy programme with KFC, Mars Wrigley, McDonald’s and Nestlé delivers measurable impact and a scalable model for councils

A pioneering pilot led by independent environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy has demonstrated how sustained behaviour change activity can improve both the physical environment and people’s perceptions of their local area – delivering cleaner streets, stronger community pride and renewed economic confidence without putting additional pressure on council budgets.

The 12-month “Love Where You Live Heckmondwike” programme, funded through the Litter Pact and delivered in collaboration with KFC, Mars Wrigley, McDonald’s and Nestlé, achieved a 16% reduction in food and drink-related litter– providing robust, real-world evidence of what works at community level.

In 2024, Keep Britain Tidy embarked on a project with the aim of pulling together all the research, insights, interventions and approaches the charity had delivered in the previous decade and see if it could make a measurable difference to the levels of litter on the ground and, importantly, to people’s reported behaviour and perceptions of the place they called home.

Key results include:

16% reduction in food and drink packaging litter overall

20% reduction in confectionery litter

52% reduction in littering around “Bin it for Good” installations – where bins are converted into charity tins*

A 22-percentage-point increase in public satisfaction with cleanliness (rising from 14% to 36%).

The initiative highlights the critical role that shaping consumer behaviour can play in addressing environmental challenges, beyond packaging design and recycling infrastructure,

Through co-investment in research, campaign development and local activation, partners supported a coordinated multi-channel programme that combined:

Evidence-led messaging tailored to specific litter behaviours like “careful littering” and dog fouling

Strategic placement of litter interventions in high-impact locations

Community engagement and localised creative

Collaboration with businesses, schools and the local community.

The campaign achieved strong public engagement, with 70% of residents recalling activity.

Among those with highest exposure:

83% said they would pick up litter near their home

68% were more likely to take personal responsibility for keeping the area clean

63% were more likely to use bins.

Importantly, the findings reinforce a clear link between perception and behaviour, demonstrating that individuals who viewed their area as clean were significantly more likely to act responsibly.

The programme also saw a significant reduction in those who perceived fast food litter to be a problem between the beginning and end of the project, with the number of people saying it was a problem falling from 86% to 42%.

The pilot also underscores the commercial relevance of tackling litter with 16% of businesses in the area saying customers would spend more in cleaner areas and 30% believing that improved cleanliness would attract new businesses.

The findings underline the role of environmental quality in supporting thriving high streets and inward investment.

Allison Ogden CEO of Keep Britain Tidy said: “Keep Britian Tidy has decades of understanding of – and unparalleled experience in – changing littering behaviors.

“This pilot shows that working in partnership with funders, businesses on the ground, local authorities and leaders from within the community in a sustained, joined up way delivers far greater results than solo or siloed efforts.

“We welcome food and drink brands showing this kind of leadership.”

Kim Leadbeater, MP and chair of the Tidy Britain All Party Parliamentary Group said: “I’m deeply invested in the town of Heckmondwike, it’s where I was born, where I grew up.  

“Being part of a project that not only reduced litter in my hometown but improved how residents feel about their neighborhood makes me so proud”.

Dr Emma Keller, Head of Sustainability at Nestlé UK and Ireland, said: “Nestlé is proud to be joining other industry leaders in the Litter Pact. Every year, we see employees from up and down the country getting involved in the annual Great British Spring Clean, an important initiative for local communities. We are excited to build on this through the Litter Pact.

Helen McFarlane, Sustainability Manager at McDonald’s, said: “McDonald’s is delighted to have supported the Litter Pact alongside Keep Britain Tidy and to see such strong results for the Heckmondwike community. Addressing litter is a shared responsibility, and this initiative demonstrates how effective partnership working and local engagement can deliver tangible benefits. We are proud to be part of something that is helping to create cleaner, more welcoming places for everyone.”

As part of the project’s legacy, Keep Britain Tidy has launched a full report and place-based litter toolkit for councils available online at keepbritaintidy.org.

