Peter Watts

Peter Watts

@peterwatts.bsky.social

Journalist and author

722 followers375 following1.2K posts

Peter Watts reposted

Mayor of London, Sadiq Khan
@london.gov.uk

Oxford Street has always evolved. Now it's time to evolve again. This transformation is about securing the future of our nation’s high street as one of the world's leading destinations for shopping, culture and entertainment. Here's why it matters.

theguardian.comWe’ve made Oxford Street traffic-free – and that’s just the start. Soon there’ll be green spaces for arts and music too | Sadiq KhanWe’ll revive the in-person shopping experience with a transformation of the area, inspired by the John Lewis and Selfridges founders who first set up there, says London mayor Sadiq Khan
Peter Watts
@peterwatts.bsky.social

hat-tip to the sub for the caption: "Liz Truss’s book is the perfect Christmas gift for somebody you hate"

Stephen Bush@stephenkb.bsky.social

"Of all the books I have ever reviewed that purported to offer a serious thesis, this is without question the most deranged."

telegraph.co.ukLiz Truss’s new book is the most deranged thing I’ve ever readLike an alcoholic who cannot admit they have a drinking problem, the former PM is convinced that everyone else is to blame for her failures

Peter Watts reposted

Catherine Fletcher
@catherinefletcher.info

Excellent article on the book scam industry by an expert in the field.

Oisín McGann@oisinmcgann.bsky.social

If you’re an author who’s been receiving verbose AI scam emails on a daily basis, and you’re wondering how gullible and ego-driven people think you are, this article helps to explain them. Sadly, they are successful enough to have been built into a big business. www.thedial.world/articles/new...

thedial.worldThe Lucrative World of Literary Scams — The DialWhy writers are the perfect target.

Peter Watts reposted

The Londoner
@the-londoner.bsky.social

Last week, HMV said it was being forced out of its Oxford Street flagship store after its rent was doubled. @andrewkersley.bsky.social exclusively found out that the landlords behind it are a billionaire Chinese mahjong dynasty, who plan to replace HMV with a theme-park style immersive gift shop.

the-londoner.co.ukThe billionaire ‘mahjong prince’ forcing out Oxford Street’s HMVPlus, Lime Bike jousting on London Fields, an update on Old Street station and a (potential) end to noisy tube rides
Peter Watts
@peterwatts.bsky.social

There used to be a magazine that did this…

Theo Sanderson@theo.io

Londoners! I've made a website that discovers everything going on in the physical world of London (talks, exhibitions, gigs, plays, etc.) and finds stuff it thinks you'll like. You teach it your interests by swiping events left or right. Decent recs after ~100 swipes. Check out realworld.events!

realworld.eventsrealworld.events: what’s on in London, picked for youSwipe through London’s upcoming events: right if it’s your kind of thing, left if not, and the deck learns your taste. Filter by date, evening, area and type.

Peter Watts reposted

Municipal Dreams
@municipaldreams.bsky.social

1/ 🚨 Breaking News: the Cressingham Gardens and Central Hill Estates - two high-quality and much-loved schemes built by Lambeth Council in the late 60s and early 70s have - after sustained campaigning by residents - been saved from demolition: www.theguardian.com/society/2026...

theguardian.comTwo 1960s London housing estates saved from demolition after decade-long battleChange of council leadership hands reprieve to residents of architecturally celebrated developments in Lambeth
Peter Watts
@peterwatts.bsky.social

Fantastic news for London.

Prince Charles Cinema@princecharlescinema.com

The Prince Charles Cinema Secures its Future The Prince Charles Cinema is thrilled to announce that we have signed a new 25-year lease with no break clause, ensuring our projectors will keep rolling for years to come. #YouSavedthePCC

Peter Watts reposted

Sid Smith
@sidsmith.bsky.social

A most excellent thread

Nigel Auchterlounie@n-auchterlounie.bsky.social

I'm reading JG Ballard's final book, Kingdom Come. And it's more than likely I had a small hand in it. The book was written 20 years ago and is about a man looking into his father's death in a shooting incident at a shopping centre. The opening paragraph is excellent...

Peter Watts reposted

Keiron Pim
@keironpim.bsky.social

As I embark on the final push to finish my book about the East End of London, I’m going to start posting a daily photo from my research trips in this thread… First up, David Bowie on Brick Lane.

Peter Watts reposted

Nick Hilton
@nickfthilton.bsky.social

For 'professional' reasons, I am a member of lots of small town Facebook groups. This bloke has been appearing in towns across Sussex (Horsham, Redhill, Crawley, East Grinstead) with no apparent explanation. This is precisely why I stay subscribed to these groups.

Peter Watts
@peterwatts.bsky.social

Tucker Carlson does this thing which I presume he thinks is furrow-browed, high-IQ skepticism when he actually just looks like a dumb old dog that is confused by a window.

Graeme Swanson@swansonian.bsky.social

Heartbreaking. Worst Haunted Victorian ventriloquist dummy you know makes great point.

Peter Watts reposted

Municipal Dreams
@municipaldreams.bsky.social

On the 90th anniversary of the Battle of Cable Street (in which Jewish, left-wing and trades union activists battled police to block a fascist march), here's the mural unveiled in 1983 designed by Dave Binnington on the former St George's Town Hall to commemorate the event.