Ministry of Sound

Ministry of Sound claims to be the home of dance music and you won't find many who disagree. One of London's flagship nightclubs, its iconic logo is firmly entrenched in the minds of partygoers all over the world as synonymous with long nights of dancing to the biggest names in electronic music for more than three decades. The brand is reinforced by a record label and international tours, and even a now-discontinued fitness studio.

Its beginnings were much less glorious. First opening in an abandoned South London bus garage in 1991, the first night apparently "had no alcohol, three flashing lights, moody security and unless you knew the names of at least half-a-dozen Chicago house DJs, you were never getting through the menacing, prison-like, gates". However, it was still a success and the venue quickly picked up steam.

Today, the Ministry of Sound has four rooms, ensuring a stacked and varied line-up whatever the night. The main draw for most is The Box, a room designed specifically with exceptional sound quality in mind and usually reserved for the biggest dance music DJs in the world. The three smaller rooms, meanwhile, help nurture the next generation of music talent by providing a stage for breakthrough artists about to hit the big leagues, upcoming record labels and so on.