It's the soft launch at the brand new King's Cross branch (York Way, in the former Ekachai site), and if you've followed the link in this week's Camdenist the first 500 of you will get 50% off your bill. Go!

Tech startups spend billions trying to remove every minor friction from our daily routines—from 30-min grocery delivery apps to algorithmically-matched dating. But where in your life have you found that cutting out the effort or hassle actually ended up stripping away the fun, connection, or satisfaction?

As news of Lost returning to the West End and a copycat pop-up club in the old Parkway Odeon, is nightlife on the up, or would you rather reminisce about Bagley's, The Cross, The End or the Astoria?

The pedestrianised high street? Queen's Crescent Market? Chalk Farm Road? Kilburn High Rd?

We're going to be meeting up more, so what kinds of thing would you most like to come along to?

Any topics for panel talks, guest speakers, discussions on local topics or global ones?

Would you prefer social drinks in a pub, or more activity-led events such as workshops or behind-the-scenes tours of interesting local projects/places?

All suggestions very welcome!

For anyone aged 50+ who wants to be inspired, invigorated and potentially make some new friends, I'm co-hosting a one day conference at Cecil Sharp House on Saturday, 10th October. Rebel Later Life: The Ideas Party is a day of talks, workshops and panel discussions where we focus on the topics that matter to many of us as we age.

EventbriteRebel Later Life: The Ideas PartyRebel Later Life: a one-day conference on work, pensions/finance, relationships, end-of-life choices, and ageing creatively.

Use the special code CAMDEN50 for 50% off the day ticket (usually £29.99).

Hello everyone, I'm Suzanne, co-founder of a Camden based social enterprise called Advantages of Age. We host activities, run course and generally try and improve the lives of people aged 50+.

Next weekend, Saturday, 10th October at Cecil Sharp House, we're hosting our first conference: Rebel Later Life: The ideas Party. It's an all day event where we talk about the topics concerning many of us:

EventbriteRebel Later Life: The Ideas PartyRebel Later Life: a one-day conference on work, pensions/finance, relationships, end-of-life choices, and ageing creatively.

• How to redesign intimate relationships in later life

• How to organise a funeral that truly reflects the person who has died

• What “good care” looks like for ourselves and our loved ones

• What it’s really like to live in co-housing and intentional communities

• How to sustain yourself financially if your pension isn’t enough – or you don’t have one

• How to create meaningful work beyond traditional retirement age

We're got a fantastic line-up of speakers including Lynne Franks OBE as our keynote.

You can find out more information and book tickets here: https://www.eventbrite.co.uk/e/rebel-later-life-the-ideas-party-tickets-1992202961687?

I've just created a PROMO CODE for anyone living in Camden to use for 50% off - CAMDEN50

I hope to see you there. It's going to be a BRILLIANT day.

Hello neighbours! I’m Kay. I moved to Camden last December. I have just discovered The Camdenist, so I’m looking forward to reading the weekly newsletters :)

I work as a tour guide and I’m currently putting together a special Camden tour: think less pointing at buildings, more telling the story of the people who made Camden what it is, and with a pub/music quizz.

I’ve been talking to shopkeepers, long-time residents and neighbours, and digging out old photos, videos and stories. I’ve already discovered some things I had no idea were part of Camden’s history, like the IT magazine, the gin distillery complex... Still trying to track down the old Rehearsal entrance.

I’m also interested in Camden’s music history beyond just punk: ska, blues, New Romantic and all the other sounds that have passed through here, especially more recently.

So if you have an old photo, a story, an anecdote or just some Camden knowledge you think I should know, I’d love to hear it. And if you fancy a chat, even better!

Kay

Camdenist is hosting a rather special event as part of the brand new Vision Festival in King's Cross on 26th Sept, and here's your change to grab a ticket early before they go on general release

Heathbound is a group art exhibition celebrating Hampstead Heath, our precious urban wilderness. North London artist Lisa Swerling decided to try her hand at curating a group art exhibition. She began with a simple idea: to invite a group of artists whose work she loved, to make art inspired by Hampstead Heath. Until September 27th

I publish a magazine from here in Camden, focusing on travel and culture in the world's mountains. I'm holding a free event in the Pirate Castle on 22 October and would like to invite anyone interested in travel in the mountains. There will be talks and refreshments, with the event starting at 18:30 and ending 20:30.
Tickets available here.

Look out... Ora Spritz are bringing their family recipe Italian aperitivo to KX again this weekend after a successful stint in the instantly-iconic TurnUpTruck, slap bang in the middle of CDY. Their drink is all about bright citrus, bittersweet notes in beautifully bubbly Spritzes, (with a 0.0% option) and maybe a few freebies at aperitivo hour, too... It's there Fri 11th - Sun 13th - tell 'um Camdenist sent you!

🚀 Worth a trip south of the river this weekend!

I know it’s outside Camden, but Creative Intelligence is featuring at the Southbank Centre this weekend (Fri 11 – Sun 13) with a three-day takeover packed with art, performance, music, free demos, debate, play and experimentation with a mix of free & ticketed events 🎟 (plenty of free drop-in installations and workshops across the weekend if you just want to wander around!)

As official media partners, Camdenist has heard from some great voices ahead of the annual HowTheLightGetsIn festival for many years. So who from this year's distinguished crop of speakers appearing at the event 19th-20th Sept would you love to helm an upcoming edition of our newsletter?

https://howthelightgetsin.org/festivals/london/big-ideas/speakers/2026

Camden Road's new coffee and matcha shop Allpressed Up are hosting a free event with music from DJ TMK, the Muslim primary school teacher and turntable queen from 11am-1pm on Sun 30th Aug.

First 10 custonmer on the day get a free Allpressed Up tote bag with their coffee/matcha. Go!

Hi Tom and neighbours, I’m Jez and a regular reader of Camdenist, which I find insightful and informative. I’ve been a regular visitor to Camden for many years, and have worked there for a good number of those.

I’m still living in North London, so Camden is my stop for live music, canal walks, shopping and tasty food from the market.

As mentioned in the newsletter this week, I’d like to be entered into the draw for tickets to the HowTheLightGetsIn festival that’s returning to Kenwood 19th-20th Sept. Looks like a great lineup this year!

Hi, I'm Gary, a regular Camdenist reader who makes the most of choosing to live in this exciting city where I was born and bred. I live with my partner Rachel in the Inkerman Area of Kentish Town where there is a truly vibrant sense of local community. I used to travel annually to Hay for HTLGI festival but sadly no more, so keen to go to the Kenwood one this year if tickets are available.

Hi I'm Christelle, French and live in Gospel Oak and work in Camden. My son is born here and it's home outside of Franche Comté (where i am at the moment). I read the Camdenist every week. I used to live in Hackney and enjoy the fact that there is a Hackney equivalent. Oh and I'd love to be in the draw for the mind festival.