ISH

A stone’s throw from Great Portland Street tube station, 229 The Venue is owned by and situated next to the International Students House, meaning there is a constant flow of young, overseas students arriving with suitcases in tow.

Once you step inside you’d be forgiven for thinking you’d walked into a student union bar. The floors reminds one of and indoor sports hall; it’s all very ‘let’s add a mirroball for the end of year prom’ type setting.

This is not to say that 229 The Venue is not a decent space. Its two rooms are spacious, the main room and stage being far larger than at many other London music venues. The acoustics are surprisingly good and the stage has been built above ground level, meaning it’s easier to get a good view from the back.

Fittingly, the music policy favours indie gigs and school disco nights; more recently the venue played host to Fistful of Fandango, a 4-day indoor festival showcasing up and coming bands.

It may not have the atmosphere or the history of other music venues, but it’s certainly a decent place to hop along to see a band. Unpretentious and unassuming, its 700-capacity space, cheap(ish) drinks, and central location could seemingly become a popular hang-out for London’s indie masses, however it’s the fans of the perplexingly popular School Disco - relocated here after a stint at Kentish Town Forum – that throng here every Saturday. Not forgetting the overseas students.