Blogscrape

Photo by dermot_reeve from the Londonist Flickr pool The Metropolitan Police are considering whether to reopen the News of the World phone hacking case after the New York Times claimed it had new evidence about the scale of the practice at the paper. Speaking on the Today programme earlier, Assistant Commissioner John Yates said "we will be considering it and consulting with the Crown Prosecution Service".

Back in 2007, the former NotW Royal correspondent Clive Goodman and private detective Glenn Mulcaire were jailed for accessing the private voicemails of eight people; it is now coming to light that the Met had lists of, in the words of a CPS file seen by the Guardian, "a vast number of unique voicemail numbers belonging to high-profile individuals (politicians, celebrities) [who] have been identified as being accessed without authority". Questions are being asked of the police why they did not expand their enquiry to include these people, which could have brought other NotW journalists into the investigation. The NYT article says phone hacking was widely practiced at the paper and that the then editor Andy Coulson - now David Cameron's Director of Communications - was aware of it (Coulson denies any knowledge).

The NYT also implies that the Met's "symbiotic relationship with News of the World" affected their willingness to fully investigate the case, something Yates refuted this morning. The Guardian - one of the few papers to fully report the story from the outset - has a comprehensive list of issues any independent inquiry into the Met's handling of the case will want to look at.

The Story of London, a sprawling conglomerate of events themed around London life, history and culture, has now announced its programme. The festival runs across London from 1-10 October and features talks, walks, exhibitions and performances.

Highlights include a scratch-and-sniff tour of Bazalgette's London, a trip around the King's Cross Goods Yard, currently under development, and an open day at the London Fire Brigade Museum.

To get an overview of the 100+ treats in store, you're best ignoring the poorly structured official web site, and heading over to Ian Visit's much more helpful map of events. This allows you to visualise what's happening by day, booking status and location. Simple, effective and a role model of how to communicate complex event information. He's even provided a spreadsheet for anyone else wanting to fiddle with the festival data.

Londonist is directly involved with a couple of events. Some of the wonderful hand-drawn maps from our series will be projected at the Museum of London's Big Draw event. And we'll be compiling and hosting another London-themed quiz at the Royal Institution. More on that soon.

Story of London Festival takes place 1-10 October across London. Some events need to be booked in advance, others do not.

London has a fickle memory for disaster. Could you name the location of London's most fatal fire since the Second World War? Turns out it was just metres from Tottenham Court Road Tube, and as recently as 1980. An horrific act of arson led to the deaths of 37 club-goers in Denmark Place, six more fatalities than the King's Cross Tube fire. Yet the tragedy is all but forgotten, with barely a mention on the internet, perhaps because most of the victims were illegal immigrants.

London Disasters, by John Withington, is filled with similar examples of forgotten horrors. The 40 souls who perished in Regent's Park while ice skating; the stampede in Princelet Street that killed 16. Who knew that eight people were crushed to death at Hampstead Heath station in 1892? Time and again we're confronted with relatively recent events that seem to be disappearing from collective memory - the six killed by an IRA bomb at Harrods in 1983, or the 11 who died in a cinema fire on St John Street in 1994, for example. Might even the atrocities of 7 July 2005 fade into obscurity with the passage of time? The 1952 Harrow train crash claimed more than twice as many lives but (we suspect) will be unknown to many readers.

Bearing such thoughts in mind, Withington's book makes for an enormously compelling read. Avoiding sensationalism, the author relates a long and varied roll-call of calamities - from the scouring of London by Boudicca to the recent financial crisis. The book casually throws up monumental asides. When relating the Zeppelin raids of the First World War, for example, we are lightly reminded that this was the first attack on London by a foreign power for 850 years. Treatment of familiar events, such as the Great Fire and the Blitz, is also well judged.

There are a few omissions - no mention of the 1903 Colney Hatch asylum fire, which claimed more lives than any other London blaze since Medieval times, or the tragi-comic drowning of eight people when a vat of beer gave way in St Giles. But there's already more disaster here than even the most conniving Bond villain could handle. A surprising and compelling compilation that every London history buff should own.

London Disasters By John Withington is available now from The History Press.

See also: Our map of London disasters, now updated thanks to information from this book.

A reported 85,000 cyclists converged on central London yesterday for the fourth annual Mayor of London's Sky Ride.

