London rooftop gardens opening
London crowned Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden the city’s best rooftop bar for 2026 — a smart stop for urban gardening ideas with skyline views. (timeout.com) Separately, a roof garden overlooking the Bank of England at the One Poultry redevelopment will soon open to the public, adding rare green space in the City. (ianvisits.co.uk)
The Queen Elizabeth Hall Roof Garden will reopen for spring–summer on 1 April 2026 and operate through October, with the garden open from 12:00 and the Roof Garden Bar & Kitchen running 16:00–22:30 Tue–Fri and 12:00–22:30 at weekends, closed Mondays. (southbank.london) The rooftop was created in 2011 in partnership with the Eden Project and contains a cultivated lawn plus more than 200 wild native plants and trees alongside the café‑bar. (southbankcentre.co.uk) The garden’s day‑to‑day care is carried out by volunteers from Grounded EcoTherapy, a horticultural charity that provides support for people facing homelessness and addiction. (tripadvisor.com) John Robertson Architects’ scheme for No 1 Poultry secured City of London planning consent in late March 2026 after a 9–6 councillor vote, with the developer saying conversion works are due to complete in 2027. (architectsjournal.co.uk) Under the approved plans the Apex Garden terrace will be opened free to the public while the former Coq D’Argent restaurant footprint is converted to offices and the inner circular garden is retained as a private terrace that may open for special events. (ianvisits.co.uk) Proposals for the Grade II*‑listed James Stirling building include reinstating the dramatic front‑corner entrance with a dedicated lift to the roof to improve access, alongside “intelligent decarbonisation” measures such as all‑electric systems and heat pumps to boost energy performance. (ianvisits.co.uk)
