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London Cocktail Week 2015: Tips and highlights of this year’s celebration of mixology

London Cocktail Week returns to the capital
Anyone that follows my Instagram profile may have noticed I love cocktails. So it’s no surprise that I’m a huge fan of London Cocktail Week – an annual celebration of mixology. This year sees the team from Drink Up London hosting LCW for a sixth year in a row from 5 to 11 October 2015. For those who don’t know, LCW sees hundreds of venues across the capital get involved with special drinks promotions and events.
The main way to get the most of LCW is to buy a £10 wristbrand, which entitles you to £5 cocktails at participating venues. Last year, a large group of girlfriends and I picked up our wristbands from one of the LCW hubs and after trying one of the in-house cocktails, went on an epic bar crawl around Covent Garden, Soho and Fitzrovia, taking in about 7 or 8 bars. Many of the venues had one special LCW drink available so it was a night for experimenting (and mixing spirits… oops). I recommend to start early and also make sure you enjoy a good meal beforehand or during.
You can order your wristband online or buy one from the hub at the Vinyl Factory, 51 Poland Street in Soho, where there will also be bars and special events, or the London Cocktail Week Village at Old Spitalfields Market.
Here’s just some of my highlights during this year’s London Cocktail Week…
A one hour cruise from King’s Cross’s Granary Square on a canal boat. Daily throughout LCW. Price: £30pp.
Cocktail masterclasses from the bartenders at Happiness Forgets in Hoxton. Daily throughout LCW. One hour long. £20pp
Eat and drink your way through Soho on a guided walk by local chef Michelle Francis, who will share the history, architecture and culture of the area along the way. Friday 9 and Saturday 10 October. £69.50.
Pop-up bar for whiskey fans in Kingsland Road. Daily throughout LCW. Free entry for LCW wristband holders.
Chambord Black Raspberry Liquer are hosting a party at Brixton’s Sovereign Loss on Thursday 8 October. Featuring live music and Prohibition-style cocktails. Free entry for LCW wristband holders.
Enjoy cocktail courses paired with British American tapas in the Green Room at the House of Vans underneath Waterloo station. Thursday 8 October. £38.50.
Bringing the event to a close with a knees-up and oysters at the East London Liquor Company near Victoria Park. Sunday 11 October until midnight.

Angel Eyes cocktail at Cellar Door
And here’s some reviews of participating bars…
Dirty Bones, 20 Kensington Church Street, Kensington, W8 4EP. Nearest tube: High Street Kensington. Click here to read Metro Girl’s review.
Ceviche Soho, 17 Frith Street, Soho, W1D 4RG. Nearest station: Piccadilly Circus, Oxford Circus or Tottenham Court Road. Click here to read Metro Girl’s review.
Bourne & Hollingsworth Buildings. 42 Northampton Road, Clerkenwell, EC1R 0HU. Nearest station: Farringdon or Angel. Click here to read Metro Girl’s review.
Flesh & Buns. 41 Earlham Street, Seven Dials, WC2H 9LX. Nearest tube: Covent Garden or Leicester Square. Click here to read Metro Girl’s review.
Cellar Door. Zero Aldwych, WC2E 7DN. Nearest tube: Covent Garden or Temple. Click here to read Metro Girl’s review.
Lucky Pig. 5 Clipstone St, Fitzrovia, W1W 6BB. Nearest tube: Great Portland Street or Regent’s Park. Click here to read Metro Girl’s review.
- London Cocktail Weeks runs from 5 to 11 October 2015. For more information, visit Drink Up London.
For a guide to what else is on in London this month, click here.
Well, it IS the Beautiful Game! Check out the pop-up World Cup pub for women

Upstairs at the Prince Of Wales has been transformed into a female-friendly pub © Benefit UK 2014

