This guide is for 31 December 2014. For New Year’s Eve for 2015 into 2016, click here.

Tunes: What music will help you see in the new year?

Can you believe the year is nearly over already? As always, it appears the past 12 months fly by at an alarming rate and it’s already time to say ‘sayonora 2014’ and ‘konnichiwa 2015’. If you can’t be bothered with the stress (and cleaning up the next day!) of organising your own bash or can’t quite see the allure of spending it on the sofa with Jools Holland and co, there is plenty of parties on across the capital. While this guide doesn’t claim to be comprehensive listings (there are 100s after all!), Metro Girl has handpicked some of the highlights of the party calendar for 31 December 2014. For most events, I would strongly recommend booking in advance, with many tipped to sell out and unlikely to have tickets on the door.

Don’t forget, TFL will be providing free public transport from 11.45pm until 4.30am on New Year’s Day.

To browse and buy tickets for new year’s events in London, check out Cluboid.com. Use the discount code ‘CAPITAL’ to get money off.

Central London

• New Year’s Eve firework display over the River Thames

Thousands expected to take to the north and south of the River to watch the fireworks display near the London Eye. Although usually free, this year City Hall has introduced a £10 fee to cover costs. Tickets went on sale from 1–15 December. There will be a lot of congestion or potential closures of some tube stations around the Embankments so check with TFL before you travel. For more information of where you can and can’t access without a ticket, visit the London.gov.uk website. SOLD OUT

• New Year’s Eve with John Newman – Rumpus Room

Mark New Year’s Eve being entertained by pop star John Newman at the Rumpus Room in the swish new Mondrian Hotel overlooking the Thames. Dress code: Glam. 8pm-3am.  Tickets: Standing (inc canapés and champagne) – £65, tables start from £275. Mondrian, 20 Upper Ground, Southwark, SE1 9PD. Nearest station: Blackfriars, Southwark or Waterloo East. For more information and booking, visit the Back Of House website.

• Friday I’m In Love: New Year’s Eve Singalong – Prince Of Wales Feathers

London’s favourite singalong club night is coming to Warren Street to mark the dawn of 2015. Dance and singalong (as a group – not individual karaoke… thankfully!) to your favourite ’80s and ’90s hits. 8pm-2am. Tickets: £20, include a glass of Prosecco on arrival. Prince Of Wales Feathers, 8 Warren Street, Fitzrovia, W1T 5LD. Nearest station: Warren Street or Euston Square. For more information and tickets, visit the event’s Facebook page.

• Vintage New Year’s Eve Party – Royal Festival Hall

The team behind the Vintage Festival put on a glamorous extravaganza of live bands and DJs spread across six pop-up vintage nightclubs from various eras, with bars, beauty parlours and photo studios also on site. Around midnight, some of the action will move to one of the balconies for a great vista of the New Year’s Eve fireworks over the Thames. Starts 7pm onwards. Tickets start from £117.50. Royal Festival Hall, Belvedere Road, SE1 8XX. Nearest tube: Waterloo. For more information, visit the Southbank Centre website.

• ’90s Superheroes Party – Earlham Street Clubhouse 

Nineties bar Earlham Street Clubhouse are hosting a superheroes-themed New Year’s Eve bash. With complimentary cocktails for early arrivals 7.30-8pm. Fancy dress strongly encouraged. 7pm-3am. Tickets: £15. Earlham Street Clubhouse, 35 Earlham Street, Covent Garden, WC2H 9LD, Nearest tube: Leicester Square or Covent Garden. For tickets, visit the Design My Night website.

Ready to toast 2015?

• Back To The Future Party – Bar Soho

As 2015 is famously the year Marty McFly ended up in the future, Bar Soho are drawing on the iconic film franchise to celebrate New Year’s Eve. Featuring live entertainment from Daddy Soho and the Soholites. Guests will be transported (1950s style) to the ‘Enchantment Under the Sea’ dance. Tickets start from £15. Bar Soho, 23-25 Old Compton Street, Soho, W1D 5JL. Nearest tube: Piccadilly Circus or Leicester Square. For more information, visit the Bar Soho website.

• New Year’s Eve – Basement Sate

New cocktail and pudding bar Basement Sate in Soho is celebrating the advent of 2015 with booze, desserts and music. Tickets include one cocktail, one glass of champagne and a selection of canapés. With entertainment from DJ Franck Bombard and Lola. 8pm until late. Tickets £45. Basement Sate, 8 Broadwick Street, Soho, W1F 8HN. Nearest tube: Piccadilly Circus or Oxford Circus. Tables can be booked by emailing table@basementsate.com.

