It’s official: Halloween costumes spotted in London include bedbug outfits
It has been a hellish thought on all of our minds ever since videos of ‘bed bugs’ on the tube went viral, and now the reality of bed bugs in London is closer than ever with the arrival of bedbug Halloween costumes.
One Halloween partygoer dressed up as a bed bug and took the tube across London with onions swinging from his neck and a purple beret on. There’s a rather unimpressed Londoner sitting behind him on the Tube as he poses for a photo with his arms raised in the air.
One user who saw the picture on social media commented: “Okkkk this wins this years Halloween costume…everybody go home.”
Another bed bug was spotted in Lancashire, too, with a similar outfit.
Ahead of Halloween in London tonight, we’ve rounded up some of the best events to book. Here they are below.
For Halloween-themed food
The Bagatell in Mayfair is causing Bagat-HELL this Halloween. The restaurant’s fine dining restaurant is being transformed into a circus where a creepy clown will lurk between tables. Expect surprise performances and the usually plush decor to be turned into something more macabre. A spiced pumpkin Halloween dessert is being prepared for the evening by the head pastry chef too. From 26 October to 1 November.
For the creepiest music
Rake’s Café Bar has a new approach to Halloween: forget trying to make food spooky, how about the playlist! Their Thriller-themed brunch will be soundtracked by all your favourite Halloween hits, so think Michael Jackson’s Thriller, obviously, playing in the background while you sip a special Halloween cocktail called El Diablo with tequila. There’ll be bottomless prosecco and classic brunch food too. There’s also a drinks-only option if you’d rather just dance to the tunes and forget about the food. It sounds like the behaviour of a rakish man: the term was coined in the 18th century to describe someone interested in wine, women and gambling. So hedonism, basically. From 25 – 31 October.
For the best dressing up
Get your Halloween costumes ready, as M Restaurant in the Square Mile is throwing a Tokyo-themed brunch for Halloween, “a love letter to the world’s largest metropolis.” Food will be Japanese in theme, so expect dim sum sharers of wagyu beef and tofu bao buns, pork belly yakitori and chicken ramen with kimchi fried rice. For dessert there’s matcha tiramisu with lashings of booze, spooky cocktails, and a live DJ to go on top. There’s even a prize for the best-dressed of the evening. The restaurant’s advice: “Dress to kill.” Saturday 28th October.
For live theatre
Soho cocktail bar The Twin White Duke is running Grimm’s Tales-themed evenings for Halloween. Expect burlesque performances from prestigious performer Miss Betsy Rose, with live storytelling and fantastical desserts to go with the drinks. Speaking of the booze, Halloween themed cocktails fresh for 2023 include the Snow White, with tarragon, apple, toffee, almond syrup, absinthe and rum. It’ll be one of many mad creations paired with desserts throughout the evening. A live cellist and later a DJ will ensure the vibes are properly creepy. 27 and 28 October.
For fancy dressing up
Dartmouth House Members’ Club in Mayfair is throwing a black-tie event if you fancy getting properly dressed up in Halloween costumes for the most sinister night of the year. There’ll be a live DJ, interactive performances (ie, getting scared out of your skin as you socialise) and plenty of food and drink. The Halloween Bal Masqué is expecting to welcome 300 guests. 27th October at 8pm.
Try different dishes
Seven Dials Market in Covent Garden is gearing up for Halloween with special themed dishes from the street food traders. Bad Boy Pizza Society has “scarily” hot sauce and Yum Bun’s candied pecan sweet bao is a play on traditional Halloween trick or treat flavourings. The on-site bar has special cocktails too, including a corpse revival, which we presume is a spin on the classic corpse revival, with gin, Lillet blanc and orange liqueur. From 20th October to 1st November.