By early evening, the pavements of the West End are filling with people heading to pre-theatre dinners, while the pubs of Kilburn are just beginning to hum with conversation and the first small bands of the night are setting up in bars across the city.
London's nightlife is vast and varied, spanning world-class theatre, an exceptionally lively live music scene, and hundreds of pubs and small venues spread across the city. It suits visitors who are happy to pick one area and commit to it for the evening, whether that means a big production, a cheap gig, or a quiet pub. Because venues are scattered rather than clustered in a single strip, deciding what kind of night you want comes before deciding where to go.
Where to go out in London
1. The West End
The West End, particularly around Leicester Square, Covent Garden, Shaftesbury Avenue and Haymarket, is one of the world's premier destinations for theatre, including musical theatre. It suits a visitor who wants a full evening built around a single booked performance, with dinner and drinks before or after.
There is an official half-price TKTS booth in the centre of Leicester Square. Be wary of other ticket offices, including those claiming to be the "Official Half-Price Ticket Office", as these may charge higher prices and have been known to sell fake tickets.
2. The South Bank
The South Bank is another area well known for world-class theatre, and is home to the National Theatre and the Globe Theatre. It suits an evening that pairs a performance with a walk along the river.
Each Globe performance has over 700 £5 tickets, which makes it a practical option if you want to see a production without paying West End prices.
3. Fringe theatres
London's theatre scene outside the West End and the South Bank is known as "the Fringe". Several of the larger and more established fringe theatres are an excellent way to see top-quality productions of plays that may move to the West End, but at lower than West End prices.
The Royal Court specialises in new work by innovative writers from the UK and around the world, the Menier Chocolate Factory has done well with revivals of musicals, and the Lyric Theatre in Hammersmith offers a mix of modern interpretations of Shakespeare, musicals, and plays serving the Asian and Afro-Caribbean populations of West London.
4. Live music venues, large and small
Between huge concert facilities and small pubs, there are hundreds of venues organising and promoting live music every week. The scene covers all genres, from electro-jazz to death-metal, and all sizes of bands, and this diversity is reflected in prices.
As a rough guide, expect £40 and up for top-40 bands in arena-sized venues, £20 and up for established bands in mid-sized venues, £10 or more for up-and-coming bands and club nights in smaller venues, and £5 and up for new bands in bars and pubs. Many concerts, especially in smaller or lesser-known places, are free.
5. Classical music at Wigmore Hall
Wigmore Hall offers classical music concerts in an intimate setting, which suits an evening that is seated, focused and over by a reasonable hour.
The usual fare is between £18 and £60, but £5 tickets are available for most concerts for those aged under 35.
6. Kilburn
Kilburn in North West London has long been known as an Irish area, and though their numbers have somewhat declined, a visit to a local pub will show their influence endures. It suits a low-key pub evening rather than a ticketed event.
7. Pubs and bars with live music
A few areas have higher concentrations of pubs and venues than others, and these are where you will find the cheapest and most informal nights out. This suits a visitor on a budget or one who prefers to decide on the night rather than book ahead.
The best way to know what is going on where is to browse online ticket agencies, gig directories and bands' social media pages.
How a night out unfolds
The sources do not set out a fixed timetable for eating and going out in London. What they do indicate is that theatre performances anchor an evening, with the West End and South Bank drawing audiences to specific show times, and that live music runs across the week in venues of every size. How late things run depends entirely on what you have booked: a classical concert at Wigmore Hall and a club night in a small venue will end at very different hours. For current show times, listings and what is on, a cultural magazine such as Time Out London, available at most corner shops and newsagents, gives detailed information and critiques, including show times and current attractions, and its website carries major shows. The print version tends to be more detailed.
Festivals and events worth timing a trip around
- Wimbledon: the competition commences in late June and early July, when London goes "tennis crazy" for two weeks.
- London Open House Weekend: usually held on the third weekend of September, when several hundred buildings not normally open to the public are opened up. Some buildings have to be booked in advance.
- Winter skating: during the winter months, multiple outdoor ice rinks pop up across London.
- Summer skating: in summer, and also in winter for the more dedicated, there is a thriving roller skating scene, mostly centred around Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens.
- Outdoor film screenings: in the summer months, there are often outdoor screenings at various venues, such as Somerset House and in some of the large parks.
Frequently asked questions
How do I find out what is on during my visit?
Pick up a copy of a cultural magazine such as Time Out London, available at most corner shops and newsagents, which gives detailed information and critiques on what is around town, including show times and current attractions. The Time Out London website also lists major shows, and there are apps available, though the print version tends to be more detailed.
Can I see a show without paying West End prices?
Yes. There is an official half-price TKTS booth in the centre of Leicester Square, and each Globe performance on the South Bank has over 700 £5 tickets. Fringe theatres outside the West End and South Bank are also an excellent way to see top-quality productions at lower than West End prices.
Where should I go if I want live music on a budget?
Many concerts, especially in smaller or lesser-known places, are free, and new bands in bars and pubs typically start at around £5. A few areas have higher concentrations of pubs and venues than others, so browsing online ticket agencies, gig directories and bands' social media pages is the practical way to find them.
Is there anything to do outdoors in the evening?
In the summer months there are often outdoor screenings at various venues, such as Somerset House and in some of the large parks, and there is a thriving roller skating scene centred around Hyde Park and Kensington Gardens. During the winter months, multiple outdoor ice rinks pop up across London.
Decide what kind of evening you want, check current listings for times and tickets, and plan your night around one area rather than trying to cross the city.