New Year’s Eve in London is everyone’s favourite party night of the year. If you’re headed to the big smoke, you have a rich selection of events catering for every taste and interest at your fingertips. But how do you decide where to go? Plan your perfect New Year’s Eve with our pick of the best nights on offer and say goodbye to 2013 and hello to 2014 in style.
First, you need to consider your all important pre-party venue to help you kick off the night with a bang and get you warmed up for the main event. Here are our recommendations for the perfect pre-party feasts.
Give 2014 a Mexican Wave in Camden
Nobody does a party quite like the Mexicans and New Year’s Eve is no exception, when they go all out to wave farewell to 2013 and hola to 2014. And with Europe’s largest selection of tequilas, mescals and sotols, you can be guaranteed this party will go out with a bang. Enjoy a traditional three course Mexican New Year’s feast, including a welcome margarita, wine or Corona; hot fruit punch or sweet Mexican coffee and a glass of champagne at midnight. You’ll also get a chance to take part in the traditional 12 grape Mexican New Year ritual! All at £60 per person.
Step Back in Time to the 1920s for a Gatsby-esque Blow Out
Covent Garden’s coolest cocktail bar will be going all prohibition era á la Great Gatsby
for one night only! Polish those spats and plume those feathers for a rip-roaring party like no other. Kick off your evening with a complimentary glass of fizz, followed by a decadent three course dinner in the opulent Red Dining Room, dressed to rival even Gatsby’s joint. All for just £32.95 per person. Then dance the night away like a flapper to the jazziest tunes. With bottles of Prosecco priced at just £20 until 10pm, there’s no excuse not to have a sparkling celebration.
Celebrate in Sophistication Thameside
The Perkin Reveller, The Tower of London
Situated in the grounds of the Tower of London and in the shadow of London Bridge, The Perkin Reveller has all the atmosphere you could ask for at New Year. Whether you’re after big banqueting tables or cosy tables for two, this night will deliver a sumptuous seven course meal, including champagne for the midnight toast.
Head Barman Jeremy Pascal kicks off the celebrations with his savoury gin cocktail with an unusual twist to excite your palate: flavours of bacon, pistachio and quails egg! The evening will climax at midnight with a live projection of the spectacular London Mayor’s fireworks.
Dabble in Decadence, Burlesque and Ragtime Jazz in Soho
Expect decadence, hedonism and chaos at Herr Kettner’s New Years Eve party. The party is set in 1920’s Germany, where monocled aristocrats sit cheek by jowl with bohemians, artists, burlesque dancers and flappers. Herr Kettner hosts an evening of ragtime jazz across three floors complete with a photo studio, Champagne fountain and Kabaret bar. Promising live entertainment on every floor, this party promises to keep revellers dancing all night with the Basin Street Brawlers, burlesque from glamourpuss Ruby Deshabille and much, much more.
Full dining tickets cost £165, with guests receiving a welcome drink at 7.30pm, followed by a four course dinner with wine included. Non-dining tickets are £50, with entry from 8.30pm. The party ends at 3am.
New Orleans Mardi Gras Madness in North London
Shaker & Co return to put on yet another thrilling Mardi Gras themed New Year’s Eve party to welcome in 2014. The party starts early at 5pm, giving you plenty of time to shake your thing with wild abandon to New Orleans R&B into the early hours.
Tickets cost £25 per person, which includes three cocktails redeemable from 7pm – 9pm, a complimentary banquet of pizzas, sharing platters, Cajun fries and sweet potato wedges, available until 8pm, and free Mardi Gras beads for each guest. A live Rhythm & Blues band will play from 8:30pm – 11pm while guests in masquerade black tie theme dance the night away.
Dance to House Music on the Thames
This boat cruise party promises a night of deep tech house and house classics. Strictly for 21 year olds and over, the Golden Sunrise Boat will depart Millbank Pier to cruise the Thames so passengers and partygoers can dance the night away while taking in the iconic sights of London. The boat boasts two floors, each with a dance floor, but this is a strictly House affair, so don’t expect any cheesy party classics.
The banging line up boasts Matty Wells, X-Ray and Nitromind (Poison Djs), Pete Dee, Gary Stalker and Nut Nut and costs £60 per person. The boat sets sail at 8.30pm sharp and won’t wait for latecomers. The party ends at 2am.
