Daughter 18 London club

[magamumma]

My 18 year dd and her friend have tickets for a music gig near London Bridge at the beginning of November.

They will be getting the train up to waterloo and then tube across
I'm anxious about them going because it finishes at 4am.

The first train back isn't until 5.30am and I cant see any tubes running that early to get them to a station.

I'm thinking of booking a taxi for them to get them to waterloo and waiting in the station until the 1st train leaves

But I don't know if this is a sensible option, will there be people in waterloo at that time in the morning.
Obviously I am worried about their safety
Are there any other ideas that may help, I might even look at a youth hostel if I can find one close enough

If they're there til 4am they'll want to get a massive brekkie or burger before the train, surely?

There will be nightbuses (as safe as the tube) from waterloo to london bridge at that time. What day of the week is it?

What if they need to leave the event early? I'd be telling them to book a room.

London Bridge to Waterloo is less than 30 mins walk! Let them sort it out.

Yup, there'll be all night cafes all over. Breakfast, tube, train home, second breakfast, sleep!

Hope it isn't a school/college night...but assuming not, they'll be absolutely fine.

Maybe a hotel for when it's finished? Might seem a bit pointless as it finishes so late but at least they've got somewhere to go. If not there may be a bus or something that can get them to the right place.

Where are they travelling up from, I would just book a cheap hotel for the night.

My DD has waited in Waterloo for the first train after clubbing and apparently there were quite a few people there all doing the same thing!

Yeah. It's a lovely walk along the river too. It's exactly the kind of thing I'd have loved doing at 5am when I was 18.

If they don't want to walk they can get a black cab, no need to book one for them.

I would be booking into a hotel!

It’s a lovely walk along the river from London Bridge to Waterloo. They’ll be places open they can get coffee and food. There’s no need for a cab, there will people around, there always are in London!!

My shifts can start at 7am, so I see a lot of young people waiting for the first train in Charing Cross early in the morning. The McDonald's in the Strand is open all night and does a roaring trade. It's an entire culture!

My god at 18 I spent a good few hours at a bus stop in central London after a club night. Up all night waiting for the first train back to Cambridge.

Bloody hell.

They'll be fine - no need to book cabs or hotels or anything

They'll mooch to the nearest place serving food and get breakfast or walk to the station and hang around until their train

Did the same loads of times as a teen. Unclench.

If they're old enough to go to late night gigs, they're old enough to sort out their own travel arrangments. Don't baby them.

As pp have said, London Bridge-Waterloo is easily walkable (following the route of the Queue if they go along the South Bank). The worst that can happen is they get a bit chilly waiting around at Waterloo for the first train, but a good breakfast should sort that out.

Seriously don’t stress. Where is the gig? There’s loads of places open, they’ll finish at 4 (or earlier if they want) wander back, chat absolute nonsense in a burger place until the first train and then get the first train. Just remind them they can’t buy returns or they’ll not make it through the gates for the train - needs to be two singes (voice of experience!)

Yup! They're 18. A hotel room? FFS. DS1 has just turned 18 and he'd love the wandering down the river and getting some munch somewhere. Let them explore.

I inter-railed around huge European cities for a month at 17. I learned loads and had a ball.

Ahh, I remember the good old days at Victoria bus station at 4am waiting for the first bus and eating a kebab.

They'll be fine, there's always people about in London. They'll find a night cafe for a fry up or a kebab shop to keep warm in.

She's 18! Land your helicopter!

I'm sure they can miss sixth form and college for one day of their lives!

Yes, cut that apron string. London and specifically central London are busy at all hours. Big stations like Waterloo, Victoria, Kings cross etc always have commuters waiting around at those hours waiting for the first trains. They will be fine for the 1hr.

Waterloo opens at 4.30 am. If all else fails there are seats by platform 20 where they can wait for their train.

They will be fine!

If this is their first big night out in London, I would suggest:

1. They look up an all night cafe and plan to head there for breakfast. They are actually thinner on the ground than PPs have suggested. I wouldn't rely on just stumbling across one.
2. They use the TFL journey planner to plan their nightbus route and find out where the bus stop they need is.
3. Remind them not to use their phones to navigate. The last thing they want is to have their night spoiled by having someone snatch their phone.
4. They download Uber (and know how to use it) as a back up plan if they need to get a cab.
5. I probably wouldn't walk along the river if it is just the 2 of them. It's not unsafe but there are a few blind spots en route (stairs, tunnels etc). I probably wouldn't advise walking at all if they don't know the route and it is just the 2 of them and they aren't confident. Or is it just you who is worried? 😂

If they really want a place to stay, there is a hostel by London Bridge:

www.st-christophers.co.uk/london/?matchtype=e&network=g&device=c&adposition&keyword=st%20christophers%20hostels%20london&gclid=EAIaIQobChMIssfeoZCp-gIVDbDtCh2xSAJjEAAYASAAEgL_NfD_BwE

She's 18! She'll be fine. I used to take myself into the West End when I was 13. To be fair that was early 80's but I've got an adult daughter who has been perfectly capable from mid to late teens to get herself about and home without incident. I can't say I didn't worry but she's an adult. Let her sort herself out and be available for an emergency which is how I got through it.

Probs better to get a hotel room but yes, on weekends Waterloo and most train stations always have people around. I used to set off for work at 5am and watch everyone rolling home from nights out etc. It was a great time to be awake 😂 People we're always offering me chips haha