Queen's Diamond Jubilee: London travel guide - Daily Telegraph
The Queen will also be attending the Epsom Derby on Saturday - tickets are still available through www.epsomdowns.co.uk. A Diamond Jubilee Concert is taking place on June 4, but the event is sold out.
On June 4, thousands of beacons will be lit around the world to mark the Queen's 60 years on the throne. To find out where your nearest beacon is, see www.diamondjubileebeacons.co.uk. And on June 5, a Diamond Jubilee Carriage Procession will take the Queen from Westminster Hall to Buckingham Palace, with thousands expected to line the streets.
There are also dozens of events taking place at the country's English Heritage properties, including Aspley House and Eltham Palace and Gardens in the capital. For a full list, see www.english-heritage.org.uk/daysout/events
Special exhibitions are also on at the National Maritime Museum in Greenwich, the Museum of London, the National Portrait Gallery, Kensington Palace and Buckingham Palace.
As many as 10,000 street parties are also planned for the weekend. For tips on what food and drinks to serve your guests, and what to wear, see www.telegraph.co.uk/foodanddrink/9284333/Queens-Diamond-Jubilee-Entertaining-guide.html
What else is there to do?
Telegraph Travel's London city break guide features the best things to see and do across the capital. There are also individual guides to London's districts.
Where to stay
Telegraph Travel has expert reviews of more than 75 hotels in London, the majority of which can be booked through the website at the lowest price guaranteed.
Many hotels have also launched a variety of Jubilee-themed offers, ranging from the tempting to the tenuous.
Restaurants
A number of restaurants and bars have unveiled themed menus in the run up to the Jubilee. Among the most bizarre dishes being coronation chicken ice cream, currently available at Gelupo in Soho.
Transport
Tube: Engineering works on the London Underground are few and far between this weekend, for a change, with just the Waterloo and City Line and parts of the London Overground facing closure. However, there will be no access to Buckingham Palace from Green Park station on Monday - visitors are advised to use Westminster or St James’s Park stations.
Roads: There will be a number of bus diversions and curtailments. Drivers are advised to avoid central London between June 3 and June 5. Sunday will be particularly busy due to a number of road and bridge closures. Seven London bridges will be closed to both road users and pedestrians for most of the day.
River: There will be no river services on Sunday June 3 from 1430 until 1800 between Battersea Bridge and the Thames Barrier at Woolwich.
For more information, see www.tfl.gov.uk
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Jubilee London, then and now
A new book, 'The Queens' London', makes a striking comparison of the city in the diamond Jubilee years of Queens Victoria and Elizabeth II, 115 years apart.
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Four options for those wanting to explore our royal heritage by cruise ship this year.
Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank opens swanky London branch - Reuters UK
(Reuters) - Abu Dhabi Islamic Bank ADIB.AD, the second-largest Islamic lender in the United Arab Emirates (UAE), opened its first branch in London's swanky Knightsbridge on Wednesday, targeting wealthy Gulf clients in Britain.
Sheikh Khalid Bin Zayed Al Nahyan, a member of the Abu Dhabi royal family, joined Prince Andrew, The Duke of York, to open the office at One Hyde Park, the 1 billion pound luxury Candy and Candy development located near the Harrods department store.
Trad Al Mahmoud, chief executive of ADIB Group, said the bank was hoping to attract clients from the UAE who use London as their base for business and personal transactions and who desire Islamic finance services, based on principles such as a ban on interest and pure monetary speculation.
"This launch signifies the merging of our Islamic financial values with the advanced financial infrastructure and ecosystem of the UK," said Mahmoud.
The UK is the largest Islamic finance centre in Europe, with 19 billion dollars out of global assets of 1.7 trillion dollars and is home to five fully sharia-compliant banks, data from the UK Islamic Finance Secretariat (UKIFS) estimates.
Although there are now 22 banks in Britain licensed to conduct Islamic finance transactions, ADIB is the first UAE-based financial institution to receive a banking operation licence from the UK Financial Services Authority (FSA).
Britain's largest standalone sharia bank, Bank of London and the Middle East (BLME), is awaiting regulatory approval to move in the reverse direction to tap into the close ties between the oil-rich Gulf and the UK.
