Area is located in Vauxhall and has undergone a transformation from its gay club roots to appeal to a more mainstream clubbing market. With state of the art lighting and sound systems, this place offers up pumping tunes until the early hours of the morning.

The Venue
Vauxhall may seem like a bit of a trek for anyone who isn’t local to the area, but the club’s proximity to Vauxhall station actually makes it easy to get to, with the entrance leading onto a well known road.

The club has six rooms, two of which are VIP rooms, and the decor emits a definite warehouse feel. The main room has an impressive lighting system employing a combination of lasers, lights and LEDs spread across a curved ceiling. During the night, the lights become increasingly exciting and random bursts of confetti and bubbles are released from the ceiling. This room leads off to a more chilled out area with a large, red chandelier and a bricked, barrel-vaulted space at the far end that glows with red lights and has a crypt feel. This room connects to a disco themed room with a large abstract mirrored mobile and spinning lights. There’s also a smoking terrace, which doubles up as a place to take a break from the pumping music and have a chat, although it can take a while to get served a drink here. This needn’t be a problem though because there are five bars throughout the club. As you might expect from this kind of club the toilets leave a lot to be desired on busy nights with doors that don’t lock.

There is also a large covered smoking area out the front with bench seating and heaters where you can bring your drinks. It’s decked and has a sprinkling of fairylights across the white canvas enclosure. One VIP room is centrally located and the staircase has a landing that acts as a dancing platform for those with access to the room where you can look over the dancefloor and have a bit more space to breathe. The other is at the back of the club and not many people know about it so it’s quieter and more private. It’s got a glass screen where you can view the main room whilst still being separated. Both rooms have their own bar and toilets.

The Atmosphere
People here are generally well dressed, think men in smart shoes and women dressed to impress, but the vibe is not pretentious. Enthusiastic dancers wearing funky sunglasses mingle with groups of women wearing stylish dresses. The smoking terrace provides a great area for a sit down to have a break. You can still hear the music so the atmosphere is kept intact and people often strike up conversations with complete strangers.

The bar and door staff are friendly and help you if you have a query. Numbers are rumored to have been reduced since the opening of the high-profile Matter but the expected turn out on a Saturday night is in the 800 region so there isn’t a risk of finding the club empty.

The Music
On Fridays you can expect an exotic blend of live Brazilian tunes, whereas Saturdays up the tempo with house and electro. DJs who have played here include Jonathan Ulysses, Danny Freakazoid, Bart B, Juanjo Martin and Hoxton Whores to name a few.

The Drink
Drink prices are pretty standard club prices for Vauxhall. There’s not much in the way of cocktails but you have all the usual spirits at £4. Bottled alcohol is also £4 and they have Stella, Becks, Corona, Smirnoff Ice and Bacardi Breezers. A small glass of wine is £4, a large £6.50 and a bottle £18. In terms of Champagne they have Moet for £55, Veuve Clicquot for £65 and Laurent Perrier for £80. There are also some shots, soft drinks and energy drinks available.

The Last Word
The lighting system at Area is truly impressive and the music hits the spot. Patrons are avid partygoers who will last until the morning all loving the beats.

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