# Does anyone buy Time Out any more?



## editor (Apr 18, 2012)

I used to buy it at least once a month, but as their listings shrank and their lifestyle/shopping sections grew, I've not bought one for years now.

Anyone still buy it? Anyone stopped buying it?


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## peterkro (Apr 18, 2012)

Isn't City Limits the mag for groovy about towners?


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## pinkmonkey (Apr 18, 2012)

I bought it every week when I was a nightclub going singleton.  That was '91 til about '96 (i.e. before we got the internet).


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## Pickman's model (Apr 18, 2012)

where's the option for 'i sometimes read it in the newsagents'?


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## oryx (Apr 18, 2012)

I subscribe to it, mainly for the film reviews, gig guides, TV guide and the occasional good London article.

Its north and east London-centric-ness irritates the hell out of me. I do think it's funny how they pretend to be cutting edge and have only just discovered areas like Brixton, Clapham & Bermondsey, which have had 'stuff' going on for ages.


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## Mr Moose (Apr 18, 2012)

Always used to get it every week and 'City Limits' before that. Seems a bit pointless in this day and age and yet they were good reads.

Read it well beyond the point when I actually went to many of the listings.


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## Lord Camomile (Apr 18, 2012)

I've literally just cancelled my subscription today. Been meaning to since last year, just never got round to it. Was useful to find out about stuff every now and again, and I still liked having pages to refer to than a computer screen, but didn't read it nearly enough to justify it.


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## editor (Apr 18, 2012)

The "consume" section stuffed full of shiny, pricey, upmarket chic items was the final straw for me.


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## Lord Camomile (Apr 18, 2012)

Yes, that's always been immediately flicked past.


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## Belushi (Apr 18, 2012)

I bought it a couple of times when I first lived in London getting on for twenty years ago.  

They're City Guides are very good mind.


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## Lazy Llama (Apr 18, 2012)

Used to buy it, primarily for the gig listings but haven't bought it in years.


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## Belushi (Apr 18, 2012)

I'm surprised its still going, it cant be long for the world surely.


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## Winot (Apr 19, 2012)

Still subscribe. There's nothing else afaik that covers the same range of art and theatre. It's food section is also very strong.


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## London_Calling (Apr 19, 2012)

Presumably I would if I were still a thrusting 20-30 something: no where near that demographic, so no.

Fwiw, ditto 6Music, except on Sundays.


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## Chz (Apr 19, 2012)

It always irritated me that in most cities you could get listings like that from free weeklies.


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## Gingerman (Apr 19, 2012)

Remember when they used to have a political and football listings section?


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## editor (Apr 19, 2012)

London_Calling said:


> Presumably I would if I were still a thrusting 20-30 something: no where near that demographic, so no.


Judging by their content, I'd say that their demographic has shifted upwards in age over recent years.


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## blossie33 (Apr 19, 2012)

I  sometimes buy it at bank holiday times as I don't have the internet at home and it's useful to see whats on and the opening times of galleries, museums etc.

I bought it at Easter and was a bit surprised to see it's £3.25 now  and there seems to be less in it these days but I suppose it's because most people look at it online.


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## DJWrongspeed (Apr 19, 2012)

I get it occasionally from the LSE Student shop @ £2.50. It's still a better read than their website but that's also good for reviews. The gig listings do seem to have got smaller.


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## Mr Smin (Apr 19, 2012)

I installed the phone app for the film listings and reviews.


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## marty21 (Apr 19, 2012)

used to buy it every week, for about 15 years (all the money ) but stopped about 6 or 7 years ago, usually buy the xmas double issue, and might buy a weekly one if I'm off work and staying in London, but other than that - nope


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## uk benzo (Apr 19, 2012)

I know someone who worked for them up until recently... he was made redundant- cost cutting measures.


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## co-op (Apr 19, 2012)

Still boycotting it personally. Consumerist yuppy shit.

Mind you that City Limits was crap.



/middle-aged mode


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## Greebo (Apr 19, 2012)

I sometimes get it for one of the articles, but it's far too expensive to get every week.