Punters will be able to get a makeover from Benefit make-up artist, just like Samantha Barks did at the launch
© Benefit UK 2014
World Cup fever has officially hit London. Although we’re nearly 6,000 miles away from the action in Brazil, plenty of pubs and other venues are getting in on the action with screenings. Although it’s been a long time since football was just considered a game for men only, sometimes the viewing experience of the World Cup can be a bit… let’s say ‘uncouth’ for a finer breed of lady.
This is where Gabbi’s Head fills the void. The team behind cosmetics brand Benefit have opened a pop-up pub in the heart of London’s West End where women can enjoy the beautiful game in a pretty environment. Football fans and Benefit lovers will be able to watch the matches, while sipping beers or special cocktails. Benefit make-up artists will also be on hand to provide makeovers, including complimentary brow waxes, skin care sessions, tanning and make-uppers. Over the next few weeks, aside from all major World Cup screenings, there will also be wine tasting, bingo, comedy nights, poker and film screenings.
I was lucky enough to be invited to the press preview night of Gabbi’s Head this week and had a fabulous night. The venue looked like a fusion of members’ club-meets-traditional boozer, with celebrity guests Kirsty Gallacher, Diana Vickers, Samantha Barks and Matt Richardson, among others in attendance. With a mix of pink stools and plush sofas, there was plenty of seating to rest your derriere, or a pink table football game if you’re in a playful mood. Watching Brazil beat Croatia in the opening game of the tournament while sipping on cocktails such as the Rasp-Bene Mojito or Bene-Berry Bellini and nibbling on yummy canapés was a different from the usual football watching experience I’ve had. I’ll definitely be back for some football fun in the next few weeks.
- Gabbi’s Head, is open from 13 June- 13 July 2014. Located on the 1st floor above the Prince of Wales, 150-151 Drury Lane, Covent Garden, WC2B 5TD. Nearest tube: Covent Garden or Holborn. Free entry. For more information, visit the Benefit UK Facebook page.

Pull up a stool and order one of the special cocktails… or just a regular beer © Benefit UK 2014
For a guide to open-air World Cup and Wimbledon screenings in London this summer, click here.
For a guide to what else is on in London this month, click here.
Sylvan Post review: Popular pub fare and real ales in a very unique venue

Retro feel; The Sylvan Post appears to have utilised the old Post Office counter as their sturdy bar

Original features: The shelving still features labels written by postmasters past
So many pubs and bars these days blend into one another with their identical interiors and serving the same range of drinks. However, when it comes to the newest addition to the Forest Hill drinking scene, Sylvan Post is a truly unique venue. The pub is located in an old 1960s post office, with many of the original features still in existence. I wouldn’t use the word converted exactly, because there are still so many Royal Mail features within the building, which I loved. The bar itself feels like an old Post Office counter, with the original shelving and clock behind – I could even read ‘first class x 12’ and ‘second class x 12’ written on one of the shelves. The door to what would have been the back office is now accessible with a mish mash of seating amongst old filing cabinets, including the metal strong room door. Adding to the retro, kitsch feel are formica tables and wooden seating, giving the pub a working men’s club-meet-school canteen – in a good way! The owners had clearly embraced the building’s history with lots of Royal Mail paraphernalia mixed with beer mats and other interiors from the 1960s.

Mediterranean fare: Vegetable frittata with salad and fresh bread drizzled in oil

Old skool vibe: The pub features Formica tables and a mish-mash of seating
The night in question a group of friends and myself visited, it was incredibly busy due to the Museum At Nights event up the hill at the Horniman Museum. Although we were too big a group to fit in one of the cosy-looking booths, we were lucky enough to get one of the large tables. We were all starving, so ordered from the varied menu, which includes a mix of British and Mediterranean fare. I ordered a vegetable frittata with salad and fresh bread, which was delicious and filling. Two of my friends ordered the Angus beef burger, which they really enjoyed.
Ale drinkers will be particularly drawn to this pub as it always has four real ales on tap. There was a good wine menu too, as well as the usual collection of bottled beers and ciders and spirits. The service was friendly, with a mix of 20 and 30 something clientele. Although it attracts mostly locals, it won’t disappoint those making a longer trip seeking a unique and quirky venue.
- Sylvan Post. 24-28 Dartmouth Road, Forest Hill, SE23 3XU. Nearest train/Overground station: Forest Hill (13 minutes from London Bridge). For more information, visit the Sylvan Post website.

The converted Post Office still features the different post boxes on the exterior
To read Metro Girl’s other restaurant and pub reviews, click here for our contents page.