Because New Year’s Eve is always rubbish, and expensive, and you’ve just spent a million quid on your family for Christmas (honestly, you deserve a medal for your selflessness), there’s literally no point spending money on a big old New Year’s Eve party.
Unless you’ve already booked tickets for a big old New Year’s Eve party, in which case well done – go have fun.
For the rest of you though, it’s time to start thinking about cheaper options. Don’t worry, just because some clubs and pubs jack their prices up by nine million percent for this one day of the year, doesn’t mean they all do. Here’s your best FREE options so you can start 2016 not quite as broke as you started 2015.
The Old Crown New Years Eve Black & Gold, London
Free entry before 8pm.
Last time I went to this pub, they lined up 100 Jaegerbombs at midnight and set them all off like dominos. Then they gave one to every person in the bar. Which was nice. If not a little messy for a Thursday night.
Anyways, if you do find yourself round Holborn way then this small but perfectly formed little pub is a good shout. There’s a supper club going on too, but it’s £39.95, so maybe just stick to the party. Oh, and they’re playing disco all night, so that’s another good sign.
Find out more
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The Big Chill NYE Special – Work Up & Special Guests, London
Free entry before 9pm.
As you well know, the Big Chill can be a little rowdy so prepare yourself for a spectacularly spirited evening on New Year’s Eve. Bbeggars can’t be choosers and, at least you can head to some of Brick Lane’s other bars before picking up a burger at the barbeque outside Cafe 1001, taking a deep breath and diving on in headfirst.
Again, it’s funk, soul and disco all night.
Find out more here.
Odd Bar NYE With Lee Majors, Manchester
Free entry all night.
If you’re knocking around the Northern Quarter, then you could do a whole lot worse than end up in the lovely little Odd Bar with its shiny, shiny disco curtains. Its New Year’s Eve party is free all night, which means it’ll probably be rammo-ed. Get there early to avoid spending midnight sitting out on a kerb. It’s hip hop and rnb all night.
Find out more here.
Dude Ranch NYE At Sticky Mike’s Frog Bar, Brighton
Free entry all night.
Brightoners know that Sticky Mike’s is actually quite sticky, in terms of cleanliness but that doesn’t stop it from being one of the funnest places around. This year, the New Year’s Eve party promises a mid-noughties emo’s wet dream playlist featuring the likes of Fall Out Boy, Panic! At The Disco, Blink 182, Good Charlotte and (my personal fave) Taking Back Sunday.
Find out more here.
Noho & Dusk Till Pawn, Manchester
This speakeasy set in an old pawn shop does a big fun free party every year, which is, actually confusingly, set in Noho – a bar round the corner. It starts from 8 and goes on until 4am. Because it’s free entry it’s bound to get busy BUT cleverly, you can reserve tables and pick up wristbands guaranteeing entry in advance.
How’s that for stress-free boozing? There’s no info as of yet but they do promise it happens every year so watch this space.
Find out more
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This article originally appeared on The Debrief.