It is London’s worst kept best secret; part nightclub, part art gallery, part live music venue, part variety act showcase, usually all of these things in one, the only constant at
Shunt is that it is never going to disappoint. Tucked in the huge underground vaults of London Bridge station the only entrance point is through a Harry Potteresque
door without a sign which gives the place and its revelers the sort of “in the know hipster cred” it so deserves.
Walking into the club is a treat in itself and as you walk along the
long stretch of tunnels that lead into the vaults prepare yourself for a visual feast. The walls will be adorned with a variety of modern art from some of London’s best up and coming artists. If it starts raining along the way during this walk don’t worry about the roof leaking its synthetic and it is all part of the experience.
Shunt is run as a Lounge / Theatre Company by a board of directors that consists exclusively of ten artists. They take turns picking a weekly theme and booking acts that vary from one week to another. If the first time you head down to Shunt and find a library in the
gigantic main room don’t be surprised if you find a forest there a week later, or a replica of the Parthenon a week after that - these are only a few of the many themes they have used.
Besides the main room where you will find the bar and dance floor there is a theatre, a side stage for live music acts, a games room (currently possessing a glow and the dark table tennis table) and enough nooks and crannies to get lost in. Personally having attempted to capture the essence of Shunt with a, rather cheap, digital camera I can assure you that no picture can give you a true representation of the atmosphere that the place provides.
Your average punter is pretty indefinable and you will find an eclectic mix of nationalities, social groups and ages. Shunt is a welcome break from your average hormone fueled, blurry eyed, binge drinking, sex crazed sociopathic night clubs that fill the capital and if you go mid week Wed/Thurs it is a great
place to take a date. It is basically a month’s worth of nights out in one evening but if you decide to head down on a Fri/Sat night get there before 9pm as they shut the doors at 11pm and the ques are likely to be big.
