It’s always fun to do something a little different on New Years Eve, so here’s a list of five quite distinct events that you might want to consider for the 31 December in London.
- Down at Village Underground, the venue is being transformed into a big top for Belle Epoque’s New Years Eve party. Set in the shady world of the circus, there will be trapeze artists, jugglers, acrobats, and burlesque dancers. The audience are invited to dress up for the occasion – ladies should come along in feathers, corsets or glittering gowns while the men are encouraged to wear top hat and tails or (if your physique allows) moustached Victorian muscle men. Alongside the entertainments, the DJS will be providing hits from across the decades. The Belle Epoque event opens its doors at 8pm and goes through until 3am on New Years Day. Tickets are priced at £40 per person and you can find more information online here.
- Over in Shepherds Bush, Bush Hall will be hosting the White Mischief NYE Variety Extravaganza. Compered by Professor Elemental, there will be comedy from Mitch Benn and Rod Laver, acrobatics from So And So Circus, burlesque from Lady Cave and The Diamond Dahlia, an aerial show by Greville Matthews, drag from Andd What and lots more besides. The DJs will be on hand to provide a suitable audio backdrop of vintage jazz and swing, rock n’ roll and party tunes. Tickets are priced from £30 to £60 depending on seating – more information can be found here.
- If you fancy something very, very traditional then the Prospect Of Whitby in Wapping is putting on a New Years Eve dinner. This three course repast will set you back £40 a head, and of course you’ll get to enjoy the lovely views of the Thames from this historic building that dates from the 1520s. You can book online here.
- For those for whom money is no object, an evening at Battersea Park’s pop-up venue might be for you. With a ‘Nostrovia’ theme throughout (whatever that implies) the evening will involve canapes followed by a sumptuous four-course meal. Live entertainment will come in the form of acrobats, trapeze artists, contortionists, dancers and more, as well as dodgems and a waltzer. There’ll also be a casino (with house profits going to charity) and a ‘Survivors’ Breakfast’ for those who make it through to the end of the night and into the morning. The price to participate in this one-off event is a not inconsiderable £129.50 per person. You can find further details about the event here online.
- The option that many Londoners choose is to head down into central London to watch the fireworks launched from the Thames and the London Eye (and last year, the Palace of Westminster). If you decide to do this just bear in mind that hundreds of thousands of other Londoners will have had exactly the same idea, so find your spot as early in the evening as you can. You should also expect the journey home afterwards to take considerably longer than normal as everyone else will heading to the same tube stations and bus stops to get out of town. The Mayor of London’s official website has lots of advice to make your evening as trouble-free as possible, including maps and safety information.
Whatever you choose to do, have a safe and happy New Years Eve 2012!
About Pete Stean
