Published on: 22nd December 2016
The yuletide yields, Christmas is complete and the festive celebrations have culminated in one evening to welcome the New Year. But before we begin those pesky resolutions, there’s still time to enjoy ourselves at the start of 2017! We have a wealth of suggestions for how to spend New Year’s Day (and beyond) in London.
A morning jog
One way to kick-start those resolutions is with a morning 10km run on New Year’s Day around the Serpentine in Hyde Park. While the thought of waking up early at this time of year would sound painful to many, this should be a truly invigorating experience. On the other hand, there is also a 3km (fun) run on offer that may be more appealing. More generally, New Year’s sees a flurry of new activity on popular running paths, so find somewhere away from your usual route – or perhaps even a different sport (as we explain here).
Where: Serpentine, Hyde Park
Nearest tubes: Knightsbridge, Hyde Park Corner, Marble Arch
Risqué art
New Year’s Day will be the last chance to see the exhibition for the Turner Prize, 2016. As controversial as ever, the prize is awarded to any British artist under the age of 50 for any piece produced that year, with previous winners including Grayson Perry for his ceramics and Assemble, an architectural collective, for their work on Toxteth’s housing. This year’s winner is Helen Marten, who warps household and construction material to form a imaginative reliefs and sculptures.
Where: Tate Britain
Nearest tube: Pimlico
Continue the party
If you were partying on New Year’s Eve, then why not begin 2017 as you left off? The Ceilidh Liberation Front are hosting a free afternoon dance – a ceilidh, as you might have guessed – on the Southbank, complete with instruction. While you’re in the area, the Southbank Centre is replete with exhibitions and events at this time of year. including the newly-opened Adventures in Moominland: a gallery exploring the fantasy world of the Finnish cartoon animals.
Where: Southbank Centre
Nearest tube: Waterloo
New Year’s brunch
After a long week of eating, relaxing and, well, more eating, an appropriate way of rounding it off will be with that final brunch of the festive season. London excels with its mid-morning meals, but on New Year’s Day there are fewer venues open. However, in the centre you can find The Providores, with its fusion food offering dishes from New Zealand to America, with heavy French and Turkish influences in between. Further east Hoi Polloi, based in Shoreditch’s Ace Hotel, is renowned for its satisfying and hip brunch options, although finding a free booking is the largest challenge. For a more traditional and comforting take on morning indulgence, Islington is home to The Drapers Arms, a newly-renovated gastropub.
