How London’s sober socialites are making a booze-free lifestyle cool

Many influencers and socialites of the modern era have been dubbed woke for ditching meat, fast fashion and petrol cars.

But now some are also choosing to abstain from alcohol – giving up booze in order to be sober. 

As health takes priority, ‘mindful drinking’ is becoming more popular and acceptable, with people looking for a way to still have a ‘good time’ – without bingeing at bottomless brunch or getting legless at Friday’s post-work pint.

Among those socialites who have ditched alcohol for a cleaner tipple include Made in Chelsea alumni Spencer Matthews and Millie Mackintosh, as well as It Girls Holly Ramsay and India Rose James.

Meanwhile Cara Delevingne and Lily Allen have also pledged to abandon alcohol. 

Here FEMAIL reveals the many stars from across the capital who have opted not to drink. 

Spencer Matthews 

Spencer Matthews is among the most well known – and vocal – stars to have gone sober in the past few years. 

The former Made In Chelsea star made a conscious decision to give up drinking in 2018, while wife Vogue Williams was pregnant the couple’s first child, Theodore, now three.

Spencer, who launched low-alcohol drinks company Clean Co in 2019, has been outspoken on his decision to give up the booze.

Taking to Instagram in November 2019, Spencer said: ‘Sobriety is a lifestyle choice I made a few months before becoming a dad. 

In the back of my mind for many years, I had always felt that my relationship with alcohol, although seemingly harmless was unhealthy and somewhat destructive.

‘Drinking lead me to make poor decisions and achieving my full potential was slipping away.

‘I had abstained from alcohol for lengthy periods at a time but in doing so had made drinking at the end of that period a reward – a pat on the back for my achievement. It was a vicious cycle…’

Spencer said that becoming a dad meant he had to change his ways.

He said: ‘I had to change my relationship with alcohol in order to become the man that I knew I could be and that my family would be proud of. Sobriety has opened my mind and unlocked parts of me that I didn’t even realise existed.

‘I am more ambitious and hard working now than I have ever been and there has been a serious shift in my priorities and what’s important to me.

‘My wife and son are my world and being there for them in every way possible is the only thing that matters to me… that and my work…

‘Over the last year and a half I have learnt an awful lot about the low and no alcohol sector and what it has to offer and have developed a business to compete in that sector at the highest level.

‘If you are sober curious, we are for you. I’m incredibly proud to invite you to follow and join us in discovering a different way to drink. Cheers to that!’

The TV personality opted to give up drinking shortly after marrying Irish presenter Vogue at his family’s Glen Affric estate in the Scottish Highlands, and she insists his sobriety has strengthened their relationship.

She explained: ‘Drinking’s not really a part of our lives any more, which is a good thing. Spenny would always drink a lot more than me. I don’t really like the taste of alcohol.

‘He came to the realisation himself but I definitely encouraged it. I don’t think he’d be doing any of what he’s doing today had he not stopped. 

‘It was affecting his productivity and his focus. It’s been a positive thing for our relationship.’ 

Millie Mackintosh 

Millie Mackintosh announced in November last year that she had given up drinking alcohol to help with her anxiety.

At the time, she posted on Instagram: ‘I had a breakthrough in therapy and decided to stop drinking alcohol, I didn’t want to admit it but it’s a huge trigger for my anxiety.

‘It has an instant negative effect on my mental health and right now I’m focused on feeling my best, finding happiness in my life and not trying to escape from it,’ she penned.

Continuing: ‘It’s been 12 weeks and I’m enjoying sober life, not missing the ‘hanxiety’, feeling more energised, my skin is looking great and I’m sleeping much better.

Millie went on to detail that she may return to drinking in the future, before asking if any of her followers have done the same.

‘Now, I’m not saying I’ll never drink alcohol again, I’m just saying that right now, I’m not and I want to keep going. Has anyone else ditched the booze? How are you finding it? I would love to hear from more sober curious people.’

And providing an insight into her journey with anxiety mediciation, Millie revealed that while it has improved her mental health, she is lowering her dosage as it also makes her feel ’emotionally numb’.

Writing: ‘Generally I am a lot less anxious which is great, I’m still taking my SSRI medication but I recently reduced my dose, as I have been feeling a bit emotionally numb and disconnected which can apparently effect around 30% of people.

