Top birthday ideas in London to celebrate your big day

It's your birthday, treat yourself! Get dolled up in your finery and go for fancy over-priced gin and tonics at The Savoy or a similar old money establishment. What better way is there to celebrate than flagging down a white-jacketed waiter and deliberating for hours over which gin will have the more exquisite topnotes before deciding on Gordon’s? You’ll be in good historical company at The Savoy, too - Marilyn Monroe, Frank Sinatra and ol’ Bogie were all known to drink there when they were in town. Make someone else pay though, obviously. It is your birthday after all.

Birthday parties were easier when you were a kid; a bit of bowling, a quick round in the arcade, plate of jelly and ice cream, bish bash bosh and home to bed. At Rowans you can recreate your ninth birthday party but with the added magic of alcohol. A Finsbury Park institution, late night bowling gives way to a hoppin’ dance floor and there’s pool, karaoke and a slush puppy machine to keep you busy when you remember that bowling is kind of the worst.

Sure, your friends are good fun on a night out, but can they breathe fire or soar through the air on hoops? Covent Garden dining and party spot Circus has a central banquet table that doubles as a catwalk-cum-stage for circus artists, burlesque stars and drag queens to work their magic over a thrill-hungry crowd. Tuck into a pan-Asian menu, dance to DJs, just don't for the love of god attempt a tipsy cartwheel: some things are best left to the pros. 

You should not settle for your average cinema trip on your birthday - not even to one of those fancy ones with sofas and waiters. Instead, check out Backyard Cinema which screens classic films in interesting locations like churches and grottos. It started out in the founder’s own garden and has retained its beanbags and blankets vibe. At special events you’ll even be treated to extras like live choirs ('Romeo + Juliet') and real live zombies. Okay, they were actors. But still, you don’t get that at your local Odeon.

What was once a gents' loo is now a small but perfectly formed speakeasy called Cellar Door. There are regular drag and burlesque nights, but if you want a nipple tassle-free evening then stick to exploring their cocktail menu, which is vast and mouthwatering. They even serve snuff if that’s what you’re into. We can’t help but feel that some of the greats who supposedly used to frequent the facilities (Oscar Wilde, for example) would approve.

If you are #blessed enough to have a summer birthday, grab a hamper and hotfoot it to north London where you can eat sausage rolls and sandwiches with the best view over London. Alexandra Palace Park is big enough that you’ll easily find a spot far enough away from the guy with bongos who seems to be in every park in the city. When it inevitably starts to rain, you can head indoors to the recently refurbished wonderland of Alexandra Palace itself, which offers enticements including ice skating, tea and cake in its conservatory, or pizza and drinks in the Phoenix Bar.

Nobody parties like the Scots, so why not celebrate another year on Earth by coercing your friends into some frenetic Scottish country dancing. No experience is necessary, there’s a caller to show you the moves and tell you when to do them, while more experienced ceilidh-ers tend to be generous with their time and sparing with their grimaces when you land on their foot for the sixth time. Top tip: a few wee drams o’ whisky will loosen the limbs.

If you're in the market for a fun and totally free birthday activity, consider getting the gang together for a stroll somewhere new. Explore east London art walk The Line, head down the Thames Path, or immerse yourself in nature at Cox's Walk in Sydenham Woods. None of these walks are especially taxing, so you don't have to worry about ruining your nice trainers - and you'll always be within striking distance of a decent pub to warm up in afterwards.

Moored in bougie Richmond, Peggy Jean is a candy-coloured delight of a boat. Its brunch, afternoon tea and pizza offerings are a whimsical way to spend your birthday, especially when paired with a swan-spotting stroll down the Thames afterwards. 

We’d argue that you don’t need to wait for your birthday to get sloshed on a weekend morning but it’s still a treat to get gently pickled in unlimited bellinis and bloody marys, particularly if you’re scheduling it for after a big night out. You’ll find hundreds of bottomless brunches around London because as a city we have our priorities regarding daytime drinking straight. We particularly like Villandry in St James’s, which offers a champagne option if you’re feeling extra classy.