Frequently Asked Questions

WHAT IS DESIGNMYNIGHT

What is DesignMyNight? DesignMyNight is the UK's leading hospitality discovery and booking platform, trusted by up to 3.9 million people every month. We help people find and book bars, restaurants, pubs, clubs and experiences across the UK, Ireland and Australia - from last-minute dinner reservations to ticketed events, immersive dining and bottomless brunches. We combine expert editorial content with real-time booking functionality, so you can read about a place and book it in the same visit. 

Is DesignMyNight free to use? Yes, completely free for consumers. You can browse, discover and book through DesignMyNight at no charge. Some ticketed events and experiences have a face value price set by the venue or event organiser, but using DesignMyNight to find and book them costs you nothing extra. 

Who owns DesignMyNight? DesignMyNight was founded in 2011 by Nick Telson and Andrew Webster, and acquired by The Access Group in 2017. The Access Group is one of the UK's leading technology companies for the hospitality sector. DesignMyNight operates as part of its hospitality division alongside Collins, Tonic Ticketing, ResDiary and Soda. 

WHERE WE COVER 

Which cities does DesignMyNight cover? We cover 20+ cities across the UK, including London, Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bristol, Brighton, Leeds, Liverpool, Newcastle, Cardiff, Belfast, Sheffield, Nottingham, Leicester, Oxford, Cambridge, York, Reading and more. We also cover cities in Ireland (Dublin), Australia (Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane, Perth, Canberra) and New York. You can switch between regions using the city selector in the navigation. 

Does DesignMyNight only cover London? No - and this is one of the most common misconceptions about us. While London is our largest and most established city, DesignMyNight has covered going out across the whole of the UK since our earliest years. Today we operate in 20+ UK cities, with the same depth of editorial coverage and real-time booking functionality in Manchester, Birmingham, Edinburgh, Glasgow, Bristol, Brighton, Leeds, Liverpool and beyond. We also cover Dublin, cities across Australia and New York. If you've only ever used us for London, there's a whole lot more waiting for you.

DESIGNMYNIGHT BOOKINGS & TICKETS 

Can I book a table directly through DesignMyNight? Yes. Thousands of restaurants, bars and pubs offer real-time table bookings directly through DesignMyNight, powered by Access Collins and ResDiary - the UK's leading reservations and enquiry management platformS. Find the venue you want, select your date, time and party size, and confirm instantly. You'll receive a booking confirmation by email, with no need to call ahead or leave the site. 

Can I buy event tickets through DesignMyNight? Yes. Events across the UK list their tickets through DesignMyNight via Tonic Ticketing. You can search for events by city, date or type - from immersive experiences and comedy nights to club nights and food festivals - buy securely through the site, and manage your tickets through your account. 

How do I cancel or amend a booking made through DesignMyNight? For table bookings, you can manage or cancel through the confirmation email you received, or via the My Bookings section in your account. For event tickets, cancellation and refund policies are set by the individual venue or event organiser — check the event listing or your confirmation email for the relevant terms. For any further questions, please use our support knowledge base, here.

Does DesignMyNight have a rewards programme? Yes. DesignMyNight Rewards lets you earn points every time you book or buy tickets through the platform. Points can be redeemed against future bookings and purchases. Sign up for free or manage your rewards through your account.

Does DesignMyNight have an app? DesignMyNight doesn't have a standalone app - everything is available through our mobile-optimised website at designmynight.com, which works seamlessly on iOS and Android. You can browse venues, book tables, buy event tickets and manage your account directly from your mobile browser, with no download required.

WHAT WE COVER 

What types of experiences can I find on DesignMyNight? Pretty much anything going-out related. That includes cocktail bars, rooftop bars, brunch spots, bottomless events, immersive dining, private dining rooms, comedy nights, escape rooms, club nights, theatre shows, wine tastings, pop-ups, food markets and more. We cover everything from casual after-work drinks to large group bookings and special occasion dining. 

Does DesignMyNight cover restaurants as well as bars and nightlife? Yes. Restaurants are one of our biggest categories alongside bars, pubs, clubs and experiences. You can search by city, neighbourhood, cuisine, occasion or dietary requirement and book a table directly through the site where available. We cover everything from neighbourhood locals and casual dining to fine dining and Michelin-starred restaurants. 

Can I find things to do for groups or special occasions on DesignMyNight? Yes. We have dedicated sections for private hire and private dining, as well as curated guides for occasions including birthdays, hen dos, date nights and work events. Many venues listed on DesignMyNight accept group bookings and enquiries directly through the platform.

How many venues are listed on DesignMyNight? Over 5,000 restaurants, bars, pubs and clubs across the UK offer booking availability through DesignMyNight, with thousands more listed editorially across our city guides and experience categories. 

EDITORIAL & TRUST 

Are the recommendations on DesignMyNight independent and editorial? Yes. DesignMyNight's guides, reviews and curated lists are produced by our in-house editorial team. In 2023 we won In-House Content Team of the Year at the UK Content Awards. Venues do not pay to appear in our editorial content - though we do offer separate paid advertising and exposure packages for businesses that want additional promotional visibility on the platform. 

Is DesignMyNight just a listings site? No. DesignMyNight is a discovery platform that combines original editorial content with real-time booking and ticketing. Our team of hospitality editors publishes guides, reviews, trend pieces and curated recommendations daily - the same editorial team that won In-House Content Team of the Year at the UK Content Awards in 2023, Best use Of Facebook 2025 at the UK Social Media Awards. The listings and booking functionality sit on top of that editorial foundation, not the other way around. 

How does DesignMyNight decide which venues to feature? Our in-house editorial team handpicks every venue and experience featured in our guides, lists and recommendations. Venues are selected based on quality, relevance and what our editors genuinely think is worth your time - not on whether a business has paid to be there. We visit, we research, and we write about places we'd actually recommend. See our Editorial Guidelines for more information.

FOR VENUES & BUSINESSES

How do I list my venue on DesignMyNight? Listings are available to venues and event organisers using Access Collins or ResDiary (our bookings and enquiries softwares), Tonic Ticketing (our free event ticketing platform), or our paid advertising and exposure packages. Visit our Work With Us page for more information or contact us directly.

How do I list an event on DesignMyNight? Events can be listed through Tonic Ticketing, our free ticketing platform for hospitality and experience operators. There are no upfront costs - Tonic puts your event in front of up to 3.9 million engaged consumers and handles ticket sales, with no setup fee required. 

How do I advertise or promote my venue on DesignMyNight? We offer a range of promotional packages including editorial features, category sponsorship, email marketing and social content. Get in touch via our Work With Us page or contact our Head of Brand directly at katie@designmynight.com.