Wilton Music Hall

1 Graces Alley, London, E1 8JB

Wilton Music Hall All In London Review:
Our rating: 9 / 10

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Address:	1 Graces Alley, London, E1 8JB
Location Map:	See a map
Nearest Station:	Greenhithe for Bluewater
About Wilton Music Hall:	The world’s oldest surviving music hall needs a helping hand. Wilton Music Hall sprang up in 1858, at a time when venues of the kind were in fashion. Despite this, it only lasted 22 years before being taken over by a series of landlords and eventually ceasing operation in 1880. A Methodist Mission moved in and remained until 1956, serving up to 2,000 meals a day during the 1889 Docker’s Strike. Nowadays Wilton Music Hall is just as likely to host a ping pong tournament as a debate, however the entire second floor is boarded up as it is unsuitable for public use; furthermore, the roof leaks, the floorboards need replacing and the joists need reinforcing. A trust has been set up to restore the venue to its former glory with a projected target of £4 million, and events are often scheduled to raise funds. Despite its crumbling state, the theatre is still in operation, and recent events have included Marc Almond and special guests. Aside from the shows, the charming Mahogany Bar is well worth a visit and hosts regular cabaret and music performances.
Official Link:	www.wiltons.org.uk

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The All In London Review

"Wilton’s makes for the kind of place to show off the fantasy of London"

Added Mon 07 Nov 2011 by T.A.O

Secreted away at the end of an alley amongst the congestion of Tower Hill, it seems apt that as soon as you clap eyes on Wilton’s Music Hall the surroundings no longer seem to exist. With parts of it dating back to the early 1800’s, Wilton’s is a landmark of heritage that somehow manages to transcend its age with a current line-up of events and random jollies. A dilapidated building that’s kept sacred by the work of the Wilton’s Trust, the place has character by the (exposed) brick load. Crumbling walls, fairy lights, pianos and well-trodden boards make this a place that every Londoner should see. The Mahogany Bar itself may have lost the very bar it was named after, but that doesn’t detract from the lively mix of in-the-know hipsters, locals and relic hunters who fill it with ease. Apart from this main room there is of course the main music hall, which brings you theatre, gigs, cabaret and recreations of the art of music hall entertainment itself. As if this weren’t enough, there is also a Mezzanine Room in which to relax, as well as the Green Room that comes complete with ping-pong table for fans of the fashionable sport.

There are various snacks served in the bar – mainly consisting of filled beigels on this occasion – and a discerningly stocked bar, full of St. Peter’s Ale along with a couple of draught beers. Wilton’s makes for the kind of place to show off the fantasy of London, and while the technology around us propels us ever faster into the future, the past is still where it’s at