• New Year’s Eve at M

The City of London’s newest food and nightlife venue M will be hosting their first New Year’s Eve party featuring eight course tasting menu from the RAW restaurant, accompanied by sparkling Sake and live music. £49 per person for 8 courses and entertainment. M, 2-3 Threadneedle Walk, 60 Threadneedle Street, City of London, EC2 8HP. Nearest station: Liverpool Street, Fenchurch Street or Cannon Street. For more information and booking, visit the M website.

• Black Tie Masquerade Ball – Kettner’s

Kettner’s in Soho will be hosting a masquerade ball, featuring cabaret show, swing dance lessons, burlesque performances, a live band and DJs over two floors and three bars. 9pm-3am. Tickets: £50 for party or £125 including dinner at The Apartment. Kettner’s, 29 Romilly Street, Soho, W1D 5HP. Nearest station: Leicester Square or Piccadilly Circus. For more information, visit the Kettner’s website. SOLD OUT

• New Year’s Eve Stand Up Show – Comedy Store

Start your night off with some comedy from Stephen Grant, Prince Abdi, Jarred Christmas, Romesh Ranganathan, Pete Johansson and The Noise Next Door . After you’ve laughed yourself silly, there will a DJ spinning tracks after for some dancing. Show starts at 8pm. Tickets: £59. The Comedy Store, 1a Oxendon Street, SW1Y 4EE. Nearest tube: Piccadilly Circus or Leicester Square. For more information, visit the Comedy Store website. SOLD OUT

• UV NYE Party – Bounce

Ping pong bar and restaurant Bounce will be lit up with a UV light installation so everyone will be glowing. Guests encouraged to dress in vibrant UV clothing. Including unlimited, free UV ping pong all night, UV face artists to glowify guests, cocktail prizes for the best UV outfits and retro party anthems spun by DJ Mighty Atom vs Nick Terrific. 8.30pm until 3am. Tickets: £15. Bounce, 121 Holborn, EC1N 2TD. Nearest tube: Chancery Lane. For more information and tickets, visit the Bounce website. For Metro Girl’s review of Bounce, click here. SOLD OUT

• Belle Epoque’s Dark Circus Party

Enjoy an evening of ‘abandoned dancing, pleasure-seeking and spectacular entertainment’, featuring Bourne & Hollingsworth’s atmospheric production, amazing cocktails and performances from the Torture Garden. 9pm-3am. Tickets: £40. The Grand Hall St Pancras, Euston Road, WC1H 9JE. Nearest tube: Kings Cross St Pancras. For more information, visit the Dark Circus website. SOLD OUT

• Prohibition 1920s New Year’s Eve party

Say hello to 2015 in 1920s style at this prohibition-themed party, includes live music, gramophone DJs, gambling, dancers and cocktails. Must dress in 1920s costume. 9pm-3am. Tickets: £40. Bloomsbury Ballroom, Bloomsbury Square, Bloomsbury, WC1B 4DA. Nearest tube: Russell Square or Euston. For more information, visit the Prohibition 1920s website. SOLD OUT

North London

• Guilty Pleasures & Ultimate Power present Hullaballoo NYE

Enjoy a night of classic rock and power ballads at the Forum, with a special appearance from the Musical Bingo team. 9pm-4am. Tickets £35. The Forum, 9-17 Highgate Road, Kentish Town, NW5 1JY. Nearest station: Kentish Town. For more information and tickets, visit the Ultimate Power website. LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE

• New Year’s Cabaret Ball – Proud Camden

The unique Proud Galleries are seeing in 2015 with a cabaret ball, featuring circus performers, bands and DJs, including BigTopp, El Conchitas, Olya, Shoot The Pony, Ray Grooves and Fuel Girls. Strict dress code – black tie and ball gown glamour, burlesque and cabaret suave (no trainers or jeans). Open from 7pm until late. Tickets start from £12, then go up or down depending on your arrival time. Stables Market, Chalk Farm Road, Camden Town, NW1 8AH. Nearest tube: Chalk Farm or Camden Town. For more information and tickets, visit the Proud Camden website. Or check out Proud’s other NYE party at their City branch here.

