AIBU to not let DS go to a rave

[ThatLimeNewt]

DS16 wants to go to a "rave" in London over Christmas. The event is from 4-9pm and it's only for16-18 year olds. AIBU unreasonable to not let DS go? The event is organised by Take off and its happening in the Ministry of Sound which is in a dodgy part of London. I am concerned about the safety of DS as he will have to walk through the dodgy area in order to get to the event. Also only one of DS's friends wants to go, shouldn't he go in a bigger group? He's been quite pissed at me over the past few days because I've refused to let him go.

If you don't allow this one he'll definitely be at the next one, he just won't tell you.

YABU - it’s a teen disco! I did a lot worse at 16 - fake IDs etc. so this sounds incredibly tame

I was in Elephant the other night in a pub, walked past the Ministry. I haven’t been that way for years (north Londoner) and the area is a lot nicer than it used to be. Plus MoS is close to the tube, so easy to get there and away

It’s organised by Brighton Youth Club and usually once a month at Revenge. 7-10pm I think.

It advertised as lgbtq and allies but it’s pretty mixed. Him and his group of mates enjoy it.

You’re being completely absurd. It finishes at 9pm and it’s been organised for his age group! It’s about as safe as it gets. Get a grip.

Dodgy part of London. You're about 10 years out of date on that. Its all reformer Pilates studios and.......there is a Pret.

I know it's hard letting go but I'd say this as low risk (but I would say that as I was going ministry of sound at that age back in the 90s! I'm not advocating for that but a middle ground?).

Exactly this.

I worked in the area in the late 80s and it was distinctly edgy.

MoS is on the same road as Borough Market which is one of the bougiest areas you can throw an avocado at. 9pm in a Friday night that area will be heaving with people whose main interest is where they can find hand-crocheted hummus.

Thanks!

Ministry is not in a dodgy area of London. It's behind a university and next to a massive street food market. It's also about two minutes walk from a tube station.

It's probably about the "safest" mainstream club in London. Stringent security including metal detectors. Layout is easy to navigate and feels smaller than it is (in contrast to Fabric, which is a labyrinth for those who haven't been before - I remember being overwhelmed the first time I went, though not so overwhelmed that I didn't spend much of the next decade there).

There's absolutely nothing to worry about with this. As a clubber I think it's a really good idea - gives kids a taste of a real clubbing experience in an actual club, hopefully with good DJs, in what sounds like an extremely safe setting at an extremely safe time.

It’ll be completely full of London private school kids- and there are queues and queues of parents and Ubers picking up. He’s not going to be coming out to a deserted urban wasteland…
totally fine

Also Gen Z are such bores. I can't imagine he'll be fucking in the toilets or throwing up in somebodies handbag. It's not the Eighties... those were the days.

You are being ridiculously over protective. It's a kids disco basically. Let him go.

The Ministry of Sound is in Elephant and Castle, which is a busy, well-lit, bustling part of London. There has been a lot of development there - It hasn't been "dodgy" for about 20 years. There is a tube station and loads of buses and taxis. I would let him go.

YABU.

In under two years he will probably be in the same dodgy areas but it will be 4am instead of 9pm and he will probably be under the influence. I'd loosen the apron strings a bit in preparation for that.

My son used to go to these and they are really good, so safe and well organised. Lots of door staff who are quite strict about who they let in and there is free water given out inside.

My son has only stopped going because he is 17 now and feels a bit old.

Let him go, he’ll love it.

It’ll be completely full of London private school kids- and there are queues and queues of parents and Ubers picking up.

Well that's no fun is it. No stopping off for a bag of chips or a dodgy kebab on the way home if your parents are picking you up.

Pete Tong?

This thread has gone a bit Monty python.

Aye, when I were 16, I used to go to a crack house, and bear knuckle box wild bears, while pissed on lighter fluid..

And you tell the youth of today that...

My dd's go to raves, like you, I was a bit at first.
It turns out their raves are not like the raves that were about in the late 80's/early 90's.
They are basically DJ sets in clubs, not drugged up people roaming round fields.

in contrast to Fabric, which is a labyrinth for those who haven't been before - I remember being overwhelmed the first time I went, though not so overwhelmed that I didn't spend much of the next decade there

DS2 spent his late teen years/early 20s at Fabric! There was a recent book out to celebrate its 25th anniversary 😊

Sounds like the sort of thing you'd need to buy some sort of booze bra to wear to sneak in vodka.

This sounds like the best introduction to nightlife possible. I’d personally probably make sure I could be contacted in case of any issues getting home but if he’s going back and forth with a friend and it ends that early I genuinely can’t see the issue.

I used to work for a well known, high street bank that used to hire MoS out for our annual Christmas party. This sounds like an incredibly tame event OP, it’s not a ‘rave’ in the sense you’re thinking of. He’ll be absolutely fine.

Yeah, I used to go to MegaDogs there at the age of 17. At which point I'd already left home and was living in a squat.

It sounds very tame tbh and he’s 16. Did I read correctly that it finishes at 9? I’m amazed he’s asking you actually. I would’ve just gone! I