Jay Rayner

My email address is on my website, link in bio.

This is extraordinary.

Why Zipcar gave up on London The car-sharing scheme was hit by rapidly increased costs, a new congestion charge, and a lack of support from councils.

Unsurprisingly @jim.londoncentric.media of @londoncentric.media (a brilliant substack reporting London which is worth your time and money) has the background on Zipcar. Council fees is a part of the story though not all. TLDR: no centralised transport policy.
www.londoncentric.media/p/zipcar-lon...

Thanks Simon. I should have known Jim would be on it.

i'm assuming, based on no knowledge whatsoever, that part of the issue would be the cost charged by councils for use of curbside parking. Am crossing fingers that @london.gov.uk sees this as a significant issue to be resolved. 650k users in the UK (maj in London) is a lot of owned cars off the road.

Thanks. I've looked. The nearest car is 0.7 miles away and there are only half a dozen within 1.5 miles. Zipcars strength lay in coverage.

Non car owner, zip member here. It wasn’t about holidays. It was good for the trip to the dump, or that trip to Ikea etc. And we pay a monthly fee which doesn’t roll over. As others have said my suspicion is council fees stuffed it.

Zipcar, world’s biggest car-sharing company, to close UK operation Move by firm, owned by US group Avis Budget, will remove access to shared fleet across London at end of year

The news that Zipcar is folding at the end of the year is deeply dismaying. The car club availability was at the heart of our decision to abandon car ownership around five years ago. Do share your reccs for other car club services (covering south London).

www.theguardian.com/business/202...

Damn. I had money on Party McPartyFace.

What I’ve loved about the outrage over my Christmas pudding opinion is that unlike the pudding itself, it’s low calorie. There’s absolutely nothing at stake whatsoever.

Stoppard was brilliant and clever and funny. His jokes were as good as his profundities. But as well as all that, he made being a superb writer, being the smartest person in the room, seem improbably glamorous. He was a rock star.

UPDATE: in the btl comments quite a few people are livid with my suggestion that nobody really wants to eat Christmas pudding at the end of the Christmas Day meal.

The experts’ guide to the Christmas food and drink that really matters — and how to get it right If you could only choose one festive treat, what would it be? Nigella Lawson, Jay Rayner, Jancis Robinson and more share their non-negotiables

No review from me today cos it’s the @ft_weekend.com CHRISTMAS SPECIAL, edited by @harrietfl.ft.com. It’s a banger and ever better in print. A top team including @nigella.bsky.social @timhayward.bsky.social @jancisrobinson.com and, er, me nominate the Christmas food must haves.
on.ft.com/4rnR3lb

Huge congrats.

Just a heads up: no review from me tomorrow (or next saturday as it happens), but we do have something great for @ftweekend.com Appetites in the morning.

It’s not a fess. It was in a book of mine. I’m not embarrassed about it.

A great life, ended too soon.

For some reason far above (or below) my pay grade, this week’s restaurant review was missed off FT edit. It is now there. Apologies for the technical SNAFU.

Very sorry to report that the lovely Skye Gyngell, chef of Petersham Nurseries and latterly Spring at Somerset House, and so much else, died yesterday. She was a terrific cook, and a lovely person. My thoughts are with her family and friends.

it really is

Brixton’s popular Prince of Wales pub and the Brixton Storeys rooftop club have now closed with immediate effect In another devastating blow for Brixton’s beleaguered night economy, the Prince of Wales and the Brixton Storeys rooftop venue on Coldharbour Lane have suddenly  closed.

striking that @brixtonbuzz.bsky.social has nothing (though they may eventually).
www.brixtonbuzz.com/2025/11/brix...

Thanks Kate

Yes so did I, and I’m enquiring as to why this isn’t so today. Apologies

Today at 10.30am in BBC Radio 4. I do hope you can listen.

I’m a good soldier

Nigella and Tucci are right to love Ratanà — Jay Rayner reviews a cult restaurant in Milan Hip London wine bars are awash with Italian regional cuisine, but they can’t match the real thing for atmosphere

For today’s @ftweekend.com I am in Milan at Ratanà, eating perfect risotto Milanese and mulling on the importance of restaurant location. I put my
back into this job.

on.ft.com/3XcxRsz

A little advance notice: we have a lovely episode of the Kitchen Cabinet coming up tomorrow, marking this week’s world children’s day. We’re at the Academy of St Nicholas in Liverpool and all our questions come young people in Yr 7 and up. 10.30am on BBC Radio 4

I love the smell of bridges burning in the morning.

Tickets are available for two upcoming Kitchen Cabinet records, in Dundee next Tuesday and in London on Dec 2nd. Apply for them at the link below and be a part of our audience.

www.bbc.co.uk/showsandtour...

I know. It's shocking.