• Freak And Chic NYE – Drink Shop Do

Dress freaky fashion chic for Drink Shop Do’s bash in Caly Road. Expect colourful entertainment, confetti blasters and dancers. Hip hop & old skool tracks in the basement, while upstairs goes disco. 7pm until late. Tickets from £12-£35. Drink Shop Do, 9 Caledonian Road, Kings Cross, N1 9DX. Nearest tube: King’s Cross St Pancras. For more information and tickets, visit the Drink Shop Do website.

• Club De Fromage Vs Old School Indie Super NYE Party

Lovers of rock, pop and indie should head down to Angel for music, balloons, confetti and fun. 9pm-4am. Tickets start from £22.50. O2 Academy Islington, 16 Parkfield Street, Islington, N1 0PS. Nearest tube: Angel. For more information and tickets, visit the Club De Fromage website. LIMITED TICKETS AVAILABLE

South London

• The Blitz Party NYE Special

Relive the spirit of the Blitz in a 1940s-themed party at an  ‘air raid shelter’ in Borough. Fancy dress compulsory, so think military wares and victory rolls. 9pm-3am. Tickets: £40. Great Suffolk Street Arches, 29 Great Suffolk Street, Borough, SE1 0NS. Nearest tube: Southwark. For tickets, visit the Blitz Party website.

• Black Tie Beach Ball – Bunga Bunga and Cocobananas

Bunga Bunga and Cocobananas will be coming together to bring a fusion of the very best of Italian and Brazilian culture to Battersea. The ball kicks off with a seven-course Italian banquet and a complimentary Belvedere cocktail from 7pm, before moving on to dance at the beach party at Cocobananas. Dress code: ‘black tie on the beach’. 7pm-4am. Tickets: £85 ball & dinner, After party £20 in advance, £30 on the door. Bunga Bunga, 37 Battersea Bridge Road, SW11 3BA and Cocobananas, 101 Howie Street, SW11 3BA. Nearest train station: Clapham Junction, Queenstown Road Battersea or Battersea Park. For more information visit the Cocobananas or Bunga Bunga websites.

• Party Like It’s 1989 – Four Quarters

The Four Quarters arcade bar in Peckham will be hosting their first ever NYE party. Featuring DJs spinning Acid House, Pop, Rock & Hip Hop from the era, as well as screening ’80s movies and console games in the upstairs chill out space. There will prizes for the best ’80s costume, think Patrick Bateman, Gordon Gekko, or 1989 Acid House Raver. 6pm-4am. Tickets: £10 in advance or £15 on the door. Four Quarters, 187 Rye Lane, Peckham, SE15 4TP. Nearest Overground/train: Peckham Rye. For more information, visit the Four Quarters’ Facebook page.

• Enchantment Under The Sea – Breakfast Club Battersea and London Bridge

The Breakfast Clubs in Battersea, London Bridge and Spitalfields will be hosting Back To The Future-inspired 1950s prom dances and dinner. Tickets include champagne reception and three-course meal in The Breakfast Club followed by after-parties in their basement bars, The King of Ladies Man (Battersea), Call Me Mr Lucky (London Bridge) and The Mayor of Scaredy Cat Town (Spitalfields). 7.30pm-3am. Tickets £55 includes three course meal and champagne reception. London Bridge branch, 11 Southwark Street, Borough, SE1 1RQ. Nearest station: London Bridge, or Battersea branch, 5-9 Battersea Rise, Battersea, SW11 1HG. Nearest station: Clapham Junction. For booking and more information, visit the Breakfast Club website. SOLD OUT

West London

• New Year at the Golden Mansion

A party extravaganza featuring 2 dancefloors, including DJs Joffrey Bogart, Anthony Devz and Amin Sane. Live performances from electric violinist Oktam and master percussionist Sam Baws, gypsy singer guitarist Martin Rodrigo and fire mastery from Natalie Mulkerrins. Free tarot readings from Erica Maxwell and Miss Anna’s make-up wizardy. Art from VJ Daton, while the Argentum Gallery will display the figurative acrylics of Allan Banford. Dress code: Gold. 9pm-4am. Tickets start from £25. In a secret venue in Notting Hill which will be revealed 48 hours before. For tickets and information, visit The Mansion website. SOLD OUT.