‘I am going to see how it goes over the next few weeks and possibly come off my meds by the end of the year, then either stay off them or try different ones.

‘It is a tough decision because I am really benefitting and functioning well without constant anxiety and living in fear of panic attacks but I want to still feel all the good emotions too!’ she concluded.

Talking about her relationship with alcohol back in 2016, the star explained to Stellar magazine that she always tries to keep it healthy.

‘If I am drinking, I’ll have tequila and soda, or tequila on the rocks, both with fresh lime. 

‘This is quite a clean and relatively low-calorie drink. Or I’ll order a glass of red; I’ll just have one glass and make it last,’ she said.

Holly Ramsay 

Celebrity It Girl Holly Ramsay is also among those British stars to have given up drinking in the last few years. 

Holly previously admitted she made the decision to go sober in December 2020 despite being aware of the social function alcohol plays in so many young people’s lives across the United Kingdom.

In January 2022, the influencer took to her Instagram Stories for a Q&A, during which she admitted to finding sobriety tough at her age – despite feeling better than she had in years.

When asked ‘how important is it to cut out alcohol when you struggle daily with mental health,’ she responded: ‘This isn’t a ‘one size fits all’ answer…

‘For me, cutting out alcohol has made me so much more present, I’m able to have more fun & I’m in control. Alcohol + antidepressants don’t mix well. I made the decision to put my physical and mental health first.

‘It can be lonely not drinking especially at this age as it’s such a big part of our social lives.. but you will find the right people who don’t even care that you’re not drinking and are just happy you’re with them.’

Holly also referenced her one-year milestone in December 2021, with the influencer writing candidly of her relationship with alcohol, including her decision to go teetotal after reaching her ‘lowest point’ in 2020.

She wrote: ‘Today marks one year without alcohol. This is not something I thought I would ever say at the age of 21. However, by 21 (nearly 22) I never thought I would’ve been through half of what I have.

‘I choose to take a break from alcohol because it wasn’t improving my mental health – which for me, comes first.’

Holly, who is the second eldest of Gordon and Tana Ramsay’s five children, added: ‘This time last year I was at my lowest and I was scared but I made a decision to take control of what I could – and that meant removing alcohol from my life.

‘It was not an easy decision, nor one that I have taken lightly. I won’t say this is forever, but this is for now. Living without alcohol has helped me feel better and more present both mentally and physically.

Don’t get me wrong, I’ve had a year of high highs and low lows but I’m grateful I have myself the chance to work through them consciously rather mask my feelings (good and bad) with a drink.

‘Alcohol and antidepressants do not mix well at all. And that is something, unfortunately, I learned the hard way.

‘As with everything I have been through, it has been a learning experience and I feel lucky to be able to post this message today, to continue to spread awareness and break the stigma surrounding mental health.’

Lily Allen

Lily Allen – who is married to Stranger Things’ David Harbour – has been candid about her addiction struggles, previously revealing the last time she consumed alcohol was July 28 2019.

Lily has always been open about her drink and drug abuse, particularly when she released her memoir My Thoughts Exactly in 2020.

In 2018, she came under fire for glamourising drug-taking after admitting she snorted a line of ketamine at the Glamour Woman Of The Year Awards in 2008.

Describing what happened, Allen said: ‘Someone gave me a line of what I assumed to be cocaine at the Glamour awards once, but it turned out to be Ketamine. I was thrown out (passed over some railings) of the Glamour awards for being in a k hole.’

She added: ‘Obviously I couldn’t talk, or direct the driver so my assistant instructed the occupant of the car behind to ‘follow that cab’ I believe the occupant was @chattyman I have no idea what happened next.’

And earlier this year, she discussed four years of sobriety during an appearance on This Morning on Wednesday. 

The singer told presenters Holly Willoughby and Joel Dermott: ‘It is weird. My life has changed so much.

‘I’m four years clean and sober, I have a new husband, we’re sorting our lives out in America.’

Last year, Lily revealed she didn’t know if she would ever be able to get on stage sober again following her Glastonbury performance with Olivia Rodrigo .

The singer said her daughters Ethel, 10, and Marnie, nine, were ‘very proud’ to see their mother entertain the crowd at the festival, where Olivia invited her on stage during her set.

