Entertainment in England
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Café Bar Inspire
Coventry's Christchurch church was destroyed during World War II, leaving only the spire, which now, slightly sacrilegiously, shelters this bar. This is forgivable as it is very good. It serves an international selection of bottled brews, as well as baguette and salad snacks throughout the day.
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Sankey's
If you're a fan of techno, electro or any kind of nonmainstream house music, then a pilgrimage to Manchester's best nightclub should on no account be missed. Sankey's has earned itself legendary status for being at the vanguard of dance music (Chemical Brothers, Daft Punk and others got their start here) and its commitment to top-class DJs is unwavering: these days, you'll hear the likes of Timo Maas, Seb Leger and Thomas Schumacher mix it up with the absolutely superb residents. Choon! The best way to get here is to board the free Disco Bus that picks up at locations throughout the city from 10.30pm to 2am Friday and Saturday, and between 10.10pm and 1am the rest of the …
reviewed
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Bethnal Green Working Men’s Club
This is a true rags-to-riches story: BGWMC was on the brink of bankruptcy, its working men about to become destitute and pintless, until a clever promoter spread the news of trashy burlesque nights taking place in the club’s main hall – sticky carpets, shimmery stage set ‘n’ all – and (literally) overnight, half of London stormed the venue, making it one of the most successful and popular clubs in the capital. There are regular burlesque bonanzas in addition to tassel-twirling contests, alternative Eurovision nights and many more sweet selections. Check the website for what’s on when you’re around.
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Churchill Arms
This traditional English pub is renowned for its Winston memorabilia, chamber pots, golf bags suspended from the ceiling and butterflies under glass. It’s a favourite of both locals and tourists (what either group makes of the Winnie/lepidopterous connection is anyone’s guess), and you’ll have to fight your way through scrums of punters at the horseshoe-shaped bar for a pint. The attached conservatory has been serving excellent Thai food for two decades.
reviewed
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Ten Bells
This landmark pub, opposite Spitalfields Market and next to the area’s striking church, is famous for being one of Jack the Ripper’s pick-up joints, although these days it’s about as far from a museum piece as you can get. In fact, ask most of the young and hip crowd about the history, and few will have any idea that this beautifully decorated, airy and friendly place has anything sinister about its Victorian past.
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French House
French House is Soho’s legendary boho boozer (with a good restaurant downstairs) with a history to match: this was the meeting place of the Free French Forces during WWII, and De Gaulle is said to have drunk here often, while Dylan Thomas, Peter O’Toole and Francis Bacon all frequently ended up on the wooden floors. Come here to sip on Ricard, French wine or Kronenbourg and check out the quirky locals.
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Prospect of Whitby
Once known as the Devil’s Tavern, the Whitby’s said to date from 1520, making it the oldest riverside pub in London. It’s firmly on the tourist trail now, but there’s a smallish terrace to the front and the side overlooking the Thames, a decent restaurant upstairs and open fires in winter. Check out the wonderful pewter bar – Samuel Pepys once sidled up to it to sup.
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Ye Olde Trip to Jerusalem
Tucked into the cliff below the castle, this fantastically atmospheric alehouse claims to be England's oldest pub; it supposedly slaked the thirst of departing crusaders. The phrase 'nooks and crannies' could have been invented for here. Just when you think there are no more, you'll find another - and there are usually more than enough to accommodate the many tourists who come to sample the brews.
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Adam & Eve's
A 13th-century brew-house built to quench the thirst of cathedral builders, this is now Norwich's oldest-surviving pub, and an adorable little sunken-floored gem. So snug it is that the upper bar barely fits the barmaid, perhaps why the staff has a reputation for grumpiness! Take a pew outside amid the old-mangle flowerpots, or keep an eye out for the resident ghost in the character-rich interior.
reviewed
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Electric Cinema
At the oldest working cinema in the UK (the projectors have been rolling since 1909), you can enjoy a mix of mainstream and art-house cinema, while sitting in plush two-seater sofas.
reviewed
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Black Boy
A celebration of English eccentricity, this adorable old pub is filled with obsessive and sometimes freaky collections, from pocket watches to wax facial features, bear traps, sawn paperbacks and tobacco pipes. Even the women's toilets cheekily sport gynaecological clamps and fish murals.
