Hidden in the underbelly of London Bridge Station, accessed by an unlikely looking inconspicuous hole in the wall, Shunt Lounge is London’s worst kept secret. A haven for a trendy London crowd crying out for an alternative night out, this club offers good value drinks, a laid back atmosphere and a step into the bizarre with sporadic and ever changing performance art pieces littering the dimly lit underground vault system that is its home.

The Venue
Entering through a pokey little corridor on Joiner Street, the real surprise is the size of Shunt Lounge. A never ending walkway of sunlight-starved underground vaults, there is a main bar and dancing area and several improvised performance spaces where everything else happens. Art installations also feature regularly and change frequently. Past performance art pieces have included skate borders, a museum dedicated to London’s pearly kings and queens, and a paddling pool filled with grapes that revellers were encouraged to walk through in order to press the grapes for wine. Due to the fact that Shunt is entirely underground the air is a little stuffy, but there are plenty of large open spaces to avoid any claustrophobic outpourings.

The Atmosphere
Many of the staff here are volunteers and are friendly and willing to chat, as are the fellow customers. As word about Shunt Lounge spreads, the volume of curious tourists who pay a quick visit is ever increasing, particularly in the early evenings, and sometimes this can lead to the bar feeling a little more like an attraction than a hang out spot. Late night drinking is pretty debauched and you can never be completely sure whether crazy dancers on the checkerboard dancefloor are performing an installation piece or have drunk too much. There is plenty to entertain and all installations and performances are changed regularly so the atmosphere can change from one visit to a next.

The doors of the vault are closed at 11pm most nights, and although those already inside are allowed to stay into the wee hours, those in the often long queues outside are turned away. The best tip is to get there early in the evening, although most performance pieces don’t start until 9pm-10pm.

The Music
It really depends on the night, and also the time of night. There is no standard music for Shunt Vaults and often different vaults will have different styles. Anything goes but don’t expect pop music. Fifties type jitterbug music often fills the early evenings in the main bar.

The Drink
The space was not originally designed as a bar, so consequently much of the drink on offer is that which can easily be brought in, hence there is a distinct lack of beers on tap. Don’t expect cocktails either, the bar is largely stocked with inexpensive lager - Red Stripe is a popular choice - whilst the wine is often unlabelled or chosen from a list of three whites and four reds.

Jim Beam and Sambuca are popular choices and are reasonably priced at around £3 plus the cost of a mixer. Given that there is little on tap, the bottled beer selection is substantial with Erdinger sitting happily next to London Pride and a few lesser known European beers.

The Last Word
This is a breath of fresh air on the London club scene. Run by the Shunt collective - ten people who curate the exhibitions and function almost as artistic directors - this is a well thought out, off the wall venue that may not be everyone’s cup of tea, but is worth a visit simply for the experience.

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