London’s great social comeback is building and choosing your social bubble is no longer solely a case of who you want to share an Uber home with. The next stage to revelling in London’s reopening social scene? Choosing your physical bubble, too.Private party pods are the smartest way to pandemic-proof (and rain-proof) your August and happily, the capital has a glittering new collection of exclusive drinking dens: Coppa Club’s notorious riverside igloos have had a summer makeover as miniature English gardens, while The Standard in King’s Cross is offering private party suites for bubbles of six.From tropical dining cabanas to Thames-side beach huts decked out with real sand, this is your pod guide.USP: Your own private bartender and outdoor bathtubsNo nightclub, no problem. For socially-acceptable revelry, head to the eighth floor suites of King’s Cross’ buzzy Standard hotel, which is now open and offering decadent “party bubbles” with indoor dining tables and an alfresco bathtubs and lounge seating from Friday. The hotel has long established itself as one of the capital’s coolest hangouts and the bespoke packages are designed to keep Londoners partying. Each is tailored to guests’ pod goals, whether it’s mountains of chocolate Martinis and mustard-smothered micro-hot dogs from the hotel’s downstairs dive-bar, Double Standard, or a private bartender to keep glasses topped up and make cocktails on request. More bubbles, please.USP: Artists from Norman Jay to Friendly Fires are among the line-up for the rest of summerRemember live music? Brixton Jamm wants to bring some of that back with its revamped outdoor music venue, The Brixton Courtyard, kitted out with Covid-proof flamingo-themed booths for enjoying the DJ line-up and a street food catalogue to match – just download the app to order pints and steak flatbreads your table. Among the guest nights booked in for the the next month: a funk and soul barbecue with Craig Charles; a Thursday night groove session with Bondax and Karma Kid; and live sets from Friendly Fires, Little Gay Brother and Norman Jay. Coming up, the courtyard is also planning boozy brunches, pub quizzes, comedy shows and drag bingo in line with government guidelines.The private-dining cabanaUSP: Private bathrooms and live wellness workshops while you eatThe Mandrake’s exotic new private-dining cabanas on the hotel’s terrace aren’t just an eating and drinking spot – they’re your all-day hideaway. Each is decked out with tropical greenery, rattan-style furniture and cosy cushions, plus its very own bathroom for privacy and touch-ups in the mirrors. Think of it as a wellness retreat above the city. Dishes include courgette flowers, smoked cheese quesadillas and grilled lamb-shoulder and fried fish tacos; Jalapeno cocktails top the drinks menu; and there’s an entertainment element, too. Each of the ten paradise pods is fitted with a screen for streaming your own music or the hotel’s wellness workshops. Weekly sessions include sound healing, meditation and dreaming and drumming.USP: Instagram bragging rights – this month’s igloo slots sold out in secondsBubble size: Eight, but government guidance is for no more than sixCost: Minimum spend £240, regardless of party sizeIt’s almost like Coppa Club saw pod life coming. This year, the riverside bar’s famous winter domes have had a summer makeover: think ice-cold Aperols and Coppa Coladas instead of hot toddies, and heaters and rugs replaced with sliding doors for sunbathing. All eight igloos have views of Tower Bridge and have been transformed into miniature English gardens for the rest of summer, with solar lanterns hanging in jam jars and splashes of light pinks, purples and blues. Each pod has its own speaker so you can set the vibe. If you missed this month’s two-hour slots, the club releases its next round of reservations on August 31, but act fast: last time, demand crashed the site crashed on day one.USP: Eggs in a giant egg – the dining booth’s menu includes coddled egg on potato puree and seared wagyu steak over a fried eggCost: No extra cost to book above the cost of eating. Eggslut’s Eat Out To Help Out discount appliesIt’s an eggs-travagant launch for Eggslut’s new Percy Street restaurant, which has joined forces with immersive culinary masterminds Bompas and Parr to create its first ever egg dining booth. For the next few weeks, you and up to three friends can enjoy Eggslut’s signature dishes The Fairfax and The Slut alongside a special new item, a steak-egg hybrid called The Gaucho, from the restaurant’s new dine-in egg pod. There’s also a hands-on element: from this week, the Egg Booth has been transformed into an ‘eggfessional’ where guests can record cathartic messages to camera. Head to @eggslutuk on Instagram to secure a reservation.The al fresco restaurants to enjoy in London after lockdownTake happy hour to new heights: the lastminute.com London Eye’s new Happy Half Hour experience takes place inside its world famous pods. For £45 a head you’ll receive fast-track entry and one 30-minute rotation with your very own drinks hamper filled with two drinks per person from beer to wine to G&Ts. Available at 5pm and 6pm every Thursday, Friday and Saturday.The match-day drinking denUSP: Private TVs for catching the gameBubble size: Up to 10, within government guidelinesBrixton’s Hope & Anchor pub is showing all the best matches from Sky Sports and BT Sport on 20 big screens for the rest of the season and if you don’t want to miss a kick, you can book your own summer house with a private TV. The 13 stilted huts sit around the corners of the pub garden and each is decked out with its own screen, comfy booth seating, vibrant artwork and blankets and heaters for cooler summer evenings. Download the Youngs On Tap app and you won’t even need to leave your seat at half time.USP: Deck chairs and real sandFor a day at the seaside, just catch the District Line. Neverland’s riverside beach in Fulham is the most exotic staycation in town and all bookings are bubble-friendly. Among the hottest offerings: riverside daybeds, four-person beach pods, and striped six-person beach huts right on Neverland’s Thames-side sandy beach. The venue’s bottomless brunch series starts up again next month, so book your unlimited rose feast for the Sunday after next to kick off the start of the great August comeback. Tickets include pulled pork burgers, veggie tacos and branded Neverland sunnies for posing in your deck chair.USP: 15% off your booking if you work for the NHSCost: From £60 (includes a welcome drink)Tobacco Dock’s rooftop wonderland is at it too: for the rest of summer, Skylight’s tropical beer terrace is offering cushioned, table-service garden booths on its top deck – the ultimate panorama pod. Expect lush green foliage, a pop-up bar in collaboration with Mexican Lager brand Corona, and an Instagrammable swing-seat with views over London’s skyline.
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