London is home to one of the UK’s liveliest and most vibrant nightlives, perfect for university life. Students have access to an abundance of unique and indie nightclubs, but these spaces are often expensive and incompatible with student budgets.
Entry costs and drink prices can be extremely expensive, discouraging students from going out. The students who decide to go clubbing might end up regretful or stressed about the massive costs.
So here are the best free entry nightclubs in London that offer a great night out at reasonable prices!
Dalston Superstore
Address: 117 Kingsland High St, London, E8 2PB
Dalston Superstore is a gay bar that hosts multiple themed events every week. These range from karaoke nights, raves, learning to DJ/turntable, and discos!
They frequently have free entry before 10pm, and afterwards they sell £8-10 tickets. If their prices are too costly for you, Dalston Superstore have limited spaces for those on low or no income who cannot afford tickets. You can contact them at hello@dalstonsuperstore.com 24 hours in advance to try to secure a spot.
Queen of Hoxton
Address: 1 Curtain Road, Shoreditch, London, EC2A 3JX
Located in East London, Queen of Hoxton is a lively club with a large rooftop bar, two party rooms, and a vibrant ground floor! They host musical acts, drag cabarets, and club classic parties. You can reserve a spot at their club nights for free, or purchase a ticket to their other shows on their website.
Alongside free entry for their rooftop bar all week, Queen of Hoxton has a happy hour every Thursday from 5pm to 2am, selling their drinks for £5 all evening!
Bar Rumba
Address: 36 Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 7EP
Rumba is one of Piccadilly’s best nightclubs. Nestled amongst West End theatres, Rumba throws thrilling club nights every day! They play everything from reggaeton, RnB, Hip Hop, Dancehall, and all the club classics!
You can use your student ID to get a £1 entry and £4 on selected drinks, including shots, spirit mixers, and beers. Their Student 5 Wristband provides free entry and £5 draught cocktails, spirit mixers, and shots all night long! They also have £2.50 drinks every day during Happy Hour (6pm-10:30pm).
Lightbox London
Address: 6 South Lambeth Place, London, SW8 1SP
Named after the LED lights covering the club’s main room, Lightbox regularly hosts night events and after-hours parties. Their venue has three rooms, allowing for a 600-person capacity. They play and host techno, house, drum & bass, and UK garage music.
Lightbox is easily accessed via public transport. The venue is located in the transport hub at Vauxhall, near Vauxhall Underground Station. They also frequently have events with limited free tickets. This includes a Brain Rot Rave, PoP All Night Long, Garage Classics, and DnB Nights.
Cococure
Address:
- Haus, Twnty7, & Haus Garden: 27 Broadway, London, E15 4BQ
- Cite: 5 Minories, Aldgate, London, EC3N 1BJ
Cococure is perfect for a night out with friends! You can gain free entry to their events by signing up for their guest list. All you need to do is enter your full name, date of birth, and email so you can receive the tickets. You can also add the names of four people to include, ensuring that all of your friends can party together!
Cococure has four venues, each with a distinct vibe. Twnty7 is a high-energy nightclub that plays Afrobeats, Bashment, and UK sounds. Haus doubles as a restaurant and club, making it ideal for birthday parties. It also has a Hip Hop, R&B, and Amapiano soundtrack. Cité is an escape from the stressful professional life. It features bright lights, Afrobeats, and Afro-Caribbean plates. Finally, Haus Garden is a peaceful open-air Mediterranean garden. They serve fire-grilled food alongside delicious spritz and cocktails.
The Roxy
Address: 3-5 Rathbone Place, London, W1T 1HJ
Only a 10-minute walk from The British Museum, The Roxy is a warmly lit late-night bar. This cocktail bar transforms into a nightclub after 10pm, but they continue to serve delicious drinks all night! Their everyday deals include two cocktails for £13, and £19 for a bottle of prosecco.
Roxy’s has multiple events throughout the week that are free before 11pm or midnight. They also have free live music every Thursday and Friday. Other free events include a comedy show every month, a chess club every other Tuesday, and monthly karaoke (but only if you bring a friend!).
Egg London
Address: 5-13 Vale Royal, London, N7 9AP
Situated inside a Victorian warehouse in King’s Cross, Egg London is a unique venue with plenty of indoor and outdoor spaces. The ground floor has its largest, high-ceilinged space and a garden. Their liveliest room is on the middle floor with a high-spec KV2 sound system and an outdoor terrace. Finally, the loft is an intimate space ideal for smaller parties.
Ain’t Nothin’ But
Address: 20 Kingly Street, Carnaby, London, W1B 5PZ
Ain’t Nothin’ But is an independent music venue near Regent Street, dubbed the “home of the blues”. Every day they have at least two professional music artists, and as many as 50 every week! On Sunday afternoons and Monday nights, they have weekly jam sessions, where you can bring your own instrument! They offer free entry every day, and only have a cover charge in the evenings. Egg London occasionally has limited free tickets or free entry before midnight to their weekly events.
Soho NQ64
Address: 53 Berwick Street, London, W1F 8SP
NQ64 is a retro gaming and arcade bar with a large variety of classic games and consoles. Soho NQ64’s entry is free except after 9pm on Thursday-Friday, and 8pm on Saturdays. To use their arcade machines, you use one or two tokens, which can be purchased for £10.50 for 15 tokens or £14 for 25 tokens. Their consoles are completely free to use!
NQ64 serves video game-inspired, signature cocktails such as GTA Spice City (tequila, schnapps, chilli, and lime), Toadette’s Tipple (tequila, yuzu, lychee, dragonfruit, pineapple, and lemon Fanta), and Kong Island Ice Tea (vodka, tequila, gin, rum, tea, sour peach).
Hi, I’m Kirstie! I’m a BA English student at the University of Bristol, with a passion for creative writing. In my free time, I enjoy baking, sewing, and playing the flute.