The brief

Keep Britain Tidy asked Barley Communications to develop and deliver a national behaviour change campaign that would help reduce fly-tipping by addressing one of its root causes: householders unknowingly using unlicensed waste carriers.

Research showed that many people were unaware they could be held legally responsible if their waste was illegally dumped. The challenge was to communicate a complex issue in a simple, engaging way that would increase awareness, encourage responsible waste disposal and deter consumers from choosing suspiciously cheap waste removal services.

Insights and approach

Audience research identified a clear risk group: cost-conscious, time-poor consumers aged 25–44 who often use online platforms such as Facebook Marketplace and TikTok to find low-cost services. Many were unaware of their legal duty of care when disposing of household waste.

Our strategic insight was that fly-tipping could be reframed as a consumer protection issue rather than purely an environmental one. This led to the creation of #RubbishDeal, a simple, memorable campaign concept showing that cheap waste removal can come at a much higher cost to communities and the environment.

To drive action, we developed a clear behavioural framework built around three simple steps:

Ask for a waste carrier licence
Check it on the Environment Agency register
Always get a receipt

Barley led the creative development and delivery of the campaign, creating an integrated communications programme spanning media relations, social media, paid advertising and local authority engagement. Creative assets used a crime-prevention visual style inspired by CCTV and surveillance footage, helping to communicate the reality of waste crime while maintaining credibility and trust.

We also developed a comprehensive campaign toolkit, enabling councils and partners across the UK to deliver consistent messaging through local channels. Seventy councils and partner organisations adopted the campaign resources, extending reach and impact nationwide.

Results

Fight Fly-tipping Fortnight successfully transformed a complex legal and environmental issue into a clear public call to action.

The campaign generated national visibility, widespread stakeholder support and measurable shifts in awareness and behavioural intent. Independent evaluation showed the campaign increased understanding of householders’ responsibilities and made audiences significantly less likely to use suspiciously cheap waste removal services.

Importantly, the campaign delivered evidence of real-world action. Visits to the Environment Agency’s licensed waste carrier register increased sharply following launch, indicating consumers were taking practical steps to check waste operators before hiring them.

By combining behavioural insight, creative storytelling and coordinated local activation, the campaign helped position Keep Britain Tidy as a leading voice in the fight against waste crime while encouraging more responsible waste disposal behaviour across the UK:

74% of audiences exposed to campaign content were less likely to use cheap waste removal services advertised online
55% said they would follow all three recommended actions
58% learned something new from the campaign

East West Railway Company (EWR Co) is developing plans for a new railway between Oxford and Cambridge, linking people with jobs, schools, services and each other, opening up new journeys, cutting travel times, easing road congestion and supporting sustainable economic growth across the region.

It is one of the UK’s most complex and sensitive infrastructure programmes and ‘megaprojects’. It involves building and upgrading railway infrastructure across a long, varied and already developed corridor between Oxford, Milton Keynes, Bedford and Cambridge, affecting thousands of land and property interests along the route.

The project requires carefully targeted engagement with individuals and organisations whose circumstances, concerns and exposure to the proposals vary widely, from major landowners and multinational businesses to small local firms, tenants on short commercial leases, homeowners, farmers and community assets. It also sits within a highly scrutinised political environment, with local leaders who support the project, others who remain opposed or unconvinced, strong project advocates and organised opposition all seeking clear answers about what the proposals mean in practice.

Working within a sensitive and complex infrastructure programme, EWR Co wanted to make sure that communications with landowners are clear, empathetic and consistent. The goal was to reduce avoidable queries and escalation, build trust and support the timely agreement of survey access and voluntary arrangements. The project is fast paced and effective interaction with people is vital given the need to submit an application for a Development Consent Order.

Insights and approach

Effective stakeholder engagement in infrastructure communications depends on clarity, consistency and timing, particularly when issues are sensitive, such as compulsory acquisition or accessing private land for surveys.

