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The UK is known to have some of the best nightlife in the world. From clubs across the country hosting world-class DJs through to awesome underground nights and clubs playing every type of music you could possibly dream of, the country never sleeps. We’ve rounded up the best nightlife in some of the UK’s top cities, including mainstream and more alternative nights. Get ready to party! Here’s the best nightlife in the UK:
London
Oh, London. One of the world’s most exciting and fast-paced cities. The nightlife in London is hard to beat and you can find club nights playing every type of music, from drum and bass to grime, electro, rock, and even artist-specific club nights, such as South London’s famous Drake night — where they play back-to-back Drake. Whatever your musical tipple is, there will be a club night for it in London. Clubs are often located in old factories or former railway arches, making that clubbing experience that bit cooler.
Mainstream Clubs
Absolutely everybody has to head to one of London’s top clubs, such as Fabric in Farringdon, or Ministry of Sound in south-east London. Fabric regularly hosts some of the world’s top DJs and is spread across three huge rooms. You’ll hear everything from drum and bass, to dubstep, house, and techno. Meanwhile, Ministry of Sound plays global house and dance music and it’s always full to the brim.
If you’re looking for a more laid-back night out, London is teeming with cool places to see live music, our favorite being KOKO in Camden, which is one of the city’s top music venues.
Alternative Clubs
For your fix of old-school hip-hop, head to a night put on by Supa Dupa Fly (at various locations in London) or the Hoxton Pony in Hoxton. If you want to hop in a time machine back to the 90s, head to nights put on by party makers ‘I Love the 90s’. For a more elegant twist, go to Ronnie Scott’s, which is a late night jazz club.
Manchester
Manchester is often voted the top party city in the UK and it’s easy to see why. Northerners love to go wild — and with cheaper city prices comes cheaper drinks deals, meaning messier nights are to be had on the town. The city is brimming with great live music nights and wild clubs.
Mainstream Clubs and Bars
Sip some of the city’s finest cocktails at Mahiki or Lola Lo, party in one of Tiger Tiger’s eight rooms, which offers a diverse spread of music and has notoriously cheap drink deals, or time your visit with a Warehouse Project night, which brings in a plethora of top DJs to the city at different points in the year.
Alternative Nightlife
Dabble in Manchester’s live music scene, which is part of the city’s music heritage. Head to Oxford Road, where the city’s student population descend on the weekend. It’s known for its chilled bar scene and great live music. The Deaf Institute and Manchester Academy are the best spots to catch a gig.
Bristol
While Bristol is a smaller city, its nightlife still packs a punch. The city has it all, from underground live music joints through to R&B clubs and fun karaoke bars. The city’s small size means that you’ll find a lot of the best nightlife spots close together, so it’s a great place to go club and bar hopping.
Mainstream Nightlife
Head to Motion, a huge multi-roomed venue that pulls in some of the world’s top DJs, or Dojo, which pumps out drum and bass and techno all night long.
Alternative Scene
For something a little different, go to Cosies, which plays a great mix of reggae and dubstep, or party in Bristol’s creative hub of Stokes Croft at Attic which is a cool place for having some beers outside, with some ska or drum and bass playing in the background.
Newcastle
Known for its reputation as a city that doesn’t bring a jacket on a night out (yes, even in the snow) Geordie’s sure know how to party hard. The top-notch nightlife focuses on big nights out and great drinks deals — you’ll definitely find some of the best nightlife in the UK here.
Mainstream Nightlife
Cut is one of the best places for electro music and is always packed, or head to Digital, which has been described as the ‘Fabric’ of the north, rivaling London’s most popular club. Digital has a capacity of over 2,000 people and hosts some of the world’s top DJs. If you prefer a club with a cool twist, head to Florita’s, which oozes Miami-retro vibes. Florita’s is linked with neighbor club Madame Koo, which is a den-like bar where you can get up to all sorts of mischief.