5 of the coolest things to do in London this Autumn

As the autumn leaves begin to scatter across the capital and the temperatures start their inevitable descent, your social calendar doesn’t have to retreat into hibernation. London comes alive in the autumn with an eclectic roster of world-class experiential venues, interactive social bars, and hands-on workshops that give pub nights a serious upgrade. Whether you fancy stepping into the criminal underworld of 1920s Britain, hammering glowing steel at a blacksmith’s forge, or challenging your mates to high-tech target sports with a cocktail in hand, here are five of the coolest things to do in London this autumn.

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Peaky Blinders Underworld

Immersive Heists & Criminal Syndicate Loyalties

Step straight out of modern London and directly into the gritty, smoke-filled criminal underworld of the 1920s with Peaky Blinders: The Live Experience. Situated near London Bridge, this official live theatre and interactive experience plunges you into the schemes, heists, and high-stakes drama of the Shelby crime syndicate. Far from a passive spectator show, you are invited to choose your loyalties, infiltrate rival gangs, crack safes, and strike illicit deals alongside live actors in an atmosphere dripping with cinematic tension.

The Garrison Tavern & Back-Alley Cocktails

The production values are thoroughly top-tier, complete with authentic period sets, hidden drinking dens, and live musical performances that capture the brooding spirit of the hit series. Between navigating treacherous back-alley negotiations and placing high-roller bets on the horses, you can grab a pint of craft ale or a bespoke whisky cocktail at the underground bar. It is a wildly immersive, adrenaline-charged night out that demands you look sharp and watch your back. Be sure to try both the Garrison Larger and Shelby Signature Session Ale from Freedom Brewery.

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TOCA Social

High-Tech Private Boxes & Computer-Vision Play

For football fans and competitive socialites looking for a high-energy group session, TOCA Social at The O2 in Greenwich is an absolute riot. Transforming the beautiful game into an accessible, tech-driven playground, the venue features 17 private playing boxes equipped with interactive projection screens and computer-vision target tracking. Whether you have the touch of a seasoned striker or have never kicked a ball in your life, the bespoke games cater to all skill levels with pure arcade fun.

Multi-Level Hospitality & Mezcal Lounges

Beyond the high-tech pitch action, TOCA Social delivers a hospitality experience that rivals London’s trendiest speakeasies. Spread across multiple floors with three distinct cocktail bars—including an exclusive mezzanine Mezcal lounge—you can refuel on chef-curated street food platters, smash burgers, and inventive cocktails delivered right to your box. Add in retro arcade cabinets and live match broadcasts on monster screens, and it is easily one of London’s premier autumn playgrounds.

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Clays Bar

Virtual Target Shooting on Ultra-HD Screens

Bringing the quintessential British countryside pursuit right into the heart of the City and Canary Wharf, Clays offers a high-tech reinvention of target shooting. Armed with specially decommissioned, real shotguns equipped with infrared sensors, groups step into plush private shooting pegs to blast digital clays across massive four-metre-wide ultra-HD screens. With competitive modes ranging from traditional clay flurries to fast-paced reflex challenges, the banter flows just as fast as the ammunition.

Botanical Libations & Loaded Sharing Plates

Naturally, the culinary and cocktail programme is just as sharp as your aim. Clays replaces stodgy country-club traditions with stylish, design-forward interiors, botanical gin concoctions, and a mouth-watering menu of loaded flatbreads and sharing plates. It provides the ideal shelter from the brisk autumn drizzle, combining competitive edge and refined urban luxury into an effortlessly cool evening.

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Boneyard London

Anvil Metalwork & Handcrafted Norse Blade Forging

If you prefer to spend your autumn weekends mastering an ancient, primal craft, Boneyard London’s 1-Day Forge a Viking Knife Course offers an unforgettable hands-on challenge. Tucked away in a characterful London forge, this full-day masterclass lets you channel your inner Norse blacksmith. Under the expert eye of seasoned smiths, you will don protective gear, fire up the gas forge, and learn traditional metalworking techniques from scratch—hammering raw high-carbon steel on the anvil to draw out the blade and fashion the signature scrolled handle.

Heat-Treating Science & Heirloom Polishing

As the sparks fly and the steel glows cherry-red, you will delve into the precise science of heat-treating, quenching, and blade finishing, grinding your creation to a razor-sharp, polished edge. By the end of the day, you walk away not only with newfound respect for the craft, but with a fully functional, handcrafted heirloom-grade Viking knife made entirely by your own two hands. It is the ultimate antidote to digital fatigue and an exceptional way to spend a cool autumn Saturday.

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Flight Club

High-Velocity Social Darts & Camera-Tracking Tech

Few venues have revolutionised social nights out quite like Flight Club, the pioneers of “Social Darts” that turned the dusty pub game into a stadium-sized spectacle. Operating across several beautifully appointed London locations—including Shoreditch, Bloomsbury, and Victoria—Flight Club combines Victorian fairground aesthetics with patented camera-tracking dartboards that tally scores automatically. With fast-moving multiplayer games like Demolition, Killer, and Quackshot, nobody is left doing frantic maths on a chalkboard.

Fairground Cocktails & Paddle-Served Sourdough Pizzas

The atmosphere is consistently electric, fuelled by craft beers, show-stopping cocktail slushies, and a kitchen that turns out superlative sourdough pizzas served on giant sharing paddles. With cosy leather booths, brass fittings, and heated autumn terraces, it is the quintessential London hangout for celebratory pints and fierce, laugh-out-loud competition with your crew.

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