Shunt Vaults

MartinKemp

a fairytale beneath the railways 24th March 2007

1 found this helpful

It's a beautiful place - like entering another world. With a space like that, it's going to be difficult to anything too wrong. But, having said that, i feel as if they could do so much more with it. I was there for the St Patrick's night celebrations - very entertaining and some great music (except the last band, who were absolutely appalling- bog standard boring indie). Sadly, the bands were completely let down by the terrible sound - a difficult space to make sound good, but i'm sure they could've done a better job than that.
Apparently, the st. patrick's day celebrations were not a "normal" shunt night, so I'm going to go back soon and maybe I'll get a better impression of what the place is like on a regular basis. I hope that the artists that curate it take more advantage of it than the st. patrick's guys!

Buraco

9th March 2007

4 found this helpful

Clever trusted places people. There i was thinking i'm onto something undiscovered, and there's only 3 damn reviews of this place already here!

I gotta give Shunt 5 big fat stars just because its the differentest experience I've had in London in ages. I won't waste keytaps writing about the place, as its best seen with no expectations (but if you really want to know, read Rob's review). All I'll say is expect the unexpected and maybe the odd exploding watermelon.

robcarter

Theatre Bar Dungeon 10th January 2007

8 found this helpful

This really is wierd. You enter through a small door off the tube concourse under London Bridge station. Walk for about 500 metres underground down a poorly lit tunnel with what I can only describe as caves left and right of you. Eventually you walk through a cinema/theatre round the bend and then into a huge space under the station. 8 or 10 metres tall easy. All the time dodging rubble and puddles.

We walked through (picking up drinks at the small bar) and found space at a grand piano painted with egg-shell white emulsion, where we could perch and chat.

By this time I still couldn't see anything - it really is VERY dark. I therefore can't tell you what the crowd is like - I couldn't really see anyone's face.

This place is now a members bar (£25 per quarter or £5 per day) open wednesdays to saturdays. Cheapish wine and changeable drinks. Table football - impossible by candlelight. Although cold its a strangely nice feeling of coolness/relaxedness.

I think Nigel (barman?/owner?/bloke who i met who knew more than I did and who also knew the other members of staff) said it best when he said that it is "a decadent waste of space in a city where space it at a premium".

Worth a visit just for the spectacle. And cheaper than the London Dungeon...

Look out for 'special secret gigs' (a common place for them apparently) and guerilla performance art. On the night I was there a completely naked man appeared to 1950s B-movie music and proceeded to stand on chairs before buckets of glue, cement, glitter, pingpong balls and water were dropped on him from the ceiling. Interesting. Especially when you see said naked bloke, with rapidly solidifying cement/glue/glitter mix having a drink at the bar afterwards...

You're intrigued now aren't you?

lisas

From London Bridge Station into a new world! 5th December 2006

0 found this helpful

I went to Shunt Vaults about a year ago. My friend Laura recommended it. I went to see Amato Saltone, and I loved the place.

I organized the night out with a few friends, we met at London Bridge Station, got into the door and found ourselves in an unespected world! There is a labyrinth down there, and it's nice....

Louisa

Literally, go here 19th October 2006

4 found this helpful

I don't know about you, but I have never entered a bar and been scared out of my wits. At least, not since last Friday, when walking into the Shunt Vaults under London Bridge tube Station. Going to this bar was a completely effing and blinding experience. The whole ordeal firstly petrifed me to the core, and was even scarier than watching The Shining in a ram-shackle house in Dorset. This may sound melodramatic, but this is only because the seething red lights were so effective and because the entrance is so pitch black and I was scared of monsters. Then the evening improved the moment I actually found the bar. You could say that the bar was the only thing that differentiated this from the London Dungeon. Excellent choice if you are bored of pubs and want something a bit more ball-grabbing. There are also sensational theatrical performances which are shown. Unfortunately I was enjoying the bar too much to see these. Go there while it is still free to get into. (The first month only).

robcarter at 08/12/06

Hi there - can someone clear this up - you went there on 13th Oct (if my trust calendar serves me) and you claim it was in the first month but lisas says that she was there before last December - whats going on?

Thanks

Rob

Louisa at 08/12/06

Hi Rob,

Someone told me that it was the first month.
Apologies for the mistake!

Lou

robcarter at 08/12/06

Hi Lou,

Curiousity got the better of me. www.shunt.co.uk. A soon to be new members only bar underneath London Bridge station. Used to be a theatre - isn't now.

Nice find - *small golf clap*.

No apologies necessary we're all friends here...;)

I am going as soon as manflu and xmas calendar allows...

Thanks

Rob

Louisa at 08/12/06

You must! I know what you mean about Xmas calendar....Office party tonight - eek!

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