Do you like private members' clubs but don’t like the pretentious bar staff and high prices? Try The Enclave; flashy but friendly, it brings imagination to Soho.

The Venue
Located on Brewer Street, The Enclave is located about five minutes' walk from Piccadilly Circus underground station in the heart of Soho. With gay mecca Old Compton Street on the doorstep, competition is fierce, but here they have come up with something sophisticated and elegant to wow the crowds.

On ground level, the bar area is a great place for a date or relaxing with friends with soft lighting, comfortable banquette seating and well-spaced tables; the cool, modern decor is dominated by the swirly-patterned wallpaper. At the back of this area is The Shrine - a tiny room for ten people with beanbags and an eclectic collection of tacky knick knacks (china tea cups, plastic dinosaurs) available for private bookings.

Downstairs is Subterane, the underground nightclub. With a stunning firefly laser show spreading tiny green dots all over the dancefloor, coloured LED lights identifying the bar, and glitterballs at every turn, the club offers somewhere to dance the night away till 3am.

The Atmosphere
This part of Soho is not renowned for offering the most sophisticated of venues, and those that are around are expensive to get into and charge high prices for drinks. The Enclave offers free entry, and the big open windows at the front of the venue help it feel accessible.

Inside, the place fills up with a mixed crowd of gay and straight, made up of trendy, well dressed people looking for somewhere smart but relaxed to enjoy their night. The staff are working hard to learn to anticipate customers’ needs and stop to talk to everyone about how their night is going and to explain the cocktail list. It helps that they’re all gorgeous!

The Music
With resident DJ Jonesy, The Enclave plays a great mix of commercial and uplifting house music till 3am at weekends. The dancefloor is too tempting to stay away from with its unique firefly laser – this is the only UK venue to invest in such a system so far.

The Drink
The Enclave offers a cocktail list to appeal to all tastes, with everything from old classics to new imaginations. There’s a good old-fashioned Long Island Iced Tea, brought bang up to date with Stolichnaya vodka, gin, rum, triple sec and coke. However, truly unmissable is the Venusian Lullaby, made with Stolichnaya, raspberry puree, cranberry juice and Champagne. The sweet, tart raspberry flavours are tempered by the drier cranberry tastes, with the vodka and Champagne give it the necessary potent kick. Priced at £7, there are promotions on cocktail prices at certain times.

The Last Word
The Enclave gives you the personal touch; the staff stop to talk to you, introduce themselves, and explain the cocktails with authority and knowledge. The stunning decor and great music add to this to make a winning formula for a great night out.