Travel seems busy busy today. Keep us updated on what you are seeing on the roads. Tweet us @CityNow1 or check out the facebook page

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Follow Alice's top tips for this weekend. Check out the links below to find out more about shopping and the Eats London Design Show.

http://www.grosvenorlondon.com/Editorial/NewsArchive/Pages/ChristmasinBelgravia.aspx


http://www.eastlondondesignshow.co.uk/

Ice Skating

Natural History Museum
The first of the pop-ups to welcome unsteady skaters to its sides, the NHM Ice Rink is now open until 8 January, 10am-10pm weekdays and from 8.45am on weekends. Tickets for adults £12.75-14.30 for a 50 minute session depending on time of day.

Broadgate Ice
With three sessions daily available – 12-2:30, 3:30-5:30 and 6–8pm (9pm on Friday) – on a first come, first served basis it looks like lunch hour and after work outings round Liverpool Street just got more interesting. Tickets adults £9, kids £6, £2 skate hire. Open from today until 12 February but check the website.

Canary Wharf
The Docklands ice rink opens on 12 November in Canada Square Park until 19 February. Skate in the shadow of the soaring towers in one hour sessions from 9.45am-11pm weekdays and Saturdays and till 7.30pm on Sundays. Tickets for adults off peak £10, kids £7.50.

Winter Wonderland
Hyde Park’s Winter Wonderland ice rink opens on 19 November until 3 January. Be careful you don’t fall over distracted by the Giant Wheel, the bright lights of the funfair or the smell of mulled wine. Daily skating sessions run from 10am-10pm. Off peak tickets are £10.50 adults, £8.50 kids.

Tower of London
Taking to the ice alongside the impressive Tower wall will set you back £10.50 off peak adults and £8 kids. The rink is open from 19 November to 8 January, between 10am-10pm for one hour sessions, skates included.

Eyeskate
Skate at the foot of the London Eye between 19 November and 6 January. Buy your ticket online for a 45 minute session and tickets start from £7.35 (£10.50 on the day). There are also opportunities to combine a slow spin on the Eye with a quick whizz on the ice. Skating sessions start from midday in November and 10am in December, through till 9pm, skates included.

Westfield (west and east)
Combine shopping with ice skating at Westfield’s Shepherds Bush (indoors) and Stratford City (outdoors) sister shopping centres. The cheapest skate is available to buy online for the ‘off peak’ sessions: adults £8.50, kids £5.50 (plus 50p booking fee). Open 19 November to 8 January.

Somerset House
One of the prettiest places for your wintry ice dance, Skate at Somerset House offers ice dance lunchtime workouts and club nights (disco music while you skate/stumble/tumble). The rink opens 22 November to 22 January and one hour sessions start at 10am with the last skate at 10.30pm, tickets from £7.50.

Hampton Court Palace
Glide gracefully past the magnificent tudor palace from 26 November to 8 January daily from 10am-10pm. Off peak adult price £10.50, kids £8, skates included.

And don’t forget London’s brilliant permanent ice rinks: Alexandra Palace, Streatham Ice Arena and Queen’s Ice and Bowl at Bayswater.

Don O'Briens homemade Christmas Card


Christmas Cards

One might be forgiven for not splashing out on Christmas this year, given the state of the economy.
But the Christmas card industry can look to their laurels as it seems no one is cutting back.

But HSBC launched a Christmas Spending Survey, and it turns out as much as 20% of people said they would be spending more this year than last.

Estimations show that the average person will spend £378 on family members’ presents and a further £183 on food, drink and entertainment.

Philosophy Forums.

Do you think they would help someone you know suffering from a mental illness?

Since 2007 the male suicide rate in Islington has been 19 per 100, 000 men making it the highest in any London borough. Women are affected too - the female suicide rate is double the national average.

Jamie meeting the journalists of tomorrow!

Laura Cress live from the Old Bailey bringing you the latest on the Stephen Lawrence trial.

Forensic experts examining DNA and reporting their findings. Keep listening to see how this affects the trial.

Estuary

What do you think of the proposals? Do we need another London airport?