This being a bike-related event in London, it attracts not just hefty corporate branding (the event was renamed from last year's "Skyride", presumably to give the sponsor even more attention) but a slop of celebrity intrigue too. Hence while the likes of Chris Hoy are obviously welcome, it's less encouraging to to have somebody like Kelly Brook involved. However, all becomes clear when we learn from Adam Bienkov that she has been named "ambassador for cycling". She showed up to the launch suitably attired in tight jeans and vertiginous heels, mugging for the cameras with the Mayor.

Still, most of the crowd won't have been bothered, and will simply have taken the chance to enjoy a traffic-free ride through the city without having to get involved in the murky politics of Critical Mass.

Many thanks to the photographers for adding their pics to the Londonist Flickrpool.

A reported 85,000 cyclists converged on central London yesterday for the fourth annual Mayor of London's Sky Ride.

This being a bike-related event in London, it attracts not just hefty corporate branding (the event was renamed from last year's "Skyride", presumably to give the sponsor even more attention) but a slop of celebrity intrigue too. Hence while the likes of Chris Hoy are obviously welcome, it's less encouraging to to have somebody like Kelly Brook involved. However, all becomes clear when we learn that (according to Adam Bienkov) she has been named "ambassador for cycling". She showed up to the launch suitably attired in tight jeans and vertiginous heels, mugging for the cameras with the Mayor.

Still, most of the crowd won't have been bothered, and will simply have taken the chance to enjoy a traffic-free ride through the city without having to get involved in the murky politics of Critical Mass.

Many thanks to the photographers for adding their pics to the Londonist Flickrpool.

Rare colour film of London at the height of the Blitz has been uncovered. The amateur footage, shot by the Mayor of Marylebone, A.E. Reneson Coucher OBE, shows the remnants of landmarks such as the John Lewis on Oxford Street and the Baker Street Bazaar. For a conflict that is usually seen through the distancing prism of black-and-white, the film dramatically brings home the destruction wrought on London, particularly the aerial shot of a bright red bus crawling through the rubble of Cripplegate. The film will be available on 7th September on the West End at War website, as part of the 70th anniversary of the Blitz; a three-minute clip can be viewed at the Telegraph.

Rare colour film of London at the height of the Blitz has been uncovered. The amateur footage, shot by the Mayor of Marylebone, A.E. Reneson Coucher OBE, shows the remnants of landmarks such as the John Lewis on Oxford Street and the Baker Street Bazaar. For a conflict that is usually seen through the distancing prism of black-and-white, the film dramatically brings home the destruction wrought on London, particularly the aerial shot of a bright red bus crawling through the rubble of Cripplegate. The film will be available on 7th September on the West End at War website, as part of the 70th anniversary of the Blitz; a three-minute clip can be viewed at the Telegraph.

News of a particularly grim piece of knife crime is emerging. The BBC are reporting that five men, all in their late teens or early twenties, were stabbed last night outside North Greenwich Tube station. All have been taken to hospital. As yet, there is no information about the severity of their injuries or word of any arrests.

News of a particularly grim piece of knife crime is emerging. The BBC are reporting that five men, all in their late teens or early twenties, were stabbed last night outside North Greenwich Tube station. All have been taken to hospital. As yet, there is no information about the severity of their injuries or word of any arrests.

Having discovered the hard way that the general public doesn't hold him in high esteem, Tony Blair is considering whether or not to cancel his book signing at Waterstone's Piccadilly this Wednesday. In a piece of clever doublespeak, Blair told ITV's Daybreak show that he'd rather not cause the police unnecessary hassle. Nothing at all to do, then, with the vitriolic reception he was given at a Dublin signing on Saturday. If the signing does go ahead, and you fancy a visit, be wary of the tight security measures in place; if it's cancelled, you can always use those eggs to make a tasty omlette.

A fundraising themed illustration, selected by fiddling some crucial numbers...

11 Londonistas and readers are undertaking the Maggie's Cancer Care Centres 20 mile night hike

20 miles, around London, overnight. 20 miles!

920 pounds raised so far which is...

37 per cent of our target which is...

2,500 pounds. You can donate by voting for one of...

3 themes available for readers to choose for the team: choose hats, costumes or the letter M. Whichever option raises the most funds is the one that will be taken up for the night

11 X 20 + 920 X 37 + 2,500 = 44,680 which is... some nifty Morris dancing as snapped by blarfiejandro in the Londonist Flickr pool, which is something beginning with M and therefore something that could be considered as a theme for the night hike team...