Sexy, Funky, Soul at Camden’s Jazz Cafe
Born of the loins of seventies Havana and nurtured on a diet of soulful, sexy tunes the Cuban Brothers jet set into London to whip up a New Year’s Eve frenzy at Camden’s famous Jazz Cafe. Famed for their riotous comedy and jaw dropping b-boy action, the Cuban Brothers promise an evening of music, comedy and break dancing. The Smoove and Turrell Soundsystem will open the night, helping to make it a party to remember, and an awesome after party line up will see you through to the early hours with Cuban Brothers and Dan Le Sac DJ sets.
Tickets cost £39.50 in advance with free shots for anyone wearing a Hawaiian shirt or a moustache. After party tickets cost £10 for 1am entry.
Get Your Vintage Glad Rags on at the Southbank
A Vintage New Year’s Eve Party at Southbank
Southbank promises a glamorous extravaganza of live music, DJs, dance tuition, dining, period cocktails and fireworks at its Vintage New Year’s Eve party. Hosted in the Southbank building foyers, set across four floors of set-dressed entertainment, guests will enjoy five pop-up Vintage nightclubs, stylish dining, a hair and beauty parlour, swing dance tuition, rockabilly DJs, photo studios and a private river-view terrace to watch the London New Year’s Eve fireworks.
Tickets are priced at £160 for the three course meal and party, or £115 for party only tickets, with Vintage dress a must, guests don their gladdest rags to swing dance into 2014.
Time Travel to the 1940s in South East London
Relive the Blitz spirit this New Year’s Eve by stepping back in time to the 1940‘s to swing dance the new year in. The Blitz Party is hosted at the Great Suffolk Street Arches, which will be transformed into an air raid shelter with a warren of six rooms, where sandbags, blackout curtains, searchlights and oil lamps will help immerse you in a truly authentic atmosphere. They even have military bunk beds for seats. It’s ration books at the bar to replace bar tabs and provisions will line the walls, while live swing bands, DJs spinning big band classics.
Original newsreels and wartime film projections will all be part of the fun with guests donning their best Dad’s Army garb to enjoy the dance hall and two live music stages. The night starts a 9pm and tickets are £40.
Unleash the Phantom at the Covent Garden Cocktail Club
New Year’s Eve Black and Gold Phantom of the Opera party
If you prefer to opt for a bit of drama for your New Year’s celebration then look no further than the Covent Garden Cocktail Club Black and Gold Phantom of the Opera party. This plush quintessentially British venue offers a choice of fancy dress: either wear black and gold, or a mask, or go the whole hog and don your best thespy Phantom gear.
But don’t be fooled into thinking this’ll be a civilised affair. Far from it. There’ll be enough high spirits partying and raucous behaviour to keep anyone happy, and of course DJs playing party tracks and expertly mixed cocktails from the bar bods. But the real draw here? Confetti canons at midnight. Early bird tickets are £25.00 or £35.00 on the door.
Machine Funk and Dancefloor Bombs
If carving up the dance floor is your modus operandi than look no further than the Bugged Out! New Year’s Eve party, where Bugged Out will enter it’s twentieth year as a top draw entertainment ensemble.
The impressive line up promises plenty of dance floor bombs from the the likes of headliner electro maestro Erol Alkan, fellow Phantasy artist Daniel Avery, whose album realse this year was met with critical acclaim, Leftfield French house producer Ivan Smagghe and disco-house riser Kiwi.
The venue is set in East London at the amazing Studio Spaces. All early tickets sold out, grab your £35 now to avoid disappointment.
Dance til 5am in Old Street
Disappearing Dining Club’s Hello 2014 NYE Dinner Dance All Nighter
Old Street’s landmark arts, music, digital media, street food, and pop up event space, Red Gallery, hosts the Disappearing Dining Club’s Hello 2014 New Year’s Eve Dinner Dance All Nighter. The hosts promise food, drinks and dancing over two floors, with a giant Dining Room in the huge basement gallery space, a ground floor cocktail bar with canapés, DJs and plenty of new Year’s Eve fizz.
£100 dinner dance tickets include welcome cocktails and canapés, followed by dinner including Bouillabaisse Terrine, Beef Wellington and Lime & White Chocolate Parfait. Join for just cocktails and canapes from 9pm til 5am at £30 per person or just dancing tickets from 11pm are a mere £20.