Using our extensive knowledge of East West Rail following six years of working on the project, we acted as a strategic link between EWR Co’s Land and Property and External Engagement teams, ensuring alignment between technical information and wider planning communications.

Our approach combined additional capacity with specialist expertise. We started by developing a communications strategy for land and survey work which set out a strategic approach to ensuring co-ordinated, clear and empathetic landowner communications. We then established a planning process that ensured careful cross-team co-ordination and collaboration, and avoided communications fatigue amongst landowners.

We drafted and quality-assured landowner engagement materials – including survey licence cover letters, letters to directly affected landowners, consultation materials and FAQs about land impacts, surveys and property acquisition issues – ensuring a consistently clear, warm and open tone of voice and improving accessibility without losing technical accuracy.

We supported engagement planning around evolving programme requirements, helping teams anticipate landowner concerns and respond proactively. For more complex or higher-risk issues, we advised on strategic and de-risked engagement planning, and developed clear lines-to-take, enabling confident and consistent responses.

We also ensured land and property considerations were fully reflected in wider external affairs activity, including briefings for MPs, media and other key stakeholder along the route.

Results

Our work strengthened the quality and consistency of landowner engagement across the programme, helping EWR Co build trust and maintain positive relationships.

By improving alignment between teams and proactively addressing potential engagement risks and concerns, we supported more efficient and responsive communication with landowners.

This contributed to a more streamlined approach to securing survey access and voluntary agreements, while reducing risk across sensitive land and property issues.

Our input also ensured that land and property considerations were more effectively integrated into broader stakeholder engagement activity, supporting a more joined-up and strategic approach.

Children from 12 primary schools across London will step into the shoes of Borough Market traders this summer as the Young Marketeers Summer Sale returns on Thursday 2 July, 11am – 1.30pm.

At the annual Summer Sale, a new generation of Londoners will sell their fresh produce at the capital’s famous bustling food market. Pupils will arrive with a harvest they have grown from seed at school, including dwarf French beans, lettuce, peas and radishes. Every penny raised will help provide meals for vulnerable families across London through Borough Market’s partner, food redistribution charity Plan Zheroes.

The Summer Sale marks the culmination of the Young Marketeers programme, a long-running partnership between Borough Market and food education charity School Food Matters. Through the programme, children from schools in boroughs including Westminster, Tower Hamlets, Hammersmith, Lambeth and Southwark gain hands-on experience of growing food in a sustainable way, learn about which fruit and vegetables are in season and discover the skills required to run a successful market stall.

Borough Market and School Food Matters have been working together through the Young Marketeers programme for more than a decade. During that time, more than 63,700 children have taken part, raising over £15,700 for charitable causes.

Borough Market is renowned for the quality of its produce and the expertise of its traders, many of whom work closely with small independent growers and have a detailed understanding of how to get the best out of ingredients. The Young Marketeers programme aims to share this knowledge and approach to good quality food with children.

Pupils receive advice and support from Borough Market traders including Sharon Crane from The Gated Garden; learning how to present the produce, price their products, manage transactions and drum up sales. Having grown their own crops, the pupils will be ready to chat with shoppers about the work that went into their wares. It will be the students’ earliest experience of working in a busy environment and will provide valuable lessons in communication, teamwork and enterprise that extend far beyond the Market.

By visiting the Summer Sale, shoppers can help reward months of hard work by the participating pupils while raising vital funds for Plan Zheroes. Working in partnership with Borough Market since 2011, the charity redistributes surplus food from the Market’s traders to local charities and community organisations, providing meals for people in need while preventing good food from going to waste.

The Young Marketeers Summer Sale will take place in the Market Hall at Borough Market from 11am to 1.30pm on Thursday 2 July 2026.

Shane Holland, chair of trustees, Borough Market, said: “We’re looking forward to welcoming schools from across our London community to Borough Market for this year’s Young Marketeers Summer Sale. As a charitable trust, celebrating good food and helping people develop a better understanding of where it comes from is at the heart of what we do. The pupils have worked incredibly hard to grow their produce and learn what it takes to run a successful market stall and we may well see some of them return as future traders! We’re proud to support their efforts while raising funds for our long-standing charity partner, Plan Zheroes.”

