5 Places for New Years Eve in Shoreditch

Oh no. It’s happened again. Another year has passed us by faster than Usain Bolt in the 100m sprint. Cries of “where did the year go?” and “what am I doing with my life?” ring out across London. Then we begin to make some rash, hasty and somewhat foolish promises to ourselves that we will quit smoking/quit drinking/find a new job/ditch our partner/spend more time with our partner, all of which will epically fail within two days of making said foolish promises.Well, what better way to usher in such failed new beginnings than with a massive party and copious amounts of alcohol?

Here’s our guide to the best places to ring in the New Year.

1. The Nightjar 
The Nightjar, 129 City Road, London, EC1V 1JB
Tucked away in-between two unassuming cafés on City Road, this sleek and sophisticated,moodily lit basement bar takes inspiration from the prohibition era of drinking- classic cocktails and jazz are the order of the night. New years eve will be no different. The night will feature music from The Basin Street Brawlers and The Monkey Stomp Blues will be performing live. Tickets cost £25 and the price includes a complimentary glass of bubbly. The music willkeep you bopping and jiving away until 2am.

2. The Blitz Party 
The Arches, 29 New Inn Yard, London, EC2A 3EY
Take a step back in time and celebrate the New Year 1940’s style. Nestled under the arches in Reliance Square, just off Shoreditch High Street,The Blitz Party is the ultimate wartime ball. Expect heroic soldiers, painted-on stockings and heads adorned with 40’s waves (on the ladies that is, well perhaps some of the guys fancy getting their curls on- but that may be a different style of party altogether). Big swing bands and cocktails fill the ‘air raid shelter’to the tune of £40 a ticket. But, be warned. This event will be sure to sell out fast. So go buy your tickets. Now. Like, right now.

3. Basing House 
25 Kingsland Road, Shoreditch, London, E2 8AA
If all this year time talk isn’t really doing it for you and all you want to do is get down and dirty to some filthy beats whilst inevitably dribbling down your chin, then get yourself along to Basing House. Having played host to some of the lands finest house and techno DJs, you can expect nothing but the best in underground sounds from 2020 Vision’s Simon Baker,Robsoul’s Jordan Peak and Sam Russo of Leftroom records. The club is intimate and the clientele are all about the music, so you can dance the night away safe in the knowledge that the number of idiots out to cause a scene will be at a bare minimum.There’s even a smoking terrace when you need to come up for air.

4. Sushi Samba
110 Bishopsgate, London, EC2N 4AY
If you’re one of the lucky ones who has somehow managed to end the year with a huge wad of cash- or happen to have a rich relation- then Sushi Samba, on the edge of Shoreditch, could be the perfect place to end 2012. Situated at the top of the Heron Tower, Sushi Samba boasts unrivalled views of London as it towers over its neighbour The Gherkin. London is a beauty to behold at night, which makes it the perfect venue for watching the fireworks and making lots of those “oooohs” and “aaaahs” that seem to emit from the mouths of people watching chemicals combusting in the sky. The night itself is themed upon the traditional Brazilian way of ringing in the New Year- Réveillon, and will feature DJs and samba dancers. Prices start at £75 per person.

5. Café 1001 
Cafe 1001, 91 Brick Lane, London, E1 6QL
Brick Lane’s numerouno venue for pulling an all-nighterwill be putting on a massive warehouse event with some seriously top quality DJ music courtesy of Holic and S.T.U.N., and for those of you with serious staying power, this party will be raving on through until 12pm on New Years day. The massive line up includes (to name but a few): Tomoki Tamura, Macpherson, Lookleft & Bearight, Artificial Intelligence, Dan Surreal, Nick Thorne. Tickets start at £15, which is a small price to pay when you consider the sheer number of dancing hours you’ll get in.