Sharing a clip of her performance to Instagram, Lily expressed her delight that her daughters got to see her play and described it as an ‘amazing day’.

She wrote: ‘Quite emosh. Things are truly messed up, but at least my babies got to see their mamma play and slay Glastonbury with their favourite pop star.

‘They were very proud and so was I. I didn’t know whether I’d be able to get up on a stage like that sober again if I’m honest, a part of me thought it was all in the past.

‘I had the most amazing day. Thanks @oliviarodrigo for having us. You smashed your first Glastonbury. Who knows, maybe i won’t hang up my [microphone] just yet.’

Lily, who shot to fame in the 2000s with her hit single Smile, has recently ventured into the world of acting.

India Rose James

At just 21 years old, her vast £329million made her richer than the Queen – and she was not afraid to flaunt her extraordinary wealth on London’s social scene.

But nine years on and life is very different for heiress India Rose James, the granddaughter of late porn and property mogul Paul Raymond.

Speaking to Tatler in March 2020, the self-described ‘Princess of Soho’ revealed she was 18 months sober after quitting alcohol and her hard-partying ways to become a better role model for her daughter, Sapphire.

‘I was having fun,’ she said. ‘And, yeah…like, going out was happening a bit too often, and I started getting a reputation as a party girl. Which is fine when you’re younger, but I was getting a bit…

‘I don’t judge people who are [partying], but I don’t want that. I also don’t want my daughter, if she looks me up online – which I’m sure she will at some point – to find that there are loads of articles about me out drunk. That’s not right. I want her to be reading articles about my achievements.’

Currently India’s achievements primarily involve running her gallery, Soho Revue, and restoring famous drag club Madame Jojo’s to its former glory. 

The entrepreneurial streak runs in the family. Paul Raymond, India’s beloved ‘Papa’, opened the famously raunchy Raymond Revuebar in 1958 before branching out and founding his own adult magazine empire in 1964.

Over the following years ploughed his profits into property to the extent that it was said he bought a freehold a week in 1977. The nickname ‘the King of Soho’ followed.

When Paul died in 2008, the majority of his portfolio was left to India and her half-sister Fawn (whose biological father is Duncan Mackay from the rock band 10cc, but was adopted by India’s father John James as a child) then aged 16 and 22, respectively. A hefty chunk was also left to Paul’s son Howard.

India and Fawn’s mother Debbie died of a drug overdose at the age of 36, leaving behind ten-month-old India and six-year-old Fawn.

The family fortune, which was estimated at £482 million in the 2016 Sunday Times rich list, is derived from a property empire that includes the site of Soho House, nightclub The Box, and the former premises of the bookshop Foyles.

In 2013 India, then 21, was the youngest person to make the Sunday Times Rich List, and was not afraid to show off her wealth.

One photograph showed a £10 note being burned with the comment ‘just saw £10 go up in flames… I could have used that to go home’.

Another tweet stated: ‘On Alex’s roof in Soho, looking down on the little people.’

India, who was kicked out of private school St George’s, Ascot over her ‘uncontrollable attitude, became a firm fixture on the London social scene, frequenting fashion launches and art openings.

It was on a night out at celebrity haunt Brown’s Hotel, in Mayfair, that she met former fiancé Hugh Harris, lead guitarist of The Kooks. Their first kiss was at Reading Festival in 2015 and three months later India was pregnant.

Hugh proposed with an enormous emerald on the roof of the Hotel Café Royal in Piccadilly Circus in 2016. Soon afterwards their daughter, known as Saffi, was born at The Portland Hospital in Central London, where well-heeled women including Victoria Beckham and the Duchess of York go to give birth.

However the couple never married and later separated.

Her father John, managing director at family company Soho Estates, offered his youngest daughter a job alongside her sister Fawn, who is a company director, but it is clear India wants to forge her own path.

Currently, she is focused on maintaining her sobriety. ‘Honestly, I couldn’t be prouder of myself,’ she said in the Tatler interview.

‘This probably has been the only goal I have ever set myself that I’ve actually completed.’

Asked whether she is ‘clean and serene’ at 28, she added: ‘Clean, maybe not so serene. But I’m getting there.’

DJ Amazonica

Victoria Harrison, whose stage name is DJ Amazonica, has performed for some of the biggest A-listers in the world.

