The best Christmas party venues in Battersea and Brixton

It may be days before the Affordable Arts Fair arrives back at Battersea Park, weeks until the annual fireworks display takes place on 5 November (this year’s ticket-only event is hosted by Virgin Radio presenter Christian Williams) and Brixton residents have well over a month to wait for the Crafty Fox

Christmas market arriving at The Dogstar but...

...Debate is already raging as to whether Battersea or Brixton is the best Christmas party destination in the whole of London.

It is close to 1000 years since Battersea is said to have taken its name. In ancient days Battersea belonged to the Abbey of St Peter at Westminster and the Domesday Book records that “S. Peter of Westminster holds Patricesy”.

Since the Domesday Book was published in 1078, Christmas parties in Battersea have become ever more sophisticated.

Thousands of festive party goers have headed to Battersea Evolution – the 5650 square metre venue in Battersea Park – since it started hosting Christmas events in 2001.

This year, its Christmas party theme is Carnivale. Between 7 and 21 December groups of eight party-goers and over will be joining up to 2200 other guests for a colourful celebration of Mardis Gras, limbo, calypso, flamboyant costumes, exotic food and crazy cocktails.

The organisers explain that Carnivale brings a blend of influences from Brazil to Bolivia, from New Orleans to Haiti and from Venice to Cadiz.

Act after act of entertainment punctuates each course of dinner, which will be served after party goers sample street food including rich, spicy Acarajae and Bourbon-glazed chicken skewers.

As the three-course dinner comes to an end, the DJ beckons revellers on to the dancefloor for a night of nonstop partying. Alternatively, venture onto the dodgems or try your hand at the casino.

Battersea Park is not the only Christmas party venue.

When Phonox on Brixton Road joined London's night-time landscape just over a year ago, co-owner Andy Peyton said: “We want to build a community of people who go clubbing because they know their music and want to experience it through a great sound system.”

The venue, which is moments from Brixton Underground station, is taking bookings for Christmas parties, private hire and early evening drinks in its intimate underground bar.

Phonox adds that private hire of its bar for 80-plus guests is available on selected evenings throughout December. Anybody drinking in the early evening can stay later into the night and make the most of the club’s revered schedule of DJs.

“On evenings where we have events scheduled upstairs, we welcome large Christmas party groups to book a space in the bar for drinks,” the venue advises.

Evolution and Phonox are not the only Christmas party venues in Battersea or Brixton.

Brixton, which takes its name from Brixistane – the stone of Saxon lord Brixi who is thought to have erected a boundary stone to mark the meeting place of the moot or hundred court at the top of what is now Brixton Hill – has a host of party venues.

These include Electric Brixton for large-scale events and the ever-popular Trinity Arms pub on Trinity Gardens.

Battersea, meanwhile, offers party-goers the options of true Italian cocktails and light bites at Bunga Bunga plus the opportunity to book a booth or reserve a large table in the dining area at The Latchmere pub on Battersea Park Road.

Battersea and Brixton may both have excellent transport links, but travelling home late at night after a festive event is rarely a pleasure. Local residents, however, have the advantage of a short walk or taxi ride back home.

To learn more about living in Battersea or Brixton, contact Eden Harper today.