This is a very reassuring article. Even if my clubbing days are over, it's essential that there's stuff for more energetic people to do. I'd hate to think of Peckham going to bed early.
Good piece - thanks. I don't really go clubbing anymore, but that Times piece didn't smell right. There are always going to be little venues that aren't on many people's radar. Obvs venue closures have been a problem - we all have our story of missing our favourite place - but London should be good at rejuvenating itself, you just have to look in different places. Perhaps more accurate would be 'the capital's nightlife is dead "in the centre"'? I do think from memories of last time I was in NYC and Paris that there are a lot more late-night bar/club options in more central areas.
I suppose part of it is that it fits into the general 'fings ain't as good as they used to be' narrative, which has been going on since the Roman times. And finally, the mainstream press can be quite counter-cyclical - when they're saying 'London nightlife is back', it'll probably have peaked (see Vanity Fair Cool Britannia cover etc. etc.)
To the best of my knowledge, Google doesn't research and add opening\closing times to locations on Google Maps - that task is left to the owner of the location (or someone with an interest in making that information available) to add it to the listing. It doesn't take much looking to see that there are a lot of empty listings, so the data set used in the analysis is already deeply flawed.
Agreed on some of the areas. There aren't many locations you mention in central London. Take Westminster for example where nearly every pub is closed by 11pm and that's quite the hub for people heading home for locations all across London or for tourists who are visiting. The likes of Peckham are quite inaccessible after a certain time in terms of heading home unless you live locally. Central London nightlife is pretty poor as not everyone wants to go clubbing and requires venturing a bit further out to find somewhere open late (like Southwark) and even then after a certain time you have to justify yourself being out to inhospitable doormen if you try and enter a venue late. Going out too late in inner London isn't possible if you rely on getting a train home from central London after you go out (most of which end relatively early). London isn't as bad as is made out on a UK basis but worldwide it simply doesn't compete with lively 24 hour cities across the world such as the likes as NYC, Vegas and plenty of lively places in Germany.
Idk, it's got a famously pretty city centre, and a population 1/20th of the size of London's - it wasn't meant to be disparaging! I associate Edinburgh with magnificent pubs, and know less about its bars and clubs - would be interested to know what residents think of the scene there
Sorry to whinge, it just seemed a bit gratuitous in an article which was complaining about distortions. If you were aiming for glibness, you should have reached for the shortbread tin, not the chocolate box.
I’ve no doubt the Times article was a bag o’shite, and your points about raving in Peckham are well made. Equally, you could have a good time late at night in Edinburgh, and get a bag of chips after 10pm, which is surprisingly hard to do in my corner of London.
This is a very reassuring article. Even if my clubbing days are over, it's essential that there's stuff for more energetic people to do. I'd hate to think of Peckham going to bed early.
Talking of Plastic People, who is going to FWD @ Fold this month? 🙋
Good piece - thanks. I don't really go clubbing anymore, but that Times piece didn't smell right. There are always going to be little venues that aren't on many people's radar. Obvs venue closures have been a problem - we all have our story of missing our favourite place - but London should be good at rejuvenating itself, you just have to look in different places. Perhaps more accurate would be 'the capital's nightlife is dead "in the centre"'? I do think from memories of last time I was in NYC and Paris that there are a lot more late-night bar/club options in more central areas.
I suppose part of it is that it fits into the general 'fings ain't as good as they used to be' narrative, which has been going on since the Roman times. And finally, the mainstream press can be quite counter-cyclical - when they're saying 'London nightlife is back', it'll probably have peaked (see Vanity Fair Cool Britannia cover etc. etc.)
To the best of my knowledge, Google doesn't research and add opening\closing times to locations on Google Maps - that task is left to the owner of the location (or someone with an interest in making that information available) to add it to the listing. It doesn't take much looking to see that there are a lot of empty listings, so the data set used in the analysis is already deeply flawed.
Agreed on some of the areas. There aren't many locations you mention in central London. Take Westminster for example where nearly every pub is closed by 11pm and that's quite the hub for people heading home for locations all across London or for tourists who are visiting. The likes of Peckham are quite inaccessible after a certain time in terms of heading home unless you live locally. Central London nightlife is pretty poor as not everyone wants to go clubbing and requires venturing a bit further out to find somewhere open late (like Southwark) and even then after a certain time you have to justify yourself being out to inhospitable doormen if you try and enter a venue late. Going out too late in inner London isn't possible if you rely on getting a train home from central London after you go out (most of which end relatively early). London isn't as bad as is made out on a UK basis but worldwide it simply doesn't compete with lively 24 hour cities across the world such as the likes as NYC, Vegas and plenty of lively places in Germany.
"Even chocolate-boxy Edinburgh..." - what's that about?
Idk, it's got a famously pretty city centre, and a population 1/20th of the size of London's - it wasn't meant to be disparaging! I associate Edinburgh with magnificent pubs, and know less about its bars and clubs - would be interested to know what residents think of the scene there
Sorry to whinge, it just seemed a bit gratuitous in an article which was complaining about distortions. If you were aiming for glibness, you should have reached for the shortbread tin, not the chocolate box.
I’ve no doubt the Times article was a bag o’shite, and your points about raving in Peckham are well made. Equally, you could have a good time late at night in Edinburgh, and get a bag of chips after 10pm, which is surprisingly hard to do in my corner of London.
Edinburgh may have the finest selection of city centre chippers in the country, and open so late! And SOSS!!!