Featuring five different-coloured doors across London, the clubs offer a unique experience where patrons feel comfortable socialising in the comfort of a well-designed, thoughtful space.
On a brisk February evening, my friends and I venture into Soho to an unassuming scarlet door with a queue outside that stretches down the block.
We wait in line with people dressed in various outfits, from regular night-out attire to after-work outfits to a group of boys all in three-piece suits.
When we get to the front of the line, we go past the bouncer straight into the kitchen. On our right, people are placing their coats in a closet and in front of us are picture frames and magazines splayed on a bookshelf. Without any previous knowledge, we would think we were entering any normal flat share, but no.
Each of the “Little Door” clubs are designed to imitate a real home, so your night out feels authentically like a house party. Wading through the crowd, the vibes of the venue are immediately different to any club I have been to in London before.
After living in the capital for months, I found that this club in particular provides something that many other clubs do not: socialising.
The venue was filled with patrons singing, mingling and drinking. The cosy atmosphere, unique decor and recognisable playlists create an environment where people seem to be in the mood to meet new people.
The “Little Door” clubs in London are a series of cocktail bars across the city that claim to create a “welcoming, fun and unpretentious” environment.
From The Little Scarlet Door in Soho to The Little Yellow Door in Notting Hill, and three other sites, the bars offer something unique at each location, reflecting the energy of the parts of London they are in.
The Little Scarlet Door in Soho finds itself in the middle of the chaos of central London. Among countless other bars and clubs, on a Friday night, the unassuming door has a packed queue.
When you enter, you are greeted by the option to check a coat or bag into the closet room and then are immediately submerged into the kitchen and living room of the flat share. Every item in the club is carefully curated to recreate the natural elements of any actual flat.
The upstairs atmosphere is casual and relaxed, but when you step downstairs, the dance floor opens up with the bar and DJ on full display.
In the back, there is even a shower with props and couches to set the mood. Although all people come to the club for different reasons, on a Friday night, everyone seems willing to get involved in loud singing to throwback bangers and socialising in the smoking area.
Beyond the appeal of the clubs themselves, they also provide a space for Londoners to have the house-party experience without the hassle of throwing one themselves.
The responsibility of throwing a house party becomes less appealing as you get older. You have more responsibility for your house, and cleaning up, gathering people, and hosting become more of a hassle. We aren’t teenagers anymore.
According to a study conducted by The Standard in 2024, of Londoners aged 18-34 years old, only 34% had thrown their own house party in the past year. And a quarter of those individuals cited renting as their main reason why.
House parties in your own flat in your 20s involve cleaning sticky floors, providing an amount of alcohol that is never enough and not being able to fully immerse yourself in the party atmosphere due to your obligations as a host.
But that doesn’t mean we don’t want to have fun like teenagers anymore. Sometimes the classy cocktail bar, or cosy pub or posh nightclub isn’t enough to scratch the itch that only a house party can reach.
Each of the “Little Door” locations offers a unique style of house party that effectively finds a way to suit whatever you may be in the mood for.
The Little Yellow Door is nestled in the heart of Notting Hill and brings in a posher crowd. This location feels the smallest, with a cosy upstairs and a downstairs that feels like a frat basement: hot, sweaty, and dark, with the DJ and the small bar as the central points.
The Little Blue Door is unique in the fact that the bar is located on only one floor, with only the toilets being downstairs.
You enter a cloakroom with the option to go straight into the kitchen, with a bar and beer pong table, or to the right into the dining room with a larger bar and DJ booth at the back. In the back of both rooms is a laundry room connecting them with costumes for people to dress up in and a chalkboard marked with the signs of those passing through.
Another unique element of the Fulham location, and a favourite of patrons, is the double toilet in the women’s room, which maintains a consistent line throughout the night.
The bathroom stall features two toilets and mirrors adjacent to each other, for women who like to go to the bathroom with their friends or women who like to hold hands while peeing, whatever you prefer.
Undoubtedly, the “Little Door” venues accomplish their mission of providing a space for Londoners to experience the unpretentious, welcoming atmosphere of a house party without the inherent inconveniences of burdening your own flat by throwing one yourself.
Each location offers a different setting for whatever type of night you may want to facilitate. The only question now is, which door will you choose to reconnect with your inner teenager?
Featured image by Sophia Guddemi.