It is aiming to start operations in the Gulf, initially with a representative office this year, and a branch or subsidiary in the longer term, Chief Executive Humphrey Percy told Reuters in an interview.
Earlier in May, ADIB warned that profit growth for the rest of the year would be "subdued" as it posted flat income for the first quarter of 2012 and warned of the impact of the global financial crisis and euro zone uncertainty on its business.
One Hyde Park, completed just over a year ago, is one of London's most expensive retail and residential developments, housing the most expensive flat in Britain, sold for 136 million pounds.
Investors seeking safe havens for their cash have flocked to central London, stoking demand for the best shop units in the British capital's prime shopping streets.
It was built by Project Grande (Guernsey) Ltd, a joint venture between Christian Candy's company CPC, and Waterknights, a company owned by the prime minister of Qatar, Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabr Al-Thani.
It is also home to a Rolex outlet and a store selling McLaren's new sports car.
(Corrects title of sheikh in second paragraph)
(Reporting By Anjuli Davies; Editing by Jon Loades-Carter)
London 2012 won't be a "Queuing Games", says minister - The Guardian
London Walk for Muscular Dystrophy - Market Wire
LONDON, ONTARIO--(Marketwire - May 30, 2012) - On Saturday, June 16th London will be moving its muscles to make an impact in the fight against muscular dystrophy. The community will be joining together for the annual London Walk for Muscular Dystrophy to support over 50,000 children, teens and adults who are affected by neuromuscular disorders in Canada.
Leading the London event will be this year's Walk Ambassadors, the Fritz family, who know first hand how important this community event is to families affected by muscular dystrophy. "As a family, we enjoy showing our support for each other and our friends. We enjoy the community involvement, meeting other families who understand our journey, fears and concerns," says Diane Fritz, whose son Bryce was diagnosed with CMT-X at the age of six.
Muscular dystrophy refers to a group of progressive muscle disorders that weaken the muscles that control body movement. These disorders can have devastating effects, resulting in the loss of most abilities we take for granted. Over time, many people with neuromuscular disorders are unable to walk, speak or ultimately breathe. For some, the disorder is fatal.
The Walk for Muscular Dystrophy is "an opportunity for the community to come together and support those affected by neuromuscular disorders at the local level." describes Stacey Lintern, Muscular Dystrophy Canada Ontario Executive Director. The Walk is a fun-filled, fully accessible event the entire family can enjoy, regardless of fitness level. The event will include activities for kids, food and refreshments, and a prize raffle.
Proceeds from the event support various programs including funding equipment and support services for individuals and families faced with financial hardships, information and advocacy initiatives that highlight the needs of those living with neuromuscular disorders, and fund research to one day find a cure. All of Muscular Dystrophy Canada's programs are made possible by donations. The organization receives less than one percent in government funding.
Festivities will be taking place on Saturday, June 16th at Gibbons Park in London. Participant registration begins at 10:00am and the walk, wheel and roll begins at 11:00am.
To take part in the London Walk for Muscular Dystrophy or for more information, please visit www.muscle.ca/walk.
London 2012: Westminster parking wardens introduced - BBC News
Westminster City Council has introduced a new patrol of wardens in London's West End to enforce parking regulation ahead of the Olympics.
The Tory council said 10 marshals were assisting deliveries to firms between 06:00 and 10:00 in Leicester Square.
The number of wardens on patrol is expected to rise to around 40, working throughout the night, during the Games.
But the Labour leader of the council said: "Our concern is that they will be used to raise more money."
"Westminster's reputation on parking is at rock bottom and if these new wardens are used to trap motorists, this will further damage the credibility of the council," Paul Dimoldenberg said.
'Exceptionally busy'Conservative councillor Daniel Astaire, cabinet member for business, said: "They do have the power to give out tickets to drivers who are parked illegally.
"But their role will be very much to look after people using the roads, give advice and help maintain a steady stream of traffic during what will be an exceptionally busy time."
In January, Westminster council announced it would scrap a plan to charge for evenings and Sunday parking in the West End.
The new levy of up to £4.40 per hour was to run until midnight, Monday to Saturday and on Sunday afternoons.
The move was meant to ease congestion in the West End but provoked widespread opposition with protest groups claiming it was aimed at raising revenue and not cutting congestion.
