The Candlelight Club, London

Conjuring up the 1920s jazz scene, The Candlelight Club picks up where Jay Gatsby left off, hosting spectacular-yet-secretive soirées where men and women dazzle in top-to-toe glitz, sip champagne cocktails and sway to the sound of sultry brass. In contrast to the underground speakeasy scene the club evokes, of course, its bars sell alcohol without the spectre of prohibition. The details are kept tantalisingly under wraps, though, and guests must wait until two days before the party to find out where it’s taking place.

The Candlelight Club’s monthly pop-up parties – now in their ninth year – takes place in a swathe of different locations and each event puts a unique twist on the Jazz Age theme. May’s is ‘An English Country Garden’, bringing a touch of Wodehouse to West Egg in tasteful coincidence with the tail-end of this year’s RHS Chelsea Flower Show. Expect ‘bunting and deck chairs, Pimm’s and cucumber sandwiches’, the organisers say – not that it’ll all be prim and proper. The Candlelight Club revels in the refined-yet-raucous, which the charismatic sextet Swing’it Dixieband will no doubt serve by the ice bucket. They’ll be accompanied by London-based Charleston dance squadron The Bee’s Knees and the smooth tones of the club’s own cabaret host Champagne Charlie.



Entry to either of the club’s parties this Spring bank holiday weekend comes at £25 a head, granting access to the whole night’s entertainment. It’s an additional £40 to book a table and three-course dinner which comes with a glass of champagne on arrival. Small and large group tables are available too, offering guests the option to pre-order sharing dishes (whole lobster, anyone?) for a more informal dining arrangement.

Glamorous 1920s dress is a must, as you’d hope, but on the off-chance you’re running low on vintage apparel, fret not. The club’s own 'Candlelight Directory' lists an extensive selection of London outlets to help you effortlessly assemble your period look (clothing, accessories, hair and make-up), many of which offer exclusive discounts to Candlelight clubbers. Nor should you feel perturbed by the secrecy of it all: tried and tested, Candlelight’s formula is undoubtedly a winning one, its closed doors nothing but an open invitation to the celebrated Golden Age.