This Week In London’s History

• Monday - 6th September 1997: The funeral of Princess Diana takes place at Westminster Abbey. The service is watched on television by millions of people worldwide, as Elton John performs a re-worked version of Candle in the Wind and Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, delivers a controversial speech criticising the media and (indirectly) the Royal Family.
  
• Tuesday - 7th September 1978: Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov is stabbed in the thigh with an umbrella whilst walking across Waterloo Bridge. He soon develops a fever, is hospitalised, and dies three days later. A post-mortem reveals a metal pellet containing the poison ricin embedded in his thigh.
  
• Wednesday - 8th September 1915: During the first bombing raid on London of the First World War, a Zeppelin drops incendiary bombs near Fenchurch Street.
  
• Thursday - 9th September 1960: Hugh John Mungo Grant is born in Hammersmith. He would become a well-recognised film actor and producer.
  
• Friday - 10th September 1973: IRA bombs explode at King’s Cross and Euston mainline stations, injuring 13 people. Witnesses describe a teenager planting the first bomb by throwing it into the crowded ticket hall at King’s Cross.

Random London Quote Of The Week

Richard of Devizes (Benedictine monk, 1192)

A fundraising themed illustration, selected by fiddling some crucial numbers...

11 Londonistas and readers are undertaking the Maggie's Cancer Care Centres 20 mile night hike

20 miles, around London, overnight. 20 miles!

920 pounds raised so far which is...

37 per cent of our target which is...

2,500 pounds. You can donate by voting for one of...

3 themes available for readers to choose for the team: choose hats, costumes or the letter M. Whichever option raises the most funds is the one that will be taken up for the night

11 X 20 + 920 X 37 + 2,500 = 44,680 which is... some nifty Morris dancing as snapped by blarfiejandro in the Londonist Flickr pool, which is something beginning with M and therefore something that could be considered as a theme for the night hike team...

This Week In London’s History

• Monday - 6th September 1997: The funeral of Princess Diana takes place at Westminster Abbey. The service is watched on television by millions of people worldwide, as Elton John performs a re-worked version of Candle in the Wind and Diana’s brother, Earl Spencer, delivers a controversial speech criticising the media and (indirectly) the Royal Family.
  
• Tuesday - 7th September 1978: Bulgarian dissident Georgi Markov is stabbed in the thigh with an umbrella whilst walking across Waterloo Bridge. He soon develops a fever, is hospitalised, and dies three days later. A post-mortem reveals a metal pellet containing the poison ricin embedded in his thigh.
  
• Wednesday - 8th September 1915: During the first bombing raid on London of the First World War, a Zeppelin drops incendiary bombs near Fenchurch Street.
  
• Thursday - 9th September 1960: Hugh John Mungo Grant is born in Hammersmith. He would become a well-recognised film actor and producer.
  
• Friday - 10th September 1973: IRA bombs explode at King’s Cross and Euston mainline stations, injuring 13 people. Witnesses describe a teenager planting the first bomb by throwing it into the crowded ticket hall at King’s Cross.

Random London Quote Of The Week

Richard of Devizes (Benedictine monk, 1192)

(Photo by James Calder // www.jamescalder.com)

• DCist had a busy week: they provided up-to-the-minute information on a gunman who held hostages at the Discovery Communications building in Silver Spring, recapped the Restoring Honor rally in photographs and liveblogged a high-profile debate between the city's two leading candidates for mayor.
• Philyist had a busy week, first celebrating its relaunch, complete with new look, and then finding a way to make 90210 Day relevant.
• LAist wondered if the Senator and the Sheriff's stand against legalizing marijuana is just "rhetoric" that will be tested if--when?--the voters pass the measure making pot legal in the November election.
• Seattlest got down with the musical stylings of local acts, big names, comedy, film and more at Bumbershoot.
• Gothamist was both horrified and amused by the fight that broke out in the stands of the U.S. Open between a 27-year-old man and a middle-aged woman and her 75-year-old father. They are all now banned from the Open for through 2012 and have filed civil harassment charges against each other.
• SFist didn't think Obama looked like a "wuss" wearing a bike helmet.
• Chicagoist gave its readers a behind the scenes tour of how Jelly Belly jelly beans are made.
• Londonist heard how Tony Blair almost ordered a passenger jet to be shot down over London in the aftermath of 9/11, while one of the current Prime Minister's Twitter accounts has been restricted after bending the rules.