• New Year’s Eve Laff – The Chelsea Pensioner

Fulham’s cosy and eclectic pub will be hosting a New Year’s Eve bash until the early hours, featuring live music from Cover Up, complimentary nibbles from chefs at Dirty Apron, along with the usual supply craft beers, wine and cocktails in teacups. Bottles of Prosecco will be £15 all night long. Tickets: £15 including a complimentary glass of Prosecco. The Chelsea Pensioner, 358 Fulham Road, SW10 9UU. Nearest station: Fulham Broadway or Imperial Wharf. For more information, visit the Chelsea Pensioner website or email info@thechelseapensioner.co.uk.

• NYE Hoedown – Beaver Lodge

Go all-American at the Beaver Lodge, where you’ll be greeted with a Moët & Chandon Imperial NV Brut reception. With live music from Beaver Lodge’’s own banjo player, and performance from The Gold Rush Cheerleading squad. Open 9.30pm-4am. Tickets: £20 advance, £30 on the night. Beaver Lodge, 266 Fulham Road, Chelsea, SW10 9EL. Nearest stations: West Brompton or Fulham Broadway. For more information and booking visit the Beaver Lodge website.

• Frankie Says… NYE – Maggie’s

Frankie Goes To Hollywood” style ’80s night at Eighties-themed nightclub Maggie’’s. Featuring retro music and DJs, a Moët & Chandon champagne reception, bacon butties at 2am, and a special Belvedere Vodka table menus. Dress code: 80s and awesome. 9.30pm-4am  Tickets: £30 earlybird (£20 members), £40 on the door (£30 members). Table bookings available for £60pp. Maggie’s, 329 Fulham Road, SW10 9QL. Nearest tube/Overground: South Kensington or West Brompton. For more information and booking, visit the Maggie’s website.

• Masked Ball – Paradise By Way Of Kensal Green

Masquerade ball across two floors of the popular gastro pub and late-night bar. Guests are required to wear masks. 8.30pm-3am. Tickets: £25. Paradise By Way Of Kensal Green, 19 Kilburn Lane, Kensal Green, W10 4AE. Nearest station: Kensal Green. For more information and booking visit the PBWOKG website. SOLD OUT

East London

• New Year’s Rockin’ Eve – All Star Lanes

Fifties-themed party where you can bowl, dance, eat, sing karaoke and drink all night. Music included rock ‘n’ roll, funk, soul and disco. Dress code: Hip cats and dolls. Free entry all night. 7pm-3am. All Star Lanes, 95 Brick Lane, Shoreditch, E1 6QL. Nearest tube: Shoreditch High Street (overground) or Aldgate East. For more information, visit the All Star Lanes website.

• Hot Tropic NYE 2014 – Queen Of Hoxton

Forget you’re in chilly London for a tropical themed New Year’s Eve party to warm you into 2015. Features giant glowing suns, roller skate chicks, posing muscle men, coconut shell cocktails, a tropical nail bar, sun lamps and face reflectors, poolside inflatables, palm trees and confetti cannons! Music from The Reflex, Medlar (Wolf Music), Poolside FM, Reverend Milo Speedwagon & friends and Fever 105 DJs. 8pm-4am. Tickets from £25. Queen of Hoxton, 1 Curtain Road, Hoxton, EC2A 3JX. Nearest tube: Old Street or Shoreditch High Street (overground). For more information, visit the Queen Of Hoxton website. SOLD OUT

• Hed Kandi NYE – McQueen

Welcome 2015 in glamorous style from house gurus Hed Kandi at this sleek two-storey bar and club. Sexy and smart dress code. 7pm-5am. Tickets: £25-£60 (including three-course dinner). McQueen, 55-61 Tabernacle Street, Shoreditch, EC2A 4AA. Nearest station: Old Street. For more information, visit the Hed Kandi website. SOLD OUT

• Festa Do Branco – Barrio East

Latin bar Barrio East are bringing carnival flavour to East London, featuring Samba, Tropical Soul, party anthems and retro classics, as well as the tequila luge. Ticket includes welcome drink on arrival. Dress code: Latin colours of white, red, yellow or green. 8pm-4am. Tickets: £20. Barrio East, 141-143 Shoreditch High Street, E1 6JE. Nearest station: Shoreditch High Street or Old Street. For more information and booking, visit DesignMyNight. SOLD OUT

For listings of London’s open-air ice rinks this winter, click here.

Or for guide to Christmas markets and fairs around London, click here.

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