Vinopolis Halloween Ball

Where better to celebrate Halloween than in London, steeped as it is in a rich history of hauntings and horrors. From Tower Bridge tube, my guest and I wound our hesitant way down shadowed back streets looking for an event that hopes to stamp its grisly mark on the London scene and become a legend in its own right. Vinopolis was the venue for every self respecting ghoul looking for a good time – The Grand Halloween Ball was upon us.

Upon arrival, our coats were taken by a she devil, and I gave her my jacket wondering if I would ever see it again. We entered into a scene from Thriller; fallen angels, zombies, vampires, dungeon gimps and the grim reaper, chatted, drank and danced

Vinopolis is famous for its wines, so a quick crash course in wine tasting was on offer. In keeping with the theme, the blood -stained host gave the lesson in a dingy grotto, which made the situation somewhat surreal. Despite this, he talked us through the basics of smelling, tasting, how to hold the glass etc., just enough for the inexperienced to take with them to the tasting room and have some fun.

For the £32 entry price, each guest is entitled to sample four regular wines. There were twelve quality wines to choose from, chilling whites and bloody reds from all four corners of the wicked world. Guests are also offered two absinthe tastings, two beer tastings and a sample of an elegant Bombay Sapphire cocktail.

Vinopolis had really gone to town with the decorations, cobwebs as far as the eye can see. Lots of other visual surprises scattered around to keep on you on your toes. You could even have your fortune told by a mysterious old crone.

The only negative of the evening was the food. Toad in the hole and the vegetarian alternative really was nothing to write home about. However, I heard some other party-goers feed this back to staff so maybe it will improve next year.

The atmosphere in the ball was great fun. Fancy dress breaks down barriers and makes it easy for people to meet. The DJ helped things along nicely too, playing a mix of old and new and avoiding any frighteningly bad cheese. The ball is a must for any city dweller keen to bring out the inner devil!