Ravers and Randoms: Your ‘Freedom Day’ Nightclub Photos

To celebrate England’s nightclubs reopening on so-called “freedom day”, we sent disposable cameras to readers so they could document their first big nights out in over a year.

Some of the cameras never found their way back to us, lost to the night’s darker recesses. Others slid through our letter box with neat business cards attached. And much like people’s experiences of those first post-lockdown weekends, the results were varied.

Here are some of our favourite late-night photos.

AMELIA MAGGIORA DAVIES, 22
Location: Dalston, east London
Hours: 10PM to 4AM

“The night felt like when you go out on holiday and everyone is really eager to chat to random people. Everyone was taking advantage of the summer. One of the bars – Club Makossa – had naff palm trees on the wall and looked like Miami Vice. It was a fun, random mix of people.

The girl in pink and blue is one of my friends. The colours of the outfit gave me first-night-out vibes. She’s the life and soul of the party.” – @ameliamdavies

ZOE OUSEY, 27
Location: Peckham, south London, and Shoreditch, east London
Hours: 11PM to 2:30AM and 9:30PM to 11PM

“I’ve missed meeting people. I come across and speak to so many people on nights out, and it’s so refreshing to bump into like-minded people and have a good time. On dancefloors, you clock eyes with people. It’s such a friendly atmosphere, and after the isolation we’ve gone through it was spot on.” – @zoeousey

COREY DONOVAN, 26
Location: Bristol
Hours: 11PM to 4AM

“We took the photos over the course of a weekend. The first night – with the red background – is a sex club. It has loads of weird stuff in there. It was our first night out without any restrictions, but it felt very normal. Everyone was in a really good mood. I’d rate the whole weekend as a 10.” – @lamefilm

NATASHA ROSINA, 18
Location: BRISTOL
Hours: 12:01AM TO 4AM

“I turned 18 during lockdown, so I thought I should get out as soon as possible. I hadn’t been to a nightclub properly before. It was really fun. Everyone was really excited to go out.” – @lazyeyesart