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## davesgcr (Apr 19, 2012)

Used to be a ritual to buy it weekly - not done so for years (but I did enjoy the compendium / history which I coincidentally got out of the library here on Saturday) 

Something to do with lifestyle changes , getting married , kids etc) . Agree "Time Out" was knowhere as good.Hope it survives.


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## Firky (Apr 19, 2012)

I still buy it (when I remember) to read on the train if I am going to London. So I maybe buy an issue every three or four months.

It has changed as London has changed, IMO. The readership reflecting a larger cultural shift perhaps.


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## ATOMIC SUPLEX (Apr 19, 2012)

Used to be great for listings, reviews and what's on in general. If I was in the New York I would buy it there too.
Started getting it free at work but it got to the point where I couldn't even be bothered to flip through it.


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## Reno (Apr 19, 2012)

I remember first buying it on a trip to London because it had a cover of Alien and the film had just opened here. When I moved here in the early 80s used to buy it every week till maybe the mid-90s when I started to only buy it occasionally till I pretty much stopped ten years ago. I think I may have switched to City Limits for a while, but Time Out had better film writing so I went back. Once or twice a year I end up buying it because the cover looks intriguing and then I wonder why I did that, because there is nothing of interest to read in there anymore.

I just went to Amsterdam and bought Time Out Amsterdam and it was quite useful. Local versions of Time Out on city breaks a great, because I know the format and find things quickly when I want to see what's on.


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## oryx (Apr 19, 2012)

Gingerman said:


> Remember when they used to have a political and football listings section?


 
Yes! I had completely forgotten they ever had those.

Am I stating the obvious by thinking it's now aimed fairly & squarely at tourists? While I get it, and admittedly enjoy it, it doesn't seem to capture the real London (that's an understatement) but is aspirational, in a cliched way, in its consumer sections.

I still like the music section and the magazine's coverage of the London mayoral election has been good.


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## Cloo (Apr 20, 2012)

When I stopped really gigging and clubbing it became a bit surplus to requirements, also, I suppose, the web's overtaken it for reference.


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## editor (Apr 20, 2012)

uk benzo said:


> I know someone who worked for them up until recently... he was made redundant- cost cutting measures.


They've laid loads of people off. And it shows.


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## _angel_ (Apr 20, 2012)

Haven't bought it in years and when I did last, I discovered someone who I think was my English teacher at high school writing for them.


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## stethoscope (Apr 22, 2012)

Used to buy it weekly years ago, occasionally buy it now if there's something particularly of interest.

I did buy the London Calling book a while back, which collates lots of old articles and that's very good.


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## ska invita (Apr 22, 2012)

early 90s  i remember the reviews being very high brow - often annoyingly so - no longer.
Definitely struggling because of the internet I imagine, though still handy for tourists, or a quick last minute peak. 
Their website should be a lot better considering the info they have at their disposal.
Someone was telling me that when they started it was quite a radical project..a co-op I think...then there was a split, and the radical half went on to do do City Lights, and the more mainstream side kept TO going (or bought it out or something). ANyone know more on that?

No, haven't bought it in years.


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## oryx (Apr 22, 2012)

ska invita said:


> Someone was telling me that when they started it was quite a radical project..a co-op I think...then there was a split, and the radical half went on to do do City Lights, and the more mainstream side kept TO going (or bought it out or something). ANyone know more on that?


 
I can't say I know any more, but I've definitely heard/read that too.

Anyone else remember when City Limits had a brief incarnation as a listings magazine aimed at women?


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## pinkmonkey (Apr 22, 2012)

I did buy one of the guides that they do a couple of years ago - the kids London guide, because I needed to research kids footwear and the chain stores in the West End weren't going to cut it.  So yeah, they're more about consuming than owt else.


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## UrbaneFox (Apr 24, 2012)

Jerry Sadowitz was a Time Out columnist and film critic in the 80s. I remember when he reviewed "The Beekeeper" he wrote, "The day I go to see a film called The Beekeeper" is the day I shag my sister.

He lasted about two weeks.


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## oryx (Apr 24, 2012)

Does anyone remember Andrew Mosby?


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## starfish2000 (May 7, 2012)

Didnt it have a really entertaining Personals column in the 80s which they eventually got rid of?


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## porno thieving gypsy (May 11, 2012)

Had a subscription up until a few years ago when I got bored of it, haven't read one since. 

