Local Tips for London Off the Beaten Path

PHOTO: London at night. (Photo via Flickr/Pedro Szekely) Looking to get a more in-depth London experience on your next visit and avoid some of the more touristy spots? Guardian London correspondent Will Coldwell has some advice. Where to start? Well, for nightlife, try heading to the Yard Theatre in Hackney Wick. “Taking up one corner of the courtyard that is also the home of Crate Brewery and the raw nightclub Bloc, the Yard has managed to carve a niche as a lighthearted venue that programs interesting contemporary dance and theatre, as well as some of the best underground nights in the city, from migrant solidarity techno night Free Movement of People to queer dance party Knickerbocker,” says Coldwell. Visitors can also experience London’s DIY scene at DIY Space for London. “The arts and social space in Deptford opened in 2015 after three years of fundraising and it now runs a program of gigs, screenings, talks and performances, as well as being home to Tome Records, which has a distractingly good selection of vinyl, as well as tapes and zines,” writes Coldwell.READ MORE: A London Sightseeing Primer However, he notes that there is a (very small) membership fee and that attendees agree to “ensure the venue is welcoming for everyone.”If travelers are just in the mood for a drink, rather than an experience, Coldwell recommends heading to Dalston, which he says is home to “spirited bars,” naming Servant Jazz Quarters, Viva and High Water as a few to check out. For more recommendations on local food, drink and fun hot spots in London, read on here.