http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults <b>Shunt Vaults</b><br />London, 20 Stainer Street, SE1 9RL, United Kingdom en http://trustedplaces.com/uploads/placepics/trustedplaces.comaPlacePic['name']}.140.jpg http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1q4ap8
Review by girlswear

Rating: 5.00
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This is one of my favourite places in London. The Shunt Vaults situated beneath the London Bridge, you can still feel the dampness and musty air of this Victorian vault.

No matter how often you visit, it's a different experience on it's own, mainly because each week is curated by a different artist including art, performance art, dance, live band and DJs. Permanent area includes a small pinball arcade and pool. You can go into different rooms with different things happening, or find that secret vault with your friends. Shunt is a MUST experience if you've never been, and you'll be addicted.]]> Mon, 18 Aug 2008 20:11:43 +0000 /review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1q4ap8908910503 girlswear 51.504161742552 -0.086537507055382 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1q9ac7
Review by chrisp

Rating: 5.00
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An extraordinary place, like stepping into a Jack-the-Ripper film set, only with alcohol and burlesque dancers. Set in a good acre of sooty disused railway arches and long-forgotten brick vaults underneath London Bridge station, Shunt is a completely unique experience and well worth the effort finding it (it's almost invisible from the outside). Drinks may be nothing special, and they didn't even serve food as far as I could tell, but you can have hours of fun just wandering through the grimy urban spaces, hiding in the shadows or dancing in the spotlights. There's nowhere else like it.]]> Mon, 18 Aug 2008 14:02:29 +0000 /review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1q9ac7449259665 chrisp 51.504161742552 -0.086537507055382 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/139a28
Review by kellytron

Rating: 5.00
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This place just amazed me. I couldn't think of a more perfect venue. Massive space (with hidden nooks and crannies so pick how loud/busy an area you want to be in), performance, live music, art, pinball machines, cheap booze and even a truck with chairs on the tray to sit in. I actually passed about 30minutes pretending to drive this truck and honking the pretend horn - but this isn't compulsory although it does speak volumes about how much of the aforementioned cheap booze I may have consumed.

It's the sort of place you could take a jaded Hoxton-ite and actually get an impressed look out of them.
]]> Thu, 24 Jul 2008 23:11:14 +0000 /review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/139a28318042182 kellytron 51.504161742552 -0.086537507055382 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1e69n8
Review by rogoff

Rating: 5.00
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I first went when there was a show called Tropicana here. We went through a little door in the wall of the tube station only to find ourselves in what looked like a London Transport staff room complete with Tube staff reading The Sun. From then on, the evening just got stranger and stranger as we were led into the vaults.

Anyway, that was the show and now there's the bar. I guess it's run by the same team who put on Tropicana because it's got the same quirky feel to it with quite a lot of the theatre too.

If you're looking for something fun and different then you won't find much better than this. Great space, great place.]]> Sat, 14 Jun 2008 18:48:31 +0000 /review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1e69n8373512417 rogoff 51.504161742552 -0.086537507055382 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/183988
Review by lottiebooth

Rating: 5.00
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I went here to the Shunt Lounge for "A Dickens Christmas" which was our office christmas party. Someone had shown me pictures before i went but nothing prepared me for how amazing those vaults are.

There are some pictures of the christmas party at http://www.dickenschristmasparty.co.uk]]> Wed, 04 Jun 2008 14:41:34 +0000 /review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1839881145058897 lottiebooth 51.504161742552 -0.086537507055382 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1i48f9
Review by BView

Rating: 5.00
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this is probably the best venue I have ever been to. That may sound like a big shout but believe me this is almost entirely unique. It is the antithesis of a poncey cocktail bar in soho. The decor is completely minimal (in fact its pretty much non-existent). This underground venue still has original brick work and is much as it was before. There are random pieces of artwork/furniture dotted all over the place (an old grand piano, pinball machines and weird pieces of "modern art). It sells cans of Red stripe at a huge mark-up but hey, what the hell, its worth it!]]> Thu, 24 Apr 2008 09:48:05 +0000 /review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1i48f91145679605 BView 51.504161742552 -0.086537507055382 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1k53o8
Review by gilka

Rating: 5.00
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What a great place! Shunt is kind of a special space.
first time I heard about it was from a friend who saw there an interactive theatre play where the audience were taking part and being guided to different rooms. The audience didn't know who is an actor and who is just a viewer... very cool! I saw there an experimental music event in which people were playing on some very weird tools including throwing a bunch of gems to make noise... Inside Shunt you can walk around and try different spaces until you feel you got the right one! It is tricky to find it- kind of inside London bridge tube without any big sign outside... try it out if you are brave enough!]]> Mon, 16 Jul 2007 16:02:56 +0000 /review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1k53o8114524612 gilka 51.504161742552 -0.086537507055382 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1443p8
Review by LondonistHazel

Rating: 4.00
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This place is great for performance art and the more bizarre end of cabaret. Not so great for wine and beer - drinking is incidental to the spooky surroundings and the avant-garde events so the supermarket wine and room temperature beers are just about bearable.]]> Sun, 17 Jun 2007 05:20:06 +0000 /review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1443p8986895710 LondonistHazel 51.504161742552 -0.086537507055382 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1u1218
Review by elaborations

Rating: 4.00
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If you have been following the Primeval episodes 2 this place will creep you out!! So I was on my guard for that Mammoth spider, as I was going deeper and deeper attracted by a faint light, and there I was with others like me attracted to this light, waiting in turn to be eaten by this mammoth spider. But it turns out to be a very funny stand-up comedian with a fat smile, amusing each one of us.

