Unique clubs & experiences in London

London is a vast city with so much to see and do. You could do something new every day, and never run out of experiences.

However, if you are looking for a regular way to engage with “your people” and your community, there are some unique opportunities to enjoy.

In this guide, I will be sharing my top picks of unique clubs in London to find your community, including book clubs & some of the best nightclubs of London.

What London Has to Offer

There are countless attractions and events across the city, including iconic landmarks like the Tower of London, the British Museum, and the London Eye.

There are also over 200 museums, 120 theatres, and a myriad of music festivals and cultural events scheduled throughout the year (yes, even in November!).

London is home to numerous clubs and societies catering to various interests, from fitness to arts.

Every year, thousands of Londoners join these social clubs and hobby groups, seeking to connect with like-minded individuals.

The city’s dynamic nature and vast opportunities make it an attractive place for those looking to meet new people and try new experiences, but where to start?

Book Clubs in London

Whether you want a peaceful spot to catch up on the latest bestseller, or looking for a wine & book club to meet fellow book lovers, London is a great space to go.

London city boasts around 850 bookshops. This number includes a mix of large chain stores like Waterstones and Foyles, as well as numerous independent bookshops that cater to various niche interests.

In addition to bookshops, London has a significant number of libraries—approximately 325 - across the city.

This includes the beautiful The British Library as well as community-focused branches that are free to visit

Book clubs are vast and offer options across different literary tastes, here are some of my top picks

Brixton Book Club

This informal and friendly book club is held every 3-4 weeks, usually at Effra Social in Brixton. They chat about a wide range of books from sci-fi to the classics. Members meet in the pub for a drink & chat, and there is no joining fee or criteria

All are welcome to pitch books and go into the “voting doodle” and vote on what to read next

Pages of Hackney

This book club is managed by an independent book shop, that opened over 10 years ago. The book shop is award winning with an impressive collection of books, as well as a carefully curated selection of vintage reads.

They host a monthly book club on Monday evenings + various author events. There is no fee, just sign up to their email newsletter.

Silent Book Club

This book club was started in San Francisco in 2012 by 2 friends who loved books, that wanted quiet spaces to read together where you have no assigned books and no pressure to finish a book.

Members meet in bars, cafes, bookstores, libraries and online, where you can bring your own book.

Silent Book Club is a global community of readers, with more than 1,000 chapters in 50 countries around the world led by local volunteers.

Emily’s Walking Book Club

Mix the outdoors with your reading with this book club founded by journalist and writer, Emily Rhodes.

Held every month in Hampstead Heath, this club has been running for 10+ years in Regent’s Park on 3rd Friday of every month, and in Hampstead Heath every 3rd sunday of the month at 11:30am - 1pm, starting at Daunt Books.

They have recently launched an online option on the following Monday at 8pm

Walking tickets are ￡5-15, zoom is ￡1-10 (pay what you can afford)

Exclusive Nightclubs

While New York is known as the city that never sleeps you can find an abundant nightlife (and even day rave) in London.

London is home to an array of exclusive nightclubs that cater to those seeking VIP experiences and high-end social scenes. Some of my top picks are below.

Colour Factory, Hackney Wick

This is a Black-owned nightclub & music venue, Colour Factory London is located in the heart of Hackney Wick.

Known for spotlighting an array of artists, they host low-key nights during the week, as well as their sell-out events on the weekend.

They also have a food court for all your snacking needs including:

• Burger and Chop
• Pittagoras
• Hogless Roast
• Matteo’s

Drumsheds, Tottenham

For a massive club that offers multi-room experiences, Drumsheds really delivers. Housed in an old Ikea warehouse, this multi-level industrial space is the first dedicated culture space of this scale in kind.

It is also run by charity 9.8, and has 3 different rooms, separated by a large area with bars and drinks areas. The main space, X Room, has 109,813 square feet and can hold up to 15,000 people. The other two rooms, Y and Z have 5,000 and 1,000 capacities respectively.

Drumsheds is even welcoming legendary DJ Fatboy Slim, who is hosting his brand new Slimenescope show concept focusing on delivering unparalleled audio and visual experiences utilising the huge screen on 23rd November 2024.

FOLD, Canning Town

This brand new club venue is located in a non-residential area between Bow (Eleven Labs) and Canning Town.

Founded by a group of artists, DJs and party people known as the shapes collective (responsible for the globe that fits in Hackney) this spot has a 600 capacity main floor, and is a community-driven nightclub and arts space, striving to be a safer space for their predominantly queer community.

Cuckoo Club, Mayfair

For more exclusive clubs and nightlife you can visit the Cuckoo Club in Mayfair which is a members-only club (or be on the guestlist).

The club is split-level, with theme nights and over 5,000 square feet across 2 floors. There is also a dining space with innovative cocktails and Mediterranean dishes.

Discover more clubs in London

In this video, I share some of my favourite picks for independent living in London, including some unexpected clubs & community spots to try.

We specialise as relocation and buying agents, so if you want to know more about moving to London, please reach out. I’m happy to have a complementary call to answer any questions and see if can help.?