These feet (and some others) were made for walking On Friday we asked you to help us choose a team theme for the night hike. Whilst you're considering how to best make us stand out, here's a training update from the kick ass crew of walkers:

Name: Ben Thacker
Training status: Good (a couple of 15-mile walks in the Alps last month, and I’m told there are fewer hills in central London)
Hopes: That my camera can deal with the darkness well enough to pick up some excellent snaps.
Fears: That it can't.

Name: Paul Chenery
Training status: fair - one practice walk of 11 miles - think I'm going to cruise it :)
Hopes: That I can stay awake all night without alcohol or energy drinks.  I'm sure the company and the buzz of the evening will get us through.  I'm very excited about seeing iconic London building in the middle of the night.
Fears: That I'm going to eat a bunch of kebabs and not be able to walk for a few days afterwards.

Name: Hazel Tsoi-Wiles
Training status: nil, but will be undertaking a 4 mile hike to work and then another 4 miles to home on the day of the Tube strike.
Hopes: to make it to all the buildings opening especially for hikers during the night, to raise lots and lots of money for Maggie's Centres, to see the sun rise over the city and feel like I've really achieved something.
Fears: blisters, bad sock choice ruining my night.

Name: Tom Allin
Training Status: Just done the CARE Challenge!
Hopes: to learn a little more about this city
Fears: realising 9 miles in actully how far 20 is!

Name: Marie Jones 
Training status: Been doing a 6 mile hike several times a week
Hopes: to see London as I've never seen it before

Name: Ben Norum
Training status: My current training involves walking everywhere (due more to resentment at paying TfL than deliberate training, actually) and occasionally staying up all night.
Hopes: 9 yards of sausages is enough to go round (yes, I’ll be bringing homemade sausages along for sustenance)
Fears: a repeat of what happened to me last week when my shoe heel fell off. That would be unfortunate.

Name: Leanne Yee
Training status: So far I've managed one 10 mile hike (with plans to do a 15 mile hike this weekend as recommended by Maggie's), 3.5 mile walks to and from work, general stair climbing and last but not least... consumption of many delicious foods (for energy!)
Hopes: to develop the ability to sleep walk for the hike.  (I also hope there will be a bacon sandwich waiting for me at the finish line!)

Name: Dan Harris
Training status: Casual but intense
Hopes: A cheeky whisky on the way round/meeting fun new people on the walk round/not getting too grumpy
Fears: Overdosing on energy drink/lots of rain/blisters/finishing too early and the trains not running

Name: Lindsey Clarke
Training status: One 4 mile dog walk today after I realised what everyone else was doing plus carb loading on beer
Hopes: No rain
Fears: Rain

Please support our night hike team. You can donate quickly and easily at Justgiving and influence how daft we look on the night.

These feet (and some others) were made for walking On Friday we asked you to help us choose a team theme for the night hike. Whilst you're considering how to best make us stand out, here's a training update from the kick ass crew of walkers:

Name: Ben Thacker
Training status: Good (a couple of 15-mile walks in the Alps last month, and I’m told there are fewer hills in central London)
Hopes: That my camera can deal with the darkness well enough to pick up some excellent snaps.
Fears: That it can't.

Name: Paul Chenery
Training status: fair - one practice walk of 11 miles - think I'm going to cruise it :)
Hopes: That I can stay awake all night without alcohol or energy drinks.  I'm sure the company and the buzz of the evening will get us through.  I'm very excited about seeing iconic London building in the middle of the night.
Fears: That I'm going to eat a bunch of kebabs and not be able to walk for a few days afterwards.

Name: Hazel Tsoi-Wiles
Training status: nil, but will be undertaking a 4 mile hike to work and then another 4 miles to home on the day of the Tube strike.
Hopes: to make it to all the buildings opening especially for hikers during the night, to raise lots and lots of money for Maggie's Centres, to see the sun rise over the city and feel like I've really achieved something.
Fears: blisters, bad sock choice ruining my night.

Name: Tom Allin
Training Status: Just done the CARE Challenge!
Hopes: to learn a little more about this city
Fears: realising 9 miles in actully how far 20 is!

Name: Marie Jones 
Training status: Been doing a 6 mile hike several times a week
Hopes: to see London as I've never seen it before

Name: Ben Norum
Training status: My current training involves walking everywhere (due more to resentment at paying TfL than deliberate training, actually) and occasionally staying up all night.
Hopes: 9 yards of sausages is enough to go round (yes, I’ll be bringing homemade sausages along for sustenance)
Fears: a repeat of what happened to me last week when my shoe heel fell off. That would be unfortunate.

