The UK’s nightlife has transformed dramatically over the last couple of years, and with staggering numbers of quintessential sticky-floored nightclubs permanently closing their doors at rapid rates, our cities’ after-dark scenes have had to adapt.
But what we have today is a much broader variety of venues which can be considered ‘nightlife’, with sober clubnights or raves held at saunas as legit as a good ol’ fashioned night on the town. To spotlight the hubs which are doing it the best, today (July 24) Time Out published our very own, shiny new roundup of the UK’s top nightlife cities.
Thousands of locals were asked to weigh in on what the nightlife is like where they live – and with a solid 81 percent of people rating it as ‘good’ or ‘amazing’, it was the seaside city of Brighton which claimed the very top spot (and seventh place worldwide).
But surely the nightlife options here aren’t on the same scale as London or Manchester, Newcastle or Glasgow? Perhaps, but Brighton gets its small-but-mighty nightlife scene so, so right. As well as its impressive approval rating from local people we spoke to, 64 percent described the city’s nightlife culture as ‘welcoming and friendly’, and for that we have its history as an LGBTQ+ magnet to thank.
Brighton’s roots as a queer hub date all the way back to the Napoleonic wars when it was a garrison town (and home to a high proportion of soldiers). After becoming a resort spot, the city developed as a popular queer hub in part due to its proximity to London and good connectivity to and from the capital. Playwright and poet Oscar Wilde even lectured at the Royal Pavilion back in 1884.
Recommended: The story of Tuaca: the mysterious Italian liquor that brought a British seaside town to life.
LGBTQ+ clubs and bars first began properly cropping up in Brighton in the 1920s and ’30s, and today the city’s queer nightlife scene is not just storied by vibrant. Veteran venues such as Revenge, Legends and the roster of pubs dotted along St James’s Street and in Kemptown are still going strong.
Brighton’s queer spaces have also taken on more modern forms over the last couple of years, namely through club nights or events collectives. Crushed is a monthly club night for lesbians largely organised through Instagram and TikTok; Dykes On Decks is a collective which offers a platform to a different queer DJ at each of their inclusive events; and Polyglamorous is a celebrated event that combines not just dance and music but art and fashion, too.
The ‘welcoming’ attitude acknowledged by so many locals, and evident in the popular nightlife spaces and events, is also why Brighton was named as one of Time Out’s most diverse and inclusive cities on the planet earlier this summer. It’s that ethos – of ensuring people feel welcome, and most essentially, have fun – which has bled into the wider essence of Brighton’s nightlife.
‘Take TidalGroove, an events collective founded to spotlight the talent of local upcoming DJs and offer more affordable nights out across the musical spectrum,’ reads our entry on the worldwide nightlife ranking for 2025. ‘Since it was founded two years ago, the team now host the annual TidalFest, and run open deck sessions to foster a vibey, inclusive dynamic between partiers and performers. Fancy turning your hand to the decks? Head to Presuming Ed’s or The Mesmerist’
Liverpool claimed second place after Brighton on our UK-wide list of the best cities for nightlife, and London followed in third. Across the planet, it was Las Vegas which topped the ranks – you can read all about that here.
Have a look at Time Out’s full list of the UK’s best cities for nightlife in 2025.
Oh, and check out our pick of the UK’s best club nights for 2025.
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