Caroline Whiteley

There’s nothing much better than a properly good night out. Chaotic pre-drinks, sweaty dance floors, thumping bass, the promise of running into a crush and the end-of-night kebab are some of life’s biggest joys. We know it’s hard not to feel glum about the state of nightlife in the UK right now – we can’t ignore the fact that venues are closing at alarming rates across the country (an average of 10 are closing every month, per Night Time Industries Association data). However, the UK’s late-night culture is far from dead yet. In fact, it is alive and kicking.  Our dancefloors are changing, and instead of stalwart nightclubs being the go-to places, now the hottest parties travel around to different venues. They are DIY, independent and grassroots nights out, powered by the most banging tunes, the fiercest outfits, and a genuine vigour for making sure everyone has a fantastic time in the dance.  From thriving queer scenes, to the big trance revival, and the explosion of genres like amapiano, gqom and dancehall, going out in the UK has never been more exciting or varied. Here we’ve asked local experts to compile a by no means definitive list of some of the best parties in the UK that you can dance the night away at right now. India Lawrence is Time Out’s Staff Writer, UK. She has written extensively about nightlife and festivals in London for Time Out, and thinks all Friday nights should be spent on a sweaty dance floor. For more about how we curate, see our editorial guideline

Exiting the shiny Battersea Station tube is like entering a glossy ghost town. A Monday night in January might be a decidedly off-peak time to expect a neighbourhood to be bursting with life. Still, walking down the squeaky-clean pavement dubbed ‘Electric Boulevard’, it felt difficult to imagine the area pulling in upwards of 30 million visitors per year, as was expected when the £9 billion restoration of the grade II-listed Battersea Power Station and its surroundings was unveiled last year. It’s here you’ll find Tozi Grand Café, nestled in the art’otel London Battersea Power Station. This rather impersonal and corporate vista is redeemed by Spanish designer Jaime Hayon’s décor: felt sculptures dangling from a round skylight, warm lighting and playful tapestries sectioning off the booths dotted along the floor-length windows add an intimate touch.  Dinner kicked off with a Torbato cocktail: a superbly balanced splash of jasmine tea, passion-fruit cordial, Sardinian white grape, apricot soda, vodka and prosecco. We chose the mocktail version, perfect for dry January. Seeing as the pistachio tiramisu received unanimous praise online, I knew I had to give it a go. It didn’t disappoint  Tozi Grand Café’s food menu calls to mind Cecconi’s, with hearty Italian classics like calamari and zucchini fritters, focaccia, meatballs, veal milanese, ricotta ravioli, and tuscan bean stew. We whetted our appetite with creamy burrata atop a rich caponata served with black olive and crunchy p

Nestled behind Goodge Street station, Pollock’s Toy Museum’s whimsical exterior and collection of over 4,000 antique toys from around the world instantly brings to mind a scene from a Victorian novel. It even appeared in ‘Miriam Margolyes’s Dickensian Christmas’ on Channel 4. The whimsical institution is the oldest toy museum in the UK and has been at its Fitzrovia location since 1969. But Pollock’s future is under threat as it says it’s being forced to shut its current location after the shop failed to negotiate a new contract with the building owners. Jack Fawdry-Tatham and Emily Baker, who run the museum and the Pollock’s Toy Museum Trust, said their famous collection, which includes toy theatres, teddy bears, dolls, games and toys, is all temporarily in storage. They have launched a fundraiser to cover expenses and move to a new venue. ‘We are looking for another long-term home for the museum, where we can welcome visitors back again soon,’ they said.  Nevertheless, it’s a huge loss. After all, what made the museum so captivating wasn’t just the charm of its collection but the old building itself, with its peculiar narrow corridors and winding stairs. But Fawdry-Tatham and Baker assure visitors that they have ‘already started exploring possibilities for a secure future for the museum and collection in a location that will preserve its character while providing more space’.  Whether a new location – if Pollock’s is successful in securing the required funding for its move –

Looking for an extraordinary dining experience? Well, we’ve got just the trick. An annual ranking of the UK’s greatest restaurants has just been released – and the number-one spot looks well worth the schlep. Andrew Fairlie, the world-renowned restaurant at The Gleneagles Hotel in Scotland, just claimed the top spot on food guide Harden’s annual ranking of the country’s best places to eat. The only restaurant in Scotland with two Michelin stars was praised for its luxurious ingredients, masterful preparation and knowledgeable staff. The guide described it as ‘a memory to be treasured’ and lauded its ‘impeccable skill and creativity’. Head chef Stephen McLaughlin, who has been at the helm of the restaurant since its founder Andrew Fairlie passed away in early 2019, said his team remains committed to maintaining ‘his incredible legacy’. Several London establishments also made the Harden’s list. Evelyn’s Table, a snug 12-seater in Soho, came second, and others that ranked highly were Endo Kazutoshi’s exclusive spot in the rotunda of the former BBC Television Centre, and Notting Hill restaurant Core, run by three-Michelin-star chef Clare Smyth. In Cornwall, fine-dining fans are apparently spoiled for choice: the county had the most entries in the top 500 overall. You can check out the full list here. Stay in the loop: sign up to Out There, our free newsletter about all the best stuff to do across the UK.