London Nightlife & Clubs

London's Beat Generation

Rock around the clock in England's capital of cool

Daniel Allen

Few cities in the world can match London when it comes to nocturnal pastimes and entertainment. The British capital overflows with history and tradition, with theatres and venues that measures their lifetimes in decades. From the grand old opera houses and theatres of the West End, through clubs and bars in the City's fashionable eastern quarter, to global sports events and cool pool halls, London oozes possibilities and excitement.

Clubbing in the capital, UK — Clubbing in the capital

Young London

"This is a great city to be young in," says thirty-something English lawyer Rhys Pullen, as he takes a break from the dance floor at London's Fabric nightclub. "Really, if you've got the money and the energy, the opportunities to let your hair down here are endless. From clubs to cultural nights out, this has be one the world's top nightlife hotspots."

"Despite its venerable history, London is very much a vibrant, contemporary city," adds James Carter, a London-based theatre critic. "Away from the classical palaces of entertainment you'll find a very different capital. This one takes place in basements and hidden spaces, imparting a pulse that can be felt all over the city. Never standing till, this is a London where clubs, bars and even whole districts can drift in and out of fashion almost overnight."

London night club, UK — London Club Scene

London Clubs

Occupying former theatres, railway arches, factories and warehouses, many of London's major clubs started out as illegal party venues - Londoners are used to descending into the ancient heart of their city for a big night out. There's indie, rock, pop and world music in the mix, but it's all-night dance events on the weekend that are the real lifeblood of these huge spaces.

The mother of all London dance venues is the Great Suffolk Street Warehouse, which really embodies the warehouse mentality on the grandest of scales, complete with makeshift bars and portable toilets. "This club features some of the best DJs around," says Cain Blythe, editor of a popular London nightlife website. "Your trainers will be probably be wrecked come morning, but you'll have had a great night in return."

For those who prefer to dance in slightly more sophisticated surroundings, it's hard to look beyond Fabric, the grandfather of London nightclubs.

"Fabric is the best dance venue in London by a long shot," says diehard clubber Suzie Harrison. "On the big nights you can get 2500 people in here. With three dance floors, bars everywhere and an awesome sound system, it's a fantastic space. If you love house music this is the place to be. There's no need to dress up, there's no one to impress, no one cares. It's all about enjoying the music."

For live music enthusiasts London doesn't disappoint either. Every night you'll find music being played in hundreds of venues across the city - from international superstars to those taking their first hesitant steps into the spotlight.

"The Guide, a supplement inside Saturday's Guardian newspaper, offers up-to-date listings covering everything from rock and pop through to jazz, folk and blues," says Cain Blythe. Online guides such as Spoonfed (www.spoonfed.com) are often a good place to find less mainstream events."

"From the Rolling Stones to Coldplay, London has been the launchpad of a huge number of bands," continues Blythe. "Despite its size, if a good band forms in this city, word travels very fast."

London Theatres

The paradox of London's famous Queen's Theatre, so ugly on the outside yet so jaw-droppingly gorgeous within, is explained by a Second World War bomb which destroyed the original exterior in 1940. While architectural critics decry the concrete and brick exterior, the effect of stepping into the auditorium from such a bleak surround is truly magical, with the exquisite cream and gold colour scheme, and domed ceiling more than compensating for the errors of the reconstruction.

But there's a far better reason to visit Queen's than the décor. The theatre is home to London's longest running musical - Les Misérables - which first opened in the capital in 1985, and has been playing non-stop at Queen's since 2004. A spectacular adaptation of Victor Hugo's masterpiece, the show continues to thrill audiences night after night.

"If you're going to take in one show in the capital, make it Les Misérables," says James Carter. "The tickets aren't cheap, but nobody ever asks for their money back. It's a spectacular performance that still takes my breath away - and I've seen it three times."

The theatrical capital of the world, London is home to some of the most famous companies on the planet, often housed in glorious buildings. The number and variety of productions and the standards of acting and directing are unrivaled; the London stage has become the first port of call for many Hollywood stars looking to show off their thespian skills.

In recent years the musical has come to dominate London's theatrical heartland, to both the delight of audiences and the chagrin of many traditional producers.

"Recent musicals are generally based around two genres," says Carter. "Firstly, those based around popular pop and rock music acts, such as Mamma Mia! (based on Abba) and We Will Rock You (based on Queen). Second are stage adaptations of films: musical versions of Dirty Dancing, Shrek, Lion King and Flashdance. They're all great fun and great way for visitors to wile away an afternoon or evening."

Fullers London Pride beer, UK — London Pubs

London Pubs

There aren't many pubs that have world-famous historic sporting events starting outside their window, but the Duke's Head in Putney (southwest London) is one exception.

Not only has the famous University Boat Race set off from here for the past 167 years, but the building itself resembles a large grey paddle steamer preparing to slip down the embankment and into the River Thames.

