Bethnal Green Workingmen’s Club

I’ve been mourning the demise of the Saint Aloysius Working Mens Club for years, and the Effra Social only ever came a close second. I realise I’m a bit late to jump on the BGWMC wagon but so happy to have finally been introduced to this gem (I’m a West Londoner after all, there’s so much distraction to be found between W11 and E2 …).
The experience was made even better by stumbling into their Workers Playtime Christmas Party, complete with retro dried ice and mulled wine — lovely retro fragrances — and I wonder if the Christmas decorations were original features from the same era as the wood panelled walls. Already in retro heaven, things got even better when I realised the Karminsky Brothers controlled the decks and Rory Moore was doing a set, sandwiched between some real East End crooning.
The best night I’ve had in ages, every time we tried to leave another great tune came on! The no-​handbags-​bigger-​than-​envelope-​size rule proved to be a bonus and I even enjoyed the grumpiness of some of the staff. The cash-​only bar keeps it real.

definitely a fan! was here for a friends private birthday party and had a room booked which we had to say a special password to get access to. The bar was cash only which was a bit old school but I kinda liked that. so the bouncer warned me to go and get cash before coming in as there was no re entry once in the place. and my oh my were the drinks cheap!!! half the price of a normal London club and its just so old school! definitely worth a visit!

Party like it’s your birthday happens on a Friday once a month I think. Probably one of the most fun and nostalgic nights out you could have. It’s like a 90s kids disco.
I just wish it was every week!
Definitely a good place to go with a big group. So much fun!

Yup, this is basically a hipster disaster zone, it looks like terrible wedding venue/​school disco but that is because it actually is a legit old workingmens club, which is pretty awesome and makes me feel bad about the hipster bit… BUT NOT THAT BAD because I had an AMAZING time here. We went for the Coney Island themed party, which happened to be on my birthday and there was indeed a freakshow, the highlight of which was a man threading round the back of his nose/​throat and pulling it out of his nostrils/​mouth. The drinks were shockingly cheap, it was like being back at uni. The staff were really nice at the door, cloakroom & bar and the crowd was relaxed (although to be fair I’d had so many snakebiteritas at Underdog by the time we got there I was basically in love with everyone anyway.)
It’s too much fun. Just go, have a laugh, and don’t touch anything in the toilets.

Thoughts On The Way There:
— This place is SO far from everything!
— There’s a cover charge. Boooooo!!!
Thoughts When I Was There:
— Ooooh. I like these cheap drinks.
— Ooooh. I’m somehow leading a conga line of 30 people. How’d that happen? Oh well… guess I can check that off the bucket list.
Thoughts On The Way Out:
— I’m definitely going to «steal» this rubber floatation device as a symbol of my amazing conga leading abilities. Well, that and I can’t get it off me.
— Let’s walk home!!! Yeeeaahhhh. That sounds like a GREAT idea.

I think the real members of the BGWC hate the babarian hoards that descend on them for the evening. They really do. Where else do you see octogenarians having to sit next to a guy in a mankini? And as an octogenarian, how would you react to that?
Sink the Pink is one HECK of a camp, glitterific caberet/​party. And from my experiences with Hot Breath parties there (where you have to use an exercise bike to power through the karaōke song), BGWC is a very special, grubby space with a penchant for the weird and wonderful.
Sorry, real members of BGWC, us t**ts are here to stay.
*Beware, the BGWC always smell of B. O– there, I’ve warned you!
*Also, free self defence 121 tutorials with the barmaid/​men who collects the glasses. Yup, just what you need when very tipsy.

What –is– this place?!
A girl was putting on lipstick in the mirror whilst I was using the urinal trough in the gents’. Another girl was in the toilet stall.
The seat of the chair I sat on fell through between the legs as I adjusted my bum on it, and the stage was set with a massive light-​festooned heart and a fabric vag the size of a sofa.
Admittedly, this happened to be on the night of The Vagina Monologues performance and the crowd was teeming with lesbians and feminists, so that might explain the décor.
I figure that the booze is typically cheap and that the space is just as grotty for any other event. The beauty of it is that’s all it’s meant to be — no more and no less.
—-
As an aside… how does one punctuate the gents’? Gents? Gent’s? Gents’?