When I first came to london in 1998 the excitement of buying a copy and seeing all the amazing gigs to choose from was immense.


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## Lord Camomile (May 11, 2012)

Got a letter yesterday confirming the cancellation of my subscription.

I'm freeeeeee!


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## mrsfran (May 11, 2012)

It only ever runs three features:

1. Secret/hidden London
2. London on a budget/free/recession-friendly
3. East v West/North v South

That's it. Endlessly running the same three items, framed in terms of best cafe/best breakfast/best fashion shops/best place to walk your dog. The journalists must be so BORED of coming up with the same 3 ideas.


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## abe11825 (May 11, 2012)

The only time I ever read it, was when one of my Boston area cousins bought it and ended up bringing it over. That was maybe twice a year. Didn't really interest me when I was younger, nor did it interest me when I lived in town. Guess it's a good thing I saved my money and wasted it on things like MOJO and Uncut!


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## Santino (May 11, 2012)

mrsfran said:


> It only ever runs three features:
> 
> 1. Secret/hidden London
> 2. London on a budget/free/recession-friendly
> ...


They also do Sexy London and Foodie London.


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## Artaxerxes (May 11, 2012)

Santino said:


> They also do Sexy London and Foodie London.


 
They should combine the 2, giggity...

Dont buyit as its a bit crap, very focused on stuff to do with either kids or alcohol and I don't like either. Does the occasional interesting bit online but its like looking for gold dust.


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## Tim Arthur (May 11, 2012)

Afternoon all. I buy Time Out every week and I still can't believe how fantastic it is after all these years.

No wait, if I'm totally honest, I pick it up at work every week for free and read it and still thinks it's great but then I'm totally biased as I am the editor. Reading the comments has been somewhat sobering but good for me.

I took over the magazine and the website just over a year ago and have worked really hard to try and change some of the very things that a lot of you have mentioned.

My whole ethos has been to put London firmly back at the heart of the magazine (and that means all of London) - to not constantly repeat cover stories (we haven't had a sex issue in over a year for instance, we've only had one budget issue and a couple of food related issues) and to make sure we try and look at the capital with fresh eyes every week – we've had many cover features that the magazine has never covered before in its 43 year history including one on the response the London riots which I was and still am very proud of.

Overall we try as hard as we can to passionately reflect quite how amazingly diverse London's arts and entertainment scenes are and our ethos and purpose is still the same: We help Londoners make the most of the city.

The main difference is now that we have far more ways of doing it both in print and on our digital platforms (excuse the wanky terminology for the website, iPhone app etc). The actual official answer to the question though is that about 55,000 people each week still buy Time Out magazine and around 4 million people each month use our website.

It's a changing world and the company is having to move with the times. The magazine will continue to evolve and change (feedback is genuinely always welcomed and many of the changes I have made have come through talking to readers both current and expired) as will the website, mobile app and the new iPad app we're about to launch.

If anyone would like a free copy to check out what we are actually doing now in the magazine do just email me and I'll make sure one gets sent out to you straightaway. I would love to hear back from you afterwards with any feedback positive or negative.

We have some wonderfully talented writers here who I love working with everyday and it's my job to make sure that we're all still producing something which people find useful, engaging, relevant and fun even in a world where things produced on paper are increasingly finding life a little tough.

Yours, Tim Arthur timarthur@timeout.com


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## editor (May 11, 2012)

Hi Tim - nice to hear from you.

I hope you don't mind but I edited your post to put in some paragraphs in your post because it was pretty much unreadable!

I'll have some comments to add too once I can read it properly.


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## editor (May 11, 2012)

As a promoter, I've found Time Out listings to be an increasing disappointment.

If I'm not mistaken, you've shunted out a load of staff (no doubt due to a decreasing budget) making the listings seem far less hand-picked. The same places seem to get 'critic's choice' month after month, and there seem little effort made into finding out the lesser known/grassroots stuff (which the mag used to be great for).


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## Hocus Eye. (May 11, 2012)

This is funny, our editor has to edit the post of the editor of Time Out to make it readable. Thanks editor, I hate those seamless posts we sometimes get on here. Usually they are rants, but this was not.

