75-89 West Yard, Camden Lock,
Camden,
London,
NW1 8AF
0872 148 0873
The ViewLondon Review
When you think of Camden, images of purple-haired Goths and market stalls selling strangely-shaped skirts tend to pop into your head - not of chic waterside venues. But such, as the name implies, is the Lockside Lounge.
Until recently, the site was indeed taken up by a loud pub specialising in misunderstood bands. But then New Camden was born. These days, a handsome board-walk balcony overlooking the canal leads into a venue that oozes laidback class.
A little like a canal boat itself in layout, the venue extends in one long line from loos to lounging area. The effect is far from unpleasant: ample width and an impeccable finish ensure that instead of thinking of barges, trains and hospital corridors, you reflect: 'Why aren't more rooms really long and thin?'
Dark, gleaming real wood on the floor enlivens and softens putty-coloured walls, and on these walls is a gallery of paintings. On my visit these paintings were funky, cute and boldly colourful, and worked brilliantly well – but quarter yearly changes are planned.
There are comfy chairs, sofas and bar stools, and bottles glint from behind the solid counter with housewifely shininess. And on top of this aesthetic ethic, DJs purvey punk, groove and more three nights a week for no entrance charge.
On that front the Lockside Lounge is rapidly gaining itself a reputation (some would say already has one) as a superb pre-club bar or, simply, a superb DJ bar in its own right. The atmosphere of an evening is one of happy revelry (as opposed to those horrible attempts at subdued cool in certain bars we could mention…) and, without getting too gushy, genuine enjoyment.
Simply put, if you want a fun night out with great tunes and a happy crowd then this is the kind of place that you really want to be coming to. Admittedly it closes at 11pm but that’s bound to change at some point. Anyway…
There's delicious food, too, for fair prices – perhaps it's not the most imaginative list possible, but it includes a banana split with chocolate sauce which sounds delicious to me; and oat cakes finally make their long-overdue bar debut on the Lockside Lounge's menu.
On top of which, there's the upcoming, nigh-on incomprehensibe (to me) iPod party, at which those in possession of a special gadget can DJ, and the free internet access for people with trendy connection sockets. Totally hi-tech, dude! (Actually, the Lockside Lounge is rather well known in some circles for its top class Wi-Fi internet access…ask a tekkie. Ed.)
When the manager rushed over to add that barbeques are available on request, I felt like telling him he was over-egging the pudding a bit. Enough, already! It's cool, it's tasty, it's funky, it's modern, it's BBQ-tastic, it's… it's Camden?
Lockside Lounge has been reviewed by 7 users