Having been around since the early Seventies, Metropolis claims it was the UK’s first fully nude table dancing club and it continues to push the boundaries, adding car washes and beaches to the strip club experience.

The Venue
Metropolis is located in the heart of the East End, a short walk from Bethnal Green tube, where Cambridge Heath Road transects Bethnal Green Road. Hard to miss thanks to the broad pink and blue neon signs that loom over the doorway, this sprawling club encompassing 3000 square feet aims to bring a less seedy lap dancing experience to this neck of the woods.

Spread across three floors, the ground floor is designed to look like something out of a music video. Shining surfaces greet you everywhere you look and a large central dancing platform offers a pole that rises up 40 feet to the VIP lounge above. Purple and pink lighting dazzles beside the predominately black colour scheme and black chairs nestle against the central pole dancing stage, where they encourage punters to slip money into the strippers’ garter belts. The bar shows off its gentle curves almost as readily as the girls do, a black marble-topped affair flanked by well designed high stools pointing at the large screen hanging from the wall behind the bar. The toilets down here are a letdown, there‘s only one cubicle with a broken lock and the toilet attendant is surly and unhelpful.

Climbing the spiral open air zebra-print staircase you’ll eventually reach the VIP Lounge, entry to which costs £15. The main focus of this space is the white leather and cow print booth seating each with its own pole, partitioned off by a long chain curtain. There are three additional main stages and you can peer down to the main floor below and watch the performance from above. There’s also a car wash area; setting Metropolis apart from most other strip clubs, they offer shows that involve hand held car wash jets. These dances are performed over a glittering pink beach buggy, surrounded by seats for punters, and do offer something a bit different.

Finally, the top floor tries again to offer something new, with their penthouse and lavish Moroccan bedouin styling, although you need to buy Champagne to recline here. Lavish four poster beds surrounded by soft sand underfoot offer a comfortable place to relax. There’s also a chaise lounge. The mood up here is that of a sun kissed island complete with sandy floor. Entry here is £25.

The Atmosphere
Metropolis has one of the friendliest doormen in the area, although he is steadfast at keeping trouble at bay. The crowd is made up primarily of locals and you will spy the odd chav, although this element tends to be confined to the main ground floor area. Of course, a major contingent of their clientele are guys out on stag nights.

There is a British contingent among the girls, which is welcomed, and they are friendly on the whole and certainly nice to look at, although you won't find them gracing the cover of FHM anytime soon. The whole experience is also slightly cheapened by the ‘pound in a pint glass’ style collections the girls do before the stage shows. Cap in hand, they trawl the club looking for tips before they’ve graced the stage, although the shows are fully nude and this is only asked for on the ground floor. Private dances are £10, or you can sit in on a mate’s dance for just £5 extra, which is a brilliant money-saving tip.

The Music
The music selection is chosen by the girls and so is as eclectic as the personalities on show. Everything from ‘80s classics to pop and commercial chart hits and the ubiquitous RnB makes an appearance. The main thing is it provides the rhythm to get them dancing.

The Drink
Each floor is equipped with a well stocked bar, complete with optics. Of course, you can expect Champagne to feature heavily on the drink menu, with their house bottle being Veuve Clicquot. You’ll be encouraged to drink Champers in the Penthouse; however, the pressure to only drink sparkling bottles isn’t as evident here as it as at some strip clubs across London, which is a welcome change.

Reasonably priced bottled beer is available, including Fosters Ice, Budweiser and Becks. There’s also a good choice of spirits, with unusual brands offered. In a well judged move by Metropolis, they’ve also introduced a Credit Crunch Special for buy-one-get-one-free drinks every Wednesday between 8pm-4am.

The Last Word
Metropolis has been going for three decades and has made a concerted effort to introduce some unique touches and thoughtful, original decor that sets it apart from the competition.

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