London Nightlife
London is a hot bed of nightlife and is widely regarded as one of the best cities for a night out in Europe, if not the world. For non-stop, all night entertainment, every day of the week there are few that can beat it.
As with most cities the place to get the night kicked off is in one of the many pubs in London, start off with a quiet pint and then head on for more action or head straight to one of the many DJ bars all over the city to get in the groove from the off.
Clubs start to rock from about 11pm onwards and can go on until 6 or 7 am in many cases and sometimes later. However when there is a big line up at some of the clubs below the queues can be huge and you may not get in, so check it out as you may need to get there at 8.30/9pm to ensure entrance. Admission to the big clubs doesn’t come cheap, particularly when there is a top name DJ playing so make sure you know the story before heading anywhere as it can come as a bit of a shock. Having said that there are loads of smaller clubs with great music that charge much less on the door and can be just as much fun.
Dress codes apply in many venues, so dress for a night out if you want to be sure of getting in anywhere, some of the trendy clubs want you to make the effort and may not allow you in if you haven’t. There are loads of chilled out, dark and dingy nightclubs that have hopping dance floors and dress codes aren’t of any concern. To give yourself the best chances of getting in we would recommend arriving in twos and threes rather than in one big group, be friendly and polite to the door staff and don’t arrive so pissed that they can’t let you in – then you should have no problems at all.
The Top London Night Clubs
Fabric – The City, EC1
Possibly London’s original super club, the name Fabric is synonymous with top DJ line ups, packed dance floors and a great party atmosphere. Crowds thin out to the hardcore clubbers in the early hours as the bars generally close at 3am. Fabric is considered a “must visit” by clubbers in the know.
The End – Camden, WC1
The End is the brain child of Mr C and his best mate Layo Paskin who are both resident DJs. It opened in 1995 and has gone from strength to strength over the years. Known for being a friendly and fun place to party with a top DJ line up to boot, The End has seen the likes of Laurent Garnier, Jeff Mills, Daft Punk and Fatboy Slim all headlining. Friday and Saturday nights at The End really are hopping. A stylish bar called AKA opened upstairs.
Egg – Islington, N7
Egg is one of Londons most exciting and stylish venues and is spread over three floors with a great terraced garden to boot. The open air courtyard has an Ibizan atmosphere and in the summer there is a swimming pool! Egg throbs to the beat of house and its’ 800 or so patrons make an intimate atmosphere. Egg is famed for hosting some of London’s top gay nights as well as a great morning club on Sundays.
Ministry of Sound – Southwark, SE1
Ministry of Sound needs little introduction to most people as it was an important location in the development of house music and superclubs in Britain in the early 1990s.
MoS initially set itself apart from other London nightclubs of the time with its location well away from London clubland, a non-alcoholic bar and a highly-acclaimed sound system; all features designed to attract an enthusiastic crowd of music lovers. DJs mix live sets on Friday and Saturday each week. The MoS contains two dance floors as well as a Sony PlayStation room and Absolut chill bar.
Heaven – Westminster, WC2
Heaven is the gay nightclub par excellence and one of the first to bring gay London clubbing mainstream. It is located underneath Charing Cross Railway station in Central London, just off Trafalgar Square.
Spread over three floors the place is huge with stage, galleries, three restaurants and four bars. But it is the music that draws people in. This is the club which invented techno in the eighties and the music is cutting edge as well as full of old classics. Just come and enjoy!
The Key – Kings Cross, N1
The Key is a magical club spread over two levels, it is an intimate, stylish and edgy venue in the heart of Kings Cross which offers chic space together with authentic underground dance space. Big nights host some of the best DJs on the scene. If is best known for its lit dance floor and eclectic furniture combined with some of the best tunes in town.
Canvas – Kings Cross, N1
Canvas will be known by many as its old name of Bagleys and is one of the biggest clubs in London hosting 2,500 music mad punters per night. It is located in Kings Cross train yards right opposite The Cross nightclub and is attended by the more hardcore part animals who are up for an all night bender. It was refurbished recently, has multiple rooms and plays a range of music styles throughout the week. There is a great outdoor area for chillin.
Pacha – Westminster SW1
Pacha’s intention has always been to recreate the Ibiza experience - and following a multi-million pound refit the world’s most historic club has a line up that features Europes finest DJs on its playing list they have certainly achieved it. The crowd is glitzy, glamorous and shamelessly decadent with outrageous costumes and a good mix of straight and gay clubbers. The interior is beautifully dressed in it’s original oak panelling and features a stunning stained glass ceiling. A fabulous balustraded gallery overlooks the main dance floor below creating a visually inspiring environment. Expect uplifting vocals, house style beats and a beautiful clubbing crowd.
The Cross – Kings Cross, N1
One of London’s most established clubs, The Cross is located below seven brick arches beneath the King’s Cross goods yard that is also home to several other top clubs. The Cross consistently hosts some the finest musical talents and club nights in London. It is a favourite with clubbers – straight & gay - and Fridays and Saturdays feature multiple DJs, each in a different room and each spinning an individual blend of beats intended to drive the young, hip crowd wild.