Nightlife
8 affordable nights out in London that won't break the bank
Want to party big in the capital without the hefty price tag? We round up eight club nights and venues that wont put a dent in your bank account.
London is an expensive place to party, but you don't always have to spend a lot of money to have a great time in the capital. Here are eight club nights and parties that won’t break the bank before payday comes around.
1. South London Soul Train at Bussey Building
133 Rye Lane, SE15 4ST | MAP
Peckham favourite the Bussey Building is a go-to spot in South London. Here, the CLF Art Café hosts the super popular South London Soul Train every Saturday night. Early bird tickets start at just a fiver and for that you get the best of classic soul, funk, disco and more soulful dance sounds. There are special events dedicated to the biggest names of the genre, like the upcoming Marvin Gaye and Motown special.
2. Tola
56 Peckham High Street, SE15 5DP | MAP
This newer Peckham gem has already made its mark with regular DJ appearances from South London stalwarts like World Unknown’sAndy Blake and Horse Meat Disco’sSeverino. And with door tax often a fiver in advance, or free before 10pm or 11pm, this late-night bar and club venue – with a Funktion-One sound system – should definitely be on your list.
3. Upstairs at the Ritzy
Brixton Oval, Coldharbour Lane, SW2 1JG | MAP
Upstairs from the Ritzy cinema, there's an intimate bar and venue space that hosts a wide variety of events all week long. You never quite know what you're going to get: from a vinyl-only reggae education from Dub Me Always, to live jazz, and regular parties from Massive Arms promoter Dave Salisbury, who takes cult classics from film, TV and music and give them a fresh take for 2019. Examples include The Office-themed spectacular with a quiz, blind date competition, a DJ set and a live band playing David Brent's favourite hits.
4. Dalston Superstore
117 Kingsland High Street, E8 2PB | MAP
Dalston Superstore is nearly a decade old, but don’t ever think that this old girl’s past it. Quite the opposite, in fact – this LGBT+ bar and club that welcomes respectful straights is regularly free before 10pm, and the price on the door is always reasonable too. Pop and disco vibes upstairs, 4/4 pumpers in the rave basement, you know the score – or at least you should by now.
5. NT’s
207, 1 Westgate Street, E8 3RL | MAP
Part of the Netil House studio spaces building, NT's is a real Hackney find. The rooftop terrace means the views are great as you sip one of their excellent cocktails, plus the events are always worth checking out too. Advance tickets to their club nights typically hover around the £5 mark, and go on until a respectably late 4am. Head over to NT's own weekly Loose Ends night that celebrates "global disco, house, afro and funky and everything in-between."
6. Oslo Hackney
1A Amhurst Road, E8 1LL | MAP
This is another rock solid bar and restaurant that comes alive at weekends with DJs and live acts in the back. It’s £7 on the door when they’re charging after midnight at weekends (though certain live bands will cost more) and it’s so near Hackney Central station that it’s practically on the tracks. Fridays see their in-house event Valhalla playing party jams, and on Saturdays it’s Locomotive Disco until 4am, which takes a more electronic slant.
7. Five Miles
39B Markfield Road, N15 4QA | MAP
Five Miles is one of the venues that really kicked off Tottenham’s recent surge in the nightlife stakes, hosting great lineups and a killer late bar, too (plus the in-house craft brewery doesn’t hurt one bit). And while the bigger names can edge over the £10 mark, it’s definitely worth trying to grab some early bird action for their very intense and intimate club space.
8. The Social
5 Little Portland Street, W1W 7JD | MAP
Now this bar is a real London OG. It’s been hosting scene-defining parties and a storied record label (Heavenly Recordings) since 1999, and recently was under serious threat of closure from rising rents and a buyout from a big cocktail chain. But a crowdfunder saw its thousands of fans save the day, raising the essential funds to take the bar off the market within only eight days (but you can still donate to the cause here). So the next time you’re central, don’t just tube it out of town – get down to the original basement bar that’s hosted everyone from The Chemical Brothers, Fatboy Slim and Andrew Weatherall. Second Saturday of every month is a special Trojan Records throwdown. Expect maximum old school reggae vibes and no cover charge, making it the best deal in central London clubbing by far.
NEXT: Discover more of the capital's best bars, clubs, food spots and local secrets at Keys To Your City London.