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Drinking in London
London is home to a great many pubs, bars and nightclubs.
Pubs/Bars
You are reminded that London is an expensive place and that your drink is likely to cost you more than its equivalent elsewhere in the UK. Expect to pay close on £3 for a pint in an 'average' pub. However, the cost of alcohol drops significantly the farther away you go from the central area (though be aware that West London tends to be an exception, with prices pretty much the same as central London). 'Classier' bars and pubs can be much more expensive. However many local pubs, especially those run by chains like Wetherspoons and Scream tend to be more reasonably priced, the latter catering for a student audience. In the Euston area, check out The Court (near the top end of Tottenham Court Road) and The Rocket (on Euston Road, a short walk from the British Library); both are part of the Scream chain and are fairly cheap to drink in, given that they cater for students of the adjacent University College London. Directly opposite the British Library is The Euston Flyer, popular with locals and commuters alike given its close proximity to Euston, St. Pancras and King's Cross railway stations.
The Knights Templar on Chancery Lane is an atypical but very pleasant, if large, pub. As it is part of the JD Wetherspoon chain, it is cheap but, unlike most of the rest of the chain, is a nice place to drink.
The various Sam Smith's pubs are very well priced, central and as traditional as you could want. Try Ye Olde Cheshire Cheese on Fleet Street, the Cittie of Yorke on Holborn, the Princess Louise on High Holborn, the Chandos on St Martin's Lane off Trafalgar Square and the Crown on New Oxford Street.
The general rule about tourist traps applies to pubs as much as anything else - you will find plenty of "traditional English pubs" near major attractions (usually the type with mock Tudor style cladding and lots of hanging baskets decorating the outside), with inflated prices to match - avoid them all. For a cheap pint near Piccadilly Circus, check out The Midas Touch (Golden Square, just off Beak Street in Soho), is another popular pub with locals and usually has some good happy hour deals.
However, these are the more trendier bars/clubs. Some classy and somewhat expensive hip and trendy bars include the Light Bar, Long Bar and Purple Bar.
One of the most interesting pubs in London can be found off Old Street: The Foundry. It's got a unique atmosphere, and serves excellent organic ales and stouts from Pitfield's, a local brewery. It's closed on Mondays. Make sure to go downstairs to the bathrooms, as there is usually an art exhibit in the halls.
Nightclubs
Nightlife seems to be an integral feature of London life and there are countless nightclubs in and around the Central London area with music to suit even the most eclectic of tastes. Districts in London tend to specialize to different types of music.
The Shoreditch/Farringdon/Hoxton area mainly consists of Nightclubs playing Drum & Bass, House & Trance Music and is home to two superclubs, Fabric (arguably the best nightclub in London) and Turnmills. The clubs in this area are often home to the world's top DJ's and attracts a lively crowd.
The area around the West End (Leicester Square, Piccadilly, Mayfair) is home to the more upmarket and exclusive clubs in London. Music played here is often of the Chart R&B, Hip Hop and Funky House genre. Notable clubs include China White, Funky Buddha, Mahiki, Cafe De Paris, Number One Leicester Square and Paper. This area attracts a rather pretentious crowd who love to flaunt what they have and is a must go to celebrity spot. Beware that drinks are ridiculously expensive and many clubs operate a guest list only policy.
The Camden area is made of clubs which play Rock, Metal and Indie Music. Notable clubs include Electric Ballroom, Underworld and the world famous Koko.
Gay and lesbian
London has a vibrant gay scene with countless bars, clubs and events. The nucleus of London's gay scene is undoubtedly the western half of Old Compton Street in Soho and the surrounding area, but over the last couple of years Vauxhall has seen a boom. The choice of places to go sometimes seem to be unmanageable. Gay Pride is held every year in June with parade and street parties.
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Heaven The Worlds Most Famous Gay Nightclub - A must visit while in London
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Kudos A bar popular with Asian guys and their admirers (Off Trafalgar Square).
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Rupert Street A great bar in Soho (Corner of Winnett St & Rupert St), popular with business men
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Barcode Bar and dance club in Soho, opened a second venue in Vauxhall
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Comptons and the Admiral Duncan (Old Compton Street, Soho) are both gay institutions in London
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G-A-Y Dance party, popular with a very young crowd (Old Compton Street, Soho)
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Candy Bar Lesbian bar (Carlisle Street, Soho)
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The Royal Vauxhall Tavern a landmark. Features the Dame Edna Experience on Sundays
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The Hoist Men only leather bar
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Central Station Bar and fetish club in King's Cross - seedier than most central venues.
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Ghetto Different music every night of the week, relatively cheap.
You will probably find that most places, particularly Shoreditch or Camden, straight bars will have a mixed clientele. To find out what is going on during your visit, Boyz Magazine is published fortnightly and is freely available at most London gay venues, and contains listings of everything that is happening in all the major clubs in London and the South East.
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