GETTING IN!

Contrary to what you might think, clubbing is not just a matter of choosing your preferred venue and having enough funds for cover charges and drinks; clubbing is in fact an art form.

To actually set foot inside the club of your choice, or indeed any club at all, is not necessarily straight forward. First you must know how to negotiate the queues which necessarily designate a desirable club.

Queue jumping is a must if you don’t want to spend a cold night on the footpath. This is achieved by various tactics, the most important of which is looking the part. You must have the right clothes, be in the right age range, and come as part of a group with the right female to male ratio. The clothes you choose will depend on the club you like, but by and large, for women at least the tighter and skimpier the better. Similarly, young is better than old, frighteningly thin better than healthily plump, and the more young, underdressed, waiflike girls in your group, the more likely you are to succeed.

It is also important not to alienate in any way the bouncers and doormen who hold your fate in their hands. Tipping may help, or at the very least remember to treat these brawny strangers like a cross between your best friend and your school principal.

Although the cost of drinks may be prohibitive, turning up at a nightclub already reeling is also not wise and sure to get you excluded from the queue immediately. It’s a delicate balance indeed, and although it may be a bitter pill to swallow, if you - or your companions - don’t fit the demographic, you may well be better off down the pub.