Local residents told Angus Dunsire they will be nicknaming the airport "Boris Island"!

Meet the team!

To go back to the main website:

citynow.moonfruit.com

Join us live from 12pm with Jamie Hamilton. City Now brings you the latest news, sport and travel. Coming up on today's show we see in the 1st of December in style. But are advent calenders and Christmas cards a thing of the past?

Let us know what you think!
Tell us here or visit our facebook page https://www.facebook.com/pages/City-Now

Young Carers

Nearly two milllion young people have been out of work for over a year, according to government reports released in November 2011. But, how badly does this affect young, unemployed people who have to look after their unemployed parents, too?

Thousands of young people aged 14-20 years in Camden face the burden of having to look for a job and look after their parents who are incapable of finding a job due to various reasons i.e. age discrimination, disability and depression.

Jazz & The City

London may be feeling a little gloomy this time of year, but there were no blues to be seen at London Jazz Festival.

Taking place in 53 venues across the capital, 290 events have been in full swing. But many of the events are free of charge. Renowned pianist Gwilym Simcock is one artist to play at such an event.

At St James’s Church in Piccadilly, Mr Simcock gave a lunchtime concert where he showcased his musical fusion of jazz and classical.

He seemed unsure about the future of jazz for the younger generation. But jazz singer Michael Mwenso at Ronnie Scott’s Jazz Cafe in Soho appeared optimistic. “Jazz in grounded in individuality,” he said, “And young people really respond to that. It’s beautiful.”

The Business Boom in East London

Laura Cress has been investigating that even in an economic slump, some businesses in east London are still growing amidst the gloom. A business exhibition held today showcases how companies who are focusing on the electronic market, are in fact booming. The event is being held at the ExCel Centre, to find out more click here - http://www.techworld.uk.com/theevent

Decoded

A new project has been launched to find the new Mark Zuckerberg or Steve Jobs... In Hackney.

The Decoded project has asked students from Stoke Newington secondary school and sixth form to come up with their own original ideas for smartphone apps. The groups with the best ideas will be privately mentored and supported by the highly skilled members of the Decoded team. The students will be taught the technical skills needed for computer coding - needed to develop complex computer software.

Rugby League

We went down to London Skolars one of the two Rugby League clubs in London along with London Broncos. There is a traditional north south divide with League and seems to be less interest in the sport down here. But what we found was very different, manager Howard Krainer told us all about what Skolars are doing in the local community to help get kids playing Rugby League. There was a schools tournament going on, which takes place every year for all the local schools. The coaches are talent spotting to try and source players locally instead of importing from the North or the home land of league Australia. Go to www.londonrl.com for information on your nearest amateur teams to get involved or for links to London Broncos and London Skolars fixtures for the upcoming RL seasons.

Camden Railings

The last railings in Camden are being removed as part of a £900,000 initiative by the Council to declutter the streets and make them safer. The idea is that pedestrians and motorists will be more responsible if they do not have the railings.

Draining of Tufnell Green Park

Parents around Tufnell Green Park should hopefully see their washing load slashed as the playing fields are set to be drained and levelled.

Sodden water logged pitches have long plagued the local park, often leaving the fields in an unplayable condition.

Yet a £130,000 cash injection from Sport England and Islington Council looks finally to bring this to an end.

The investment comes as part of the Olympic Legacy Project.

The work is set to be completed by late 2012.

WWI memorial theft

St Mary's church

Residents in Lewisham have been shocked by a theft of a World War 1 memorial. The plaque was stolen to be sold as scrap metal.

Julian Watson, former warden of St Mary’s Church where the plaque was stolen, has called the theft a “huge loss” for the congregation.

The 2011 Poppy Appeal has been launched this Thursday ahead of Remembrance Day in two weeks time and members of the community hope that the day will be remembered for the right reasons.

Closure of Ladbroke House

London Metropolitan have recently announced the closure of their historic Ladbroke House Building in Islington.

The closure is the result of austerity measures introduced by the university in response to government cuts.

Laura Gray was at London Met investigating.

