LONDON’S party scene is in limbo. The Serpentine Gallery and Victoria and Albert Museum’s summer parties, both highlights of the social calendar, are much smaller this year.
The Serpentine said “in light of the global context” their summer party tonight will be a “private gathering” which will not go on late into the night. In previous years bashes boasted performances by Nile Rogers and Rita Ora. “This is very much a transitional year as we embark on a new chapter with this event” they said.
The V&A also held a scaled down summer event this week. Chairman Nicholas Coleridge told us the do will return next year, “wars and pandemics permitting”. The museum, left, last year faced controversy over “vast” job cuts. The V&A did host the Tory summer ball last week.
The Royal Academy and the National Gallery both hosted large parties this month.
Why Joe Wicks won’t get political
PANDEMIC exercise guru Joe Wicks thinks people should take “time to reflect” on the stress of the past two years. “It just happened so quick... a lot of people are struggling still,” he told us at a BST HIIT workout in Hyde Park yesterday. Despite his passion for kids’ exercise, Wicks said he won’t do political campaigns, unlike Jamie Oliver. “I love Jamie... but my energy has to be put into things that have a real impact straight away,” he said.
Jaime Winstone’s careful engagement
Londoner’s Diary 30 06 22
ACTRESS Jaime Winstone tells us she was thrilled to get engaged at Glastonbury last week. Fiancé James Suckling laid on a tipi full of flowers and a bubble gun, but: “I wasn’t allowed my full firework rock... in case I lost it”. Winstone was joined at Grey Goose’s Fulham picnic last night by Mary Charteris, Annie Doble and Daisy Lowe. Georgia Toffolo and Greg James were at Wimbledon with Lanson, dancer Eric Underwood celebrated Los Mochis restaurant’s first birthday in Notting Hill, and brand Pronovias hosted Niomi Smart and Amber Le Bon. Elsewhere, Tracee Ellis Ross celebrated the UK Launch Of PATTERN Beauty by having a public shower.
Geidt’s latest moral lecture
LORD Geidt, the ethics advisor to Boris Johnson who resigned over the PM’s rulebreaking, is taking moral standards to the youth of King’s College London, where he gave a speech to graduands as Chair of Council last week. In a letter to students he wrote they “will become ambassadors for Kings’ and the high standards it represents.” If only Johnson had been there.
Red light for Moulin Rouge
MOULIN Rouge is the latest Covid victim: the West End hit has cancelled a run of shows due to performers testing positive. Despite “robust measures” to protect the cast, six shows were called off. Other London venues will be watching closely, as plays around the country have had to do the same. Some suggest events like Glastonbury last week may have helped the latest wave.
