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There isn’t a London nightlife scene—there are lots of them. As long as there are crowds for obscure teenage rock bands, Dickensian-style pubs, comedy cabarets, and “bodysonic” dance nights, someone will create clubs and venues for them in London. The result? London has become a veritable utopia for excitement junkies, culture fiends, and those who—simply put—like to party. Nearly everyone who visits London these days will be mesmerized by the city’s energy, which reveals itself in layers. Whether you prefer rhythm and blues with fine French food, the gritty guitar riff tunes and boutique beers of East London, a pint and gourmet pizza at a local gastropub, or swanky cocktails and sushi at London’s sexiest lair, London is sure to feed your fancy.
Planning
Getting Around
If you’re out past 12:30 am, the best way to get home is by taxi (the Tube stops running around 12:30 am Monday–Saturday and midnight on Sunday), though the city’s night buses have improved hugely in recent years. The best place to hail a taxi is at the front door of one of the major hotels; you can also have the staff at your last stop of the evening call one for you. Avoid unlicensed taxis that tout for business around closing time.
Liquor and Smoking Laws
Recent laws have allowed London drinking establishments to extend their opening hours beyond the traditional 11 pm closing and banned smoking. Most pubs and bars still close at 11 and some others at midnight or a few short hours later, and in general you’ll find yourself drinking in environs that are healthier and certainly more pleasant.
Can I Take My Kids to the Pub?
As pubs increasingly emphasize what’s coming out of the kitchen rather than what’s flowing from the tap, bringing the kids is more of an option. The law dictates that children 14 to 17 may enter a pub but are not permitted to purchase or drink alcohol, and children under 14 are not permitted in the bar area of a pub unless the pub has a “Children’s Certificate” and they are accompanied by an adult. Some pubs have a section set aside for families, especially during the day.
What to Wear
As a general rule, you won’t see too many people in the upscale London nightspots wearing jeans and sneakers. British women are also prone to baring a bit of skin, so that sparkly, backless top you were saving for a Caribbean soiree might be just as suitable for a night out in London. In general, people are more likely to dress down than up for an evening in the pub.
Find Out What’s Playing Where
Because today’s cool spot is often tomorrow’s forgotten or closed venue, you’ll want to be sure to check out the weekly listings in the print editions (some with websites) of the Evening Standard (www.thisislondon.co.uk), Time Out London (www.timeout.com/london), Where London, and In London. Other websites to check out are www.londontown.com, www.allinlondon.co.uk, and www.viewlondon.co.uk. Tatler, the monthly, super-stylish magazine about England’s blue-blood set, is the insider’s bible for the hottest places to go. Although many clubs are for under-thirties, many others are popular with patrons of all ages and types.
Pubs
Pubs are where Londoners go to hang out, to see and be seen, act out the drama of life, and, for some, occasionally drink themselves into varying degrees of oblivion. Even today, the traditional pub is still a vital part of British life. It also should be a part of the visitor’s experience, as there are few better places to meet Londoners in their local habitat. There are somewhere around 4,000 pubs in London—some are dark and woody, others plain and functional, a few still have original Victorian etched glass, Edwardian panels, and art nouveau carvings.
Pubs in the capital are changing as gastropub fever has swept through London. At many places, char-grills are installed in the kitchen and nouveau pub grub, such as Moroccan chicken, is on the menu. Even so, the English take their drink very seriously, and regardless of what you eat, you’ll definitely want to order a pint.
The big decision is what to drink. The beers of choice among Britons are “bitters,” lightly fermented with an amber color that get their bitterness from hops. They are usually served at cellar temperature (that is, cooler than room temperature but not actually chilled). Real ales, served from wooded kegs and made without chilling, filtering, or pasteurization, are flatter than regular bitters and enjoying a renaissance. Stouts, like Guinness, are a meal in themselves and something of an acquired taste—they have a burned flavor and look like thickened flat Coke with a frothy top. Lagers, most familiar to American drinkers, are light color and carbonated. TIP Remember that what Americans call beer, the British call lager, and those on offer are often beers from continental Europe. Designer and American beers have been making their way to bars across London.
