Londoners are feeling the pinch as house parties dwindle, with many citing high rents and living situations as key reasons for the decline
London: Alex has never thrown a house party since moving to the city. At 26, she feels her flat is just too small for that kind of gathering. And she’s not the only one. Even though she used to go out a lot, she can barely remember the last house party she attended. It was back in October 2023 for Halloween. Now, with the rising cost of living, she only goes out once a month or even less.
It turns out, half of Londoners haven’t hosted a house party in the past year. A quarter of them blame renting for this. The younger crowd is hit even harder; only 34% of 18-34-year-olds have thrown a party in the last year. It’s a real bummer, especially with many clubs closing down, leaving young folks with fewer options to unwind.
Alex thinks she’d go out more if her friends hosted house parties, but they just don’t. She says it’s a mix of things: tiny spaces, living far from friends, and noisy neighbors. In London, you might live next to a family with kids instead of fellow party-goers. “I live in a building with lots of married couples,” she says, which makes it tough to throw a bash.
Emily, 23, agrees. Since moving to London, she’s only been to about four house parties. She also points to neighbors and living with strangers as big hurdles. “Neighbors are a huge issue,” she says, and some people just don’t vibe with their housemates.
The decline of house parties hasn’t gone unnoticed. Stormzy even tried to bring them back with a new bar in Soho called “House Party.” But after the star-studded launch, it seems to have faded from the scene.
Young people miss the fun of house parties. Clips from the movie Project X, which shows a wild house party, keep going viral on TikTok. Comments like “Major fomo” and “How do we get into these parties?” show just how much they crave that vibe.
It’s not just about money, either. Clubs don’t offer the same space for chatting and connecting. Plus, the thrill of sneaking away for a quick moment in a spare room just isn’t the same in a club. This might explain why meeting people the old-fashioned way is getting harder, pushing many to rely on social media and dating apps.
Nick Dann, who runs events, says it’s all about how we socialize now. People want flashy experiences with big clubs and fancy setups. House parties just don’t cut it anymore unless someone really puts in the effort to make it special.
He believes landlords are a big part of the problem. “Most of us live in tiny spaces that aren’t great for parties,” he says. With the cost of living crisis, the club scene isn’t thriving either. The UK is losing a club every two days, and pubs are closing at an alarming rate.
But Nick thinks house parties will make a comeback. He believes people will eventually want to hang out with friends in a more relaxed setting. Until then, we might just have to wait for the house party revival or maybe even host one ourselves to celebrate its return.