Meanwhile, London 2012 has set out its traffic management and parking plans for the Games, while Transport for London (TfL) is finalising plans for the Olympic Route Network (ORN), which will see 30 miles of Games lanes used mainly for Olympic traffic.
Parking campaigners are calling for more information to be given out.
The ORN will operate from 25 July and a similar system for the Paralympics, the Paralympic Route Network, will end on 14 September.
London Olympics organizers announce British food for games - Ottawa Sun
Toasted tea cakes dripping in Yorkshire butter for breakfast, cod and chips, or maybe a pole and line caught tuna salad washed down with a glass of London 2012 red wine for lunch - spectators at this year's Olympics will not be going hungry.
Games organizers on Wednesday released details of the food and drink options for the millions of fans expected to converge on the various venues from July 27 in what they say will be the world's biggest peace time catering operation.
While there was no mention of jellied eels, a Cockney tradition, more than 800 spectator concessions will feature 150 different dishes showcasing the best of traditional British cuisine and the country's ethnic diversity, says LOCOG.
"We want everyone who attends the Games this summer to have a fantastic experience and central to that is the food and drink that is available," LOCOG chief executive Paul Deighton said.
"We have gone to great lengths to find top quality, tasty food that celebrates the best of Britain."
More than 14 million meals will be served to fans and the 15,000 athletes during the Games, across 40 locations, with the focus on ethical and sustainable produce, according to LOCOG.
On the busiest day of the Games, 65,000 meals will be fed to hungry athletes, many of them eating in the 5,000-seater dining room at the heart of the Olympic Village, a sprawling cathedral of food split into British, European, Mediterranean and African/Caribbean themed zones.
With the country stuck in a double dip recession and budgets tight, Deighton promised pricing would be family friendly.
"We believe that our prices are more than comparable to those found at other major sporting events which because of their temporary nature are often more expensive than the high street," he said.
Organizers say a family of four will be able to dine on delights such as jacket potatoes with bacon, chicken and herb mayonnaise, scotch beef with mashed potatoes or Singapore noodles for less than 40 pounds.
As well as being affordable, organizers say food will meet London 2012's animal welfare and sustainability commitments, aiming to become the first Zero Waste Games.
All meat, poultry, fruit and vegetables will be ethically sourced, say LOCOG, much of it carrying the British standard Red Tractor mark, while fans sipping an afternoon cup of Rosie Lee (Cockney slang for a cup of tea) while watching the archery at Lord's will do so knowing it is Fairtrade.
"We are proud that the catering industry has been quick to adopt the standards of our Food Vision, leaving a stronger and sustainable industry as a legacy of the Games," said Deighton.
London Olympics To Serve 14 Million Meals - Huffington Post
LONDON -- From the British staple of fish and chips to African barbecues, athletes and fans won't go hungry at the London Olympics.
Organizers announced plans Wednesday to serve 14 million meals during the games, calling it "the largest peace time catering operation in the world."
The food choice will reflect the "heritage and diversity of British regional products and recipes," while ensuring the menus are ethical and environmentally friendly, the organizing committee said.
The traditional British pie and mash – priced at 8 pounds ($12.50) – is described on a sample menu as "farm assured Scotch Beef with Long Clawson Stilton Pie, Irish mashed potato with Red Tractor Cream and British butter and onion gravy."
A beer will set visitors back 4.20 pounds ($6.50), a bottle of water will cost 1.60 pounds ($2.50) and a bottle of Coke sells for 2.30 pounds ($3.60). A plate of fish and chips will go for 8 pounds ($12.50).
Organizers said food and drink for a family of four should run under 40 pounds ($62).
"We have gone to great lengths to find top quality, tasty food that celebrates the best of Britain," said Paul Deighton, chief executive of organizing committee LOCOG. "We believe that our prices are more than comparable to those found at other major sporting events, which because of their temporary nature are often more expensive than the high street."
LOCOG said international food from every continent will be on offer – "from authentic Asian dishes to African Brai barbecues, Caribbean flavors to tasty Mediterranean dishes and a range of street foods from around the world. `'
A total of 1.2 million meals will be served to athletes in the Olympic Village.
Coca-Cola, McDonald's, Cadbury and Heineken are official sponsors. McDonald's will operate four restaurants on site during the games.
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