Although its interior walls have recently been repainted in the light-blue pastel colours of Cambridge, the pub still retains its Victorian decor, with lots of frosty etched glass and ranks of beer pumps standing to attention. On one corner of the bar stands a tall tray of fresh-baked sausage rolls and Scotch eggs, as if some Dickensian pieman has temporarily unstrapped himself from his wares for a quick pint of ale.

"I've been coming here for nearly 30 years," says Duke's Head regular Phil Green, as he props up the bar. "You can't beat having a great beer while watching the Thames flow by. At high tide the river is always swollen and muddy and rowers from the next-door rowing clubs come out to practice."

The quintessential British experience of dropping into the "local" for a pint of beer is a great way to soak up the character of the different villages that collectively form the city of London. As the capital's bars and clubs have mushroomed over the past two decades, the traditional pub may have lost some of its pulling power, but you'll still find yourself in the best place to catch the area's gossip and sports talk - and, of course, enjoy the finest beers and whiskies in the world.

London pub, UK — Enjoy a drink in one of London's many famous pubs

All around London you'll find traditional pubs with bizarre-sounding names like "The Dog and Duck". Some may actually be chain pubs, mass marketed to get tourists in who want an "authentic" British pub experience and it can be hard to tell the difference from the outside. Although the tourist areas like Covent Garden, Leicester Square, Piccadilly and The Strand are clogged with a variety of pubs, it doesn't hurt to get off-the-beaten path in order to find your true British pub experience.

"The general opening hours of British pubs from are noon until 11 pm, although recent changes to licensing laws mean that many pubs in London will stay open later," explains David Evans, landlord of the King William pub in Whitechapel. "Even those that stop serving alcohol at 11 won't throw you out. Most London pubs are warm, friendly places - we're looking forward to welcoming foreign visitors during the Olympics."

A great area for sampling London pubs is Holborn (central London), which has an abundance of 19th-century style drinking dens. Of these the Princess Louise is the pick of the bunch - a temple of etched glass, bar lamps and wooden panels. A recent refit has somehow made the place feel even more authentic, with drinkers partitioned off into their own private spaces. "Make sure to check out the beautiful gentleman's toilets," says Evans with a smile. "They're actually listed as an architectural treasure."

London Gastro Pubs

Over the last decade London has witnessed the proliferation of so-called "gastropubs" - the perfect combination of a British pub and haute cuisine. "British pubs used to have a reputation for serving up awful food," says Lucy Edwards, a London-based food and restaurant blogger. "The idea of the gastropub has really changed this, dragging pub dining out of the nineteenth century and into the twenty-first."

One of London's most popular gastropubs is the Michelin-starred Harwood Arms in Fulham (southwest London). This rural haven in the middle of the city provides Londoners and tourists with a relaxed venue for eating the finest British produce. Seasonality is the overarching theme of the Harwood menu, with a lot of the ingredients sourced from the nearby countryside.

"This is still a proper English pub," says front of house manager Alex Sergeant. "You'll always find the finest of British ales and bitters on our bar, and we're always glad to help visitors choose something memorable to go with their meal, whether they're eating rabbit or venison or English snails!"

The great English author Samuel Johnson once said: "When a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford." Two hundred and fifty years later the same could be said about the capital's nightlife. Those in town who watched the 2012 Olympic events by day found London's nights delivered just as much excitement and drama. There's plenty of time for sleep on the plane ride home.

Band playing in London nightclub, UK — London Music

London Nights With A Difference

Late Night at the Museum
Generations of children have stood in the great hall at the Natural History Museum and gazed in awe at the giant dinosaur that greets them. Thanks to a recently introduced monthly late-night opening, adults can now have the place to themselves between 6 and 10.30 pm, enjoying a bite to eat, some soft music, and a glass of wine beneath the fossilized remains of the great beast. After hours events happen on the last Friday of every month and are an eye-opening opportunity to see one of London's great Victorian edifices in a whole new light.
www.nhm.ac.uk

Cool Pool
With the British capital boasting a range of classy pool halls, any wannabe Paul Newman can now perfect their hustle in style in London. Best of all are the Elbow Rooms, which are have three venues in Westbourne Grove, Shoreditch and Islington. Rack up a game, enjoy a few drinks, and chow down on generous portions of American cuisine, all before working off some calories to the in-house DJs. Venues are open until 2 am.
www.theelbowrooms.co.uk

Film Focus
Visiting the cinema - in central London at least - can be an expensive experience, especially those on Leicester Square. Given that mainstream Hollywood films are shown at most theatres, you could be in any city. Scratch beneath the surface, however, and visitors will find a range of alternative cinematic experiences in London. The Curzon in Mayfair (www.curzoncinemas.com) caters for true cineastes with screenings of foreign and art-house films, debates with directors, and one-off screenings of film classics.

Books & Beats
A growing number of literary events have brought books out of silent libraries and into London's noisy nightclubs. The capital's premier regular event is Book Slam (www.bookslam.com), which takes place on the last Thursday of every month in the Clapham Grand (www.claphamgrand.com). Heavyweight authors such as Hanif Kureishi have all headlined alongside a variety of book-loving celebrities. Expect everything from poetry and book readings to live music and DJs.