The BGWC is an interesting place.
When you first enter, you’ll notice that its located in the middle of a council estate. Don’t worry. Its perfectly safe so say the bouncers at the door before they tell us to keep quiet when we leave so as to not wake the neighbours.
The second thing I noticed was that there was a massive cutout of a heart on the wall of the stage. It was totally something out of a 1980s high school dance. I was waiting for someone to throw pigs blood on me. Sadly, that did not happen.
The third thing I noticed as I left the swell of queer hipsters for a smoking break were the groups of pensioners in the basement having a drink and play cards. I’m not sure who was more surprised, them or me.
Yea, BGWC is that kind of a place which is why I love it.

I got into a karate fight with a cross dressing busser.
She kept cutting through our dancing group and tried to karate chop my friend in the neck earlier. When she came round to clear our glasses again I challenged her. We took our bows and began. It was a close call but I won, and in doing so earned her respect. We were free to dance in our little corner near the dj booth in peace.
And the busser and I have a standing date to go shopping at a nearby market for a costume for next time cause I wasn’t wearing one that night.

Before we went in we were given a little speech on how to leave quietly at the end of the night and to tell any friends who would be joining us to arrive before 12 as there would be no admission afterwards.
Within minutes we were up in the dancing area and, dressed in the most disgusting combination of clothes I’d managed to dig up in from my dressing up box for the Bad Taste party, danced the night away.
This place goes all out to create a night of fun and frolicks for all. We had a live band playing great covers of cheesy hits (including the theme music to Grange Hill), we had two guys in Blades of Glory outfits perform the most amazing dance medley and we had masses of awesome tunes in between. There were people dressed as whoopie cushions, several Amy Winehouses, leotards galore on both girls and boys and even an odd banana.
We conga’d, we did the Irish Rover, we dirty danced, we sang Oh Happy Day on the stage with arms aloft, we drank, we swapped accessories, we laughed and we stumbled home at 2:30am with smiles on our faces. Ashley V even had a karate stand off with the old drag queen glass collector.
Amazing!

Jail House Jam
Awesome
This little venue was neatly decorated to represent a Jail House with everyone dressed as a cop or in a striped suit. They had tattoos you could get, a bar, and an electric chair. They played old jail house jams, had a stripper, and even a show with inmates performing. It was great!
Me and my mates had such a wonderful time here. The theme was very exciting and I just know that they have great parties and shows every time. Definitely go here and you won’t regret it. It’s a great time and makes for awesome pictures. Dress up in costume if you can, it makes it that much more fun :]

BGWMC is fun. the venue is great, the staff is friendly and the nights are varied.
plus they have close-​up film screenings on tuesday which show brilliant films
best night is probably jailhouse jam when the whole club is transformed into a fake jail. lots of fun, great music. no complaints here!

Off the beaten path.
And AWESOME.
Ok, not going to lie, had a great time. Not too crowded, drinks not terribly expensive, somewhat obscure location, but a really fun time. If you like themed nights where people dress up, this may be the place for you.
I normally on principal «don’t do» cover charges, but they seemed to make it worth the money. Its not just a scene you’re getting in exchange. My night I had: a live band, a burlesque dancer, temporary tattoos complements of Sailor Jerry and an accompanying shots of rum (and ginger beer), two photo opps in against a «jail» mug shot and a fake electric chair, plus dancing, etc. I felt that for £5, that was enough bang for my buck.
I’ll be back for sure and bringing friends. Sorry Lizzie G. Only cool ones, I promise. ;)

There is (almost) always something (fun|fascinating|odd|great|dumb|WTF?!|ust plain weird) going on here.
The door? Cheap as a 60p cuppa tea (prices may vary)
The beer? Cheap as chips
The entertainment? Cheap as yo mama.

I just when to the club last sat 24 July 2010.
Its nice and people there is nice and friendly. music is rock 60s night.
people dress up many good looking girls too. well, im sure will go back again,. 7 aug. i hope you guy come and join us.
tara
See