Stephanie Slater, founder and chief executive, School Food Matters, said: “Food education is a vital life skill, and hands-on experiences such as growing and selling fresh produce can help children build a real connection with food and where it comes from. For 15 years, our Young Marketeers programme has been giving children the chance to learn new skills, work as a team and take pride in what they’ve grown. Market Day is a celebration of the value of food education and a moment for enterprising young gardeners from across London to shine.”

Free live music and performances every Friday throughout June

City workers, visitors and residents are invited to kick off summer Fridays in the heart of the City as Leadenhall Market, supported by the Destination City Partnership Fund, launches Summer Sessions – a month-long line-up of free live music, roaming performers and creative workshops throughout June.

Across four Friday afternoons and evenings, the market’s cobbled passages will fill with live entertainment, hands-on experiences and after-work energy, as visitors settle in for cocktails, casual dining and long summer evenings beneath the Victorian glass roof, cementing Leadenhall’s position as one of the Square Mile’s most vibrant summer social spots.

Early afternoon workers and visitors can take part in hands-on workshops hosted by SoLo Craft Fair, with activities ranging from charm jewellery making and candle decorating to spring wreath and trinket dish workshops.

As the afternoons unfold, roaming performers including hula hoop artists, conjurers, escapologists and giant slinky entertainers will weave through the market crowds, bringing unexpected moments of theatre and spectacle beneath the Victorian roof. As the evening begins, live music will take over the market, creating a lively after-work atmosphere of drinks, dining and summer socialising in the heart of the City.

Evening performances will feature a rotating line-up of pop, country and Irish acoustic two-piece, Indie Rollers; ukulele singing duo, Wonderful Uke Strollers; percussion-playing DJ, Chris DJ Vibes; and versatile jazz, funk, soul and pop duo, The Delights. Performances start from 5:30pm each Friday.

All performances are free to attend and no booking is required, SoLo Craft Fair workshops are bookable online.

Local workers and visitors can make an evening of it by exploring Leadenhall Market’s mix of bars, restaurants and cafés, from cocktails and post-work drinks at The Lamb Tavern to fresh focaccia and pasta at Oriani, charcoal-cooked Himalayan salt-aged steak at MRBL and sweet treats from Aux Merveilleux de Fred.

Full line-up:

Friday 5 June

1–2pm – spring wreath making with SoLo Craft Fair

2:30–5:00pm – hula hoop performers

5:30–7pm – live music – Indie Rollers

Friday 12 June

2–3.30pm – candle decorating with SoLo Craft Fair

2:30–5:00pm – Walter the waiter conjuring performances

5:30–7pm – live music – Wonderful Uke Strollers

Friday 19 June

1–2pm – charm jewellery making with SoLo Craft Fair

2:30–5:00pm – escapology performances

5:30–7pm – live music – Chris DJ Vibes

Friday 26 June

1–2pm – trinket dish making with SoLo Craft Fair

2:30–5:00pm – Big Mob Slinkies performances

5:30–7pm – live music – The Delights

Policy Chairman at the City of London Corporation, Chris Hayward, said:

“We want Fridays in the City to feel exciting, social and spontaneous, and that’s exactly what Leadenhall Market’s Summer Sessions is designed to do, giving people a reason to stay after work, meet friends, enjoy live entertainment and make the most of everything the Square Mile has to offer. From creative workshops and free performances to great food, drinks and music, the programme will help bring extra energy and footfall into the area while supporting the businesses that make Leadenhall Market and the City of London such a special destination.

“As part of our wider Destination City ambitions, events like this help us ‘earn the commute’ by creating a City that people want to experience socially and culturally, as well as professionally.”

For the full schedule, visit: https://leadenhallmarket.co.uk/

Leadenhall Market is owned and managed by The City of London Corporation.

