Alex has never hosted a house party in London. She’s 26, moved to the capital three years ago, and says her flat is “too tiny” to ever be suitable for hosting. It’s not just her. Despite going out regularly in 2021 and 2022, Alex’s party destinations were rarely homes. She can remember the last house party she went to — it was in October 2023, for Halloween. “Since then the amount I go out in general has gone down massively due to the cost of living,” she says, “so now I only go out maybe once a month or every two months.”
She’s not alone. According to recent statistics, one in two Londoners haven’t thrown a house party in the last 12 months, with 25 per cent of respondents citing renting as the reason why. And it’s even worse for the younger generations: when looking specifically at 18-34-year-olds, only 34 per cent had hosted a house party in the last 12 months.
