Stables Market ,
Chalk Farm Road ,
Camden Town,
London,
NW1 8AH
(020) 7482 3867
The ViewLondon Review
Camden is well known for its iconic venues – The Hawley Arms and Lock Tavern to name just two of a plethora of cool, ultra famous places to party. However, few have the reputation of Proud Camden. Now it’s back – and it’s better than ever.
The Venue
There’s so much to talk about with Proud Camden, it’s hard to know where to begin. Located along Chalk Farm Road, a short walk from Camden or Chalk Farm tube stations lies this huge stable. A large outdoor area makes the pain of queuing infinitely easier and allows for a long line (which you can guarantee there will be night after night).
Walking through the doors you’re met with a huge monster of a building. Through the doors to the left is an airy chill-out area. There’s a small bar and a DJ booth with a large number of comfortable leather sofas dotted around low rise tables. Surprisingly, as long as you’re not in a large group, you shouldn’t have much trouble squeezing in to rest weary feet. The most notable feature of this area are the walls, covered in signed photos of such iconic stars as Jarvis Cocker and the Rolling Stones, which are available to buy (if you have a spare £1,200 lying about).
The next room along to the right is a warehouse style space making up the main club area. A large stage is the centrepiece of this room, which is up front and in your face – the way live gigs should be. The space is huge, the acoustics incredible and the energy throbbing.
However, the most unique area of Proud Camden has to be the stabled seating areas. Retaining the old stalls of its previous life, these make up private hire booths, seeming to go on forever. In the largest of these stalls is a huge bar that, despite its size, can barely cope with demand. Along the walkway are various high tables for sticking your drink on, although walking along here is difficult to say the least on busy nights. At the end are the rather pathetic toilets. Expect the queue for the ladies to be endless – with many just jumping into the gent’s. Inside, the barely finished, poorly designed loos are functional, although cleaner than you might expect. If you’re used to festivals, it’ll be pure luxury!
The Atmosphere
The atmosphere at Proud Camden is what makes this place what it is. A friendly and cool crowd is what you can expect, made up of the usual eclectic Camden crowd, including everyone from drag queens and stunningly beautiful gay guys to your skinny jean clad rock gods. The girls all err on the attractive side in stunning outfits ranging from huge, OTT frocks to skinny jeans and a tee. Everyone is chilled out and there’s no hint of any trouble.
The staff are good on the whole, although you might catch the occasional whiff of attitude. A distinctly Abercrombie and Fitch hiring policy sticks out like a sore thumb – the girls, especially, look like they’re out of the pages of magazines. The security staff are deserved of a good reputation, with none of the attitude you usually get. Instead, they’re efficient and friendly, keeping everything ticking over so you barely notice they’re even there.
The Music
A heady, eclectic music policy is what makes Proud Camden such an institution. Everyone from NME-crowned The Enemy to hip hop groups grace the stage, getting the crowd bouncing. DJs pump out the tunes between acts and the mix crosses all genres, with a focus on dance thanks to the skills of such acts as Jodie Harsh. The quality of the sound system is second to none, and the acoustics of the large halls just echoes the sound – bouncing off the walls all around you. Top class.
The Drink
There’s a decent enough selection of drinks at Proud, all reasonably priced. Beer is bottled and includes a choice of Peroni, Sol and Budvar priced at £3-£3.50. They also do the easy-to-drink cider Kopparberg apple, pear or mixed fruit for £5.
If you’re after spirits, the house choices are surprisingly good, including brands such as Wybrowka, Jack Daniels, Chivas Regal and Beefeater for just £3 a shot. Shots of Sambuca, tequila, Jagermeister, Absinthe and Goldschlager are also available at a reasonable £3 (£5 for Absinthe). More popular brands of spirits range from £3 to £18.50 (for Havana 15 year old rum). Alternatively, you can buy a bottle for a group of you for £100.
The wine choice isn’t too shabby either with a small selection of whites, reds and roses. Priced between £13-£40 a bottle, you can share with friends for a reasonable price. It may not be for wine connoisseurs, but for a night on the town it’s good stuff. You can even order Champagne from a £55 bottle of Perrier Jouet Grand to a £175 bottle of Dom Perignon.
The Last Word
Proud Camden has to be experienced at least once – whether it’s your scene or not. Trendy without being pretentious, it has a universal appeal for anyone who enjoys cool nights out.
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