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Last night (January 25) London was awash with neon orange Irn Bru, the skirl of bag pipes and Celtic pride as Scots in the capital gathered to celebrate Burns Night. Punters broke a sweat at ceilidhs all over the city, while copious amounts of haggis, neeps and tatties and whisky were consumed.
Time Out sent photographer Chris Bethell to the knees up at the Porchester Hall to capture the action.
‘The Porchester Hall, a beautiful building near The Royal Oak, looked hugely grand as I walked in with my pal Tim,’ Bethell said. ‘We were there first and grabbed a table near the front, watching people pour in covered in tartan, as we waited for a polite time to go get a plate of haggis with potatoes, carrots and swede. It was delicious.
‘We came back and our table had filled up with people quickly, we got chatting with them all. Then the music kicked off with everyone taking to the dance floor, the band taught everyone how to perform each ceilidh before getting into it.
‘The atmosphere was great, so social and fun. Being on the dance floor was like being in a very well organised moshpit. Halfway through the “piping of the haggis” happened, where a bagpiper and two others brought out a huge haggis.’
Burns Night 2026 in London
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