New research to explore the role of social clubs as spaces for communities, nightlife, and housing in London

A new research partnership is set to explore how London’s social clubs could play a far bigger role in the city’s social infrastructure, nighttime economy, and housing landscape.

The Centre for Democratic Business and Centre for London – with funding from Trust from London –  have announced a joint project to map social clubs across the capital, arguing that these often-overlooked institutions could be key to tackling some of London’s most pressing challenges.

Framed as critical social infrastructure, social clubs provide spaces for connection, culture, and community. But the research will also explore their potential contribution to the nighttime economy –particularly in response to the dramatic decline in the capital's cultural venues, and to understand how to support a workforce where around a quarter of people work outside traditional daytime hours.

The research will also assess how housing and development pressures are reshaping the future of these spaces. Rising land values and redevelopment have already led to the loss or transformation of many clubs, raising questions about how planning policy and new developments could better support their survival.

The study will deliver the first comprehensive mapping of London’s social clubs, examining how many exist and where they are located, while also analysing who uses them, how demand is changing, and how clubs are adapting to a more diverse city.

Alongside data and case studies, the research partnership will investigate the policy environment shaping their future, from licensing rules to funding access. The findings will inform recommendations for local and national government, community infrastructure bodies, funders, and social clubs.

For more information on 21st Century Social Clubs, visit here.