Today see a protest by amateur and professional photographers in London’s Trafalgar Square following rising tensions between photographers and police over the implementation of Section 44 of the Terrorism Act 2000.
Many photographers feel intimidated by Police as a result of actions to target possible terrorists who may be on reconnaissance missions in areas of Central London including Mayfair, Soho and St James’s and other major cities.
The protesters are echoing the views of the European Court of Human Rights who last week ruled the power to stop and search people without suspicion was indiscriminate and therefore illegal.
It is estimated up to 36,000 people were stopped under Section 44 of the Terrorism Act between April 2009 and June 2009.
John Yates, the head of counter-terrorism at the Metropolitan Police, has stated that Police risk losing public confidence as a result of the tactics they are employing under the controversial law.
Lord Carlile, the government’s independent reviewer of anti-terrorist legislation has publically stated that he believes “section 44 is being used far too often on a random basis without any reasoning behind its use”.
Marc Vallee, one of the photographers behind the protest, said, “Photographers will be exercising their common law right to take a picture in a public place - and they will be doing it collectively. People are fed up about being stopped and they want to challenge a culture that sees photographers as a threat.”
Forget BORING BOYFRIENDS and GLACIAL GIRLFRIENDS come and PARTY LIKE A ROCKSTAR this Valentine’s Eve.
There is no need to stay at home sobbing about the single life over the Valentine’s Weekend; come and be surrounded by SEXY SINGLES who know how to have fun!
Round up your unattached amigos and seek that special someone at the most seductive club in London, HEYJOCLUB!
If you can’t love anyone else love yourself this Valentine’s.
If you’re wondering what all the fuss is about find out at the final flirtation with frivolity.
Our new girl group is taking shape and thirty stunning girls will be showing us why they should be part of THE WEST ENDS this Saturday snatching the last opportunity to be part of music history.
I am especially looking forward to the VIP Afterparty televised by Swedish Television when the gorgeous girls will be sending the sophisticats spinning at Lord David West’s exclusive London nightclub.
Free entry for females before 11.30pm on the Forbidden London Guest List.
The legendary Shadyville DJ Cut Killer rocks the all NEW Chinawhite on Wednesday 27th January.
Cut Killer is a renowned French DJ of Moroccan origin with a versatile repertoire of hip hop and rap. He enjoys international fame and mixed in USA through invitations by DJ Big Dawg Pitbulls of Funkmaster Flex, and Shadyville DJ’s of 50 Cent. For more than fifteen years, he has been one of the most emblematic DJs in French hip-hop.
London welcomed the new year in with style on December 31st with major parties taking place at all of the top London clubs to celebrate the start of 2010.
The eastern influenced nightclub Chinawhite, which reopened this year at a new location on Winsley Street - off Oxford Street, held a ‘Forget the Year Party’ which was attended by a very fashionable London crowd.
funkybuddha - based on Berkley Street, and popular with diners visitingLondon restaurant Nobu - invited guests to enjoy all the house drinks (spirits, wine and beer) they wanted at their New Year’s Eve party.
HEYJOCLUB, owned by multi-millionaire libertarian Dave West, held a dinner and dance for it’s VIP members with guests enjoying fine Russian food, Champagne and cocktails at the bar.
New Year’s Eve in London is the biggest night of the year with millions of people flocking to the centre of the capital to enjoy the nightlife and the top night clubs hosting their most extravagant celebrity parties.
Although 2009 has been much publicised as a bad year for the economy the best London clubs are still pulling out all the stops with VIPs expected to be arriving in limousines and enjoying the events, popping Champagne bottles, as they normally would during the festive season.
These are clubs regularly frequented by A-list celebrity clubbers such as P.Diddy, JLS, Girls Aloud, Jay Z, Kate Moss and Beyonce where entry is controlled by strict guest lists and the crowd is mostly made up of elite clubbers more used to gracing the pages of Tattler than The Sun.
James WJ Wilson, Director of Forbidden London Clubs, one of the leading promotion companies in London’s club-land believes the top bars and clubs have everything to look forward to as he forecasts a great Christmas and New Year in the West End.
“London is the most fashionable city in the world and despite Gordon Brown’s best attempts to derail the economy, the nightlife – bars, night clubs and restaurants – particularly at the top end of the market, are still performing well.”