Note that many English pubs are affiliated with or owned by particular breweries and are beholden to sell only beers produced by that brewery. Some of these larger chain owners, sometimes identified on the pub’s sign, include Bass, Chef and Brewer, Mitchells and Butlers, Courage, Punch Taverns, Samuel Smith, and Whitbread. In contrast, independently owned pubs, called “free houses,” tend to offer a more extensive selection. Other potations now available also include ciders, ranging from sweet to dry, which are made from apples (Irish cider, served over ice, is now ubiquitously fashionable) and shandies, a mix of lager beer and lemonade. Friendly pubs will usually be happy to give you a taste of the brew of your choice before you order. After discussing your choice of drink with the barman, turn to your neighbor, raise the glass, and utter that most pleasant of toasts, “Cheers.”
Nightlife
As is true of nearly all cosmopolitan centers, the pace with which bars and clubs go in and out of fashion in London is mind-boggling. New trends, likewise, emerge all time. In one recent development, the dreaded velvet rope has been usurped by the doorbell-ringing mystique of members-only drinking clubs. Some of the city’s most talked-about nightlife spots these days are those attached to some of the best restaurants and hotels—no wonder, when you consider the increased popularity of London cuisine in international circles. Moreover, the gay scene in London continues to flourish. One constant on the nightlife scene is variety. The understated glamour of North London’s Primrose Hill, which makes movie stars feel so at ease, might be considered dull by the über-trendy club goers of London’s East End. Likewise, the price of a pint in Chelsea would be dubbed blasphemous by the musicians and poets of racially diverse Brixton.
Whatever your pleasure, however your whim turns come evening, chances are you’ll find what you’re looking for in London’s ever-changing arena of activity and invention.
Bars
Time was, bars in London were just stopovers in an evening full of fun—perhaps the pub first, then a bar, and off to boogie the night away at the nearest dance club. These days, however, bars are not just pit stops but all-night or all-day destinations in themselves. With the addition of dinner menus, DJs, and dance floors, at many of London’s most fashionable bars patrons stay into the wee small hours of the morning. The scene is known for its bizarre blends, its pioneering panache, and its highly stylish regulars. From exotic spaces designed to look like African villages to classic art deco creations to cavernous structures housed in old railway stations, London’s bar culture is as diverse as it is delicious.
Comedy and Cabaret
From renowned comedians such as Eddie Izzard to amateurs who try their luck on stage, in London you’ll find plenty of comedy and cabaret acts to keep you entertained all night long.
Dance Clubs
The city that practically invented raves is always on the verge of creating something new, and on any given night there’s a club playing the latest in dance music. Because London is so ethnically diverse, the tunes that emanate from the DJ box are equally varied—an amalgamation of sounds infusing drum ‘n’ bass, hip-hop, deep house, Latin house, breakbeat, indie, and R&B.
The club scene here ranges from mammoth-size playgrounds like Fabric and Cargo to more intimate venues where you can actually hear your friends talk. Check the daily listings in Time Out for “club nights,” which are theme nights that take place the same night every week, sometimes at the same clubs but often shifting locations. Another good way to learn about club nights is by picking up flyers in your favorite bar.
Eclectic Music
The eclectic music scene in London is constantly becoming more of a mishmash—the electro scene has evolved into the “nu rave” scene, and the constant arrival of new bands adds to the capital’s already diverse music scene.
Jazz and Blues
Jazz in London is highly eclectic. You can expect anything from danceable, smooth tunes played at a supper club to groovy New Orleans–style blues to exotic world-beat rhythms, which can be heard at some of the less central venues throughout the capital. London hosts the London Jazz Festival (www.londonjazzfestival.org.uk) in November, which showcases top and emerging artists in experimental jazz. The Ealing Jazz Festival (www.ealing.gov.uk), at the end of July, claims to be the biggest free jazz event in Europe.
Rock
Ever since the Beatles hit the world stage in the early 1960s, London has been at the epicenter of rock and roll. The city is a given stop on any burgeoning or established band’s international tour. Fans here are both loyal and enthusiastic. It is, therefore, a good idea to buy show tickets ahead of time. The “Gigs and Tickets” section on www.nme.com is a comprehensive search engine where you can easily book tickets online; Time Out is another good source for upcoming shows.
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