Fur fury

by NYCArthur

The issue of fur is an ever contentious issue and there seems to be no let up in anti fur advertising and protests. CAFT UK, the Coalition to Abolish the Fur Trade, will hold their annual anti fur week from the 19^th – 26^th November culminating in a protest march through London. 

Over the past decade fur has become more and more fashionable with celebrities being photographed day after day wearing fur and using it in their personal fashion lines.  

With fake fur goods littering the high street many would think that the popularity of real fur may have diminished and a report by CAFT recently claims that 80% of the population is against the fur trade.

In Angel market, Islington, North London there is a daily market and there is no shortage of real fur to buy. 

There seems to be a divide in opinion over whether people would wear it and traders can only report improved sales in fur. They are very reluctant to talk about the topic , so although the trade of fur is ever present and is in no way hidden it is still an uncomfortable subject.

Spooky Boat Rides

Image from the Canal Museum

Unsure of how to spend your Halloween weekend -  the London Canal Museum may have just the spooky solution. 

They are hosting a two day event of haunting boat trips up and down the canal. The boats will be filled with ghosts, ghouls and goblins ready to scare you silly. It is a family friendly event and only parties with children can book tickets. 

It is £10 for adults and £8 for children. The 19^th century old brick building will be transformed into a den of things that go bump in the night. 

It will be jam packed with creepy monsters and skeletons and plenty of witches  - both friendly and not so – ready to greet you. 

So with the weather looking fit for halloween – rain and storms expected – this could be the alternative to trick or treating this year.

Ebony Horse Centre opens

http://www.ebonyhorseclub.org.uk/

At the end of a residential street in Brixton, South London, is a unique community project which is helping young people to learn valuable skills. 

The Ebony Horse Centre was officially opened today by the Duchess of Cornwall and was attended by local councillors, volunteers and local children. “Its a great day” said  organiser Jess Stubbs, “but its been a very long journey.” 

The centre has eight stables, a floodlit arena, paddock and stable yard. 

The Ebony Horse Club was originally set up by Ros Spearing nearly fifteen years ago to give young people in South London the opportunity to learn to ride. “It started with me, five kids and a minibus but it just grew and grew until we had to have something more permanent” she tells me. 

The project, which cost £1.7 million to put together, was funded by Sports England.

Biking in city centre: no piece of cake

If you're a one-gear city rider or a Boris Biker, the chances are you've had to ride through the centre of London. And as our reporter Thomas Lowe found – microphone in one hand and handlebars in the other – it’s not an easy street to get down.


Transport for London and cycling campaigners have met at City University to talk about how to get more of us riding in London central. According to Alexandra Goodship from TfL, 40% of Londoners have access to a bike, but only 19% ride regularly.


The largest number of bike rides happen in the centre of London and making this area more bike-friendly presents the best opportunity to get more people on bikes. But it is here, in the heart of the City where cycling is most dangerous. Cyclists often complain about buses, taxis and pedestrians forced together on the road.


Tom Bogdanowicz of the London Cycling Campaign says that there are ways to get around difficulties of inner city cycling issues on streets like Oxford Street. He says that using side streets and linking them together is one way to make it easier for cyclists.

Breaking News

The canon chancellor of St Paul's Cathedral has announced his resignation.

He said on Twitter:

It is not yet known whether his resignation relates to the Occupy London protest outside St Paul's.

For our special report on Half Term at the protest, tune in to City Now at 12pm today.

Siva's Story

Clarence Road Shopkeeper Siva Kandiah has won the Independent Community Retailer of the Year Award.

Siva made headlines when his shop was stripped bare in the Hackney riots, but customers and residents raised £30,000 to support his Help Siva campaign and he was able to re-open two weeks later.

To find out more about Mr Kandiah's story, tune in to City FM at 12pm and check out his website.

Thursday's show

Image by Shellmush

As always, we have all the latest news and sports, and special reports on:

• Fur sold in Islington
• Occupy Half Term - families join the protest in central London
• The opening of a squatted social centre in Dalstan
• An interview with the Independent Community Retailer of the year
• Diwali celebrations across London

And lots more!

Tune in to City FM at 12pm and keep checking the website for more