Destination City is the Square Mile’s growth strategy, focused on strengthening the City as a magnetic and inclusive destination.

We are delighted to have been named Consultancy of the Year at the Better Society Awards 2026, making this the second consecutive year we have received the award.

The judges recognised our evidence-led approach to communications and our ability to help charities, public bodies and purpose-driven organisations translate complex social and environmental issues into clear, accessible and impactful public engagement.

As a certified B Corp consultancy, we specialise in sustainability, social impact and environmental communications, working exclusively on projects where communications can contribute meaningfully to positive change. Over the past year, we have continued to expand our strategic consultancy offer, helping organisations strengthen messaging, demonstrate impact and build public trust.

The judges were particularly impressed by our ability to combine measurable communications performance with genuine societal impact, highlighting our work translating complex evidence into communications that improve understanding, influence behaviour and support informed public debate.

Among the projects recognised was our work with Oceana UK on the launch of Deep Decline, a major scientific report examining the environmental impact of overfishing in UK waters. By helping translate complex scientific evidence into clear, accurate and compelling communications, the campaign generated extensive national and international media coverage while maintaining the integrity of the research.

The award also recognised our wider work supporting organisations including Hubbub, Nordoff and Robbins, Keep Britain Tidy and National Trading Standards.

The Better Society Awards celebrate organisations and partnerships making a positive contribution to society through responsible business and impactful communications. We are incredibly proud to see our team, clients and partners recognised once again for the role strategic communications can play in creating meaningful social and environmental change.

For one night only, live demos, oyster shucking and expert trader talks bring the craft of seafood to life

Food lovers are invited to experience Borough Market like never before as it launches Evening of Seafood. The brand-new evening event dedicated to exceptional ocean fare will take place on Wednesday 20 May 2026, 6.30pm-9.30pm. Tickets cost £7 and are available to book now.

The evening offers a rare chance to explore the iconic Market after closing time, with exclusive dishes and ingredients served up by Borough Market’s traders and restaurants. Live demonstrations and talks will give visitors access to the knowledge and craft behind the produce.

From oyster shucking contests, to fish-filleting demonstrations, Evening of Seafood will offer a closer look at the skill, sourcing and stories behind the Market’s seafood. Informal expert discussions led by Giulia Crouch, food writer and host of the Borough Market podcast, will provide guests with a deeper understanding of the seasonality and technique that underpin all-things seafood. 

Highlights include learning from the eighth-generation oystermen at Richard Haward’s Oysters, sampling hand-dived scallops from Dorset with Shellseekers and discovering seasonal fish and shellfish from Furness Fish Markets.

The Tinned Fish Market will be selling their full array of artisanal tinned fish, as well as offering small bites made from their range. While giants of Spanish cuisine, Brindisa will have a special menu of gildas, pintxos and boquerones-topped crisps.

Borough Market’s resident taqueria, Tacos Padre will offer cerviche tostadas; mainstay of the market, Applebee’s will serve up a special menu for the evening, Oak & Smoke will showcase traditional Scottish smoked fish and Kolae will share the bold flavours of southern Thai seafood.

Drink pairings from traders including Cartwrights Wines, Utobeer and London Cider House will complement the seafood on offer, with more traders across food and drink still to be announced.

Bethan Davies, head of communications and marketing said, “This is a chance to experience Borough Market in a completely different way. Evening of Seafood brings together the depth of knowledge, quality and passion of our traders after hours, giving visitors the opportunity to try something new and learn directly from experts. It’s about celebrating the very best of the British catch in a setting that feels special, immersive and unique to Borough Market.”

Building on the much-loved Evening of Cheese, Evening of Seafood is part of a growing series of after-hours events celebrating the specialist knowledge and produce found at Borough Market. The series offers Londoners new ways to engage with the market through focused, experience-led evenings combining discovery, education and exceptional food.

Tickets for Borough Market’s Seafood Night cost £7 per person and are available at boroughmarket.org.uk/seafood. 

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