It’s one of London’s OG cocktail experiences, the one that showed the world what immersive drinking experiences could be like. And it spawned a love affair with the genre that finds Londoners constantly seeking out the latest example. And now Alcotraz has expanded their prison to give even more inmates guests the chance to try the unforgettable night out.
Cocktail-drinkers (or inmates) experience exciting new storylines at the new Alcotraz. There are three full Cell Blocks, 30 individual prison cells, and seven secret rooms. The recently opened site spans 5,000 square feet, where up to 180 hooch-swilling inmates can be imprisoned at a time. That’s triple the size of the previous site, which could only hold 85 guests at once. Their new site moved them from Brick Lane across to Hackney Road, staying in a similar area but with an upgrade.
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The Plot
With the new site came a new theatrical storyline that pushes the boundaries, making the guests a crucial part of the immersive experience. You might end up on the wrong side of a parole hearing in the Warden’s Office, or helping inmates smuggle liquor in through the laundry room. Perhaps you’ll find yourself in the Visitation room, asking your lawyer for help, or in the middle of an interrogation in the Interrogation Room. Kick up too much of a fuss, and you might even find yourself in solitary confinement.
But what about the drinks?
It’s a cocktail experience after all, right? Right. But as you might have already guessed, it’s no ordinary one. You’ll have to smuggle your own alcohol past the guards (aka it’s BYO) into the prison, where some of Alcotraz’s longest-serving inmates will transform the contraband liquor into delicious cocktails. Then you’ll don the orange jumpsuits and find your cell, where the inmates will stealthily deliver you your drinks. After all, there’s no bar in prison! Well, okay, there is one here…
The Alcotraz details
Lasting 1 hour and 45 minutes, the Alcotraz Prison Cocktail Bar experience includes four cocktails made from the liquor you smuggled in. Not sure how much to bring? A rough guide suggests a 350ml bottle for two people, a 700ml bottle for 3-4, and a variety of spirits for larger groups. And don’t worry, they’ll return any unused alcohol – if you’re granted parole! For £39.99 per person you can enjoy immersive theatre and a world-class cocktail event.
Perfect for any occasion, be it a hen or stag do, a Christmas celebration, or a birthday, Alcotraz brings to life a fictitious world from cinema and TV. There are nods to iconic shows such as Orange is the New Black, Prison Break, and Shawshank Redemption.
To emphasize the distinction between the real world and the fictional world of the experience, the company behind Alcotraz also be announced its partnership with the Innocence Project London (IPL) at the start of 2023. It “is a pro bono charity that investigates claims of innocence from wrongfully convicted men and women in England and Wales”.
Keep up to date with Alcotraz Penitentiary’s socials (psst, they often post discount codes there!). And remember, don’t forget the hooch!