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15°C
Sunny intervals Free Entertainment in London
Short of money? Well, there's no need to stand outside peering in at everyone else having a good time. London puts the "enter" in entertainment, inviting you into a wide range of free concerts, films, comedy shows and leisure activities. And you won't have to put your hand in your pocket once!
Free Music
Hearing that there are free concerts all over London should be music to your ears. Tap your feet to free jazz at the National Theatre (Monday - Friday, 6pm; Saturday, 1pm and 6pm), the Royal Opera House (once a month) and Octave in Covent Garden (Wednesday evenings). Free classical recitals can be heard drifting through the majestic stained-glass windows of many of the city's churches and cathedrals. Don't miss the lunchtime concerts at St Martin-in-the-Fields.
The world's biggest rock bands can often be seen blasting out their latest tunes at the HMV music store on Oxford Street. If the weather's good, head for Covent Garden Piazza, where everyone from busking guitarists to full string quartets will provide the soundtrack as you watch the world go by.
Free Cinema
If you love the cinema, you can enjoy the big screen on a little budget at the Roxy Bar and Screen on Borough High Street. From film-noir classics to futuristic "video art", its innovative programme of free screenings caters for film buffs everywhere.
Free Comedy
They say a smile costs nothing, and that's certainly true in many of London's comedy venues. The Theatre Royal Stratford holds free comedy nights every Monday and on the last Sunday of the month. Wednesday evenings are a toss-up between the Comedy Café and Mirth Control at The Lower Ground Bar. Both will have you in stitches.
Free TV Recordings are a great way to enjoy a hilarious night out without spending a penny. To get tickets for top shows such as That Mitchell And Webb Sound and It's That Jo Caulfield Again visit the BBC website
Free Dance Classes
If you have too much energy to sit down all evening, salsa is a great way to shed the pounds - and we don't mean in the financial sense! You can take part in beginners' lesson at Salsa Bar and Restaurant on Fridays at 6.30pm and Sundays at 7pm, all for the price of a drink.
Free Outdoor Activities
Pull on your roller skates and join over 5,000 skaters whizzing around the streets of London. The skate departs from Wellington Arch every Friday at 8pm. It's a great way to have fun without the wheels coming off your bank balance! Visit the Friday Night Skate website for full details.
In the summer head to The Scoop next to City Hall. This outdoor amphitheatre hosts a programme of free music, cinema and children's entertainment.