Name: Leanne Yee
Training status: So far I've managed one 10 mile hike (with plans to do a 15 mile hike this weekend as recommended by Maggie's), 3.5 mile walks to and from work, general stair climbing and last but not least... consumption of many delicious foods (for energy!)
Hopes: to develop the ability to sleep walk for the hike.  (I also hope there will be a bacon sandwich waiting for me at the finish line!)

Name: Dan Harris
Training status: Casual but intense
Hopes: A cheeky whisky on the way round/meeting fun new people on the walk round/not getting too grumpy
Fears: Overdosing on energy drink/lots of rain/blisters/finishing too early and the trains not running

Name: Lindsey Clarke
Training status: One 4 mile dog walk today after I realised what everyone else was doing plus carb loading on beer
Hopes: No rain
Fears: Rain

Please support our night hike team. You can donate quickly and easily at Justgiving and influence how daft we look on the night.

Here's what we've learned this weekend whilst you've been freewheeling around the City:

• Remembered: members of the Polish airforce who died in WWII. There was a special ceremony in Ruislip on Saturday.
  
• Collapsed: an Eastern European beggar, who died whilst in custody at Forest Hill police Station.
  
• Exposed: how West London gangs use Facebook to arrange fights.
  
• Aflame: a bendy bus which caught fire at Victoria station yesterday morning. No. 73, since you ask.
  
• Jailed: the creepy blogger who stalked a children's author.
  
• Rewarded: a Fulham cafe run by ex-servicemen.
  
• Dognapped: this handyman's Jack Russell.

Bankside Fairies, by Alex @ Faraway via the Londonist pool.

Clockwise from top right: Notting Hill carnival, the new Photographers' Gallery, Shoot Nations at City Hall, beer at the Jolly Butchers
The week's most popular posts, and a round-up of what's happening around town.

In the news

• Tony Blair's autobiography revealed, among many other things, that he almost ordered a plane shot down over London on 9/11
• Boris Johnson threatened to quit, according to the Times; the Mayor flatly denied the allegation
• Number 10 Downing Street ran into trouble with Twitter
• Football transfer deadline day came and went with relatively few big names making the move
• Talks between Tube workers and management broke down, so we assessed the transport options for Tuesday's strike

See the News category for more

Other good stuff:

• The Ordnance Survey identified Lambeth North as the location of the 'Go' square in Monopoly
• Calling on all local bloggers: we want you
• An exhibition on Tube architect Charles Holden is coming to the V&A museum
• New play at the Jellyfish theatre didn't impress
• The 344th anniversary of the Great Fire of London was marked
• Jimi Hendrix came to Handel House

See the Arts & Events and Food & Drink categories for more

Comment of the week

"As a Ruislip resident, it's nice to see Zone 6 get some love. It is the LONDON borough of Hillingdon, after all"

Tanya Jones is pleased that we went for a swim in Uxbridge Lido.

Clockwise from top right: Notting Hill carnival, the new Photographers' Gallery, Shoot Nations at City Hall, beer at the Jolly Butchers
The week's most popular posts, and a round-up of what's happening around town.

In the news

• Tony Blair's autobiography revealed, among many other things, that he almost ordered a plane shot down over London on 9/11
• Boris Johnson threatened to quit, according to the Times; the Mayor flatly denied the allegation
• Number 10 Downing Street ran into trouble with Twitter
• Football transfer deadline day came and went with relatively few big names making the move
• Talks between Tube workers and management broke down, so we assessed the transport options for Tuesday's strike

See the News category for more

Other good stuff:

• The Ordnance Survey identified Lambeth North as the location of the 'Go' square in Monopoly
• Calling on all local bloggers: we want you
• An exhibition on Tube architect Charles Holden is coming to the V&A museum
• New play at the Jellyfish theatre didn't impress
• The 344th anniversary of the Great Fire of London was marked
• Jimi Hendrix came to Handel House

See the Arts & Events and Food & Drink categories for more

Comment of the week

"As a Ruislip resident, it's nice to see Zone 6 get some love. It is the LONDON borough of Hillingdon, after all"

Tanya Jones is pleased that we went for a swim in Uxbridge Lido.

Every week we select a photo from the Londonist Flickr pool, taken in the last seven days, that illustrates this season or time of year in London.

This week, the Serpentine through the lens of a Holga, shot by Anatoleya.