Not only is she a highly regarded DJ, she’s also a fantastic singer-songwriter and musician too, and has performed with bands like The Libertines.

She has been open about her struggles with alcohol and drugs, and previously revealed how she was ‘heavily into’ using the drugs to ‘escape’ while recording her work The Trouble with… Harry.

She told House of Coco: ‘I was literally a child when I wrote and recorded it and was still heavily into using drugs and alcohol to escape. I was so messed up inside and had so much to deal with.’

Speaking to The Evening Standard, she revealed how a friend encouraged a change in her lifestyle. 

He told her that she was going on tour, but had actually gone to rehab – later revealing the truth after she had been out for the entire night. 

She said: ‘I became sober in America. Years ago when I was in town, people would try and get me to drink.

‘Being sober, they thought it was an LA thing. Nowadays it’s all different. People are so supportive.’ 

Florence Welch 

Florence Welch, who became a star with her band Florence And The Machine in 2009, has been candid about the hard-drinking lifestyle she kept up early in her career. 

The Kiss With A Fist singer went on the wagon early in 2014 and released her next album How Big, How Blue, How Beautiful the following year.

Prior to getting sober Florence found herself on the verge of a breakdown after nearly four years on the road, drinking and singing.

‘I used to drink before every performance,’ Florence revealed to Billboard a little over a year after she decided to give up alcohol.

‘I’m quite shy, really – that’s probably why I used to drink a lot. But I don’t anymore. When I finally took time off to make this new record, I had time to strengthen.’

When Florence turned 27 her mother Evelyn made a speech at her birthday party and asked her daughter’s pals to make sure she did not wind up in the ’27 Club.’

The ’27 Club’ is a group of celebrities who all died at the age of 27, many of substance-related causes including Jimi Hendrix, Janis Joplin and Amy Winehouse.

Not long after she turned 27 she decided to sober up and eventually came to regard her drinking days with ‘with a mix of nostalgia and terror.’

In an essay for British Vogue in 2019 she wrote candidly: ‘There’s a part of me that is in awe of that girl, her total disregard for self-preservation, how she could run at the world headfirst, eyes closed, with no care for the consequences.’

She added: ‘But I also want to hold her in my arms, say: “It’s OK, you’re OK, you can come down now. You’ve been screaming at the top of that tree for a bit too long.”‘

Florence recalled: ‘I have certainly had journalists bemoan to me “the lack of rock stars behaving like rock stars,” but hedonism never gave me the freedom I desired.

‘And I’m no longer sure about the rock ‘n’ roll behavior often expected of artists.’

She pointed out: ‘Too many talented people have died, and the world feels too fragile to be swigging champagne and flicking the finger at it.’

Kate Moss 

Kate Moss has been sober for five years as she maintains a healthy lifestyle following decades of partying. 

The supermodel, was once known for her wild ways, but her longtime friend, DJ Fat Tony, previously revealed she is now clean, with the pair having more fun now than ever before. 

Speaking in 2020, her producer pal – who himself has been sober for 16 years – said in a new interview: ‘Kate’s been clean for over two years. 

‘Me and my sober mates now have a better time than we ever did when we used to drink and take drugs.’

Kate was a member of The Primrose Hill Set – a name given to the all-star group of edgy residents of the leafy neighbourhood, who were known in their heyday for their raucous behaviour with stories of their antics becoming the stuff of legend. 

After attending a week-long detox in Turkey back in June 2015, the runway sensation wound up being escorted off an easyJet flight home after her airport drinking session took a heavy turn.   

The turnaround may come as a shock given that Kate’s love of boozing, which reportedly extended to flutes of prosecco at 8am and glasses of wine and vodka at lunch, saw friends coin her the nickname ‘The Tank’. 

The catwalk queen recently admitted she’s tried to cut down on caffeine and nicotine, and enjoys having more quiet nights in.

Speaking to NBC’s Megyn Kelly in 2018, the fashion icon revealed: ‘I go to bed, I drink lots of water, not too much coffee, and I’m trying to cut down on cigarettes.’

Kate – who shares 17-year-old daughter Lila with former partner Jefferson Hack – has also credited her friends for keeping her ‘sane’.

The media personality told told Selfridges.com in 2017: ‘I keep sane with my friends, all of them I’ve known for 20 years, so they know me very well, and I know them very well.’