Going inside…Peckham Liberal Club
In the Trump Slump I’ve let myself read far too many terrifying articles from knowledgable historians and bleak-world forecaster John Pilger, which I don’t recommend doing (apart from this one by Joan C Williams). You may have too. Anyway, amid the thousands of articles on ‘how to keep carrying on post Trump and Brexit’ etc etc I’m following the path of continue as usual (the only path really) and focus on the good stuff happening. Skipping on then to….me! I’m turning 40 soon and looking for a party venue. I’m actually having a joint do with a great old friend who lives in North London, so most likely it will take place in central London or Thames side or similar. But for cheap thrills I couldn’t resist checking out Peckham Liberal Club today and decided to share my snaps to lighten things up.
One of the cheaper Private Members Bar you’ll have heard about in London (£20 admission fee I believe) Peckham Liberal Club is a bit like Bethnal Green Working Men’s club only heckofa real-er and with a total absence of hipsters – daytime anyway. I was shown around by Janice who stood up from a table of friendly and – respectfully – elderly bar flys that for reasons of expediency I’ll describe as sit com fodder, which admittedly is a bit less respectful but hopefully they won’t read this. Here’s the building…
How about all that original wood cladding in the corridors. No wonder there were people filming in the place and it turns out there is a rich history to the building as documented over on the Peckham Peculiar. It was a Quakers Meeting House originally and was also – predictably – under threat from developers recently.
Here’s the main party hall with a stage I had to really control myself from getting up onto when Janice left the room. Hard to tell from my photo, but that curtain is gold.
I love it but a friendly architect from my office had to break it to me that the wine is rank, which puts off some party goers she reckons. She was even down on the spirits. Anyway, if you fancy going along yourself there are quiz nights, there’s a pool room and all sorts of things happening in there. Head to Peckham Peculiar for more details. And give me a shout if you know of anywhere similar further into town.
Ohh, fond memories! We had our wedding reception there in April, after a wedding up the road at the Asylum. We had a theatre designer friend make a six-foot high love heart with red and white lightbulbs for the stage, and we hung gold foil curtains behind it, to celebrate the club’s decor and history (yes, totally camp). The flower girls wore gold sequinned dresses to match. It was brill. (But we did bring our own wine.) The sound system was great and there was much dancing on that parquet floor and some lovely, atmospheric photos of aunties dancing.
What a fab place for it! On both counts. Hope you are well Kate and congratulations on the wedding. x
For some reason I didn’t see your full comment at first. Good grief that sounds spectacular! Maybe I can work on my friend… and somehow befriend your theatre designer mate. x