So this review is based on my recent expedition of BGWC’s fun-​filled theme of Games Night.
I like games. Specifically social games. Not mind games (I tend to be pretty direct with people, and say what I mean, and mean what I say). And not computer games (though one day I may be sucked more and more into online social games — early predictions say, it’s going to be the biggest growing industry in 5 years) but I like pub quizzes, board games — you know, random games and if you like social games then BGWC is the place to play them.
I’ve been to a few nights here before and to be honest, I wasn’t sure what to expect ”because it’s all about fun, & money’s a dirty word unless you win it!!!” (Their words, not mine). But if I had predicted I was going to challenge two other contestants to a game of utter flexibility to pick up a Kellogg’s cereal box with only my teeth — in front of a room full of boozed-​up strangers chanting my name — then I would have known what I was getting myself into!
There was bingo (£1 for two games) with fabulous prizes such as toilet seat covers, fishing reels, t-​shirts and free sambuca shoots, karaōke which normal folk in the crowd can get up and belt out a tune (no not like Lucky Voice but actually a stage performance! There was this amazing guy who alternated between falsetto and bass to Blondie’s Heart of Glass — I think he had rehearsed this one…), the tape measure challenge where participants had to measure-​out to the roof — without bending the tape and my personal favourite (apart from my apparent graceful attempt at doing the splits earlier that night) ‘Queoke’ — that’s right, you form a que and each singer gets to sing a few lines each while everyone else dances in the front!
Like I said, I have been to a few other nights here. And they can cost up to £10 entry-​fee but Games Night is free to get in, and it’s certainly a night where the crowd start off tentative and as the evening wares on, people are more likely to loose their inhibitions and volunteer themselves for a bit friendly gaming-​malarkey!
£3 for spirits and bottled beer. You can also order takeaway. But my friend’s order arrived almost 2 hours later and with no cutlery — so it’s a bit hit and miss to be honest.
Other nights are brilliant too by the way!
But my first games night will be a night I certainly won’t forget! Go and find out for yourself.

This has got to be the best night out in London at present.
Bird La Bird takes you on a couture and feathered ride and entertains you as soon as you get through the door. Expect to see top performances that either leave you on the edge of your seat, or laughing so hard you positive you are going to wet yourself. Couple that with cheap entry, interesting venue and then a chance to drink lots and dance the night away, it just doesn’t get better than that for me!
The last couple of Bird Club’s have been packed, but a lot of that is down to the appeal of Bird. Her performances are addictive and you’ll want to see her again and again and again.
I really cannot advise you to go here enough. You will have fun and you will want to go back for more.

I’ve only been here during Hillbilly Hop, so I can’t comment on the other events. However, this was good. Teddy boys (and girls), Shanghai girls and various other swing-​set drag mingled with butches, trannies and local Bethnal Green hipsters. There were even a few real working men. An espadrille-​wearing snag wondered in from somewhere, (I don’t know what that was about. Perhaps he was European). We could have been at the Club Deluxe, except that in San Francisco, real working men are few and far between.
The highlight of the evening was the Fulsom Four, whose lead singer did an excellent job of channeling Johnny Cash. I didn’t know he was considered Hillbilly, but what do I know. The band did sing at least one Hillbilly song, by Dolly Parton.

Don’t go! Seriously — it’s all mine and I don’t want to share it.
Okay that is a bit extreme but this place is the most magical club in the world and I’m resenting every letter I type here. So here’s the deal, I’ll write this and you’ll appreciate it but never actually set foot it this place. okay? Good!
I discovered this club/​venue through my far too cool flatmate and we went on Halloween. It was like a huge house party full of your friends in some of the most horrific fancy dress I have ever seen. They have a small stage at the front where local artists perform alongside burlesque dancers for a truly eye opening experience. The place is filled with party people who dress funny even when they aren’t in fancy dress and the drinks are cheap enough to get drunk on £20. That is after playing a whooping £10 to get in.
Since that night I have been back a few times and every time I do it gets harder to get in. The queues are longer and the door staff ruder, in fact this Halloween we got there and they wouldn’t even let us in at all. At 7pm (and I like to say that the normal starting time for things like this is about 11pm) there was over 200 people outside all waiting. We were not one of the lucky ones.
So if I have had all of this trouble why so many star? It will still always be an amazing mixture of students, artists and free thinkers out for a good night with like minded people in a historic venue. There is even a Banksy painted on one side of it’s wall.
I wish more places would be like this so that we could all fit in!

I like it here. I think. I spent my birthday here and that was great. It was my 25^th and was much fun indeed. I’m just not sure how much I like the club. I think I do. It’s a cool indie trash glam burlesque type place. Or something like that.
But it’s a strange mix of trash and glamour. But it’s more trash. The Banksy print has made it annoyingly easy for people to find. Grrrr.
It’s small, cosy and intimate, but it’s full of people who are too cool for that. You won’t find yourself having random conversations with people. I didn’t anyway. But I did get free drinks for no reason and started a locomotion when Kylie was playing and that was fun.
The nights are varied here and that’s great fun. You never know what you’re going to find. But you should prepare beforehand. If you’re late and you’re not all dressed up, they might not let you in at all.
Unless you have nerves of steal like me and blag your birthday latecomers in while you’re smoking a fag outside. In fact, for that, they can have another star.