Earlier this month, we ran through six of our favorite cheap nights out in London. Now, it's time to run through six more fantastic ideas for London students that won't break the bank. It may be one of the most expensive cities in the world, but there is no shortage of cheap and fun evening activities either, as this list proves.
Cringe!
Every few months or so, The Phoenix near Oxford Circus plays host to Cringe Nights, an evening where a few brave souls get on stage to read from their teenage diaries. There are fewer things more entertaining than fully-grown adults basking in the shame and humiliation of their awkward teenage years - and the evening is completely free, leaving you with £10 to buy a beer for yourself and for a performer (they might need it).
See some live music
Good news for music fans, there are loads of free and cheap ways to see live music around London. Go for a wander in Camden or Brixton on a Friday night and you’re sure to find a bar belting out raucous tunes, or a cozy pub hosting an open mic night.
Don’t forget to sign up to Sofar Sounds’ newsletter to enter a ballot for secret shows across London (and the world!) hosted in everyday spaces from living rooms to retail shops. Typically featuring three diverse acts, some Sofar gigs cost between £10 and £18, while some are completely free, asking for a cash donation on a pay-what-you-can basis when you arrive at the venue.
Go to a free lecture
If you’re keen to use your evenings to broaden your mind (oooooh, get you) then you should try one of the many free lectures held at universities and colleges across the capital. With subjects stretching from fashion to economics and history to time management, there will certainly be something you’ll be interested in.
Museum lates
On the theme of expanding your mind, many of London’s fantastic free museums are open late on some evenings. The world-famous Natural History Museum, for example, is open until 9pm on the last Friday of every month, and the National Portrait Gallery is open until 9pm every Friday and offers music, a bar, film screenings, talks and even life drawing.
Entry to both is entirely free, but you can usually pay for extra bits and bobs (such as talks and tours) once inside.
Go bowling
Relive your teenage party years by heading to vintage-style bowling alley Bloomsbury Bowling Lanes. Lanes cost around £45 for a game and can host up to 6 people, working out at £7.50 per person. They also offer cheap karaoke and slices of pizza as big as your head.
Similarly, you can strike it lucky at Rowan’s, where the entry fee is £1 and you can bowl for as little as £6.30 per person (or £7 at the weekend). Like any good bowling alley, there are also plenty of arcade games at Rowan’s, as well as a bar, karaoke booths and pool tables.
Read along with a book club
If you’re a book nerd, there are so many super-friendly book clubs to attend across London leaving you spoilt for choice. A good place to start is with Bitch Lit for feminist literature or Forgotten Fiction at Waterstones Gower Street, the LGBT+ Book Club at Waterstones Tottenham Court Road, or Foyles Book Club at their famous flagship store on Charing Cross Road.
Lots of these book clubs are free, but some (such as Bitch Lit or Forgotten Fiction) require you to buy a ticket which will cost you around £8 (or £6 if you’re a student). The price of the ticket usually includes refreshments such as wine, gin cocktails and cheese, and sometimes you can even redeem the price of the ticket against the price of the next session’s book of choice. Dreamy.