“People are perhaps not spending at the same level as they were two years ago, maybe we’ve seen the last of the bankers splurging £30,000 on bottles of Cristal Champagne for now, but overall most of our clients are wealthy and still want to enjoy themselves. In my opinion there is no better place to do that than at the best events in London which are hosted by the top clubs and promoters.”
Lord Dave West, owner of the HEYJOCLUB in St James’s is well known publicly thanks to his Cherie Blair assisted battle against the smoking ban and his penchant for bright pink suits; he echoed this view.
“I own one of the top clubs (HEYJOCLUB) and one of the best restaurants (Abracadabra Russian Restaurant) in Central London and we are finding that the high-end customers we entertain are still enjoying spending their money on fine food and fine wines”
“Many of our best clients are Russian and the government has not managed to ruin everyone’s fun yet, they’re still spending.”
With Christmas and New Year’s Eve just round the corner and most companies still planning on rewarding their staff for what could be considered a difficult year, things are looking bright for the glamorous London clubs the VIPs and celebrities love.
Singer songwriter Tori Amos has announced that she will play a free music event at top Londonvenue the London Jazz Café in Camden on Wednesday 2nd December to help promote her new album with tickets being given to fans on Oxford Street in Soho on the day of the concert.
The singer will play solo with a piano at the show, which will be open to wristband holders.
Fans can get wristbands from 10.30am (GMT) at the HMV shop at 150 Oxford Street in the UK capital on the morning of the gig. One wristband per fan will be issued.
Tori Amos released her new album, ‘Midwinter Graces’, on Monday November 16.
Albemarle Street is a street in the heart of Mayfair in Central London, off Piccadilly, just five minutes away from Green Park underground station. It was the first one way street in London, aimed at getting traffic flowing better and has historic associations with Lord Byron. Best known for its art galleries, it is a host to such well known galleries like the Albemarle Gallery, which represents contemporary paintings and sculptures from around the world, and has a tradition of supporting controversial artists and create superbly presented exhibitions. The Belgravia Gallery is here too, along with the Marleborough Fine Art Gallery.
One of the best museums in London, The Royal Institution of Great Britain, is on Albemarle Street which runs a variety of exhibitions throughout the year. Club wise, one of the best karaoke bars in London is here: Cousin Jills, which offers an upmarket Mayfair setting to host events for corporate clients and celebrities.
Lovers of shopping will be pleased to find Guinot and London fashion designer Paul Smith’s stores are here, and along with the oldest jeweller in the world - Garrard & Co. Sort out your grooming dilemmas at Guinot, while the don of British fashion Paul Smith can sort out your sartorial ones at number 9.
There are some top London restaurants here too. Chor Bizarre serves top-class Indian cuisine, or go Italian at Ristorante Mosaico. There’s Japanese and Korean food here too from Sumosan and the Korean Kaya restaurants.
If you’re looking for somewhere to stay as well as food, Browns Hotel is here with its in-house restaurant, The Grill. It is London’s oldest operating five-star hotel, opened in 1837 (the year Victoria ascended the throne) by the enterprising James Brown, who was once Lord Byron’s valet.
The former Pulp star played a live soundtrack to gyrating students at the first day of a three-day art exhibition he was hosting in East London.
Cocker and his band played for hours, backing anything from graffiti sessions to pole dancing classes. He also mixed with the common people as he invited passers-by to jam with him at Shoreditch’s Village Underground. The event echoed a similar stunt which he set up in Paris earlier this year, playing for hours on end for free to anyone in the area.
As the hours ticked by, the musician and recently appointed BBC 6 Music radio presenter tackled a variety of instruments to create his ambient backing tracks.
This week he will be also be accompanying a yoga session, a hula hoop workshop and burlesque dancing lessons…
They are currently conducting a nationwide search to find 6 up-and-coming stars for our new all female band.
Prospective band members must be aged between 18 and 26 and be prepared for world domination.
Above all applicants must be dedicated to achieving success in the music industry.
Enthusiasm is vital, experience less so; practiced singing and dancing skills would be a definite advantage.
Girls sparkling with confidence, personality and star quality will be selected for the band.
If you know you have what it takes, contact Forbidden London with your name, age, height, details of previous singing/dancing experience, your contact details and two high quality, recent photos for your chance to take a shot at the big time.