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Captain Kidd
With its large windows, fine beer garden and mock scaffold recalling the hanging nearby of the eponymous pirate in 1701, this is a favourite riverside pub in Wapping that only dates back to the 1980s. There’s a restaurant predictably called the Gallows on the 1st floor.
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Masquerade Bar
There's no discernible gay quarter in Liverpool, with most of the gay-friendly clubs and bars spread about Dale St and Victoria St in Ropewalks. The Masquerade Bar attracts a real mix of gays, lesbians and bi's looking for a few laughs and a sing-song.
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Baby Jupiter
A retro gem with lots of purple velvet, hanging fishbowls and a very funky soundtrack, this was - at the time of writing - the 'in' place with those who make it their business to define what 'in' actually is.
reviewed
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Sloop Inn
Old Speckled Hen, Doom Bar and Bass ales make this beam-ceilinged boozer a favourite with St Ives' old boys. Settle into a booth seat for the night, or bag a spot on one of the wharfside tables.
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Pipe & Slippers
The Pipe is a solid bet for a solid pint and an equally solid meal - Bath Ales behind the bar and Pieminister pies make this ever popular with Bristol's boozer-cruisers.
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Guildhall
Hosts music and theatre, especially during the St Ives September Festival.
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Pig & Fiddle
Fave with the Bath Spa students, especially for big-screen sports and table footie.
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Pear Shaped
Advertising themselves as 'London's second-worst comedy club', Pear Shaped is the place to destroy the hopes of enthusiastic amateurs.
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Ronnie Scott's
London's legendary jazz club has been pulling in the hep cats since 1959.
reviewed
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Wembley Stadium
Wembley Stadium, in northwest London, has been the city’s premier national stadium since it was built in 1923. It’s where England traditionally plays its international matches and where the FA Cup final is contested in mid-May. Its greatest moment came when the victorious England captain, Bobby Moore, held the World Cup trophy aloft in 1966. Controversially, the great stadium and its two landmark towers were demolished in 2001, and even more controversially, the new 90, 000-capacity, state-of-the-art Norman Foster–designed complex, due to open in 2003, hosted its first game four years late: the FA Cup final in 2007. Even though it was abysmally late and cost twice the ori…
reviewed
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Milk & Honey
Milk & Honey’s number one ‘House Rule’ reads: ‘No name-dropping, no star fucking’, so prepare for a tight-lipped but glamorous clientele at this cocktail bar. It’s a members’ club that lets nonmembers in on weeknights (though it’s preferred if the plebeians stick to the beginning of the week), and you have to phone in advance to reserve your own private booth for a two-hour slot. Once you’re there, you have to ring the bell and whisper your name into the buzzer, the speakeasy way. This practice is heavenly if you like privacy and great drinks, and hellish if you prefer a more down-to-earth atmosphere. It’s worth sampling the vast and exquisite cocktail list.…
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BFI IMAX Cinema
The British Film Institute IMAX Cinema is located in the centre of a busy round-about (there are plans to pedestrianise it in the not-too-distant future). The cinema screens the predictable mix of 2-D and IMAX 3-D documentaries about travel, space and wildlife, lasting anywhere from 40 minutes to 1½ hours, as well as recently released blockbusters like Star Trek à la IMAX (DMR and digital titles cost £13.50/8.75/9.75). The drum-shaped building sits on ‘springs’ to reduce vibrations and traffic noise from the traffic circle and subways beneath it, and the exterior changes colour at night. And size does matter here: the 477-seat cinema is the largest in the UK, with a scre…
reviewed
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Matter
London's newest superclub, courtesy of the Fabric crew, Matter is the latest word in high-tech club design. No regular nights, just a busy roster of visiting promoters.
reviewed
