The Queen of Hoxton- rubbish name, great bar

So I spent another Saturday night in Shoreditch this weekend. My flatmates and I ended up in a rather interesting new establishment on Curtain Rd and I thought I'd post something about it.

OK, Before you gasp ‘oh not another poncey, too-cool-for school Shoreditch bar’ please hear me out.

You might recognise the location of The Queen of Hoxton as the home of Industry- the rather archaic east-end club. Yep, Industry has had a full-on makeover. Upon first impressions, the bar doesn’t appear to differentiate from any of its other east end neighbours (‘The Queen of Hoxton? What kind of name is that?’ I cry.) Upon digging a bit deeper on Google, I soon learn that the bar is named after philanthropic actress and theatre owner Sarah Lane who lived in Hoxton in the early nineteenth century. Legend has it that Sarah became known in London circles as The Queen of Hoxton due to her hospitable nature towards local artists and actors.

So this bar does just that. Not just your average east-end boozer, this bar offers aspiring artists and creatives from the local area a constantly changing space to exhibit their work. Weird concept for a club I admit, but it kind of works. You’ve just got to step into the loos to realise how achingly trendy this place is. From creeping ivy on the ceiling to retro table football machines in the ‘games corner’ this bar is certainly one of the first of its kind.

Divided into two floors, the ground floor hosts the large 1950’s American-inspired cocktail bar and the majority of seating (which brings me to my biggest criticism of the place- the gorgeous buttery brown leather sofas are so low to the ground you might as well be sitting on the floor). The lower ground floor opens up to a dimly-lit cavernous club with a modestly sized stage and dance floor. Don’t worry if you don’t fancy throwing shapes to the (somewhat bizarre at times) music, there are plenty of cushiony booths to gather in.

So what’s on offer? Well, The Queen offers one of the most diverse and exciting cocktail lists around- all at a reasonable £7 each (personal favourite- the Hoxtonite). There is also an impressive range of draught world beers that will set you back about £3.50 a pint. So not wallet-crippling for the area. The model-esque bar staff are also friendly and beautiful in equal measure. On most nights it is free to get in, except on Saturday nights when it is £4 before midnight. Its opening hours vary depending on the acts but 2am is standard chucking out time come the weekend.

Overall, this bar will not disappoint. Perfect for a couple of quiet mid-week pints or weekend night out, The Queen is a great all-rounder. Let’s just hope it stays that way. Long live the Queen!