By Liz Marvin
The latest addition to Brixton’s smorgasboard of drinking establishments opened last night, to a full house and much rockin’ and a rollin’. The Effra Social is owned by Antic London, whose ever-growing portfolio of South London boozers includes Dogstar, The Tooting Tram Shed and, most similarly to the Effra Social, the Balham Bowls club.
These pubs all have at least a bit of a vintage theme in there somewhere and the Effra Social, housed in the rambling former premises of the Conservative Club, is no exception. The opening night was very much 1950s themed, with brilliantly brylcreamed and bequiffed, Conrad and the Atomiks setting the musical tone, while dancers from Swingland lindyhopped impressively across the floor.
Despite there having been much evidence of renovation over the past couple of months, aesthetically they have barely touched the place. And I do mean this as a compliment. The old club room has retained its wood panelling, velvet curtains, and curved stage, and it looks great. The corridor that leads to it is festooned with trophy cabinet and slightly awful portrait of the queen that makes you feel like you’ve turned up at a particularly kitsch 1950s grammar school. The inescapable bunting was of course present (honestly, how did we decorate stuff before bunting came back into fashion?), but sheets of music pegged to washing lines was at least a creative twist on this persistent theme in the bar.
There’s still a lot of work to be done to the place. The upstairs rooms aren’t finished yet, and the much-vaunted back garden wasn’t open last night. The toilets are absolutely hideous. A lot of effort has gone into painting the ladies loos pink and covered in knitting patterns, but the actual plumbing has been completely and disastrously overlooked. Although, considering there was still a skip out the front at 4pm yesterday afternoon you could argue they’ve done pretty well to be open at all.
Opening celebrations continue all this weekend, with three-piece Juke Box Heroes playing tonight and soul music taking over on Saturday, open until 1am both nights. Laid back, a little bit trendy but happily frayed at the edges, I think the Effra Social is going to be very popular indeed.
Catch Liz on Twitter @Liz_Marvin and check out her Brixtonia.com blog.
Send your pics of the Effra Social to us at newsdesk@brixtonblog.com.
Converting the old Conservative Club into live music venue next door (almost) to the Hootananny live music venue! What were Antic thinking?The George 5th Music Bar is sitting empty and going to waste just up the road?
Good review. Similar impressions having myself enjoyed the opening last night. But a smorgasbord of drinking establishments in Brixton?! I wish that were the case. Certainly not up this end of town. A smorgasbord of supermarkets perhaps. Nice to see a new and decent pub (not too trendy), but the trend is still very much closure. The Canterbury looks to be the latest under threat: http://www.urban75.net/forums/threads/brixton-news-rumours-and-general-chat-february-2013.305739/page-39#post-12016545
Tim – it’s right next to hootananny
Ah okay, can’t place it but figured it had to be around there somewhere
Where is it / what is the address?