There’s no excuse to be at a loose end west of the west end anymore.

If you fancy the theatre but aren’t quite up to braving the West End’s tourist trap triangle, we’ve got the perfect solution. St. James Theatre first had people treading its proverbial boards in September of last year and yet its existence still seems to be a nice little secret. Not for long though.

In the heart of Victoria, St. James is the first newly built complex of its kind to grace central London for thirty years. The 312-seat auditorium plays host to a wide range of contemporary and classic productions – we caught Our Country’s Good here recently – whilst the 120 capacity studio hosts everything from live music and cabaret to rising comedy stars.

As well as the performance spaces themselves, St. James boasts a slinky little Bar & Brasserie for all of the pre-show cocktails and platters you can handle. Venture up the sculptural staircase (made in Italy from six tons of white Carrara marble) and you’ll find yourself in the recently opened and appropriately named, Carrara St. James. The monochrome British-Italian restaurant greets you with a modern Hollywood feel and a wonderfully varied menu. We highly recommend the traditional fish and chips with crushed peas and tartare sauce, but admit that the pan-seared calves liver with sage and pancetta sounds better if you’re drawn to the actual Italian side of all things culinary.