There’s been a lot of chat about nightlife in the UK lately. London’s been catching some flack for not being a proper 24 hour city anymore, and some of the country’s most iconic venues, like Wire in Leeds and the entire Stonegate pub chain, have been forced to close or go into administration thanks to rising costs. Despite all the doom and gloom, nightlife in this country isn’t quite as doomed as you may think.
Seven UK clubs have been named in the world’s top 100 by DJ magazine, trusted by EDM fans everywhere. The country’s top spot was The Warehouse Project in Manchester, which came sixth overall, just narrowly missing out on that coveted top five. The magazine praised the venue’s massive 10,000 person capacity, and its trendy design features, saying: ‘The space has kept its raw, industrial feel, with exposed bricks, concrete floors, and vast iron framework.’
Also in the top ten was fabric, central London’s place to be for fans of EDM and ketamine. According to DJ, fabric ‘has been at the forefront of electronic music for almost 25 years.’ The club actually claimed the number one spot in DJ Mag’s 2008 rankings, but fell significantly to 24 in 2020. It has been climbing its way slowly back up to the top since then.
Of the other five clubs who made the cut, four are in London, including Koko at 87, Drumsheds at 67, Studio 338 at 19, and Ministry of Sound at 18. The only other non-London British club named was Motion in Bristol, which was awarded 33rd place due to its managing to stay open against all odds ‘by inviting more live acts to perform there, making better use of its space, and winning the right to keep its noise levels the same’.
You can find the full rundown on DJ’s website here, including where all of the entries have placed throughout the history of the ranking. Once you’ve had a read and decided where to head this weekend you can dig out your minidresses and beaten up Nike’s knowing you’re in for an award-winning night out.
You can read more about all the London clubs in DJ Mag’s new list here.
Time Out and about
We know good nights out. Have you read our ranking of the best clubs in London, Manchester, or Bristol to see if they match up with DJ Mag? We’ve also recently reported on why donk music has taken over our dancefloors.
Did you see that this tiny northern English village has been named the UK’s best place to retire?
Plus: Liverpool’s docks are getting a £15 million glow-up.
Stay in the loop: sign up to our free Time Out UK newsletter for the latest UK news and the best stuff happening across the country.
