We at All In London are world renowned for breaking down the doors of nightlife trends and letting you in – when we’re not creating them ourselves, that is. This week we take a look at the London’s tourist traps to see whether the capital’s commercial nightlife is doing us proud.
Hard Rock Café
Who didn’t want a Hard Rock Café t-shirt as a child? Nobody, that’s who, which is why it is a travesty that Hard Rock London doesn’t see more Londoners at its base on Old Park Lane. Established in 1971, Hard Rock Café London was the first of its kind. Over forty years later it boasts one of the world’s largest rock memorabilia collections and some wild stories.
Live music in the vault, cocktails, beers and American themed food (it was one of the first places to serve culinary Americana) make it a winner with the tourists and any self-respecting Londoner should be able to say, “Been there, got the t-shirt!” Literally.
The Punch and Judy
When you’re in London and in search of the crowds where do you go? To Covent Garden of course and to the famous Punch and Judy pub. Stop off at a souvenir kiosk to grab your ‘Norf London’ baseball cap, then head upstairs to the veranda for people watching and street shows. Not done this? You should be ashamed…
Planet Hollywood
‘Dine with the stars’ at London’s finest celebrity themed bar and restaurant on the street of Haymarket. It’s pretty much like being invited out for the evening by Bruce Willis, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Sylvester Stallone and Demi Moore - after all they started it. Our advice is to skip the menu, go for the beers, buy a set of badges and head off into the West End for our next stop, the Hippodrome!
The Hippodrome Casino
There was a time – recently – when the Hippodrome was your go-to joke venue. It was a lame duck, a laughing stock, a huge mistake. But no more! The Hippodrome got hip when it became the all night casino and cabaret joint. Inside the Leicester Square venue, the luxury has been reinstalled with smart gaming tables commanding the floor beneath swinging chandeliers. There are also five different bars, a dedicated poker room and a theatre. It’s like Vegas, except it’s not at all, but that’s just how we like it! Now where’s that Long Island Iced Tea?
The All In London Tourist Tour
Summer will soon be over so we take one last chance to join London’s tourist trail to see if there is more out there than Long Island Iced Teas and rickshaw rides.
Published Sep 2, 2012