Foundry

kellytron

Random and shabby. In the best way possible. 11th March 2009

2 found this helpful

Last time I was here one of the shabby bookshelfs nearly fell on the girl sitting opposite me. The time before a (apparently homeless) lady got up for some impromptu phallic themed poetry while accomanied by a piano player. While around 20 old tv screens looped images ready to turn me back to vegetarianism.

This place is awesome.

They also have a great selection of organic and local beers and cider. So local in fact, that they used to roll their kegs from the micro-brewer only 100metres away in Pitfield street. Sadly the brewery moved but they still sell bottles of 'Pitfield'.

hollowlegs

Dingy 29th October 2008

2 found this helpful

The Foundry is one of those places that you really need to be in the right frame of mind for. Decor is seriously shabby; most of the furniture looks like it came from a dump. The clientele are varied too, from scenesters, to the aforementioned bike couriers, to even the suited and booted.

Drinks are cheap and served in plastic cups. Music is eclectic, bar staff are friendly and laid back (they let dogs sit on couches...). The basement has 2 rooms, one of which is accessible though a thick metal door, much like they have in banks. This is where they have their art exhibitions which can be quite interesting. Just don't get locked inside.

CristinaA

It is what it is... Unusuaul & Arty 23rd October 2008

0 found this helpful

Expect to find crowds of bike couriers outside enjoying a well deserved pint, they love this place. Don't expect glamour, it is what it is, unusual and arty. They regularly take on the work of local artist and showcase short films. People are friendly and you won't find it hard to strike up conversation with a stranger and make a new friend.

abcjess

hmmm 3rd September 2008

0 found this helpful

When it comes to the foundry, it really does depend on the experience, I’m not sure where I stand with it. I’ve had enjoyable times there and recently, less enjoyable times there. It depends on the crowd and who you’re with. The toilets and graffiti are pretty but that feature can be found anywhere in the area really. I have heard good things about their art installations and live events and did enjoy one, but I found the noise from upstairs invasive.

The bar is quite small and can get very crowded, which can be hard for someone a bit smaller (like myself) to get served – but once served, drinks come fast. It has a nice outside atmosphere, and I find people are much more friendly outside.

t0m

a classic 6th October 2007

1 found this helpful

The Foundry has really stood the test of time - it's a lively and extremely unlikely bar with an excellent mix of customers.

A thoroughly interesting place to drink. It's my number 1 choice in that party of town.

Plewcock

Went to see a mate play music 13th September 2007

1 found this helpful

I saw a mate of mine play a gig there once downstairs as part of a charity film screening back in March (www.solidaritynotcharity.org.uk)

Whoever the venue had let mix the sound was pathetic. That said, the sense of sitting in the dungeon-like space of what must be the former foundry was... interesting. That and the opportunity to add graffiti to anywhere you could fit it in.

God knows what it's like the rest of the time. Wasn't there for drinking, but noticed they had organic bottled beers. Didn't drink them - drank another generic bottled lager.

The main bar was full of intriguingly dressed people and there was another room downstairs displaying artwork. Most of which was fair to middling in quality/interestingness

gilka

the Foundry 16th July 2007

3 found this helpful

The Foundry is one of its kind! The best thing about it is that you can get your 15 seconds of glory or even more.
The sign at the bar is saying something like 'we don't want to see your CV, we don't care who you are , but if you want to show some art speak with us' how beautiful! an open stage!
My friend was VJing there once and it was great! The atmosphere is weird... many random items around the floor, puppets, computer and god knows what- but it is a place you need to check at least once...

flashboy

1st April 2007

2 found this helpful

Decorated in that (hopefully soon to be obsolete) "trying far too hard to be ramshackle and quirky" way that's blighted this part of London for a while, The Foundry is definitely not for all tastes. So, tatty sofas and weird crap dangling from the ceiling - which can all be very jolly, but more than a little wearing as well. Certainly, the prices and quality of service at the minuscule bar (more dithery than actually rude) don't exactly help matters - although they're far from the worst in the area.

One saving grace is the fact that it puts on a large number of endearingly odd - and frequently very good - art, music and performance events. Another is that the crowd it attracts tend towards the genuinely eccentric, rather than the obnoxious posers.

You can have a properly great night out here, if the circumstances smile on you - but if they just toned down the desperate attempts at "character", and paid a bit more attention to getting the basics right, it'd be a darn sight better.

Buraco at 06/04/07

thats a great review flashboy - informative and interesting. a talented wordsmith if i may say so.

flashboy at 06/04/07

Cheers! I must admit, I do have a bit of a soft spot for The Foundry - a friend used to perform there, and it can be a really fun place with a group of friends - but objectively, it could do a lot better for itself.

Buraco at 06/04/07

u should do lots more reviews. we need more linguistically adventurous reviewers to spice things up a bit. i'm still itching for a trusted places 'review argument' as well where 2 people violently disagree in their opinions on a place - manifesting itself through written fisticuffs.

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Buraco

What is Cool? 2nd August 2006

2 found this helpful

The Foundry is that pub you see with a big outdoor space between 2 roads as you walk down Old St from the Tube station to the Hoxton/Shoreditch zone of uber-trendiness. I've been past it many times, but last Friday patronised the place for the first time. The whole Hoxton scene is not really my thing, though it is usually quite good fun ogling the frontline fashionistas who sit cross-legged, fag-in-hand in their latest artfully contstructed charity shop outfit. Lets cut to the chase: this is a weird place. The interior would probably warrant closing down on public health grounds if it wasn't so arsty-cool. It really is A Hole. Marvel at the bank of old computer screens covered in dirt and dust. Give full respect the liberal policy of allowing every square inch of the bogs to be covered in graffiti (most of it intellectual, of course). Delight in the over-priced, horrible pint of beer that you've just been given by a gobby art-student behind the bar. Oh yes, and the final joy was to be turned away from the bar with a "F*@k off" at exactly 11pm - gotta love our licensing laws. So, you've gathered that I'm being sarcastic here. Play to your strengths I always say, but the place was bearable thanks to the large outdoor area where all of the above negative points aren't really a factor. Also its a convenient meeting point if you're headed on a night time wander around the area. I think they feature lots of up and coming artists there as well, but I didn't notice as I was too busy trying to get back outside. Ah well, I guess I'm not their target demographic anyway.

robcarter at 15/11/06

Favourite graffiti -

On the wall of one of the gents' at my university, on the fringe of the campus, someone had written:-

'All students are f*cking pretentious w*nkers' (I glad he got his point across succintly and to his target audience).

Someone had replied below in very neat handwriting, "Ah, but Kafka suggests we are not."

Buraco at 15/11/06

I think the best (as in most intellectually pretentious)student grafitti i've come across was daubed across a wall near York's campus. It was in Latin and I forget what it was exactly but it could be translated as I drink therefore I am. Now that's student wit!

flashboy at 06/04/07

"Bibo ergo sum" or "poto ergo sum", I think. But I'm not exactly a Latin scholar...

Plewcock at 13/09/07

I saw a mate of mine play a gig there once downstairs as part of a charity film screening back in March (www.solidaritynotcharity.org.uk)

Whoever the venue had let mix the sound was pathetic. That said, the sense of sitting in the dungeon-like space of what must be the former foundry was interesting.

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