The overall experience was enjoyable and I will go back to Surprise and shock my guests.]]> Tue, 29 May 2007 23:03:10 +0000 /review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1u121851507289 elaborations 51.504161742552 -0.086537507055382 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1t12s8
Review by Blash

Rating: 5.00
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This is how i can describe this place:

Have you seen Scary movie?

Well the feeling i got from entering this place was very similar to watching scary movie in the cinema with a room full of people. Scary movie is a film that is full of action/comedy/horror and a few bizarre scenes...
Shunt Vaults is a great concept. I really enjoyed my experience there and will recommend it to all my friends.
]]> Tue, 29 May 2007 12:10:03 +0000 /review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1t12s81970477817 Blash 51.504161742552 -0.086537507055382 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1s42p8
Review by sue

Rating: 4.00
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Shunt Vaults would have to be the strangest bar I have ever been to. Try finding it for a start. It is near impossible. The entrance is via a little door in London Bridge tube station.

Once you finally locate the entrance, you then find yourself heading down a long, pitch black in places, underground tunnel. The tunnel has scary looking alcoves on each side with strange noises and voices resonating from them. Not a place to walk by yourself if you are easily spooked!

Once you reach the end of the tunnel, turn right and you will wonder if you have travelled back in time. The cave-like bar is nothing quite like I have experienced before. Its interior comprises of arched ceilings and crumbling brick walls held together with creeping ivy, along with the odd chandelier, and a mix-match of eclectic furniture.

The music earlier in the evening sounded like something that would have been played in a wild west saloon or at a circus freak show.

I loved it.
]]> Mon, 28 May 2007 14:24:47 +0000 /review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1s42p81659007323 sue 51.504161742552 -0.086537507055382 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1s62e8
Review by Frankie

Rating: 5.00
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This is a pretty strange and sensational place.

You enter through a dark tunnel...

Your nostril hairs quiver in the cold air (black velvet mildewed). You see the darkness and are reborn as a Goth.

Actually, they could have gone for a gothic cliche but the club has expressed itself in a sort of thrift store, French Resistance chic. It is entirely dramatic here and thrilling. The place is run by a theatre group http://www.shunt.co.uk/ and reminded me of a recent physical theatre production at Wapping by Punchdrunk http://www.musicomh.com/theatre/faust_1006.htm but I don't think they're connected.

Well, the social atmosphere was jolly and warm (accept any TP invitation that comes your way!). But as the evening went on I began to be aware of a glum presence sitting alongside us in the walls. Kind of benign but strange. A giant, too heavy to ever stand up again, a bird caged. I ran out into the light shouting 'I'm Alive, I'm Alive!'. It could affect you mentally if you joined up for this club.]]> Sun, 27 May 2007 21:10:37 +0000 /review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1s62e81298804887 Frankie 51.504161742552 -0.086537507055382 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1r52p7
Review by Lacrimosa

Rating: 4.00
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Ouch! With head still spinning from last night's meet at the Shunt Vaults (thanks for a great night, Trusted Places!) I shall attempt to separate fact from fantasy. It'll be tough going though.

This place is odd. Very odd. If you were to hit London in search of the elephant man, the bearded lady, Siamese twins and the Amazing Reptile Man from Deepest Utchichudo, this is where you should look first. It's like a recreation - a spookily authentic one at that - of the venue for a Victorian freak show which, historically, may well have been held in vaults like these. Hurdy-gurdy fairground music completes the effect. The only thing missing is the freaks (no sir, before you suggest it, I ain't no bearded lady) but Rob's review below demonstrates that freaks do sometimes make an appearance.

Loved the drollness of the staff. One on the door offered to wave the £5 entrance fee if I gave her my springbok handbag. Later on, the donation by one of our party of four tickets to see Meatloaf at Wembley Arena was handled in a enviably deadpan manner by the female DJ. There wasn't many people about when we arrived circa 6.30pm on a Friday, but the place gradually filled to a comfortable level. Through the gloaming, I even spotted people playing table football.

One last thing... there was some talk last night about this place closing down once the lease runs out in the summer. Can anyone confirm or clarify that?]]> Sat, 26 May 2007 09:34:25 +0000 /review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1r52p71941272073 Lacrimosa 51.504161742552 -0.086537507055382 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1p42g8
Review by LuluMcC

Rating: 4.00
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Enter through a hole in the wall in London Bridge tube station (next to a vending machine is all I will say) and you enter a totally new world.


If you can find this place you are in for a surprise. One minute you are surrounded by commuters, the next plunged into damp darkness...but in a good way.


If you aren't freaked out by the pitch black vaults you will eventually pass some interesting art installations, the odd live performance or perhaps a theatrical "happening". When you finaly reach the bar the drinks are reasonably priced and the crowd friendly.

If you are looking for something out of the ordinary in SE1 then check it out.]]> Mon, 21 May 2007 14:38:20 +0000 /review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1p42g8541606739 LuluMcC 51.504161742552 -0.086537507055382 http://trustedplaces.com/review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1u31y9
Review by MartinKemp

Rating: 4.00
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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!]]> Sat, 24 Mar 2007 12:06:38 +0000 /review/uk/london/bar-pub/1n52z7g/shunt-vaults/1u31y91112105971 MartinKemp 51.504161742552 -0.086537507055382