Slowly but surely, London’s clubbers are migrating towards north London, and fewer places have a greater magnetic pull than Five Miles.
The club — sat exactly five miles away from Charing Cross, hence the name — was set up in 2017 by Real Gold, the people behind the now-deceased Dalston favourite, the Alibi.
Along with the Cause, an excellent warehouse space up in Tottenham Hale, Five Miles has been busy blowing away the cobwebs of London’s nightlife. It has a sound system that is all-encompassing without overpowering — something which can’t be said for all of the capital’s clubs. It also offers a surprisingly comprehensive selection of craft beer and food, which is certainly a cut above its counterparts’. More on that below.
It’s a small place, with only one dancefloor and space for somewhere between 250 and 300 clubbers, but that entirely works in its favour. The club is simple where it needs to be and detailed where required. It’s a tough balance to strike, but one that has been nailed here.
This is the GO Clubbing guide to Five Miles.
London's best clubs, in pictures
Vital statistics
- Where is it? 39b Markfield Road, N15 4QA
- What’s the capacity? 300
- When did it open? May 2017
What’s the music like?
Really varied — possibly more so than any other major club in London. It can ranges from experimental German techno to Brazilian bass music, via the various ports of old school drum’n’bass, Chicago house, broken beat and beyond.
Who plays there?
An intriguing mix of burgeoning artists and veteran heroes. Theo Parrish, Floating Points and Four Tet are just a few of the big names to have dropped by since it opened, but it’s a great place to go and hear someone you’ve never heard of before — much more often than not, you won’t be disappointed.
How expensive are tickets?
Pretty cheap by London standards. Most tickets start off around £5 for an early bird, and often increase to around £10 for the final release. Sometimes the starting price is even less and, occasionally, the whole thing is free.
How late does it stay open?
On Friday and Saturday nights, the club stays open until 4am. It regularly throws parties on Thursday nights, too, which tend to run until 2am.
How good is the sound system?
Very good. The club itself describes the sound system as “painstakingly crafted to provide new levels of excitement on the dance floor without killing your ears”. That last bit is certainly true — it’s not the kind of rig that blasts out music so loud it churns your innards, but it’s still powerful enough to get the party going. It was created by Alcons Audio, which delivers superb, detailed sound.
What should I wear?
No strict dress code is enforced here, so casual clothes will do fine.
Is there a cloakroom?
Yes.
How do I get there?
The closest station is Seven Sisters, serviced by the Victoria line and also the Overground. It’s about a five-minute walk from the club and the Underground section operates around the clock on weekends.
There are a number of buses that run close to the club, too — 76, 149, 243, 318 and 349 — with the N149 and N318 running through the night.
Anything else I should know?
Most clubs in London don’t exactly push the boat out when it comes to beer offerings — a couple of lagers and a cider if you’re lucky — but Five Miles is different. It has 18 taps’ worth of craft options from the likes of Hackney Brewery, Pressure Drop and Tiny Rebel. There’s even an in-house brewer, Affinity, which provides a delicious saison. Oh, and there are negronis on tap, too.
Hungry? Torshi, the on-site restaurant, cooks up food inspired by Middle Eastern cuisine. You can enjoy that before heading onto the dancefloor — it’s open between 6pm-10pm from Wednesday to Saturday.