More than 400 opened across London, mostly on the streets surrounding Pall Mall, giving rise to its nickname of 'Clubland.' Housed in grand Palladian mansions, they formed the blueprint still associated with private members' clubs today: bars, libraries, billiards rooms, private rooms for gambling, bedrooms for those who required them, and dimly lit corners where London's political and professional classes could make influential connections.
We've been excited about the potential of this project for some time. Built on a foundation of unique programming, ambitious production, and obsessive attention to detail, Open-Air sits on the bank of the River Thames at Greenwich Peninsula, bringing people closer to London's iconic skyline than ever before.
Back in 2010, 1,000 venues across the UK had all-day, all-night licenses, with 91 of those in the capital. These days, however, a measly 58 24-hour licenses are left. Back in 2024, the number of 24-hour gyms in the city officially surpassed the number of 24-hour bars and clubs. Fortunately, the tide could be about to change. Sadiq Khan's independent London Nightlife Taskforce, which was established in 2025, has put together an action plan to bring London's club scene back from the dead. The 'comprehensive' plan was unveiled in January and includes everything from changes to night-time transport and rethinking approaches to noise monitoring to a Nightlife Future Fund.
At the end of last year, XOYO (along with other London venue The Camden Assembly) was acquired by the newly formed Propaganda Independent Venues group, run by Propaganda founder Dan Ickowitz-Seidler and TEG founder Richard Buck. By acquiring the Shoreditch club, the group wanted to help it "thrive under independent ownership and become a cultural hub for the area, offering opportunities and support to local artists and businesses".
We've been exploring what nightlife looks like in London outside of the traditional nightclubs, and here comes the Barbican with a brand-new late-night party series. The 'anyone can dance' events will be a celebration of diaspora, community and joy, with the Level -1 foyer space turning into a dancefloor open until 3am. The series is kicking off on Fri 20th February with a night curated by Eastern Margins, a collective that celebrates alternative East and South East Asian creativity and culture.
According to recent data, over 2 million people are typically out and about across the capital between 9pm and midnight, with around 1 million remaining active later into the night, in a testament to the city's enduring after-dark draw. A "rain check" no longer has to mean disappointment, though. Across the capital, nightlife has evolved into something far more flexible than a simple pub-to-club circuit. Dining, entertainment, gaming and culture increasingly blend into evenings that feel intentional rather than improvised.
It's 2.30am in Piccadilly, London. Richard ­Corrigan climbs on to his scooter and prepares to drive home to Muswell Hill. But not before waving goodbye to Camille O'Sullivan.
These broadcasts are pure, unfiltered glamour. Hosts in peak-lapel dinner jackets greet viewers by name as they appear in the chat, champagne corks pop on cue, and the set - all black marble, gold trim and crystal chandeliers - pulses with 300,000 people watching from London postcodes and beyond. The feeds have become so iconic that entire round-ups now exist ranking the very best, such as the widely-shared UK online casinos list that Londoners in the know check religiously for the sharpest rooms in town.
And it's not just the pubs that are worth their salt in the capital. It's bars too. From sophisticated cocktail dens to sweet wine bars and trendy natty wine joints, London has everything whatever your tipple of choice may be. Now it's official: 35 bars in London have been named amongthe world's best in the Top 500 Bars list. And we can vouch, because we've sampled drinks at nearly every bar named on the list.
Located at 100 Liverpool Street, there'll be dozens of digital pool tables spread across two floors, which have been designed to pay homage to Las Vegas casinos. The AI tech will allow players to 'adapt' their games to suit their skill level so that everyone gets their 'fair shot at glory'. At first, each table will have five different game modes, including 'Killer' and 'Pot Shots', but Poolhouse said that 'new releases constantly in development, there's always something fresh to keep the rivalry alive'.
Ask any music-loving Londoner to name the city's best venues, and there's a decent chance Corsica Studios will appear somewhere near the top of their list. Opened in 2002 by Adrian Jones and Amanda Moss, for 23 years this unassuming railway arch beneath Elephant & Castle station, with its pummelling sound, no-frills aesthetics and adventurous musical programming, has become one of the capital's most influential and beloved clubs.
London's nightlife is something out of this world. It never stays still and is constantly evolving. Casino nights are no longer confined strictly to glittering venues in Soho or the West End. Instead, they are conveniently slipping onto our smartphone screens and reshaping how we socialise, gamble and experience the thrills of entertainment. In fact, Mr. Gamble's experts in the UK offer a unique lens into this shift, which also includes plush casino lounges and virtual spin tables.
From midday until 18:00 BST, Black On The Square will begin with free live performances, dance, food and family-friendly activities. This year's 'Inter-generate' theme recognises Black London's contribution to electronic culture. It will feature legendary Garage music producer and DJ Wookie. The first acts to be announced include popular south-east London DJ collective Born N Bread who will host the main stage.
London's newest mega-club is back with another monster programme Broadwick Live, the team behind Printworks, Beams and Manchester's Depot Mayfield, opened its biggest venue back in October 2023 by taking over the former Tottenham IKEA and turning it into the 608,000 sq ft, 15,000 capacity Drumsheds nightclub. Across its first two seasons, the warehouse space has played host to the likes of Skepta and Jammer, Bicep, Hercules & Love Affair,
