42-44 Great Windmill Street,
London,
W1D 7NB
0871 971 6479
The ViewLondon Review
Dating back to the last millennium, Sugar Reef is almost geriatric in clubbing terms. Can it still hack the pace?The VenueSugar Reef - it sounds nice, doesn’t it? Like a confection-filled strip of coral, the name summons up images of colourful contours and candyfloss swirls, a playground of kitsch. And, curiously, this Windmill Street site in the heart of Piccadilly was formally an amusement arcade. Unfortunately, Sugar Reef is something more mundane. Rather than risking the tacky and outlandish concept that the name deserves, the interior decorators have gone for contemporary luxury, with everything smooth, sleek and ‘tasteful’.
If there’s a theme, it’s probably watered-down pop art, with prints adorning the wall and a curvy leather lounger with a back rest that looks like a shark’s fin. The venue is rather swish, but with one major caveat - back when we were partying like it was 1999, Sugar Reef’s style might have seemed radical but it’s since been imitated to death.
The AtmosphereRun by the people at Late Night London, Sugar Reef epitomises everything this chain aims for - unpretentious, fun and friendly, it’s instantly recognisable from their other venues such as Strawberry Moons and Verve. With offers aplenty, happy hours can occasionally tip over into drunk and disorderly, but for the most part you’ll find a couple of hundred like-minded revellers looking to drink and dance the night away.
The MusicDesigned to fill the dancefloor, the music policy at Sugar Reef is unashamedly populist, mixing the latest chart fodder with older dance classics, topped off with a good sprinkling of cheese. It might not be cool, but the Friday night fight for elbow room is testament to its effectiveness!
The DrinkAs with the atmosphere, if you’ve frequented any other Late Night London venue, you’ll know the deal. With free entry until 10pm and happy hours typically lasting from 5pm-7.30pm with up to a generous 50% off (cocktail jugs and bottles of wine for under £10, not so much in the way of beer with only £2.50 bottles of Becks), it’s worth arriving early to help fuel your late-night dancing. With a long night in mind, it could also be worth checking out the restaurant first, too.
The Last WordIt might not be bang up to date but it matters little because for those who like their clubs without too many airs and graces, the brand of unpretentious fun at Sugar Reef is timeless.