Chance to party on the cheap at credit crunch New Year

Some of London's biggest events, including Koko in Camden and the Ministry of Sound in Southwark, still have tickets available. Discount admission is being offered for Elton John's end-of-year show at the O2.

With the economic downturn taking effect, thousands of revellers will also opt to save cash by spending the evening in pubs or at house parties. Jeremy King, editor of Event magazine, said: "A lot of people are not prepared to pay vast sums for tickets that get you in and maybe get you a free drink.

"A New Year's Eve party is a luxury. People may have gone to big New Year events in the past and had bad experiences with it being too crowded or queuing for ages to get a drink, and are not prepared to take the risk.

"Many still planning on going out may be leaving it to the last minute in the hope prices may drop as promoters get more desperate to fill venues."

He warned that as many event organisers set their budgets early in the year, if venues did not fill up, they could be facing heavy losses.

From Elton John to Hot chip: where you can celebrate

Elton John's New Year's Eve Party
The O2, SE10
The O2 is offering a last-minute deal. Fans can buy four tickets for the price of three. The event also features Will Young and
X Factor winner Alexandra Burke.
8pm, £74.25 or £81.75 for four-for-three tickets, or £99-£109 for individual tickets. 0844 847 2512, www.ticketmaster.co.uk

The Hed Kandi Show
Indig02, SE10
Spectacular for more than 2,000, with a big top featuring a trapeze, cages, tightrope and confetti cannons. DJs Phil Faversham, Andy Norman and Luke Neville play disco-tinged house while chart-toppers Booty Luv perform. Dress code is "Circus Chic". 8pm-5am, £65 + booking fee (standard), £100 + BF (VIP), 0870 444 5556,
www.hedkandi.com/events

The Gallery
Ministry of Sound, SE1
After 13 years at now-defunct Turnmills, The Gallery promoters host a night of eclectic music. Acts include trance group Above & Beyond, Danny Howells, Sister Bliss and Anil Chawla. 9pm-6am, £50, www.ministryofsound.com

Club NME New Year's Eve Ball
KOKO, NW1
Reverend and the Makers and Pete and the Pirates play live. NME DJs will spin indie, electro and party classics. Doors open 8pm, £27.50-£32.50, www.koko.uk.com

Hot Chip
The Westbury, NW6
Part of one of the year's best live bands, Hot Chip's Alexis Taylor will be taking to the decks. He will be joined by A Skillz and DJ Khalil. 8pm-5am, £20, 020 7625 7500

Moondance
SeOne, SE1
London's biggest club (3,000-capacity), will party with DJs such as Ratpack, Slipmatt, High Contrast, Bryan Gee, Hype, Nicky Blackmarket, Vibes and Ellis Dee.
8pm-6am, £35, 0872 148 0520,
www.ticketweb.co.uk

Xfm -NYE
Brixton Academy, SW9
Four rooms of live music and indie, pop and electro beats. Dan Le Sac and Scroobius Pip are joined by The King Blues' unique style of ska-punk, plus Xfm DJs John Kennedy, Jo Good, and Steve Harris.
9pm-3am, £20,
www.brixton-academy.co.uk

Promised Land - NYE
Shepherds Bush Empire, W12
Billed as "House anthems from
the Summer of Love 88-89", with DJs Philgood & Ram, Squirrel, Huckleberry Finn, Mister T
and Mad Al.
9pm-6am, £25,
www.shepherds-bush-empire.co.uk

Fabric NYE
Fabric, EC1M
Craig Richards and Terry Francis
take the main room, along with
DJs Dixon and Âme, playing the latest deep techno, minimal and house. In room two,
hip-hop heavyweight DJ Yoda takes charge along with DJ Craze and the Scratch Perverts, while room three will be playing dancehall, dubstep, breaks, funk and reggae.
9pm-9am, £35, 0870 0600 100, www.fabriclondon.com

Norman Jay's Good
Times NYE party
Kentish Town Forum, NW5
Norman Jay (MBE) will be joined by his favourite UK performers of 2008. Artists include Crazy P,
Beardyman and A Skillz.
Revellers are invited to walk along the red carpet for a Hollywood-themed fancy dress party. Doors open 9pm, £25-£50,
0207 428 4099,
www.kentishtownforum.com

Bloomsbury Bowling
WC1H
London's most popular bowling alley still has tickets available for its party. It will feature two floors of entertainment, including live bands, 13 bowling lanes, four karaoke rooms and a cinema. 7pm, £25, 0207 183 1979
www.ticketweb.co.uk

Just Say Yes
Hoxton Pony, EC2
The venue will offer free champagne and canapés from 7.30pm. DJs Patchwork Pirates, Timo Garcia, Joe Le Groove and Frankmusik mix up everything from arcade pop to indie, electro and disco.
7.30pm-9am, £20, 020 7613 2844

Bugged Out
Fire, SW8
The promoters have joined London's Trailer Trash and Disco Bloodbath to bring in DJs such as Erol Alkan, Mikki Most, Simian Mobile Disco and Hannah Holland for this techno and underground house party. There's even a synthetic ice rink.
9pm-6am, £35, 0870 060 0100

Eastern Electrics
Secret location
Techno stylings from Mulletover, a hip-hop and breaks jam from Tayo's Tracksuit Party, and bassline business from Shoreditch's Man Make Music posse. Get Physical's
M.A.N.D.Y headline, alongside Damian Lazarus, Frank Tope, Simon Morell and Jacob Husley.
9pm-7am, £30, 0870 060 0100,
www.ticketweb.co.uk

Horse Meat Disco
Cargo, EC2A
HMD has come a long way from its humble beginnings in a Chinatown basement. With residents James Hillard, Jim Stanton and Filthy Luka will be Daniele Baldelli, Tim Sweeney, and drag act Jonny Woo.
9pm-6am, £35 adv,
www.cargo-london.com

Showtime: New Year's Eve
Sheraton Park Lane Hotel, W1J
A Moulin-Rouge-style event, featuring the best vocal funky house and club classics. Organised by Elite Parties and with all drinks except champagne included in the price of the ticket, the party promises to be one of the capital's most glitzy events.
8pm-3am, boys £120, girls £100, 07946 934 352, www.poshfunk.com

Reveillon 2009
Guanabara, WC2B
Celebrating in traditional Brazilian spirit (complete with white dress code) and including a three-course meal. With DJs Limao, Mark Robertson and D.Vyzor, percussion show by Basil, and the London School of Samba.
6.30pm-5am, £60 inc. meal, £35 general admission. 020 7242 8600,
www.ticketweb.co.uk

Raison D'Etre NYE
Hootananny, SW2
The venue's New Year parties are legendary and this year the bands include latin/ska outfit Size Nine, nu-soul singer Elsa Chapman and top Scottish band Achnasheen Airport.
9pm-4am, £15 adv, £20 on the door,
020 7737 7273, www.ticketweb.co.uk

Film Noire
Traffic, WC1A
The venue in Victoria House will be transformed into a decadent Twenties theme. Expect celebrity appearances, R'n'B, funky house, club classics and retro pop.
9pm-4am, £30, 07886272118,
www.xclusivetouch.co.uk

The Dorchester
WC1A
For those wanting to escape the bustle of the club scene, the Dorchester is offering a champagne reception, six-course dinner including wine, followed by music and dancing.
7pm, £320 per person with dinner at The Grill, or £395 per person at the hotel's Alain Ducasse restaurant.
020 7629 8888, www.thedorchester.com