Looking for some guidance for a forthcoming night out in London, 20 blokes of varying ages from 20-65. We are staying near the Strand and have a travel card for the weekend so we can hop on and off the tube as required - presumably once we get to Saturday night we will be split up and broken into smaller group of 4-8 ish.

Any advise on where we may find some good entertainment and a good night out please?

thanks in advance

Sounds like some of your group are too old for Shoreditch.

You'll need to go somewhere more traditional.

Sounds like some of your group are too old for Shoreditch.

You'll need to go somewhere more traditional.

Well the group will probably split up by the evening and being at the younger end we would be interested in owt within reason. Just don't want to recreate the old Scousers go to london sketch from Harry Enfield in the seedy strip joint racking up a massive bar bill!

To be honest, I am out of touch with where to go these days. Things have changed alot since my day.

The first question would be - Straight, Gay or Greedy?

Straight - but many up for a laugh

Just go to Camden, caters for all needs

Plenty of entertainment to be had around the southside of SOHO, around Leicester Square and Piccadilly Circus, everything from upscale cocktail bars, tourist hotspots and general London boozers, then on to Madame Jojo's, its not a cheap night out but you don't go out in London everyday.

Cheers - fully aware that it will be a drain on the wallet. Been told by somebody Shepherds Market - but no idea why and they wouldnt elaborate, possibly a set up. Looks pretty nice on google though (mentions about brothels in the 1920's - not really what we're after)

Avoid Kensington, Chelsea and Knightsbridge. It's full of wannabe wags, and twentysomethings living it up on their daddy's credit card. Beer is £7.50 a bottle and you probably won't get in anywhere unless you are sporting blond floppy hair, a pink shirt and a £5K timepiece.

Covent Garden is fun. No shortage of pubs and bars round there. No entry fees at most of them. Try the Porterhouse for starters and see where the night takes you. The Roadhouse used to be excellent but I have not been for years. If you get bored there is always Stringfellows just around the corner.

That's the obvious area.

First thing, don't speak in a northern acccent as they'll think you're asking for "spare change please"

Aussie area

Shepherds Market is quite a nice little spot but its fame is for prostitutes (the clue being the open doors leading to staircases up to windows with red lights in). Used to go to the pubs their after playing football in Hyde Park. Used to like embarassing the shabby blokes coming back down the stairs and furtively rejoining the street by shout "I know what you've been doing!" Bit juvenile given my age at the time, but it amused me.

I went for a few beers around the West End and in some pubs round there. Not bars, actual pubs and that was pretty cool. Pint of Staropramen was 4 quid which isnt unreasonable at all.

I liked going to Goodge St and the pubs round there too. Can stand outside and chat with friendly people and also go inside and not be too cramped and have a laugh with people too.

My night out is usually pub in the Big Red in Holloway, then 29 up to Camden.

Hammersmith/Chiswick/Richmond are good, Hoxton (used to live there) very trendy, and not as spread out as most places.
Ealing is a good night out, Clapham is ok, Harrow at a stretch

i boozed a lot round Soho.
Had a couple of northern mates who ran pubs in Old Compton Street.
Always something going on round there.

If you see characters like this knocking about mind, don't be tempted to go back to his for a drink.
Your head may end up in a cooking pot!

Whoa, whoa, whoa, just stop the bus for one minute...

Someone mentioned paying money to go into a pub ?

PAY, with MONEY, to go in a PUB!!!

Rules 1 and 2 of the JerryChicken Good Pub Guide to Life and Beyond are...

1. NEVER drink in a pub with a flat roof
2. NEVER cross the threshold of a pub with a bouncer on the door

I can see that I'm going to have to add an appendix although to be honest in my opinion it is totally un-necessary and surely common sense to anyone who is not totally immersed in that there London, NEVER, EVER, not now, not ever, never, pay money to go in a pub.

"Pay to go in a pub..." <walks off muttering and shaking his head>

From a Yorkshire man

I'm a Londoner and I've never paid to go into a pub. Nor queue to go into any drinking or eating establishment. Fuçk that for a game of soldiers.

Was seeing a young lady who lIved just round the corner from the [iBig Red[/i so I've graced it with my attendance on several occasions. Great little boozer just round the corner from there on Parkhurst Road, Prince Edward. A Paddy used to run it and was a right character.
Do you know the Prince Arthur if your an ex-Hoxtonite?
It's not far off Old Street tube station. Peter Dean (ex Eastenders) brother used to have it, Dixie.
Used to booze in the Glassblower quite a bit, Piccadilly, then Vigos became my work local, just off Regent Street.
Used to get a good crowd in there, sadly gone now.

I was Pitfield Street drinker, forget the name of the boozer there though, bloody years ago.
Occasional went out drinking with a guy called little Rich, the guy was about 4ft 5 tall but well connected on a night out, could get you in any pub/club at anytime and any section, be it VIP or with the DJ. Trouble is i went on the wagon for a few years and lost touch of the whole scene.