The Kensington Roof Gardens are one of London's true wonders; it is difficult to decide, however, if it's a tragedy that so few Londoners can access them freely. Situated 30 metres above street level are three fully mature gardens- a few dying palm trees this is not. Designed and laid out between 1936 and 1938 by Ralph Hancock, they managed to survive onslaughts of bombing in the Second World War and decades of decadent partying.

Since 1981 the Gardens have been the Virgin Group's headline club and restaurant and has maintained an air of exclusivity propagated by the extortionate prices of everything from entrance and membership fees to drinks. Your 'pop-in' student haunt this ain't.

Yet if you do get the opportunity to go, jump for it, even if you earn less an hour than the price of a beer. For a surreal experience, it's one of the best London can provide, plastic flamingoes and all. For a big night out, however, you could do better elsewhere.