The choice of nightlife in Essex can satisfy every taste. If you want to get your dancing shoes on, Southend has a number of clubs and pubs to choose from, including Ravens which has a unique placement in a 125-year-old department store of the same name. But there’s nothing retro about this hotspot, offering everything from breakfast, brunch, lunch and dinner to cocktails and bar snacks at night. MOLO Lounge is another independent bar and eatery that’s a favourite coffee haunt by day, coming alive at night as a classy wine bar.

Moving away from Southend, you’d be hard-pushed to find a more famous Essex nightlife venue than Sugar Hut, the Brentwood hotspot which has become synonymous with a night out in our county. The bar is a regular shooting location for TOWIE and as such has become ‘the place to be seen’ for people across the whole of Essex, and even further afield than that. Sugar Hut has also expanded to offer the Sugar Hut Cafe, a place to get some dinner before dancing the night away, and a meal in the restaurant can also bag you 50 per cent off your entrance to the adjacent club. Brentwood is not all TV cameras and glam nights out. Both The Merchant and The Swan are cosy pubs right on the High Street and both offer great food.

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Basildon’s nightlife is vast and varied; as you get off the train in the town, the first venue you’ll find is Colors, an award-winning gay club which is considered one of the original LGBTQ+ venues in the county, and still holds the mantle of being the biggest. If you’re looking for a night out in a diverse club which is inclusive for all, then Colours is definitely one to consider.

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Our picks

Palace Theatre

Opened in 1912, Palace Theatre is a delightful Edwardian Theatre which retains all of the charm of its music hall origins including the sweeping grand staircase to the Circle, alongside many original features such as the regency-style domes on the boxes and the ornately-decorated billboard frames on the proscenium arch. Visit website

Genting Casino Westcliff

For one of the ultimate nights out in Southend, visit Genting Casino Westcliff, now open 24 hours a day for live gaming, slots and electronic roulette! Offering all of your favourite casino games including American roulette, blackjack, three card poker, electronic roulette, baccarat and Texas hold’em cash games. If you want to play poker in Southend, then come to Genting Casino Westcliff. They have the best poker tables where you can play three card poker, the minimum stake is £2 and the maximum stake is £100. Visit website

The Old Windmill

The Old Windmill has been serving food and ale to locals since at least 1799. Wood fires, flagstone floors and oak beams abound, the team here have carefully returned the Old Windmill to its roots as a classic English country pub, with the bar at the heart of the building. It’s an absolute gem located in Chelmsford which finds quality fresh ingredients and prepare, cook and present them in a modern but unpretentious way. The Old Windmill’s menus have a spine of classic British dishes complemented by more exotic influences from other parts of the world. Visit website

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The Old Siege House Bar and Brasserie

The Old Siege House Bar and Brasserie in Colchester, offers modern European cuisine with an English influence. It has been developed to offer a unique blend of two of the most well known and enjoyable cuisines in the world. In a sophisticated and relaxing ambience, The Old Siege House is the perfect venue for intimate dining or enjoying the company of family and friends. At lunchtimes, the brasserie offers a selection of light meals, whilst in the evening you can savour some truly wonderful dishes made from only the finest local produce. Visit website

Coco

Probably the newest place for a night out in Southend is Coco, it’s a unique venue where you can go for dinner and a show. The venue plays host to movie nights, comedy and cabaret, all with a decadent, old-school feel thanks to table service and a comprehensive cocktail menu. Visit website

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