Perhaps Time Out could do an article on a London based website for example at random, Urban75.


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## Tim Arthur (May 11, 2012)

Thanks for adding the paragraph breaks for me. 

I'm sorry to hear that that's your perception. We still pride ourselves on helping people to discover new venues, bands, events, exhibitions. Our clubbing, comedy, cabaret, dance, art, around town, gay and lesbian sections still cover events that no other major publication covers and we actually cover more events now across all our platforms than we ever have done before.

Currently the website alone covers has over 20,000 events listed of which most are in small venues with new or upcoming artists. We do have less space in the magazine to play with which is a real shame but oddly it means that we spend far more time ensuring that what does get onto the page are only the events or gigs we genuinely believe and know are the best ones around. Having said that I will definitely have a look again at the balance of what we're covering, if we're not surfacing enough of the lesser known bands/grassroots stuff in the magazine that is a problem and one that can be easily rectified.

Thanks again for the feedback it's all good food for thought and I'll bring it up with the whole team at next week's editorial meeting. Hopefully you'll notice some changes within the next couple of weeks.


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## happyshopper (May 11, 2012)

I used to be a subscriber but I let it lapse because:

1. Because I could get all the listings information I needed online;

2. The editorial material got repetitive and boring; and as a clincher,

3. Despite clear instructions to the contrary which was repeated on several occasions and was set out on the address label, the people who delivered the magazine each week always just threw the copy on the doorstep, rather than putting through the letterbox, thereby letting passers by know whenever I was away that the house was empty.


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## oryx (Jun 1, 2012)

Really enjoyed the piece about Deptford in the TV section this week as a preview of 'The Secret History of our Streets' (a little bit too disparaging about the High Street, though, I thought - there's much more to it than bookies and £ shops!). Best thing I've read in there for a while.

I'm glad you've bagged 'lies To Tell Tourists' which was never funny anyway and became positively tedious. Wish you'd do the same with the features on 'vintage' clothes and sample sales.

I like the Face Off section and the London pages but wish there were more of the latter.


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## nefarious (Jun 1, 2012)

i still think  its the best for contecks, its hard to knwo in listings which are best to go to.  but i never ever buy it.


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## Winot (Jun 25, 2012)

Interesting article by former books and travel editor, Chris Moss:

http://www.bjr.org.uk/data/2012/no2_moss


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## blossie33 (Jun 25, 2012)

I have been picking up a free London listings paper from outside the tube station near work on Tuesdays for the last couple of weeks http://www.scoutlondon.com/
Although it doesn't have the same content volume it reminds me a bit of how Time Out used to be, not bad for free.


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## editor (Jun 25, 2012)

Winot said:


> Interesting article by former books and travel editor, Chris Moss:
> 
> http://www.bjr.org.uk/data/2012/no2_moss


Good piece. 


> What I saw there was an unashamedly aspirational section called “Consume” that recommended the most obscenely priced clothes, perfumes and household stuff and a food section right at the front that covered the same ground as the Evening Standard, regularly giving high ratings to restaurants that charged £100-plus for dinner. ...


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## oryx (Jun 25, 2012)

Winot said:


> Interesting article by former books and travel editor, Chris Moss:
> 
> http://www.bjr.org.uk/data/2012/no2_moss


 
It is indeed, and a well-written piece.

The bit about Boris Johnson/Ken Livingstone is especially interesting. (I remember when Livingstone had a gardening column in _TO_!)


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## Ponyutd (Aug 2, 2012)

Time Out has announced it will be free...very soon.


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## Winot (Aug 2, 2012)

Ponyutd said:


> Time Out has announced it will be free...very soon.



Shame - they've given up then. Expect more adverts disguised as articles.


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## Winot (Aug 2, 2012)

Report here http://bit.ly/Nnlhdp


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## oryx (Aug 2, 2012)

Ponyutd said:


> Time Out has announced it will be free...very soon.


 
Indeed, and I'm disappointed that as a subscriber I heard this first on BBC Radio London and second on here.

They have my email and postal address and you'd think they would let their customers know. Instead what I get from them is an emailed offer to see 'The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe' for £20!

Predictably for this year and this time of year, the last two issues have been even more tourist fodder.


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