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Pleasures and pains after dark
What do you feel about the state of the city at night?
Tom Kihl
June 23, 2023 • Estimated Reading Time: 9 minutes
THE NIGHT
Culture is forged between 6pm and 6am
Camdenist has been a firm champion of the night since day dot.
We feel it’s vital to shout about the incalculable cultural value of the things that happen after dark.
One good thing to emerge from nightlife vanishing during the Covid lockdowns was a wider realisation of just what we all stand to lose if we continue to let venues shut down, or fearfully try to regulate all unpredictability out of the night.
This week, Camden’s Evening and Night-Time Assembly Report 2023 was published, and you can read it in full here, however it’s a big old document, so we stuck it through some AI to pull out the highlights.
The TL:DR being that a diverse group of locals came up with some vision statements about how we might ensure a vibrant, 24h Camden, that’s safe and inclusive.
Not exactly revolutionary stuff, but we like the fact these conversations are happening, and action is promised later in the year.
Meanwhile in other, slightly more compelling nighttime news…
🌒 Delve into Camdenist’s feature Nightlife: The Crucible of Culture, where we speak to some of the key players ensuring our borough’s after dark offering remains world class.
🚦 Permission was granted this week for a 3-floor bar/restaurant and rooftop terrace atop the giant LED screens in Piccadilly Circus despite the usual crop of resident and Met objections. It does beg the obvious questions: who lives in Piccadilly Circus anyway, and why on earth did they move there if they can’t face living alongside noisy hospitality venues?
🍸 Just over the way, this time on the roof of of the iconic Trocadero building, the long-delayed 1000 capacity Skybar at the Zedwell Hotel now looks like it will be open ‘in Q4 2023’. It looks fabulous, but we first announced it’s opening back in 2020, so don’t plan your West End sundowners up there just yet…
🌑 Zedwell may have possibly been a bit distracted by opening their second big local hotel full of more signature window-free bedrooms (apparently to give you the best possible night’s sleep) - in a former underground car park under the YMCA at Tottenham Court Rd. Ravers of a certain age may remember when this spot used to be anything but quiet, as it was once the home of the infamous RAW Club.
More nightclub nostalgia in this selection of Camden-based party photos from the archives of the Museum of Youth Culture.
FOOD & DRINK
Secret Feasts Kentish Town tickets are flying out + loads of new places to eat
The prospect of a £25 night out uncovering some hidden gems of NW5’s food scene certainly seems to be exciting people.
The next Camdenist Secret Feasts event is coming up on Wednesday July 12th, so we advise you to book now as places are already running low at some spots.
📃 Find out all about the participating restaurants - and all the others too - in our new guide to dining in Kentish Town.
📽️ Watch our latest tempting video exploring Highgate Road hotspot the lovely Never For Ever, one of the top £25 meal destinations for July 12th…if you’re quick.
🍕 Beloved London-born pizzeria Zia Lucia lands in West Hampstead next week (27th), and they’re offering 50% off for the first week, plus four different dough options, including one made from ground crickets.
☕ Arvo is a stylish, minimalist and earthy all day café and cocktail bar that’s the latest addition to Regent’s Park Rd buzzy café culture scene, and is already seeing queues out the door.
🎠 Charlotte St’s acclaimed Carousel, the restaurant which invites guest chefs from all over the world to drop in and cook up a storm, is about to reach its 300th collaboration. To celebrate the milestone, they’ve enlisted Mmabatho Molefe of Cape Town’s Emazulwini to do the kitchen honours, kicking off this Tuesday (27th).
🍳 Nearby Fitzrovia neighbours Broken Eggs is a restaurant fully dedicated to Spanish Tortillas which opened last week. They do look fluffy and lovely.
MARKETS & PLACES
Tate Modern paints Camden Market’s railway arches
🖌️ Take a walk through the canalside railway arches at Camden Market Hawley Wharf this weekend to spot the new residency from Tate Modern. They’ve replicated the work of Hilma af Klint and Piet Mondrian to promote the gallery’s current Forms of Life exhibition. Then sit back to enjoy this new ‘street’ art with a beer (see below).
🔊 It’s the big free Windrush 75 celebration on Talacre Green all day Sunday (25th), with carnival and soundsystem workshops, sports activities and loads of Caribbean food, arts and craft stalls, plus music from legends including Cleveland Watkiss live on stage.
🎪 Camden Council are running the first Young Traders Market next week, offering 17-30-year-old locals pitches to sell their own jewellery, crafts, clothing, food & drink or other produce. Find them at Leather Lane (Thursday 29th June), and Inverness Street (Sat 1st July).
👘 It’s the Silk Road Bazaar today until Sunday at KX Canopy Market, with Afghan rugs and kilims, Pakistani accessories, Grade A organic saffron from Iran, small batch artisan teas and baklava, plus a craft workshop and music programme, too.
MUSIC
Our pick of Camden’s off-Glastonbury live music offering this week
🪕 Forget the solstice at Glasto, as tonight sees a big celebration of Jashn-e Tirgan, the ancient Iranian midsummer festival. Featuring Persian, Kurdish and Azari music in a concert at the Brunei Gallery Lecture Theatre at SOAS organised by the Voice of Santur (pictured above) and SOAS Iranian music Society.
⚡ It’s the 11th Annual London Bowie Event tomorrow (Sat 24th) with Kevin Armstrong (Bowie/Iggy), The Bowie Contingent, Paul Henderson (solo acoustic) and Monica Frank, plus an auction/raffle of rare Bowie memorabilia. You’ll find it all at The Water Rats in King’s Cross.
🎷 Join Arch Symphonia for Women of Note at Cecil Sharp House on Thursday (June 29th), the world premiere of a new saxophone concerto by composer Lucy Armstong at a show that shines a light on pioneering women who challenge the status quo, from the early 19th century to today. Some lucky audience members get the chance to sit right in amongst the orchestra, too…
Gig highlights in association with the fabulous Halibuts.com
MORE GOSSIP
➡️ PUB DEAL OF THE WEEK: Go check out that Tate’s new railway arch art commission in Camden, where you’ll be right next door to fabulous new waterfront beer destination 3 Locks Brewery taproom. Best of all? Just flash this email to them at the bar for 10% off all your drinks 😁
➡️ Meanwhile, just a few arches up the track at Camden Rd, Werewolf Beer are launching a limited edition 8.0% double IPA from 2pm on Saturday, all in honour of King Kurt, who just happens to be playing a gig at The Underworld later in the evening.
WEEKLY POLL
What do you feel about Camden Town by night? |
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