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

From the point of view of ancient - all this worry seems so unnecessary when they could surely book a cheap hotel (not hostel!), arrive in London in the afternoon and have a lovely relaxing time, go to the gig and then walk / cab back to hotel whenever they’re ready. Leisurely breakfast and train home at a civilised time of day.

Why the rush for an early train? (If school, don’t they have any flexibility at 18?)

(I’ve never seen a Travelodge anywhere that costs £10! The price of Premier Inns in London has increased horribly but might be doable between two.)

Book them a room at the Travelodge in Southwark or Waterloo. One night will be about £10 and they can share the room, just don't make that obvious to the staff but in the small hours the reception is not manned and you just use your card for entry.

I presume that's a typo and it was meant to be £100. I've just done a search for one night for two adults (a couple of weeks ahead) in the Travelodge Waterloo and the cheapest rate is £180.

Honestly most parts of London are perfectly safe and there will be lots of other teenagers killing time between the club finishing and the first train.

All these people saying book a hotel … what a ridiculous waste of money !!! Anything in central London is excess £200 for that money just pay a cab him … Event finishes at 4.30 - 15 mins either drive or train from London Bridge to waterloo. 30 mins walk. By the time you get out, get to the station pick up some food you haven’t got much time left let alone trying to get to and from a hotel that you certainly haven’t slept in

Duck and waffle open all night!

Hotel for £ 10? when were you last in London? I just checked that hotel and it's £ 109 for a Friday night.

London doesn't sleep it will be busy. She's 18 let her be

This. Gig finishes at 4am, cab or bus to Strand, breakfast at McDs, walk across Waterloo Bridge to station, wait for train.

You sound quite excited, Greybutterfly! We’re all only commenting on an internet thread - no one’s asking you to pay for anything. And we’re all entitled to offer our opinion on what might suit the OP’s daughter and / or what we might prefer ourselves - even if that’s not what you would do …

(TBH I can scarcely remember how I used to arrange my own late teenage London adventures - there definitely were all night clubs with early trains home. But now I always factor a hotel into London trips.)

They are 18. They won't have money for taxis and hotels I wouldn't have thought

It's been a long time since you've been in London hasn't it?

As PP have said, there are always other people about in London, whatever time of day or night, it’s not like they’ll just be wandering around all alone.
They’ll be fine.
To give some perspective, my DD is 11, and just started commuting into central London on the bus and train with friends for secondary school.
And they’re fine!! If 11 year olds can figure things out, your 18 year old DD is more than capable of working out how to cope for a few hours.

Those suggesting hotels for what would be about an hour are being ridiculous!

Does your daughter know your planning these arrangements for her? Does she not want to be independent and sort her own way home with her friends doing what her friends are doing

They are probably sorting this out between themselves

I always said to my DC that if they're old enough to want to go to and buy tickets for a gig/festival, then they're old enough to make their own travel plans.

She's 18! An adult! Unless there's stuff you've not mentioned like disability, let her find her own way. How will she ever learn and get confidence otherwise??

Yes, this. They’ll have a great time. The only thing I’d add is to check the time of the last train in case they end up leaving very early for some reason.

Do many people posting here actually live in London? There isn't "all night cafes for a fry up" on every corner.

But your DD would be fine, if it is a Fri/Sat the night tube may be running on jubilee line which would take them from london bridge to wloo (check - there has been strikes etc on night tube at some points)

Those suggesting hotels for what would be about an hour are being ridiculous!

You’ve misunderstood. I’m not suggesting a hotel because they couldn’t survive an hour between gig and train. I’m suggesting a hotel because it might make for a more enjoyable trip, not involving an early train home.

Some 18 year olds could afford it, some might be given money for a night out, some would prefer the early train. They’re options …

(I’m no longer responding about the OP’s daughter - more about the freedom to express a view here that someone else disagrees with. Why is that?)

She's 18, an adult and old enough to be going to the gig so she's old enough to sort herself out and get herself to the train station. Let her sort out her own taxi. No reason for you to do it.

Maccy D's on the Strand is 24/7. The one at Waterloo is open from 5am. They'll be fine.

This! Early morning London is lovely.

Leave them be and let them work out what they want to do.

Central London is one of the most comfortable places in the world to be at night, so whatever they decide will be fine.

I'd walk, even if I was on my own. If it finishes at 4am, by the time they clear the building and have a leisurely stroll to the station, it will be almost time for the train. If they're early enough they can get breakfast.

*Central London is one of the most comfortable places in the world to be at night, so whatever they decide will be fine.

I'd walk, even if I was on my own.*

I've lived in London for decades and agree. I'm not the bravest of people, but am fine walking through central London late at night; with the usual caveat of keeping my wits about me, like any big city.

Yes I'm fine in London and on the tube late at night on my own. It's when I get off the train at the other end in my small town that it feels unsafe.

She's 18, she will be fine! It's about a 20 min walk from London Bridge to Waterloo, it's not dangerous. Let her make her own way.

My daughter works on the Strand. She tells me there is a 24 hour Macdonalds. It's quite a simple walk from London Bridge to there and from there you just cross the bridge to Waterloo.